Grade/Ensign/The Impossibles/ The Movielife/Next Season Toronto's Grade is one of those rare bands that blends emo angst in equal parts with pop songcraft, hardcore energy and metal edge. The quintet — whose music the 'zine Splendid called thinking man's punk — has a new early-material comp out on Victory Records, The Embarrassing Beginning (now there's two words I can never spell right, right the fuck next to each other). Doors are at 7:30 p.m. and cover charge for this all-ages show is $8. (May 31, State Theatre)
Big Bill Morganfield w/The Alvin Youngblood Hart Band Morganfield, the slide guitarist and baritone bluesman, didn't take up music until after the death of his father, Muddy Waters, in 1983. Like Morganfield, Alvin Youngblood Hart has been the recipient of the WC Handy Best New Artist Award. Hart is generally known as an acoustic bluesman, but will be performing electric with a band tonight. Show's at 8 p.m.; tickets cost $12 in advance, $15 day of show. (June 1, Skipper's Smokehouse)
Swing Time w/The Charles Atkins Trio This month's Swing Time event features FSU professor Charles Atkins and his band. Pianist Atkins also directs the FSU Blues Lab and educational center he founded in the '80s, wherein vocalists and instrumentalists learn blues techniques. (Does that mean that somebody comes in, feeds them whiskey and breaks their hearts?) A campaign is currently underway to replace Suwanee River with Atkins' Florida's Song (from his latest Kingsnake CD, Sweet Voice) as our state song. Accompanied by David Copps on drums and Jon Copps on guitar, harmonica and vocals, Atkins presents an evening of danceable swing music beginning at 9 p.m. and lasting till 1 a.m. Free dance lessons are offered, as always, at 8, and the $10 admission price also includes free gated parking. Centro Asturiano is a smoke-free, historical building, and boasts a full bar. (June 1, Centro Asturiano)
Jimmy LaFave and The Night Tribe w/Slaid Cleaves Austin-based LaFave is a WMNF-88.5 FM favorite, so the community radio station is bringing him, his band and its roadhouse rock and romantic balladry to town for three shows in two counties. LaFave uses no set list, so each show will be different. Relative newcomer and fellow Austinite Cleaves took home Song and Single of the Year prizes at this year's Austin Music Awards. American Songwriter magazine wrote, Cleaves writes with the clarity of John Prine and the vivid imagery of Dylan. What, none of the WASP-ish intensity of Joan Baez?!! These kids today … tickets to each show cost $15 in advance, $20 day of show. Friday's and Saturday's shows start at 8 p.m., Sunday's at 6. (June 1, Jannus Landing; June 2-3, Skipper's Smokehouse)
Carol Plunk The Tennessee-born and -bred Plunk has a distinctive, rhythmic guitar-playing style and a powerful voice, which she parlays into a dynamic, Indigo Girls-influenced sound. The acoustic alt-rocker is playing gigs around town for the next two weeks. (June 1, The Hydeaway; June 2, Suncoast Resort; June 6, Brass Mug)
Fran Snyder Ex-Tampa singer/songwriter (and the man behind the long-running Writers Night) Snyder performs two sets on both nights, one at 7:30 p.m. and another at 9. The performances will take place in an outdoor courtyard next to Joffrey's in Carrollwood, on Dale Mabry at Fletcher Avenue. (June 1-2, The Village Center)
Bogus Pomp w/Napoleon Murphy Brock Saxophonist and vocalist Brock is in town to help our local Zappaphile consortium record some of their more difficult arrangements. Zappa discovered Brock playing with his own group at a Hawaii nightclub in 1974 and immediately asked him to join his band on its European tour. Due to other engagements, Brock refused but signed up shortly thereafter, eventually becoming the frontman and star of the Roxy & Elsewhere era. Doors are at 9 p.m.; show's at 10 and tickets are $15 at the door. (June 2, Club More)
Mighty Diamonds w/Benaiah Jamaican vocal trio the Mighty Diamonds celebrated their 30th anniversary in 2000 with a 14-track compilation, Everlasting. Doors are at 7 p.m., show's at 8:30 and tickets cost $15 in advance, $17 day of show. All ages. (June 2, Jannus Landing)
James Taylor How sweet it is — to go see this guy at the Ice Palace. His first performance in the cavernous hall was like a luxurious shoulder massage. The PA was turned mercifully down; you could hear all of the lyrics; the band was warm and tight, the background singers exemplary. Is JT an important artist any longer? No. Has he ever really done anything to rival Sweet Baby James? No. But he's still a honey-voice singer with a satchel full of great tunes. And he knows how to make big rooms intimate. (June 2, Ice Palace) —Eric Snider
Fear Factory w/Spineshank/Hinge/No One Formed in Los Angeles in 1990, Fear Factory was one of the first bands to marry cold, industrial electronics to a hot bride of death metal. Digimortal (Roadrunner) is their latest release. They're joined on this tour by their friends and fellow Angelenos, Spineshank, as well as similarly minded New York quartet Hinge and the mysterious (seriously — their bio came through the fax completely blacked out) No One. Doors open at 7 p.m., tickets cost $15.50 in advance. (June 3, Masquerade)
Perfect Hairball III w/Poison/Warrant/Quiet Riot/Enuff Z'Nuff I don't believe this. I've actually run out of snide things to say about these hair metal shows. Good thing this is my second-to-last Menu, eh? Oh, wait … Kip Winger's playing next week. Consarnit!! Show starts at 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $19.50 and $29.50. (June 3, USF Sun Dome)
Nigel Richards Richards is a linchpin of the Philly techno scene, and the founder of 611 Records. (June 3, Budious Maximus)
The Blacks w/tba A lot has happened to the fabulous Blacks since last they sexed up our doorstep. Guitarist/singer/trumpeter Danny Black has been in treatment for alcohol dependency; he and his partner in life and music, bassist/singer/theremin siren Gina Black have split their romantic union; and wildman drummer James Emmenegger has left the band to live in L.A. with his wife. So where does that leave the campy, Waitsian country outfit? Well, with a fantastic new drummer — the Blue Man Group's Dan Leali — and, I'd speculate, no less weird sexual tension. Don't miss another chance to see one of the most unique, enjoyable live acts touring today. Doors are at 9 p.m. and cover's $6. (June 5, Orpheum)
Jeremy Lyons and The Deltabilly Boys Though Lyons is a Yankee with a degree in ethnomusicology, his sound is down and dirty delta blues, hyper bluegrass and roots rockabilly. Show's at 8 p.m., cover's $5. (June 5, Skipper's Smokehouse)
Clutch w/Vision of Disorder/Tree See Music. (June 6, State Theatre)
—All entries by Stefanie Kalem unless otherwise indicated.
This article appears in May 31 – Jun 6, 2001.