A breakdown of concerts happening this Sat., Jan. 2.
Thomas Jack The Aussie DJ/producer leads the tropical house movement, that sub-genre that grew from deep house music with brighter synths and an overall more uplifting sound than its darker brethren. Thomas Jack just released a new single with Nico & Vinz, “River,” marked by acoustic guitar plucks and a velvety vocal over the washes of sonics. (Amphitheatre, Ybor City)
Betty Fox Band with Legendary JCs Howling soul-blues songstress Betty Fox and her tight and fiery band hits the Skipperdome on a Saturday night to get the crowd pumped and grooving hard, as paired with a set by R&B/soul/funk/Motown-channeling outfit the Legendary JCs. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
FYA Fest III A two-day (Saturday-Sunday) music fest with a clear focus on heavy raging sounds based on its lineup of more than 35 bands. Saturday’s bill is led by New York crossover thrash outfit All Out War, on tour behind a new Dying Gods EP; and Boston hardcore act The Rival Mob. Turnstile and Blistered lead the Sunday lineup; the former has been dishing out hardcore punk from Baltimore for the past five years, while the Florida-bred latter embraces ‘90s influences in their own mix of punk and metalcore. Among the other acts performing at FYA Fest: Angel Dust, Criminal Instinct, Trust No One, Society Sucker, Freedom, Head Creeps, Pulled Under, Forced Order, Three Knee Deep, Stand Off, Jesus Piece, Know The Score, True Love, Mizery, God's Hate, Point Blank, Protester, Threshold and Crisis Unit. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
Toast to Life 2016 A free concert showcase that celebrates the brand new year ahead along with the area’s diversity of local hip hop, soul and R&B sounds with sets by Tiff LaQueen, InfyNite TraxX, Mickey Spixx, Fanotch, Genolexis, Jamez Anthony, Aja Lorraine, OL'Mad, Nessand and Rival. (Fubar, St. Petersburg)
Sonic Graffiti, The Rosewoods, Archaic Interest, Fictional Friends A four-band billing presented by Blind Not Deaf and Night Of The Living Sound Productions that touches on voodoo soulful punk blues (Sonic Graffiti), wah-wah guitar-driven funk-blues (The Rosewoods), psych-dreamy surf (Archaic Interest) and crunchy barroom rock n’ roll (Teacher Teacher). (Local 662, St. Petersburg)
The Fritz Playing on both Saturday and Sunday night, Ashville sextet The Fritz pushes a seriously greasy fusion of prog rock and pounding funk with a heavy percussive thrust and grooves driven by the keywork and velvety booming vocals of ostensible frontman Jamar Woods. (Dunedin Brewery)
Beth McKee Trio She’s made many Southern locals her home, but swampy-soulful roots rock songstress Beth McKee (who has a robust vocal quality and plays both keys and accordion) has been calling the Bay area home of late and is currently celebrating the release of an earthy, empowering new album, 2015’s Sugarcane Revival. She plays in her trio format on for this intimate Hideaway gig with drummer/percussionist Juan Perez and bassist Dan Walters. (Hideaway Café & Recording Studio, St. Petersburg)
ALSO TONIGHT
Mosquito Teeth/Slap of Reality/Rekced Division/Jeff Brawer The Bends, St. Petersburg
Brian Smalley Hideaway Café & Recording Studio, St. Petersburg
Bryan Lee Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin
And One For All/Limbs/Aera Cura/Prepare The Grave/Chlover/Seek Well Brass Mug, Tampa
