THURSDAY, MAY 16
Nappy Roots w/J-Killz/Pat Ferg/Luke The funky Kentucky foursome returns to town with their signature feel-good flavor. Rising to prominence in the early ’00s, Nappy Roots were key players in putting Southern hip-hop on the map with singles “Awnaw,” “Po’ Folks,” and “Roun’ The Globe.” They’ve never quite maintained the platinum-selling status garnered by their full-length debut Watermelon, Chicken, & Gritz, but they have maintained a regular touring presence and hit St. Pete often, this time supporting their latest album/mixtape, Nappy Roots Presents Sh!ts Beautiful. (Local 662, St. Petersburg) —Andrew Silverstein
Royal Room Live Series: Aaron Carter A Tampa native who’s been all over the map for the past 15 years, Carter is heavily followed here due to his local roots. Brother Nick Carter was (is) a Backstreet Boy, and Aaron followed in his footsteps with his own tween/teen hip-hop crossover career, issuing four albums before he even turned 16. Then he went musically inactive for a while and did a string of reality shows that started in 2006 with E!’s fleeting House of Carters (featuring Aaron, Nick and all the rest of the Carter kids living together in one house and trying to kick-start — or revive — their respective careers), continued in 2008 for the ninth season of Dancing with the Stars and seemed to end at Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off. Aaron set his sights back on music more permanently last year and “The After Party Tour” is his first time back on the road in eight years. (The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City)—LP
Moors & McCumber Acoustic duo James Moors and Kort McCumber have been collaborating since ’05, though the former is based in Wisconsin while the latter laid down roots in Colorado. Their lovely vocal harmonies spring and sail over Rocky Mountain-bred blues, folk and bluegrass melodies, Moors sticking primarily to acoustic guitar, McCumber switching off between six-string and 12-string guitars, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, piano, bouzouki, cello and Dobro. This tour hypes forthcoming third LP Against the Grain, due out June 1. The duo also performs at Hideaway Café & Recording Studio in St. Pete on Saturday. (Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin)—LP
FRIDAY, MAY 17
Lauren Mann and the Fairly Odd Folk w/My Name Forever/Caraisle Starting over, losing inhibitions, letting go, embracing life, venturing into the unknown, dancing under the stars at love’s beginning, making it work when the love seems to be drawing to an end, the meaning of life — Calgary songstress Lauren Mann waxes sweetly on all these topics and more with a refreshing optimism and cheerful attitude, even when she’s crooning about death. Her thoughtful lyrics (like “Follow your heart while you can and live with no regrets,” “We float through space and time, transient hearts align,” and “Always remember these three things, faith, hope and brushing your teeth / But most importantly, do everything lovingly”) dance over lushly orchestrated instrumentals with bright texture delivered via glockenspiel, ukulele, keys, occasional whistling and percussion. The result is a sublime marriage of roots rock and folk pop aesthetics on prominent display in Mann and the Fairly Odd Folk’s debut full-length Over Land and Sea, issued via Wanderer Records last month. (Orpheum, Ybor City)—LP
Mother Machine/Brazos The Rat/Time People/Music Box/Darling Harbour An eclectic lineup of Bay area entertainment encompassing dark and heavy psychedelic blues rock (Mother Machine), charmingly lopsided and jangly experimental pop (Brazos the Rat), melodic femme-led indie rock (Time People), alt-rock with wailing emo and harder-driving edginess (Music Box), and acoustic guitar-driven singer-songwriter pop (Darling Harbour, the stage moniker of Brendan Ciccone). (Local 662, St. Petersburg)—LP
The Brand New Opiates Brewing up a blend of classic blues, Cajun music, rock, jazz, punk and ska they’ve dubbed “swamp gypsy” is relatively new ensemble Brand New Opiates, which grew from a weekly open jam session at Yeoman’s and includes current and former members of local bands Swamp Logic, The Sheaks, Riders of the Easy Posse and Ego Mainline. (Ella’s Americana Folk Art Café, Tampa)—LP
