Alex Harris Band Up close and personal is a good way to experience Bay area soul, pop and R&B singer-philanthropist Alex Harris, and on Friday he’s taking to the intimate quarters of the Hideaway Café to play songs that’ve earned him slots sharing stages with the likes of John Legend, H.E.R., Al Green, Aretha Franklin and more. Fri., July 19. 8 p.m. $20-$25. Hideaway Café, St. Petersburg. hideawaycafe.biz.
Damon Fowler Damon Fowler usually has a Telecaster in hand as he rips through his sets of bonafide Sunshine State blues, but he’s flipping the script a bit this weekend when he takes to the courtyard of the Ale & the Witch where he’ll play a free acoustic show. This should give his voice a chance to shine, but it’ll mostly give you a peek into the songwriting process of a guy who usually gets attention for the way he shreds. Fri., July 19. 8 p.m. No cover. The Ale & the Witch, St. Petersburg. thealeandthewitch.com.
Girls Rock St. Pete Concert w/Ari Chi Would you take the Jannus Live stage after just one week practicing with your new bands? Sounds frightening. Not for the young campers of Girls Rock St. Pete, who’ve spent the last few days starting a new band and learning songs that they’ll show off for a couple thousand of their closest friends. In a world that seems upside down, it’s good to know there are good people doing positive things in our neighborhoods. Here’s your chance to support those efforts (and eight head-banging girl bands) while also catching an opening set from one of CL’s favorite Bay area songwriters, Ari Chi. Kids under 5 get in free. Sat., July 20. 7 p.m. $5-10. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg. jannuslive.com. –Emma Witmer
Butch Queen & the Bad Habits w/Dead Cat Lounge/The Curse We’ve been interested in Lakeland punk band Butch Queen & the Bad Habits since it was part of pre-show activities ahead of a controvesial 2018 presentation of Rocky Horror Picture Show at Lakeland Theatre. That’s why we’ll relish a chance to see Nolan Nada and Fredi X bring their drag queen-fronted outfit to play in our backyard this weekend. Sat., July 20. 7 p.m. $10. The Blue Note, Tampa. eventbrite.com.
TAMPA BAY LOCAL MUSIC (JULY 18-24)
Thursday
July 18, Slap of Reality w/Critical Hits/Changer (The Bends, St. Petersburg)
July 18, Custard Pie w/Somatic/Stephanie D'angelo Trio (Crowbar, Ybor City)
July 18, The Reality w/Sweet Cambodia (Ringside Café, St. Petersburg)
July 18, Stick Martin Duo (Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin)
Friday
July 19, Uncle Ray's Punk Rock Birthday Party (Emerald Bar, St. Petersburg)
July 19, Trenchfoot Shindig w/Matt Bistok Banned (Cage Brewing, St. Petersburg)
July 19, 3weekoldroses w/Solemn Judgement/MEGA CHVRCH/more (Neptune Lounge, Tarpon Springs)
July 19, Trippy Squad Takeover w/A Midd/Karlton/Slick Vizion/AC Darko/Krampus/Big Hogie (The Bends, St. Petersburg)
July 19, Unlimited Devotion (Wild Rover Brewing Company, Tampa)
July 19, The Wandering Hours (Independent Bar, St.Petersburg)
July 19, Betty Fox Band w/Spy on the Land (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa)
July 19, Between Bluffs (Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin)
July 19, Gerry Williams Trio (Sparkman Wharf, Tampa)
July 19, Sounds of the Underground w/AK1200/Fiyafly/Circle K/more (Morph, St. Petersburg)
July 19, Beat Down Band (Jazz House Supper Club, Tampa)
July 19, Viewers Like You w/The Resonance/Blind Optimism/The Easy Button (The Blue Note, Tampa)
Saturday
July 20, Flashbacks: Ortrotasce w/Æon Rings/ShadowRun Brothers (The Bends, St. Petersburg)
July 20, Summer Jam w/Tony Tylers Trance/Kettle of Fish/Uncle John’s Band (Skipper’s Smokehouse)
July 20, Bearded Brothers Band (Smokin’ 19, St. Petersburg)
July 20, Ella Jet & Future Soul (Hard Rock Café at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa)
July 20, Eddie Wright w/Sam Farmer/Matt Walker/Bryan Smith (The Ale & the Witch, St. Petersburg)
July 20, Row Jomah (Sparkman Wharf, Tampa)
July 20, Bass By The Bay w/Kjack’d Pvper Revlms/Sway Ja Vu/Thi3f (5 Star Dive Bar, Ybor City)
July 20, SHDW & Obscure Shape w/Doctor Boom/Jesse Scotto (Morph, St. Petersburg)
July 20, Unlimited Devotion (Ka`Tiki, Treasure Island)
July 20, Shoeless Soul (Crooked Thumb Brewery, Safety Harbor)
July 20, Dichotomy (Brass Mug, Tampa)
July 20, DJ Chang (Ichicoro ANE at Station House, St. Petersburg)
Sunday
July 21, Jahfari (Sparkman Wharf, Tampa)
July 21, Jenu Six & the Old Souls (Independent Bar and Café, Tampa)
July 21, Somatic (Mandarin Hide, St. Petersburg)
Monday
July 22, Chris McCarty (Hard Rock Café at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa)
Tuesday
July 23, Kirk Adams Band (Hideaway Café, St. Petersburg)
July 23, Melody Artisans of the Crooked Thumb – Starting Over Songs (Crooked Thumb Brewery, Safety Harbor)
Wednesday
July 24, Betty Fox Band (Hideaway Café, St. Petersburg)
This article appears in Jul 11-18, 2019.