✔️ = Critic's Pick
✔️ Jinx album release w/Demi Nova/Jai Price/Lesage/Shafiq Tampa’s Illsol art collective will unveil a new interior mural at this hybrid album release and art show where two handfuls of visual artists entertain the eyes while Tampa emcee Jinx treats attendees’ ears to the sounds of his third full-length, I Am JahSon, on which he takes listeners on a conceptual journey that examines social issues by telling the fictional story of the titular character. Rapper Mighty Jai and soul singer Demi Nova both appear on the record, and they’ll be at this hidden gem of an Ybor City venue to help the project come to life. It’s kind of a wonder that there’s no cover for this one, and you’d be a dope to miss out on it if you have plans to be in the district on Saturday night. (Lot 1901, Ybor City) INFO
READ MORE
Tampa emcee Jinx reaches out, looks inward on new video for “Heaven Is Close” — watch
✔️ DJ Fader w/DJ Kraze/DJ Jimi O Park Jam Series Florida draws its inspiration from NYC’s True School Park Jam Series, which has been improving the lives of inner-city kids for more than a decade now. On Saturday the organization is once again leaning on old-school hip-hop (plus three legendary Bay area turntablists) to help spread a positive message built on peace, unity, love and having fun. Free, family-friendly and guaranteed to have you home before dark. (MacFarlane Park, Tampa) INFO
93.3-FLZ Jingle Ball w/Zedd/Liam Payne/Nick Jonas/Camila Cabello/Sabrina Carpenter/Charlie Puth/All Time Low/Why Don’t We A few boys and girls who’ve broken away from their bands (Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers, Camila Cabello of Fifth Harmony and One Direction’s Liam Payne) are highlights on iHeartradio’s annual holiday arena show, and if you’ve already blown your budget buying gifts for people, then still head out to Amalie, since a free, pre-show stage featuring Big Time Rush’s Logan Henderson, pop singer Taylor Grey and Weston, Florida rapper Jake Miller is happening in the plaza outside. (Amalie Arena, Tampa) INFO
READ MORE
Review: What happens when a Castle virgin goes to the Hallucination Before Christmas?
✔️ Hallucination Before Christmas w/Josh Wink/Tommie Sunshine/Monk/Nerd Rage/DH Three/Oona Dahl/more Look at the lineups on the Hallucination Before Christmas parties, and you’ll see why the debauched holiday extravaganza has been running for more than two decades. This year includes techno/house icon Josh Wink joining Tommie Sunshine, Rabbit In The Moon co-founder Monk and wubstep producer Nerd Rage on a bill that features nearly two dozen artists. Expect tripped-out production and bring lots of canned goods to see if the event can top the more than 2,200 pounds of food it collected for needy families last year. (The Castle, Ybor City) INFO
READ MORE
Photos: Johnny Mile and the Kilometers, King Complex at St. Pete's Taphouse 61 — 09.22.17
✔️ Record Shindig w/DJ Kalani Amicizia Blakely/King Complex/Infinite Third/Kerry Courtney A busy, musical, day and night at Green Bench kicks off at 1 p.m. as DJ Kalani Amicizia Blakely spins tunes during the brewery’s record shindig (Bananas, Daddy Kool, Microgroove and St. Pete Records will all be there slinging wax). After night falls, a trio of homegrown acts (indie-electro outfit King Complex, post-folk crooner Kerry Courtney, St. Pete’s prince of ambient loops Infinite Third) play a no-cover show in the courtyard. (Green Bench Brewing Co., St. Petersburg) SHINDIG INFO / CONCERT INFO
