The Locust/Waifle/Combatwoundedveteran/
The Chain Link Disaster Ever miss those shows at 403 Chaos where the bands thrashed out 20-second songs that you couldn't comprehend, but still left you feeling like you'd just been hit over the head with a sledgehammer made of Silly Putty? Enjoy. Fast, loud and scary, San Diego's The Locust lace that edge where hardcore turns into grindcore with cheesy synth injections and some seriously deranged lyrics. The rest of these bands take a similarly chaotic approach to the heavy underground stuff. Make sure the bill of your baseball cap has that suitable arc for the hard, eye-hiding look. Melody is for sissies. (July 12, Orpheum)
Natalie MacMaster Her latest album, 2000's My Roots Are Showing, captures and preserves many of the most historically important and influential tunes of Cape Breton fiddle music, according to her Rounder Records bio. She's opened for Carlos Santana and played alongside The Chieftains. She's been named Fiddler of the Year by The Canadian Country Music Association for the last four years running. Hell, she's got her own instructional video — sorry, metal dudes, you cannot down-tune a fiddle. MacMaster is one of the most famous roots-music figures ever to emerge from The Great White North. Attendance is mandatory for anyone who appreciates instrumental mastery, regardless of what genre is being played. (July 13, Tampa Theatre)
Barely Pink/Soul System Newly rejuvenated power-pop juggernaut Barely Pink has been turning in some extremely energized live sets of late, and shows at the New World are always a good time. They'll be showcasing material from their forthcoming third full-length, due out on Not Lame Records before too long. Soul System blend R&B grooves with upbeat rock; those afraid to smile in public might feel a bit out of place. (July 13, New World Brewery)
King Johnson King Johnson ain't a person. See, the Atlanta-based blues/R&B/funk/boogie band started off as a traditional blues outfit, and so many blues legends are Kings and Johnsons that, well, you know — clever, huh? Anyway, people were raving about their last Tampa appearance, and WMNF has been spinning tunes from their latest disc, Luck So Strange. A good bet for fans of that New Orleans-flavored jazz 'n' groove gumbo, along with booties that simply must move. (July 13, Skipper's Smokehouse)
The Kilowatthours w/Isobella/Whirlway The Kilowatthours play a singularly evocative brand of indie-rock informed by an open, collaborative writing process and the members' disparate hometowns (see the Music column). Their style incorporates equal parts alt-guitar and mesmerizing, repetitive piano melody. Plus, they talk about mullets. Isobella likewise rides the line between the exuberant and the arty. Whirlway remain a bit of a mystery, but they've gotta be pretty good to appear on this bill. (July 13, Orpheum)
Music Industry Summit If you love those informative music-conference panels, seminars and discussion groups, but wish they wouldn't break the whole thing up with all those irritating live bands, then welcome to heaven. The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences presents an entire day of learning, where key industry professionals bring you inside the growing use of home studios, give insight on the future of downloadable music, and explore what makes a hit. If you're already a NARAS member, the price is $25; non-member students are welcome for $30, and the great unwashed will be charged $50. But, hey, lunch is included. (July 14, Morrisound Recording)
Ozzfest 2001 w/Black Sabbath/Marilyn Manson/Slipknot/Papa Roach/Linkin Park/Crazy Town/Disturbed/No One/more Definitely the biggest Ozzfest to date. This summer's roster features, in addition to the original Sabbath lineup (yet again), nearly every single one of those post-Bizkit bands that either gives your life meaning or inspires you to consider ending it, depending on your age and/or piercing count. Mad bombers please note the conspicuous absence of a redeeming, iconoclastic act like Queens of the Stone Age. Sharon Osbourne was definitely not screwing around this year, offering what amounts to a nu-metal evolutionary scale. Maybe the plan was to confound tailgaters hoping for a free listen — how the hell are they gonna tell who's playing? (July 14, Tropicana Field)
Czech Virtuosi Orchestra Presented as part of the Symphony of the Americas Summerfest, the Czech Virtuosi Orchestra was spawned by the former Ceske Budejovice Philharmonic Orchestra, originally founded in 1923. The ensemble tours regularly, and its members are distinguished graduates of Czech and Morovian conservatories. Maestro James Brooks directs. (July 14, Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center)
Bob Rafkin Acoustic folk/pop songwriter Bob Rafkin has been covered by The Byrds, recorded with Tim Buckley, and opened for Willie Nelson. He was also a featured performer at this year's Florida Folk Festival. (July 15, Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa)
Unloco w/Simon Says/Darwin's Waiting Room Austin, Texas-bred Unloco are the latest nu-metallers in the Buzz Bin; their style is, to put it bluntly, not very original, taking from the guys who took from the guys who took from Korn. X-Games heroes Simon Says toss a little more Quicksand into the mix, producing a jagged, groovy-but-melodic style that stands out from the pack. Darwin's Waiting Room got swept up in that raid the majors staged on Florida last year, picking up everybody that vaguely resembled what might be the Next Big Heavy Thing. (July 17, State Theatre)
This article appears in Jul 18-24, 2001.