THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23
Floor w/Set and Setting/headless dogs Floor is an on-again, off-again sludge and doom-ridden metal outfit from Miami originally established in 1992 by lead droner/guitarist Steve Brooks and guitarist Anthony Vialon, with drummer Anthony Vialon joining the heavy fold in ’96. Their last split was in 2003; Brooks went on to play in Torche while Wilson has pounded skins in Dove and House of Lightning. The trio reunited in 2010 for a tour following the release a huge career-spanning box set, Below & Beyond, and still gets together for sporadic Floor shows. (Orpheum, Ybor City) —Leilani Polk
Tatsuya Nakatani EMIT — the local organization striving to bring adventurous music to Bay area audiences — and St. Pete College welcome Tatsuya Nakatani. The innovative Japan-born, US-based percussionist has collabed with upwards of 170 artists worldwide, from indie rocker Seth Olinsky of Akron/Family, to avant-garde jazz guitarist Marc Ribot. He embraces experimentation and has developed extensive techniques in playing his hand-crafted rig, which includes a drumkit, cymbals, bowed gongs, singing bowls, metal objects, bells, and various sticks and bows. (SPC Music Center, St. Petersburg) —LP
Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience The zydeco fusion artist hails from Louisiana — where else? — and is noted for leading the seven-years-long push to get the Grammys to create a “Best Zydeco and Cajun Music Album” category. Simien took home award honors the very first year it was added, in 2008, but in an ironic twist, it was among 30 categories eliminated by the Recording Academy during a major overhaul last year. (Capitol Theatre, Clearwater) —LP
Tyga Nepotism can definitely help get you ahead in life, especially if you’re an up-and-coming rap artist with talent to spare. In the case of Tyga (real name Michael Ray Nguyen-Stevenson), cousin Travie McCoy (of Gym Glass Heroes) helped get his foot in the door when he appeared on Tyga’s 2008 hit single, “Coconut Juice,” which samples the lead verse from Harry Nilsson’s own similarly titled post-hangover track, but takes it to a bangin’ hip hop level. Careless World: Rise of the Last King, Tyga’s sophomore LP and first record via Lil Wayne’s Young Money Entertainment, dropped on Tuesday. THIS SHOW IS SOLD OUT. (The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City) —LP
The Whiskey Gentry / Josh Roberts & The Hinges / Andy Brey A three-way bill of roots-flecked music from the Southeast: the femme-led instrumentally-lush bluegrass-stomping Whiskey Gentry, from Atlanta; Columbia, S.C.’s alt country rockin’ Hinges, led by nasally-drawling vocalist Roberts; and Bradenton-based Andy Brey, a mandolin player who’s been known to sit in with Have Gun, Will Travel. (New World Brewery, Ybor City) —LP
Tommy Emmanuel A well-regarded Australian finger-style guitarist with technical prowess and the chops to produce both bass and percussive effects with his instrument. (Ferguson Hall at the Straz Center, downtown Tampa) —LP
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24
The Lemonheads Evan Dando has a colorful reputation to say the least, but reviews report that recent sets from the 44-year-old Lemonheads frontman have been less of a disaster and more of a celebration of his inherent blue-eyed charm and quirkiness. He’s the only remaining member of The Lemonheads’ original lineup, but the promise of seeing the band’s 1992 classic — It’s A Shame About Ray — performed in full is enough to make this a must-see. The LP features era-defining songs like “My Drug Buddy” and “Rudderless,” and it cemented the notion that jangly, folkish grunge-pop could go mainstream and influence an entire generation. (Crowbar, Ybor City) —Ray Roa
Pressure Fest 3 w/Bang Tango/LA Pussycat/Sunshine & Bullets/many more The third hard rock mini-fest thrown in downtown St. Pete by Rock Solid Pressure, a nationally syndicated FM and Internet radio show spotlighting hard rock bands you won’t hear on mainstream airwaves. Funk and glam metal outfit Bango Tango — which just released their first album in five years, Pistol Whipped in the Bible Belt, in September — headlines. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg) —LP
The Florida Orchestra with Dennis DeYoung: The Music of Styx TFO has taken on Pink Floyd, Queen, The Beatles and Led Zeppelin, and carries on its now-popular tradition of presenting symphonic rock tributes with Styx. Lead singer and founding member Dennis DeYoung lends his lead pipes and full rock band to a program with the orchestra that includes “Lady,” “Babe” and of course, “Come Sail Away,” among others. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater) —LP
Cody Simpson This 15-year-old Australian-born pop star was discovered on YouTube and his second EP, Coast to Coast, peaked at No. 12 on the U.S. Billboard 200. With nearly two-million Twitter followers, and a slew of TV appearances and Kids’ Choice Awards wins, it’s clear the Biebs isn’t the only young artist making waves. (The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City) —Rebecca Forman
