B.B. King Blues Band w/Sarasota Slim The King of the Blues was laid to rest in 2015, but the legacy of B.B. King’s more-than-50-year career lives on thanks to members of his band — including James “Boogaloo” Bolden on trumpet, Russell Jackson on bass guitar, Eric Demmer on saxophone, guitarist Wilbert Crosby, trumpeter Lamar Boulet and Darrell Lavigne on keyboards — who’re touring in his honor and playing classic tunes from the King canon. Providing vocals at the this free show former Voice contestant Michael Lee, whose Texas blues vocal wears a little country twang, too. Bay area blues lifer Sarasota Slim opens the show. Fri., July 12. 8 p.m. No cover. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg. jannuslive.com.
Packrats Smokehouse w/Ben Prestage In Venezuela, things are so bad that citizens have resorted to drinking an almost archaic iteration of moonshine. If that happened in Florida, then we might be listening to Packrats Smokehouse in the background. The blues group is a swampy throwback rock outfit and a favorite among Sunshine State roots music fans who’ve been hooked since a Living Blues review named Cadillac In The Swamp the best album of 1995. Sat., July 13. 8 p.m. $8-$11. Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa. skipperssmokehouse.com.
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TAMPA BAY BLUES CALENDAR (JULY 11-17)
Friday
July 12, New Fang's Original Open Blues/Rock Jam (Barefoot Billy’s Tavern, Tampa)
Saturday
July 13, Betty Fox Band (Crooked Thumb Brewery, Safety Harbor)
July 13, Joel DaSilva & Friends (The Ale & the Witch, St. Petersburg)
Sunday
July 14, Joel DaSilva (Ella’s Americana Folk Art Café, Tampa)
Monday
July 15, Joel DaSilva w/TC Carr (Ka’Tiki, Treasure Island)
Wednesday
July 17, TC Car & Bolts of Blue (Hideaway Café, St. Petersburg)
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This article appears in Jul 4-11, 2019.