THURS 31
The Old Tire Swingers This Fresno, Calif. outfit mixes original newgrass tunes with traditional old-time string band music, their multi-voice dirt road harmonies and lively banjo-and-guitar-strumming melodies riding a lively snare drum beat. (Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin)
FRI 01
All Time Low w/Yellowcard/Hey Monday/The Summer Set Two long-lived and beloved pop-punk bands join forces for the "Dirty Work Tour." All Time Low — which is generating hype for its highly anticipated forthcoming fourth album and major label debut, Dirty Work — delivers its own unique blend of intense riffage and soaring vocals. Yellowcard returns from a three-year hiatus with a new LP of violin-infused rock, When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes, out March 22 and currently occupying the #8 spot on iTunes. (House of Blues, Orlando) —Libby Smith
COPE w/Buffalo Strange A double dose of jams featuring melodic groove-rocking four-piece COPE, which just returned from playing some dates in the Northeast and headlining a North Florida festival; and the Rob Irie-fronted Buffalo Strange, a pop-jazz-roots-world fusion ensemble that includes several members of COPE (guitar and bass-playing brothers Dennis and Kenny Stadelman, and keyboardist/sax player Juan Montero). (Market on 7th, Ybor City)
The Loving Thorns CD Release Party Alt country-roots outfit The Loving Thorns celebrates the release of The Days of Sympathy, their second LP. The rusted voxbox of lead singer Geoff Abraham stands out on tracks like "Help & Understanding," which takes a page from the Black Crowes pop-gospel-blues rock songbook, and "Hearts on Fire," a little more of a grungy dirt rock scorcher with its dual muscular guitars. (Dave's Aqua Lounge, St. Petersburg)
Damon Fowler Group w/JP Soars & The Red Hots The smoking hot blues guitarist with a mean and fiery slide technique continues to promote Devil Got His Way, his 2011 second LP on Blind Pig Records that ranges from introspective balladry to playful swamp rock to R&B-tinged grooves. JP Soars — another monster slide player — leads The Red Hots and rides up from Boca Raton to support Fowler's latest Tampa show. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
The On Fires Aussie natives The On Fires have emerged from Down Under to find the speakers and hearts of fans across the globe. These electro party-punk post-grunge rockers excel on songs like the near seven-minute-long "Without," kicking off with subtle harmonious guitar and resonating vocals and eventually progressing into an all-out mind-blowing Guitar Hero-worthy solo played over heavy bass, propulsive beats and dramatic keyboard sonics. Their current 2011 U.S. tour will be filmed and featured in a forthcoming URockHard.com "rockumentary." (Orbit 19 Lounge, Holiday)—Valerie Quintana
Elliott Cohn's Cosmic Sweat Society w/Her Name Is Victory Tampa native Elliott Cohn formed his Cosmic Sweat Society after he relocated to New Orleans in 2003, though the growlin', guitar-wielding singer-songwriter returns regularly to treat locals to energetic jam rock seasoned with Crescent City-flavored funk, jazz and blues grooves. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
Janis Ian w/Natalia Zukerman Janis Ian wrote her first hit single in 1965 at age 13, "Society's Child (Baby I've Been Thinking)," and ignited all manner of controversy with its narrative about an interracial romance that ultimately fails due to society's expectations. Her most widely-known hit is the Grammy-winning "At Seventeen," a melancholy ode that reflects on the cruel reality of growing up as an "ugly duckling." Now 60, Ian continues to explore relevant issues in her mesmerizing folk roots-raw style, and is known for delivering powerful performances. (Capitol Theatre, Clearwater)
No Milk / Merchandise The next free live music event at The Bricks features paintings by two local artists (Anthony Zollo and Justin Nelson) along with live music by No Milk, the experimental electro-drone solo project of Brigid Ochshorn (Ant Farm), and dark post-punk outfit Merchandise, which just released a new 7" available at katorgaworks.bigcartel.com. (The Bricks, Ybor City)
Grant Peeples & the Peeples Republik Band w/Ronny Elliott Florida's own Americana recording artist Grant Peeples hosts a live throwdown to celebrate the release of Okra and Ecclesiastes. The new LP was recorded last November in Austin with producer Gurf Morlix (Lucinda Williams, Robert Earl Keen) and is jam-packed with his droll drawling commentary on living the American Dream in the Sunshine State. ("There's a shopping cart at the new WalMart full of kids and plastic bags, their momma buying stuff they don't need with money she don't have / And it's living life close to the bone with a butt as big as a mobile home, screaming at the kids 'Leave me alone! You don't want to make me mad.'") The album has been hanging out in the Top 40 Americana charts since its official release in early February. St. Petersburg's own Rebecca Zapen adds her violin and vocal talents to Grant's set and Tampa's Ronny Elliott opens the show. (Hideaway Café, St. Petersburg)