Sunbears! / Co. (Company) / Sleepy Eye Giant A noteworthy showcase of indie talent that features Jacksonville duo Sunbears!, purveyors of lush and anthemic psyche pop and responsible for my one of my favorite albums of 2011, You Will Live Forever (New Granada); and two garage pop bands from Charleston, S.C. — Co. (Company), their sound grittier, Southern twangy indie rock compared to the keys-washed shoegaze tendencies of Sleepy Eye Giant. (New World Brewery, Ybor City) —LP
Diana Ross The 67-year-old icon received a Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Grammys. She’s sold more than 100 million records worldwide and has, without a doubt, made a huge impact on American music and pop culture overall. Not only was she the leader of all-girl Motown group The Supremes, but she’s also an Academy Award-nominated, Golden Globe-winning actress, a bestselling author and a recipient of The Kennedy Center Honors. Join her as she performs selections from her massive repertoire of hits. THIS SHOW IS SOLD OUT. (Mahaffey Theatre, St. Petersburg) —RF
Andy Grammer A one-time street busker whose 2011 self-titled debut of R&B-infused pop rock earned him a No. 1 spot on the Billboard Heatseekers charts when it dropped last summer. (Capitol Theatre, Clearwater) —LP
Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt w/Cats in the Basement Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt’s manic, visually stimulating shows/dance parties have earned them some big name seals of approval. The NY-based collective of free-spirited musicians released their first LP on David Bryne’s Luaka Bop imprint and Wayne Coyne has called them a “bunch of freaks,” a high compliment coming from the Flaming Lips frontman. TPDR performs their joyous brand of soul-kissed hyphy-pop to the Bay area alongside Sarasota’s own band of freaks, Cats In The Basement, which brought loads of stuffed animals (and an even stranger live performance) to New World as a part of last year’s Summer Jam festival. (Local 662, St. Petersburg) —RR
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25
The Resolvers w/Aquaphonics/Ketchy Shuby The latest in a series of pre-Aura Fest concerts. Heading up the bill is roots reggae makers The Resolvers, from Deerfield Beach. The nine-piece ensemble’s sound is marked by deep funky bass and organ grooves, bursts of brass, swaying percussive rhythms, and the throaty soulful vocals of Sahara Smith and echoing calls of brother Ojay (both siblings to Jamaican singer/songwriter Ernie Smith). (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa) —LP
Blind Pilot w/Cotton Jones Portland's Blind Pilot caught my attention in 2008 with the pleasant indie pop of their debut, 3 Rounds and a Sound. The vocals of frontman Israel Nebeker had a unique, echoey sound that helped the band stand out from their peers and showcased their solid songwriting. I've finally gotten around to spinning the new release in anticipation of their show. We Are the Tide doesn't stray far from the formula that worked so well for the band, but rather continues to evolve with the addition of new instruments and denser layers of texture. Although the sound is much bigger this time around, Blind Pilot still retains the simple catchy hooks and clear vocals that endeared them to me originally. (Crowbar, Ybor City) —Deborah Ramos
Third Annual Pink It Up: Ska Bands Against Breast Cancer w/Johnny Cakes and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypso/The Long Johns/UNRB/Hey Rube/C.I.O. The Tampa Bay area’s freshest ska bands unite for some the third annual fundraiser, which honors a local breast cancer survivor while supporting breast cancer treatment, research and education. Jeremy Gloff hosts. (Market on 7th, Ybor City) —LP
The Saw Doctors The well-established rock band is huge in their home of Ireland with 18 Top 30 singles, though The Saw Doctors haven’t gained more than a cult following foothold in the U.S. Most recently, the band recorded Petula Clark’s 1960s pop single “Downtown,” with the songstress herself stepping in to deliver guest vocals. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg) —LP
Signals from Satellites w/Y Dos Pistoles A new free series at MOSI dubbed “PLAB” (Performance Lab) exposes local folks to the cross-pollination of ideas via live music (in this case, by two high-quality indie rock acts), interactive stations, 2D/3D artwork and time-based media. (MOSI Arc Gallery and Bar, Tampa) —LP
Gurf Morlix and Grant Peeples The next installment of the Studio@620’s 2012 Independent Music Concert Series features the idiosyncratic ramblings of Gurf Morlix, a husky-voiced multi-instrumentalist singer, songwriter and producer of bluesy alt country who’s worked with the likes of Lucinda Williams, Warren Zevon and Robert Earl Keen. Support by cheeky social activist Grant Peeples, whose third album, 2011’s Okra and Ecclesiastes, was produced by Morlix. (The Studio @620, St. Petersburg) —LP
