THURSDAY, JUNE 16
JOHN FOGERTY The former leader of Credence Clearwater Revival still possess considerable mystique in the rock world. That's probably because he's always been a nonconformist and a bit of a curmudgeon, ready to do battle with the industry and anyone else who fucks with him. During the trippy late '60s, CCR remained a lean 'n' hungry guitar band. Fogerty's solo career enjoyed a zoom of success in the mid '80s with the hits "The Old Man Down the Road" and "Centerfield" (which clumsily extolled his love of baseball and probably earned him a princely sum when it was licensed out for sports highlights). By the way, if you get a chance, give him a birthday salute: He turned 60 on May 28. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater) -ERIC SNIDER
MONTROSE In 1973, ace session guitarist Ronnie Montrose decided to form his own band. In search of a name, he needed to look no farther than the mirror. The initial lineup featured up-and-coming singer Sammy Hagar. Montrose's self-titled debut is considered to be one of the first true heavy metal albums by an American band. The act has broken up and re-formed a couple of times; their most recent comeback dates to '02. I couldn't determine who is in the current lineup, but it's a safe bet that Hagar is not among them. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg) -ES
GUMBI ORTIZ & THE LATINO PROJEKT Extroverted world-renowned percussionist/St. Pete resident Gumbi Ortiz and his hyper-energetic Afro-Cuban ensemble help kick off a new weekly Latin Night at one of St. Pete's slickest little nightclubs. Wear comfortable shoes, because you will want to dance. And if you suck at it, that's cool, too – Mama Rumba offers a free 9 p.m. salsa class to anybody who's interested. (The Lobby, St. Petersburg)
FRIDAY, JUNE 17
MARY TIMONY/THE MEDICATIONS/THE VERA VIOLETS/THE SAME Former Helium singer Mary Timony has long been a fixture in underground art-rock; she went solo in 2000 with a more intimate and impressionistic sound, and for her third album, Ex Hex (released in April), recruited Medications drummer Devin Ocampo to fill out a sturdier but no less intricate collection of tunes. For more on Timony, check out the Music Feature. As for The Medications, they're a Dischord outfit that play a particularly muscular yet haunting take on the experimental sort of post-punk long associated with that storied Washington, D.C., label. Worthy locals The Vera Violets (oceans of shoegaze fuzz) and The Same (challenging dance-punk) open up. Highly recommended. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
FRIDAY FEST ON THE BAY FEAT. LES SABLER & CITIHEAT The picturesque Sarasota Bayfront is the setting for this convivial event, held once a month through October, featuring guitarist Sabler, who sort of splits the difference between smooth-jazz and post-bop, and Tampa's long-standing Citiheat, which mixes jazz lite, R&B and pop. (Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Sarasota) -ES
SEAN COSTELLO BAND Suave guitarist/songwriter Costello blends Chicago blues with rock, soulful R&B and gospel influences. He's also got good taste in cover material; his newest CD, an eponymous affair, pairs a baker's dozen of Costello's originals with his takes on tunes by Dylan, Al Green and Johnny "Guitar" Watson. Levon Helm played on the damn thing, too. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
CHAMPION/KIDS LIKE US/ANCHORS AWAY/KNOW THE SCORE/COBRA KAI Straightedge Seattle metallic hardcore act Champion is fresh off a tour supporting the legendary Agnostic Front, and all tuned up to rock the kids. Helping to get the job done are Fort Lauderdale pummel-core act Kids Like Us; made-for-moshing Jacksonville outfit Anchors Away; West Palm Beach's considerably more old-school (read: more fast and nasty than metallicious) Know The Score; and St. Pete's own Cobra Kai. You're going to smell bad when you get done here. (688 Skatepark, Clearwater)
AVENTURA Straight out of the From Left Field file comes Aventura, a Dominican boy band based in the Bronx whose Latin-pop sound is rooted heavily in hip-hop, R&B/contemporary urban and the tropical bachata rhythms of its native country. Yeah, yeah, I know everybody's doing it. What's weirder is, the group's been around for 10 years, and has, like, half a dozen albums out. Interesting. (A La Carte Pavilion, Tampa)
SATURDAY, JUNE 18
REV. BILLY C. WIRTZ With an over-the-top R&B sound full of ribald wordplay (and sometimes outright filth) and political incorrectness, the Rev. Billy has become a regular at the Skipperdome. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa) -ES
