WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13
NEW WORLD BREWERY 10TH ANNIVERSARY BLOWOUT Yeah, yeah, we usually don't include the issue's street date in our events listings, because most of you don't actually pick up the issue until Thursday. But tonight kicks off a five-night celebration of the New World's 10-year run, so we figured we'd wedge it in. Check out the Music feature for the full skinny, but tonight's bill includes The Empty Spaces, Coma Girl and others, and that's only the start of a party that's going to include everything from acoustic Americana (Friday) to The Tim Version getting hammered and punking up a whole set's worth of covers (Sunday). (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
THURSDAY, APRIL 14
KEB' MO' Although he's nominally an acoustic bluesman, Keb' Mo' (raised Kevin Moore in Los Angeles) pulls nearly as much influence from pop and R&B as delta blues. With his lanky frame and effervescent smile, and a charming way with between-song patter, he's an engaging presence, far more polished than your average acoustic bluesman. His recorded music can be sterile at times (to these ears, his 1994 self-titled debut is easily his best), but by and large his shows are soulful and intimate. (Tampa Theatre, Tampa)
-Eric Snider
THE MUSIC OF STYX: DENNIS DEYOUNG & ROCK SYMPHONY Three hours of Styx, performed by the guy who sang all the classics before leaving the band, a 32-piece "rock symphony" (we're guessing strings, guitars and big percussion), and as an added and completely perplexing bonus, former Babys, Bad English and solo singer John Waite. Think you can link these two guys with six degrees of separation or less? We bet you can. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)
THE PANHANDLER'S TOUR It's crazy how much good underground hip-hop is flowing through Ybor City these days, courtesy of a handful of dedicated promoters, crews and fans. This show was brought to our attention by killer, motivated Sarasota collective Science-Non-Fiction; they'll hit the stage, along with Psyche Origami, Mina Mina Good Song, Second Hand Outfit, Breakdown (with Mecca of V.O.I.D.), Trafficked Ambition, and more. (Masquerade Infinity Room, Ybor City)
FRIDAY, APRIL 15
TODD RUNDGREN & JOE JACKSON The two musical subversives have teamed up for a five-week trek that finds them playing solo sets and then joining together for a greatest-hits finale, aided by the string quartet Ethel. It's a pairing with significant potential. How'd they come together? Find out in an interview with Rundgren (click here). (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)
-ES
OK GO w/SOULFOUND/THE DAUNTLESS Sorta punk but mostly power-pop, Chicago's OK Go turned a disinterest in its hometown's artier post-rock scene into national airplay with the snotty '02-'03 hit "Get Over It." Then nothing happened for awhile, and now they're on tour. Fans who found the band through radio will love locals Soulfound, whose energetic modern rock should by all rights hit the radio itself before too long. (Boomerz Boiler Room, Seminole)
DAMIAN MARLEY & STEPHAN MARLEY Bob Marley's progeny have upheld the family reggae tradition, not with as much galvanizing power, of course, but solid, melodic and engaging. I've never seen this pair, but let's hope that their stage energy is more along the lines of their late dad than their older, somnambulant brother Ziggy. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
-ES
SATURDAY, APRIL 16
BLACK LABEL SOCIETY You simply cannot argue that Zakk Wylde is a frightening bad-ass of a man and musician. Since becoming the last in a long line of extraordinarily gifted guitarists to back Ozzy Osbourne in 1987, Wylde's playing, quotes and appearance have grown more menacing and attitude-laden every year. He's now a paragon of old-school, straight-up, no-frills redneck-metal, but, judging by his turns in Adult Swim's Aqua Teen Hunger Force and that fake commercial suggesting you outfit your irresponsible friends with a homing device, he's probably a good person to have a beer or 90 with, as well. His Black Label Society's latest release is last month's Mafia. (Masquerade, Ybor City)
TODD SNIDER w/RONNY ELLIOTT/MIKE O'NEILL WMNF brings a favorite of its staff and listeners back to town. Charismatic roots-rocker Snider has been described as "a rock star disguised as a singer-songwriter," as much for his immaculate, fully realized material as his seriously engaging onstage presence. About three-quarters of the more well-known strummers in the world have covered a Todd Snider tune once or twice or a hundred times, including both Garth Brooks and Jimmy Buffett. Veteran Bay area tunesmiths and frontmen Ronny Elliott and Mike O'Neill provide support. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
TSUNAMI RELIEF BENEFIT CONCERT A large handful of extremely varied artists comes together to help a phalanx of Central Florida Christian, evangelical and charitable organizations raise some money for the victims of one of the most devastating natural disasters of our time. In addition to comedian/speaker Ray Hughes, the following bands will donate their time to the event, which kicks off at 2 p.m.: Tribal Style (reggae/world groove); Selah Project (bluegrass/roots-gospel); Joelle (singer-songwriter); Urban D (hip-hop); My Rocket Heart (Christian rock); Stephen & Christie Miller (singer-songwriters); Faceless (Contemporary Christian); Inkblot (hard rock); Soulfire (alt-rock); and Sons of Thunder (Christian rock). (Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa)
