THURSDAY, AUG. 31
QUEENSRYCHE The biggest thing to come out of Seattle before grunge and trendy coffee recently released the sequel to its critically hailed and commercially successful '88 concept album Operation: Mindcrime. For this tour, the prog-metal veterans have teamed up with VH-1 Classic to raise some money for the channel's Save The Music campaign to keep music education in public schools, and will perform both halves of the Mindcrime saga in their entirety. (Ruth Eckerd Hall)
G. LOVE & SPECIAL SAUCE Updated futuro-folk-bluesman G. Love went from being an unlikely hitmaker of the mid-'90s alternative scene to becoming an underground jam-scene favorite son. You might not have heard anything by the man and his band in a while, but the fact that this is a two-night stand at Jannus speaks volumes about the group's enduring — and possibly still increasing — popularity. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
FRIDAY, SEPT. 01
SERTOMA BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL This ain't no newfangled jam-grass fusion fest. Featured acts this time around include 30-year-old bluegrass band/cultural-outreach project The Special Consensus, Tim Graves, Jeanette Williams, The Gillis Brothers, and Vince Combs & Shadetree Grass, among many, many others. The Sertoma Youth Ranch is located at 85 Myers Road in Brooksville; for more information on this three-day event, visit www.sertomayouthranch.com or call 813-985-2780. (Sertoma Youth Ranch, Brooksville)
CHRIS ISAAK To these ears, Isaak's music has not aged well. What was in the early '90s an engaging update of Roy Orbison croon-rock now sounds quite dated. Isaak sprinkles in a bit of rounded-at-the-edges rockabilly, and he always looks damn sharp on stage. Is that reason enough to attend? (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater) —Eric Snider
GANDALF MURPHY & THE SLAMBOVIAN CIRCUS OF DREAMS Upstate New York's Gandalf Murphy and his crew of psych-rock-folk purveyors won over enough new fans during their performance at this year's Tropical Heatwave festival to prompt WMNF to invite 'em back for a Skipperdome show. Expect a lively, vaguely mystical blend of roots music, druggy swirl and spiritual philosophy. The group will also be appearing at Bradenton's Fogartyville Café on Saturday, Sept. 2. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
RADIO RESET CD RELEASE PARTY Straight outta Feather Sound comes this relatively new band that's been cutting its teeth mostly out of town in places like Las Vegas and Orlando. That won't prevent the quartet form throwing a hometown CD release party, though. In many regards, Radio Reset is radio-ready, with a gleaming pop-rock sound driven by the crystalline tenor (and songwriting) of Andrew Arthur. He's joined by guitarist/vocalist Andy Pardue (who co-writes), bassist Mark Allen and drummer Johnny Coryn. For those in need of a handy comparative touchstone: Radio Reset is kind of like a slightly more emo-ish version of Snow Patrol. (The Garage, St. Petersburg) —ES
NOTHING PROMISE FAREWELL SHOW Tampa's Nothing Promise has been cranking out frightening, moody metalcore since long before it became the thing to do. Despite the fact that its style is now about the trendiest thing in underground rock — and that the band recently released yet another EP of chilling material — Nothing Promise's members have decided to amicably pursue differing avenues, both musically and otherwise. Come send 'em off with a bang tonight, and show your appreciation for years of brutality. Equally punishing local acts Light Yourself on Fire (featuring former members of local legend Scrog) and Adrian's Black Eye (sporting dudes from Sadiya and Blood Spilled in Vain) provide apt support. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
SATURDAY, SEPT. 02
TOBY KEITH One of the current kings of contemporary C&W, Keith spreads a lot of sawdust and fake grit on the floor of his pop-country, but that don't make it real roadhouse boogie. His latest album, White Trash with Money, has already spawned a smash hit in "Get Drunk and Be Somebody." A couple of newer and quickly rising pop-country stars have signed on for this Ford Trucks-sponsored shed jaunt — Joe Nichols' most recent airwave staple is "Size Matters," while The Show Dogs are a trio recently signed to Keith's label of the same name. (Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa)
ANNA NALICK Young pop singer-songwriter Anna Nalick was granted the dream gig of working with members of one of her favorite bands for last year's debut full-length Wreck of the Day — former Blind Melon members Christopher Thorn and Brad Smith helped produce it. Nalick's style lies somewhere between Avril Lavigne's more, ahem, "mature" stuff and breathier, more Adult Contemporary-oriented artists like Sarah McLachlan and Paula Cole. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
THE WHIGS w/THE BEAUVILLES The Whigs are an eccentric, fuzz-toned pop-rock trio from Athens, Ga. The group deftly splits the difference between fun, garage-y bounce and a more sophisticated aesthetic, and could conceivably find big fans among hipsters and the kind of older crowd that goes in for less rambunctious singer-songwriter fare. The same goes for local heroes The Beauvilles, whose alternately boisterous and sensual rock 'n' roll carries subtle undertones of everything from jazz to rockabilly to gospel. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
FABLE CD RELEASE PARTY Bay area metal act Fable celebrates the birth of its new EP Souls of Time with a big ol' rawk show at New Port Richey's home of the big riff. The ambitious $15 cover gets you a copy of the disc as well as sets by Unspoken, Resurfaced, Clenchfist, Society's End, Veronica's Veil and, of course, Fable. (Bourbon Street, New Port Richey)