Jayne Kelli & Clair Reilly-Roe A double bill of fair-haired acoustic guitar-wielding songstresses. The Bay area’s own Jayne Kelli sets her strong, lightly husky vocals against twangy roots-pop melodies. NYC-based Clair Reilly-Roe has sugary, higher-register intones and her sun-kissed acoustic sound explores the more beat-driven territories of reggae and hip-hop. (Hideaway Café & Recording Studio, St. Petersburg)—LP
The Big Hair Ball The Ritz presents a metal-themed party featuring hits from the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s by Journey and Bon Jovi tribute acts Never Stop Believin’ and Livin’ On A Prayer. An opening set by youthful classic rock purveyors Sound Parlor, a Big Hair Rockstar Costume Contest ($500 in cash prizes), and various other diversions round out the cheeky evening. (The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City)—LP
The Tim Version w/Awkward Age/Moose Masseuse A boisterous tripleheader of local talent is on tap at New World this Friday night. The Tim Version does it hard, raw and loud, battering through songs as guitarist Russ Van Cleave hurls rough-shredded vocals overtop. Also of note: driving, pop-oriented rock outfit Awkward Age, which pumps some melodic power into the show. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)—LP
SATURDAY, MAY 18
The Wilson Van The brothers Wilson — anchorman Mark, actor Patrick and advertising agency CEO Paul — are Tampa natives who’ve been giving back to the local community while living out their rock star dreams as The Wilson Van for the past several years. Formerly, they played solely Van Halen covers; current setlists are spiced up with other tunes they grew up listening to, by the likes of Bon Jovi, Journey and The Outfield. CL Holiday Auction winner Julian Fernandez cashed in his prize to chat with Patrick about his family band and the most recent charity to benefit (Gold Shield Foundation) as well as Patrick’s career in film, television and on stage, his memories of Club Detroit (newly re-opened and the site of the show), and various other topics. Click here to read the complete Q&A. (The Detroit, St. Petersburg) —LP
The Original Wailers w/Resinated/Danfield/Oceanstone Don’t get it twisted; this isn’t the same band that hit State Theatre a few weeks ago. That was The Wailers with bassist Aston “Family Man” Barrett. The Original Wailers features guitarist/singer Al Anderson, who came into the Marley picture after Pete Tosh left, in 1974, and is credited with infusing blues-rock licks into two of Marley’s best-known albums, Natty Dread and Kaya. Anderson and the five musicians who make up TOW perform original tunes off 2012 debut EP, Miracle, along with select Marley classics. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)—LP
Conrad Oberg Hailing from Jacksonville, 18-year old guitar phenom Conrad Oberg could play any song by ear by the age of four, recorded his first album at the legendary Sun Studios before middle school, and was chosen to perform Jimi Hendrix’s iconic rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” at the 40th anniversary of Woodstock in the festival’s original New York location. Born blind, Oberg continues to defy expectations with his latest release and seventh LP, Spoonful, a varied assortment of soulful tracks harkening back guitar’s golden era in the late ’60s and beyond. (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa) —AS
Attack Attack! w/The Plot in You/Get Scared/Dangerkids/Closer to Closure Headbang your cares away as Attack Attack! brings an onslaught of down-tuned distortion, pummeling drums, and throaty screams to Orpheum for one last show in Tampa before the Ohio foursome breaks up for good. The video for their 2008 single “Stick Stickly” gave rise to the internet meme/faux genre “crabcore” because of their guitarists’ crab-like posturing and head-banging all throughout. A legacy that will, surely, live on forever. (Orpheum, Ybor City) —AS
Metal For The Military III Nearly a dozen Tampa-spawned death metal acts have been called upon to deliver their blasting, thrashing goods for a charitable cause at the third annual Metal For The Military III event, including on-again, off-again elder staples of the scene like Massacre, and “newer” (est. 2006) Nuclear Blast Records-repped outfit S.W.W.A.A.T.S. (Success Will Write Apocalypse Across The Sky). Other performers include Ulcer, Must…Not…Kill, Swamp Gas and Black Tides Roll. Special guest appearances by Kelly Shaefer of Atheist, Steve Ashiem from Deicide and Order of Ennead, and Obituary’s John Tardy, whose bandmate, Trevor Peres, serves his famous pork sandwiches on the patio. Among the metallic goodies being raffled off is a limited edition Dimebag Darrell Dean guitar, and all proceeds benefit Camaraderie Foundation, which offers supplemental counseling and support to re-deployed soldiers suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury and other invisible wounds of war. Free admission with military ID; $10 all others. Show starts at 4:30 p.m. Advance tickets and donations at BrutalBroadcast.com. (Crowbar, Ybor City)—LP
