Thursday, Feb. 15
MUSTARD PLUG/AGAINST ALL AUTHORITY/SUBURBAN LEGENDS/PATENT PENDING/MC LARS Michigan's Mustard Plug goofs around with light ditties like "Beer Song" but boasts a serious horn section that almost makes up for the lead singer's flat, rather grating, vocals. The other four bands — all out-of-towners — favor teen-angst punk over the parents-away kegger vibe of ska. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
JULIO IGLESIAS Now it's son Enrique who enjoys international stud status and the behind-closed-doors company of world-class hottie Anna Kournikova. But there was a day not too long ago when papa Julio enjoyed his choice of babes and then serenaded 'em with the sensuous kiss-off "To All the Girls I've Loved Before." Julio also performs at Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center on Sat., Feb. 17. (Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Sarasota)
FRIDAY, Feb. 16
RETARD-O-BOT Flamboyant, willfully weird, but rarely boring, popular Bay area trio Retard-O-Bot brings its tuneful outbursts back to St. Pete in support of new release Kid Safe. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
SLIM JIM PHANTOM W/THE PSYCHO DEVILLES Stray Cats drummer Slim Jim Phantom revs into town with his greasy side project and help from Atlanta-based rockabilly band The Psycho Devilles. Does the Bishop Tavern stock Pabst Blue Ribbon? If not, it better. And some Miller High Life, too. It's hard to imagine these guys swilling some fruity shit from Belgium. (Bishop Tavern, St. Petersburg)
DARK STAR ORCHESTRA The Grateful Dead represent spontaneity in all its various forms, so the idea of a Grateful Dead tribute band is kind of absurd. On the other hand, Dark Star Orchestra serves up a visual and aural slice of history to Dead fans — every DSO performance is culled from a catalog of 2,500 shows that the Dead played during their 30-year career, the complete original setlist faithfully re-created. DSO draws crowds by keeping the music — not necessarily the legacy — of the Dead alive and gives fans the chance to "see" shows that happened long before they were born. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg) —Leilani Polk
ROY BOOK BINDER This mustachioed, cap-wearing bluesman enjoys a national audience thanks to his acoustic guitar chops — he's proficient in the Carolina blues style popularized by The Rev. Gary Davis — and humorous story songs. And the mustache. The dude's got an awesome mustache. (Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center)
BILLY CURRINGTON/BLAINE LARSON Tanned, studly and perfectly coiffed, Currington is part of the new breed of country stars mixing up glossy, high-production pop with songs about traditional country topics like drinking, farming and down-home girls. He got his big break when he sang the duet "Party for Two" with Shania Twain (she recorded a pop version of the same tune with Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray), and his 2005 disc Doin' Somethin' Right solidified his stardom. He plays this weekend at The Hall, an exciting newer venue north of the Manatee River. (The Hall, Palmetto) —Cooper Levey-Baker
MICKEY AND THE MOTORCARS This Austin-based alt-country band plays it somber and straight, with highlights from their new LP Careless including the boot-stomping "Love is Where I Left It." (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
SATURDAY, Feb. 17
YOUNG LOVE/MOROS EROS Remember those synthy, catchy-as-all-get-out 1980s songs with the falsetto vocals about getting down on the dance floor? Well, that's what Island recording artist Young Love offers in spades. Check out their myspace.com/younglove and try not to sing along with "Discotech." I dare ya. Opener Moros Eros plays it a bit more angular with in-your-face singing, but the hooks aren't too hard to find. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
VINCE HERMAN Bluegrass-leaning jam bands are a dime a dozen, but Leftover Salmon, from Colorado, has proved one of the more popular ones since forming in 1991. Founder/frontman Vince Herman is touring as a solo act with backing from "friends." (Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin)
SOUL FEST LIVE W/DEITRICK HADDON/ORDAINED PRAISE/BRIDGETT CRUZ How about an evening of sweet (contemporary) soul music that celebrates Jesus? Minister Deitrick Haddon was nominated for a Grammy in 2003 for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album. (Without Walls International Church Main Auditorium, Tampa)