MARK FARINA DJ Farina came up amid Chicago's fertile house-music scene, then one of very few dance-music hotbeds in America, before relocating to San Francisco and playing a large part in giving that city a rep for screwing around with accepted electronica styles. He's best known for a somewhat down-tempo offshoot of house, but has experimented liberally with elements of jazz and hip-hop as well. (Hyde Park Café, Tampa)
LOWER CLASS BRATS w/CLIT 45 Liberally-spiked, throwback street punks Lower Class Brats make their umpteenth State Theatre appearance. You know the drill: fast, upset, and probably clad in bondage pants and leather jackets with patches safety-pinned all over them. In addition to a truly stupid name, the West Coast combo Clit 45 sport a similarly old-school sound and fashion that constantly get them compared to the likes of The Casualties and The Virus. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
SUNDAY, JUNE 19
AL JARREAU/BONEY JAMES/CASSANDRA WILSON Any dedicated jazz fan out there will look at this bill and shake their head with disgust, or sadness, or both. You see, dusky-voice Cassandra Wilson has, over the last decade, been one of the most compelling jazz-based artists around. Yes, her sounds involves crossover, but one that blends jazz with sinewy acoustic blues. It's great stuff, and it's high time she made a stop in the Bay area. (If memory serves, she had a TBPAC date cancelled at the late minute a couple of years ago.) But here she's last on the bill, which means she'll probably play an abbreviated set. Playing third fiddle to Al Jarreau, the histrionic singer who enjoyed a few hits in the late '70s and early '80s, is unfortunate. Playing second fiddle to smooth-jazz sax hack Boney James is a travesty. On the other hand, Cassandra's probably not complaining. In the legit jazz world, any paying gig outside of the biggest cities is cause to rejoice. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater) -ES
A BENEFIT FOR PAUL Z Paulie used to be a bartender at The Hub, before some health issues forced him to retire. Now, some favorite Bay area bands/dive-bar aficionados and a new face or two are getting together to try and pad Paul's medical-care account a bit; they need your help, and by help I mean your body and your money. Come on out and witness sets by punk 'n' rollers Flat Stanley, The Unrequited Loves' Mike O'Neill, The Hero Dies, Diviners leader Will Quinlan, River Cove Ramblers, smokin' classic/jam-rock enthusiasts Soupbone, and a hard rock act from Charlotte, N.C., called Orange Envy that's in town to shove three Bay appearances into a regular two-day weekend. Doors open at 3 p.m. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
MONDAY, JUNE 20
AQUABATS w/THE EPOXIES/THE PHENOMENAUTS Freaky-deaky California ska-punk octet The Aquabats are known for costumes and crazy performances; the group's reputation often overshadows the fact that their music has earned the respect of elder statesmen like the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and, uh, Squirrel Nut Zippers. Portland, Ore.'s The Epoxies are likewise famous for eccentric behavior, but their sound is more of a New Wave-infused punk-pop psychotic episode than a Third Wave thing. Not to be outdone, Oakland's Phenomenauts do a silly, costumed rockabilly thing themselves. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
TUESDAY, JUNE 21
STACY EARLE & MARK STUART This husband-and-wife duo (the husband of which used to be in The Dukes) combines formidable singer-songwriter talents. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22
JUDAS PRIEST/QUEENSRYCHE The Priest roared back in fine form not too long ago with Angel of Retribution, the first album of new material in 15 years to feature legendary frontman Rob Halford. The lads are getting on in years, but Angel's got some fine tunes on it, and shows that guitarists Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing still know their way around a jaw-dropping harmony lead. Co-headlining this triumphant shed outing is erstwhile superstar opera-rock outfit Queensryche, which will once again be performing its landmark concept album Operation: Mindcrime in its entirety, as well as (reportedly) trying out some material from its forthcoming sequel. (Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa)
LENNON Yes, female rocker Lennon Murphy was named after John. The 20-year-old firebrand was described by Metal Edge magazine as "Tori's Little Sister, On Ozzy's Acid." (State Theatre, St. Petersburg) -ES
This article appears in Jun 15-21, 2005.