THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2
Willie Nelson The 78-year-old outlaw country icon — who’s dabbled in the sounds of jazz, pop, blues, rock, folk and even reggae in his more than five-decade career — makes his annual stop in Clearwater following the November release of Remember Me, Vol. 1. This is the first in a series of albums composed of Billboard country music hits from the last 70 years as selected and reinterpreted by Nelson, who’s said that he and producer James Stroud set out to offer an informal history of country music with tunes by, among others, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson, Rosemary Clooney and Ray Price. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater) —Leilani Polk
Eddie Money w/Rockstar Riders The retro rocker performs here pretty regularly, but changes his routine a bit on his latest go-round with his “It’s Only Money – The Stories Behind The Hits” tour. Money delivers select cuts from his hits catalog and relates personal anecdotes about their creation during this intimate presentation. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg) —LP
Richard Smith & Julie Adams He’s a British finger-style guitar virtuoso, she’s a classically-trained cellist from Ohio. When the Nashville-based couple put their musical talents together, they make beautiful music of an acoustic folk, blues and jazz bend, their repertoire ranging from lively dancing Brahms to Joplin ragtime to modern pop, with generous servings of tunes by the Beatles. (UU Dome, Tampa) —LP
Low Pass Records Label Launch and Mixtape Release Party Local dubstep producer/DJs Thee Joker and Polish Pat started a record label last year with the goal of elevating electronic music above the bedroom DJ variety that has flooded of late while exposing local artists to local audiences. This party marks the label’s official launch and the release of a 14-track Now That We Have Your Attention compilation, which features cuts by Leap of Faith, I Am Robot, and many others. The party is held in conjunction with G-Bar’s long running Fusion Thursdays EDM parties. (G-Bar, Ybor City) —LP
The Civil Wars The roots-pop duo earned two Grammy noms for 2011’s well-regarded Barton Hollow; this show — which is *sold out* — falls a little over a week before the duo finds out whether or not they’ve won. Also with Zach Williams & The Bellows. (Ferguson Hall at the Straz Center, downtown Tampa) —LP
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3
Richard Thompson Electric Trio w/Steve Robinson & Ed Woltil Counted among Rolling Stone’s “Top 20 Guitarists of All Time,” British folk rocker Richard Thompson is renown for his acoustic and electric guitar chops. He’s been covered by the likes of Robert Plant and David Byrne, worked as a session artist and performed as a guest on albums with a huge array of others (Nick Drake, Bonnie Raitt and Loudon Wainwright III among them), and put out his own huge catalog of work, upwards of 60 albums of solo, collaborative and Fairport Convention material. (Tampa Theatre, St. Petersburg) —LP
Cosmic Gate Claus Terhoeven and Stefan Bossems are the well-regarded DJ/production duo from Germany who bring their progressive trance mixes to the masses as Cosmic Gate. They’ve ranked in DJ Magazine’s Top 100 DJ Poll for the past three years. (Amphitheatre, Ybor City) —LP
Ryan Montbleau Band Montbleau, a Boston native, started out as an acoustic solo artist but now embraces the arrangement opportunities a sextet brings to his mix of folk, funk, country, blues and reggae. Their most recent release and Montbleau’s first official live album with his band is 2011’s Live at Life is Good. (Hideaway Café, St. Petersburg) —Rebecca Forman
David Nail Another up-and-coming country music maker shows his stuff at Dallas Bull, this one David Nail, an MCA Nashville recording artist who issued his sophomore album, The Sound of a Million Dreams, last year and has seen his single “Let It Rain” (featuring Sarah Buxton) rock to the top of the Billboard Country charts. (Dallas Bull, Tampa) —LP
Thomas Wynn & The Believers / Will Quinlan & The Diviners Six-piece Orlando-based ensemble The Believers deliver Southern rock and soul, and have amassed a respectable following in Central Florida over the past three years with shows that surpassed 100 last year. Leader Thomas Wynne and sister Olivia are known for their strong, passionate vocals and commanding live presence. Will Quinlan is a Tampa favorite with captivating vocals and songwriting skills that mix hope with heartbreak in painfully honest, but relatable subject matter as in acclaimed album Navasota, an ode to Quinlan’s late mother. He and The Diviners incorporate elements of Americana, folk rock, and traditional country into their sound. (New World Brewery, Ybor City) —RF
Enter the Haggis w/The Human Condition Hailing from Toronto and imbuing their lively sound with Celtic, folk, roots rock and world music textures is Enter the Haggis. The quintet raised the money for their sixth studio album, 2011’s Whitelake, direct from their fans via a “Haggis Helper” fundraiser, and are currently touring in support. (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa) —LP
