A few noteworthy artists hitting Tampa Bay on this fine Thurs., Sept. 24. Take a look below…
Billy Idol with The London Souls The British punk rocker perfected his stankface sneer through the ‘80s, churning out a string of solid burners that get play on modern rock radio today; “Dancing with Myself,” “Mony Mony,” “White Wedding,” et. al. Last year saw him drop an autobiography (Dancing with Myself) and his first new album in more than a decade, Kings & Queens of the Underground; the title track is a self-reflecting rock opera … with acoustic guitars, flutes and harpsichords? “Postcards from the Past” has a little more meat with its riffy guitar passages, and Billy Idol’s rough-edged tenor erupts into a way that evokes “Rebel Yell” for sure, but there are synthesizers, too. Not sure how the “cinematic songs about sin, redemption and the love of rock ‘n’ roll” will translate in a live setting, but I imagine his classic material will make up for any missteps, as will Billy Idol’s showmanship. He’s a professional, after all. NYC-brewed vintage rock n’ soul outfit London Souls provide fine warm up. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)–Leilani Polk
Janet Jackson She’s still in control. After taking a break for the last several years, Ms. Jackson is back and ready to re-affirm her position as an R&B pop icon. She reunited with super-producer duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis – responsible for previous hits like “All For You” and “Control” – to work on her fresh single “No Sleep,” which earned the pop diva her 40th Billboard Hot 100 hit. On this tour, expect to see Janet’s legendary dance moves and hear her airy soprano soar high and strong in medleys of cuts from her vast catalog. Unbreakable, her first studio album in more than seven years, is due out October 2. (Amalie Arena, Tampa) –Andrea McCray
ALSO HAPPENING TONIGHT
Plastic Pinks w/Sonic Graffiti/Part Time Models The Bends, St. Petersburg
Shoeless Soul w/Morgan Donahue Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin
This article appears in Sep 24-30, 2015.
