Brain Emoji escape their Florida confines

What the heck is Brain Emoji? Glad you asked.

Exploratory music from the edge of certainty. Improvised by humans.

Brain Emoji – The Moon Tower at Dunedin Brewery Oktobeerfest ’25. 📷: Hunter Nicole Bryant

Mike Bryant, proprietor at Dunedin Brewery and multi-multi-instrumentalist, has always explored wide-ranging music across mind-blowing genre variations. More recently, in addition to working with several Florida groups, Bryant has designed ensembles such as Zero Context, Skallop, and No Standards to continue his explorations.

Mike Bryant & Cynthia – Brain Emoji – Dunedin Brewery Oktobeerfest ’25. 📷: Hunter Nicole Bryant

Then Hoosier Joe Marcinek began spending more and more time in Florida, especially at Dunedin Brewery. Marcinek, known for assembling A-lister bands all over the country, including his Dead Funk Summit, began hooking up with Bryant in all manner of musical combinations, to great effect.

Joe Marcinek – Brain Emoji – Whippersnap ’26

Meanwhile, local bass master Vinny Svoboda has become an indispensable part of numerous groups such as Row Jomah, Road to Nowhere, and Anthill Cinema. He is also a prolific producer and archivist.

Vinny Svoboda – Brain Emoji – Dunedin Brewery Oktobeerfest ’25. 📷: Hunter Nicole Bryant

Jamie Newitt is the long-time drummer for Florida’s reigning jam masters The Heavy Pets. The Pets and individual members of the band have been regular guests at Dunedin Brewery for more than a decade. Newitt in particular has also appeared as a DJ called tiny.blips, with great grooves. He also raps very effectively.

Jamie Newitt – Brain Emoji – Whippersnap ’26. 📸: FunkEyeMedia

Marcinek and Bryant first emerged as Brain Emoji in 2019 (according to our sketchy records), and that continued for several years, eventually vacuuming up Svoboda in the madness. Then, a year ago, convincing Newitt to enter the matrix, they woodshedding in Clermont, returning with singles and a commitment to produce more wonderful “unusual noise.” (Unusual Noise is a Bryant brainchild that promotes and distributes underrepresented original music via live concerts & recordings.)

Now, for the first time, Brain Emoji will step beyond the Sunshine State’s confines to visit starting Thursday at the Nowhere Bar in Athens, then The One Stop in Asheville, and New Realm in Greenville. The following weekend, they will invade Heartwood Soundstage in Gainesville before returning “home” to The Moon Tower at Dunedin Brewery. For that show, harpist and keyboard wizard Seth Lynn of Katara will really up the ante.

Go check out what amazing vibes Brain Emoji are sending out!