Cocoa Brovas w/Buckshot Score another point for the Forces of Irony: Hardcore MCs Tek and Steele used to be called Smif-N-Wessun. Apparently the gun company didn't want to be associated with rap music. Now they're called Cocoa Brovas, and they're featured on Rawkus Records' second volume of its highly respected and successful Lyricist Lounge series, alongside such talent as Notorious B.I.G., Mos Def, Q-Tip, Macy Gray, Redman and Dilated Peoples. Buckshot, a fellow member of the Boot Clamp Clik, opens the show. Doors are at 9:30 p.m., and admission to this 18-and-up show costs $10 before 11 p.m. (April 26, Orpheum)
Dave Mason w/The Outpatients The Traffic co-founder was also a featured player on such benchmark albums as Jimi Hendrix's Electric Ladyland, The Stones' Beggar's Banquet and Wings' Venus & Mars. His soft rock solo single We Just Disagree hit number 12 on the charts in 1977. Doors are at 7 p.m., and tickets are $15. (April 26, Club More)
Leslie Berry Southeast Performer magazine compared singer/songwriter Berry to Paula Cole in a polite catfight with Tori Amos. Sounds like a theater major's favorite porn flick to me. Berry will accompany herself on piano, starting at 8 p.m. (April 27, Sacred Grounds Coffeehouse)
Mega Smegma/Gardy-Loo!/Dukes of Hillsborough Heavy jokesters Mega Smegma have been gigging around a bit this year, and scatological metal mavens Gardy-Loo! have been hitting the boards a lot, too. Relatively new outfit DOH offer a well-crafted brand of dynamic hardcore. (April 27, Joey's Lounge @Montauro's)
Dave Brockie Experience DBX is the latest effort from Brockie, better known as Oderus Urungus, frontman for those heavy metal kings of the cartoon underworld, GWAR. The band also features GWAR's Balsac and Jizmak Da Gusha, but DBX's Metal Blade debut, Diarrhea of a Madman, is undoubtedly Brockie's poo, er, I mean, baby. (April 28, Brass Mug)
Colin Hay w/Janis Robin The distinctive vocalist, best known for his new wave/pop achievements Down Under with Men at Work, will reunite with the rest of the trio for a tour later this year. In the meantime, he's performing songs from his sixth solo effort, an all-acoustic disc called Going Somewhere. (April 28, Octagon Arts Center)
Paul Cebar & The Milwaukeeans Cebar is an encyclopedia of rock history, and he and his band serve up eclectic, fist-pumping party music a la Springsteen and the E Street Band. Show's at 8 p.m., admission costs $7. (April 28, Skipper's Smokehouse)
Livestock w/The Offspring/Crossbreed/3 Doors Down/Staind/Linkin Park/The Little Kings/Disturbed/Mudvayne/Skrape/Spineshank/Cold/Tantric/ hed (PE)/Systematic/ many more One time, at my old house, I tape-recorded my too cool indie-rockchick roommate singing The Offspring's Self Esteem in the shower, then played it for a house full of people, including her, that night. I'm sure she deserved it. Really. See www.98Rock.com for parking details, camping rules and the complete lineup for this year's aggro-fest. Gates open at 9 a.m., music starts at 9:30, and tickets cost $35.98 plus tax and service charge at Ticketmaster. See Music for information on local up-and-comers Crossbreed. (April 28, Festival Park, Zephyrhills)
Livestock w/The Black Crowes/Tesla/10 Second Drop/Oleander/Bushhounds/ Nonpoint/The Spoils Today's lineup features lotsa locals, one big headliner and an all-original-member Tesla reunion. Hey, is that Mrs. Chris Robinson, Kate Hudson, over there in the pit? You wish. See www.98Rock.com for parking details, camping rules and the complete lineup for this year's aggro-mudfest. Gates open at 9 a.m., music starts at 9:30, and tickets cost $35.98 plus tax and service charge at Ticketmaster. (April 28, Festival Park, Zephyrhills)
Neville Staples Staples, formerly of The Specials and Fun Boy Three, hits the stage at 8 p.m. Doors are at 7, and tickets to this all-ages event cost $14 in advance, $16 day of show. (April 29, Jannus Landing)
Tribute to Benny Goodman, Frank Sinatra & Ella Fitzgerald This tribute to three of the greatest musical stars of the 20th century is performed by The 42nd Street Band, Tom Tiratto and Katt Hefner, respectively. Admission costs $11 for members, $13 for everyone else. The concert starts at 3 p.m. (April 29, Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center)
Evan and Jaron w/Big Sky/Judith Owen They're twins. They're sponsored by Chanel. They play folk-pop along the lines of Simon & Garfunkel and The Rembrandts, but ladies, do you really care? Doors are at 6:30 p.m., and the show starts at 7:30. Tickets are $9.57 in advance, $12 day of show. (May 1, Fun Tampa)
JJ Nobody & The Regulars w/Thunder Bay Rockers/He Man Woman Haters/Paul Mallett Tonight's Rawk N Roll proudly features Hopeless Records artists JJ Nobody & The Regulars, comprising members of metal-punk heroes The Nobodys and pop-punk stalwarts The Queers. Tickets are $5 at the door, and this all ages event kicks off at 9 p.m. (May 1, Orpheum)
Squirrel Nut Zippers w/Cabaret Diosa Camp and costumes and lotsa folks on stage, oh my! Chapel Hill big-band revivalists Squirrel Nut Zippers are back with their fourth album, Bedlam Ballroom. Opening the show will be the Colorado-based, hi-fi Latin exotica group Cabaret Diosa. The show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets are $15 in advance, $20 day of show. (May 1, Skipper's Smokehouse)
Stabbing Westward w/support tba The Chicago industrial metal outfit has a new, self-titled album out on Koch. Doors are at 8 p.m. and tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 day of show. (May 2, State Theatre)
This article appears in Apr 26 – May 3, 2001.