This Sat., June 18, is ripe for the picking, at least as far as concerts go. Take a look at the breakdown of highlights below…
Americana Fest feat. Cory Branan, Laney Jones & The Spirits and more For the 11th annual edition of its roots-oriented showcase, WMNF welcomes venerable alt-country singer-songwriter Cory Branan, who we usually see delivering his twangy clever story-songs at New World. The Skipperdome makes a perfectly suitable backdrop, too. Directly preceding his headlining set is Laney Jones & The Spirits, featuring a namesake songstress juggling banjo, uke, guitar and harmonica and piping pop-catchy folk-grass odes in a honeyed drawl. The rest of the day-long Americana Fest (which happens from 3 p.m. to midnight) comprises performances by local and Florida talent: Troy Youngblood & the Soulfish, Big Shoals, Roy Schneider, Connor Zwetsch, American Song Box, Ben Jarrell and the Wildwood Weeds, Joe Milligan Project, Mitch Lind & the Loggerheads and Rosewood Creek. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
97X Bud & Burgers with X Ambassadors Shouldn’t this event be called “97X America and Burgers”? Considering Budweiser’s new Olympics/presidential race-inspired summertime re-branding? The Bay area station has the usual admission requirements for its next “free” event – to get in, you have to score tickets at a pre-determined ticket drop location. Entry includes cheap Buds (Americas?), burgers from some of the best joints around town, and a day of live music that culminates in a headlining performance by rising indie alt rock quartet X Ambassadors, behind dark and folky charter, “Renegades.” (Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg)
Lil Uzi Vert with YFN Lucci, Kodak Black A tour featuring several up-and-coming Atlanta-based rap talents is led by Lil Uzi Vert, born and raised in Philly originally, and catching a buzz for his trap style productions and rapid-fire delivery on three mixtapes, the last few (including surprise April release, Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World) as repped by Generation Now/Atlantic Records. YFN Lucci has a calculated rhyme flow and clever wordplay, and is signed to ATL indie label Think It’s A Game Entertainment alongside Rich Homie Quan and Trinidad James; he also plays State Theatre on Sunday evening. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
The Weepies Deb Talan has a teeth-hurting vocal quality – high, clear, dulcet intones complemented by the tuneful tenor of her hubbie/creative partner Steve Tannen. The duo have crafted enchanting, melody-rich folk pop odes as The Weepies since releasing their full-length debut in 2003. Much of 2015’s Sirens was recorded while Talan battled breast cancer, but it proves just as lovely as past efforts, if a bit more poignant, and brings the couple to town for this intimate performance. (Murray Theater at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)
Mantra Love with Sleeping Pills, The Dialtones Mantra Love is a trio that hails from Texas and doses the loose, hazy, lo-fi indie rock sounds of their 2015 self-titled EP with heavy-handed psychedelia and New Wave-y post-punk. Repping the local side of things are Sleeping Pills, great but straight-up Joy Division derivative, and the Dialtones, bringing retro-hued two-piece rock-outs. (The Bends, St. Petersburg)
Voice Play The Orlando group appeared in the fourth season of NBC’s acapella singing competition The Sing-Off, and though they didn’t take home the win, Voice Play delivered memorable (instrument-free) renditions of “Feel This Moment” (that Pitbull track with Christina Aguilera), Wild Cherry’s “Play That Funky Music” and Breakfast Club/Simple Minds ode “Don't You (Forget About Me).” (Pinellas Park Performing Arts Center, Pinellas Park)
ALSO HAPPENING TONIGHT
Sara Rose Band w/Lady and the Bard Sat., June 18, Ale and the Witch, St. Petersburg
The Unfit w/Deezy Wee The Reaper/Phaze Jones/Tim Apex/Larz Darko/YZM/Von Kuzze/Richie Gaupo/Tony Handz/IAmPreme Sat., June 18, The Venture Compound, St. Petersburg
Sophistafunk Sat., June 18, Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin
DooBiE 2TREED Tour w/DooBiE/Minati Boyz/Dj Hylyte Sat., June 18, Local 662, St. Petersburg
Michael J. Weiss Trio Sat., June 18, Hideaway Café & Recording Studio, St. Petersburg
This article appears in Jun 16-23, 2016.