You may have seen multiple Best of the Bay-winning alt-rock songstress Geri X perform at any of the numerous bars or clubs around Tampa Bay. Or perhaps you’ve heard the consistent buzz about the prolific young Bulgarian-born artist and are wondering whether she lives up to the hype. This weekend, you get two opportunities to see her perform and get acquainted (or re-acquainted) with her style in two diverse environments, one on each side of the Bay.
Geri X stops at New World Brewery on Saturday night for a bill that has her paired with a few other intriguing area acts. The Wallies hail from Sarasota, their sound drawing equal parts on Brit invasion post punk and snotty garage rock ala The Strokes, while Seri Fana is from Tampa and purveys lightly ethereal, bright and melodic experimental pop. On Tuesday evening, Geri X hits St. Petersburg for a solo black box concert at American Stage, which (in an ironic twist) is currently showing The Foreigner.
Both performances are held in conjunction with the recent release of her ninth full-length, Work is the Wolf. Geri X’s dynamic, critically acclaimed songwriting is equal parts pain and joy and delivered with a deliberate intensity. Fans of emotional, soporific indie rock by the likes of Neko Case, Damien Rice or Florence + The Machine should not sleep on either show.
Details: Geri X with The Wallies, Seri Fana, Fri., Aug. 3, 9 p.m., New World Brewery, Ybor City, $7 (21 and up); and An Evening With Geri X, Tues., Aug. 7, American Stage, St. Petersburg, 7:30 p.m., $10.
This article appears in Aug 2-8, 2012.