THURSDAY, JULY 06
TED NUGENT Former loincloth wearer, current reality TV attraction and eternal right-wing provocateur Nugent flies solo again after using the power of his guitar skills to fend off bullets in videos as a member of Damn Yankees. It will undoubtedly rock — and you will just as undoubtedly be treated to "Cat Scratch Fever" and "Stranglehold" — but I'm a little leery of hearing any political speeches from a man who once talked a family into signing power of attorney for their teenaged daughter over to him. On the other hand, if he came out with a line of jerky, I'd certainly give it a try. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)
FRIDAY, JULY 07
THE BLACK CROWES/DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS/ROBERT RANDOLPH & THE FAMILY BANDS This is pretty much THE show of the year for roots and alt-country fans. Though they haven't been pop stars for well over a decade, Atlanta's Black Crowes are still a spectacular, soulful, sprawling live R&B act, and have picked up more than their fair share of jam-band fans along the way. Drive-By Truckers may be the best Southern/y'allternative rock 'n' roll band still going now that Slobberbone has called it quits, and Robert Randolph and his familial crew are at the forefront of the beautiful, spiritual pedal steel-driven "sacred steel" movement. (Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa)
RINGO STARR & HIS ALL-STARR BAND Always the most well adjusted of the former Beatles, Ringo genuinely seems to enjoy going out on these familial treks. One would hope he doesn't need the money. This year's All-Starrs: '80s prance-rocker Billy Squier ("The Stroke"); workmanlike popsmith Richard Marx ("Hold on to the Nights"); veteran R&B artist Edgar Winter ("Free Ride"); dinosaur art-rocker Rod Argent ("Hold Your Head Up"); percussion dynamo Sheila E ("Glamorous Life"); and blue-eyed soul singer Hamish Stewart of the Average White Band ("Pick up the Pieces"). It's an unlikely grouping, one that will hopefully yield pleasantly surprising results. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater) —Eric Snider
BOUKMAN EKSPERYANS Haitian "Voodoo Rock" outfit Boukman Eksperyans has been gaining notoriety with world-music fans outside its native island for more than two decades now. The group is known for mixing native roots music with the true sounds of the Vodou religion and a socially aware lyrical bent. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
THE COLD WAR In association with Aestheticized Presents, Tampa DJ crew Crate Brothers has set up this, the latest in an impressive series of synergistic shows/art exhibitions/cool events at which to hang. Check out art by Smile Maker and Friends, Upso, Kicking The Heart Out and Faesthetic while listening to forward-looking live sets by Giddy Up, Helicopter!, Worldwide Zoo, Mes and Joey, and Jake and The Leftovers. Red Tide's Lazy, N8, Gujon and the Brothers themselves will provide in-between spinnage. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
SATURDAY, JULY 08
K.C.'S BOOGIE BLAST FEAT. K.C. & THE SUNSHINE BAND/GLORIA GAYNOR/TAVARES/SISTER SLEDGE Put on your b-b-b-b-b-boogie shoes (preferably the ones with the goldfish in the heels). The Ford Amp hosts this disco throwdown, corralling a number of acts that made dance clubs throb in the '70s. Sister Sledge did "We Are Family." Tavares (one of the better disco acts) delivered "It Only Takes a Minute." Gaynor sang "I Will Survive," an anthem for Studio 54 cokeheads everywhere. And of course, K.C. enjoyed his four years of ubiquity ('75-'79) with such paeans to profundity as "That's the Way (I Like It)," "Get Down Tonight," "Shake Your Booty" and many others. (Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa) —ES
