Dan Monick
THURS 5
98Rock Free Show: My Darkest Days w/Danko Jones With the backing of Nickelback's Chad Kroeger and one blatantly misogynous hit song, "Porn Star Dancing," Toronto outfit My Darkest Days has wrapped their electro-slick alt rock sound around the mainstream pole and worked it up to a certified gold single in both the U.S. and Canada. Danko Jones, the name of both the band and the frontman, also hails from Toronto but dishes out a more propulsive, harder-edged rock. Both play 98Rock's free "Cinco de Drunko" show. (Jannus Live)
One Night of Queen Freddie Mercury may be gone, but the music of Queen lives on via UK tribute ensemble Gary Mullen and The Works. Not only does Mullen sound like Mercury with his powerful operatic-ranging pipes, but he bears a striking resemblance, sports the short-haired mustached Mercury look, and even emulates the way Mercury performed live when belting out Queen hits like "We Are the Champions," "Radio Ga Ga," "Another One Bites the Dust," and "Bohemian Rhapsody," among plenty of others. (Capitol Theatre, Clearwater)
Rusko Though he's been issuing singles, EPs and remixes for the better part of five years, UK producer/DJ Rusko (real name Christopher Mercer) really blew up in 2010 as dubstep took a firm hold of electro-loving audiences and he became an overnight hot commodity. He certainly knows where to drop in the fuzzy-fat sternum-shaking sub-bass pulses for maximum drop-and-slide dance results as evidenced on his debut LP, OMG!, out last year via Mad Decent and featuring a handful of guests, most notably the Dirty Projectors' Amber Coffman in "Hold On," and Gucci Mane in "Got Da Groove." (Ampitheatre, Ybor City)
John Digweed Rivaling Rusko for the attention of Thursday night's electronic music audiences is an internationally renowned old hand at dance, DJ and producer John Digweed, also from the UK but working within a progressive house aesthetic. (The Kennedy, Tampa)
Rock the Park w/Marksmen/Dynasty/Alexander & The Grapes This month's installment of the first-Thursday outdoor concert series features three CL Team favorites. The petite Tampa-by-way-of-NYC hip-hop "Fem-cee" known as Dynasty has been making her presence known with her calculated and self-confident style of lyrical delivery, refreshing sincerity and 2010 Dreampusher mixtape. Marksmen recently released their first LP, Sister of Mine, which CL music contributor Joel Weiss said "covers a broad swath of musical territory: rockin' alt-country raw enough for a bar, pensive folk suitable for a coffeehouse, and ample hooks and riffs." Alexander and the Grapes, like Marksmen, is a young band that's come a long way in a short time, with a sound that ranges from mellow to uproarious. Their tune "The Walk" is featured on the latest BAAMO comp. (Curtis Hixson Park, Tampa) — LP & JG
FRI 6
Jeff Beck He was one of three legendary British guitarists to emerge from The Yardbirds in the late 1960s but Jeff Beck never managed to achieve the sweeping commercial success of Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page (the other two). Likely it's because most of his music is strictly instrumental, not necessarily warm or inviting or accessible, and driven by his tight and calculated guitar solos. Beck is credited with re-defining the role of the electric guitar in rock and he's never stayed pinned down to any one sound, jumping from blues rock to jazz fusion to heavy metal and most recently incorporating electronic elements. His current tour follows the release of a 2011 live tribute album, Rock 'n' Roll Party (Honoring Les Paul). The original Saturday night show in Clearwater sold out fast and Friday night's gig was added by popular demand. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)
Heavy Pets w/Burnin Smyrnans A double bill of high-quality jam bands hailing from Florida's West Coast — roots-electro driving rockers Heavy Pets (from Ft. Lauderdale) and bouncy reggae-infused Burnin Smyrnans (from New Smyrna Beach). (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
Geri X CD Release / Birthday Bash w/John Wesley/Have Gun, Will Travel The mesmerizing alt roots rock singer, songwriter and guitarist carved a niche for herself in St. Pete, re-located to Wisconsin, returned a few years later, left again for Atlanta, and has re-settled here in her hometown once again. She celebrates another year's passage with a show and Whiskey and Cigarettes, her new self-produced solo record. (The Local 662, St. Petersburg)
