There are plenty of great local release shows, locally produced bills and others simply built around local talent. Have a look at a few highlights — and see a full list of gigs — below.
THURSDAY MAY 09
Los Reyesz Bong Death w/Devalued/Bad Human/Graven Hag Los Reyesz Bong Death’s week-long mini East coast tour comes to a close when the Miami grindcore trio brings its brutal brand of hard-rock to Tampa’s VFW Hall 424 where another loud Magic City act (crusty sludge-punk group Devalued) and a pair of Tampa-based thrash and powerviolence crews play support. This donation-based show is booked by Bay area DIY promotions company Pocket Sand, but it is 21 and up to attend. More information is available on via Pocket Sand.
FRIDAY MAY 10
Slingshot Dakota w/Pohgoh/Expert Timing Slingshot Dakota’s 2018 set at Orpheum was a highlight on what would become Pre-Fest’s last dance with Ybor City (the two-day mini punk-rock party is not returning to the historic district in 2019). On Friday, the synth-driven Pennsylvania duo (supporting a new album, Heavy Banding) returns to the Bay area for a show inside of much smaller digs where Tampa quartet Pohgoh plays its second local show since opening for Jawbreaker on a spring east coast tour. Expert Timing visits from Orlando to round out this excellent, all ages, bill at Lucky You Tattoo. More information is available via luckyyou.tattoo.
J.T. Brown Tampa Americana songwriter J.T. Brown is fresh off the birth of his new baby, and we’re ready to see if the newborn has already sparked the creation of new songs. Go see for yourself when Brown plays a free show as part of c. 1949’s ongoing free, Friday night acoustic series. More information is available via c1949.com.
MrENC w/Spirit and the Cosmic Heart/Emily Jones There are plenty of reasons to get out and watch local artists roll out new music this weekend (see: Phantom Phunk at Red Star, Pete Nuffer at The Hub, Curse Mackey at The Castle or Eyelid Cinema at The Bends), but we’re going to encourage longtime fans of the Bay area local scene to make a short road trip to see a dark lord of Central Florida art-rock release a new album at LKLD Live. On And On And On finds Eric Collins (aka MrENC) making a big noise (think Dinosaur Jr. meets Chastity or Goon) as he tries to figure his way through the chaos of modern life. Dream-pop band Spirit and the Cosmic Heart opens alongside Lakeland songwriter Emily Jones as longtime MrENC collaborator Bump Galleta does live illustration alongside painter Jason DeMeo. (LKLD Live, Lakeland)
SATURDAY MAY 11
Piss Test w/Slap Of Reality/Low Season Florida’s A Jam Records (Problem Addicts, Dial Drive) is handling the release of new music from late-’80s melodic punk-rock band Slap of Reality (featuring Planet Retro Records owner Rob Sexton on drums), which disbanded in ‘92, got back together for a year in ‘95 and then broke up before reemerging in 2010. Hope for the guys to play some of the new stuff at The Bends when Slap supports Gainesville garage-rock band Piss Test, which is already working on a follow up to its sleazy, self-titled 2018 EP. More information is available via Facebook.
See even more local and DIY shows below.
Thursday
May 9, Garden Club (The Ale & the Witch, St. Petersburg)
Friday
May 10, Phantom Phunk w/Lassyu/Proud Miranda/Kid Loki (Red Star Rock Bar, Tampa)
May 10, Cormac Kavanagh w/Omari Dillard (Sparkman Wharf, Tampa)
May 10, Live & Local w/Carlos Peña (Jaeb Courtyard at David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa)
May 10, Terrapin w/House of I/Loud Color/Dizzy (Emerald Bar, St. Petersburg)
May 10, Visit Neptune w/Offshore/BEECH (Blue Note, Tampa)
May 10, SAHE w/Down from Trees/WHACK/Zilche/NXT DMNSN (Brass Mug, Tampa)
May 10, Music in the Beer Garden w/ King Complex/Flipturn/Wallysburg (Green Bench Brewing Co., St. Petersburg)
May 10, The Departed (Neptune Lounge, Tarpon Springs)
May 10, Paul Young & the Reggae Riot (Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin)
May 10, Sunset Music Series w/Ghost Dance Band (Weaver Park, Dunedin)
May 10, Ken Apperson (Independent Bar, St.Petersburg)
May 10, Friday Concerts in the Park w/Ari & the Alibis (River Tower Park, Tampa)
May 10, Between Bluffs (The Ale & the Witch, St. Petersburg)
Saturday
May 11, Mother Freaker w/Pleasures/Sonic Graffiti/Fayroy/Glass Body/Garden Club/Spirit and the Cosmic Heart/TBA (Paper Crane, St. Petersburg)
May 11, Gullwing w/The Path Of Increased Indifference/Prescribed Fire (VFW Post 424 Seminole Heights, Tampa)
May 11, Nowicki w/Nuffer/Richards (The Hub, Tampa)
May 11, Curse Mackey "Instant Exorcism" CD Release Party (The Castle, Ybor City)
May 11, Tattoo Annie Project (Blue Note, Tampa)
May 11, Speakeasy Kava 1-year anniversary w/Anthony Stran/Eddie Wolfe/Jordyn Zentez/Lanna williams (Speakeasy Kava, Largo)
May 11, Seminole Heights Block Party (Mermaid Tavern, Tampa)
May 11, One Live JamFest w/Shenanigans/Hope Darling/Horny Toads (Thirsty Marlin, Palm Harbor)
May 11, Rich Whiteley (Hideaway Café, St. Petersburg)
May 11, Marissa Nave (St. Pete ArtWorks, St. Petersburg)
May 11, Buffalo Strange (The Ale & the Witch, St. Petersburg)
May 11, Jariah Higgins (Jaeb Courtyard at David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa)
May 11, Shoeless Soul (Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin)
May 11, Someday Honey w/Sean DeLong (Sparkman Wharf, Tampa)
May 11, Heff w/Speak Easy (Neptune Lounge, Tarpon Springs)
Sunday
May 12, Eyelid Cinema EP release w/Orange Gravity/Mia & The Myconauts (The Bends, St. Petersburg)
May 12, The Stillhouse Shakers (Ella's Americana Folk Art Café, Tampa)
May 12, Shoeless Soul w/Flow Sisters (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa)
Tuesday
May 14, Somatic (Ringside Café, St. Petersburg)
May 14, Melody Artisans of the Crooked Thumb: Illegal Songs (Crooked Thumb Brewery, Safety Harbor)
Follow @CL_music on Twitter to get the most up-to-date music news. Subscribe to our newsletter, too.
