THURSDAY, AUGUST 2
IRIS DEMENT w/JASON WILBER WMNF listeners likely know Iris Dement thanks to the heavy airplay the station has given over the years to her working-class anthem "Wasteland of the Free." Released more than a decade ago, the song continues to resonate, especially among those of us who reject the GOP's supply-side economics. "We got CEOs making two hundred times the workers' pay," Dement intones over a rollicking country-rock beat. "But they'll fight like hell against raising the minimum wage." A gifted rabble rouser, the singer/songwriter isn't only interested in battling The Man. She's equally skilled at writing highly personal songs like "No Time to Cry." A touching ballad about coping with the loss of her father, it was covered by Merle Haggard, one of her musical heroes. Whereas Dement usually performs solo, this show features backing from members of John Prine's band. Included among those musicians is guitarist Jason Wilber, who will open the show with a solo performance. Judging by the amiable ditty "Lazy Afternoon" posted online, attendees are advised to arrive on time to catch his set. (To read my interview with Iris Dement, go to the music feature, p. .) (Tampa Theatre, Tampa)
KILLWHITNEYDEAD w/THE TONY DANZA TAP DANCE EXTRAVAGANZA Although the name suggests this could be a new band fronted by Bobby Brown, Killwhitneydead is actually a death metal outfit from Greensboro, N.C. Debuting in 2002 on the indie label Tribunal with the full-length Inhaling the Breath of a Bullet, the quintet has since released four more albums, all of which are notable for peppering brutal sonic assaults with snippets of dramatic movie dialogue. As one might have already guessed, The Tony Danza Tap Dance Extravaganza has nothing to do with the guy who played daddy to Alyssa Milano on Who's the Boss? It's a band from Tennessee that has been lauded for incorporating elements of grind, metal and hardcore. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
CANDY BARS w/MICHAEL WAKSMAN The Candy Bars' Daniel Martinez (vocals, guitar, keys) and Ryan Hastings (drums/programming) return from a mini-tour of the Eastern seaboard to play this downtown Tampa pub that's building a reputation for booking local bands offering quality original music. The Bars' graceful melodies are adorned with psychedelic charms that I'm guessing are re-created in concert via laptop/programming. Regardless, the music is centered on Martinez's pensive, often surreal lyrics and his breathy, distinct vocal delivery. As was noted before, the Bars have returned to performing as a duo following the departure of cellist Melissa Castellano (now Melissa Grady). To read what she said about exiting the band, visit TampaCalling.com, and click on the post titled "Candy Bars lose a bite." (Kelly's Pub, Tampa)
GERI X w/KINGSBURY/THE ALOHA MODEL/MORGAN AND WILDFLOWER/DJ OCCUPADO The always enchanting Geri X headlines a roster featuring Winter Haven mood-rockers Kingsbury, a Radiohead-influenced band that crafts multicolored soundscapes imbued with genuine emotion. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
FRIDAY, AUGUST 3
HOT TUNA w/JOHN HAMMOND Originally formed in the late '60s as a spin-off of Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna has over the years perfected the charming niche style I'll call hippie blues. It's easygoing, acoustic, white. Tuna's two main members, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Cassady, have also perfected the art of communing with their very devoted audience. John Hammond is another ace purveyor of acoustic blues, but his has more of a Delta flavor. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa) —Eric Snider
KNOWING STU w/SOULFOUND/THE PROSPECT It's been a while since Clearwater rockers Knowing Stu stirred things up around Tampa Bay. When we profiled frontwoman Tina Louise in April, she said her band was forgoing live shows to prepare for a recording session in Atlanta with producer Jeff Tome (Melissa Etheridge, Matchbox 20). Well, Stu is back in the saddle, ready to road test their newly cut tunes that should find their way onto a CD in August or September, according to the band's website. (Rasher Tierney's, Bradenton)
SALIVA w/12 STONES Saliva's from Memphis, Tenn.; they're purveyors of metallic pop with a little alternative thing going on. 12 Stones are out of Mandeville, La.; they're purveyors of poppy metal with a little Christian thing going on. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg) —Ted Scheinman
SATURDAY, AUGUST 4