Knology Clearwater Sea-Blues Festival Headliners for this year's two-day waterside seafood and blues festival — which was moved from February to May — are Jimmy Hall & Wet Willie (Friday), the soulful Southern blues rock outfit likely best known for their 1974 hit single, "Keep On Smilin'" and on Saturday, two-time Grammy-winning bluesman supreme Taj Mahal, who celebrates his 69th birthday this May. Also on the Friday bill: The Dana Fuchs Band and Josh Lamkin & Automatic Heat; and joining Taj Mahal on Saturday are Shemekia Copeland, Trampled Under Foot, Harper & Midwest Kind, and Steve Arvey Horn Band. (Coachman Park, Clearwater)
Hideaway Cafe Two-Year Celebration St. Petersburg's café and production studio celebrates two years of championing local talent and bringing original live music to St. Pete with a "Friday Free for All" showcase. Past performers are invited to return to the Hideaway stage and play a short set for this free show; among those already confirmed are folk-twang singer-songwriter Jayne Kelli and alt country outfit John Kelly Band. (Hideaway Café, St. Petersburg)
Sister Hazel The Gainesville AC alt rock band returns to deliver an evening of melodic feelgood music to their loyal local fanbase; this is the latest round of touring in support of 2010's twangy Heartland Highway. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)
SAT 7
Hank & Cupcakes "You tell me I don't have a hit, but guess what? This is it!" sexy dynamic frontwoman Sagit Shir gloats in "Hit," as her other half, husband Ariel Scherbacovsky, builds their luscious discofied dancefloor grooves with funky basslines and pedalboard effects. This is the Brooklyn-by-way-of-Tel Aviv duo's second Bay area appearance since releasing their self-titled EP. (Czar, Ybor City)
Serotonic w/Skull & Bone Band/Bounce House Funk-jazz fusion power trio Serotonic — made up of bassist Gabe Valdivia, keyboardist Bryan Lewis and drummer Andrew Kilmartin — promise "an explosion of soul and booty-shaking rhythms that will keep your feet moving all night." (Crowbar, Ybor City)
BrownChickenBrownCow String Band The West Virginia ensemble's sound mixes newgrass, world and folk music traditions. Their four-part vocal harmonies and the precise fingering of their complex string melodies are set against tempos that can be leisurely or breakneck depending on the mood of the song, whether it be a gypsy jig or a jangly ode to a sexy woman. The mostly-acoustic band includes Xander Hitzig (fiddle, guitar, tenor banjo) and brother Orion (mandolin, banjo, fiddle) along with Justin Morris (guitar, bass, banjo) and Matthew Del Olmo (bass, banjo, guitar). (The Local 662, St. Petersburg)
Cold w/Egypt Central/Kopek/Nine Mile Drive/Bet Me I'm Lying Jacksonville post-grunge outfit Cold has been through numerous lineup changes and a bona fide break-up since forming in 1996, but in the midst of all the member-shifting still managed to put out two gold-certified records — 13 Ways to Bleed on Stage (2000) and Year of the Spider (2003). The "original" lineup reunited in 2008, though there's been more changes since then. Cold has been working on an album that's slated for release this June. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
Kevin Welch His poetic songwriting touches upon anything from dead icons ("Jesus was a pagan, Woody was a punk, Gandhi was a soldier, Hendrix was a monk") to hanging on when times get tough, his crusty vocals set against a folk-oriented style of country. This show supports his latest LP recording, 2010's A Patch of Blue Sky. (The Studio@620, St. Petersburg)
97X Backyard BBQ Local Band Search: Nation of Wealth / Sunday's Finest The second round in a battle-of-the-bands contest where select local acts compete for an opening slot in 97X's big Memorial Day weekend music fest in Vinoy Park, Backyard BBQ. (Durty Nelly's, St. Petersburg)
Ska Prom 2011 FloridaSka.com presents the 2011 edition of Ska Prom, an all-ages alternative to the stuffy school dance atmosphere featuring a jam-packed bill of area ska bands. Performers include hard punk-edged outfit Covert Intelligence Operation (CIO), the ever-popular reggae and calypso-fused Johnny Cakes, and fast-rising pop-ska makers The Long Johns, a sextet with a female frontwoman (Stephanie Summerbell) whose rich and robust vocals are reminiscent of old-school Gwen Stefani. (Transitions Gallery @ Skatepark of Tampa)
