Hurricane Wilma disrupted Florida travel plans for several acts. Check with venues before attending shows listed below to see if schedules have been changed.
THURSDAY, NOV. 03
DEPECHE MODE w/THE BRAVERY Everybody's high-school girlfriend's favorite band has been fairly quiet since 2001's Exciter, save regular spins at Goth-y dance clubs around the world. A couple of weeks ago, however, Depeche Mode dropped Playing the Angel, an album many critics are hailing as its best since the landmark 1990 high-water mark Violator; the timing is damn near perfect, considering the fact that the sound this British phenomenon helped invent is back in mainstream style via new groups like tonight's tepid support act The Bravery. (St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa)
THE SONGWRITERS: LYLE LOVETT/JOE ELY/JOHN HIATT/GUY CLARK With the concert industry growing increasingly competitive, package tours are becoming more and more creative. Some of them come off like gimmicky crap — but not this one. Each of these men is known for the emotional potency and wit of his songbook, and the distinctiveness of his singing and stage presence. We assume, we hope, that the members will perform separately, and in various configurations. Should be fun. So now it's time for a quiz, a question similar to those on standardized tests. Which artist of the four least fits the group — as in Apple, Orange, AK-47, Pear? Answer at bottom of page. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater) ERIC SNIDER
FROM AUTUMN TO ASHES/BOYSETSFIRE/THE ESOTERIC/BIOLOGY Long Island's From Autumn to Ashes was among the first young groups to usher in the heavier, darker and more metal-influenced emo offshoot known as screamo. Its new album, Abandon Your Friends, finds them trying to shake up some of the subgenre's defining characteristics, but the results are dismally incoherent and unfinished. It is nice, however, to welcome Boysetsfire back to touring. This edgy posthardcore outfit first made waves seven or eight years ago by infusing metallic East Coast hardcore with brains and positivity; noted indie label Equal Vision is re-releasing some of the band's classic early records while we wait for new material. (Masquerade, Ybor City)
BENEVENTO RUSSO DUO The two New Jersey high school pals have forged a keyboards/drums tandem that calls to mind a heavier, more rocking version of Medeski, Martin & Wood. For more, check out the Music feature on pg. 52 (Java Junction, Clearwater) ES
LAURA LOVE DUO Eclectic songstress Love has long been a favorite with fans of sounds ranging from Celtic to African to American folk. Tonight, her stripped-down duo performs at world music-friendly Viva la Frida. (Viva la Frida Café y Galeria, Tampa)
THE MYSPACE.COM TOUR MySpace isn't just for wasting time at work and trying to convince young women that you're a "real" photographer, you know. It's also for promoting bands you'll grow out of in a couple of years. This particular instance of synergistic grassroots cross-pollination features barely tolerable screamo unit Greeley Estates; infinitely better screamo unit A Change of Pace; surprisingly rocking emo unit My American Heart; self-consciously snotty power-pop unit Agent Sparks (featuring former members of Audiovent); and slightly better-than-average screamo unit The Confession. NOTE: This show is at Ybor City's Orpheum, not at Clearwater's 688 Skatepark as previously listed. ALSO NOTE: If you pack your MySpace page with animation and movies so that it takes forever to load and all the audio clashes, you're a tool. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
FRIDAY, NOV. 04
ALAN JACKSON w/SARA EVANS The term often used to describe country superstar Jackson, as well as more image- and cliché-oriented peers like Toby Keith and Tim McGraw, is "hat act." I like it, although Jackson, who spent all of the '90s as one of country music's best-selling artists and scored again with the post-9/11 weeper "Where Were You," is widely considered to be more substantial and well-rounded than many of his contemporaries. (Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa)
COPELAND w/DAPHNE LOVES DERBY/MELEE/THE SPILL CANVAS Former Central Florida act Copeland moved to Atlanta and became the toast of the Christian emo scene a couple of years back. It's easy to hear why, as the band's original yet infectious tunes smoke the usual generic underground all-ages pop shit. Like-minded openers Daphne Loves Derby, Melee and The Spill Canvas are moody, angular, and ready for MTV2, respectively. (Masquerade, Tampa)
OTIS TAYLOR Folk bluesman Taylor left a stalling musical career in the mid '70s to become a successful antiques dealer, but heeded the call once again two decades later. Since then, his uncompromising, socially and culturally critical songwriting has won him a W.C. Handy award, and led many to hail him as one of the most important contemporary blues artists working today. (Springs Theatre, Tampa)
THE TIMEOUT DRAWER w/LIGHT YOURSELF ON FIRE/RED ROOM CINEMA Arty Chicago instrumental act The Timeout Drawer builds throbbing, oceanic climaxes, yet remains weirdly intricate at the same time; it's heavy, but not way heavy. Brutal west-central Florida act Light Yourself on Fire features former members of peninsular grind heroes Reversal of Man, Omega-Man and the almighty Scrog, while Tampa's Red Room Cinema deftly blends atmosphere and muscular catharsis. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
