THURSDAY, JULY 3
RED ROOM CINEMA w/NORTHVIA/THE LONELY H/DJ'S BUSINESS CASUAL Red Room Cinema, one of Tampa Bay's most riveting indie/prog-rock outfits (especially in concert), returns to a venue they pretty much own by this point. Orlando's Northvia is an instrumental rock quartet (think Explosions in the Sky; Radiohead sans Thom Yorke). (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
CRÜE FEST: MOTLEY CRÜE w/BUCKCHERRY/PAPA ROACH/SIXX A.M./TRAPT You know that Woodstock story about the brown acid? Yeah, well, that's what happened to me at 98Rock's now defunct Livestock fest in 1997, the one headlined by a newly reunited Motley Crüe (the hair metal band has now reunited roughly 27 times). I blame the misadventure on my then girlfriend, and the crusty, evil hippie who sold us the potent-in-a-bad-way LSD — "bad," as in the whole backwoods world of Zephyrhills quivered devilishly while daggers danced up and down my spine. The worse part, though, was the little demon that looked like Tommy Lee and mocked me mercilessly by shouting into my ear the words to "Dr. Feelgood." To this day, though, I'm not sure what weirded me out more: the acid, Crüe's cartoonish performance or the band's spastic, white-trash fans. (Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa)
PETER MURPHY Damn, can't find my black eye shadow. Murphy, 50, former lead singer of Bauhaus, is generally known as "the Godfather of Goth." Melodramatic baritone, minor-key tunes and downer lyrics have been his calling cards over the years. (Tampa Theatre, Tampa) —Eric Snider
SISTER HAZEL w/KEATON SIMMONS Riding on Hootie's coattails — seriously, does it get any worse? I was living in Gainesville in 1996-97 when the hometown act Sister Hazel hit paydirt with the very mediocre slab of bar-band rock "Somewhere More Familiar." The only thing more disturbing about Hazel's success was my asshole coworker raving on a daily basis about an upstart Jacksonville rap-rock band called Limp Bizkit. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
THE WORKING TITLE w/EDISON GLASS/COLORS IN THE AIR Hook-less melodies, platitude-filled lyrics and whiny vocals make Charleston, S.C.'s The Working Title an extremely difficult band to appreciate, but, y'know, that's just my opinion. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
HOT DOG SHOW: TRÈS BIEN w/LIQUID LIMBS/MUMPSY/HOMETEAM/MATT BUTCHER AND THE REVOLVERS Clearwater garage-rockers Très Bien headline this pre-Independence Day shindig, a value-added affair that also includes a wiener-eating contest, $5 liters and a "full-blown cookout on the patio." (Crowbar, Ybor City)
JOE NICHOLS w/RANDY HOUSER Nichols is the Arkansas native best known for charting singles like "Brokenheartsville," "Size Matters" and the tender ode, "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off." His latest release, last year's surprisingly understated Real Things, furthers the booze-fueled twang in more mature, self-aware fashion with "Let's Get Drunk and Fight" and the wary "My Whiskey Years." The country star is in town for a special acoustic performance benefiting the family of Pamela LeRose, the Bradenton mother of three murdered in late May. (Joyland, Bradenton) —Amanda Schurr
FRIDAY, JULY 4
HARRY AND THE POTTERS w/MATH, THE BAND/UNCLE MONSTER FACE Not too many bands can claim to have inspired a new genre, but that's exactly what the greater Boston duo Harry and the Potters did in 2002 when the sibling act started issuing songs written from the perspective of the Harry Potter character, thus starting an indie-rock subgenre dubbed "wizard rock" (yes, there are now numerous bands playing songs based on the J.K. Rowling series). For more on Harry and the Potters, see my interview with singer/guitarist Paul DeGeorge on p. 39. Brooklyn's Uncle Monster Face, a self-proclaimed "Sock Puppet Rock Band," is heavy on the quirk, but it's well-done quirk. Think Devo on Ritalin and brain-addled by Saturday morning cartoons and old video games; think Primus without the chops and plenty of synths. Neither description does the band justice; you'll just have to see to find out. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
KRS-ONE w/DOUG E. FRESH/SPECIAL ED Rap royal and former Boogie Down Productions principal KRS-One pioneered hardcore rap more than two decades ago with 1987's Criminal Minded, a gritty account of life on the mean streets of The Bronx. On subsequent BDP releases, KRS-One, as well as Public Enemy/Chuck D, temporarily redefined the function of the MC as a politically/socially conscious teacher. KRS-One went solo with 1993's Return of the Boom Bap, which featured the controversial hit "Sound of da Police." KRS-One's commercial appeal has steadily faded over time — he hasn't scraped the pop charts since 2001 — but continues to tour, delivering reportedly focused performances to throngs of enthusiasts interested in witnessing one of hip-hop's most important figures. Human beatbox pioneer/virtuoso Doug E. Fresh and late-1980s/early-1990s rap also-ran Special Ed are also on the lineup. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
GUILTMAKER w/SAVIO/FROM RUSSIA LOVE WITH LOVE In April, Tampa indie rock quartet Guiltmaker issued the full-length Dilemmas, a collection of rather complicated melodies, propulsive-yet-gauzey dueling guitars and emo-esque vocals that simmer fairly low in the mix. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
