A trio of outstanding locally-grown shows lead another great week of music featuring local artists or booked by independent and D.I.Y. promoters. Have a look at highlights and a listing below.
Yr Glow w/Jensen Serf Company/Bendy Straw Because of a tour, Yr Glow was unable to make the final blowout concert for D.I.Y. haven Shangri-la Gardens. The Tampa garage-rock band’s loss, however, is the Bay area music community’s gain since it allows the group to play more accessible venue, The Bends, which plays host to this homecoming show which features a rare appearance from the always wild and entertainingly messy Bendy Straw plus a set from long-running St. Petersburg lo-fi rock favorite Jensen Serf Company. The show is free, but you must be 21 years old to attend. Thurs. May 16. 10 p.m. No cover. The Bends, St. Petersburg. INFO.
QueenofEx w/DEA & Saint/ Bangarang/Tysonious Mink/DJ Qeys In our Summer Guide concert preview, CL mentioned how Green Bench Brewing Co. is a great place to catch a no-cover local show, and this might be the best example of one. The crown on the Friday night gig is Queen of Ex, a bodacious MC who might just own the most entertaining live set in Tampa Bay hip-hop. The Queen doesn’t regularly appear on the Bay area concert calendar, and the addition of DEA & Saint (which released on of CL’s favorite local albums of 2018) makes for a can’t-miss night for fans of locally-grown rap. Fri. May 17, 8 p.m.. No cover. Green Bench Brewing Co., St. Petersburg. INFO.
Wolf-Face w/Hi-Beam/Critical Hits The furballs in Wolf-Face have finally turned 19, and that means they’re more into collaborating with other locals (Tampa songwriter Jeremy Gloff put “Still Golden” on his own record) and even covering Mumford & Sons for the St. Petersburg punk on the band’s still-untitled, second full-length (which will hopefully be out by the time Wolf-Face plays The Fest this fall). “The new record is really a growing up record,” Michael J. Wolf told CL. “A lot of the tunes are about my out of school experiences and owning my identities, powers and superiority to mankind. My humble nature keeps my amazing lyrics respectful yet truthful.” Beg the hairy heartthrobs to play some of it at this free gig at The Hub that’s colored with a little new wave (Hi-Beam) and bouncy pop-punk (Critical Hits). Fri. May 17, 9 p.m. No cover. The Hub, Tampa. brokenmoldentertainment.com.
Z w/The Grizzly Atoms/Liquid Pennies/Blestian A pair of locals (Blestian and Liquid Pennies) have called on some neighbors (Orlando psych-a-billy act The Grizzly Atoms) to help welcome a genre-destroying experimental band, Z, which is in the midst of a eight-date run through the Sunshine State. This Lucky You Tattoo show is all-ages. Wed. May 22, 8 p.m. $8. Lucky You Tattoo, St. Petersburg. luckyyou.tattoo.
If you don’t want to cross the bridge to Tampa for a high-quality local show this Friday, then check out the aforementioned Green Bench hip-hop show, Paper Crane’s pop-rock album birthday party with Jordan Esker, or emo band Spork headlining a free show at Black Crow Coffee’s Old Northeast location. Info on all these shows and more is available at the bottom of this post.
LOCAL MUSIC/DIY
May 16, Immaterial Possession w/Ubermarionette/The Two Genders/Blestian (The In-Between House, Tampa)
May 16, Left Lane Ent. Proudly Presents: Art & Soul w/Ivy Alex/Guianna/TQ/Mike King/Seanetta Carson (SubCentral at Iberian Rooster, St. Petersburg)
May 16, Garden Club (The Ale & the Witch, St. Petersburg)
May 16, Kaleb Stewart w/Jeff Brawer/Dan Padilla (London Heights, Tampa)
May 17, Spork w/Sleepless/Eyelid Cinema (Black Crow Coffee Co. Old Northeast, St. Petersburg)
May 17, Jordan Esker & the Hundred Percent w/Blackbird Morning/Max Helgemo (Album First Birthday) (Paper Crane, St. Petersburg)
May 17, Kristopher James w/Scott Harrell (Independent Bar, St.Petersburg)
May 17, Geri X w/Mountain Holler/Brighther Poet (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa)
May 17, Maydaze w/Mr. Handsome/The Mak Brothers Band/P.M. Tiger/Olympia/Quarter Boy/Garden Club/The Flipside/Battlestar/Fujo/Tragic Comedy/Stop N’ Shop/Heff (Orpheum, Ybor City)
May 17, Mike & The Nerve w/The Damnsels/Television Supervision (Cage Brewing, St. Petersburg)
May 17, Chris Poe (Jaeb Courtyard at David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa)
May 17, Stonegrey (Ka`Tiki, Treasure Island)
May 17, Friday Concerts in the Park w/Mighty Good & Strong (River Tower Park, Tampa)
May 17, John Frinzi w/Aaron Scherz (Hideaway Café, St. Petersburg)
May 17, Zack Biss (The Horse and Jockey, South Pasadena)
May 17, Thaneca and Neilan (Barefoot Billy's Friendly Tavern, Tampa)
May 17, Swampland Symphony (Brady's Backyard BBQ, Safety Harbor)
May 18, Fauxthentics w/Johnny Mile & the Kilometers (Wild Rover Brewing Company, Tampa)
May 18, Kiah (c.1949 Florida Beer Garden, Tampa)
May 18, Matt Walker w/Jen Logan/The Mystic Voices (Safety Harbor Art & Music Center, Safety Harbor)
May 18, Connor Zwetsch (Jaeb Courtyard at David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa)
May 18, The New Rulers w/Tribal Style (Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin)
May 18, The Time Framed w/Vomit Sawdust/Quasi Mojo (The Blue Note, Tampa)
May 18, Jenu Six & The Old Souls (Crooked Thumb Brewery, Safety Harbor)
May 18, Chris Mitchell (The Vinoy Renaissance, St. Petersburg)
May 19, Burke Bros. (Independent Bar and Café, Tampa)
May 19, Len and Ellis (The Horse and Jockey, South Pasadena)
May 19, Tribal Style w/New Rulers (Sparkman Wharf, Tampa)
May 19, Scott Kirby (Hideaway Café, St. Petersburg)
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