A look at some live music taking place this last Thursday in April…
Earl Sweatshirt with Remy Banks, Vince Staples Weirdo alternative rapper/producer from LA, member of Odd Future collective and favorite of Kendrick Lamar, Earl Sweatshirt (real mouthful-of-a-name: Thebe Neruda Kgositsile) just dropped a dryly-titled sophomore LP, I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside. Even though it leaked early, and Mr. Sweatshirt was none too pleased about it (From a 1:27 a.m. post on his Twitter feed: “I WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK @SonyMusicGlobal 4 FUCKING UP THE ROLL OUT PROCESS OF MY SHIT. SOMEONE GOTS 2 PAY 4 THEIR MISTAKES ! #SWEAT”), the album still debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard 200. His music isn’t for everyone, his sluggish cynical verses delivered in a low-toned drone over equally slow-paced, stripped-back production. But he’s hot shit right now, and on this tour joined by sharp emerging New York rapper Remy Banks, and another rising rap talent, Vince Staples, one-third of Long Beach, Calif. group Cutthroat Boyz. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
Callaghan The London-spawned Nashville-based songstress also known as Georgina Callaghan had her U.S. break with her 2012 Shawn Mullins-produced full-length, Life in Full Colour. The title track to 2015 sophomore follow-up A History of Now draws on twinkling folk pop with doses of light twang, organ-embellished melodies, and a bouncing-and-island-swaying tempo, all of it underlined by Callaghan’s strong, dulcet-toned vocals. (Sideshow at SHAMc, Safety Harbor)
Donna the Buffalo The Herd is drawn to the acoustically pristine enclaves of Capitol Theatre for the latest Bay area appearance by Upstate New York’s jammy roots rock favorites. Co-led by singer-songwriters Tara Nevins (accordion, acoustic guitar, fiddle, tambourine) and Jeb Puryear (electric guitar, pedal steel), Donna the Buffalo plies a rambling and swaying sound dosed in country, folk, reggae and Zydeco flavors. The quintet celebrated their 25th anniversary last year and continues touring behind 10th and latest LP, Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday. (Capitol Theatre, Clearwater)
ALSO TONIGHT
Displace Acoustic Ale and the Witch, St. Petersburg
Come Back Alice/Ajeva/Holey Miss Moley Ringside Café, St. Petersburg
Singer-Songwriter Night w/Tom Scudiero/Michael Snayd/Gary McDonald Tre Amici @ The Bunker, Ybor City
This article appears in Apr 30 – May 6, 2015.