THURSDAY, AUG. 17
PIVOTAL MOVEMENT The arty-but-comfortable Grand Central space Bombshell Gallery continues its laudable efforts to put new, cool, and/or weird music in front of St. Pete audiences on a regular basis. Tonight, Seminole electro-pop project Pivotal Movement is the featured performer; PM's sound is comparable to that of hipster favorite The Postal Service, but adds more ambience and elements of more hardcore electronica styles to a spare, extremely catchy foundation. (Bombshell Gallery, St. Petersburg)
L.A. SYMPHONY/DEFICIT/DUSHAN KATANIC Since the diaspora of Science-Non-Fiction — Pegleg moving to Portland, Oregon; Provost hiking the Appalachian Trail — Sarasota hasn't seen the high-level hip-hop that we had come to expect on our mean streets. This week's L.A. Symphony show is proof that our town can still attract some solid rap talent. The crew hails from — are you ready for this? — L.A. and represents the West Coast indie style, slotting in well with fellow So Cal groups like Jurassic 5. The group gets production help from Bay Area maestro Madlib and rhymes from indie L.A. MC Murs. Backing the Symphony up? Science-Non-Fiction member Deficit and area MC Dushan Katanic. (The Tavern on Main, Sarasota) —Cooper Levey-Baker
STARS ARE FALLING/MYCHILDREN MYBRIDE/MARTYR'S PRAYER/WENT DOWN IN GLORY/COVET A night of Christian-styled screamo mania at Rockerfellas this weekend. Last year, the Sacramento-based Stars Are Falling released a split EP with the band Skylines on Blood & Ink Records, the same record label that Sarasota's own Burden of a Day calls home. If you've heard that band, you know what to expect: menacing guitar rumbles and throat-shredding screams, topped off with hummable choruses. The rest of the lineup doesn't stray too far from the formula, but Martyr's Prayer deserves special mention for the background photo of the group on MySpace. The group — instruments in hand — is bowing heads before an illuminated cross. "Dear Lord, give us the power to RAWK!!!" (Rockerfellas, Bradenton) —CLB
FRIDAY, AUG. 18
MELISSA ETHERIDGE For someone who's been such a trailblazer in life, Melissa Etheridge's music is surprisingly middle-of-the-road, even at times pedestrian. She plays earnest, well-meaning guitar rock, and has a nice bit of grit to her voice. But to these ears, the songs bleed together. I admired her fierce independence more than her music. That said, fans should expect a rewarding experience at Ruth Eckerd — when Etheridge was riding high, she'd play venues like the Ice Palace, and the big rooms tended to swallow her up. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater) —Eric Snider
ELECTRO A GO GO I can remember WMNF DJ Mike Bagley turning me on to stuff like RevCo and Die Warzau back in the early '90s, during his previous stint at the station. Bagley's been back from wherever his travels have taken him, and behind the console once again, for a while now, and continues to be a Tampa-scene tastemaker via the airwaves, DJ stints at places like St. Pete's Globe Coffeehouse, and live shows like this one. Bay area sound architects Chimotherapy, Warped Angel and Holiday bring the experimental but extremely listenable electro, and DJ Sappho spins between sets. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
BLAZE Horrorcore rapper Blaze wears whiteface and records for Detroit's Psychopathic Records. Sound familiar? Yep, he's down with Insane Clown Posse. Blaze isn't going to win any awards for originality or outstanding talent, but he may be the best, most real hip-hop MC in ICP's retinue. For whatever that's worth. (The Tamiami @ Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
RED ROOM CINEMA/DEFICIT/NEW LANDS/EFFEX/ACHO BROTHER/PKPROJECT Aestheticized has been teaming up lately with Dichotomous, the latest promotional endeavor from the braintrust that brought you the Tastemakers series'. These days, "Jack shows" are actually "Jack & Joe & Durium shows." This one's headlined by Tampa's impressionistic post-rock unit Red Room Cinema, and also includes sets from Deficit (of beloved Manasota hip-hop crew Science-Non-Fiction); soulful, spacey Tampa outfit New Lands; Bay area beatbox/vocal-manipulation innovator Effex; and alternative Latin singer-songwriter project Acho Brother, along with a few more alchemists and DJs. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
WHISKEY BINGE MCKINNEY/LIQUIDLIMBS/THE DRY COUNTY Vinyl Fever dispenses with such things as volume limits and concern for what the neighbors think with this in-store. Whiskey Binge McKinney and Liquidlimbs both hail from Gainesville; the former's got a sloppy, beer-fueled noise-punk sound, while the latter, a drums-and-guitar duo, offers a more intricate and dynamic style. Tampa's The Dry County is fast rising above the local punk/indie pack in terms of both talent and buzz — this outfit has a passionate, fuzzed-out melodic sound that's tough to ignore. This show starts around 9 p.m. (Vinyl Fever, Tampa)
SATURDAY, AUG. 19
