THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2
ATMOSPHERE w/ABSTRACT RUDE/BLUEPRINT/DJ RARE GROOVE Centered around rapper Slug (Sean Daley), Atmosphere is a Minneapolis hip-hop outfit that tours with a DJ, backup vocalist, keyboardist and guitarist. Slug's mellifluous flow and candid rhymes about getting dumped or being hungover have helped the group earn the tag "emo rap." But the lyrics aren't as shallow as the label implies. Take, for instance, the song "Yesterday," off the group's latest full-length, When Life Gives You Lemons, Paint That Shit Gold. On it, Slug raps over a mournful piano run about his absentee father: "I'm sorry, it's official/ I was a fistful/ I didn't keep it simple/ Chip on the shoulder, anger in my veins/ Had so much hatred/ Now it brings me to shame." (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3
APOCALYPTICA This Finnish quartet of cellists made a name for itself in 1996 with the album Plays Metallica by Four Cellos, a foray that might seem laughable on paper but actually works — the thrash metal translating quite well to classical interpretations. Apocalyptica is now three cellists — who successfully coerce metal guitar sounds out of their instruments — and a drummer. The band's latest album, 2007's Worlds Collide, focuses on originals, but the quartet is still at its finest on the lone cover, "Helden," aka "Heroes," as in the David Bowie gem. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
THE SAUCE BOSS Bill Wharton, aka The Sauce Boss, plays slide guitar and sings. His anthem, "Let the Big Dog Eat," is featured in the Jonathan Demme film Something Wild. But wait, there's more. While on stage, Wharton cooks up a big ol' pot of gumbo, which is served gratis at the end of the gig. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
AGAINST ME! w/TED LEO AND THE PHARMACISTS/FUTURE OF THE LEFT Gainesville punks Against Me! return to the 'Burg following a triumphant Warped Tour set in July. The performance featured the band blazing through cuts off their breakthrough 2007 full-length, New Wave, which features the fierce hits "Thrash Unreal" and "Stop," as well as my personal fave, "White People for Peace." Fellow punk vet and politically charged singer/songwriter Ted Leo (and his Pharmacists band) open. Enraged by the police brutality that took place at the Republican National Convention, Leo released the digital EP Rapid Response to raise money for Democracy Now and Minneapolis Food Not Bombs. Click here for my interview with Leo. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
BLOCK PARTY FOR CHANGE w/LESTER FREEMAN & THE "D" BAND/OTHERS It's crunch time in the presidential race, and the local music/arts community is getting increasingly involved. And, hey, there's no rule against having a little fun in the process. Hence this block party, to be held on the patio of Gaspar's Grotto in Ybor City. It's a combination voter registration drive and Obama rally. Veteran R&B singer Lester Freeman was one of the first artists to record the song "Some Kind of Wonderful." With his likewise veteran sidemen, five of them, he performs a broad range of house-rocking rhythm-and-blues — so you're advised to buff up those dancing shoes. The festivities will also feature spinning by DJ Von Garden, DJ Coro and DVJ Chang on video. The soiree starts at 6 p.m. (Gaspar's Grotto, Ybor City) —Eric Snider
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4
GWAR w/KINGDOM OF SORROW/TOXIC HOLOCAUST Formed in Richmond, Va., way back in 1985, GWAR is a thrash/punk band that took its cue from Kiss — but upped the ante past anything most rock audiences had previously witnessed: sci-fi inspired costumes, hosing the audience down with what look to be bodily fluids, abusing celebrity stand-ins with all forms of weaponry. Not exactly cerebral, but, y'know, entertaining, especially if you're one of those people who have seen every George Romero flick and start getting giddy about Halloween in early August. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
ADAM LEE & THE DEAD HORSE SOUND COMPANY w/EVAN HARRIS AND THE DRIFTWOOD MOTION Kansas City, Mo., duo Adam Lee & The Dead Horse Sound Company play compelling noir country-rock that explores last-call desperation and temptation with titles like "Whiskey Wheels," "Bar Room Girl" and "Ghostly Fires," the latter being the title track of the act's latest release. (Dave's Aqua Lounge, St. Petersburg)
