Finally. The weekend is here. Half of you probably got paid today, so make sure to buy the other half a drink when you're out catching these shows this weekend -- we promise your new friends will return the favor.
From DJs to indie bards to cover bands to garage rock, there's a veritable smorgasbord of shows to go to this weekend whether your a hippie, yippie, yuppy, hipster, pothead, or whatever -- why are we labeling each other anyway?
Check out the menu below, and make sure to press play on those songs you see, too. Your ears will thank you.
FRI 05
✔CL Classic Albums Live: Led Zeppelin II A March edition of the Toronto-born Classic Albums Live concert series featured Led Zeppelin I, the eponymous debut from the pioneers of rocking the fuck out. On this night, its sophomore follow-up is presented in its entirety, front to back (from "Whole Lotta Love" to “Bring It on Home”), and with all due reverence. (Capitol Theatre, Clearwater)— Leilani Polk
✔CL Kitty Tsumani w/ The Chickenhawks/Veiny Hands/The Dialtones Ghost Drag Records brings a pair of North Carolina garage pop outfits, Kitty Tsunami (Ashveille) and the Chickenhawks (Leicester) to St. Pete’s favorite place to never charge a cover for a show. You just got paid, so turn up the Kittys’ “Shrooms” below and buy someone a drink when you get there. (The Bends, St. Petersburg)
Recycled Percussion Four guys juggle guitar and a mix of found percussives (buckets, power tools, ladders, trash cans) to create self-styled “junk rock,” served with plenty of finesse and an eye-popping stage show that earned Recycled Percussion third place on America’s Got Talent. (Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg) —LP
✔CL Hank Williams Jr. w/Chris Stapleton His name sits at the top of the bill, but you’ve gotta think that Hank Williams Jr. has a strong hankering that a lot of the folks in the crowd for his appearance at the old Gary are actually there to see Chris Stapleton. The 38-year-old songwriter is having one hell of a run, and got an extra boost in February after taking home Grammys for Best Country Album and Best Country Solo Performance. Stapleton is no stranger to the shadows though (he wrote songs for the likes of Adele, Kenny Chesney, Sheryl Crow, and even George Strait before taking the spotlight) and what transpires during his set will probably be nothing less than a reminder that there’s still a lot of quality and authenticity left in Nashville, Tennessee’s big hit-making country music machine. (MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa)
✔CL One Trip Little Record Release Party We featured local musician Justin Little and his One Trip Little project in June, when he took his vintage-flavored gospel-soaked country-roots and Western swinging sounds on the road to Cuba. He’s back, and officially celebrating the release of One Trip Little debut Cheap Bibles, joined by upright bass-banging bandmate Gary Knaggs for a set heavy on material from his fresh LP. Warm-up from fellow rocking talents Twisty Chris & The Puddin' Packs, Zanesville, and Kristopher James. (Orpheum, Ybor City) —LP
✔CL Bossa Nova Guitars: Nate Najar & Phill Fest Two jazz guitar heavyweights — the Bay area’s own fingerstyle nylon-string fret caresser, Nate Najar, and South Florida-based composer/vocalist/acoustic axe picker and plucker Phill Fest, son of the great Manfredo — come together for a night of Brazilian sounds. (Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg)—LP
SAT 06
Blink-182 w/A Day To Remember/All-American Rejects “I'm sorry but Blink 182's newest sound/material/guitarist is SO AWFUL, you would be better off listening to grass grow or plugging your headphones/earbuds into a piece of poop.” This is a direct quote from my cousin Andrew, once a Blink-182 super fan, now not so much. Take that what you will from it, but chances are, if you dug the behemoths of pop-punk with Tom DeLonge, you probably won’t like ‘em much without him, either. At least A Day to Remember ups the bill with their Florida-bred high-octane metalcore and a fresh LP, Bad Vibrations, due out in September. (MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa)—LP
✔CL Rockabilly Rumpus w/Skinny D & The Hot Rod Truckers/Mayhem Mark/Midnight Bowlers League/Little Sheba and the Shamans/The Johnny Zoom Hifi Show Not quite the Ruckus, but still a whole lot of rockabilly. This Saturday night shack shaker looks to piggyback on WMNF’s popular Rockabilly Ruckus and welcomes a pair of Tampa staples to join former Rocket 88 frontman Damian Bacci and his new band, The Hot Rod Truckers to get things swingin’ to tunes that also borrow from blues, jazz and rock & roll. (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa)
