THURSDAY, AUGUST 16
CRASH MITCHELL QUARTET w/SKULL AND BONES BAND/REBEKAH PULLEY One of the local scene's true characters, Crash Mitchell is a cow-punker who simply demands attention when he gets on stage. Regardless of whether the highly impassioned (albeit vocally challenged) troubadour is complaining about Clear Channel ("Radio Station Abomination") or sexual frustration ("Dry Hump Lovin'") his songs, and his uninhibited performances, usually prove gripping. Although the name suggests a death-metal band, Skull and Bones actually fall into the neo-classic rock/jam-band category, with their lead singer sounding a bit like Glenn Danzig or maybe Jim Morrison. Rebekah Pulley is that fireball-haired singer/songwriter who sweetens any local lineup. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
FRIDAY, AUGUST 17
CLAY AIKEN During a recent flight last month, the singer put his foot on a woman's armrest. She responded by thumping the scrawny-little-hick-turned-ungrateful-prima-donna in the chest. An FBI Special Agent reportedly had to investigate. Aiken's lucky the woman didn't cave in his sternum. Or break his foot. Or hurl him off the plane because, really, does the world really need this guy and his smarmy charm? (Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Tampa)
THE RECEIVING END OF SIRENS w/EMANUEL/HOPESFALL/GOODBYE TOMORROW The Receiving End of Sirens are touring in support of their new album Earth Sing Mi Fa Mi, which has been described as being about "the twin poles of family breakdown and astronomer Johannes Kepler's tonal theory of the planets." I hate to advocate ignorance, but I got into writing about rock music so that after graduating from college I would never have to think about guys like Kepler and their damn theories ever again. For the record, The Receiving End blow in a very emo-with-prog-tendencies kind of direction. Any singer who croons lines like "You're my lover, you're my concubine" deserves to be strung up by his own vocal chords. The band Emanuel offers alt-rock that is by turns punchy and wistful, while Hopesfall do emo with a rather interesting Eno/U2 thing going on. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
JJ GREY & MOFRO w/NERVOUS TURKEY This Jacksonville swamp-rock ensemble, which went by Mofro until front man Grey decided he wasn't getting his propers or something, is in the midst of a big year, touring in support of its Alligator Records (a venerable blues label) debut Country Ghetto. Known for putting on spirited shows at the Skipperdome, Mofro has been invited to bring its distinct blend of Southern rock and soul to next month's Austin City Limits Music Festival, where the popular North Florida band will join a spectacular lineup that includes Bob Dylan, Bjork, The White Stripes and Wilco. Nervous Turkey are a greasy jump-blues trio (keyboards, no bass) led by charismatic howler/harmonica blower Ernie Locke. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
BLAST w/INSECT JOY/FLEXXEHAWK Dumbwaiters frontman Brian Repetto assembled this night of "experimental delights" aimed at "challenging your ear holes and eye sockets." He hopes it will lead to a semi-monthly series of gigs at New World to be presented under the banner "Obscure Alternatives." Repetto and other members of the Dumbwaiters will perform as Insect Joy, who, judging by the songs the band posted online, live up to their promise of "improv/electronics/noises." I'm not saying it's not interesting, but honestly, it made my "ear holes" ache. If you're so inclined, check it out yourself at MySpace.com/insectjoy. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
THE WANKERS w/STEVE CONNELLY AND THE LESSER GODS This veteran local band posted a few aggressive, old-school punk songs on a newly created MySpace page (MySpace.com/realwankers) that rock in a very Ramones-by-way-of-Devo kind of way. Singer/songwriter/guitarist/producer Steve Connelly stole the show at last month's Americana Fest at Skipper's. Anyone who recalls his mighty former band The Headlights (or just digs Tom Petty) is advised to check out his similar Lesser Gods project. (Emerald Bar, St. Petersburg)
NOAH WOODS Sacred Grounds is building a strong rep as the place to see the area's best up-and-coming folkies. A favorite stomping ground of Geri X, the java joint is also where one will find fellows like Noah Woods, a University of Tampa student (from the D.C. area) with a warm voice, keen sense of melody and smart, telling lyrics that amount to some touching songs. (Sacred Grounds, Tampa)
D'VISITORS Talented Tampa funk ensemble with a reggae bent is led by animated front woman Nikki Ferraro. (Kelly's Pub, Tampa)
EVENTIDE/PARTLY CLOUDY/OBISHAWNKENOBI Eventide bring a more rounded sound to the stage than their numerous metal contemporaries on the Suncoast, actually letting their lead singer, you know, sing rather than just growl all the time. ObiShawnKenobi follow a similar path, with spacey atmospherics that only occasionally erupt into kill-'em-all theatrics. Partly Cloudy, sandwiched in between the other two bands, are actually out-of-towners, on tour and away from their home base of Lexington, Ky. With their punk-leaning metal grind, the band sounds like they'll be right at home in Sarasota. (The Clubhouse Tavern, Sarasota) —Cooper Levey-Baker
