TAKE IT TO THE BRIDGE
He sucked at the Grammys. That slow jam was boring and the hand-cam at the end made his nose look like Gonzo the Muppet's. But Justin Timberlake brought sexy back. I didn't. You didn't. JT is the man, no matter how silly/stoned he might occasionally appear at awards shows. The guy's got more game than Parker Brothers. He temporarily tamed Britney, traded up for Cameron Diaz and then dumped her for the totally hotter Scarlett Johansson (or so we read in the gossip pages). I betcha even Ronda Storms feels like getting her sexy on when JT's big hit starts blasting. (That said, he likes to bring his mom to awards shows and, damn, he was in a boy band, for chrissake!) We're betting he'll bring it in concert in a big way. Slick dance routines, stage props, scantily clad babes and a roof-raising rendition of "SexyBack," the best cut with "sexy" in the title since Prince's "Sexy M.F." Opener Pink, the pluckiest gal in pop music, should have no problem getting the party started with hits like her Paris Hilton diss "Stupid Girl."
Justin Timberlake w/Pink, 7:30 p.m. Sat., Feb. 22, St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa. $56, $83.50. —Wade Tatangelo
HIGHWAYMAN (AND WOMAN)
Most of an entire generation knows Kris Kristofferson solely for his role in the Blade series or as the bad guy in the Mel Gibson vehicle Payback. And that's a damn shame. Few individuals have shook the foundation of popular music the way Kristofferson did in 1970 with his self-titled debut album. The LP is a masterpiece featuring poignant, timeless original such as "Me and Bobby McGee," "Help Me Make It Through the Night," "For the Good Times" and "Sunday Morning Coming Down." Whereas Bob Dylan brought symbolism and surrealism to the rock 'n' roll lexicon, Kristofferson offered frankly worded poetry in the form of love songs that spoke to adults rather than teenagers. His rugged good looks had him starring on the silver screen shortly after his music career ignited. He spent the 1980s making the occasional album that railed on Reagan and then issued one great, overlooked album in the '90s titled A Moment for Forever. After going 11 years without touring or issuing fresh studio work, Kristofferson finally resurfaced on the music scene last year with This Old Road, an album that ranks with his 1970s output. Joining Kristofferson for this rare area appearance is the daughter of his old pal/mentor and fellow "Highwayman" Johnny Cash. A rare artist who made a name for herself in spite of a giant family legacy, Rosanne Cash is one of the most talented singer/songwriters to come out of Nashville. She also issued something of a comeback album last year with Black Cadillac, a touching collection of songs she wrote in the wake of the passing of her father and stepmother (June Carter Cash).
Kris Kristofferson/Rosanne Cash, 8 p.m. Fri., Feb. 23, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. $45, $55. —WT
ART-COUNTRY
Orlando's indie scene has been good to the Suncoast, giving the region a gig by the estimable Band Marino a while back and now loaning The Heathens for a night. The boys recently released their debut disc — Big White House — on Post Records. They recorded it in Gainesville with a big assist from producer Rob McGregor, who previously worked with acts like Hot Water Music, Alkaline Trio and Against Me! The Heathens are more country than all those bands, but they're still raw enough to fit in. They toss ragged fiddle, weepy girl-done-me-wrong lyrics and a sly sense of humor together with your usual alterna-indie moves, and come up with tasty results. For those Suncoasters who always bitch about no good music coming to the area, if you miss this, you forfeit any right to complain again. And we're betting it's worth the drive from north of the Skyway, especially with buzzworthy St. Pete based singer-songwriter Geri X on the bill.
The Heathens w/Geri X/Dodger/Mount Awesome, 9 p.m. Fri., Feb. 23, Pastimes Pub. $5. —Cooper Levey-Baker
This article appears in Feb 21-27, 2007.