THURSDAY, APRIL 20
FURTHER SEEMS FOREVER w/NEW CRASH POSITION/SELECT START After introducing Dashboard Confessional's Chris Carrabba to the world, helping to define emo before the mainstream got hold of it, giving Jon Bunch a stage to sing on after Sense Field broke up, and generally rocking millions of kids over the last seven years, Miami's Further Seems Forever is calling it quits. St. Pete was chosen as one of a select few U.S. cities to hit during the farewell tour. BONUS: Longtime FSF friend and local bassist extraordinaire Gregg Moore will be holding down the low-end position for this gig. Bradensota's hard-rocking New Crash Position and Tampa post-emo hard-pop act Select Start provide support. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
THE APPLESEED CAST/ALOHA/CANDY BARS/RED ROOM CINEMA Lawrence, Kansas' long-running Appleseed Cast has always been associated with that vein of post-punk that eventually became known as emo, but the band has also always been more arty and evocative than most of its ilk. New album Peregrine continues the trend with sophisticated arrangements and earnest catharsis. Prolific Midwestern favorite Aloha also has a new vibraphone-heavy album out; it's called Some Echoes, and it's the group's most ambitious (and overtly retro-psychedelic) effort to date. Local support comes from immaculate dream-pop outfit Candy Bars — they're the subject of this week's music feature, y'know — and the noisily atmospheric Red Room Cinema. (Skatepark of Tampa, Tampa)
FRIDAY, APRIL 21
THE SUBDUDES Formed in 1987 in New Orleans for a one-off show, the Subdudes brought a folky feel to the Crescent City's R&B sound, and blended in Cajun/zydeco, gospel, blues and more. The band split in '97, but reunited five years later, and has benefited from the rapid rise of the jam-band scene. (Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center) ES
COLIN HAY The former Men at Work frontman has been releasing solo records for some time, but it took an appearance on the clever NBC sitcom Scrubs a year or so back to remind Americans of that fact. (Largo Cultural Center, Largo)
VERBAL SCIENCE & CHOPPER New York MC Verbal Science came to Tampa to work with Hot4Eva principal, TV-show host and noted hometown producer (and resident Friday-night Floyd's spinna) DJ Short-E. Tonight's show is in the name of getting the word out on his new single, "Watchu Ridin' On," which also features Chopper, of Bad Boy Records and MTV's Making The Band fame. (Floyd's @ Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa)
ERIC STECKEL BAND Though he's only 15, blues guitarist Steckel is already a Sarasota Blues Festival alum who's toured with John Mayall and plays with Derek Trucks' brother, drummer Duane. The Jacksonville-based player is touring in support of a new live CD. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
SATURDAY, APRIL 22
CHICK COREA USF is honoring the vaunted pianist/composer and Clearwater resident with its Distinguished Master Artist Award. In two ceremony/performances, Corea will be feted by university brass and perform with the 17-piece Jazz Surge orchestra, led by Chuck Owen, head of the USF Center for Jazz Composition. The programs will be selected mostly from Chick's Spanish/Latin milieu. Corea has performed in countless formats over the years, from solo piano to raging jazz-rock combos, but playing with a big band is definitely a rare move for him. Concerts are 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 22 at the Palladium and 8 p.m. Monday, April 24 at USF Theater 1. (Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg/USF Theatre 1, Tampa) ES
SOUTHERN CULTURE ON THE SKIDS w/THE WEARY BOYS Everybody's favorite chicken-throwin', white trash lifestyle-toutin', standing-up-drummer-havin' twang-groove party returns to town. Again. This time, the group is supporting its brand new in-concert CD, Doublewide & Live. Austin-bred stumblers The Weary Boys come along for the ride, and will undoubtedly deliver the beer-soaked roots-grass that's made them so popular here in the Bay area. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
POISON THE WELL/THE FALL OF TROY/HORSE THE BAND/CRITERIA This is an interesting and diverse bill of bands that all might fit under the wide umbrella of hardcore — but not really. Instead, the styles in attendance run from the pioneering early-screamo purge of South Florida's Poison The Well to Criteria's much more melodic, anthemic and weirdly rock 'n' roll-based post-punk. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
SLOAN WAINWRIGHT/CHUKULLA Sloan is another arm in the octopus that is the musical Wainwright clan. The younger sister of Loudon III (and Rufus' aunt), Sloan has a full-bodied voice that gives weight to the airy folk she's known for. At a stop at Ringling School of Art and Design a while back, she told stories and asked the audience questions as much as she performed. It was a treat to hear her ramble on about writing songs and digging into folk history. We've got folk up to our ears 'round here, but Wainwright's special. (Fogartyville Café, Bradenton) —Cooper Lane Baker
THE BUCKINGHAMS The '60s were flush with second-tier acts riding the popularity of the new-fangled music called rock 'n' roll. The Buckinghams were a worthy member of their ranks, with such bubbly pop hits as "Kind of a Drag" and "Susan." (Largo Cultural Center) ES
