THURSDAY, MARCH 15
Greenhouse Lounge w/The Produkt/Mr. Saturn Jacksonville-based electro jam outfit Greenhouse Lounge draws on progressive house, jazz, funk, breakbeats, dubstep and drum & bass in their effects-strewn instrumentals, marked by heavy fizzy low-end grooves, warped and spliced vocal samples, guitar manipulations and melodies, and rhythms that force you to move. Dubstep purveyors Mr. Saturn and avant DJ/electro collective The Produkt support. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
The Business w/The Downtown Struts Leading the original surge of bands in the British Oi! movement, South London's working class four-piece The Business have been raising punk hell for upwards of 30 years. The Downtown Struts, from Chicago, warms up the crowd with their raucous, rah-rah spirited punk-roots rock. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
Experience Hendrix Tour Electric guitar god Jimi Hendrix burned so bright in his too-short life that he left behind an ever-lasting legacy that continues to influence wannabe guitarists to this day, more than four decades after his death. The 2012 edition of the homage to Hendrix — which was born at Seattle's Bumbershoot fest in 1995 and grew to a nationwide tour in 2008 — features a star-studded roster of musicians performing and collaborating on select songs from his repertoire, among them, Billy Cox (the sole surviving member of Jimi Hendrix Experience and Band of Gypsys), The Doors' Robby Krieger, David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas of Latin rock oufit Los Lobos, steel guitar wiz Robert Randolph, Dweezil Zappa (son of Frank and an axeman in his own right) and funk-master Bootsy Collins. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)
Listening Room Festival A multi-day festival of house concerts all over the Tampa Bay and beyond, with live showcases each night at the intimate Hideaway Café & Recording studio, a listening room in its own right. See pp. ?? for details about the fest. (Hideaway Café, St. Petersburg)
FRIDAY, MARCH 16
Blast! Friday w/Ryan Star/Junior Doctor Downtown Clearwater's monthly street fair and block party continues appeals to spring breakers for the March edition. Headlining the concert is rock singer-songwriter Ryan Star, who used his time as a contestant on CBS reality show Rock Star: Supernova to help launch his recording career. His second studio, 11:59, debuted at No. 31 on the Billboard 200. Support from Junior Doctor, a power-pop quartet that hails from Cocoa Beach. (Cleveland Street, downtown Clearwater)
Steve March Tormé The eldest son of legendary jazz singer Mel Tormé presents a program of vocal pop and jazz, including selections from the Great American Songbook. In the 1980s, he co-hosted a game show Name that Tune, and he was a one-time member of jazz vocal group Full Swing. Currently, he hosts a syndicated radio show on the Music of Your Life Network; his most recent album, 2009's inside/out, features all original music. (Largo Cultural Center, Largo) —Rebecca Forman
SATURDAY, MARCH 17
St. Patrick's Day Rock n' Roll Party w/The Dead Popes/Jump Salty/Doll Parts/Avast Four punk-leaning local rock bands bring their rowdy made-for-beer guzzling sounds to this St. Patty’s Day party, among them, garage-surf leaning Dead Popes and all girl sextet Doll Parts. (Fubar, downtown St. Petersburg)
DevilDriver w/Dying Fetus/The Faceless/Job For a Cowboy Heading up the 30-date "Metal Alliance Tour" is Cali-based DevilDriver, a heavy groove metal outfit that issued a fifth studio LP, Beast, last year. Also of note: politically-inclined death metal trio Dying Fetus, from Maryland. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
Mutemath A New Orleans alt rock band that was only on my periphery until their third album, Odd Soul, grabbed my attention with its seriously badass '70s-vibing prog-psyche rock sound, marked by plenty of crunchy grinding guitars, fatty fuzzed-out bass and synthesizers, and some electro-groove moments to keep things from getting too overly throwback. The record was one of my favorites last year and the reason I'll be spending my Saturday night in O-town. (House of Blues, Orlando)
Miss Tess & The Bon Ton Parade Smooth, low and sultry-voiced songstress Miss Tess addresses modern concerns amid a golden vintage sonic palette that draws on swinging jazz, honky tonk, blues, and roots-Americana. She and her band, the Bon Ton Parade, are on the road backing a new live double-album, Live Across the Mason-Dixon Line. (Ella's Americana Folk Art Café, Tampa)
An Evening with Roger McGuinn You know folk rock vet McGuinn from his time as lead singer and guitarist of The Byrds, though his solo output starting from the early 1970s and reaching into 2011 with CCD vastly outnumbers what he did as a Byrd. (Capitol Theatre, Clearwater)
Young the Giant w/Grouplove This show has been sold out for weeks, likely because both L.A.-area upstarts — fresh anthemic alt rockers Young the Giant and super catchy synth pop purveyors Grouplove — have blown up over the past several months, their tracks featured on MTV and used in commercials, television shows and even video game soundtracks. (The Ritz, Ybor City)