ROCK FOR CHOICE: LORNA BRACEWELL w/SOMEDAY SOUVENIR/A GIRL NAMED NOAH/CHILL MERNA/MEGAN ALFREDSON/ BURN DOWN BABYLON/CHRISTIE LENEÉ St. Pete folk-rocker Lorna Bracewell, who has a gift for penning topical songs that don't clobber the listener with slogans, headlines this benefit gig presented by Feminist Student Alliance. The USF Advocacy Program, W.O.M.E.N. and VOX: Students for Choice. Equality Florida will also be on hand. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5
THE ACADEMY IS… w/WE THE KINGS/THE PROSPECT Chicago's The Academy Is… works familiar emo territory better than most. The lyrics don't drip with high school histrionics, and the hooks are grabby without being cloyingly sweet. The quintet formed in 2003 and has issued three full-lengths on Tampa-based Fueled by Ramen (Gym Class Heroes, Panic at the Disco, Phantom Planet). The Academy's latest CD, Fast Times at Barrington High, came out in August and includes the MySpace hit "About a Girl," which has racked up more than 700,000 plays and will surely warrant a sing-along at Jannus. Also on the lineup, in the respectable No. 2 slot, is Bradenton's We The Kings, which signed to S-Curve (Fountains of Wayne, Joss Stone) about a year ago and has witnessed its self-titled debut disc climb the Billboard 200 album chart thanks to the Top 40 single "Check Yes Juliet (Run Baby Run)." CL honored the foursome with a Best of the Bay for Best Pop Punk Band last month while the guys were touring Europe. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
FOLKIES FOR PHYLLIS: MIKE JURGENSEN w/JOHN HANCOCK & THE DECLARATION/BUNKO SQUAD/ERNIE WILLIAMS/DALE WEBBER & LINDA FACKELDEY/PEMELO JO HATLEY & STEELE OLMSTEAD This mini folk fest featuring local talent is a fundraiser for Phyllis Busansky, the Democratic candidate running for Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections. Show starts at 2 p.m. Headliner Mike Jurgensen, of New Port Richey, is a singer/songwriter who pens Sunshine State-themed tunes with titles like "Let's Go Fishin,'" "Golden Fleece Tarpon Springs" and "Florida Back Roads." (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
MONDAY, OCTOBER 6
THE DEAD SCIENCE w/ INSECT JOY/HI-JACK D.C. Seattle-based The Dead Science cites Prince, John Coltrane and Talking Heads as influences — and you can actually hear all three in the band's jazzy takes on all things rock and pop. Singer/guitarist Sam Mickens' dramatic, often falsetto, vocals are way over the top but work in an extreme-cabaret manner. Bassist Jherek Bischoff and drummer Nick Tamburro join him. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7
JONATHAN RICHMAN He's probably most famous for his singing role in the Farrelly Brothers 1998 blockbuster There's Something About Mary, but there's a lot more to Jonathan Richman. A singular cult artist, he accompanies himself on acoustic guitar and entertains with eccentric songs injected with childlike glee (sample titles: "Ice Cream Man," "Abominable Snowman in the Market," "Here Come the Martian Martians," "I'm a Little Aeroplane"). In the 1970s, Richman's proto-punk band The Modern Lovers recorded influential cuts like "Roadrunner," which has been covered by the likes of the Sex Pistols and, most famously, Joan Jett. At this WMNF show, Richman will be joined by Tommy Larkins on drums. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
FLAVOR OF JAZZ III w/SPYRO GYRA/THE CLEARWATER JAZZ HOLIDAY YOUTH BAND If you want to place blame (or, yeesh, give credit) to bands that laid the foundation for smooth jazz, Spyro Gyra certainly warrants consideration. They scored a No. 24 pop hit with the breezy instrumental "Morning Dance" in 1979, which reawakened record labels to the commercial possibilities of inoffensive instrumental music. Of course, Spyro's successors became offensive in their inoffensiveness. This soiree will include a cash bar and food samples from 20 Bay area restaurants. (Ruth Eckerd Hall) —ES
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8
THE ROCKET SUMMER w/PHANTOM PLANET/THE MORNING LIGHT/THE SECRET HANDSHAKE Island Records recording artist The Rocket Summer is Texas singer/multi instrumentalist Bryce Avary, a young man who know how to build and sell a sunny pop tune. Although he records solo, he tours with a full band reportedly consisting of high school chums. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
MATT HIRES CD RELEASE SHOW w/DAMION SUOMI/NATALIA ESTRADA/THE JUNKYARD KINGS Tampa singer/songwriter Matt Hires celebrates the release of his new EP, Live from the Hotel Café. An expressive vocalist with impressive range and a gifted lyricist, Hires offers a winning split between folk and strum pop, offering songs that are smart, touching and grabby. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
This article appears in Oct 1-7, 2008.