This Tue., Aug. 11, features four high quality concert offerings. Check out the breakdown below, and be prepared to fret over which one you want to go to most…
Steely Dan with Elvis Costello & the Imposters The most scathing backlash I ever received followed a not-so-nice review of a Steely Dan concert. I’ve acquired a taste for the Dan in the seven years since, and though it’s never reached outright fervor, I’ll admit to a deep appreciation for their silky smooth jazz grooves and downy-soft yacht rock swagger, the pristine production quality on albums like Aja and Pretzel Logic, and the unique dynamic of songwriting core Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. On their current “Rockabye Golly Angel Tour,” the 60s-something duo – Becker on guitar, bass and vocals, Fagan wielding a mean melodica in addition to singing and playing piano – are joined by a full band with three back-up singers, and setlists touch on “Kid Charlemagne,” “My Old School,” “Hey 19” and other favored odes. Cool Brit rocker Elvis Costello returns to Tampa Bay warming the stage for Dan with his Imposters (keyboardist Steve Nieve, drummer Pete Thomas and bassist Davey Faragher); their last album together was 2008’s Momofuku. (MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater, Tampa)
Bane with Turnstile, Backtrack, Heavy Chains, Forced Order, Mizery, Blistered Though Terror had to drop off “The Life & Death Tour 2015” due to frontman Scott Vogel’s back injury, the rest of the bands on the bill have carried on, with hardcore punk staple Bane taking the headlining reins behind fourth (and supposedly final) full-length Don’t Wait Up with feature support from Turnstile, another aggro band that has deeper groove metal tendencies and a brand new debut full-length to back up, Nonstop Feeling. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
The Velvet Teen with Empire Cinema “Baroque pop” is the label that gets thrown around a lot when you hear people reference The Velvet Teen, but the Los Angeles trio evokes Radiohead, U2 and Appleseed Cast more than Ra Ra Riot or The Decemberists while not sounding like any of the above, exactly; bare echoing guitar solos mixed with distorted riffage, weird keyboard embellishments, a high-reaching yearning vocal quality, and a style that’s more alt pop jangle and indie grunge rock fizz colored in New Wave and electro hues. This year’s All Is Illusory – the first new Velvet Teen outing in nine years – was recorded and co-produced by Steve Choi (Rx Bandits) and Roger Camero (No Motiv). (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
Patrick & The Swayzees All the ingredients for a proper Tuesday night Skipperdome throwdown can be found in one five-member package with a pun-cheeky name, a sound drawing on elements of surf, rockabilly, soul and doo wop, and a frontman with sharp vintage style and a strong booming howl. This is the debut launch of Key West-bred Patrick & The Swayzees, which only formed this year and has a covers-heavy setlists ranging from Little Richard to The Ventures. (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa)
This article appears in Aug 6-12, 2015.