Milk Carton Superstars

Posted on by Thor

The third band I saw as part of I-4 Fest, inside Austin’s Coffee (929 W. Fairbanks Ave. Winter Park) on July 4th was Milk Carton Superstars. They had gone the extra mile by having an American flax covering the speakers. They also had their own LED lighting although it wasn’t needed since it was really bright outside. Milk Carton Superstars are a couple guys shaking riffs and rhymes out of thin air and turning them into rock & roll songs.


The band formed in early 2007 when longtime friends
Guy Larmay (guitars, bass, other) and Jim Myers (vocals, drums, other
also) began writing songs together again for the first time. They are
based in Mt. Dora.

The music was hard hitting rock and roll. My wife, Terry, hadn’t finished her crossword puzzle yet because a coffee had been spilled on it. We decided we had seen enough local music for one day.  I drove near Lake Eola where streets were already blocked off for the July 4th fireworks display. I didn’t want to deal with the inevitable traffic, so I drove to Boston Market where we had a holiday feast. After that, we drove straight home, where I watched war movies for the rest of the night as fire crackers and bottle rockets exploded around the quiet suburban streets. Zorro, an umbrella cockatoo, didn’t much like the noise. He raised his crest every time there was an explosion.

(the parentheticals)

Posted on by Thor

Every hour or so a new band would lug in their equipment and set up on the indoor stage at Austin’s Coffee (929 W. Fairbanks Ave.

Winter Park) for I-4 Fest. The second group I saw was (the parentheticals). I was enjoyed sketching the performers from my spot right next to the stage.

They played with energy and abandon. Luckily my sketch flowed with just the right amount of structure and looseness.

(the parentheticals) were born when three friends, all longtime  

singer/songwriter musicians but who had never worked together, decided 

 to collaborate for the first time on an original project. Despite the

distinctly different styles of writing, singing, and playing each brought to the table, they quickly found that their individual talents blended and complemented each other perfectly.  Creative bursts of  writing and jamming followed, and soon (the parentheticals) had crafted their unique laid-back, underground indie-rock sound.

Bill Massey was on bass, guitar, harmonica, keyboard and drum machine, Matt O’Grady on guitar, melodica and mandolin and Kristen DeAngelis on guitar and synths (when allowed). Everybody sings.  They are currently in the studio   working on their first collection of recordings while also playing live whenever possible.

I-4 Fest

Posted on by Thor

On July 4th, Terry and I went to Austin’s Coffee (929 W. Fairbanks Ave.
Winter Park) where I-4 Fest was being hosted. For $5 you could listen to local musicians perform all day long. There was a band playing on the outdoor stage, but since it was so hot outside, I ordered an Orange Blossom beer and went inside to enjoy the air conditioning. I sat on a rickety old kitchen chair. Chopper Stepe was performing on the small stage in front of the entry window. It was a simple acoustical performance in the intimate setting. Terry sat at a back counter doing a crossword puzzle while I sketched. Patriotic children’s art decorated the walls. A primitive Abe Lincoln stood in front of the American flag. A gun was being pointed at him and someone was telling him to “Look out!” Beer bottles decorated the stage. The music was simple warm and inviting.  My July 4th was off to a great start.