Remember when we were really excited about getting to see Passion Pit today? Well, that show's been cancelled, so move on people.
There's still plenty to do, however, including night one of Clearwater Jazz Holiday (read our feature story on the event here), Jordan Esker's tour homecoming show, The Heavy Pets (for free), John Mayall and more. Check it all out below.
Wednesday 13 w/One-Eyed Doll Joseph Pool must love the middle week of every month. His band’s name is confusing as all get out, and when they book a show on the 13th everyone gets confused (this show is on Thursday, by the way). Older fans probably recognize Poole from his time in Maniac Spider Trash and Frankenstein Drag Queens from Planet 13, but anyone unfamiliar should know that Wednesday 13 plays horror rock that’ll play out particularly well since Halloween is less than three weeks away. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg) INFO
John Mayall “Wax on, wax off.” That’s what we imagine John Mayall was telling guys like Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor (Rolling Stones) and Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac) back in the 1960s when those guitar icons were getting their licks up as part of Mayall’s iconic Bluesbreakers band where the 82-year-old singer and guitarist tried to give his guys a place to tear up Chicago style blues. Mayall has since retired the moniker and is touring in a new format with Texas guitarist Rocky Athas, bass player Grag Rzab and drummer Jay Davenport for this show. Is the next Clapton in that lineup? Probably not, but Mayall is living history still touring, so blues fans should still take heed and show some respect. (Capitol Theatre, Clearwater) INFO
Sarah Lee Guthrie At two years old, Sarah Lee Guthrie made her recording debut by appearing on Power of Love, the 1981 album by Arlo Guthrie. Arlo is, of course, the son of Woody and also Sarah Lee’s father. Now 37-years-old, Sarah Lee makes her Clearwater, Florida debut, and where detractors might want to brush her off as someone born into American songwriting royalty, those same critics might want to give a listen to a 2013 album with husband Johnny Irion where they tapped Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy and Patrick Sansone to co-produce one of the best Americana albums to come out that year. (Murray Theatre at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater) INFO
Clearwater Jazz Holiday For four autumn nights, the 37th edition of the Clearwater Jazz Holiday is taking over Clearwater’s Coachman Park. Many festival goers are undoubtedly sending thoughts to Greg Allman who had to cancel his appearance due to health problems, but concert organizers did good to replace the 68-year-old guitarist and singer with one of modern music’s most captivating live performers, Grace Potter, who’ll close out the entire festival with a headlining set on Sunday night.
The Thursday kickoff, however, dials the clock back a little further by welcoming Kool & the Gang who bring old-school American funk, disco and soul to the party. Friday finds New Orleans’ Preservation Hall Jazz Band paying tribute to the roots of our country’s jazz tradition right before Trombone Shorty — a man who represents the mainstage future of the Crescent City’s jazz scene — closes out the evening with his own brand of fiery horn-driven, party starting jazz. Saturday has one of the most soothing voices in classic rock, Daryl Hall, at the helm (Hall cancelled last week and has been replaced by UB40) while country and rock & roll fusion outfit The Mavericks play earlier in the day. Sunday features the lineup which ticks off jazz purists the most, but there isn’t one genre-agnostic music fan who won’t recognize Potter, Brooklyn Americana trio The Lone Bellow and raucous Indiana rock & roll trio Houndmouth as three of the best live acts on the road today.
See more about Clearwater Jazz afterparties sprinkled throughout the rest of Music Week. (Coachman Park, Clearwater) INFO
Jordan Esker & the Hundred Percent A Bay area pop outfit returns from a short Southeastern tour for this free homecoming show where they’ll show off their road beards and treat us to a new single, “Taking An Office Day,” which CL premiered last month. (The Ale & the Witch, St. Petersburg) INFO
ALSO PLAYING
The Heavy Pets (Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin) INFO
Vertical Horizon (District 3, Tampa) INFO
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This article appears in Oct 13-20, 2016.