Scene & Heard

+ The Garbage-Men plan to rock New York City with trash jams
Sarasota’s Garbage-Men continue their ascent from trash-pickin’, high school garage band to eco-friendly rock stars, thanks to several new developments: the first being a spot last month on NPR’s “Science Friday” program.

The program got wind of the band after its members — Pine View 10th-graders Ollie Gray, Jack Berry, Harrison Paparatto, Evan Tucker and Austin Siegel — were interviewed on Sarasota’s local NPR station, WUSF.

The national buzz couldn’t come at a better time for the group.

The band, which earned even more cred when it played this year’s WMNF-sponsored Tropical Heatwave in Tampa, is currently saving its tips so it can tour New York City next month.

According to guitarist Berry, the band has booked gigs at the New York Hall of Science, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, the Children’s Museum of the Arts and City of Water Day, a borough-wide festival on Upper New York Bay.

And, that’s not all.

The guys have been asked to play Times Square: They’re currently waiting on a performance permit.

“We’re very excited,” Berry says. “Our goal for the band has always been to play in other cities. We thought New York was a good place to start because there are so many people there. It’ll be a good way to spread our message about recycling.”

Talk about knowing your audience.

The Garbage-Men, in case you’re new to the phenomenon, is a five-piece band consisting of instruments built from repurposed garbage (i.e., cereal-box guitars with toothpick frets, an alto saxophone with a balloon reed, a contrabass bugle with a traffic-cone bell, a drum kit with a paint bucket snare, etc.)

The group formed in 2010, prompting a local following of “Garbage Heads” from environmentalists and live-music lovers, alike. They’ve since recorded a CD, appeared in Wired magazine, auditioned for “America’s Got Talent” and competed in the Blue Man Group’s “Invent an Instrument” contest.

Despite all this success, Berry says he still uses a Captain Crunch boxes for his guitars. You’d think by now he’d have upgraded to Kashi.

+ Rocker’s memoir is a love letter to automobiles
Now onto a rock star who doesn’t have to dumpster dive …

AC/DC lead singer Brian Johnson’s “Rock and Rollers: Tales of Mayhem, Motors and Debauchery” is out in paperback.

The 256-page book reads less like a trashy Hollywood tell-all and more like a lovable walk down memory lane. Or should I say “ride?”

The 64-year-old Sarasota resident is a racecar junkie with a collection of hot wheels that would make any gearhead swoon. As a result, his memoir isn’t a play-by-play of wild parties and drunken hotel shenanigans, it’s an ode to his favorite off-stage passion: automobiles.

In an interview last week with Fox News, the singer revealed that his favorite car is his Rolls Royce Phantom. And, no, he doesn’t have a chauffer.

So, you know what that means. If you see a Rolls Royce Phantom speeding around town, be sure to get out of the way. He doesn’t sing “Highway to Hell” for nothing.

HOT TICKETS
Drag Queen Karaoke: Had your fill of Beneva Fruitville’s sass? Then take your turn at the mic. The queen bee of bingo, jump splits and hemlines will be hosting Drag Queen Karaoke at 7:30 p.m. June 23, at The Golden Apple Dinner Theatre. If you’ve not had a chance to meet Miss Tamiami Trails, Sarasota’s latest gender-bending bingo caller, now’s your chance. She and Ms. Fruitville will be running the show. For tickets, call 366-2646 or visit thegoldenapple.com.