THURSDAY, MAY 12
HASTE THE DAY/EXTOL/DEAD TO FALL/EMBRACE TODAY/TWELVE TRIBES/FIGHT PARIS/LOSA Kick off what's looking to be a severely metal-saturated week of live shows at this six-hour, seven-band mini-fest. Haste the Day records for Christian indie label Solid State, and features vocals guaranteed to peel wallpaper; Norway's Extol rocks a nicely classic thrash sound. As for the rest of these outfits, expect a lot of similarly frenetic guitar chunk and shriekage. The pummel begins promptly at 5 p.m. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
FRIDAY, MAY 13
CHARLIE VEGAS & THE NEW BLUES COMBO High-energy jump-blues from one of the Bay area's most entertaining old-school acts, courtesy of Swing Time. Guitarist/vocalist/harpist Vegas and company aren't really a swing act, but their uptempo vibe will certainly get the feet out on the floor. My only question is, why can't you smoke here if everybody did it back when this stuff was rockin' the first time around? (Gulfport Casino, Gulfport)
RUMORS OF WAR/LAST GREAT HOPE/NEW CRASH POSITION/THE CHASE THEORY Rumors of War was formed just a few months ago – August, to be exact – and already they're releasing an EP. They're joined by a few bands who graduated at the top of their class in the School of (Emo-) Rock, plus one (Bradenton act The Chase Theory) that could school them all. (Rockerfellas, Bradenton) -Mark Sanders
SATURDAY, MAY 14
WMNF PRESENTS THE 24TH ANNUAL TROPICAL HEATWAVE Look, Snider and I spent all day yesterday listening to and writing about every single band that's playing this year's installment of the area's best, most eclectic annual live-music marathon, so forgive me if I don't get back into it here. Check out the Music Feature and sidebar for the complete rundown. (Cuban Club and surrounding area, Ybor City)
THE ABSENCE/SILENCE AFTER TRAGEDY/ADRENALINE THEORY/CONTINUE THE FALL/BYAM KLAVOR This is amazing Pinellas death-metal outfit The Absence's official coming out party as national recording artists for storied extreme-music label Metal Blade, and they've put together a pretty good cross-section of heavy sounds to support 'em. This is Silence After Tragedy's second Menu appearance in as many weeks, and the kids seem to eat up their abrasive, cathartic metalcore. Also worth seeing is Byam Klavor's King Diamond-meets-Odin full-metal spectacle. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
LIGHTNING BOLT/BUG SIZED MIND/THE BAND OF THE NAME/THE WINDSHIELD DEATH THREAT PROCEDURE Providence, R.I., duo Lightning Bolt is one of the more frenetic and frightening projects on the leading edge of the psycho blitzkrieg grindcore trend. Don't expect the big hooks, but do expect to have your hair blown back from your forehead while you stand there with an extremely perplexed look on your face. The pair is supported by a full slate of challenging after-the-punk sounds. (Masquerade Infinity Room, Ybor City)
CIRCLE OF FRIENDS: A NATIVE AMERICAN CELEBRATION It's an especially interesting, educational and family-oriented installment of Moccasin Lake Park's Fireside Concert Series. White Fawn Star will teach the crowd about Native-American culture and lead it through indigenous songs – kids are encouraged to bring drums and rattles, and join in. The event begins at 7 p.m.; Moccasin Lake Nature Park is located at 2750 Park Trail Lane in Clearwater. (Moccasin Lake Nature Park, Clearwater)
PIERFEST Extreme-sports competitions! Wakeboarding! A Battle of the Teen Bands! And a main-stage performance by a tepid, turgid, B-level national hard-rock act! The two-day PierFest promises more energy-drink-powered activity than even the most ADD-afflicted kid can handle, with proceeds benefiting the TASCO teen programs. South Carolina's Crossfade, basically a Nickelback tribute act, plays on Saturday evening. (St. Petersburg Pier, St. Petersburg)
METAL MAYHEM Seminole's Boiler Room puts a bevy of heavy Bay area acts both well-known and brand-new on its nice big stage. At press time, the bill consists of End of the Rope, Hell Within, My Own Sin, E-Merge, and Straight Line Sin, but expect at least a couple more bands to be added. (Boomerz Boiler Room, Seminole)