GOO GOO DOLLS w/LIFEHOUSE/COLBIE CAILLAT Before the Goo Goo Dolls got swept up into the post-grunge hey day of the mid-'90s, they slogged through a career beset by fits and starts that began in '86. Once dismissed as a Replacements rip-off, their music has obviously become poppier and safer over the years. Similarly, Lifehouse has worked the tamer side of so-called alternative rock since hitting the market in 2000. Colbie Caillat is the female equivalent of Jack Johnson. A cute surfer girl strumming sunny tunes, she blew up on MySpace, signed to Universal and just last week her debut album Coco opened at No. 5 on the Billboard 200. (Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa) —ES
THE JERRY JOSEPH BAND w/EARTH BOMBS MARS/THE REAL SHOALS A raspy-voiced roots-rocker with a knack for blue-collar narratives, Jerry Joseph has drawn comparisons to the likes of Bruce Springsteen. Listening to Joseph's song "Bears That Dance" — which features compelling vignettes of characters grappling with insecurity and self-doubt — offers proof positive that Joseph is a cut above your average singer/songwriter. Spreadheads take note: Joseph cowrote a couple of songs on Panic's 2006 release Earth to America. Tampa's Earth Bombs Mars is the psychedelic-leaning, original-music project of Rich Whiteley, an ace singer/songwriter whose own compositions often rival the Garcia/Hunter classics he performs with Uncle John's Band every Thursday at Skipper's. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
PORTUGAL. THE MAN w/RUSSIAN CIRCLES/TO MY BOY Alaskan indie trio Portugal. The Man's second full-length, Church Mouth, came out recently on Fearless Records and finds the idiosyncratic band doing its best to defy any easy definitions. About the only constant is the high, boyish voice of singer/guitarist John Gourley. The rest is a spastic mix of everything from what sounds to be six-string strumming and conventional piano to twisted techno beats and highly manipulated guitar fuzz. Jolting surprises lurk around every corner, with dance grooves often giving way to dissonant tangents when least expected. Not for all tastes but within the realm of interesting. (The Orpheum, Ybor City)
TRIBAL STYLE This Tampa reggae ensemble, which recently released the commendable new album Olde Town, is pulling double duty Saturday with shows on both sides of the Bay. The first one is a full, headlining performance at Skipper's that starts at 8 p.m. The second is at the State Theatre, where they're scheduled to go on late as part of the benefit for the Southeast Music Alliance (see above entry). The first gig pays; the second doesn't. That's dedication, folks. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
SUNDAY, AUGUST 5
THE HIGH STRUNG w/MOUSE FIRE/CLOCK HANDS STRANGLE Detroit garage-rock trio The High Strung offer big hooks and quirky yet personable lyrics expertly sold by frontman Josh Malerman. Lakeland indie-pop quartet Mouse Fire alternate between New Wave-y ditties and quiet, acoustic-guitar-based confessionals, while Orlando's Clock Hands Strangle offer enigmatic lyrics over fractured folk melodies. (New World Brewery)
HANGTOWN w/THE HUMAN CONDITION/TRUCKSTOP COFFEE Billed as Roots Rock Sunday, this show features Tampa alt-country luminaries Hangtown, which recall Ryan Adams' similarly named band Whiskeytown; Bradenton jangle-rock quintet The Human Condition; and from Lake Worth, ragged-but-right twang-rockers Truckstop Coffee. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
BA-ROCK (OBAMA) FOR CHANGE CAMPAIGN SHOW w/LAST DAY ALIVE/ SHANE ALI/FALTER BOY/MIND STATIC/DANGER FLIGHT The last I checked, Barack Obama was having no problem raising funds on the campaign trail. Couldn't this show in his honor have featured a tad bigger headliner than unsigned Brandon screamo band Last Day Alive? Truth be told, I'm not even sure if the Obama team officially sanctioned this gig — or, for that matter, would approve of it. In my quest for more details about the event, I was sent to Facebook.com, the self-proclaimed "social utility" to which I do not belong and therefore was not permitted to proceed to the requested info page. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
TUESDAY, AUGUST 7
PALANTINE w/OFFICER FLOSSIE/PLAN B I honestly believe if Palantine had been around in the early '90s, they would've had a decent chance of landing their song "This Is Something" (MySpace.com/Palantinerock) on mainstream rock stations, fitting nicely between tunes by Pearl Jam and Nirvana. The Tampa quartet plays earnest, thoughtful rock marked by catchy riffs and palpable energy. In other words, it's a local band well worth leaving the sofa to see on a Tuesday, even if it means going to work the next day with a hangover. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8
MAE w/AS TALL AS LIONS/DEAR AND THE HEADLIGHTS Modern-rock quintet Mae offer radio-ready ditties laced with stately piano and carried by the glossy vocals of Dave Elkins. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
This article appears in Aug 1-7, 2007.