✔️ Zedd w/Cedric Gervais Love Zedd but don’t wanna see him at the 93.3-FLZ Jingle Ball show? Queue up at The Ritz, where the Russian-German producer will headline an after-show alongside French house music legend Cedric Gervais. This show isn’t low-to-no-cover like so many of The Ritz Ybor’s EDM club nights, but the ticket will be worth it if you don’t care for the rest of the very-poppy Top 40 radio lineup detailed below. (The Ritz, Ybor City) INFO
Sgammato Student Showcase #8 Chris Sgammato is usually making funky, jazz-infused Floridian funk with his band Displace, but he's also an incredibly passionate music teacher, and his eighth student showcase features kids as young as eight from his school (along with others like the Tampa Fine Arts Academy) covering a wide range of bands from Lettuce to Steel Pulse and even System Of A Down. It's also 17-year-old Cody Somoano's CD release, so go support some yutes. (Crowbar, Ybor City) INFO
Don't Break Down: A Film About Jawbreaker (Screening) Planet Retro Records will hold the only Pinellas Country screening of the film on December 16. More info and tickets to that screening — which will feature 30 spaces for reserved seating and standing room area — are available here. (Planet Retro Records, St. Petersburg) INFO
Sofar Sounds Sofar Sounds is a global concert series that prides itself on not revealing the musician or precise venue until the show approaches. Great if you love surprises, but nightmarish for events listing editors. Here's a happy medium care of The Blue Note near Ybor City, which inadvertently revealed that it'll host this installment — but you'll still have to digitally queue for it. (The Blue Note, Tampa) INFO
\\<\/iframe\>
ALSO PLAYING
Tribute/Cover
A Very Jerry Christmas w/Dead Set Florida (Cage Brewing, St. Petersburg) INFO
Christmas with Emile Pandolfi (Carrollwood Cultural Center, Tampa) INFO
Coo Coo Ca Chu (Buckets Tavern & Tap, Tampa) INFO
Liz Pennock & Dr. Blues (Pesky Pelican, St. Petersburg) INFO
Singer-songwriter
Ari & the Alibis w/Ella Jet (Hideaway Café, St. Petersburg) INFO
Forrest Hoffar (Council Oak Lounge at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa) INFO
Live & Local w/Dean Johanesen (David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts) INFO
David Potts (c.1949 Florida Beer Garden, Tampa) INFO
Funk/Jam
Live From The Underground w/SamePage (SubCentral at Iberian Rooster, St. Petersburg) INFO
Earphorik (Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin) INFO
The Fritz w/Leisure Chief (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa) INFO
Jazz/Classical/Chorale
Florida Orchestra Pops Series: Holiday Pops (Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg) TWO SHOWS 2 P.M. / 8 P.M.
Clearwater Community Band (St. Petersburg College Clearwater Campus Arts Auditorium, Clearwater) INFO
Valerie Gillespie Holiday Jazz Ensemble (Firehouse Cultural Center, Ruskin) INFO
Private Lesson Recitals (TECO Theater at David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa) INFO
Smoove Jamz JuneO and Tee Blue! "Jazz Grooves & Blues" Sho (Beer & Brownies, Tampa) INFO
Country
John Anderson (The Attic at Rock Brothers Brewing, Ybor City) INFO
Bearded Brothers (The Stockyard, Holiday) INFO
Hip-Hop
Ignite the Night w/Drillah James/Shattah Dreams/Crunkleat Heathen/Jroc Jones/Prophit/J Creek/Detyme Poet/Zeek (Pegasus Lounge, Tampa) INFO
2nd Saturday Hosted by Hagan Lee w/Yeti (Fubar, St. Petersburg) INFO
Americana
Garrett Klahn w/Have Gun, Will Travel (Crooked Thumb Brewery, Safety Harbor) INFO
Rock
Chaotic Christmas w/Sinister Circle/Demented Truth/Aurorae/Hate Tank (Brass Mug, Tampa) INFO
DJ/EDM
The Bricks Broke Xmas Party (The Bricks, Ybor City) INFO
Saturday Night Jive w/DJ Blenda (Mermaid Tavern, Tampa) INFO
Deep Cuts w/DJ cub/Seeber (Independent Bar, St. Petersburg) INFO
Open Format w/Oprah Spinfrey (First Chance Last Chance, Ybor City) INFO
This article appears in Dec 14-21, 2017.