vocal Acrobat
He possesses one of the most elastic voices in the annals of pop — and jazz and classical, for that matter. Bobby McFerrin scored a No. 1 hit with "Don't Worry, Be Happy" in 1988; the song's lightweight theme drew the ire of activists like Chuck D. McFerrin's mainstream stardom was short-lived, and he moved on to more high-art pursuits, working with symphony orchestras and jazz artists, composing instrumental and a cappella vocal works. During the '80s and '90s, he delivered several spellbinding solo vocal shows in the Bay area, but it's been quite a while since he's played here. His performances have included their share of gimmicky effects, but they're always fun and often amazing.
Bobby McFerrin, 8 p.m. Wed., Feb. 7, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater. $55, $39, $35. —Eric Snider
Lemony Good
"I was acting like a bad, selfish person. It was really fucked up, and I just made the decision to get myself together." That quote, unattributed but surely coming from head Lemonhead (and indie heartthrob) Evan Dando, is bannered across the band's website. Having put his fuckery behind him, Dando and his pop-punk/alt-rock outfit re-formed in 2005 after a six-year hiatus and released a self-titled album last year. The post-resurrection live lineup has been rather fluid, but one thing remains a constant: Dando has always had a knack for catchy songcraft, and his shoegazing charisma has long been a calling card.
The Lemonheads w/Vietnam, 9 p.m. Fri., Feb. 2, State Theatre, St. Petersburg. $14.99 adv., $18 day of show. —ES
Sol Sounds
Rather than follow the leader and rap about what everybody else is rapping about, Orlando's Sol.iLLaquists of Sound have chosen the hip-hop path less traveled, by tackling issues such as the destructive use of booze and cigarettes. The straight-edge message they promote may not be your cup of tea (or Jim Beam), but their music is difficult to dismiss. They mash up the traditional two-turntables-and-a-microphone with live instrumentation to terrific effect. This combination also means that chances are good that Solilla will surpass your garden variety hip-hop show, where the rappers give all their second cousins mics and have them bounce around the stage hollering every other word, while the DJ just sits back and presses play.
Sol.iLLaquists of Sound w/SKIP/Tribal Style/Red Tide, 9 p.m. Fri., Feb. 2, Crowbar. $8. —Cooper Levey-Baker
