Hankshaw/New Roman Times/The More That Matter USF's WBUL radio and Aestheticized team up to bring your poor, rut-stuck eardrums the Home Team Advantage series. Presumably, the focus is on local bands doing stuff that's a little different, starting off with the return of longtime favorite Hankshaw. Persistent rumors have had 'em experimenting wildly over the past year, so don't pin your hopes on more dynamic, melodious posthardcore, but by all means, expect something excellent. (Aug. 30, Orpheum)
Calm/Embur/Ira Motive/Burn Theory A cavalcade of coffeestain.com constituents, all of whom work the themes of heavy and agitated to one degree or another. The Web-spew regarding Ira Motive is enough in itself to qualify for intrigue. Are mine the only eyebrows being raised by 97X's apparent preoccupation with our new-school metal scene? Perhaps they've caught a whiff of the next Linkin Park. Wonder what that smells like … (Aug. 30, Bourbon Street)
Starving Promotional Fundraiser featuring Mindtrippin/The Eleventh Hour/The Gita/Izabo Blue/Action Movie Soundtrack/John Meyer & David Shaw The makers of Starving, a film shot and produced in the Bay area, are putting on this shindig in order to raise some cash for post-production. For more skinny, check out www.starvingthemovie.com. (Aug. 31, Royalty Theatre)
Ron Jeremy's S&M Sideshow And on the flip-side of the female-empowerment coin: Hey, look! A porn king is bringing hot sluts to town for my rabid objectification! Ron Jeremy, every overweight, mustachioed man's Yahweh, successfully circumvents the tackiness inherent in the strip-club tour circuit by bringing his act to a legitimate nightclub; obviously, this is smut of a higher order. Maybe even, dare we say it, performance art. It's exploitative. It's raunchy. I'll see you there. On the musical-accompaniment tip, who knows, really? Our beloved funk bass, wah-wah pedals and cheesy sax melodies have fallen out of favor with pornographic auteurs over the last several years, to be replaced by whatever inexpensive shit sounds close to being hot. But in a live setting, and given the event's billing, you'll probably hear Nine Inch Nails' Closer more times than you did in '96. (Aug. 31, Goldstar)
A Benefit for Chuck Schuldiner featuring Dark Faith/Sadistic Artistry/Swamp Gas/Diabolic Intent If you're at all familiar with death metal pioneer Chuck Schuldiner at all, then you're probably a fan, and know that the guitar hero and Death founder underwent surgery to have a brain tumor removed a little while back. It's very expensive stuff, getting one's head cut open like that, not to mention the associated costs of recuperation, observation, and all manner of other tions. Four bands who know where they came from graciously donate their time, talents, and countless ominous adjectives in the name of boosting Chuck and his loved ones out of the red — and back into the black, heh heh. (Aug. 31, Brass Mug)
Seance featuring Grim Faeries/Nothing Promise/Skindot/Coma Girl/Calm/Writhe/Retard-O-Bot 2000/Chumley's Toy/Pretty Machine Gun This one cops the award for Show of the Week on the strength of its eclectic lineup; the fact that such a weird and wonderful gig will take place at Frankie's, in the heart of Ybor City, is just gravy. Industrial performance spectacle-conjurers Grim Faeries celebrate the release of their new disc, Disenchanted Forest, and along the way, there's everything from emo and nu-metal to electronic funnery and all-out grindcore. By and large, the common threads here seem to be open minds, and a commitment to raging live. (Sept. 1, The Hangar @ Frankie's)
Richard Elliot Smooth-jazz saxophonist Elliot returns to Ruth Eckerd. After recording with The Four Tops, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, The Yellowjackets and touring in Melissa Manchester's backing band, Elliot spent five years in Tower of Power before venturing out as a Blue Note solo artist. (Sept. 1, Ruth Eckerd Hall)
Movement — Multicultural Dance & Music Festival featuring Method Man/Cypress Hill/Better Than Ezra/Soul Asylum/Jungle Brothers/Cracker/Inner Circle/Robert Miles/George Acosta Does anybody remember when huge music events like this one cranked up the publicity machine about six months or so in advance, as opposed to springing them on you like the world's most ambitious surprise party? Oh, by the way, in a couple of weeks, we're having a little Lollapalooza kind of thing over at the Palace. It's kind of last-minute, but stop by if you get the chance. That's the kind of planning that killed the Mekka tour; hopefully, Movement will indeed come off, as it features one of the most varied, if not exactly icon-studded, lineups in years. The festival is also reportedly showcasing local talent between national acts, truly a rare and beautiful occurrence. And as if that weren't enough, they've got a giant UFO tent, complete with 25-foot inflatable alien! That's right, you heard me! (Sept. 2, Ice Palace)
Reggae Music Festival 2001 featuring Buju Banton/Morgan Heritage/Yellowman/Mr. Vegas/Spragga Benz/Wayne Wonder/Nadine Sutherland/Peter Metro/Vineyard/Slightly Stoopid/Mr. Specialist/Yard Syndicate Promoters Lock the City and Kirky C Muzik, in association with Purpleman and Mr. C Productions, have put together a spirit-grooving lineup that runs the gamut from household names to underground upstarts. Those who enjoy the effects of ganja, but cannot attend the show due to previous engagements (obviously not work) might consider stepping outside at any point during the day, and taking several deep breaths. DISCLAIMER: The Weekly Planet, its employees and parent company neither advise nor condone the illicit use of marijuana. Gates open at noon. (Sept. 2, Florida State Fairgrounds)
Crash Mitchell/Pagan Saints/Ferrell Melton/Anna O Over the years, that loveable Seminole Heights dive The Spinnaker has become a bit of a sanctuary for some of the scenesters that reside in the neighborhood. When the New World seems like too far to go, when the Hub is packed with shitheads, when you've had enough of the hip or just feel like enduring some ass-kicking karaoke action, sometimes only the corner bar will do. Crash Mitchell, who butts the insurgent up against the country with slam-pit abruptness, has managed to stage a couple of shows here on occasion, and this bill is an apt one. Besides Mitchell, you also get Pagan Saints' whiskey-soaked roots-rock, veteran all-stars Ferrell Melton (who were Monday Mornings back in the day) and eclectic singer-songwriter Anna O. (Sept. 2, Spinnaker Lounge)
—All entries by Scott Harrell
This article appears in Aug 30 – Sep 5, 2001.