In December 2016, I was in a South Tampa backyard for a pre-Gasparilla Music Festival (GMF) party where Florida folk legend Lauris Vidal was set up to play his one-man band set for some of the festival founders and supporters. In the crowd with me was Tampa rapper Mike Mass, a GMF alum who put on one of the best Kiley Garden amphitheater sets I’ve ever seen.
I forgot how it happened, but Mass ended up with a mic in his hand and improvising in what’s been, to date, one of the best showmen showdowns I’ve ever seen.
On Saturday at New World Brewery, Mass and Vidal circle back together for a gig where they’ll be joined by Same Day Delivery orchestra, which is led by cellist and Tampa music scene all-star Mellissa Grady. Another Tampa emcee, Louis Jr.—who played cuts from his latest album with the Orchestra—is on the bill, and Grady just told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that the ensemble will also be joined by songwriter J.T. Brown, which means we’ll see a performance of Brown and Mass’ chillingly good 2021 single, “Blood In the Water.”
Admission to the show, which is a celebration of New World’s first anniversary at its new location on East Skagway Avenue, are being sold on a table-by-table basis, and the venue is one of Tampa’s “Safe & Sound” spots meaning limited capacity (25%) plus strict mask and social distancing rules.
Lauris Vidal feat. Mike Mass w/Louis Jr./Same Day Delivery Orchestra/J.T. Brown Saturday, Feb. 13, 8 p.m. $60 & up.
See a list of Tampa Bay’s “Safe & Sound” live music venues here.
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