THURSDAY, MARCH 31
LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO Say it out loud with me: Joseph Shabalala. Joseph Sha ba la la. Feels good, huh? He's the leader of Ladysmith Mambazo, which burst on the international scene as part of Paul Simon's groundbreaking 1985 album Graceland and its long, globetrotting tour. The large South African ensemble sings lush choral arrangements a cappella – most of the time. Their latest CD, No Boundaries, is a collaboration with the strings of the English Chamber Orchestra, and it's beautiful, like everything else the group does. (Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Tampa)
-Eric Snider
FRIDAY, APRIL 1
TORI AMOS w/MATT NATHANSON The faerie queen herself returns from her adopted British homeland with a new record, The Beekeeper, that's even weirder than you expected – though, in this fan's opinion, it's also a little disappointing. She's still guaranteed to be mesmerizing in person, however, and the presence of talented cult-fave singer-songwriter Matt Nathanson on the bill just sweetens the pot. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)
THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS Jimmie Vaughan is long gone, but the T-Birds can still rock the house with singer/harp player Kim Wilson and his tight band of blues/R&B stalwarts. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
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JIMBO MATHUS The native of Clarksdale, Miss., where he still lives and owns a recording studio, is one of the more interesting blues artists anywhere. I use the term "blues" loosely. Singer-guitarist Mathus makes teeming, hypnotic, sinister music rooted in his native Mississippi. It blends straight blues, stomping R&B, ragged rock, old Stones and some raucous roadhouse shit. The music on his new Knockdown South album is unkempt and exciting and I will be listening to it a lot in the coming months. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
-ES
CATCH 22/SPITALFIELD/DON'T LOOK DOWN/WHOLE WHEAT BREAD Veteran ska-punk act Catch 22 is out pimping its new live CD/DVD combo, aptly titled Catch 22 Live; these guys pack a lot more R&B and jazzy funk into their sound than most of their contemporaries. Jacksonville's Whole Wheat Bread is an interesting new national act, even though the name makes a gimmick out of the fact that it's three black guys. They've got a debut disc, Minority Rules (get it? They're black!), out on Orlando's Fighting Records, and mix energetic pop-punk with a little hip-hop. Hey, it's better than it sounds. A little. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
BONK FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSIC This year's installment of Tampa's heralded cavalcade of avant-garde classical, jazz and noise has been scaled back to two days, mostly because so many universities are doing worthwhile new-music seminars that BONK's founders want to focus on even more forward-thinking and unsung sounds, many of which originate right here in town. The first night, at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center's Patel Conservatory, features the USF Percussion Ensemble performing new works by BONK vets Eric Lyon and David Rogers, as well as locally based, jaw-droppingly good contemporary chamber group Confluences. Saturday's program shifts across the Bay to St. Pete's Dali Museum, and features flutist Margaret Lancaster performing new pieces composed for her by BONK president/Handshake Squad guy Robert Constable, among others. Support! (Patel Conservatory @ Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Tampa; Salvador Dali Museum, St. Petersburg)
RISE AGAINST/ALEXISONFIRE/BRAZIL/THE BLACK MARIA Rise Against wasted all comers on last year's Warped Tour; it was easily the best set I witnessed all day. The band plays tight, short, anthemic hardcore tunes that have one foot in the old school, and one in the new. Alexisonfire is a fairly generic screamo outfit, while Brazil keeps getting touted as "prog-punk" and getting mentioned in the same breath as Coheed & Cambria and Rush. The Black Maria is a new project from Kyle Bishop, who led the excellent, ahead-of-its-time Grade to underground godhead status and ultimately dissolution. Aaron Red Skyline has a massive man-crush on Bishop, who, it must be said, is pretty dreamy. Don't expect Grade's pummeling mix of metalcore and pop, however – The Black Maria is a much more straightforward, modern rock/nü-punk outfit. (Masquerade, Ybor City)
OKSANA & JIM WARREN Gifted Russian-born pianist Oksana Kolesnikova and Grammy-winning artist/album-cover specialist Jim Warren team up for an exhibition and performance to benefit the Admiral Farragut Academy's Fine Arts Department. The Academy is located at 501 Park St. N. in St. Pete. (Admiral Farragut Academy, St. Petersburg)
GIDEON STRING TRIO The Czech Republic's top classical ensemble comes to town. The trio will be joined by noted oboist Phillippe Magnan. (Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center, Tarpon Springs)
SPIKE MIKE'S BIRTHDAY BASH I have no idea who the hell Spike Mike is, but it looks like there are gonna be a bunch of great locals, from folk to metal, playing his B-day party. Also, it's free, dude, so that's five more bucks you can spend on getting loaded and not on Spike Mike's present – your attendance is present enough. The playas: Jackson Davis & Wookess Williams, Kate Bradshaw, Jen Shamro, So Far No Good, Fist Monkey, Flat Stanley, Area 51, Dukes of Hillsborough, Battlestar, and River Chicken. (Pegasus Lounge, Tampa)
