All entries by Scott Harrell except where otherwise noted.
THE MERCURY PROGRAM/FIN FANG FOOM/RED ROOM CINEMA The Mercury Program hail from Gainesville. Indie types love 'em. The instrumentation includes a vibraphone, which is pretty cool in and of itself, but their post-rock has been and would be great even without such a righteous contraption. Also back for the umpteenth time are the excellent Fin Fang Foom, whose fractured yet melodic fringe-rock could easily be huge, were they exposed to more people. Be one of those people. (Nov. 4, New World Brewery, Ybor City)
SUBHUMANS w/CAUSTIC CHRIST/7 CROWNS When I worked at Daddy Kool Records over in St. Pete, I sold more Subhumans CDs to kids who hadn't been born until after the seminal British band's '85 breakup than discs from any other early-days punk act, The Clash and The Ramones included. And they're, like, way more raw and gnashing. Now that's a legacy. Caustic Christ reportedly play a ripping, crusty brand of hardcore, while 7 Crowns used to be called Tiny Elvis, and mixes old-school hardcore with more straight-up rock influences. (Nov. 5, State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
PAUL THORN w/SAWGRASS FLATS WMNF presents another one of their favorite cult-legendary singer-songwriters. I'm just gonna tell ya what the Skipper's release told me: "Paul Thorn is an inveterate storyteller with wily lyrics and brilliant irony. His rootsy style of gospel-infused rock can be quirky or tug at your heart strings." Got it? Hardworking Bay area newgrass ensemble Sawgrass Flats opens. (Nov. 5, Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
METALLICA w/GODSMACK It truly boggles the mind to know that there are tons of people out there who (a) fell in love with Metallica when Kill 'Em All came out in 1983, and (b) are still willing to give the band not only the benefit of the doubt, but their continued fervent loyalty, in 2004. Such a fact is a testament to not only the talent displayed on Metallica's first four albums, but also humanity's general inability to accept it when a relationship goes bad. The most powerful metal band in the world hasn't made an even halfway decent album in 13 years. It has, however, reneged on its promise to never court MTV; traded in its every-dirtbag image for fashions that bordered on young-rock-idiot caricature; sued its fans; fired its bass player for wanting to play in a side project; participated in making a documentary of its group-therapy sessions (!) titled, with no detectable irony, Some Kind of Monster; and, most recently, handpicked what is possibly the worst alterna-metal band still selling records to open its biggest U.S. tour in four years. Look, people, I completely agree that Master of Puppets is one of the four or five best heavy-music records ever recorded. But Metallica hasn't been a band of the people, or even a relatively good band, in a long time. What it is, is a monolithic contemporary corporate endeavor. Microsoft with a soundtrack. (Nov. 5, St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa)
DOPE w/TWISTED METHOD/MOTOGRATER The guys over at Seminole's beautifully appointed Boomerz Boiler Room think I bust their balls too much in print about the national acts they book. So, in the interest of appeasement, I have the following to say about this gig, featuring disturbing nu-metal cult faves Dope: Um, uh, well … Motograter doesn't suck. They're quite good, actually. (Nov. 5, Boomerz Boiler Room, Seminole)
BIG SANDY & HIS FLY-RITE BOYS w/SKINNY MCGEE & THE MAYHEM MAKERS These Cali rockabilly/western swing/upbeat croon-tune veterans have been turning all-ages clubs, punk-a-billy festivals and erudite arts venues into sweat-humid dancehalls for 15 years or so. Dying to know how Big Sandy got his name? Find out by reading the Music feature. Kindred-spirit support comes courtesy of West Central Florida's Skinny McGee and the boys, who have wowed crowds and won fans at Skipper's regularly for what seems like ages. (Nov. 6, Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
SARASOTA BLUES FEST Ike Turner & the Kings of Rhythm headline this year, with ample help from New Orleans roots act The Radiators, progressive blues guitarist Larry McCray, pimp-daddy wannabes Nick Curran & the Nitelifes, 15-year-old guitar sensation Robin Thrush Jr., plus local acts The All-Stars (featuring members of Jennifer & the Venturas, King Louie Band and Big Night Out). You need any more reasons to go? I didn't think so. (Nov. 6, Sarasota Fairgrounds, Sarasota) —Mark Sanders
R. KELLY & JAY-Z "I've got jokes for days 'bout R. Kelly's lays, their ages are in question/ too young to woo, too open to the powers of suggestion." But seriously, both of these men are among the best of the best in their respective genres — except, apparently, when they make albums together; both of their full-length efforts at collaboration come off as a bit half-assed when compared to their usual output. No matter — you get to see two titans of urban music do their thing, and in Jay-Z's case, perhaps for the last time … as Jay-Z, anyway. (Nov. 6, St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa)
DONNA FROST w/LJ D'ALESSANDRO Real-country singer-songwriter Donna Frost hails from Nashville, but somehow doesn't let that keep her from mixing folk and country influences to produce an organic, rootsy sound. Local peer LJ D'Alessandro has honed her craft on Bay area stages, as well as at roots-music festivals and opening for more well-known touring acts. (Nov. 6, Jimmy Mac's, Tampa)
