THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27

THE PROSPECT CD RELEASE PARTY w/WE THE KINGS Glorious Sarasota indie-rockers The Prospect toast themselves and the release of their four-track debut EP in Palmetto this week. Titled America, the brief disc is good, solid alterna-rock fare, sincere without ever seeming cheesy. Bradenton's We the Kings — whose self-titled debut album reached No. 33 earlier this year on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart — open this all-ages affair with their no-frills pop-punk gems. After a long stretch of national touring, this is their big hometown gig. (The Hall, Palmetto) —Cooper Levey-Baker

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28

R. KELLY w/NE-YO/KEYSHA COLE/J. HOLIDAY Even before R. Kelly pissed on that girl and became persona non grata (but not reviled enough), his ridiculous fuck-on-the-dance-floor numbers like "Bump 'N Grind" and that nauseating self-help hymn "I Believe I Can Fly" made me sick. Many critics, though, deem that shit (and the laughable "Trapped in the Closet" epic) pure genius — and I'm sure hundreds from Tampa will make the trek along I-4 to witness Kelly sing, dance and attempt to woo the 15-year-old females in the front row. (Amway Arena, Orlando)

MATT BUTCHER w/ROPPONGI'S ACE/HAVE GUN, WILL TRAVEL/TOBY BONAR Orlando's Matt Butcher is a fine folkie offering intelligent lyrics and impassioned vocals, but the star of this roster is Have Gun, Will Travel, the Bradenton alt-country ensemble led by singer/songwriter Matt Burke (the band's core three members first enjoyed national acclaim as the emo trio Chase Theory). Burke recently informed CL that HGWT has their debut full-length recorded (at Zen Recordings Studio in Pinellas Park) and it's in the final mixing stage. Look for a feature story on HGWT in the near future to coincide with the highly anticipated release of the album. Tampa's Roppongi's Ace is a young, fierce blues-rock trio making its first concert appearance since going on a back-to-school hiatus following a killer farewell performance at Skipper's Smokehouse in August. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)

THE UPS w/PEOPLE CATCH FIRE/THE CATO LETTERS A screamo band with an electronica bent, Gainesville trio The Ups manages to mix earnest singing, devilish growling, angular guitar riffs and Casio-sounding synth work. (Orpheum, Ybor City)

JOHNNY SKETCH & THE DIRTY NOTES w/CHRISTIE LENEE & THE FUNK New Orleans quintet Johnny Sketch & The Dirty Notes blends French Quarter funk with collegiate quirkiness to create something rather unique for the jam-band set. The group's namesake leader was born in Maine but relocated to Louisiana in high school, taking his classically trained cello playing to the rock scene (which is where he learned to sing and play the gee-tar). (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 29

SEVENDUST w/TEN YEARS/OPERATOR/NEVERSET With a handle on radio-ready hooks and a readiness to deliver generic, down-tuned guitar riffs, Sevendust shot to metal stardom in the late '90s with modern rock hits like "Bitch," "Black" and "Denial." The band's latest album, Alpha, came out in March and produced the hit single "Driven." (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)

WEAKSAUCE w/RUDE SQUAD/THE COHORTS/JUNKIE RUSH/BOOTLEG Billed as "WeakSauce's Last Show," apparently this is it for the Clearwater ska/reggae quartet with the ace, jazz-influenced trumpeter. Also on the roster is Bradenton trio Bootleg, which has built a substantial following across the 941 during the past few years with its crowd-pleasing, Sublime-indebted (with more of a pronounced reggae and blues influence) brand of party music. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)

TRINA This Wild 98.7 bash features Miami rapper/Trick Daddy sidekick Trina, who first enjoyed solo success in 1999 with the single "What'd You Come Here For?" She has since enjoyed airplay with titles like "No Panties," "B R Right" and her latest, "Here We Go." She's got a new album titled Still Da Baddest due out in February. The sassy lead single "Single Again" can be heard on her MySpace page. (Club Underground, Tampa)

THE VODKANAUTS Looking for a good time? Tampa's The Vodkanauts practically guarantee it with their fun-loving and exceptionally executed smorgasbord of surf, rockabilly, lounge, metal riffs and Elvis covers. Looks like this might be the quintet's last gig for a while; it's being advertised as a "farewell (for now) performance." (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)