My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult w/16 Volt/Twitch The Ripper The electro-industrial outfit supported Lords of Acid on their last stop in town. They return as headliners to pimp a new retrospective compilation of remixes and lost tracks from their early Chicago days, Sinister Whisperz: The Wax Trax! Years (1987-1991). Setlists will be heavily dosed with material from the era. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
SUN 8
Singing Tree An afternoon program of folk music "with a classical twist" by Singing Tree, a duo that features musicians Lloyd Goldstein (double bass) and Ray Belanger (hammered dulcimer). (UU Dome, Tampa)
MON 9
Smoking Popes w/Girl in A Coma/Sweet Pharoahs With a sound once described by the LA Times as what a punk band would sound like with a traditional saloon singer, the Chicago-area Smoking Popes have managed to build a loyal base of fans and retained them even after being completely inactive for more than seven years. The band just released its first-ever concept album and sixth studio LP, This Is Only a Test, which explores the life and trials of a fictional high schooler. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
Tues 10
Kris Kristofferson In his distinguished 45-year tenure as a country musician, Kris Kristofferson has experienced his fair share of career highs, sometimes for songs he wrote for others ("Me and Bobby McGee"), sometimes for songs he wrote for himself ("Help Me Make It Through the Night"). Last May saw the release of Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends: The Publishing Demos, a collection of previously unreleased demos recorded during Kristofferson's janitorial stint at Columbia. (Tampa Theatre, Tampa)
Heavy Cream w/Raguckas The latest exports from Nashville's indie scene are the rabble-rousing femme-raw garage rockers Heavy Cream. Only a few years old with only one LP (last year's Danny), the foursome has already earned comparisons to The Donnas (though they have one male member) and lots of favorable write-ups for their insolent '70s punk-inspired sound and potent live shows. The band's fast and gritty tunes are marked by the snarling vocals of towheaded leader Jessica McFarland, the lyrics delivered over heavy riffs and pounding drums. (The Hub, Tampa)
Wed 11
Brett Dennen w/Dawes Dennen is a force-of-nature singer-songwriter who has a soulful sand-papery vocal tone and mixes elements of folk rock and acoustic pop into his sound. He hits town hot off the heels of his April release and fourth studio LP, Loverboy. LA roots rock four-piece Dawes supports; read more about the band on p. 33. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
ALSO THIS WEEK
In The Name Of Righteous Ignorance / Hamunaptra Fri., May 6, Pegasus Lounge, Tampa
The Semis Fri., May 6, Ella's Americana Folk Art Café, Tampa
Midday by the Bay: The Jim Morey Band Fri., May 6, Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg
Friday Extra Concert Series: The Ditchflowers w/Ed Woltil and Steve Robinson Fri., May 6, Curtis Hixon Park, Tampa
A View from the East Coast CD Release Show Fri., May 6, Neptune Lounge, Tarpon Springs
Ramblegrass Fri., May 6, Dave's Aqua Lounge, St. Petersburg
H.S. Fest w/Adaliah/Reveal Renew/Take Charge/Reckoning/Dead Walking Terror/The Rival Within Fri., May 6, State Theatre, St. Petersburg
Thomas Wynn and the Believers w/The Soul Birds Sat., May 7, Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa
AJ Swearingen CD Release Sat., May 7, Hideaway Café, St. Petersburg
With These Words I Fall CD Release Party w/I Fall/Zebrageist/Universal Sat., May 7, Pegasus Lounge, Tampa
Male Order Brides Sat., May 7, Dave's Aqua Lounge, St. Petersburg
Dave Matthews Tribute Band Sat., May 7, Push Ultra Lounge, St. Petersburg
Kylie Minogue Sun., May 8, Hard Rock Live, Orlando
Strengthen What Remains w/Ironwill/Suitcase City/Whorsemouf Tues., May 10, Transitions Gallery @ Skatepark of Tampa
Showcase Nite w/World Collision/Road Trip/Tampa Taiko/The Saloonatics Tues., May 10, Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa
The Bamboozle Road Show w/Chiddy Bang/Dev/Ninjasonik/Pusha T. Wed., May 11, House of Blues, Orlando
This article appears in May 5-11, 2011.