Video Blue w/D. Vassalotti/Meanad/Apoc Siren/Maenads Anyone headed to Paper Crane on Friday should seriously consider making the trek to Tampa’s Riverside Heights neighborhood for this one. Merchandise frontman Carson Cox will be performing under the Video Blue moniker, and his breakbeat/industrial production should fit in well next to Merchandise guitarist David Vassalotti who’ll be presenting his experimental guitar and noise musings as well. This is Meanads’ first show and noise outfit Apoc Siren round it all out. (Steelworker Records, Tampa) INFO
Garrett Klahn w/Fistful It’s a damn shame Texas Is The Reason kind of hit the bricks before they exploded. Thank Jeebus frontman Garrett Klahn has kept on though. He brings a 2016 solo debut to Seminole Heights record store Microgroove for what should be a packed show. Expect the TITR worship to be on point for this one, but be ready to experience the growth and detail Klahn has poured into the effort, which is full of charmingly warm hungover ballads made for contemplative mornings alone. Joel Davis (Ascend the Hill) brings his own solo endeavour, Fistful, along to open the show. (Microgroove, Tampa) INFO
MC Lars w/Mega Ran/Jon Ditty It’s only been four months since his last appearance at Crowbar, but MC Lars (who opened for MC Chris in October) is back. This time it’s a headlining gig where his “pop punk laptop rap” can spread out for fans who’ve been following the Golden State nerdcore warrior since a 1999 Noseman debut, Nothing to Fear. His latest EP, Donald Trump Has Very Bad Morals, is obviously ripe for the times, so expect the Lars attacks to be sharp when he grabs the mic. (Crowbar, Ybor City) INFO
Col. Bruce Hampton In the 60s, Gustav Valentine Beglund III was scurrying around the Atlanta scene with avant garde rockers Hampton Grease Band. Now the surrealist guitarist (better known as Col. Bruce Hampton) is running around solo. He’ll be stretching out at Dunedin Brewery this weekend, and this show is the start of a three night stand. (Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin) INFO
Edwin McCain Are you better now that you’re older? Because two decades later, Edwin McCain is still your crying shoulder, your love’s suicide and greatest fan of your life. Join his biggest fans in downtown Clearwater tonight when the New York Times’ “great american romantic” plays an intimate set at The Cap. (Capitol Theatre, Clearwater) INFO
Senses Fail w/Counterparts/Movements/Like Pacific Less than a week after dropping a new EP (In Your Absence, due May 3 via Pure Noise) Post-hardcore outfit Senses Fail comes to Cigar City to celebrate 15 years of bandom. Expect to hear stuff from Absence, but be ready to get a slice of everything dating all the way back to their 2002 Drive-Thru Records debut From the Depth of Dreams. (Orpheum, Ybor City) INFO
Dua Lipa w/Ro Ransom This 21 year old Brit is a favorite back home and has already performed at Lollapalooza, Glastonbury and SXSW, so it’s going to be interesting to see how Dua Lipa scales her set down in St. Pete. Fans have been waiting for her self titled debut LP (due June 2017 via Warner Brothers) with baited breath, so hopefully Lipa will give them a taste. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg) INFO
ALSO PLAYING
Something Else Thursdays w/Wally Clark/Silent Rage/Bobby Duke/Rude 100 (c. 1949, Tampa) INFO
The Blues Brothers w/The Oak Ridge Boys (Florida Strawberry Festival, Plant City) INFO
Bright Lights Concert Series w/Johnny Cash & Patsy Cline Tribute Band (Largo Community Center, Largo) INFO
Liquid Spiral w/A Lucid Interval/Deviate the Plan/Naxell (Brass Mug, Tampa) INFO
This article appears in Mar 9-16, 2017.