JARVIK 7 w/PIRATE PRUDE/NEW LANDS Judging by the "rough mix" instrumentals the Tampa quartet has posted online, Jarvik 7's brand of post-rock could prove transfixing enough to serve as more than background music — no small accomplishment when you're offering ethereal instrumentals at a bar. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)

BATTLE OF THE BANDS KICK-OFF PARTY!! W/WARFIELD/PUSHMOWER/DOLT Thirty-four total bands have entered as contestants in a Gallery Billiards-hosted face-melting duel to the death, with 15 rounds scheduled at the all-ages venue starting in January and running every Tuesday night through mid-April. While tonight's gig isn't officially part of the competition, the night of head-severing metal should nevertheless get things started right. (Gallery Billiards, Sarasota) —CLB

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30

STEEL PULSE This influential, socially conscious roots-reggae band from England won a Grammy in 1986 for their career-best album Babylon The Bandit and has maintained a high profile ever since with steady touring and well-received shows. Over the years, their music has taken on a shinier, poppier patina. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)

MONDAY, DECEMBER 31

TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE w/MAGADOG Two of the hottest acts at this year's (as in '07's) Tropical Heatwave, New Orleans native Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews is the trombone- and trumpet-wielding wild man who sings, raps, beat-boxes and does whatever else he deems necessary to get the party started along with his elite band, which easily swings from rap and rock to jazz and funk. This year witnessed the rebirth of Tampa's Magadog, one of the region's most important and beloved third-wave ska acts. (The Coliseum, St. Petersburg)

THE BELLAMY BROTHERS A pair of (Darby) Florida boys who've done damn well for themselves (the most successful duo in country music history save for maybe Brooks & Dunn), The Bellamy Brothers are poppy but in a more blue-eyed soul (with twang) than saccharine way. Having attended a North Tampa high school in the mid-'90s where country was often the music of choice at the weekly field parties, I still have a soft spot for The Bellamy Bros.' corny-but-catchy FM radio faves "Redneck Girl" and "Get Into Reggae Cowboy." (Dallas Bull, Tampa)

STEVIE B w/DJ CHRIS CRAZE/ DJ SANTANA If, like me, you blanked when spotting the name "Stevie B," let me remind you of the super-sentimental 1990 ballad "Because I Love You (The Postman Song)," a huge hit which, I think, I slow-danced to with my first crush at one of those awkward junior high events. Or maybe it was at the old Skate Odyssey. Not sure. But listening to the song on YouTube brings back strange adolescent memories. (Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel and Marina, Tampa)

"TRUCKIN" ON THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON" w/UNCLE JOHN'S BAND A Dead tribute band that interprets the music with their own appealingly ragged-but-right flair, Uncle John's Band offers fans a Dead set followed by a song-for-song rendition of the Pink Floyd's stoner staple Dark Side of Moon. Eat the drugs, line up a ride, and enjoy. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)

DAVE MATTHEWS TRIBUTE BAND Why fucking not? I'm tired of slagging this shit. It is what it is: a big ol' party with lots of young, beaming faces. You're gonna be sloshed that night anyway. At least at this gig there will be scads of hot chicks, probably even outnumbering the frat boys. Go. Be merry. It's New Year's Eve. And take a cab home. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)

TERRI CLARK w/CHUCK WICKS Canadian singer/songwriter Terri Clark became a Nashville star in '95 with her self-titled debut album, which included a handful of country hits including "If I Were You." She caught my attention with her '96 better-than-Linda Ronstadt-cover of Warren Zevon's "Poor, Poor Pitiful Me." In '03, she scored the huge crossover hit "I Wanna Do It All." I'm partial to her snarky/silly '04 smash "Girls Lie Too." (Cypress Gardens, Cypress)

BOBBY LEE RODGERS & THE CODETALKERS w/COPE Rodgers is a singer/songwriter/guitarist/banjoist who makes what we'll call forward-thinking roots music. There are effects here and there, whispered lyrics that skew more towards indie-pop than blues, but then there's musicianship that speaks to hours and hours of back-porch pickin' (or solitude in the bedroom). It's odd but interesting, and after listening to a little I wanna hear more. (Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin)

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 2

DA CYPHER Aych, who's prepping for the Jan. 30 release of his new mixtape, hosts his popular weekly open-mic night/rap battle night with ample assistance from fellow members in the Umbrella Corporation. (Club Empire, Ybor City)

This article appears in Dec 26, 2007 – Jan 1, 2008.