✔️= Critic's Pick
Greenspan w/Wayne Watts In 2011, the Baltimore Sun thought that Brian Dawkins might be one of Charm City’s next great hip-hop exports. It took a handful of releases to get there, but Dawkins (who is better known as Greenspan) may have finally released an album, Never Gon Die, that fulfills that promise. Just watch the video for “Indie,” in which black Baltimore gets celebrated as classic sounds clash against modern imagery, and then see it in real life at this new Tampa venue. (The Blue Note, Tampa) INFO
Angel Vivaldi w/Hyvmine/Day of Reckoning Highly-touted prog-rock guitarist Angel Vivaldi brings his month-long tour to Ybor City for a night at the Orpheum, where he’ll play the entirety of a 2017 album, Synapse, after Hyvmine (the brainchild of Berklee virtuoso Al Joseph) warms up the crowd. (Orpheum, Ybor City) INFO
CL'S 30TH ANNIVERSARY
30 years, 30 milestones — 1999-2008
✔️ Da Cypher 12 Year Anniversary w/Bangarang/Fre$h P & T.D./Keezie/Jai Shanae/Larcen/Elpresidente/Lil Timme/Angel Brown/Big Bizzle/Jafarlee/Jay Bay In our 30th anniversary issue, CL lauded the achievements of Tampa’s longest-running hip-hop open mic, which was founded by one of the region’s most talented emcees (Aych, who gained national notoriety after an appearance on BET’s 106 & Park). The event continues to be an incubator for local rap talent brave enough to take the stage and put their rhymes and delivery out there for all (including industry tastemakers) to see and pass judgement on. On Wednesday, many of the emcees who grew up in Aych’s Cypher will take the stage along with Tampa rock band Bangarang, all in honor of the event’s 12th anniversary. (Crowbar, Ybor City) INFO
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ALSO PLAYING
Liz Pennock and Dr. Blues (The Hangar, St. Petersburg) INFO
Tropico BLVD (Ringside Café, St. Petersburg) INFO
Taylor Reed (Orbit 19 Lounge, Holiday) INFO
Betty Fox Band (Hideaway Café, St. Petersburg) INFO
Discussing "Gorillaz" debut album (The Disco Dolls Studio, Tampa) INFO
This article appears in Jun 21-28, 2018.