ELEFTHERIA KOTZIA Greek classical guitarist Kotzia was schooled in France and England as well as her homeland, before becoming a featured attraction all over Europe, both as a solo artist and orchestra accompanist. Her playing is heavily imbued with the musical traditions of her homeland, and her debut recording, The Blue Guitar, was named Critic's Choice Recording of the Year in 1992 by Gramophone Magazine. (Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center, Tarpon Springs)
JASON RICCI It's another installment of the Suncoast Blues Society's ongoing Jook Joint Series, this one featuring rising blues-harp player Ricci and his band, New Blood. Proceeds from the show will go to the Diamond Teeth Mary Really Got The Blues Fund, a foundation set up to help provide aid to blues musicians in need. (Dave's Aqua Lounge, St. Petersburg)
RICK DERRINGER "Rock & Roll, Hoochie Coo" has been covered by damn near everybody since Derringer first committed the song to wax in the '70s, after which time the guitar player has sporadically released a handful of notable albums. Now living comfortably in semi-retirement in Sarasota, Derringer plays a few shows per year – like this one, a benefit for a beloved football coach named Kelly Reynolds, who was recently diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease. A handful of other local acts share the bill, such as Farewell Verona, Unkel Skini and the irrepressible Koko Ray & the Soul Providers. (Manatee County Fairgrounds, Palmetto)
-Mark Sanders
SUNDAY, APRIL 17
NEW ORLEANS KLEZMER ALL-STARS Klezmer is the Continental musical version of gumbo – a fiery, wildly eclectic ethnic blend spiced with elements of Gypsy, Turkish, Greek, and other Eastern and Central European folk styles. Hell, throw in some American bluegrass and traditional Jewish music while you're at it. It's not for the inhibited aural epicurean, but adventurous ears would do well to give it a taste. The Regency is located at 3600 34th St. S.; call 727-867-2000 for more information. (The Regency, St. Petersburg)
SILENCE FEST There's a shit-ton of bands on this bill, some you've heard of and others whose names sound like snippets of sentences ripped out of a crusty old back issue of Fangoria. Sarasota hardcore/noise act Asthma Atttaq wears some facemasks that look ridiculous, though the power duo is anything but; Dirty South Apocalypse is an up-and-coming metalcore group that sounds like Satan's own ass (which is meant as a compliment); and as for the rest of the bands – Abayomi, Skeleton Warrior, By His Blood, Fossor Silenti, the Country Slashers, the Pumps, Stray Bullet, Ironing, Kit!, Yip Yip, Towering Inferno and Fire! Fire! – well, you'll just have to see for yourself. Bring your sense of adventure and possibly a crash helmet to the show; this one might get rough. (Club Envy, Sarasota)
-MS
TUESDAY, APRIL 19
ARETHA FRANKLIN What can you say about the Queen of Soul? You can say this: She still has terrific vocal chops, but, on any given night, you can't exactly count on her to give it her all. Still, she's a commanding presence up there on that stage. Like many veteran R&B artists, she tends to cover as many bases as she can, and oftentimes that requires brief snippets of songs put together in medley form. Here's a tip: Don't dress in your finery. 'Retha needs the room warm, and you'll definitely feel it. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)
-ES
THE DYING OF THIRST TOUR More under-the-radar hip-hop, this time headlined by hyped Atlanta MC Mars Ill, who made our list of breakout artists in last year's Southeastern Music Issue. Playdough represents for Dallas, Texas, and Tampa Bay style is provided by Laws & EST.ablishment. All the artists will be doing an in-store at Tampa's Benton Records (7706 W. Hillsborough Ave.) from 2 to 4 p.m. this afternoon, too, and listen for 'em on WMNF's Hip-Hop Flavors program after the gig. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
THE FLORIDA ORCHESTRA CHAMBER PLAYERS The Palladium Theater's Encore chamber-music series continues. Tonight's featured players are Ellen dePasquale (violin), Jonathan Spivey (piano), and Catherine Landmeyer (flute); Florida Orchestra artistic director Stefan Sanderling will lead the post-program "talk-back" session. (Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg)
TUESDAY, APRIL 19
JAZZ MASTERWORKS w/NNENNA FREELON/GERALD WILSON/JAZZ SURGE/ANITA BROWN The USF jazz department gets even more ambitious with a series of masterworks performances in the coming months. The concerts find guest artists playing with artistic director Chuck Owen and his 17-piece Jazz Surge band. For this inaugural event, Owen and company will be joined by singer Freelon, 86-year-old composer/arranger/bandleader Wilson and Brown, a conductor, composer and educator featured in the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. This debut happens on both sides of the bay – tonight at USF's Theatre 1, and tomorrow night at downtown St. Pete's Palladium Theatre. (USF Theatre 1, Tampa; April 20, Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg)
-ES
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20
TASTEMAKERS This week's Menu is nicely bookended by cool Humpday gigs at the New World. (Hey, it's their birthday, cut me some slack.) The semi-regular weeknight phenomenon known as Tastemakers is back, and bringing you both great indie bands, interesting between-band music via creative, eclectic DJs, and a generally cool place to hang out on a Wednesday night. Making appearances – in addition to Resident Arbiters of Tuneage Deacon and Colonic – are Lakeland's Summerbirds in the Cellar, the Bay's Party People and Kingsbury, and back-from-hiatus Manasota rockers The Nuevos. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
This article appears in Apr 13-19, 2005.