Tango Palace

Malabar Mo’s, Palm Bay, FL • September 16, 2000

Drew Id

I’ve lived in the Melbourne area for 30 years, and I’ve seen a lot of local bands come and go. Some good, some not so good. It’s hard to describe the pleasure of finding an excellent band that you can watch on a regular basis. Add that to a local bar that is not seen as a harbor of local talent, and you have the September 16th show put on by locals Tango Palace. Those of you who are familiar with the local scene of the past 15 years will probably recognize some of the band members. Lead vocalist/keyboardist Greg Vadimsky was responsible for Greg Roberts and the Dark, while guitarist/vocalist Gary Vadimsky played rhythm for early rap/thrash pioneers the Fleshy Headed Mutants. Drummer Brian Arnold played briefly for the always popular Million Tiny Fingers. I must apologize to their latest addition, bassist Tod Wellman, because I don’t know much of his background, except that he toured with the Marshall Tucker Band.

As you can see, Tango Palace is a collection of varied musical talents. Their live show is an excellent mixture of modern rock covers, classic alternative, and their own brand of original music. It’s hard to describe their sound, but like I’ve always said, that’s what makes music great. If you can’t really classify it, it must be original and worth listening to. Also, regardless of what type of music you listen to, if you have an appreciation of talented musicians, then you must check these guys out. Greg is a phenomenal keyboardist, while Gary while make your jaw hit the floor with his leads. Brian and Tod add a tight, never offbeat rhythm section. From my understanding, Tango Palace just recently signed a recording contract, which they should be congratulated for. They’ve been playing around town a lot lately, so you should go check them out. Their Web site is at http://www.tangopalace.com, and contains music and upcoming dates. ◼