AL MILLER Coffee seekers heading out to the normally relaxing confines of Sarasota's Metro Coffee & Wine tonight, beware: Al Miller is rocking the joint, converting the often sedate café into a sweaty Chicago electric blues hothouse. (Metro Coffee & Wine, Sarasota) —CLB
THE IN-CROWD/THE SCURVY/MUPHIN CHUCKRS Bradenton's face-melting shout-along punk provocateurs The In-Crowd have a busy weekend planned, headlining a gig tonight at Rasher Tierney's with a few fellow punk bands and also an all-ages Saturday show at Gallery Billiards, accompanied at the latter by alt-heroes Nous Rapport, punksters Sixx Year Bender and metal-mashers Eventide. (Rasher Tierney's Bradenton) —CLB
SATURDAY, AUGUST 18
JASON ISBELL & THE 400 UNIT w/CENTRO-MATIC/POETRY 'N LOTION Former Drive-By Trucker Jason Isbell's solo debut Sirens of the Ditch is one of the best alt-country releases of the year. In addition to performing songs from the album, such as the power-pop-informed opening track/lead single "Brand New Kind of Actress," Isbell said he will also play songs he wrote while with DBT, namely, the haunting ballad about The Band, "Dank/Manuel," and a freshly arranged version of "Never Gonna Change." (To read my interview with Isbell go to the music feature). Centro-matic are a Texas band offering a genre-defying blend of dreamy, twangy, intelligent, emotive, for-lack-of-a-better-term indie rock. Call it what you want, it's powerful music, the kind that makes you want to go along for the ride even if you're not sure where it will lead. Poetry 'N Lotion is Tampa's own jazzy bluegrass instrumental ensemble led by mandolin player Jim Page. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
ALY & AJ w/CORBIN BLEU/DRAKE BELL/BIANCA RAY Teen pop sister duo Aly & AJ are singers and stars of the recently released television movie Super Sweet 16: The Movie. Corbin Bleu is best known for his role in High School Musical. Drake Bell is another child actor turned tween singer. Basically, if you or your kids watch MTV, Disney Channel and/or Nickelodeon, this show is a big deal. (Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa)
THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE Gothy electronica band from Toronto are led by Amy Lee-looking hottie Chibi. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
KOTTONMOUTH KINGS w/TECH N9NE/HED PE/SUBNOIZE SOULJAZ Kottonmouth Kings are a veteran Southern Cali-bred crew of white boys inclined to flash gang signs and extol the virtues of bong rips. Tech N9ne is a DIY success story, with the Kansas City, Mo., hardcore rapper regularly selling 100,000 copies per yearly CD release on his own label Strange Music. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
SUNDAY, AUGUST 19
BLUES TRAVELER Jam bands enjoyed a spurt of commercial airplay in the mid '90s, a period which found Blues Traveler scoring with tuneful ditties like "Hook," "Run-Around," and "Carolina Blues." The band can still bring it in concert, especially now that lead singer/harmonica whiz John Popper is all svelte. Plus, Popper should be in a good mood following the recent news that his charge of pot possession and drug paraphernalia, which stemmed from an arrest last March, is being dropped. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
SPYRO GYRA Thirty years on, Spyro Gyra is still doing the perky smooth-jazz thing, still touring and making albums. Their most recent disc, the year's Good to Go-Go, is about the same as their first — though 1979's Morning Dance went platinum and spawned a hit single of the same name. The band's one constant has been saxophonist Jay Beckenstein, whose unthreatening, sunny style has carried the outfit for lo these many years. (Largo Cultural Center, Largo) —Eric Snider
TONY TRISCHKA & THE DOUBLE BANJO BLUEGRASS SPECTACULAR Although he's not quite achieved the same level of name recognition as Tony Rice, Jerry Douglas, Dave Grisman and others, banjoist Tony Trischka belongs in any discussion of "new acoustic" players. Trischka was Bela Fleck's banjo teacher, for chrissake. His current album, Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular, has been hailed as a "spectacular return to acoustic bluegrass." (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa) —ES
MONDAY, AUGUST 20
JOB FOR A COWBOY w/DESPISED ICON Arizona's Job for a Cowboy bring a brutal blend of death metal, deathcore and grindcore, and Montreal's Despised Icon offer more of the same sonic punishment. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
TUESDAY, AUGUST 21
OGAMON Original blues-rock from Chicago that recalls the sounds of the Deep South and has landed the band comparisons to the North Mississippi Allstars. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22
BAD FLIRT w/AUTOMATIC LOVELETTER/TRÈS BIEN!/PEMBERLEY/DJ DROPTHENEEDLE Montreal's Bad Flirt has been getting a lot of press lately for winning the mary-kateandashley.com Battle of the Bands contest. The group plays good-time punk-pop. (Crowbar, Ybor City) —Leilani Polk
ROCCO DELUCA & THE BURDEN w/THE LAST GOODNIGHT/THE MIDWAY STATE Rocco Deluca and the Burden are the earnest, bluesy, kinda funky, modern rock band being championed by Kiefer Sutherland. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
This article appears in Aug 15-21, 2007.