THURSDAY, NOV. 24
THANKSGIVING DAY CARILLON CONCERTS Got a tank full of gas and a bunch of relatives in town for Thanksgiving who probably wouldn't view going to the Emerald and hearing The Dead Popes as "a cultural evening"? Head on out to Lake Wales for two special afternoon carillon programs from the Historic Bok Sanctuary's famous Singing Tower. The first is at 1 p.m., the second is at 3; both will feature "music that evokes a mood of thanksgiving and reflection." The Sanctuary is approximately 60 miles east of Tampa. For exact directions and additional information, visit www.boksanctuary.org or call 863-676-1408. (Historic Bok Sanctuary, Lake Wales)
FRIDAY, NOV. 25
RYAN CABRERA w/THE CLICK 5/THE VERONICAS Twenty-three-year-old pop-rock singer-songwriter Cabrera is best known for dating Ashlee Simpson, so that should tell you something about the quality of his innocuous cross-format-ready music. The Click 5 is the latest iteration of teen-pop talent — an actual band of young dudes who actually play their own instruments, and give up a slightly edgier, guitar-based New Wave/power-pop sound. Don't they look cute in their matching suits and non-matching haircuts? You bet. And simply put, The Veronicas are a female version of The Click 5. (Tampa Theatre, Tampa)
AUSTIN LOUNGE LIZARDS Quirky, eminently entertaining roots-rock veterans the Lizards have been dropping jaws and inciting laughter for two-and-a-half decades. Where so many genre-blending Americana acts take themselves way too seriously, these talented guys have never been afraid to poke fun at themselves and everything else while delivering gritty, catchy fare. Album titles like Creature from the Black Saloon, Paint Me on Velvet and Never an Adult Moment say it all, really. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
SATURDAY, NOV. 26
THE (INTERNATIONAL) NOISE CONSPIRACY w/DANKO JONES/NIGHTMARE OF YOU Sweden's (I)NC mixes fiery anti-capitalist rhetoric with punky, danceable garage-rock, and basically puts more well-known scenesters like The Hives to shame. This quartet has always had the goods, and always delivers them live. (I)NC's new album, Armed Love, is a little slicker, but no less potent; check out the Music Feature for more. Support comes courtesy of underrated Canadian groove-rockers Danko Jones and Long Island post-emo pop outfit Nightmare of You, which features former members of The Movielife and Glassjaw. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
SHOP 'N' ROCK It's a benefit for the Bay Area Arts & Music Organization (BAAMO), that group of local-music activists that sends a bunch of bands to party in Austin once of year, and it sounds a lot like former Crippled Masters bassist Roger Peterson's annual Rock 'N' Roll Swap Meet. Which is totally cool, because the format rules — artists and shop owners ply their wares while talented Bay area musicians do their thing for you, and Globe proprietor JoEllen serves treats both solid and liquid. The lineup wasn't finalized by press time, but it'll be good, and heavy on acoustic/low-volume acts. Various WMNF DJs will spin their favorite tunes between sets. Oh, and it runs from noon to 5 p.m. (Globe Coffeehouse, St. Petersburg)
NEW GRANADA PRESENTS GUILTMAKER/MORNINGBELL/JAMES SALTER Local label New Granada, which will be putting out the Candybars full-length shortly (hell yeah!), has been doing a monthly show series at New World, and it's gone so well that this month it's doing two. This one features rising Tampa posthardcore outfit Guiltmaker, as well as excellent, slightly psychedelic Gainesville eclectic-pop combo Morningbell, and former Bay area resident James Salter making his hometown singer-songwriter debut. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
GEORGE GOODWIN & JAZZ SURGE Multi-Grammy nominated conductor/composer Goodwin leads his fun, boisterous big band through three area concerts as part of the USF Jazz Masterworks series. The ensemble will also perform Nov. 27 at the Osceola Center for the Arts and Nov. 28 at USF Theater 1. For more info, go to http://centerforjazzcomp.arts.usf.edu. (Palladium Theater, St. Pete) —ERIC SNIDER
SUNDAY, NOV. 27
TWELVE GAUGE VALENTINE/ANAM CARA The underground Christian-scene wranglers at The Refuge and the DIY host at Clearwater's 688 Skatepark weren't sure this show was going to come together until the 11th hour, but apparently it's happening, so there you go — to 688, that is. Twelve Gauge Valentine hails from Louisiana, and plies a generic, scattershot sort of noise-punk. God, they're irritating. Anam Cara is more interesting, interspersing its blitzkrieg attack with soulful classic-rock moments. Expect three or four local openers, as well. (688 Skatepark, Clearwater)
MONDAY, NOV. 28
DOLLY PARTON It took quite awhile for Dolly to be known for something other than her enormous bazoongas, but lately she's been getting praised for her music. Dolly's actually always been a substantial artist, as a singer and writer, but her cartoon persona — and those bazoongas — always, um, overshadowed the music. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater) —ES