338/SYFUR/ENDLESS SUSPENSION/A PERFECT LIE A heavy night of rock from the top on down. 338 is a gang of Sarasotans whose talent goes beyond shredding and screaming. The band struts along with some of the classic soft-loud-soft dynamics of grunge. North Port's Syfur has a more up-to-date metal sound, complete with grunts and groans that sound like the singer just ate a peanut butter sandwich without the milk. Hometown dudes Endless Suspension have a pretty straightforward take on punk and screamo. Bradenton's A Perfect Lie doesn't even have sound clips on its MySpace page, so it's anybody's guess how heavy the band brings it. I'll guess "pretty heavy." The group's motto is "Shit happens when you mosh naked!" So true, so true. (The Tavern on Main, Sarasota) —Cooper Levey-Baker
SUNDAY, SEPT. 03
EARTH, WIND & FIRE w/CHRIS BOTTI EW&F piled on the hits in the '70s, but in comparison to some of the artistic titans of the period — Wonder, Gaye, Mayfield, Green — the band comes off as rather lightweight, a breezy, punchy, catchy kind of lightweight, heard in songs like "September," "Shining Star," "Sing a Song" and "Boogie Wonderland." EW&F will bring its shiny, layered vocals and snappy horn attack, along with smooth-jazz trumpeter/heartthrob Chris Botti. (Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa) —ES
AUTO!AUTOMATIC!! CD RELEASE PARTY FEAT. RIDDLE OF STEEL/RETISONIC/MOUSE FIRE/HISTORY Beloved Tampa post-rock unit Auto!Automatic!! lists a bunch of very hip bands in the "Influences" section (Don Caballero, Owls, etc.) on its MySpace page. But I don't think the group sounds much like those better known, more experimental names, simply because Auto!Automatic!! sounds better. The group has more heart, personality and inherent melody than any number of fractured, arty iconoclasts; it's just more listenable. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE: Tampa's favorite incredible rock band from St. Louis, Riddle of Steel, joins the party and brings a great Northeastern indie group called Retisonic along for the ride. And as if that weren't enough — and seriously, it would be, more than enough — you also get great tunes from Lakeland's heavily buzzed, Wes Anderson-worshipping Mouse Fire and Winter Park's cinematic History. This is THE show, kids. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
END OF SUMMER CELEBRATION Just on general principles alone, you gotta be suspicious of any event that (a) welcomes women 18 & up, but bans guys under 21; (b) plays host to a bikini contest; or (c) doesn't tell you what bands are gonna be there. Well, this 11-hour Seminole Hard Rock shindig (and that's before the after-party kicks in at Floyd's) has all three strikes against it, and we're still gonna bring it to your attention. Why? It's poolside, there's a barbecue buffet, and who knows — some of the bands might be worth hearing. (Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa)
McCABE JAZZ FESTIVAL Several locally based artists, some with a national resume, will perform at this second annual festival. Eric Darius, Shawn Brown, Mike MacArthur, Theo Valentin, Taabu and "B.K." Jackson II are on the bill. The free fest will be held at McCabe United Methodist Church, 2800 26th Ave. S., St. Petersburg, starting at 3 p.m. Call 727-824-2817 for more info. (McCabe Methodist Church, St. Petersburg) —ES
TUESDAY, SEPT. 05
WAKING ASHLAND/LYDIA/BRIGHTEN/THIS HOLIDAY LIFE When emo grows up, it's often and unfortunately even more generic and irritatingly faux-moody than it was as a tantrum-throwing brat. San Diego duo Waking Ashland's watered-down melancholy pop is a perfect example. Hailing from Arizona, Lydia fares little better with a mix of young-adult uncertainty and ambient electronics, while Brighten's pop is infinitely more listenable, if obviously influenced by the likes of Something Corporate and Jimmy Eat World. Fellow California act This Holiday Life draws from a larger and slightly artier palette. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 06
JEFF BECK He's played the Bay area before — once, at least, with the late Stevie Ray Vaughan — mostly, if not exclusively, in larger venues. But Jeff Beck, one of the guitar deities of the '60s who has remained not only a legend but a cutting-edge artist, kicking out his fireworks at Ruth Eckerd? C'mon. How good is that? The cool thing — one of the cool things — about Beck's playing is that he's not just a guy who bowls you over with speed, but wrenches all manner of strange and beautiful noises from his ax. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater) —ES
SEMINOLE HEIGHTS SOCIALITES UNITE! There's this cool little dive bar in Seminole Heights, on the eastern side of the freeway and not too far from the fabled Punkhouse, called The Corner Club; local hipsters, punks and bohemians have been rubbing elbows with the crazy/interesting/typical regulars there for years, and the beer is fucking COLD. Anyway, somehow roots-punk curmudgeon Crash Mitchell and the guys in The Tim Version talked The Corner Club's proprietors into letting them put on a show there with fellow high-living lowlifes The Dukes of Hillsborough. Find yourself at the corner of Sligh Avenue and 15th Street tonight — this is going to be a blast. (The Corner Club, Tampa)
JAH ROOTS/BADDA SKAT/D.J. ATTILA For some reason, Sarasota is incredibly deficient when it comes to reggae shows, not counting fun-in-the-sun reggae cover acts that pack out bars. Jah Roots is in town all the way from Springfield, Mo., not exactly a reggae hotbed. With reggae bands you usually know what to expect, but the group has a cool way with the sound we all know. Supporting Jah Roots are St. Petersburg's Badda Skat and D.J. Attila. (Atlantis Bar and Pizzeria, Sarasota) —CLB
This article appears in Aug 30 – Sep 5, 2006.