A breakdown of live music taking place in the Tampa Bay area beginning this St. Patty's Day Thursday through Sunday, with featured highlights at the top and the rest of the week’s schedule at the bottom. For a complete list of concerts, click here to visit our Upcoming Concerts page.
Thursday, March 17
[pictured right] Instrumental Bay area five-piece Lucid Druid fuses the authentic sounds of Celtic music with world and prog rock influences. Informally led by composer and two-time World Champion piper Adam Quinn (bagpipes, shuttlepipes, clarinet, didgeridoo), the band also features Joe Porter (electric and double basses), Sebastian Deledda (guitars), Steve Turner (djembe, ashiko, talking drum, didgeridoo, percs) and Doug White (drums, Scottish snare, roto-tams, percs). This show is one of several that mark the release of their latest recording, Cernunnos, an EP of atypical arrangements with wah wah guitar solos and psychedelic riffage, crying bagpipe melodies, deep digeridoo moans, and rhythms infused with African and Scottish percussive textures and conversely ambling or bouncing around airily or driving towards an epic pipe-fueled climax. The band also plays the Safety Harbor Concert Series on Friday and Dunedin House of Beer on Saturday. 3 p.m., O’Keefe’s Tavern , Clearwater, free admission.
St. Patricks Day w/Cadillac Bombers Tarpon Springs-based Kalamity Kat-fronted rockabilly outfit Cadillac Bombers have been bringing their swinging, country-fused tunes to Bay area audiences for the past three years. Kat’s strong and retro-sleek vocals are set against Teddy Boy’s twangy guitar, the bouncy rhythms of drummer Lee “The Machine” Shivley and bluegrass-influenced low-end thump of double bass player Cory Karish. 9 p.m. doors, New World Brewery, Ybor City, free admission. —Valerie Quintana
[pictured left] While Travers never really broke through to American audiences (his most popular U.S. singles were “Snortin’ Whiskey” and “Boom Boom Out Go the Lights”), the Canadian hard rock growler and guitarist has earned wide-ranging critical praise over the years and enough popularity everywhere else to sustain his career as a performer and prolific recording artist. 7 p.m. doors, The Local 662, St. Petersburg, $15.50.
Lords of Acid w/Angelspit/Radical G Belgium’s influential new beat electronica artist Praga Khan formed Lords of Acid nearly two decades ago. After taking an eight-year break, Praga revived the raunchy post-industrial outfit in 2010 and took it on the road. That time around, the band featured singer Lacy Conner (infamously known for her crazy conniving on Rock of Love); this time, the lineup includes guitarist Virus (Dope), bass player Murv3 (Powerman 5000) and drummer Kirk Salvador (Society 1), with DJ Mea (Me and My Machine) taking Lacy’s place on lady-lead vocals. 7 p.m. doors, State Theatre, St. Petersburg, $18. —Valerie Quintana
St. Patrick's Day Block Party w/Eye Empire/Not Tonight Josephine/Anchor Atlantic/Unmotivated/3 Pint Harmony/Unspoken/Nuera/7 Years Past/Burning Tree/Mighty Mongo/Renegade Strand/Jeremy Thomas Band A genre-spanning group of local acts converge in downtown St. Pete for this free St. Paddy’s Day block party thrown by Durty Nelly’s. More than 15 bands are spread out over several indoor and outdoor stages; among the highlights are rising alt rock stars Not Tonight Josephine, Irish-infused folk and roots rock outfit 3 Pint Harmony, and ska-reggae-rock sextet Unmotivated. 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Durty Nelly's + downtown St. Petersburg, free.
This article appears in Mar 17-23, 2011.