THURS 26
HED PE / Mushroomhead w/Better Left Unsaid One has a penchant for face paint and produces hip-hop and heavy metal-fused hardcore punk with vocals that range from melodic singing to rapping to death growls. The other perform in full-on freaky gore-tastic masks, costumes and face and body makeup, and offers up electro-industrial alt-metal marked by pained wails and heavy roars. The two hit town as part of their co-headlining "Hed to Head tour." (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
Manic Expression w/The White Kids/Black Ice Landon Morgan (vocals, 6- and 12-string guitars) and Manny Franco (vocals, keys, percs) are the sweetly-harmonizing musicians who make up Tampa's Manic Expression. Cheeky indie hip hop/acoustic reggae rock duo The White Kids (Vinny Edwards and Sammy Mull) slow-rhyme about smoking pot, getting it on, getting tore up (I'm mixin' this, with a little bit of that / a few more shots, I'm on my back …"), and hanging out waterside, sand between toes. Acoustic rock four-piece Black Ice rounds out the bill. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
James Taylor On his last run of dates in Florida, James Taylor came with Carole King on their shared "Troubadour Reunion Tour." It was one of the most successful tours of 2010, with several arena stops (Tampa included), upward of 700,000 tickets sold, and more than $59 million divvied up between the two artists at the end. This time around, the folk songwriter with the soothing downy vocals rolls into the Sunshine State solo for a single performance at a more intimate (2,518-seat) theater. (Bob Carr Performing Arts Center, Orlando)
Seven Mary Three I caught Seven Mary Three back in the summer of '98, age 18, freshly graduated; rocked out to their hard post-grungy sound, sung along to the hits I knew from my earlier teen years, 1995's "Cumbersome" and "Water's Edge"; and had an overall good time when I wasn't expecting one (I'd come to see Black Crowes). Their last album, 2010's live acoustic Backbooth, was recorded in Orlando in 2009 at a private show for their most loyal fans. This show is presented as part of Hard Rock International's 40th anniversary celebration. (Hard Rock Cafe, Tampa)
Hymn for Her Hymn for Her has taken the "home studio" concept to a new level. They live, record and tour the U.S. in their 16-foot, 1961 Bambi Airstream. Like a grittier folk version of the Partridge Family, Hymn for Her (Wayne Waxing and Lucy Tight) are accompanied by their 4-year-old daughter and black lab. The music of Waxing (vocals, acoustic guitar, banjo, harp, percussion) and Tight (vocals, cigar box guitar) is stripped-down Americana with low-fi subtleties, their lyrics reflecting on life on the road. Those honest words set against stomping rhythms, jangling strings and harmonica make perfect traveling music. The duo also stops at Hideaway Café in St. Pete on Saturday. (The Independent, Tampa) —Adam Richards
All Star Jazz Trio: Drexler | Hamilton | Loomer A Side Door Jazz program featuring instrumental numbers by three local jazz greats — Richard Drexler (piano), T-Bone Hamilton (bass), and Kenny Loomer (drums). (Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg)
FRI 27
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Bone Thugs-N-Harmony was forever sealed as a major innovator of hip-hop with singles like "1st of tha Month" and "Tha Crossroads." With their trademark style of rolling, harmonized rhyming, they reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Rap Tracks charts in 1995. Now with at least 50 million albums sold, a few member departures (and returns), and many respects paid to Easy E, Bone Thugs return to the road to promote their 2010 album, Uni5: The World's Enemy, released on their new label, The Life Entertainment. This tour, the group holds open-age talent searches at each venue seeking any raw, un-signed talent to add to their label. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg) —Adam Richards
Electric Daisy Carnival w/Tiësto/Paul Van Dyk/Afrojack/Goldie/Benny Benassi/Ferry Corsten/many more The colossal Las Vegas electronica music fest is now presented in five cities across the country. For the 2011 edition, Electric Daisy Carnival premieres in Orlando for "two full nights of beats, freaks, fun and festivities!" with full-sized carnival rides, art installations and performances by world-class electro music DJs and producers. Two former trance masters head up the bill — Tiësto on Friday night, Grammy-winning Paul van Dyk on Saturday. (Tinker Field, Orlando)
Fever w/The Vera Violets/Creepers Fever is an Orlando trio that dishes out raw, psyche-garage rock with a surfers-on-acid appeal and the deep droning vocals and warped-distorted guitar work of frontwoman Kelly MacDonald. Tampa's own fuzzy shoegaze-psyche outfit The Vera Violets return with an extra member (bassist Gregg Alexander Neville), a new 2011 record, In Between Fires, and a more driving post punk/Dark Wave-influenced sound. Newish Afro-percussive jangle pop outfit Creepers rounds out the bill. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
Jimmy Thackery & The Drivers w/Jimmy Griswold Band Schooled by the great Muddy Waters himself, modern electric roots-blues guitarist/singer Jimmy Thackery went on to play with the Nighthawks for 15 years before parting ways with the band in 1986. Today, 18 recordings deep into his solo career (which includes a new LP, 2011's Feel the Heat), Thackery is considered a powerhouse who still keeps to the road and performs hundreds of shows with his trio, The Drivers, every year. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
Blast Friday: Atlanta Rhythm Section The next in a series of free, family-friendly fairs on Cleveland Street that feature headline entertainment on a stage outside of the Capitol Theatre; this event's featured performer is Southern classic rockers Atlanta Rhythm Section ("Imaginary Lover," "Spooky"). (Capitol Theatre, Clearwater)
SAT 28
