Hey, it's Saturday! Check out what's happening on this fifth day in September below...
James Leg with Russ Van Cleave The Black Diamond Heavies make some raucous blues-licked punk-kicking rock n’ roll as driven by the fine ivories work of Texas-spawned John Wesley Myers aka James Leg (bass keys, Fender Rhodes, organ) and his deep, grit-stained growling and howling. The son of a preacher man hits Ella’s the day after dropping Below the Belt, a second soulful solo outing led by scorching gospel-soaked first single “Up Above My Head” and encompassing a juke-joint stomping cover of The Dirtbombs' “Can't Stop Thinking About It.” (Ella's Americana Folk Art Café, Tampa)
Keith Sweat Though he helped usher in the New Jack Swing era with songs like “I Want Her,” Keith Sweat is better known for his soulful slow jamz and sexy baby-making odes – “I'll Give All My Love To You,” “Just One of Those Thangs,” “Nobody” and personal favorite, the naughty synth bumpin’ “Make You Sweat.” (Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg)
Lady Antebellum with Sam Hunt The mega country group driven by the three-part harmonies of leaders Hillary Scott, Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley are on the road behind sixth full-length 747; platinum certified first single “Bartender” takes a gritty rock turn and finds Scott taking the lead as she belts about getting together with her girlfriends to drink away her break-up pain one double shot of Crown at a time. (MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa)
Ben Katzman's DeGreaser with Luxury Mane, Tall Juan With lo-fi punk-garage odes firmly influenced by KISS and The Ramones like the vaguely retro “I Wanna Dance with a Hopeless Romantic” and guitar-fuzzed and shredded “Virgo Babe in a Maiden Shirt,” Boston-area outfit Ben Katzman’s DeGreaser is charming the pants off new fans fan and wide, which’ll surely include a few ‘Burg folk when they land to play this free gig with a local rock staple (Luxury Mane) and a goofy NYC-by-way-of-Buenos Aires rock songwriter (Tall Juan). (The Bends, St. Petersburg)
Michael Allman Band If you saw the name and wondered if Michael Allman was related to Allman Brothers Band leader Gregg, consider this your confirmation: Michael is his eldest son, though likely the greenest to the music biz, and bears a striking resemblance to dear old dad as well as a similarly smoky vocal quality. Michael’s rock n’ roll is a little heavier though still remaining in blues and roots realms. He and his band perform original material in addition to ABB covers. (Largo Cultural Center, Largo)
LILITH, Infinite Third, DEA + Saint, Rogerthomas A four-pack of diverse, high quality Bay area talent that touches on the dark, Bauhaus-influenced witchhouse electro productions and effected wails of LILITH, the guitar progressions and ambient experimentations of Infinite Third, DEA + Saint’s potent howling hip hop, and the eccentric one-man sonic explorations of Rogerthomas. (Fubar, St. Petersburg)
The Orb German ambient house pioneers The Orb (Alex Paterson and Thomas Fehlmann) have followed up 2012’s Afro-dub-infused collab with Lee “Scratch” Perry with this summer’s Moonbuilding 2703, a 13th album that finds the duo returning to the long-form composing of 1991 conceptual debut, Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld, as well as to that album's ambient soundscapes. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
ALSO TONIGHT
Troy Youngblood/Jun Bustamante/Shoeless Soul The Hideaway Café & Recording Studio, St. Petersburg
Peace of Woodstock Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa
Ajeva Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin
Acme Jazz Garage The Independent Bar & Café, Tampa
The Ries Brothers w/Painted Fish Ale and the Witch, St. Petersburg
Jimmy Griswold Band The Underground at Moscato’s, St. Petersburg