LES CLAYPOOL w/THE COUP Most of the members of the Lollapalooza Generation know Claypool as the innovative bassist and singer for experimental, exceedingly stoner-friendly future-funk trio Primus. But since that threesome's heyday, Claypool has involved himself in a number of improvisational/post-jam projects — most notably his Frog Brigade and Oysterhead — and we're betting this solo show will at least split the difference between the two eras, and probably lean more heavily toward the latter. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE: You must get to the show in time to see rabidly anti-establishment hip-hop crew The Coup, because The Coup is freakin' unbelievable. The revolutionary (in all senses of the word) project's latest issue of brains, rhetoric and comedy, Pick A Bigger Weapon, is easily among the top two or three rap releases so far this year. Check out the music feature for more. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
HOT TUNA At some point, Jefferson Airplane members Jack Casady and Jorma Kakounen decided to ditch the trippy and go rootsy. Hot Tuna became their primary focus in the '70s. The band went through the obligatory breakup, but by 1990 was back at full steam. Hot Tuna has been coming through town for many a year. (Skipper's Smokehouse) —ES
GENGHIS TRON/YIP-YIP/LIGHT YOURSELF ON FIRE/UH-OH SPADES!/FLYING SNAKES If you just can't get enough psychotic, frightening electro-grindcore that tests the boundaries of the definition of music, then New York's Genghis Tron are for you; seriously, is this music or not? And does it matter? Costumed Orlando duo Yip-Yip has made a name for itself amongst the arty, bloop-and-bleep-loving kid crowd by being not only creative and weird, but also actually very listenable. Local tuneage comes courtesy of evil grindcore combo Light Yourself on Fire, catchy electro-experimentalist Uh-Oh Spades!, and awesome, possibly ironic doom-metal combo Flying Snakes. (Transitions Art Gallery @ Skatepark of Tampa, Tampa)
FAREWELL VERONA/FOX CHASE DRIVE/AT CLIFFS END Farewell Verona is a fine Bradenton-based punk band, recently returned from a tour that was cut short thanks to a fucked-up van that left the guys stranded in Mississippi. They'll probably be extra hard-hitting this evening, taking out their vehicular frustration on things like guitar pedals and drum skins. Fox Chase Drive — in town from Jackson, Miss. — has an impressive sound, with enough noise to balance out the saccharine melodies. At Cliffs End is a group of Mississippi boys as well, but its emo-flavored pop-punk is not exactly what I'd call "great." A solid, if not surprising, night o' rock. (The Tavern on Main, Sarasota) —CLB
DAN MCMILLION JAZZ ORCHESTRA The veteran trumpeter has miraculously kept a big band going in the Tampa Bay area since … when? Probably since the '80s. Suffice to say it's been a long, long time. He and his ensemble will play a rare bar engagement. (Ringside Café, St. Petersburg) —ES
QUICKSILVER SURF VIDEO PREMIERE No, Boomerz didn't close down, they just forget to send me their events all the time. And yes, the group that is possibly Pinellas County's best punk act, Crooked Edge, still loves to play there. Along with The Uprise and Hopesick, the Edge will provide live musical accompaniment to the release of surfboard/clothing company Quicksilver's latest video of in-shape athletes doing things you can't. (Boomerz, Seminole)
FADED SOUND/LAST GREAT HOPE/6 YEAR BENDER/THE IN-CROWD The Backlot — a lumberyard-turned-theater — hosts this night of Florida punk. It seems as if the venue is starting to turn its attention to all things musical. It's begun hosting a weekly jazz series with excellent local pianist Michael Royal, and just last week the hip-hop-oriented Streetwise festival went down in the spot. Sarasota is really starving for another place offering live music besides the ubiquitous island-style cover bands and heavy metal grind-masters. Tonight's a start, with a lineup perfect for the pierced 'n' inked. P.S. Last Great Hope, from Venice, just finished up a brief run on the Vans Warped Tour. (The Backlot, Sarasota) —CLB
SUNDAY, JULY 09
GOAPELE/NOEL Brought up in an extremely intellectual, artistic and socially active household (her father is noted South African political exile Douglas Mohlabane), singer Goapele attended the prestigious Berkeley Arts Magnet School and sang in choirs before embarking on a career in eclectic, world-music-influenced neo-soul. She's perhaps best known among hip-groove audiences from a tour she did with the quasi-legendary Spearhead a couple of years ago. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
