THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1
JIMMY BUFFETT AND THE CORAL REEFER BAND Gulf Coast easy-living ambassador Jimmy Buffett brings his touring party to town for not one, but two shows, with the second gig taking place at the Ford Amp on Saturday. Parrotheads take note: A recent date at the Fillmore in San Francisco found Buffett performing Lord Buckley's "God's Own Drunk" for the first time in seven years, according to the San Jose Mercury News. He also covered Bob Dylan's "Rainy Day Women #12&35," the Grateful Dead's "Scarlet Begonias," CSNY's "Southern Cross" and Neil Young's "Heart of Gold." But don't fear; he also managed to squeeze in "Margaritaville" and just about every other selection from Songs You Know by Heart. (Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa)
FALL OUT BOY w/GYM CLASS HEROES/PLAIN WHITE T'S Fall Out Boy played the Ford Amphitheatre in June, and later that night bassist/lyricist and Ashlee Simpson dater Pete Wentz DJ'ed a high-priced dance party at Jackson's Bistro. Is it worth driving to Orlando for another glimpse of the dude? Is it worth the trip to hear singer Patrick Stump belt out "Sugar, We're Goin' Down;" "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" and a bunch of other emo ditties with really long titles? You decide. (New UCF Arena, Orlando)
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2
EARL GREYHOUND w/SUMMERBIRDS IN THE CELLAR/GIDDY-UP, HELICOPTER!/HEY THERE BATTLESHIP Originally scheduled to open for Chris Cornell at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center (the show was canceled), New York City power-trio Earl Greyhound instead returns to Ybor City (they rocked New World Brewery in March) to offer its comely concoction of heavy blues, psychedelia and glam. Summerbirds in the Cellar wrap multiple layers of gauzy guitar and electro beats around the detached-yet-engaging vocals of Brad Register on the band's new full-length, Druids. (Crowbar, Tampa)
REV. HORTON HEAT w/HANK III & ASS JACK/NASHVILLE PUSSY Psychobilly heroes The Rev. Horton Heat headline this show that also features Hank Williams III. A notoriously hard-living man with a voice like his granddaddy's, III's a gifted songwriter of painfully honest honky-tonk tunes who doubles as a mediocre Melvins-esque metal screamer when performing under the moniker Ass Jack. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
STEEL TRAIN w/ACE ENDERS/KEVIN DEVINE New Jersey rockers Steel Train offer a big sound that recalls U2/Arcade Fire mixed with a quirky, '60s pop sensibility. Lead singer Scott Irby-Ranniar has a strong, expressive voice that carefully tackles subject matter like the falling of the Twin Towers on the band's new album, Trampoline, released Oct. 16 on Drive-Thru Records (New Found Glory, The Early November). (Orpheum, Ybor City)
JIMMY THACKERY & THE DRIVERS w/BILLY C. WIRTZ These two acts have been pleasing crowds at the Skipperdome for years. An acclaimed ax man, Jimmy Thackery delivers blues-rock that's all about the extended guitar solos. Wirtz plays boogie piano, peppering his set with plenty of faux preaching and humorous songs with titles like "Sleeper Hold on Satan" and "What I Used to Do All Night (Now Takes Me All Night to Do)." (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA Yuletide prog-rock specialists responsible for the hit "Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)" bring their sprawling ensemble and laser light show to Lakeland for performances today and Saturday. (Lakeland Center, Lakeland)
THE 2007 SARASOTA HIP-HOP SUMMIT w/DAYLIGHT DISTRICT/EVERYONE OWNS THE RIGHT/DEAD CELEBS A "Sarasota Hip-Hop Summit" might sound a bit oxymoronic, but the laid-back Bradenton combo Everyone Owns the Right hopes the event will change that perception. A mix of rock and rap groups perform, accompanied by DJs, guest speakers, graffiti artists, battle MCs, slam poets and even a handful of breakdancers. This thing's not just a rap show; it's full-blown immersion therapy. (Gallery Billiards, Sarasota) —Cooper Levey-Baker
LUKE BRYAN Suncoast honky-tonkers are in for a rare treat this week as Bradenton's Joyland welcomes a true rising star on the contemporary pop-country scene. Luke Bryan has everything you need for mainstream success: chiseled features, good-ol'-boy charm and, oh yeah, some decent chops as both a songwriter and a singer. No, Bryan doesn't reinvent the wheel, but he does the hooky, nostalgic, salt-of-the-earth thing as good as almost any other young country star. (Joyland, Bradenton) —CLB
HELMET During the grunge/alt-rock craze of the early/mid '90s, Helmet emerged on the scene with a more sinister sound than many of its peers and enjoyed airplay with the singles "Unsung" and "Milquetoast." The band had a minor comeback in '04 with their album Size Matters, which produced the track "See You Dead." (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3
MADINA LAKE W/MAYDAY PARADE/WE THE KINGS Taking the emo template and twisting it with layered guitar grandeur and synthy industrial touches, Chicago quartet Madina Lake's debut album, From Them, Through Us, To You, came out earlier this year on Roadrunner, producing the modest hit "House of Cards." Opening the show are We the Kings, a Bradenton band whose self-titled debut album was released last month on S-Curve Records (Fountains of Wayne, Joss Stone) and had reached No. 33 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers survey at press time. I spent time with the band before their recent show at Jannus Landing. To read my profile, see p. 57. (The Orpheum, Ybor City)