BBQFEST Here in Florida, we've long known that nothing goes with award-winning rib action like classic rock, and this three-day barbecue throwdown's got that shit in spades, though you've gotta pay for each day's entertainment. Friday night's rocking entertainment comes courtesy of legendary Foreigner singer Lou Gramm; Saturday's highly recommended, unmissable all-day shindig features the amazing War, the almighty Night Ranger, and Homer Simpson's all-time favorite, Grand Funk Railroad; and Sunday takes it home with The Pat Travers Band, Blackfoot, and Creedence Clearwater Revisited. Town Square Plaza is located at 5121 80th Ave. N. in Pinellas Park. (Town Square Plaza Park, Pinellas Park)
SATURDAY, APRIL 2
HANK WILLIAMS III w/ARTIMUS PILEDRIVER Though he hasn't been through in a while, Hank III has long been a Bay area favorite. Expect a set of killer country tunes recalling Hank's grandfather, followed by a set of his own, favored punk-metal freakouts. Artimus Piledriver is loud and swampy and ragged and jagged and nasty, meaning they're a lot of fun. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
ART GARFUNKEL He possessed the sweet, ethereal tenor that gave songs like "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and others such a sense of grandeur. He also harmonized beautifully with his partner Paul Simon in some of the landmark hits of the '60s. His top-selling solo single was "All I Know," which reached the Top 10 in 1973. Expect Artie to stand all but motionless, hands in pockets, face tilted slightly skyward, while he rhapsodizes with that still-gorgeous voice. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)
-ES
(MASS) ENSEMBLE'S BILL CLOSE (MASS) Ensemble is a California-based collection of creative types that combines music, sculpture, dance and visual arts by building weird, big-ass instruments, then playing them. Bill Close is (MASS) Ensemble's artistic director; he'll be bringing a bunch of weird, big-ass instruments he and his friends built, and using them to perform original compositions. (HCC Theater Auditorium, Ybor City)
SPRINGFEST 2005 Call it "a celebration of local music," like the press release says. Call it just another great local show. Call it a showcase event. But freakin' go to it, OK? It's a worthy sampler platter of Bay area sounds, and hopefully the start of another great annual music-scene tradition. Plus, seriously, Clearwater's Soulfound could easily be the next big national modern-rock buzz-band – they're ready. Also on the bill are Spencer & The Smooth Criminals, Annie on Distortion (check out a review of their disc in this week's Music feature), Weaksauce, Truly Sunday (promoting their recently released The View From Here), and Auditorium. (Masquerade Infinity Room, Ybor City)
SUNDAY, APRIL 3
GOOD CHARLOTTE The world's most famous fake-punks/Hot Topic advertisements/MTV personalities are in town to play a set at the end of St. Petersburg's downtown Honda Grand Prix. The bad news? You've gotta pay to get into the Grand Prix to actually attend the show. The good news? You don't have to go at all, because Good Charlotte sucks. (Downtown St. Petersburg)
THIRD ANNUAL ROCK 'N' ROLL SWAP MEET This is one of the groovier grass-roots music events around here. Organized by Roger Peterson of Crippled Masters, it runs from 3 to 7 p.m. on two stages and includes a panoply of vendors of music-related stuff. Ordinarily, Mr. Harrell would write this one up, but he's playing – with his new band, no less. It's called Nessie, a "roadhouse rock 'n' roll project" (his words), and it includes members of St. Felons, Urbane Cowboys and Red Skyline. I'm biased, true enough, but I'm betting their shit is good. Also on the bill are Auditorium (anthemic space-rock), Hustlers A.D. (garage-rock/punk), The Lake Audition (experimental indie rock with former members of Helium Bomb, the Boats and We have Agents), Shittalker (left-of-center rock), and Can't Do It (energetic ska). (ACL Bar & Grill, St. Petersburg)
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THE CLEARWATER CHORUS PRESENTS SWINGIN' INTO SPRING This event is an annual Clearwater Chorus tradition. Expect an uplifting program of Broadway standards and favorites, sung by a full, rich 100 voices. This year's special little bonus comes in the form of marimba player Carolyn Bookout, who will perform a medley from the musical Show Boat. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)
TUESDAY, APRIL 5
TIFT MERRITT w/CHATHAM COUNTY LINE North Carolina singer-songwriter Tift Merritt has worked her way up from local open mics to a place on the list of rising underground roots-circuit favorites. Her style has a bit of alt-country edge, but remains firmly rooted in twangy folk-pop. Award-winning bluegrass act Chatham County Line, whose Route 23 came out on Yep Roc Records a little while back, will open, and open well. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6
MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER Though he was among the first to dabble in updating classical music with nascent synth/electro/New Age sounds in the mid-to-late '70s (and was also the man behind the runaway '70s hit "Convoy"), Chip Davis and his Mannheim Steamroller will forever be more well known for their once-futuristic Christmas albums. Seriously. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)
SEVENDUST w/SKINDRED Atlanta metal act Sevendust came up the hard way – after gaining a loyal regional fanbase, the band hit the road hard and stayed there for years, becoming a national force with little in the way of mainstream airplay or big-budget exposure. It's made them much, much better than most of the metal groups crowding the rejuvenated Headbanger's Ball. British act Skindred is getting a lot of ink because they throw disparate styles like reggae into the mix. (Masquerade, Ybor City)
This article appears in Mar 30 – Apr 5, 2005.