Jane Monheit Jazz vocalist Jane Monheit recently marked the 10th anniversary of her recording career with Home, a self-produced collection of standards like “A Shine on Your Shoes,” “There’s A Small Hotel,” and “While We’re Young” that showcase her smooth, clean vocals and effortless delivery. (Capitol Theatre, Clearwater) —RF
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26
John Lennon Imagined: Beatles and Solo Years feat. The Nutopians Though his death happened more than three decades ago, John Lennon’s legacy and impact on music continues. Groups like The Nutopians pay tribute in the best way they know how — via distinctive re-arrangements and a live show conceptualized by folk rockers Rex Fowler (Aztec Two-Step) and Tom Dean (Devonsquare). The octet (on acoustic and electric guitars, bass, cello, violin, mandola, accordion, piano, chromatic harmonica and light percussion) mixes storytelling with three-part harmonies and instrumental arrangements into a series of performances that offer a new take on Lennon’s better and lesser-known Beatles songs and solo compositions. Their 2010 debut album, Imagined, earned the Independent Music People’s Choice Award. (The Musicale, Tampa) —LP
Saul Williams w/CX Kidtronik I’d never heard of Saul Williams before writing this, so I don’t have a strong opinion as to whether his previous studio output is stronger than his fourth and latest, 2011’s Volcanic Sunlight. From what I’ve heard, the alt hip hop artist with the sharp literary sense has strayed from righteous anger into more pop-friendly territory, trading in his regular spoken word delivery for more straightforward singing on an album he’s called “the innermost part of something special… it’s my attempt to articulate what I feel when I feel love.” First single “Dance” samples vocals and grooves from "Disco '82" (from the original soundtrack to Bollywood film Khud-Daar) while “Explain My Heart” takes a page from the sci-fi R&B freaky TV on the Radio handbook, verses spit over tense and fuzzy synthesizers and percussive-fused staccato beats. Pretty damn intriguing. (The Orpheum, Ybor City) —LP
Needtobreathe w/Ben Rector Riding high on the announcement that they’ll be included on this year’s Bonnaroo lineup, Charleston, S.C.’s Needtobreathe bring their latest LP of polished and often epic AAA rock, The Reckoning, to Ybor City. The band is joined by 25-year-old singer-songwriter Ben Rector, whose deep croon gets buoyed by Motown-flavored horns on “Let The Good Times Roll,” a standout from his own latest album, Something Like This. Get there early to see the Nashville, Tenn.-based Rector showcase a unique skill set that’s made him the youngest person to ever win the grand prize in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest’s pop category. (The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City) —RR
The Doobie Brothers w/Pablo Cruise Three-part harmonies, easy goin’ dirt-rockin’ grooves, a huge hits catalog spanning decades and encompassing “Listen to the Music,” “China Grove,” "Jesus Is Just Alright," “Black Water,” “What a Fool Believes,” “Taking It to the Streets,” and so many others. Who doesn’t like them some Doobies? (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater) —LP
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28
The Irish Rovers Each of the six members of The Irish Rovers hail from Ireland, however, the Rovers formed in Toronto in 1963. Their modern pint-drinking spin on traditional Irish music — like “The Irish Rover,” “Wasn’t That a Party,” “Drunken Sailor,” “A-Rovin” and others — are crafted with guitar, bodhran, banjo, accordion, and a whole lotta wit. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater) —RF
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29
Maylene and the Sons of Disaster w/Lionize The last time I saw Maylene Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, the Dallas metalcore quintet just about blew my eardrums out. I can’t imagine this show supporting their 2011 fourth album (aptly titled IV) will be any different. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg) —LP
Radiohead w/Other Lives Radiohead has supplied a steady source of musical comfort throughout my life; the grungy alt rock drive of The Bends was the perfect soundtrack to my depressive teenage angst, the haunting electro-experimentalism of Kid A spoke to my life as a struggling (legal) adult, and the propulsive blasts of Hail to the Thief seemed to mimic my own roiling feelings of helpless rage about the U.S. political machine. The British alt-rock band hits town on their tour backing their eighth studio album, The King of Limbs. I can’t say it’s moved me the way past LPs have, but I can say it doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of Radiohead’s ability to deliver one of the most dynamic live shows you’ll see out there today. (Tampa Bay Times Forum, Tampa) —LP
CLICK HERE to see a complete rundown of shows taking place this week and in the coming weeks.
This article appears in Feb 23-29, 2012.