23rd Annual Underwater Music Festival Website Update

CLICK HERE TO SEE 2007 EVENT PHOTOS

On Saturday, July 14th on a calm and beautiful day, (a rarity for the Underwater Music Festival) rock legends such as “Mahi” Donna mermaid, Sarah Brunner; “Eel” ton John, Zeb Johnson, Sammy “Star Gazer” Hagar, Jacob Otwell; “Sonny” fish, Bob Rowland; “Cher”ub fish, Alicia Merel and a special guest appearance by “Marlin” Monroe, Samantha Langsdale descended beneath the waves at Looe Key to rock the reef for the 23rd Annual Underwater Music Festival playing guitars, a real keyboard donated by Lynda & Bob Byars of Byars Furniture & Appliances as well as musical instruments sculpted by Florida Keys Artist August Powers for the Underwater Festival such as the manta-lin, the drumfish, the sea-phan flute and this year’s creation of the trumpet-fish.

Founder, coordinator and music director Bill Becker arranged a special treat for us this year with local musicians and songwriters Terry Cassidy, Brian Roberts, Howard Livingston and In Jade to write a song especially for the Underwater Music Festival and to perform live in the studio at WWUS 1 Radio each hour of the four hour festival to be heard underwater.

Along with our local favorite musicians, the playlist ranged from humpback whale songs to the Beatles “Octopus Garden” and Jimmy Buffett’s “Fins” with serious messages promoting preservation of the Florida Keys’ unique coral reef ecosystem by incorporating diver awareness announcements, written and recorded by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary officials, offering tips on how people could enjoy the ocean while minimizing the impact on the reef and overall marine environment; all broadcast underwater via Lubell Laboratory speakers suspended beneath boats positioned at the reef for full coverage.

We estimated 125 boats made the trek to Looe Key for this year’s festival totaling over 500 people diving or snorkeling and just enjoying the sights and sounds of the Underwater Music Festival which included 16 pieces of specially created waterproof “underwater’ art showcased beneath the waves from our creative community, the Lower Keys Artists In Paradise Gallery on Big Pine Key.

The Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce would like to thank our divers and performers, (for putting on the “ritz” and really rocking out) Bill Becker, (founder, coordinator, music director and all around go to guy for the festival) StrikeZone Charters, Undersea's Dive Center, Brinton Environmental Center- Florida SeaBase, Artists in Paradise Gallery, August Powers, Captain Mike as security diver, Captain Lenny & Captain Fred of StrikeZone Charters who manned the press boat, the National Marine Sanctuary and of course Andy Newman and Carol Shaughnessy of Stuart Newman Associates for their enthusiasm as always for the Underwater Music Festival.