A rather interesting schedule of live music on this last day in December. A look at the most noteworthy happenings below...
New Year’s Eve with Freekbass Cincinnati’s low-end thumping extraordinaire Chris “Freekbass” Shuman earned his nickname from Bootsy Collins and has lived up to his reputation with a tongue-in-cheeky, wacked-out weird but musically tight and inherently danceable sound – a combination of vintage greasiness ala Parliament Funkadelic and modern space-trippy funktronica built on fat, rubbery basslines and fuzzed-out groove-pumping synthesizers. He rolled through Dunedin Brewery in August backing David Bowie-inspired full-length Everybody’s Feelin’ Real, and returns with full band in tow – keysman Joel “Razor Sharp” Johnson, drummer Big Bamn and sax player/vocalist Dan Barger – to play this NYE gig. (Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin)
New Year’s Eve with Donna the Buffalo An upstate New York ensemble and favorite of locals that has made a tradition of ringing in the new year here, Donna the Buffalo returns to town and draws the Herd to the Skipperdome for a three-night stand of their Cajun jammy roots rock and feel good fiddle-and-accordion infusions. This WMNF-hosted New Year’s Eve throwdown is sandwiched in between two “regular” performances on Tuesday and Thursday nights, and tickets include champagne, party favors and breakfast. Lanzallamas warms the stage on Tuesday while Under the Willow assumes support duties on this night. (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa)
New Year’s Eve 2015 with UZ UZ has managed to keep his real life identity under wraps, literally, since emerging on the Diplo-helmed Mad Decent label in 2012; his trademark disguise is dark hoodie and baseball cap with hard-to-read script (does that say “fuck” or what?), and a menacing gold masquerade mask with a black bandana that falls from nose to far past his chin like a pointy cloth beard. UZ is among the leading producers of trap music, an EDM offshoot that’s like the darker, grimier diced-up and twisted cousin to hip hop. Supporting UZ for this very special NYE set are Dvnk Sinatrv, Basomatik, Winta, Nasty Nat3 and Christian Alexander. (Amphitheatre, Ybor City)
ALSO TONIGHT:
#DTSP New Year’s Eve Takeover with DJ Mary Mack Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
Love Thy Neighborhood New Years Art Show with Samurai Shotgun, Bangarang, DJ Qeys Crowbar, Ybor City
Special NYE BBQ Wednesday Acoustic Series Event: Jeff Brawer, Shae Krispinsky & Dan Padilla New World Brewery, Ybor City
New Year's Eve with Boxcar Hollow Ringside Cafe, St. Petersburg
The Bends NYE with Jensen Serf Co. & DJ Sugar Bear The Bends, St. Petersburg