A breakdown of live music happening this Fri., May 8…
Tauk with Displace, DJ K-Slat With guitars that vary from heavy distorted chord progressions to more complex fret dancing, a mix of whizzing keys and dramatic organs swells, fatty basslines dosed in sporadic wet effects, and tempos that push, pull, drive and groove, instrumental NYC quartet Tauk hop-scotches through the genres. From funk to prog-jazz to blues and hip hop, with meanderings into reggae bump and sways or launching sci-fidelic electro odysseys, Tauk stretches and twists their sounds in all directions. Sophomore full-length Collisions was produced by Robert Carranza (Mars Volta, Taj Mahal). (Crowbar, Ybor City)
The Florida Orchestra Presents: The Music of the Who If you’re still buzzing from the after effects of The Who’s 50th anniversary tour kick-off last month in Tampa, The Florida Orchestra tackles the British rock group in its next Rock Concert Series presentation. A full band led by vocalist Brody Dolyniuk cycles through cuts off albums like Tommy, Quadrophenia, Who’s Next and Who Are You with added symphonic reinforcement and textural vibrancy by TFO as arranged by Berklee-trained guest conductor Brent Havens. (Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg)
Big Guava Music Festival with The Strokes, Pixies, Pretty Lights, Hozier, Ryan Adams, TV on the Radio, Run the Jewels, James Blake, AWOLNATION & many more Two days, four stages, 34 acts ranging from alt hip hop to indie dance music to alt post punk spread amid a thoroughfare with carnival rides, food vendors, craft beer purveyors and various other diversions? Yep, it’s the second annual Big Guava Music Festival; read more about the Friday-Saturday extravaganza right here. (Florida State Fairgrounds and MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa)
Jimmie Fadden If you slept on his Hideaway performance in March, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band drummer/harmonica blower/jug player Jimmie Fadden makes his way back for another round less than two months later. (Hideaway Café & Recording Studio, St. Petersburg)
Private Series 04: Mr. C Another overseas electronic music maker hits the HPC decks for its next exclusive (limited admission) Private Series dance party. British biggie Richard West aka Mr. C, wears many hats; pioneering DJ/producer of tech house sounds, rapper and musician, co-owner/founder of The End nightclub in London, Superfreq record label co-founder. This tour celebrates his imprint’s 13th anniversary. (The Hyde Park Café, Tampa)
Peelander-Z with Abortion Twins, Nerds Raging I’m told that you can’t judge a Peelander-Z by its cover – or in this case, its outward bizarreness – without witnessing the masked and costumed NYC-based quartet of faux Japanese anime action heroes live, in full Technicolor, pushing out loud and brash punk tunes amid getting all cray-cray and prompting much crowd participation, from handing off instruments to fans, to leading full-audience limbos. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
Lisa Loeb She penned one of the most-played reconciliation songs to come out of the ’90s – “Stay (I Miss You),” so famously tapped to underscore the tumultuous relationship between disaffected 20-somethings Lelaina (Winona Ryder) and Troy (Ethan Hawke) in Reality Bites. AC folk-pop songstress Lisa Loeb can also be credited with single-handedly making spectacles sexy again, and even has her own eyewear collection. (Capitol Theatre, Clearwater)
Betty Fox Band CD Release Party A local songstress who has grace, style and powerhouse pipes with a rich, sultry quality, Betty Fox and her three-piece expand upon their soulful bluesy rock repertoire with the release of sophomore LP Slow Burn, which features slower-grooving gospel-tinged first single, “Solid Ground.” According to the Facebook invite, “Betty has a special surprise for all the people who attend this once-in-a-lifetime celebration (HINT: you will want it, and you won’t be able to get it anywhere else).” (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
ALSO TONIGHT
Unpainted Souls Sacred Grounds Coffeehouse, Tampa
Gumbo Boogie Band Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa
Lions Lions w/Oh Captain My Captain Epic Problem, Tampa
Ben Prestage Ale and the Witch, St. Petersburg
Against My Will/Together In Exile/Clenchfist/Cypher Machine Brass Mug, Tampa
This article appears in May 7-13, 2015.