RED CROSS BENEFIT SHOW FOR HURRICANE VICTIMS "Tis the season for hurricane relief benefits. This one has a glut of local talent — Signal 76, Farewell Verona, The Sophomore Effort (who're busy pimping their recently released full-length stories … pictures … words), The Morning After (aka "the band formerly known as Code Sunshine"), Rumors of War and New Crash Position. It's a free show, but please, think of those less fortunate and drop some money when the donation jar comes around. (Nov. 6, Ringling School of Art & Design, Sarasota) —MS
ALAN JACKSON w/MARTINA MCBRIDE Finally, a big-time pop-country bill that provides eye-candy for both my mother AND my father. Reigning Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year Jackson does deserve some credit for writing more than half of his 31 Number One tunes himself, though his style and sound reflect the fabricated, pop-attentive phase in which mainstream country remains mired. Multi-platinum singer McBride isn't exactly an unknown entity herself — she's widely hailed as contemporary C&W's most talented female vocalist. (Nov. 6, Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa)
COLMAN REABOI & FRIENDS Reaboi and a host of cohorts present an eclectic selection of Jewish music heavy on opera and show tunes. Featured soloists include Corinne Bach, Jay Azneer and Julia Reaboi, accompanied by Marc Taslit on the piano; there will also be choral performances. (Nov. 6, Octagon Arts Center, Clearwater)
TYPE O NEGATIVE They parlayed plodding rhythms and lisped low-registered vocals (sung around plastic vampire fangs, it sounded like) into hits and fame. One of the famous songs had a chorus composed solely of the lyrics "black, black, black, black, number one." Another famous hit is best known for the part where the music stops and the singer inhales all sexy, like it's really cold outside. They also once released an album called Origin of the Feces, and their singer posed in Playgirl. Ladies and gentlemen … Type O Negative. (Nov. 6, Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
SPARTA/FURTHER SEEMS FOREVER/ COPELAND/SUNSHINE Sparta is made up mainly of half of the late, beloved posthardcore act At The Drive-In that didn't mind having its music liked. Since ATDI split, Sparta has released two albums on DreamWorks. The first, Wiretap Scars, is flat-out excellent, but the more recent Porcelain suffers from a certain lack of imagination and attention to melodic detail. Still, they're going to rock live, I can feel it. South Florida emo princes Further Seems Forever are enjoying renewed motivation and interest, thanks to the recent addition of ex-Sense Field singer Jon Bunch to the fold. Former Central Florida residents Copeland are currently holding in Christian indie-rock's Next Big Thing slot, while Sunshine may or may not be the adventurous, somewhat electronic Czech outfit with whom At The Drive-In once released a split single. (Nov. 7, Masquerade, Tampa)
MAGGIE, PIERCE & EJ This three-piece WMNF-endorsed act combines wildly disparate influences with a youthful energy and total disregard for how bands are generally expected to act while playing a show. They switch instruments, smash styles together with abandon, and emit spot-on harmonies through it all. The group is in town for two dates; the first is at Unitarian Universal Church of Tampa on Sunday, and they'll be at Skipper's two nights later. (Nov. 7, Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa, Tampa; Nov. 9, Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
THE VIOLET BURNING Acclaimed Christian act The Violet Burning is the brainchild of frontman/multi-instrumentalist Michael J. Pritzl, who's never been one to let little things like genre get in the way of him realizing his musical vision. The band is known to incorporate everything from shoegaze to new wave to punk into its melodic sound. Real Life Church is located at 6821 W. Waters Ave. in Tampa. (Nov. 7, Real Life Church, Tampa)
GAVIN DEGRAW w/VAL EMMICH/MICHAEL TOLCHER Soulful white boy Gavin DeGraw makes good on a formerly scuttled Jannus appearance with this date. DeGraw's getting big with the jam-pop crowd, but his often piano-driven material is deeper and more R&B-inspired than that association might lead you to believe. This one might end up being one of those memorable shows where the whole crowd is singing, swaying and feeling it. (Nov. 7, Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
FOURPLAY Keyboardist Bob James put this quartet together in order to record his solo album Grand Piano Canyon in '91. Since then, Fourplay has come into its own, and is known for poppy, groovy tunes that border on smooth jazz. (Nov. 10, Tampa Theatre, Tampa)
SIMPLE PLAN/MAE/PLAIN WHITE Ts Simple Plan followed hot on the heels of Good Charlotte to breakthrough success with the Hot Topic/blog-addict/MTV2 crowd. Like the band that did it right before they did, Simple Plan may have actually wanted to have a little punk-rock in 'em originally; such aspirations were jettisoned early and easily, however, in favor of the now-familiar formulaic Warped Tour pop that, while not actually having an edge, somehow manages to convey the impression that it might have a bit of an edge. Norfolk, Va.-based indie-pop outfit Mae and Chicago pop-punk/emo crew Plain White Ts come with. (Nov. 10, Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
This article appears in Nov 3-9, 2004.