Rock the Park w/Band of Sorrows/Venus Bleu/Kerry Courtney Yessiree. The summer is flying by, and that means another installment of downtown Tampa’s seven-year-old, free outdoor concert series, Rock the Park. This edition features two St. Pete acts — songwriter Kerry Courtney (an American Idol alum who is cultivating a new sound and band) plus neo-soul and jazz collective Venus Bleu — being joined by Band of Sorrows, a Tampa-based group of rock and roll vets who’ve dedicated their band to adding more stomp and attitude to the already swampy and Southern sounds of Florida outlaw country. (Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Tampa) INFO
Holey Miss Moley presents Bustin' Out: A Tribute to Rick James Holey Miss Moley is already a rowdy, fun-loving outfit with a raucous set, but expect things to get super freaky when the band stages a mini-tour in honor of late composer and singer Rick James. The Dunedin show is the first show before stops in Orlando and Jacksonville, so relish this chance to dance wit’ this St. Pete-based outfit before it shows the rest of the Sunshine State how loosey they get on a daily basis. (Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin) INFO
Your Pest Band w/Vaginasore Jr./Gino and the Goons/Changer Why does it feel like Japanese bands always kill it when they hit the States? Don’t know what we’re talking about? Head to Lucky You Tattoo where Tokyo’s Your Pest Band arrives supporting a 2017 LP, Old Springhead where it decides to never put the drink down in the hopes of finding something meaningful in the late nights and perfectly jangly, sometimes sloppy, pop-tinged punk. Bonus points to promoters for the inclusion of Tampa scene vets Vaginasore Jr. (made up of members of Clairmel, The Tim Version, Too Many Daves, Sandspur City and Awkward Age), which spent 2006-2009 putting out 22 of the best rawk songs Tampa has ever heard. St. Pete’s Gino and the Goons open the show alongside Wolf-Face and Stegosaurus hybrid band Changer. No assholery allowed at this one, and Tampons unwilling to make the drive can see the Pests at The Hub on August 4 with The Tim Version and Old Vices. (Lucky You Tattoo, St. Petersburg) INFO
Nate Najar's Bossa Nova Guitars w/Phill Fest/Alejandro Arenas/Mark Feinman Brazilian choro, samba and bossa nova come together at the Palladium where hometown boy done good Nate Najar is joined by Manfredo Fest offspring (and Deeforce alum) Phill Fest for a night of steamy jazz guitar all backed by bassist Alejandro Arenas and drummer Mark Feinman. (Palladium Theatre, St. Petersburg) INFO
Reckless Saints This Fort Myers-based duo plays a self-described brand of blues-twangled “folk & roll” that also sticks its fingers into jazz, and bluegrass as it journeys through the pages of the Great American Songbook. Roy Schneider’s songs have won praise at songwriting competitions (Texas’ Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition, the Telluride Blues & Brews Acoustic Blues competition in Colorado) and even landed him an appearance on season five of NBC’s The Voice. This show is free, so it’ll be hard to find excuses not to watch these Saints pluck a little mandolin, uke, lapsteel and more during this St. Pete stop. (The Ale & the Witch, St. Petersburg) INFO
MetroCon w/MetroCon raves/Cartridge Carnage/more MetroCon — an anime convention expected to draw about 15,000 to downtown Tampa — is going down this weekend, and while the focus will be on panels, video games and cosplay, there is also a musical element thanks to a lip sync battle, Anime Idol, the “150% legal and safe” MetroCon raves and a Friday night set from video game metal trio Cartridge Carnage. Expect the Gainesville-based geeks to play fast and heavy takes on songs from titles like Mega Man X and Mario Kart. More information on MetroCon is available via metroconventions.com. (Tampa Convention Center, Tampa) INFO
Keep St. Pete Special w/DJ Sugar Bear St. Pete and the sport of shuffleboard have both been enjoying a renaissance for quite some time now, so what better time than now to throw a free party celebrating the arts, preservation, neighborhoods and the city’s locally-owned independent businesses. Organizers say that this particular event — where DJ Sugar Bear is tasked with starting a party — is a non-political one, but let's hope attendees are equipped and prepared to stand up for their principles when and if they ever need to. (St. Pete Shuffleboard Club, St. Petersburg) INFO
ALSO PLAYING
The Get Up w/Sinister Syndicate (New World Brewery, Ybor City) INFO
Voodoo Visionary w/Eminence Ensemble/Ajeva (Crowbar, Ybor City) INFO
Deja (Circles Waterfront Restaurant, Apollo Beach) INFO
Ring of Malevolence w/Sorrowseed/Spectral Voices/Lineage/Spawn of Thirteen (Brass Mug, Tampa) INFO
Tiny Office w/Kayla Korpics (Connect at USFSP, St. Petersburg) INFO
Swing Dance w/DJ Scallywag (Mermaid Tavern, Tampa) INFO
Vintage Youth w/Jason Barbo (Orbit 19 Lounge, Holiday) INFO
This article appears in Aug 3-10, 2017.