Sugarhill Gang The Englewood, N.J. hip hop group cemented their rank in hip hop music history with “Rapper’s Delight,” the song generally credited with opening the door to the genre when it dropped in 1979. The trio performs as part of Jannus Live’s Old Skool Friday Series. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg) —LP
Big Gigantic Colorado-based jamtronica two-piece Big Gigantic (saxophonist/producer Dominic Lalli and drummer Jeremy Salken) draws on up-tempo electro, discofied jazz and hip hop to get to their groove-laden, atmospheric sound. (Crowbar, Ybor City) —LP
Roy Book Binder Side Door Blues welcomes the vet folk-blues singer and guitarist for a set of his unique storytelling, slide arrangements and ragtime breaks. (Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg) —LP
Wayne Static w/The Agonist/Polkadot Cadaver/Team Cybergeist/Psykotribe The deeply scratchy-voiced frontman with the sky-scraping wall of hair normally fronts industrial metal outfit Static-X. Currently, Wayne Static is on the road working the solo angle with his first solo record, Pighammer, which dropped in October. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg) —LP
Keb’ Mo’ w/Anders Osborne The Reflection is Keb’ Mo’s latest record, his first studio release in five years and debut on his own newly-formed record label, Yolabelle International. The three-time Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and guitarist self-produced the 12-song set, his slow burning guitar licks and sleek and funky blues style now soaked in the sounds of soul, jazz and R&B. The Reflection also features duets with India.Arie and Vince Gill, and guest appearances by Dave Koz, Mindi Abair, among others. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater) —LP
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4
James McMurtry w/Jonny Burke He dropped his first album in 1989 with production assistance from John Mellencamp, and established himself as a country, folk and roots rock troubadour who followed the long tradition of mixing music and activism. James McMurtry has released nearly a dozen recordings since then and became an indie favorite with songs like “We Can’t Make It Here” off 2005’s Childish Things, which offers his commentary on the state of the union and was called “the best American protest song since [Bob Dylan’s] ‘Masters of War’” by longtime fan, Stephen King. That track appeared on, re-mastered and reissued by Lightning Rod Records earlier this week along with his popular live album, Live In Aught-Three, likely prompting this tour. (Skippers Smokehouse, Tampa) —LP
Morningbell w/King of Spain/Cure for Caska Basso Profundo, Morningbell’s high-quality fifth studio album, earned a surprise last-minute spot on my Top 10 Best Albums of 2011 list. The Gainesville psyche rock band with heady soulful retro appeal and bright blasts of brass jumps around with their sound — from the bouncy jangly surf-beach rock and banshee-punk doo wop of opening track “You Think I Don’t Know, But I Know,” to the sexy funky hip-swinging grooves of “I Could Use A Little Help,” “Stick With It” and the title track with its dark slinky 70s appeal, to wild outbursts of Latin/Afro drive (“Hats Off to You, Josephine Baker”). All of it is marked by the seductive high-reaching vocals of frontman/guitarist Travis Atria. (New World Brewery, Ybor City) —LP
Pelican Pop Fest 3 The downtown St. Pete local music fest returns for a third year and presents a night full of music at five downtown St. Pete venues. Click here for more details. (The Local 662, Fubar, Daddy Kool, Sake Bomb and Cafe Bohemia, St. Petersburg) —LP
Chris Brubeck’s Triple Play Triple Play’s musical roots can be traced back 40 years, and combine the instrumental and vocal talents of Peter Madcat Ruth (harmonica, guitar, jaw harp, percs), Joel Brown (acoustic guitar), and band leader (and son of jazz master Dave), multi-instrumentalist composer Chris Brubeck (electric bass, bass trombone, piano). They meld the sounds of jazz, blues, folk and classical music, and produce pieces that range from sweet and soulful, to joyous toe-tapping tunes that never get old. (Largo Cultural Center, Largo) —RF
Daymoths An indie rock duo from Minnesota made up of piano and organ player Emily Dantuma and drummer Ollie Dodge, her high haunting vocals set against driving, spacious, pop-fused instrumentals. This tour supports Back in Time, their debut full-length. (Yeoman’s Road Pub, Tampa) —LP
Diplo / Sleigh Bells w/Liturgy Cutting-edge internationally-renown DJ/producer/remixer Diplo draws on all sorts of electro elements — glitch, dubstep, hip hop, baile funk and even electro house — to get to his eclectic sound. Sleigh Bells features the noisy energetic dance punk and pop stylings of duo Derek E. Miller (songwriter, guitarist, producer) and Alexis Krauss (vocals, songwriter). While it might seem like an odd match-up, both of these acts have ties to M.I.A. (Sleigh Bells signed to her label in ’09, Diplo produced songs on all three of her albums), and both will get the bodies moving. (The Ritz, Ybor City) —LP
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5