SKAFEST 2005 Youthful emo anguish got you down? Troubled by the troubles of other troubled youngsters? Feel the need to hear some upbeat all-ages tunes that don't dwell on heartbreak and murder fantasies? Come skank your cares away at SkaCore Records' SkaFest 2005. The lineup: Supervillains, The Cohorts, The Taj Mahal Trio, Variety Workshop, One and Done, The Game Show, Can't Do It, Spread Eagle, Until August, and The Carnivorous Vegans. The show kicks off at 2 p.m., and runs until your porkpie hat goes back out of style. (Java Junction, Clearwater)
SUNDAY, MAY 15
WILL DOWNING w/NAJEE Brooklyn baritone Downing parlayed an entrée into the music business doing back-up and session work into an enduring career as songwriter and light-R&B/smooth jazz singer; he never broke through to widespread mainstream success in America, but is a favorite in Europe. Tonight, he's joined by popular easy-listening sax player Najee. (Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Tampa)
JEFF RUPERT JAZZ QUARTET This tenor sax ace used to play in Tampa Bay with some regularity. He's now the director of jazz studies at University of Central Florida in Orlando. Rupert's foursome will feature a special guest: singer Michelle Amato. If you claim to be a fan of real jazz, and haven't been to one of these Tampa Jazz Club matinees, well, your claim is hollow. The 80-seat Gorilla Theatre boasts impeccable acoustics and an intimate jazz-club vibe. The venue is at 4419 Hubert Ave. in Tampa, near Raymond James Stadium. Call 813-879-2914 for details. (Gorilla Theatre, Tampa) -Eric Snider
HACIENDA BROTHERS This rising roots-rock outfit is led by two of the genre's more cult-renowned front- and sidemen: Chris Gaffney has been a collaborative member of the legendary Dave Alvin's Guilty Men, and Dave Gonzales led noted uptempo blues/Tex-Mex/rockabilly outfit The Paladins. Together, they crank out soulful, eclectic roots-country, and are fresh off an appearance at Tropical Heatwave. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
EMIT PRESENTS THE BEAT CIRCUS Another group grabbing a second show after coming into town for Heatwave is the amazing Beat Circus, a conglomerate of adventurous Northeastern jazz and avant garde instrumentalists who together create a fun, creepy, virtuosic cabaret/circus/Eastern European vibe. Check out the Music Feature for more. Highly recommended. (Salvador Dali Museum, St. Petersburg)
THE QUINTESSENCE WIND QUARTET & THE COMMODORE BRASS QUARTET These two chamber groups are joining forces to present a varied wind-ensemble program ranging from jazz to classical to Broadway favorites. (Octagon Arts Center, Clearwater)
THE OUTLAWS w/THE HEADLIGHTS Semi-legendary Tampa Southern rock combo The Outlaws was the first group signed to Arista Records by visionary industry baron Clive Davis in the early '70s; the group enjoyed some national success with an Eagles-meets-Allmans sound during the rest of the decade ('75's "There Goes Another Love Song" is probably their most familiar tune). I believe this is the Outlaws' first regrouping since the early '90s. The recently reunited Headlights give those who missed their recent Catherine Hickman Theatre performance another chance to see them. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
THE PSALTERS/GLENN CLARK FAMILY BAND A couple of spiritually positive jam groups make a return appearance in the Bay area. The Psalters blend Middle Eastern, Celtic and African sounds to create their own largely percussive and acoustic roots style, while the Glenn Clark Family Band draws more heavily from American mountain/Appalachian influences. Solid Rock Christian Recovery Center is located at 4224 28th St. N. in St. Petersburg. (Solid Rock Christian Recovery Center, St. Petersburg)
WEDNESDAY, MAY 18
TASTEMAKERS The ever-evolving, category-smashing Wednesday-night New World Series does away with traditional live bands completely for this episode, focusing instead on creative, inventive Bay area hip-hop sounds. In addition to resident DJs Deacon and Colonic, nationally-known underground beatmaker/collaborator Slopfunkdust and veteran MC and Equilibrium crew member DutchMassive will perform. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
This article appears in May 12-18, 2005.