SUDAN RELIEF JAM FEAT. KUMBA DANCERS/SALSAMUNDO/SHANE MEADE & THE SOUND/COLT CLARK/ETHER/STRANGE BREW Skipper's Smokehouse, Doctors Without Borders, Valrico's Sudan Relief Committee and this eclectic bill of performers have come together for an all-day (2 to 10 p.m.) festival to raise some scratch. One hundred percent of the money raised will go to the cause, and you'll enjoy music ranging from traditional African dance rhythms to American blues to bluegrass to classic rock. Plus, awareness-raising group The Lost Boys of Sudan is sending out some speakers, as well as two special mystery guests. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
AL "COFFEE" MCDANIEL CD RELEASE & BREAST CANCER BENEFIT Local bluesman Al "Coffee" McDaniel is a good guy with a big heart. Not only is this the release party for his new CD A Shoe Is A Shoe — a double-disc affair, with one of smokin' blues and one of slow-jam R&B — it's a gala benefit for breast cancer research being held at the lovely old Belleview Biltmore. He's giving a dollar from the sale of each disc sold from here on out to the cause, as well. This big, big blues 'n' jazz bill runs from 3 p.m. until 8, costs a tenner, and also features Allon Sams, The Project Necessary Band, Richard Jackson, Theo Valentine, and Shifty Eyed Dog. (Belleview Biltmore, Clearwater)
AMY CAROL WEBB Beloved Miami singer-songwriter Webb returns for another UU Dome performance. Her style splits the difference between contemporary folk and the rootsier, more socially aware end of Adult Contemporary singer-songwriter fare. (Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa, Tampa)
TUESDAY, JULY 11
JOURNEY/DEF LEPPARD Two generations of classic rock — one firmly entrenched as such, the other edging into the status with the march of time — collide. Both of these bands became superstars by gilding guitar-rock with catchy elements of mellower pop sounds, and not being afraid to ladle on the massive hooks and weepy power-ballad manipulation. (Well, they might've had some reservations at first, but I'm sure the royalty checks helped a bit.) Also, both bands featured/feature singers with voices impossible to duplicate, though millions of karaoke singers seem hell-bent on trying. (Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa)
WEDNESDAY, JULY 12
ACTION ACTION/THE MATCHES/PORTUGAL THE MAN/VALENCIA/REDISCOVER A sampler platter of accessible of-the-moment stylings. Rising Victory Records signing Action Action works a hard-edged, catchy and weirdly Korn-esque version of that darkly retro New Wave thing everybody insists on doing so poorly these days, but of course, you knew that, because you saw the Tim Burton-inspired cover of the band's album An Army of Shapes Between Wars. Oakland's awesome The Matches do pop-punk far better than most; Portugal The Man hails from the unlikely hometown of Wasilla, Alaska and plays pensive, dynamic indie-rock; Valencia is benefiting from a big label/PR push right now (yes, that means this is the latest band to play the sort of emo that plugged-in kids got sick of two years ago); and Rediscover sports perfect fauxhawks and a cheesy emo-meets-synth-pop sound. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
AFICIONADO Give it up for St. Pete's Bombshell Gallery — Gina V. and company have started bringing in some exciting underground groups from all over the country. This week, among other worthwhile shows (check out www.bombshellgallery.com), they've got rocking, experimental Albany, N.Y., act Aficionado coming into town. The sound is weird and noodly and fuzz-toned and psychedelic, like a bunch of stoned teenagers decided, fuck it, Yes kind of sucks, let's make a prog band that sounds like Zeppelin doing Jesus Christ Superstar on a side stage at Woodstock. Cool, huh? (Bombshell Gallery, St. Petersburg)
This article appears in Jul 5-11, 2006.