SAT 02
Surf City w/Alias Punch/Cassolette/The Equines New Zealand quartet Surf City synthesizes hazy psychedelic rock, dark, lo-fi noise pop à la early '80s-style Jesus and Mary Chain and modern electro experiments into washes of sound. Their music is marked by droned, yelped or lightly crooned lyrics and dusky guitar notes echoing into oblivion, or given an uptempo, vaguely surf rock or post-punk kick. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
The Miles Project: Celebrating the Music of Miles Davis Two Sarasota arts groups — Fuzión Dance Artists, a modern dance troupe led by choreographer Leymis Bolanos Wilmott, and Jazz Juvenocracy, a nonprofit jazz ensemble made up of middle and high school students — stage this collaborative work celebrating the music and spirit of legendary trumpeter Miles Davis. (Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg)
House of Pain 20th Anniversary Tour w/Sozay/Big B/Slaine Following a much talked-about reunion show at KROQ's "Epicenter 2010," rhyme-spitting musicians Everlast and Danny Boy committed to bringing the original House of Pain crew back together to celebrate their 20th anniversary — even though the legendary multi-platinum hip-hop group wasn't actually active between 1996 (when they officially split) and 2010. Regardless, their return to the road has plenty of old school fans rearing and ready to "Jump Around." (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
Phil Phest 5 w/The Black Honkeys/Jay Maddox Band/Kevin Toon/Delusions of Grandeur/Shaky Ground/The Hughes Brothers The fifth annual event — held to honor a local who lost his life to melanoma at age 23 — raises awareness about the aggressive skin cancer with a day of free skin screenings by certified professionals, family-friendly activities, and a packed bill of live music headlined by The Black Honkeys' soul power revue. (Waterfront O.E. Olds Park, Oldsmar)
98Rock Fest w/Stone Sour/Theory of a Dead Man/Skillet/Halestorm/Art of Dying A mostly pedestrian lineup of mainstream rock acts hits town as part of the "Avalanche Tour," which 98Rock has (regrettably) attached itself to. (St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa)
Rock The Burg w/The Weller Band/Terra Sono/The Sun Society/Halibut/ Constance and Savii/Josh Black/Byron Howes/Marque Johnson A free afternoon concert in the park put together by "friends bringing music, art, joy, and the peace and love of Christ to our city." Don't worry about any Bible-thumping or donation seeking — this is simply a chance for local folks to gather in a scenic St. Petersburg setting, spread out a blanket and a picnic lunch, and enjoy live music by some appealing local talents, including piano-driven folk pop outfit Sun Society and roots-folk foursome Halibut. (Williams Park, St. Petersburg)
Johnny Cakes & The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypso w/Fusebox Funk Finger-picking guitar work, steady-driving drumbeats, brawny frog-in-throat vocals and merry horns fill the punk, ska and rock-fueled music of St. Pete outfit Johnny Cakes. The steel drums shine in "Swimming in the Summer" and bring a tropical calypso mood to the reggae-rap number, while songs like "Long Island Iced Tea Island" reveal a band ready for a good time, some laughs and possibly a few tasty (alcoholic) beverages. ("Cheaper vacations in tropical locations, a tiger shark ate my girl / So I got me some whisky and a chick who was frisky, oh man, what a wonderful world!") The spirited army of musicians packs stages with a four-piece horn section and is joined by a trio of "jellyfish dancers" spreading mellow vibes around the room. (Crowbar, Ybor City) —VQ
Urban Gypsies CD Release Show The Latin-world jazz ensemble led by musician Barney Waterbury (guitar, percussion) stages a show to celebrate the completion of a new recording. Attendees enjoy dinner and a tour of Sacred Lands' historic site along with a set of live music; BYOB. (Sacred Lands, St. Petersburg)
Funk Fest w/Charlie Wilson/Bobby Brown/Keith Sweat/MC Hammer/Maze feat. Frankie Beverly/El Debarge/KEM The inaugural Funk Fest attracted upwards of 15,000 to the St. Pete waterfront. That number will likely double when 95.7-The Beat hosts the second annual event, which has expanded to two days of old school and new school jams. Saturday's event features R&B/soul singer Charlie Wilson, also a key member of the Gap Band ("You Dropped a Bomb on Me"); recently re-emerged musician Bobby Brown, who made his bread pioneering new jack swing with other artists like purring R&B singer-songwriter and fellow performer, Keith Sweat; and rapper-gospel singer/all around entertainer MC Hammer. Sunday's festivities feature soul/quiet storm outfit Maze featuring Frankie Beverly; falsetto-toned R&B-pop singer El Debarge; and neo-soul and R&B crooner Kem. (Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg)
