Great music is happening all over town over the next four days and you’re wondering, “What should I choose?” Look no further. Everything you need to know is right here beginning with today. Wanna take a look beyond this weekend? Check out our Upcoming Concerts page.
Thursday, December 2
[pictured right] / Scott Harrell Acoustic Lanky Orlando-based singer-songwriter Matt Butcher incorporates twangy slide guitar into his alt country songwriting, his high and gentle vocals carrying wistful longing and a healthy dose of melancholy. Butcher has been working on some new songs for his sophomore follow-up to 2008’s stellar Me and My Friends, and will likely incorporate some new fare into his setlist at this gig with wounded-wailing songwriter Scott Harrell, a CL writer and musician whose longtime area band, Nessie, played their last show a few months back. 9:30 p.m., The Hub, Tampa, free admission.
Passafire w/Ambassy/Burning Tree Seven-year-old roots reggae-dub-prog rock outfit Passafire hails from Savannah, Ga., and got their start when a member of the band slipped Hawaiian reggae-rockers Pepper a copy of their self-titled debut in 2006. This was shortly after Pepper founded indie label LAW Records, and Passafire was among the first bands they snatched up. Passafire has released two albums so far via LAW – 2007’s Submersible and 2009’s Everyone on Everynight. 8 p.m. doors, The Local 662, St. Petersburg, $10 (all ages).
Friday, December 3
Perpetual Groove w/COPE I like this Athens, Ga. foursome, I really do. Singer/guitarist Brock Butler is an undisputed talent, his vocals earnest and sweet, his guitar solos undeniably tight and delivered with a graceful fluidity over the band’s energetic, relentlessly melodic electro psychedelic rock. Problem is, I haven’t been surprised by this band in some time. They’ve been touring with keyboardist John Hruby for the past few years, even put out a record with him in 2009, Heal, but seemed to have lost the renewed sense of excitement they had when he first joined, falling back on the same old tension-release jams they were playing when I first started seeing them back in ’05 – solid but predictable. Here’s hoping they bring their A-game to their latest St. Pete show. 8 p.m. doors, State Theatre, St. Petersburg, $12 in advance/$15 dos.
This article appears in Dec 2-8, 2010.