One evening, while enjoying a set of rocking, jazz-infused grooves by Hong Kong Fooey, I overheard an obviously plastered but still somewhat coherent audience member ponder to his companion, "Are these guys for real?" It was a particularly hot set, and I was just inebriated enough myself to turn to him and answer what was probably a hypothetical with, "Yes, Virginia, they are." The local four-piece is headed up by keyboardist John Richardson and drummer/percussionist Jonathan Priest, both members of the venerable reggae fusion outfit Rocksteady@8 and the brain-funking, free-form jazzing Infinite Groove Orchestra. They join local jam favorites Middle Rhythm Session for a show at New World Brewery this Friday Night. MRS sounds just Phishy enough to draw a decent crowd, returnees being those who enjoy the band's adept songwriting and spirited, genre-hopping style, that has the audience two-stepping to bluegrass one minute and getting down to wah-wah heavy rock 'n' roll the next. Fri., Aug. 11, 9 p.m., 1313 Eighth Ave., Ybor City, $5, 813-248-4696.
This article appears in Aug 9-15, 2006.