97X Backyard BBQ w/Sick Puppies/Panic! At The Disco/The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus/AWOLNATION/The Airborne Toxic Event/Hugo/Marksmen Not only is the 2011 edition of 97X's Backyard BBQ free (italics for emphasis), but the day-long Memorial Weekend music fest features a bill packed with quality acts that all have a crowd-drawing buzz going right now, and their music is served with plenty of tasty brewskies and barbeque. Among the musical highlights are Tampa's own up-and-coming indie rockers and CL favorites, Marksmen; NYC-based eclectic pop-groove-rock artist Hugo, a recent signee on Jay-Z's Roc Nation label who was discovered writing songs for Beyoncé and is known for his downhome roots rendition of "99 Problems"; vintage chic Las Vegas baroque alt rock outfit Panic! At The Disco, co-led by Brendon Urie (lead vocals, guitar, piano) and Spencer Smith (drums), and fresh off the release of their third album, 2011's Vices & Virtues; and Australian hard rock trio Sick Puppies, also on their third album, Tri-Polar (2009), and riding the waves of success in the U.S. a few years after its release. (Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg)
Taproot w/Seven Years Past/Devil Made Microphones/Were All Virus/Soulidium Taproot hits town to promote their 2010 LP, Plead the Fifth, their fifth album and debut on Victory Records. This is a make-up date for a show originally scheduled in January. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
Rays Concert Series: Avril Lavigne Rays fans, watch out! The Trop is about to be bombarded by masses of screaming tweens and teens all ready to pump their little fists and sing along to the trite power pop of Avril Lavigne, who plays the next concert in the post-game series. (Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg)
Bands on the Sand 3 w/COPE/Steve Arvey Horn Band/Rebekah Pulley & the Reluctant Prophets/Grant Peeples & the Peeples Republik Band/Rebel Pride Band/Sunza Beaches/Shoeless Soul In its third year, the day-long Treasure Island music fest has a wider, more open stage and a diverse lineup of local bands to play original music on it, ranging from the funk-psyche-roots jam rock of COPE to the brassy blues rock of Steve Arvey Horn Band. All of it culminates in a fireworks display at 10:15 p.m. (104th Avenue and Gulf Boulevard, Treasure Island Beach)
It Prevails w/Life on Repeat/We Are Defiance/Affiance/Stand Your Ground A bill of heavy music headed up by melodic hardcore five-piece It Prevails, from Portland, which just reunited with its original guitarist and drummer, and is working a new LP set for release this summer. Also on the bill is hooky emo rock five-piece Life on Repeat. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
Charlie Souza Unplugged An acoustic set by the singer, songwriter, bass player, producer and winner of the St. Petersburg City Song. Guitarist Jaybo Key with percussionist Cary Palmer opens. (Hideaway Café, St. Petersburg)
Chris McCarty w/Orange Hour The spirited, soulfully singing acoustic rocker from Gainesville (who just enjoyed an acting turn in the Sarasota-shot indie flick, Beautiful Noise) returns to his favorite venue for his once-every-few-months stop. Local alt reggae rockers Orange Hour support. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
SUN 29
Bonnie "Prince" Billy Free Florida Tour The DIY alt-country singer-songwriter otherwise known as Bonnie "Prince" Billy (real name Will Oldham) released his eighth album, The Wonder Show of the World, with the Cairo Gang in 2010. His Tampa stop is part of a free seven-date Florida tour presented exclusively in various indie record stores around the state. Read more about BPB on p. 39. (Mojo Books & Music, Tampa)
Scratch My Back Benefit Concert w/The Quivering Rhythm Hounds/The Lint Rollers/Johnny G. Lyon Band The 15th annual charity concert raises funds for the Humane Society of Tampa Bay. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
Face to Face w/Blitzkid/Strung Out Seminal punk rock outfit Face to Face hits town in support of their first new album since 2002's How to Ruin Everything. Read the complete review of said album, Laugh Now, Laugh Later, on p. 39. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
Pre-Memorial Day Show w/Red Room Cinema/Lady Lazarus/Birdlips/Set and Setting Celebrate your Monday off with a Sunday night show featuring some hot indie acts. Post-prog rock shoegazers Red Room Cinema makes one of their increasingly rare appearances, and their local presence will become even less pronounced when drummer John Hayes moves to NYC and RRC morphs to more of a recording outfit. They'll still perform, but only when Hayes can make it back to town, likely once the band's new LP is completed and ready for release. Also on the bill is Savannah, Ga.'s Lady Lazarus, the Pitchfork.com-approved solo experimental pop project of poet/musician Melissa Ann Sweat, psyche folk-indietronic duo Birdlips (from Virginia), and St. Pete sonic soundscape builders Set & Setting. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
MON 30
Foxy Shazam w/Peter Pepper The soulful, trumpet-fused pomp-prog rock of Cincinnati-based quintet Foxy Shazam balances the operatic croons and wailing cries of singer Eric Nally, who leads the "rabble-rousing pack of freaks" with flamboyant Freddie Mercury appeal, though he has hetero urges and a more hair-thrashing way about him. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
WED 01
E.I.Y. Spring Into Action Tour w/Bombshell Lust/A Play On Words/Dead Cat Lounge/Lions After Dark The national "Earn It Yourself" tour features indie bands that do everything on their own, from booking to managing to playing shows, without losing their sense of integrity; it's a sort of evolution of the DIY philosophy. This tour features Bay area acts, from the mix of skate punk and reggae rock by St. Pete's Bombshell Lust, to the piano-led indie rock of Clearwater-based Lions After Dark. (The Local 662, St. Petersburg)
John Popper & The Duskray Troubadours The Blues Traveler frontman has taken a break from his main band to explore his musical interests with a new side project, Duskray Troubadours. The sextet's 2011 self-titled debut finds Popper delivering a melodic, roots rock-driven sound that's less pop-oriented than his work with BT. And while the harmonica solos are firmly intact, they've taken on a raw and free-spirited feel. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
This article appears in May 26 – Jun 1, 2011.
