It's Halloween! Of course, there's a whole lot going on this Sat., Oct. 31. Check out the Tampa Bay concert breakdown below.
Taylor Swift with Vance Joy, Shawn Mendes It’s tough to be the queen. Just ask Taylor Swift, who seems to be in the crosshairs of everyone that thinks her music doesn’t merit her superstar status, or that she uses friends and lovers solely to her own advantage. Whatever she’s got seemed to be good enough for alt-country hero Ryan Adams, who, last month, released an album featuring covers of every track from Swift’s 1989 LP. All of it’ll also be good enough for the almost 60,000 screaming fans that’ll pack RayJay on Halloween for a show that is going to net the Tampa Sports Authority upwards of $350K in profits. You can choose to skip this show (CHVRCHES is playing Jannus and Buckwheat Zydeco is at Skipper’s after all), but let all the Swiftys (and closet Swift fans) enjoy some glory when their royal highess rolls into town. (Raymond James Stadium, Tampa) —Ray Roa
Chvrches with Mansionair So what if she’s the queen of mean? CHVRCHES frontwoman Lauren Mayberry will infamously put any heckler in his/her place after a quip escapes the crowd, but at this point in the Glasgow-based band’s trajectory, the 28-year-old and her bandmates — Iain Cook and Martin Doherty — have kind of earned it. “The Mother We Share” from their 2013 debut is still one of the most valuable pop gems available these days, and a new album — this year’s Every Open Eye — cements the collective’s place in the upper echelon of modern electro. Just make sure to dance and keep your mouth shut at this one. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg) —RR
Kill the Noise EDM may be home to some of the best bastardized song titles in the history of dance music. Case in point: Jake Stanczak. The Rochester-based producer better known as Kill The Noise has a new full-length out (Occult Classic, fueled by single “Dolphin On Wheels” and the amazing-named “I Do Coke”) and where it’s filled with some of the most aggro, loud, and questionable 4/4 beats to ever be born of the solid Canadian drum n’ bass movement, there are enough holmies (Dillon Francis, Feed Me, AWOLNATION) on the 10-song collection to make it legit. This music might be a little bit brainless, but at least it isn’t afraid to have a good time. (Amphitheatre, Ybor City) —RR
Buckwheat Zydeco with Gumbo Boogie Band For Halloween eve, Skipper’s Smokehouse is encouraging you to trade your candy corn in for a whole lotta Zydeco — Buckwheat Zydeco, that is. The haven of jammy, good-times celebrates their famous Freaker’s Ball on the 31st, but on Friday they welcome 67-year-old Stanley Dural to the Skipperdome for a night of cajun-spiced accordion and tipsy-melodies that’s evolved a centuries old form of African-American jazz into a swinging, washboard-wearing testament to all that’s alright with this beautiful region of ours. (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa) —RR
Bogus Pomp: Zappaween 20 The third time we get to see the Bay area’s best (and likely the country’s finest) Zappa tribute act with guitar shredder Jerry Outlaw at its helm is the now-traditional Halloween show, during which the setlist takes a turn into the prog icon’s darker material. The 20th annual Halloween show features special guest percussionist George Bernardo. Read more about the show here. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)—Leilani Polk
The Underachievers with Pouya, Yung Simmie, Fat Nick, Kirk Knight, Bodega Bamz Indigo children rejoice! The Forevermore Express is coming to town. Hailing from Flatbush, Brooklyn, The Underachievers (Issa Gold and AK) are well known for their conscious yet psychedelic raps and enlightening flows. After releasing their first official mixtape Indigoism in 2013 and getting signed to Flying Lotus’ prolific, multi-genre Brainfeeder label, The Underachievers have been on the rise ever since, dropping full-length debut, Cellar Door: Terminus Ut Exordium, last year; each also released their own solo mixtapes in between. Last month, the hip-hop duo dropped sophomore follow-up Evermore: The Art of Duality. The Underachievers are hitting up the Orpheum this Halloween with fellow New York rappers and Tanboys’ co-founder Bodega Bamz, and Pro Era’s Kirk Knight. Miami rapper Pouya and his comrades, the Buffet Boys, will also be in tow. (Orpheum, Ybor City) —Andrea McCray
ALSO TONIGHT
Sister Kill Cycle The Sand Bar, New Port Richey
Halloween Swing Dance w/Ace Jackson and the Jump Kings American Legion Post #111, Tampa
Hands Like Houses w/I The Mighty/Lower Than Atlantis/Brigades/Too Close To Touch Epic Problem, Tampa
FUNK-O-WEEN w/Green Sunshine/Row Jomah Ringside Café, St. Petersburg
Doug Deming & the Jewel Tones Sat., Oct. 31, The Underground at Moscato’s, St. Petersburg
Halloween Party w/Shae Krispinksi, Rodney Smith/more TBA Sat., Oct. 31, New World Brewery, Ybor City
Halloween Night w/Gimme Hendrix Sat., Oct. 31, Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin
Riptoberfest Halloween Bash & Costume Party w/Eviscerated Zombie Tampon/Shattered/Wirethrone/Harmonicide/Beerwolf/Blood Bath & Beyond/Fathom/ Regurgitated Pus/Slikk Wikked/Riptorn Sat., Oct. 31, Brass Mug, Tampa
Halloween Monster Mash w/The 20 Penny Circus/Twisty Chris & the Puddin’ Packs/Funeral Dazies/Nerds Raging/Buck-0-Weens Sat., Oct. 31, Local 662, St. Petersburg
