As important as history is, it isn't always fun. But the Orange County Regional History Center's feature exhibition for the past year has been maximum rock & roll. Figurehead: Music & Mayhem in Orlando's Underground memorializes the foundational and seminal years between the 1980s and 1990s that practically launched the indie-rock scene in our city. It's a vivid display of a thrilling era in Orlando's history whose influence still pulses in the veins of our music culture today. Moreover, the Center has paired the exhibition with great associated events all year long that tell even more sides of the ongoing story, from the women who've moved the local music scene to local hip-hop to local gig poster art. One of the museum's most buzzing and modern efforts ever, the Figurehead exhibition has garnered national accolades and is now held over. It's a must for all music heads.

thehistorycenter.org

2nd: Hard Rock Live, hardrock.com/live/locations/orlando

3rd: The Plaza Live, plazaliveorlando.org

1st: Montgomery Drive, montgomerydrive.com

2nd: Jessica Pawli, facebook.com/jessicapawli

3rd: 407 Booking, instagram.com/407booking

1st: Sanford Porchfest, sanfordporchfest.org

2nd: Electric Daisy Carnival, orlando.electricdaisycarnival.com

3rd: WJRR Earthday Birthday, wjrr.iheart.com/featured/earthday-birthday

1st: Smartpunk Records, smartpunk.com

2nd: Swamp Cabbage Records, swampcabbagerecords.storenvy.com

3rd: Popnihil, facebook.com/popnihilpress

1st: Red Lion Recording Studio, redlionrecordingstudio.com

2nd: Studio 1509, studio1509music.com

3rd: Phat Planet Studios, phatplanetstudios.com

1st: Austin's Coffee, austinscoffee.com

2nd: The Alley, facebook.com/thealleylive

3rd: Renaissance Theatre Co., rentheatre.com

1st: Orlando Sings Solaria Singers, orlandosings.org/choirs

2nd: Violectric, violectric.net

3rd: Anthology String Quartet, anthologyquartet.com

1st: Angel of Boom, instagram.com/itsoffcialangel

2nd: DJ Edil Hernandez, djedilhernandez.com

3rd: DJ Richie Rich, facebook.com/iamdjrichierich