Jazz Songbirds In honor of Women's History Month this March, Palladium hosts a program dedicated to the women of jazz. Local jazz vocalists Denise Moore and Theo Valentin perform a selection of songs by Billie Holiday, Etta James, Diane Shuur, and Phyliss Hyman with instrumental accompaniment by pianist Billy Marcus, drummer Stephen Bucholtz, and bassist Alejandro Arenas. (Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg) —RF
Doo Wop XII The Richard Nader-hosted showcase of doo wop hitmakers from the '50s and '60s features sets by Kenny Vance & the Planotones ("This Magic Moment"), The Coasters ("Yakety Yak," "Charlie Brown"), Shirley Alston Reeves, original lead singer of The Shirelles ("Soldier Boy," "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?"), and several others. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)
SUNDAY, MARCH 18
Slaughterhouse The hip-hop supergroup made up of rappers Crooked I, Joe Budden Joell Ortiz and Royce da 5'9 is currently signed to Shady Records hits town to hype the release of their second album, Welcome to: Our House, due out this May. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
A Tribute To Etta James Her treasured voice soared through a half-century of music and her impact earned her titles like the Matriarch of R&B and Empress of the Blues. Some of the area's finest female purveyors of blues and rock present the music of Etta James at this WMNF-hosted tribute, including Belinda Womack, Rose Bilal, Rita Wilson, Betty Fox, Sandy Atkinson, and Wendy Rich. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
MONDAY, MARCH 19
Mary J. Blige She's got slick, classy R&B style, soulful-throaty vocals, and a multi-platinum (50 million albums sold worldwide) catalog that has earned her nine Grammys in her 23-year career. The singer returns to town following the release of her 10th studio album, My Life II … The Journey Continues (Act 1), the sequel to her 1994 album, My Life, that features collabs with an all-star roster of producers (Tricky, Jerry Wonda) and guests (Beyoncé, Drake). (Carol Morsani Hall at Straz Center, downtown Tampa)
TUESDAY, MARCH 20
Empty Hats w/Celticopia An evening of traditional and original Celtic music, pub songs, and fiddle tunes. Empty Hats prides itself on being versatile, playing at faires, festivals pubs, and concert halls. Celticopia was formed by Empty Hats members for the Renaissance Festival circuit. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa) —RF
Helios Jazz Orchestra w/Sasha Tuck The 18-piece orchestra appears for its monthly night of modern big band jazz and swing at Nova; for the March edition, Helios welcomes jazz vocalist Sasha Tuck. (NOVA 535, St. Petersburg) —RF
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21
Youth Lagoon w/Dana Buoy Youth Lagoon is the bedroom project of young experimental musician Trevor Powers. Debut record The Year of Hibernation — which made it onto Pitchfork.com's Top 50 Albums of 2011 list — is pleasant psyche-electro pop, Powers' echoing vocals earnest and pretty against dreamy washes of sound and gentle melodies sometimes accompanied by a mid-tempo beat. (The Social, Orlando)
Alcest w/Deaf Heaven/Party Time/Escapist/Rotting Palms/Trash Money Millionaires An otherworldly French shoegaze/post-metal project founded and lead by multi-instrumentalist singer Neige (Stéphane Paut); third album Les voyages de l'âme (The journeys of the Soul) dropped in January. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
A Jazz Concert for Nepal An all-star local lineup of jazz artists led by beat-keeper Mark Feinman perform this charity concert to benefit the Global Action Coalition and its food programs for children in Nepal. For info or tickets, visit globalactioncoalition.org. (Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg)
Glen Campbell Ghost on the Canvas is the 61st studio album by Glen Campbell and his revealing, mortality-driven swan song; before the album's release last summer, the drawling country pop and AC rock crooner revealed he’d been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and Ghost be his last recording. On his current "Final Farewell Tour," Campbell is backed by roots band Instant People, which includes all three of his children with current wife Kim; sons Cal on drums and Shannon on guitar, and daughter Ashley on banjo and keys. The March 22 concert sold out within a matter of days, which prompted Capitol Theatre to add this second March 21 date. Get your tickets before this one sells out, too. (Capitol Theatre, Clearwater)
Katchafire With beginnings as a Bob Marley tribute act (hence the name), New Zealand roots reggae septet Katchafire pair sweetly caressing high-toned multi-voice harmonies with wet melodic wah wah guitar, swaying rhythms, elastic basslines, funky keys and a little sexy sax. This tour supports the band's fourth LP, On the Road Again. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
Comeback Kid w/Close Your Eyes/Foundation/Such Gold/Living with Lions Get your crush and flail on, Canadian style, when Manitoba hardcore punk outfit Comeback Kid brings their tumultuous rage to town. Guitarist Casey Hjelmberg left the band in January; Stu Ross (Misery Signals, Living with Lion) is currently filling in. (Local 662, St. Petersburg)
CLICK HERE to see a complete rundown of shows taking place this week and in the coming weeks.
This article appears in Mar 15-21, 2012.