VIDEO: Black Taxi Rocks 8th Avenue Pub

Black Taxi, a Brooklyn based band that is currently canvassing the country playing gigs from Texas to Miami, made a stop at the 8^th Avenue Pub Sunday night.

And judging by the sizable crowd, they gained plenty of new admirers while satisfying their diehard fans who live in and around Safety Harbor.

Led by energetic front man Ezra Huleatt, Black Taxi brought the house down while simultaneously bringing the crowd to its feet, playing an enthusiastic hour and a half set in the garage area behind the pub.

“This is a beautiful spot you’ve got,” Huleatt said of Safety Harbor as he opened the show. “We’ll try to not advertise it too much, try to keep it a hidden gem. But it’s definitely a special place.”

With that the band launched into its groove-infused rock set, mixing many original tunes with a Rolling Stones cover and even a snippet of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”, much to the audience’s delight. 

While Huleatt jumped around and interacted with the audience like a young Mick Jagger, the crowd inched closer and closer to the stage, forming a semi-circle around the group under the cover of the shop, giving new meaning to the term 'garage band'. 

And the audience was made up of a mixture of people of all ages, including a 95-year-old woman, who was the first person to start dancing.

For John and Katie Tankersley of Treasure Island, it was another chance to catch what has become one of their favorite bands.

“We’ve seen them six or seven times now, every time they’ve played in Florida,” John said. “It’s a different type of music than you normally hear here. They’re awesome.”

"And they're great guys, too," Katie added. "Real down-to-earth, cool people."

The show was a benefit for SHAMc coordinated by Todd and Kiaralinda. Atlanta singer-songwriter Gareth Asher opened the evening with an intimate set out in front of the Pub before Black Taxi went on stage.

Both Asher and Black Taxi were headed to Austin,TX after the show to perform at the South By Southwest festival later in the week.

Stay connected to your community. Sign up for the free Safety Harbor Patch email newsletter and you won't miss a thing!