CHUBBY CHECKER It would be easy to blurb away Chubby Checker with a dismissive "he scored early-'60s hits with the single and dance fad 'The Twist.'" But there's actually more to the story, only part of which I can encapsulate here. I won't attempt to make a case that Checker is an important, or even substantial, artist. But the singer, born Ernest Evans in 1941 and raised in South Philadelphia, scored 22 Top 40 hits from 1960-1965, including three No. 1s. Not bad for a fadmonger. "The Twist" also helped bridge the generation gap in the early 1960s. "Chubby Checker has never been properly acknowledged for one major contribution to pop culture," '60s TV personality Clay Cole has said. "Chubby and the Twist got adults out and onto the dance floor for the very first time. Before the Twist dance phenomenon, grownups did not dance to teenage music." Even though his stardom waned in the mid-'60s, Checker has managed to maintain a viable career in the four decades hence. He does, however, have his regrets. "In a way, 'The Twist' really ruined my life," he has said. "I was on my way to becoming a big nightclub performer, and 'The Twist' just wiped it out. It got so out of proportion. No one ever believes I have talent." (Busch Gardens, Tampa) —ES
TRIBAL STYLE w/JAKE MACKEY & THE MUDDY SUNS Celebrate Independence Day Caribbean-style with the neoclassic, one drop reggae of Tribal Style. The Tampa-based, Jamaican-born siblings' originals hark back to works of reggae titans such as Marley, Toots, Cliff, etc., but with subtle hip-hop turntable touches and socially conscious lyrics that speak to the here and now. Chances are, Tribal Style will also throw in a couple vintage covers, perhaps from The Harder They Come soundtrack. Opener Jake Mackey & the Muddy Suns bring blues/soul/reggae all the way from San Diego. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
JEFF BLACK Nashville-based singer/songwriter issued his 2005 album, Tin Lily, on the venerable indie imprint Dualtone. He's drawn comparisons to Dylan and Jackson Browne, with narrative and confessional songs that explore middle age in the 21st century. (Studio@620, St. Petersburg)
SATURDAY, JULY 5
SIZZLA w/JAHFARI/IMPULSE/KIRKY C Jamaican dancehall star Sizzla is a serious Rastafarian (reportedly part of the strict Bobo Ashanti sect), and empty-headed anti-gay lyrics have riddled his riddims over the years. In fact, gay and lesbian activist groups attempted to have Sizzla deported prior to a 2007 show in Toronto, according to CBC News. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
DAMON FOWLER GROUP w/CHRISTIE LENEE'S FUNK GRASS GROOVE Blues guitar (and lap steel) slinger Damon Fowler again joins forces with accomplished acoustic picker Christie Lenee for an evening featuring two of the Bay area's finest guitarists. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
LOVERBOY Stick around after the Rays game to see (for free, with ticket) 1980s pop-rockers Loverboy bang out hits like "Working for the Weekend," "Queen of the Broken Hearts" and "This Could Be the Night." (Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg)
SUNDAY, JULY 6
THE RADIATORS w/ZACH DEPUTY For the past 30 years, The Radiators have been spreading their distinctively New Orleans-flavored, organ-drenched, funkified brand of rock 'n' roll. The band pens solid originals, but specializes in innovative covers like their slowed-down, extended jam rendition of Elvis' "Viva Las Vegas," which can be heard on The Radiators' MySpace site. Covers by CCR, Beatles, Stones, Dylan, Allman Brothers, Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, P-Funk, Talking Heads and countless others have peppered Radiators set lists during the past three decades of touring. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
MONDAY, JULY 7
PAT BENATAR w/NEIL GIRALDO As a kid who attended grade school during much of the 1980s, Pat Benatar was never more to me than the MTV hottie who sang the hit rocker "Heartbreaker," the agreeably glossy tunes "Love Is a Battlefield" and "We Belong" — and the icky "Hell Is for Children." Then a couple of weeks ago, the freshly minted double disc Benatar Ultimate Collection landed on my desk, and I was surprised at how many songs of hers I recognized and/or enjoyed ("Hit Me With Your Best Shot," "Fire and Ice," "Looking for a Stranger.") I must admit, though, "Hell Is For Children" still sounds creepy. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)
TUESDAY, JULY 8
DEATHBED REPENTANCE/THE TRI-FIVES/A GENTLEMEN ARMY Houston four-piece Deathbed Repentance scores major points for punching up the punk with a thick dose of garage rockabilly. "The Sun Goes Down," "Don't Follow Me" and "Live By the Gun," from its 2007 Times Up! Disc, Why Do We Even Try?, are taut, kick-ass cuts, with frontmen Randy Rost and Justin Ille's old-school riffs and vox anchored by bassist Gaspar Hernandez and drummer Nathan Allen. Supported by above-par local acts The Tri-Fives and A Gentlemen Army, this could be one of the most fun rock shows of the summer. (Pastimes Pub, Sarasota) —AS
WEDNESDAY, JULY 9
CUTE IS WHAT WE AIM FOR w/ACE ENDERS/DANGER RADIO/POWER SPACE Like the band name suggests, Cute is What We Aim For, of Buffalo, N.Y., trades in saccharin emo that's at once catchy and nauseating. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
This article appears in Jul 2-8, 2008.