AIDS WOLF w/YIP-YIP/TYGER BEAT/PAIRS A night of noise-rock and experimental sonics is headlined by the unfortunately named AIDS Wolf, which come here via the Montreal indie scene. Also on the roster is Orlando electronic duo Yip-Yip, whose synthy keyboard bleeps and occasional rudimentary sax playing recall the annoying sound effects of early Nintendo games. (Transitions Arts Gallery at Skatepark of Tampa, Tampa)
BIG D & THE KIDS TABLE w/WHOLE WHEAT BREAD/THE A.K.A.s/BRAIN FAILURE Veteran Boston ska-punk ensemble Big D and the Kids Table started out more punk but has skewed further toward traditional ska and dub on recent albums. Check out Big D's MySpace site to hear "Faded," a delightfully mean-spirited ditty about the perils of playing a shitty gig with young, inexperienced bands. Favorite line: "I don't wanna talk to some screamo kid about how much he loves Sublime." (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
OTIS VELT & OLD SCHOOL Charismatic frontman Otis Velt leads his band through a night of '60s rock 'n' soul revelry, playing covers ranging from the poignant ballad "Rainy Night in Georgia" to the Stones rave-up "Honky Tonk Woman." (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
ZILLIONAIRE w/KING OF SPAIN/CODEX BOOM Tampa indie rock quartet Zillionaire celebrates the release of its debut full-length, The Street Lights Have Been Turned Down, with a show that offers attendees a free copy of their CD with each paid admission ($8). Zillionaire will also do an in-store performance at Vinyl Fever in South Tampa on Sunday at 3 p.m. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
SARASOTA BLUES FESTIVAL w/BUDDY GUY/OTEIL & THE PEACEMAKERS/MIGHTY LESTER/ZAC HARMON/THE ALL STARS/CONRAD OBERG The short road trip south is worth it. Chicago titan Buddy Guy, 71, is still one of the most dynamic performers on the blues scene. For a profile of the legend, see p. 60. Guy will be joined by a very worthy lineup, touching on a variety of blues-based styles. (sarasotabluesfest.com) (Ed Smith Stadium Complex, Sarasota) —Eric Snider
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4
RASCAL FLATTS w/JASON ALDEN The boy band of country music, Rascal Flatts have become one of Nashville's biggest sellers thanks to a long string of fluffy hits like "Mayberry," "Bless the Broken Road," "Me and My Gang" and their latest, "Take Me There." (Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa)
BAYSIDE w/JUNE/THE SLEEPING/A DAY TO REMEMBER/DRIVER SIDE IMPACT Often mistakenly dubbed emo, Bayside offers heavy, driving guitar riffs and rumbling bass lines that speak more to Sabbath than, say, Weezer. Formed in Long Island in 2000, the foursome released its third album, The Walking Wounded, in February. Check out the killer kiss-off "They're Not Horses" on the band's MySpace site. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
UNDEROATH w/EVERY TIME I DIE/POISON THE WELL/MYLENE & THE SONS OF DISASTER Christian metalcore band Underoath, from Lakeland, witnessed its '06 album Define the Great Line reach No.2 on the Billboard 200 despite the lack of a hit single and minimal commercial airplay. Yeah, um, that whole MySpace thing works. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
SNMNMNM w/LITTLE BABIES Snmnmnm's droll, captivating power-pop-with-a-twist (the band often uses horns) recently issued the album Crawl Inside Your Head, which includes the grabby single "Addy Will Know," a paean to librarians everywhere. Little Babies is a new punk band from St. Pete featuring members of the Sugar Oaks and the Holy Mountain. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
DEAD TO FALL w/AT ALL COSTS/BORN OF OSIRIS/WITH DEAD HANDS RISING Midwest thrasher outfit Dead to Fall headlines this night of Cookie Monster vocals and whiplash-inducing riffs. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5
CONRAD HERWIG The well-regarded trombonist, who specializes largely in Latin jazz, joins Chuck Owen and the Jazz Surge big band for a masterworks concert. Also on the bandstand will be percussionist Giovanni Hidalgo and drummer Robby Ameen. (USF Theatre 1, Tampa) —ES
JONATHA BROOKE Singer/songwriter/guitarist Jonatha Brooke has been lauded for bringing together folk and pop but is touring in support of her new album, Careful What You Wish For, the hardest rocking outing of her decade-plus career. (Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Tampa)
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6
PEPPER w/PASSAFIRE Hawaiian trio Pepper has built a loyal following with its predictable but well-executed mix of rock, reggae and dub. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
DAPHNE LOVES DERBY w/THIS PROVIDENCE/THE HIRE/REIGN OF KINDO/DOWN Seattle-based indie pop trio Daphne Loves Derby is touring in support of its sophomore album, Goodnight Witness Light, a collection of mostly pleasing but generic love songs that find acoustic guitar strumming surrounded by meddling atmospherics and lead vocalist Kenny Choi over-singing on just about every number. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7
WIDESPREAD PANIC Spreadheads had it tough when guitarist Michael Houser died of pancreatic cancer in '02. He was replaced by the lesser-talented George McConnell, leaving many longtime fans grumbling about a decline in the quality of the band's shows. But all was made right last summer when Panic announced that acclaimed ax-man Jimmy Herring (Allman Brothers Band, The Dead) was replacing McConnell. For more on Widespread Panic and its new best-of collection, see p. 62). (USF Sun Dome, Tampa)
THE BRAVERY w/DE NOVO DAHL/STRAYLIGHT RUN New Wave revivalist The Bravery's second album, The Sun and the Moon, came out earlier this year on Island, producing the hit singles "Believe" and "Time Won't Let Me." (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