POISON/CINDERELLA/ENDEVERAFTER Wasn't it weird how a lot of dudes that loved the Crue HATED Poison, when the Crue wore at least as much makeup as Bret Michaels & Co. during various incarnations? Not enough spikes and black leather? Wow, no subtext there at all. I saw 'em twice back in the day, and I can tell you that being surrounded by hot rock sluts taking off their tops at every opportunity was completely worth being called "fag" by a couple of friends. Cinderella put out one of the best releases of the hair-metal era in its second album, Long Cold Winter, a marvelous hard-blues record that still stands up today. (St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa)
SPAM ALLSTARS The crazy Latin/funk/dj/disco party rolls through town. Again. The Allstars are here so often, you might as well just leave your dancing shoes by the front door, or under the shotgun seat in your car or something, because you're gonna need 'em. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
THE DRAMS w/THE DIVINERS I don't have to tell you how big a proponent I am of the unassailable Denton, Texas, roadhouse/twang-rock outfit Slobberbone, or how crushed I was when the group broke up. Well, three-quarters of the 'bone are back in the more sonically ambitious and power-pop-inspired (but still twangy as all get out) Drams, with a new record in Jubilee Dive and a new lineup that includes former members of Dallas favorites Budapest One. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE: Brian Lane, bassist for Will Quinlan's top-notch alt-country group The Diviners, is the new member of Slobberbone. With all due respect for each musician's right to move on, I humbly request a goddamn reunion set. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
SUMMERFEST 2006 South Floridian award-winning ambassador of sound the Symphony of the Americas brings its message of musical outreach and intercultural bonding to Tarpon Springs. What's more, attendees of this 15th anniversary performance will be treated to a program that features the Italian chamber ensemble I Musici Estensi Orchestra, and its extensive knowledge of Baroque period classical. (Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center, Tarpon Springs)
JOEY GILMORE The Suncoast Blues Society-sponsored Juanita Dixon show originally scheduled for this date and venue unfortunately fell through. But fear not, because in its place, the SBS decided to add another installment of its "Florida Blues Exchange" show series in place of the Dixon set, this one featuring South Florida Blues Society favorite Joey Gilmore. Gilmore's got a contemporary yet soulful electric-blues style. (Ringside Café, St. Petersburg)
AARONZARZUTZKI/NASA/ORPHAN/PHILIP PIETRI One-man sound experiment Aaronzarzutzki blends classic instrument sounds with loops, beats and glitchy aural collage; this is his last show in Florida before heading up to Chicago, so get out there and buy a CD so he can eat. Just as new, weird and mind-opening are Orlando's noisily tribal Nasa, Tarpon Springs' throbbing, electro-screamadelic Orphan, and Tampa's own innovative sound-pastiche artist Philip Pietri. (Transitions Art Gallery @ Skatepark of Tampa, Tampa)
NEARMISS/VOODOO BLUE/MALISON/THE LOOK AWAY Austin's NearMiss rose from the ashes of kid-beloved melodic punk act BigWig back in '01. The group boasts a thick, muscular punk-meets-rock sound, and has a second album dropping in the not-too-distant future. Baltimore's VooDoo Blue teamed with NearMiss for this D.I.Y. jaunt, and its eccentric, gang-vocal-heavy melodipunk sound goes well with that of the headliner. (Brass Mug, Tampa)
TUESDAY, AUG. 22
HEAD AUTOMATICA/ROCK KILLS KID/MEN WOMEN & CHILDREN It's hard to think of a more stylish, hip bill of what power-pop has become to the next generation. All three of these bands draw on classic pop-rock influences, but add their own individual elements of style, fashion and danceability. Head Automatica has moved from loops to big, hard-candy guitar anthems; Rock Kills Kid puts those retro '80s influences together better than anybody else has so far, and Men Women & Children — like Head Auto, a group to emerge from the dissolution of screamo forerunner Glassjaw — gets all funky and disco-fied on your ass. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
Wednesday, Aug. 23
WU-TANG CLAN Come on, what accolades can we give this legendary group of diverse and original hip-hop personalities that we haven't already? It ain't nuttin' ta fuck wit. Be there. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
ASHTON ALLEN Allen is one of those singer-songwriters who blur the line between the indie and jam scenes — but he does it right. Elliott Smith is a conspicuous influence, but his roaming style also betrays shades of everything from twangy Byrds-esque rock to yearning acoustic ballads that recall emo's quieter acts, but add a more original perspective. He's not a Chris Carrabba, and he's not a Jason Mraz — Allen's got his own, moody style, and it works. (The Garage, St. Petersburg)
This article appears in Aug 16-22, 2006.