Morgan Page w/ Christian Alexander/Nate Verde The first casualty of the April Ybor City fire that destroyed the Amphitheatre event facility was this appearance from Morgan Page. Amphitheatre’s events have since moved one block over to The Ritz, and while the relocation was not without questions regarding Czar’s removal from the venue’s calendar, it is a bit of a relief to see a makeup date from Page come to fruition. The 35-year-old has been twiddling with electronic music since he was a teenager, nominated for a Grammy twice and finds himself finally back in town just a couple of months after Pegboard Nerds, Brooks, Bee’s Knees and Lash all artufully remixed Page and Angelika Vee’s “Safe Till Tomorrow.” (The Ritz, Ybor City)
✔CL Obituary w/Druid Lord/Tickle/Mad Splatter/Utoten Kreig This weekend already features a show with ties to Tampa metal elder statesman Obituary (see: Gruesome on Thursday), but this Saturday night affair is definitely worth checking out and getting a designated driver for. It finds the band working in conjunction with Munster. Indiana brewery 3 Floyds to throw a party in honor of Obituary’s own beer, Hopped In Half, which is described as “a crisp pilsner for those who like to rot slow, live large and drink their beer quickly. Very quickly.” Doors are early, at 6 p.m., but there’ll be plenty of local bands to warm you up while you down pints of the cold stuff. (Brass Mug, Tampa)
✔CL David Bazan w/ Michael Nau A bonus track from David Bazan’s new album finds him being interviewed by journalist/friend John Roderick. The 40-year-old songwriter and brain behind late 90’s slowcore favorites Pedro The Lion waxes on a ton of things including Spotify and his now retired five red tour hoodies. It’s idiosyncratic to the bearded bard, and it’s another wrinkle in his honest charm, which fans have grown endeared to over the course of two decades. Expect some story telling and whole lot of the downtempo classics Bazan has come to be known for at this show and get there early to see former Page France/Cotton Jones Basket Ride frontman Michael Nau work through cuts like “While You Stand” and “Good Moon” from his own quiet, introspective folk-pop LP, Mowing, which saw release in February via Suicide Squeeze Records (home to Minus the Bear, The Coathangers amongst others). Listen below. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
✔CL Sweet Crude w/ Jordan Esker & the Hundred Percent Unless you’re fluent in French, there’s a good chance you won’t understand a single word being uttered through the mics at this appearance from Sweet Crude. The New Orleans seven-piece self identify as a collective specializing in “drop pop Louisianais” and celebrate their hometown’s French-speaking tradition with language and a sound that is nothing short of prog-pop ecstasy. The dazzled at this year’s Gasparilla Music Festival, and this year’s Critters EP is a brass, horn, and percussion fueled party that always translates to the live show. Jordan Esker & the Hundred Percent -- who CL previewed in our recent Music Issue -- will open the show. (New World Brewery, Ybor City) —RR
✔CL Helstar w/Omen/Avenging Benji/Teer/Arakara Helstar is one of those metal bands you’ve probably never heard of if you aren’t immersed in the scene, but that made a pretty big impact when they came up in the ‘80s with the likes of Exodus and Megadeth, churning out a more fast-paced power/thrash sound that grew from their heavy metal roots. The band’s darkly potent 1989 fourth LP, Nosferatu, was inspired by Bram Stoker’s classic tale and is widely considered one of their greatest. The Houston quintet were likely trying to recreate that particular sonic magic with forthcoming 10th LP, Vampiro, another opus about Dracula and his blood-sucking brethren. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)—LP
Chant the Trees w/Elaine Emilia The family band dynamic is always good for vocal harmonies, just ask Kyle and Ryan Ballogg. The Clearwater-based brothers make up acoustic duo Chant The Trees and wield a mighty mandolin and guitar to provide a bed for their dual vocals to romp around in. Tunes like “Moss and Honey,” “Salt Smoke,” and “Wildwood Hearth” sound like they could’ve been born on the foothills of some North Carolina mountain range, but they feel most at home here in Florida where the Gulf of Mexico’s waves can spray salt over Chant The Trees’ sound which is perfect for sitting & sweating on your porch during the beginning of a summer storm. It’ll be interesting to see them bring a 2013 LP, Tree Spirits to life in one of the area’s best listening rooms. (Hideaway Café & Recording Studio, St. Petersburg)
