By Wade Tatangelo
THURSDAY, MARCH 13
TRIBAL STYLE w/POETRY N' LOTION Tampa Bay's top purveyor of original reggae, Tribal Style has roots in Jamaica and sticks to the classic "one drop" style of the '70s, with subtle nods to contemporary influences like hip-hop. Fellow local band Poetry N' Lotion is a mandolin-led quartet that plays an eclectic, mostly instrumental mix of metal covers, TV themes, jazz standards and its own compositions. (Push Ultra Lounge, St. Petersburg)
DEAN JOHANESEN w/REDSHOE STRING BAND/MR. LENDINGWORTH Dean Johanesen, leader of Bradenton jangle rockers The Human Condition, opts for troubadour mode and headlines this singer/songwriter night. (Tre Amici at the Bunker, Ybor City)
THE LETTERMEN The vocal pop group responsible for confections like1967's "Goin' Out of My Head/Can't Take My Eyes Off You" performs at Busch Gardens' Stanleyville Theater today through Sunday. (Stanleyville Theater at Busch Gardens, Tampa)
JESSE COOK A star in his native Canada, this rumba flamenco guitarist made his name during the '90s world music explosion. (Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center)
FROM OUR LETTERS w/LOCOLISM Lakeland modern rock quartet From Our Letters offers loud, angular guitar numbers offset by the occasional pop ballad, all of which sound very familiar. (Crowbar, Ybor)
NATE NAJAR St. Pete-based jazz guitarist incorporates swing, blues and Brazilian idioms into his work, which he plays on a classical guitar. The Nate Najar Trio will perform with guest saxophonist Harry Allen. (The Palladium, St. Petersburg)
THE LEGENDARY JC'S The Orlando-based soul collective and Skipper's Smokehouse favorites switch area venues to what should be a packed house in B-town. Founding JC's Eugene Snowden (singer) and Brian Chodorcoff (guitarist/band leader) navigate the potent seven-piece through an infectious R&B funk revival that's steeped in the Southern sounds that emanated from labels like Stax in the '60s. Expect greasy grooves, smokin' horns, Snowden's boundless showmanship and a high-energy live presentation rarely experienced in these parts. (Ace's Lounge, Bradenton) —Amanda Schurr
SUPERHEROES VS. SUPER VILLAINS SUPER PARTY '08 w/SAINT SWEETHEART, RATIONAL ANTHEM, LOST HYMNS, CASTLES, I DIE YOU DIE 'Zine publisher Orange Press presents a comic-book-themed shindig of indie rock fun. The lineup includes the fuzzed-out guitars of Saint Sweetheart and Rational Anthem (formerly Portman!), synth-pop trio I Die You Die, Kenneth Sinclair's one-man act Lost Hymns and trippy electro outfit Castles. Throw on a costume, and there's no cover. (Pastimes Pub, Sarasota) —AS
FRIDAY, MARCH 14
EMERY w/ALL TIME LOW/MAYDAY PARADE/AS CITIES BURN/PIERCE THE VEIL/CRY OF THE AFFLICTED Like most new-millennium post-hardcore acts, the screamo-leaning Emery has built its following through the requisite Warped and Hot Topic tours, the former landing the quintet in the documentary Wake Up Screaming. Although not overtly religious, the band members' shared Christian beliefs inform their songwriting, especially on Emery's latest album, I'm Only a Man. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
THE EXPENDABLES These Santa Cruz, Calif., surfer dudes celebrate getting stoned ("Bowl for Two") and other distractions over mellow reggae rhythms and speedy punk excursions, occasionally spiking songs with flashy guitar solos that speak to much love for '80s metal. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
DEVIL DRIVER w/NAPALM DEATH/WALLS OF JERICHO/36 CRAZYFISTS Formed by former Coal Chamber singer Dez Fafara, Devil Driver is a melodic death-metal band from California with three full-lengths to its credit, including their latest, The Last Kind Words. (Boomerz Boiler Room, Seminole)
DIVE BAR STALKERS w/TAINT As the name suggests, the Dive Bar Stalkers deliver rowdy classic rock and rockabilly designed to keep the beer flowing late into the night. Fronted by St. Pete's Jeff Vitolo (erstwhile guitarist for Mojo Gurus/Roxx Gang), the band recently released a debut album titled Rock the House. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
WORLDWIDE ZOO w/THE VARIOUS OTHERS/BLACKSHEEP CARAVAN Led by keyboardist/horn player Michael Zabrek, local organ trio Worldwide Zoo splits the difference between celebratory and experimental with a melding of jazz, funk and jammy rock. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
KASKADE DJ/producer Kaskade keeps dance floors busy around the world with deep house grooves. His studio credits include five solo albums and hit remixes of singles by Justin Timberlake ("Lovestoned"), Pussycat Dolls ("Don't Cha") and Britney Spears ("Gimme More"). (Push Ultra Lounge, St. Petersburg)
