Kisses w/Saskatchewan/Tako Tomago Kisses is made up of soon-to-be-married couple Jesse Kivel and Zinzi Edmundson, their style of summery-hued ’80s-inspired dance music and made-for-skating-rink synth pop taking a thematic turn in new sophomore album Kids in LA, which finds Edmundson laying down hooky keyboard melodies or atmospheric texture while Kivel sings in a lightly emotive tenor about bored rich kids kicking around in LA. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)—LP
₡Δ▼ΞЛ (Coven) Do you remember Witch House? No? Well, back in 2010, some bedroom producers got all ghostly and took on weird symbols in their monikers in what was the biggest internet micro-genre since chillwave receded. The good folks at Venture Compound in St. Pete remember, and they’re bringing it back in full force for a night they’re calling ‘₡Δ▼ΞЛ’ (that’s ‘Coven’ for those of you limited to English characters). DJs Mike Bagley and Jet are set to spin the best that soupy, shrouded genre has to offer alongside a couple of live performances from the Tampa-based darkwave duo Push Button Press, and the shapeshifting noiseniks in St. Pete locals Young Egypt. (The Venture Compound, St. Petersburg) —CJ
SUNDAY, JULY 28
Cannibal Ox w/Akir/IREALZ/Kenyattah Right before the regularly scheduled Ol’ Dirty Sundays, Crowbar presents another hip hop bill that Tampa definitely didn’t see coming. Actually, no one probably saw this one coming, and while Cannibal Ox only has one great LP under their belt (2001’s Cold Vein), said LP is a bona fide classic that will get some new shine when the NYC-based duo of Vast Aire and Vordul Mega hit Ybor for an early show. There is no telling if Aire and Mega will ever make that rumored sophomore album, so this is probably going to be your best chance to pay homage. (Crowbar, Ybor City) —RR
Ol’ Dirty Sundays w/Rich Medina From his early days as a B-boy-turned-DJ in Lakewood, N.J., Rich Medina — a veritable legend in hip hop history and a member of Philly’s Rock Steady Crew — has embodied everything that Ol’ Dirty Sundays is about: passion for vinyl as a tool to make bodies move, the amazing power it holds to the individual listener and utilizing a blue-collar work ethic to parlay that enthusiasm into a lifestyle that promotes positive thinking, progression, and community. (Crowbar, Ybor City) —RR
Rebound Johnny: A Benefit for John McEwen A significant local player has been missing from the scene of late: singer, songwriter and multi-string instrumentalist John McEwen, who’s devoted decades of his career to the local scene, and can usually be seen performing with Judy Hargraves in Judy Tampa & Bunko Squad, and in her side project with Natty Moss Bond, Dirty Spoons & Trash Revue. McEwen spent several weeks in the hospital after emergency surgery for a perforated intestine, and he’s currently dealing with medical bills not covered by insurance along with the costs of rehabilitation. His musician friends throw this Sunday fundraiser on his behalf from 3 to 7 p.m. A silent auction and raffles feature donated goods, and bands that have donated their time and talents — among them Dirty Spoons, Ronny Elliott, Gumbo Limbo Cajun, Liz Hollister, Third Man Out and Pappos — perform. Cover is free but donations to the McEwen Medical fund (reboundjohnny.com) are appreciated. (Four Green Fields, Tampa)—LP
Machine Gun Kelly After five years of dropping buzz-worthy mixtapes, the pale tatted rapper from Cleveland whose swift spitting style earned him his working stage name landed a fatty record deal with Interscope/Bad Boy Records in 2011. Diddy personally oversaw production on 2012 debut full-length, Lace Up, his involvement referenced in first single “Wild Boy” with guest Wocka Flocka Flame (“Lose control like Missy but I’m a bad boy ‘cause I’m with Diddy, bitch”). In June, MGK is self-released the rock-inspired Black Flag, originally slated as a mixtape, but now touted as a second full-length available for free. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)—LP
The Psychedelic Furs w/Spacehog Less than a year after their stop at State Theatre with Lemonheads, British sextet Psychedelic Furs (“Pretty In Pink”) returns for another round of their dark, New Wave-rooted post-punk as driven by brassy-droning frontman/songwriter Richard Butler. Warming up the stage is another Brit band, glammy spacey alt rock outfit Spacehog, which you likely remember best from 1995 hit, “In the Meantime.” Spacehog is on tour behind a well-received PledgeMusic-funded fourth album, As It Is On Earth, their first fresh output in a dozen years. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)—LP
The Monkees Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, and Peter Tork hit the road again with a full backing band to reprise last year’s successful throwback tour. “A Midsummer’s Night with The Monkees” touches on hits (“Last Train To Clarksville,” “I’m A Believer,” “Pleasant Valley Sunday”), deep cuts from their first five albums (including a few tunes dusted off for the first time since the ’60s) and fan favorites from the soundtrack of their cult classic psychedelic film, Head. All of it is paired with rare film footage and one-of-a-kind photographs culled from the Monkees archives. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)—LP
