✔️ = Critic's Pick
THURSDAY OCTOBER 19
✔️ Bruno Mars w/Jorja Smith Bruno Mars performed a new, acoustic version of “That’s What I Like” on Charlie Rose last week, and the damn song (which has been streamed nearly 1 billion times on YouTube alone) still rides even without all the synth and drum sequencing (Mars, 32, and his background singers handled percussion on an office desk for the Rose segment). On Thursday, the man with more than 26 million albums sold worldwide brings what comes off as a natural knack for performance to Amalie for a show that will probably be one big party. The kid scored his first five No. 1 singles faster than any male artist since Elvis (whom Mars actually grew up impersonating as a little kid in Honolulu, Hawaii), and we’re bringing our least favorite Versace to leave on the floor after Mars and his opener — English singer Jorja Smith, who appeared on Drake’s “Get It Together” — leave the building. (Amalie Arena, Tampa) INFO
Superjoint w/Devildriver/King Parrot/Cane Hill/Child Bite/River A lot of people like Southern California heavy metal quintet Devildriver, and that is exactly why it was confusing to watch this date move from St. Petersburg to Ybor City and back to St. Pete again (all of it is related to ongoing renovations at State, which have made capacity a delicate dance). Expect Devildriver to not give a damn about any of that as it teases a little of the outlaw country cover album it is supposed to release next year. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg) INFO
✔️ Clearwater Jazz Holiday w/The Four Tops/The Temptations/Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox/The Avett Brothers/Kenny Loggins/Michael McDonald/Big Bad Voodoo Daddy/Anderson East/The James Hunter Six/more This year’s edition of the Clearwater Jazz Holiday continues bringing amazing local talent (La Lucha and Alex Harris, both performing Saturday) to join a couple handfuls of Americana, soft rock, jazz and funk bands for a full weekend of music. Outside of the obvious highlights (Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins, Avett Brothers, Temptations, Postmodern Jukebox), fans should look out for gravely-throated Alabama songwriter Anderson East, Grammy-nominated Daptone Records signee James Hunter, and tried-and-true swing revivalists Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. A full schedule is available via clearwaterjazz.com, and CL’s interview with McDonald can be seen here. (Coachman Park, Clearwater) INFO
✔️ PJ Morton You know who’s got soul? PJ Morton, and if you need proof, then just hit play on Gumbo, the 36-year-old Crescent City pianist’s new album on which he’s sorta like Saadiq (“First Began”), a lot like his pops (New Orleans gospel icon Bishop Paul S. Morton), but mostly just the guy good enough to make a whole lot of the last decade’s best soul records sound extra tasty (India.Arie, Robert Glasper, Jagged Edge and Musiq Soulchild have all asked for Morton's help on their projects). White people may recognize Morton as the guy playing keys for Maroon 5, and we hope every shade of music fan packs into Crowbar for what could be a very special show. (Crowbar, Ybor City) INFO
ALSO PLAYING
Jerry Outlaw and the Hubbtones (Ringside Café, St. Petersburg) INFO
Presonus Mix Lab With Doug Gould (Paragon Music, Tampa) INFO
Siro-A: Techno Circus (Ferguson Hall at the David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa) INFO
October 19, Randy & Mr Lahey’s Never Cry Shitwolf Tour (Orpheum, Ybor City) REST IN PEACE
Jonathan Scales Fourchestra (Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin) INFO
Row Jomah (The Ale & the Witch, St. Petersburg) INFO
Faculty Artist Recital: Tribute to Isang Yun-Eunmi Ko, Piano (Barness Recital Hall at University of South Florida, Tampa) INFO
This article appears in Oct 19-26, 2017.