SHATTERED REALM/HOODS/DONNYBROOK/BLACK MY HEART/THE CRIMESCENE/NOW SOLDIERS Up around New Jersey, Philly and New York City, it seems like the groovy midtempo "bro-core" has been replaced by a more Hatebreed- and death-metal-influenced sort of crossover heaviness; unfortunately, most of the bands involved are as generic and coattail riding as their forebears, and Shattered Realm is no exception. Sacramento, Calif.'s Hoods escape the whirlpool of sameness via frequent, interesting tempo and time signature changes, while L.A.'s Donnybrook is far more straightforward and far less interesting. (688 Skatepark, Clearwater)
TAMMERLIN/WINTERSONG Tammerlin is the highly talented folk duo of Lee Hunter and Arvid Smith. The Jacksonville band's latest release — this year's One Kind Favor — fleshes out the usual acoustic-guitar-and-vocals sound with instruments such as lap steel, mandolin, upright and electric bass, strings and drums. The songs are bright and catchy as hell. Hunter and Smith are in town at the invitation of the Sarasota Folk Club, and are accompanied by Floridian folksters Wintersong. (Sarasota Sailing Squadron, Sarasota) —COOPER LANE BAKER
TUESDAY, NOV. 29
CYNDI LAUPER w/JILL SOBULE It's usually not a good sign when you release an album full of reworked versions of songs you hit it big with in the past. This is true whether they're new remixes or totally rerecorded takes. Lauper chose the latter for The Body Acoustic, her collection from earlier this year. The songs she chose to present yet again include her '80s smashes like "True Colors," "Time After Time" and "Girls Just Want to Have Fun." This puts the audience in an awkward spot: they really just want to hear the hits, but most likely won't recognize the new spins Lauper has put on them. Whatever the case, this show is ongoing proof of the '80s revival the Van Wezel is trying to pull, coming as it does a month after Billy Idol rocked the purple monster. (Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Sarasota) —CLB
SHINEDOWN w/SILVERTIDE Two equally uninspired classic-rock-as-contemporary-radio-fodder acts vie to be the next Nickelback or Default. "Dude, you rocked tonight!" "No, dude, you totally rocked tonight!" "Uh, dude?" "Yeah, dude?" "Which one of these bands am I in again?" "It doesn't matter, dude." (Masquerade, Ybor City)
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 30
THE OUTLAWS Tampa Bay has never had much luck in breaking national recording acts. Oh, a few bands have gotten signed over the last couple decades, but usually their label situation sours or their debut stiffs, or something else bad happens that quickly shuns them from the limelight. In fact, you have to go back to the '70s to find a band that made a real impact on the national stage. And that band is The Outlaws, which rode that decade's Southern rock sound to three gold albums and at least a couple songs — "There Goes Another Love Song" and "Green Grass and High Tides" — that are marginal classic-rock staples. The resuscitated group should still be able to bring the jams. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg) —ES
O.A.R. This band — Of a Revolution to the real fans! — arose around the turn of the century as one of the college-circuit jam bands, rocking from Columbus, Ohio, to Athens, Ga., and anywhere else where a frat party was in full swing. During that time, the group built up an incredibly loyal following, totally out of proportion to the group's promotional capabilities. I can testify that during four years at college in North Carolina, they came near our campus at least 112 times, and probably sold out every show. So the question is: How will they make the transition to a roomy, clean space like the Van Wezel? Wear your frayed Abercrombie cargo shorts, throw down some Natty Light and make the band feel right at home. (Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Sarasota) —CLB
THE SHOUT OUT LOUDS w/THE ROSEBUDS/THE SUNS Swedish indie-pop stalwarts The Shout Out Louds don't sound like the rest of the cool Scandinavian bands with whom you're familiar — for one thing, you've gotta split the difference between Sahara Hotnights (only with guys) and The Cardigans (again, only with guys) to even find a jumping-off point. Bigger hooks and less attitude than, you know, that band with the matching suits and the megalomania. North Carolina's The Rosebuds record for Superchunk's Merge Records these days, and that should be enough for you. If it's not, think of deceptively lo-fi, rootsy pop songs whose solidity and sophistication shine through their rough garb. There are a million fucking bands called The Suns; whichever one this is, they're probably pretty good just to be on this bill, but in any case, fuck them and their lack of originality in naming their band. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
THE SKEPTICS/NO CASH VALUE The Skeptics hail from Massachusetts, home of chowder and mispronunciation. They play serviceable pop-punk, and have a song coolly titled "Halos and Bedposts." Tampa's own, young No Cash Value — a band that knows a good nu-punk hook when they hear it a million times, then recycle it once again — provides support. (Top 5 Records, Tampa)
This article appears in Nov 23-29, 2005.