Tonight is jam-packed with noteworthy shows that'll likely be drawing out locals in droves to both sides of the Bay.
In Clearwater, Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes hit Capitol Theatre. I’ve heard Southside Johnny described as a lower-rent, bluer collar version of Bruce Springsteen. Likely because he’s a friend and contemporary of The Boss whose career started in the same mid-70s Asbury Park music scene, and Bruce wrote co-wrote some songs on Johnny’s first three albums. The latter has more raspy-soulful vocals and a deeper R&B influence to his barroom rock n’ roll swagger. 7:30 p.m., 405 Cleveland St., 727-791-7400, $39-$55.
In St. Petersburg, a band that was crucial in helping create the Austin Psych Fest, The Black Angels, hits State Theatre. The outfit drops doses of fuzzed-out garage rock with heavy scuzzy guitar, ominous organ tones, and walls of noisy sound evocative of their namesake band, Velvet Underground. The fuzz of stellar fourth album Indigo Meadow is broken up by groovier psychedelic odes and darker pulsing numbers with zipping analog synths and urgent driving rhythms, vocals alternately crooning, droning or sing-song echoing acid-specked lines like "I'd rather die than spend another night with you." The Black Angels also take influence from 13th Floor Elevators; you probably know their song from High Fidelity, “You’re Gonna Miss Me,” and that elder cult band's hero leader Roky Erickson joins them for this tour. An intriguing lineup indeed. 7 p.m., 687 Central Ave., $20.
In Tampa, there's most obviously Iron & Wine. If you haven't read this week's feature on the man behind the band, click here. 8 p.m., Ferguson Hall at Straz Center for Performing Arts, downtown Tampa, $34.50-$44.50.
And finally Big Gigantic lands in Ybor City to play The Ritz Ybor. Big Gigantic has built up a rather impressive following with zero radio presence, little critical acclaim, and only one full-length release up until this year’s just-released second, The Night Is Young. The twosome — jazz-trained saxophonist/producer Dominic Lalli on keys, sax and laptop with drummer Jeremy Salken — have done this purely through relentless touring, appearances on numerous festival bills, a widespread web following (2012 debut Nocturnal was downloaded 750k times to date and even free, that’s a helluva a lot), and a sound that mixes hip-hop, house music, funk and dubstep to make the jam scene kids get down. 8:30 p.m., 1503 E. 7th Ave., $15 GA/$39.50 balcony.
