THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
SHINEDOWN The neo-Southern rock band from Jacksonville skewing more toward Nickelback than, say, Lynyrd Skynyrd, made its mark in '03 when their debut album Leave a Whisper overcame critical disdain to go platinum on the strength of pedestrian hit singles "Fly From the Inside" and "45." Shinedown's sophomore release Us and Them came out in '05 and produced a trio of equally bland commercial-radio favorites: "Save Me," "Heroes" and "I Dare You." (Channelside Courtyard, Tampa)
GREEN LEMON The Colorado quintet performs jammy rock that verges on electronica at some moments and reggae at others. They've been regular Tampa visitors for the past few years and usually perform a loose, lively show. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg) —Leilani Polk
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7
TINSLEY ELLIS w/BIG DADDY 'O' Atlanta blues-rocker Tinsley Ellis has played the Tampa Bay area enough times to qualify for a homestead exemption. He barks tunes with a whiskey-tinged voice, but his true calling card is a firebrand electric-guitar style that wraps barbed wire around blues orthodoxies. His latest album, Moment of Truth, came out on Alligator Records in June, but Ellis earns his bones as a road dog. He shows up and rocks the joint. Big Daddy 'O' is Owen Tufts, who Offbeat magazine says "has a lyrical, easy touch on the acoustic guitar ... reminiscent of blues great Taj Mahal." (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa) —Eric Snider
MATT TURNER w/THE PANTS/THE UPDSIDERS/TRANSFM Matt Turner is Important. That's the title of the new disc by the spunky ska-and-They-Might-Be-Giants-loving St. Pete singer/songwriter who fleshed his recording out with instrumentation that he played himself. Turner will have an actual band accompanying him for this gig. (Transitions Art Gallery at Skatepark of Tampa)
SEAN KAGALIS The Atlanta-based singer/songwriter brings a strident, punk-informed folk sensibility à la Ani DiFranco to his folk offerings. At times, his rapid-fire vocal delivery borders on rapping, but Kagalis is also a capable singer, who shines on the piano ballad "Forget" — hear it at MySpace.com/seankagalis. (Sacred Grounds, Tampa)
EARTH BOMBS MARS When not co-fronting popular Dead tribute act Uncle John's Band, which plays Skipper's every Thursday, Rich Whiteley leads the jammy Earth Bombs Mars, a quartet that couches his intelligent, melodic originals in a rich, jazz-tinged context more indebted to folk than funk. (Kelly's Pub, Tampa)
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8
TIGER ARMY w/STYLOFONE One of myriad punk bands to emerge from SoCal, Tiger Army hit the scene in '99 with their self-titled debut album on Epitaph. While that disc displayed the band's rockabilly influences, subsequent releases lean more toward modern rock. In June, Tiger Army issued Music from Regions Beyond, its most pop-sounding and highest charting (No. 49 on the Billboard 200) to date. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
HIGHWAY TO HELL — TRIBUTE TO AC/DC Boy, are these guys easy targets: a Tampa band that since 2004 has covered AC/DC right down to the schoolboy getup and a lead singer who goes by Bon Johnson. I mean, c'mon fellas — have some pride, awready. What? You're playing Jannus Landing? You want me to name another local band that could headline Jannus Landing? Hmmm ... OK ... Any chance Brian Johnson leaves Sarasota to sit in? Oh, he's just stopping by to pick up the royalty check. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg) —ES
AS CITIES BURN w/ALESANA/JONEZETTA/MAYDAY PARADE Screamo/Christian rockers As Cities Burn, who formed in 2002, conducted a "farewell tour" last year, but now here they are with a fresh bassist and lead singer. The band put out a new album titled Come Now Sleep Aug. 14 on Tooth & Nail. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
SAY IT TWICE/LAST DAY ALIVE/CLAIRBORNE/NEW SEASON/STALLING DAWN Tallassee's Say It Twice is celebrating the release of its new, self-produced album Jet Set Trends, a melodic, modern rock offering buoyed by the assured, radio-friendly vocals of guitarist/singer John Schaefer. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
TRIBAL STYLE w/TONY WYLIE & ISLAND SOUND For the past eight years, Tampa's best purveyor of original roots reggae has been Tribal Style, which recently released the outstanding full-length Olde Town (For more on Tribal Style, see p. 37.) (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9
RANDY STONEHILL Pat Boone protégé Randy Stonehill pretty much started the Christian rock thing in the early '70s, issuing James Taylor-style folk-rock imbued with uplifting, spiritual lyrics. Stonehill also practices a bit of stand-up on stage. (Bourbon St. Nightclub, New Port Richey)
THE FOURTH ANNUAL GOOD DAY SUNSHINE w/KAREN ZACK/EDDIE PARSHALL/JOHN HANCOCK & BILLY CARR/FREIGHT TRAIN ANNIE/FOREST HILLBILLIES/JUNIPER/TRIBAL STYLE/CRASH MITCHELL QUARTET A slew of local bands ranging from the Celtic folk of Juniper to Tribal Style's Jamaican sounds join forces (and donate their time) to raise money for a Regina Brady memorial. Brady was a local chef, artist and musician who died in 2004, at the age of 39, while riding her motorcycle in St. Petersburg. The proceeds from the concert will be used for a public-art sculpture that will be produced by local blacksmith Dan King, of Valhalla Metalworks. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
MONDAY, SEPTember 10
AKRON/FAMILY/GREG DAVIS/MEGAFAUN Almost a week before its new CD, Love Is Simple, drops on Young God Records, on-the-rise indie-rock band Akron/Family plays a must-see show on the campus of New College of Florida. Akron's built up an amazing live rep thanks to its sweaty, foot-stomping, quasi-drum-circle shows, but don't take this group for a bluegrass outfit or a jam band. Rather, the group takes the backwoods sing-along aesthetic and makes a mess out of it, with sprawling, chaotic tunes that have all the melody of great pop but without any constraints on structure or length. Love Is Simple is good stuff indeed, and I would not be shocked at all if Akron/Family's gig turns out to be one of the best you'll see on the Suncoast in '07. (New College of Florida, Sarasota) —Cooper Levey-Baker
QUIET COMPANY The Austin trio plays the kind of piano-driven rock that never goes out of style. Vocals float over big hooks that would make Paul McCartney proud. When harmonica is introduced, one can't help but think of After the Gold Rush-era Neil Young. Quiet Company also plays bouncy up-tempo numbers that just might inspire a little dancing. (Kelly's Pub, Tampa)
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
WE ARE THE FURY w/ROOKIE OF THE YEAR/REDISCOVER We Are the Fury, one of the few acts with more than three words in its name that I actually recommend, is that rare young modern rock band that brings a glam-y sexiness and sense of fun to the table, while also offering sincere, good old-fashioned power ballads like "Close Your Eyes" (MySpace.com/wearethefury). The four-piece hails from Toledo, Ohio, and their debut album Venus came out last fall. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
THE NEXT JAMES DEAN w/AUDITORIUM/TAILGUNNER JOE & THE EARLS OF SLANDER Indiana emo quintet The Next James Dean comes to town with support from local standouts Auditorium (aggressive art rock) and twangy neo-classic rock Tailgunner Joe & The Earls of Slander. (The Garage, St. Petersburg)