SUNDAY, MAY 19
Ghostface Killah feat. Adrian Younge and Venice Dawn When two badass motherfuckers put their heads together, the results are bound to be next-level quality, especially when it’s a true exchange of ideas, where neither badass is lost in the mix. Such was the case when Wu-Tang Clan’s most consistently solid member, Ghostface Killah, teamed up with San Francisco producer/multi-instrumentalist Adrian Younge for this year’s Twelve Reasons to Die. Ghostface’s 10th album is a conceptual work based on a comic book of the same name about love, murder and the ghost who returns for revenge. Younge produced and composed all the music, its sound inspired by “36 Chambers-era RZA, Portishead and Ennio Morricone,” and drawing on his familiar sonic palette of vintage psychedelic soul, spaghetti Western drama (high rising arias and the like), and hip hop-funky beats. Younge’s live band, Venice Dawn, helped bring his aural vision to life in the studio while Ghostface wrote all the rhymes and continued his tradition of swift yet studied flows and nasty-smart observations (“Revenge is sweet that’s why I take my time with it, like good pussy I just stay when I’m up in”) with guest support and production by several Wu members. This is show is the only Florida date on the “12 Reasons to Die Tour” featuring Younge, Ghostface and Venice Dawn. (Orpheum, Ybor City)—LP
Ol’ Dirty Sundays w/Diamond D. Following the throwdown at Orpheum featuring Adrian Younge and Ghostface Killah, Ol’ Dirty Sundays presents the official after party with Bronx decks master Diamond D., who kicked off his calling spinning for Jazzy Jay in the late ’80s and is counted among the Diggin’ in the Crates crew (Fat Joe and the late Big L were also members). His skills in production and turtablism have been called on by numerous big names in hip-hop — The Fugees, Busta Rhymes, Queen Latifah, the Pharcyde and KRS-One among others — and he’s also delivered several full-length solo LPs, though likely he’ll delve deep into his vinyl library for this Sunday set. Who knows? Maybe Ghostface will jump in and spit some rhymes over Diamond D’s mixes. (Crowbar, Ybor City)—LP
Paul McCartney Not much more can be said about the iconic former Beatle that hasn’t already been repeated, nor does Paul McCartney need me to wax poetic, anyway; he already sold out Saturday night’s show in Orlando and I imagine the second added Sunday date on his “Out There” world tour is nearing its capacity, too. Get off the fence, or you just might have to get ugly on StubHub. (Amway Center, Orlando) —LP
MONDAY, MAY 20
Captured! By Robots w/High Five Go/Abortion Twins Traveling music comedy troupe Captured! By Robots takes the cake for the most unique show of the week. It’s a “troupe” but there’s only one human involved, JBOT (or Jason Vance), who gets some musical help from instrument-playing robot slave masters he built from things like bike chains and John Deere gear shifts. Apparently JBOT’s robot masters have “forced” him to go on tour, so look out for the guy when he stops by Orpheum. He’ll be the one in shackles with his fake entrails hanging out. (Orpheum, Ybor City) —AS
WEDNESDAY, MAY 22
Bad Veins w/Jensen Serf Co./Death Starsky Cincinnati, Ohio’s Benjamin Davis knows how to bury his unabashedly catchy hooks in your head alarmingly well without making you feel all gross and icky afterward. As Bad Veins (the name of his project with drummer Jake Bonta), he issued a 2009 full-length debut deemed “Criminally overlooked” by ABC’s Amplified blog, and 2012 latest The Mess We’ve Made is a vintage, multi-instrumental collection of tracks pulling from influences like The Killers and Tears for Fears. St. Pete’s Jensen Surf Co. opens with their acclaimed brand of lo-fi, riff-heavy surf rock, as does Death Starsky with their own two-piece experimental hip hop. Bad Veins stops at Microgroove for a 3:30 p.m. in-store before hitting Ybor on this night. (Crowbar, Ybor City) —AS
CLICK HERE to see a complete rundown of shows taking place this week and in the coming weeks.
This article appears in May 16-22, 2013.