Routes Music is a documentary film acting as a roving music census, taking in the true musical passions (and disgusts) of the American people. We're traveling all across the country, stopping along the way to interview local bands, take footage of live performances and chat with anyone and everyone. Learn more about the documentary here; check out all previous entries here.
On Tues., Oct. 20, the Routes Music crew rolled into St. Augustine. “It’s a quaint drinking town with a fishing problem,” as one local described it.
With the help of Mitch Cheney, our St. Augie ambassador, we hooked up with several scene stalwarts. One of them, Ryan Dettra, is the city’s premiere promoter.
After graduating Flagler College with a business degree, Dettra had a risky idea for a small beach town of 12,000: Open a profitable music venue that would bring regional and national acts to St. Augustine.
In 2002, he opened Café 11 inside a former convenience store off A1A. Although his first concerts brought only handfuls of people, Dettra kept at it, booking acts like Against Me! that would sell out shows. Then, six months after opening, he received his break.
The New York City-based art rock band, Les Savy Fav, was touring near St. Augustine. The five-piece was known for putting on wild shows, so Dettra booked them and they did not disappoint. At the encore, frontman Tim Harrington whipped the audience into a frenzy:
This article appears in Oct 22-28, 2009.