SUN 07
✔CL Ol’ Dirty Sundays w/DJ Riz Crooklyn Clan is in the house on Sunday when the most legendary Sunday weekly in Ybor continues its incredible roll by welcoming New York City’s Joseph Rizzo -- aka DJ Riz -- to the Crowbar party for another edition of Ol’ Dirty Sundays. Riz is largely responsible for bringing turntablism to WNYU via the “NY Live” program. HIs Crooklyn Clan crew are knob turners behind a healthy portfolio of patio classics, and if you’ve ever achieved max tipsiness to the sound of Fatman Scoop on “Be Faithful,” then you probably owe Mr. Riz a shot or two. It’s not politically correct to tell chicken heads to be quiet or ask about “who’s f***ing tonight,” but we’re willing to bet that we’ll be singing along if Riz drops that track. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
Shevonne CD Release w/Flow Sisters/Ari Chi On the banks of the Hillsborough River, just a few strides away from downtown and across the water from Water Works Park, is performing arts magnet Blake High School. The school serves some of the most county’s at risk teens and is the victim of a lack of state funding, but every now and then a silver lining shines through the struggle. One of those bright spots is Shevonne Philidor, a Philadelphia-born Tampa native who once appeared on “America’s Most Talented Kids.” On Sunday she brings her R&B, reaggae and world music inspired folk pop to the Skipperdome for an album release show. The Flow Sisters play support alongside another fast blossoming Tampa songwriter, Ari Chi, who slings ukulele-driven covers and originals with ease. (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa)
✔CL Flosstradamus No one would ever argue that Flosstradamus don’t have any friends. The Chicago duo are fresh off a particularly triumphant hometown set at Lollapalooza where they were joined by Windy City brethren Chance the Rapper. The producers -- Josh Young and Curt Cameruci (J2K and Autobot, respectively, when they’re on the knobs) also count Shaquille O’Neal as superfan after Shaq dropped Flosstradamus’ “Prison Riot” for a large crowd during his DJ set (yes, Shaq is a DJ now). None of these celebs will likely be at the boys’ appearance at Beach Bar, but the weather is packing about just as much heat as “Came Up” -- Flosstradamus’ new single with neu-wave rap star Post Malone -- so heading out to the Courtney Campbell for this little experiment in oceanside EDM isn’t the worst thing you can do on a Sunday. (Beach Bar, Tampa)
✔CL Dunedin Lyricist Society 4-Year Anniversary Dunedin-based posi-clever emcee Jon Ditty founded the Dunedin Lyricist Society in the summer of 2012 to break new hip-hop ground in his Northern Pinellas hometown, a place where the genre went pretty much unrepresented. The society has met weekly ever since, at various locations, with a brief hiatus that started in April. DLS returns on this night to commemorate four years with this free all-ages party, and the freestyle activities slated for this night include a cypher, own-the-beat and word surprise battles, as well as special performances by Ditty, Foundation-FNDTN, DJ Hurley & Harlow Gold, DEA + Saint, Infinite Skillz, BC, Sean Shakespeare and Irv the Villain. (Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin) —LP
Ricky Remedy Crowbar normally holds it down for the DJ-loving crowd on Sundays, but another Ybor City spot -- The Ritz -- is dipping their toes in the waters this week, too. It’s a totally different style (less turntablism, more knob twisting and crunktastical fist-pumping), and it’s catching the attention of a shiton of people including the ones who hold the keys at dance music fortress Mad Decent. The label asked the Grammy-nominated, Miami-based producer to perform at the Dallas installment of their infamous Mad Decent Block Party. (The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City)
✔CL The Peach Kings/Mobley The Peach Kings are moving on up (or last over a few blocks). The last time Paige Wood and Steven Dies headlined a show in St. Petersburg they were testing the limits of The Bends’ robust PA. Now -- less than two months after they opened for Cyndi Lauper at Ruth Eckerd Hall -- the duo is back in Pinellas to headline The Local 662. They’re on tour supporting a new-ish EP, Mojo Thunder , released in December. It only clocks in at 15-minutes long, but tracks like “Hold On,” “Be Around,” and “Say What” all fulfill the promise of a 2011 single, “Thieves & Kings” where Wood screamed seduction sirens over subtle whip samples and big balls rock & roll born on the Sunset Strip. (Local 662, St. Petersburg)