DAVY JONES The cute Monkee is 61 now and still working the fair circuit singing "Pleasant Valley Sunday," "Daydream Believer," "Last Train to Clarksville" and the rest of the Prefab Four's '60s pop milieu. He still has that same perky demeanor he did back in his Monkee days — with some wrinkles and without the mop-top hairdo. This show is part of the Florida State Fair's concert lineup. (Florida State Fairgrounds Entertainment Hall, Tampa) —Eric Snider
THE BOGUS POMP LOW BUDGET ACOUSTIC ORCHESTRA The Bay area's venerable Frank Zappa tribute band likes to mix up the presentation to keep things fresh. The group describes this performance as a "semi-acoustic band show," featuring violinist Dan Campbell and cellist Tom Kersey. My guess is that the setlist will be built to fit the instrumentation — maybe dialing down the energy some and digging deeper into subtlety and nuance. (The Garage, St. Petersburg) —ES
SUNDAY, Feb. 18
DEERHOOF/BUSDRIVER/HARLEM SHAKES Deerhoof makes heads spin (and maybe even toes tap) with their herky-jerky rock experiments (See the Music feature). Log on to L.A.-based Bus Driver's MySpace site and you'll find some pretty funny rhymes fired across head-bob-inducing beats advertised as "ghettotech." Brooklyn's Harlem Shakes plays an energetic brand of keyboard-enhanced indie rock with male and female band members alternating lead vocals. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
JJ GREY & MOFRO Not sure why Grey's added his handle to his own band, but I guess being Mofro's founder, chief songwriter and lead vocalist has given him a big enough head that he's decided to give credit where it's due. Not that he's undeserving; Grey is a gifted storyteller, his slow, rich drawl flavoring the band's soulful country-funk. His lyrics paint vivid pictures of anything from the destruction of the backwoods swamplands where he grew up, to eating his granny's cracklin' ho' cakes. Mofro's festive romps and Southern ballads continue on Monday at the same venue. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa) —LP
CECE WINANS She's the queen of contemporary gospel — praise music with a pop/R&B patina and modern production values. Winans is simply a terrific soul singer, in the best sense of the word. (Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Tampa) —ES
MAGGI, PIERCE & EJ This Philly folk-rock trio has a conscience and a funnybone. The former is evidenced by how the group toured for two weeks between its hometown and D.C., on foot, instruments strapped to their backs. The latter can be seen in their albums' jokey titles and crude, hand-drawn art. And this weekend, Maggi, Pierce & EJ play in what is indisputably the finest place for a children's birthday party in Sarasota. (The Children's Garden, Sarasota) —CLB
MonDAY, Feb. 19
IRISH ROVERS Traditional Irish music is not for everybody. In fact, it gives my brother the willies and keeps him from frequenting certain pubs. I, on the other hand, love them songs about the whiskey in the jar and doing battle with the evil Brits, especially after a several pints of Guinness topped with Jameson. The Irish Rovers are from Canada, but we won't hold that against them. For the past four decades they have done the Emerald Isle proud, even convincing some listeners that Ireland is home to "The Unicorn," which was penned by Shel Silverstein and became the band's sole Top 10 hit in 1968. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)
TUESDAY, Feb. 20
RUBY JAMES A rich, deep, sultry voice is never a bad thing for a woman to possess — and Ruby James knows how to work hers. This redheaded Orlando gal relocated to Los Angeles to launch a career as a solo artist. Her Sweet as Sin EP is an inviting debut disc that
operates in radio-friendly Sheryl Crow mode. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 21
CANADIAN BRASS Consisting of trombone, tuba, horn and five trumpets, this ensemble, which began as a quintet in 1970, has become a popular concert attraction around the globe. The group mixes serious classical music with pop-inflected pieces and jazzy moments. Their collective sound is rich and round, downplaying the shrillness that characterizes a lot of brass-oriented music. (Ruth Eckerd Hall Clearwater) —ES
This article appears in Feb 14-20, 2007.