THE LAST WALTZ ENSEMBLE Thirty years after the release of Scorsese's revered concert film, this Atlanta group named after the famed farewell gig/album/movie revisits the music of Bob Dylan and The Band. Led by singer-guitarist Kris Gloer, the core lineup ably captures the legendary group's camaraderie and signature blend of R&B, soul and country rock. The tribute act recently got a small seal of approval via a surprise sit-in by quasi Band associate Earl Cate and Terry Cagle, nephew of The Band's founding drummer/singer Levon Helm. (Ace's Lounge, Bradenton) —AS
SATURDAY, MARCH 15
BENJI MADDEN Good Charlotte guitarist — and rumored boyfriend (former boyfriend?) of Paris Hilton — drops by the 'Burg's swankiest new club to perform a "DJ set." Who knows? Maybe Benji's identical brother and bandmate, Joel Madden, will make an appearance with baby mama Nicole Richie, leading to a vicious catfight between the hotel heiress and her ex-BFF. Most likely, though, it'll just be the 29-year-old Benji spinning a bunch of shit while trying to avoid face time with obnoxious fans nearly a decade his junior. (Push Ultra Lounge, St. Petersburg)
ZILLIONAIRE w/THE ZOU/THE NINE VOLTS New Granada Records indie rockers Zillionaire (the band's drummer helms the Tampa boutique label) brings its slowcore mix of Yo La Tengo, Bedhead, Pink Floyd and Pavement back to New World with support from out-of-town friends The Zou (Youngstown, OH) and Nine Volts (Cape Canaveral). (New World Brewery, Ybor City) —Jason Kushner
SUNDAY, MARCH 16
TOBY MAC w/JEREMY CAMP/MATTHEW WEST Toby Mac fronted popular Christian rock band DC Talk from 1989 to 2000 and then embarked on a solo career of Christian hip-hop, which has also, somehow, proven successful. (Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa)
STEVE FORBERT Tagged by critics as a "New Bob Dylan" upon his arrival in the late '70s, Forbert just missed the Top 10 with his 1980 hit single "Romeo's Tune." He'd never climb the pop charts again, but he's maintained a loyal following with well-received live shows — especially at this venue. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
MILITARY JUNIOR w/GHASTLY CITY SLEEP/PYGMYLUSH St. Pete math rock trio Military Junior has an impressive new number titled "Unconventional" posted on its MySpace site that skews power pop — perhaps suggesting a new direction for the band. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
THE OAK RIDGE BOYS This veteran gospel-group-turned-country-stars had a huge crossover hit in '81 with the single "Elvira." (Cypress Gardens, Winter Haven)
JT MONEY w/BLACK REIGN Gravelly-voiced Miami hardcore rapper J.T. Money, formerly of Poison Clan, got his start with Luther Campbell in the late '90s before having a falling out with the one-time member of 2 Live Crew. Local Umbrella Corporation associate Black Reign opens. (Club Underground, Tampa)
MONDAY, MARCH 17
CHARLES ZHU & THE YALE UNIVERSITY FOLKSINGERS This former violinist with the Tampa Bay Youth Orchestra returns home on spring break from Yale with 10 of his vocalist buddies to perform traditional folk songs plus Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan chestnuts. With Monday being St. Patrick's Day, the ensemble will also do a few Irish selections. (Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa, Tampa)
MICKEY FINN AND CATHY REILLY Pianist Finn and his banjo-picking wife Reilly promise a St. Paddy's Day celebration featuring "plenty of Irish fun, zany quests and organized musical chaos." (Largo Cultural Center, Largo)
TUESDAY, MARCH 18
AIRBOURNE w/ENDEVERAFTER/STONE RIDER/HOUSE OF HEROES Aussie hard-rockers Airbourne, whose breakthrough single is titled "Stand Up for Rock and Roll," unashamedly channels the sound and swagger of fellow countrymen AC/DC. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19
MUNICIPAL WASTE w/TORCHE/IRON LUNG Richmond, Va., thrash-metal band Municipal Waste pairs meth-fueled riffs with tongue-in-cheek lyrics. Concertgoers can expect general mayhem, including crowd-surfing with boogie boards. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
CHUCK BRODSKY Originally from Philly, Asheville, N.C., singer-songwriter has endeared himself to the community-radio-listening Left with ditties like "Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire," a not-so-funny ode to Dubya. (The Craftsman House, St. Petersburg)
NEPTUNE w/BLAST AND THE DETERGENT/INSECT JOY Massachusetts experimental trio Neptune unleashes torrents of jagged sound debris topped with creepy, horror-flick howling. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
MR. K AND THE FAMOUS This Durham, N.C, trio unites funk and country blues through a jam-band sensibility. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
This article appears in Mar 12-18, 2008.