A Sunday Pop Spree
After a couple of albums on major labels, Phoenix's The Format jumped off the train and went straight-up indie. Their 2006 CD Dog Problems — an über-catchy slab of power-pop and acoustic rock — released on their own Vanity Label, has kept a steady buzz and built the band's fanbase. The group has played a couple of smaller shows at the State Theatre, and word is that they sent a sunny, feel-good vibe throughout the place. This time, they're on a bill that includes four other acts in a similar vein: the acoustic-oriented Steel Train; 18-year-old Londoner Ollie Jason; Brooklyn's The Honorary Title, who dress up their power-pop with Brit touches; and, best of all, the Southern Cali band Limbeck, who bring plenty of indie quirk — including odd little instrumental touches — to their resolutely catchy sound. Please note that, because the show includes five acts, it starts early. Doors at 6 p.m.
The Format w/Limbeck, The Honorary Title, Steel Train, Ollie Jason, Sun., July 22, (doors at 6 p.m.), Jannus Landing, $15. —Eric Snider
Don't Be Wiped Out by Warped
Now on its 13th jaunt across the nation, the Warped Tour remains the best deal in rock 'n' roll. A gazillion bands — more than a handful actually worth seeing — for a mere $30 bucks: That's a good value, people. Especially when you got hardcore hardcorers Bad Religion and Pennywise on the bill along with such emo notables as Funeral for a Friend and New Found Glory … plus ace locals like Black in the Mind and metalcore maestros Killswitch Engage, a band which might prove a tad more than the Avril Lavigne wannabes can stomach. Speaking of what folks can handle, attendees are advised to heavily hydrate beforehand, and bring plenty of cash for water. When I covered the tour's stop in 2004, lines were stupid long — with one queue to buy a coupon, another to actually trade it in for beer/water. For more tips on what not to do at an outdoor summer concert, see the music feature on p. 59.
Vans Warped Tour, Fri., July 20, 12 p.m., Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg. $28.50/$33 day of show. For complete band lineup, go to warpedtour.com. —Wade Tatangelo
To the Left, to the Left
Like Diana Ross but even more successful as a solo act, Beyoncé ditched Destiny's Child to establish herself as the No.1 working diva in all of R&B. Possessing an expressive, sensual set of pipes, Beyoncé also knows how to pick insanely catchy material. I can't be the only sucker to have "to the left, to the left," stuck in my head every time I hear "Irreplaceable," one of the most memorable songs to top the pop chart in the last couple of years. Prospective attendees wondering whether Beyoncé can bring it in concert shouldn't worry. Word out of New Orleans, where the singer recently headlined the city's star-studded Essence Music Festival, is that she raised the new roof on the Superdome. "She is a force of nature," enthused Times-Picayune music writer Keith Spera. "No one else would match the Beyoncé Experience."
Beyoncé w/Robin Thicke, Sat., July 21, 8 p.m. St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa. $49.75-$89.75. —WT
This article appears in Jul 18-24, 2007.