Anvil w/War of Thrones/Psyaxis The 2008 documentary Anvil! The Story of Anvil exposed the relatively obscure but long-running Canadian heavy metal band to a hell of alot people, and brought the underdog musicians the recognition they’d been struggling to gain since their first record dropped in 1981. Singer/guitarist Steve “Lips” Kudlow and drummer Robb “Geza” Reiner — who were both working day jobs in 2008 when the doc premiered — have continued to ride the wave of popularity and success the film triggered, and last year, issued a critically-acclaimed 16th studio album, Juggernaut of Justice, produced by Bob Marlette (Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath), along with a best-of comp, Monument of Metal. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg) —LP
Izzy & the Kesstronics Enjoy some lively rockabilly with your afternoon soul food when Izzy & the Kesstronics — fronted by guitarist Izzy Zaidman — bring their horn-fused medley of swing, classic country, bluegrass and retro ’50s rock to the stage. (Ella’s Americana Folk Art Café, Tampa) —LP
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6
Zola Jesus w/Talk Normal CL Music Team Contributor and local musician Shae Krispinsky likened the music of Zola Jesus to “Siouxsie Sioux on Klonopin, or the perfect soundtrack to A Wrinkle in Time.” The artist behind Zola Jesus is Russian-American singer-songwriter Nika Roza Danilova, whose 2011 debut LP, Conatus, brims with atmospheric, experimental synth pop marked by gothic and industrial overtones, Danilova’s throaty stirring vocals oftentimes unintelligible but haunting and demanding in such a way that makes you want to pay attention. Tampa Bay might not be hip enough for this show… (Crowbar, Ybor City) —LP
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7
National Hip-Hop Association and Performance League Launch Party The league was founded by Robert M. Gelcich, Jr. (Rob G) and Winston G. Armstead (Wes Blizy) to take rap battles into new territory, where all the major elements of hip hop (jazz, rock, beatboxing, freestyle) are encompassed, and artists form teams to perform in competitions testing their musicality and skill working within different parameters or themes each week. Check out the first round of performers at the official NHAPL launch party. (Orpheum, Ybor City) —LP
Scott H. Biram w/Lydia Loveless Two musical renegades and Bloodshot Records labelmates team up to bring their wry-humored, gritty stomping sounds to audiences who revel in it. Both are pimping new 2011 albums. Shit-kicking blues and country punk rocker Scott H. Biram presents Bad Ingredients, his latest one-man band explosion set to disc. Twangy singing Lydia Loveless offers a youthful foil to Biram’s elder statesman rawness, though her own Indestructible Machine proves that her sweet face hides a wicked heart and sharp tongue. (Crowbar, Ybor City) —LP
They Might Be Giants w/Jonathan Coulton The geeky wit-distributing alt rock duo issued two albums last year much to the delight of their fans: the fun romp and ride of Join Us, their 15th studio album and first geared at adults in five years (the last three LPs were for kids), and Album Raises New and Troubling Questions, a record of rarities, previously unreleased tracks, and Join Us leftovers. (The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City) —LP
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8
Sounduo Producer/instrumentalists Will Mills (guitar) and Zach Morillo (drums) are Sounduo, a Miami-based “post-dub, audio/visual live performance project.” Their futuristic tech-glitch sound fuses the synth-bass wom-wom-wom of dubstep with heavy scuzzy dub-reggae grooves, vintage vocal samples, and a multiplicity of trippy sonic effects and modulations. Synched visuals and lighting by third unofficial member, Andrew Byrd. (Crowbar, Ybor City) —LP
Mike Doughty The rusty-voiced singer-songwriter who fronted Soul Coughing but would rather you never, ever ask him about it hits town on the heels of two brand new (2012) releases — a memoir, The Book of Drugs, and a live album, The Question in a Jar Show. He appears at Inkwood Books earlier in the day, and performs an intimate solo show at Orpheum later that evening. (Orpheum, Ybor City) —LP
Dukes of Juke Tour w/Brownbird Rudy Relic/Diablo Dimes/Celine Lee/LoneWolf OMB/Los Bastardos Magnificos Billed as a traveling roots music road show, this tour features Deep South Dixieland multi-instrumentalist musician Diablo Dimes, who pairs his stompin’ and jumpin’ tunes with crispy fried vocals, and his partner-in-crime, rockabilly chanteuse, Celine Lee; the raw, booming juke joint soul-blues of Brownbird Rudy Relic; the Western rusted country-Americana of Los Bastardos Magnificos; and Lone Wolf, the stagename of one-man band Bruno Esposito, his moonshine-gruff vocals set to thumb thumping, harp blowing and rapid banjo playing. (The Hub, downtown Tampa) —LP
One World: Save the Arts Concert Blake High grad DeeJay Young returns to Tampa from his current Orlando homebase (where he stars in Disney Channel Rocks! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios) to host a charity event in support of his old school’s Fine Arts departments. He kicks off the two-day event with a concert of his R&B-fused hip-pop and is joined by sax player Marlon Boone and singer-songwriter J’Nelle as well as other surprise guests and entertainers from Disney. Night two features a program of modern dance by co-host Marcus Borders, another Blake alum. (Don Thompson Theater at Blake High School, Tampa) —LP
CLICK HERE to see a complete rundown of shows taking place this week and in the coming weeks.
This article appears in Jan 26 – Feb 1, 2012.
