So this past weekend I was formally introduced to Jacksonville.  I was told that the fourth was a good time here in JaxBeach, but I had no idea what I was in store for.  A day of mayhem and debauchery unfolded on Friday afternoon/night and I am now referring to my temporary home as my future playground for all of Uncle Sam’s birthdays.  1^st St. was a sea of beach cruisers, skateboards, surfboards, glittering streamers, balloons, bottle rockets, sloshing drinks, guitars and tanned bodies.  I swam through the crowds with some friends, stopped for sushi and mingled with the hodgepodge of sticky twenty-somethings.  As the sun sagged, I went to a house party on17^th where King Eddie and the Pili Pili band played (or as the locals call them Pili Pili).  I am told they are an old favorite here and I can see why.  For two hours they pumped out funky reggae music that mingled with island tunes and modern groves.  Rachel, a 25 year old from AtlanticBeach, stole the show for me.  Her vocals were so powerful that it seemed as if she were the only one performing at times.  The crowds dispersed and I slipped down to PonteVedraBeach and watched the fireworks.  The rest of the weekend I lazily lounged at the pool and looked for information about Pili Pili.  I couldn’t find that much on the web although I did learn that pili pili is Swahili for hot sauce.  I would love to learn the history of the band and more about reggae music in the Jacksonville area.  Locals, let me know!

To hear King Eddie announce where and when their upcoming shows will be, call the Pili Pili hotline @ 904-710-2286.