SUN 03
Talking Animals Festival w/Ronny Elliott/The Sandy Atkinson Band/Bird St Players/Sons of Hippies/Lauris Vidal & Kelley McCrae/Rayzilla's PBS/Dog Peter Pat/Tribal Style/The Sun Society/Dirty Spoons & Trash Revue/Damon Fowler/Magadog The second annual pet-friendly music fest — held in collaboration with the popular weekly Talking Animals fauna-centric radio program hosted by Duncan Strauss on WMNF — encompasses a high-quality lineup of local funk, blues, world fusion, ska, folk, alt rock, roots-pop, Americana, reggae and acoustic artists performing animal-themed music. (Lowry Park, Tampa)
The Afro-Cuban All Stars Directed by prominent Cuban musician and ex-Sierra Maestra drummer Juan de Marcos González, the Afro-Cuban All Stars is a seminal group credited with triggering the rise in popularity of Afro-Cuban music after their 1997 international debut, A Toda Cuba LeGusta, earned them worldwide renown and four Grammy noms. (The album was also the first recorded during the now-legendary Buena Vista Social Club sessions.) The multi-generational orchestra draws on a gamut of Latin dance music styles — mambo, cha cha, salsa, rumba, son montuno, timba, guajira, danzón, abakuá and bolero, among others. (Ferguson Hall at Straz Center for Performing Arts, Tampa)
TUE 05
Further feat. Bob Weir & Phil Lesh The two former Grateful Dead musicians have joined forces once again for another post-Jerry lineup that also consists of RatDog keyboardist Jeff Chimenti, Dark Star Orchestra guitar player John Kadlecik, and drummer Joe Russo of the Benevento/Russo Duo. (UCF Arena, Orlando)
Showcase Night: Fast Lane / The Applebutter Express / Next Of Kin / The Paul Anthony Band Highlights of the next installment in Skipper's "new-to-our-stage" showcase series include dance funk party band Fast Lane, which is fronted by a pair of soulfully commanding female vocalists; and the funky twangy ukulele-driven melodies of the two-piece Applebutter Express. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
WED 06
Ponderosa w/Red Rockits/Geri X Country-proud Georgia quartet Ponderosa boasts soulful and expressive downhome feel-good music with psychedelic blues tendencies, their repertoire described as "campfire songs, Southern rock anthems and drunken, two-step shuffles." (The Local 662, St. Petersburg) —VQ
Tornado Rider Fronted by unruly and flamboyantly dressed electric cellist/vocalist Rushad Eggleston — who wears his instrument like a guitar and gets down and dirty when he solos — Tornado Rider is an Oakland, Calif. three-piece that mixes pure punk rock with fantasy lyrics and attire. High-octane, interactive live sets are fueled by the energetic antics of Eggleston. CL Writer Bryan Childs wrote: "I cannot recommend these guys emphatically enough. They're 100 percent pure fun and make me believe that the underground music scene is alive and well and even features a few re-purposed instruments." (Market on 7th, Ybor City)
ALSO THIS WEEK
Punch Brothers Thurs., March 31, Plaza Theatre, Orlando
Roppongi's Ace w/ Lambasters Thurs., March 31, New World Brewery, Ybor City
Geri X Acoustic Fri., April 1, The Ale & the Witch, St. Petersburg
David Burgess Fri., April 1, Tarpon Springs Cultural Center, Tarpon Springs
The Cheapskate's Ball w/Charlie Vegas & the New Blues Combo Fri., April 1, Gulfport Casino, Gulfport
DEMENTIA w/Supavyllenz/Scar City/L.I.E.S dnationb Fri., April 1, State Theatre, St. Petersburg
30th Annual Florida Old Time Music Championship w/Moonshine Holler/Paula Bradley/Bill Dillof Fri., April 1-Sat. April 2, Sertoma Youth Ranch, Brooksville
Matt Butcher & the Revolvers w/Beth McKee Sat., April 2, Hideaway Cafe, St. Petersburg
Skull n' Bone Band w/Groove Company Sat., April 2, Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin
Sunset Bridge Sat., April 2, Ella's Americana Folk Art Cafe, Tampa
Rob Irie Sat., April 2, The Ale & the Witch, St. Petersburg
Splash of Jazz RCS Grace House Charity Concert w/Alan Darcy Sat., April 2, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Clearwater
Coo Coo Ca Choo w/The Lint Rollers/Ruben Rey and the Undercover Band Sat., April 2, Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa
Thomas Wynn & The Believers w/Cosmic Gospel Hour/Funky Pandas Sat., April 2, New World Brewery, Ybor City
Sweetwater Music Series: Sweetwater Sisters / Ishmael Katz Sun., April 3, Sweetwater Organic Community Farm, Tampa
Shane Meade and The Sound w/Standback Band/Adam Ezra Group Sun., April 3, Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa
The Life and Times of Johnny Cash w/Keith Coleman and Ruby Tuesday Mon., April 4, Largo Cultural Center, Largo
Ron Pope / Ari Herstand w/Zach Berkman Mon., April 4, Orpheum, Ybor City
Lyrics Born w/Skins & Needles Mon., April 4, The Social, Orlando
The Nate Najar Trio Tue., April 5, The Studio@620, St. Petersburg
Jazz in the Stacks: Helios Jazz Orchestra Tue., April 5, West St. Petersburg Community Library, St. Petersburg
This article appears in Mar 31 – Apr 6, 2011.