THURSDAY, MAY 30
The Rascals The power-pop/R&B influenced sounds of New Jersey’s Rascals sound as fresh as ever and still elicit nothing but good vibes and memories whenever one of their many 1960s hits crank from a car radio. Playing in their original lineup for the first time since 1970, the band’s current “Once Upon a Dream” tour promises to be more than a lame attempt to recapture past glories. The performance is billed as a live biography of the band rather than an ordinary concert. Vintage film footage inter-spliced with narration and filmed scenes of actors portraying the band at various significant events from their illustrious career enhance the experience. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater) —Gabe Echazabal
Jason Michael Carroll w/Zach Lockwood The Round-Up is one of the few places where the masses can pay homage to modern Country Western culture. Sometimes they get it wrong (“Redneck Fridays” doesn’t quite cut it as PC, does it?), but the line dancing and concerts are right on. On this night, the club welcomes Jason Michael Carroll, a 34-year-old Houston native who’s the product of the Nashville country music machine. He doesn’t necessarily break new ground on any of his three LPs, but songs like “Growing Up Is Getting Old,” “Livin’ Our Love Song” and “I Can Sleep When I’m Dead” are perfectly written and continue to mine common-man themes like shotgunning beers, thinking you’ve found “true love,” and burning the candle at both ends. (The Round-Up, Tampa) —Ray Roa
Summerland Tour 2013: Everclear, Live, Filter and Sponge Nothing makes you feel old quite like a traveling carnival with the kind of vintage alt-guitar combos that can now safely be played on classic-rock radio stations. Inaugurated by Everclear principal Art Alexakis last year, Summerland sports a lineup of enviably successful acts that will appeal to anyone whose existence and aural adventurousness peaked in the mid-’90s. Which is by no means a judgment; each of these bands contributed at least one truly well-crafted alt-rock hit to the genre canon, from Everclear’s “Santa Monica” and Live’s “I Alone” (a personal favorite) to Filter’s apparently immortal “Hey Man Nice Shot” and Sponge’s somewhat less perennial “Plowed.” One question: Where’s Lit? Man, I still love me some Lit. (Mahaffey Theatre, St. Petersburg) —Scott Harrell
FRIDAY, MAY 31
Cody Simpson w/Ryan Beatty/Before You Exit As long as there are kids finding their way through puberty, there will always be tween-pop, and Australia’s most popular contribution to the genre comes in the form of Cody Simpson, a fair-haired 16-year-old with the kind of chiseled features and good looks that tend to coerce tinnitus-inducing shrills from legions of rabid fans. Songs like “Summer Shade” and “On My Mind” are feel-good anthems devoid of the scandalous themes that often pepper modern pop, so expect a packed house ready to sing along to each and every innocent word of Simpson’s set. (Carol Morsani Hall at the Straz Center, Tampa) —RR
Pretty & Nice w/Alexander & The Grapes/The Happiness Machine/Jensen Serf Co. Enjoy optimum post-workweek replenishment with a lineup offering a thoughtfully assembled and complementary mix of local and national acts, thanks to show promoter New Granada. The band name Pretty & Nice means no irony whatsoever. The Bostonians’ sound is what you’d expect and more — cheeky British-Invasion-flavored mischief, psychedelic effects, shimmy-shaking fun and sing-along-ability. They’re on an East Coast tour with locals on the rise Alexander and the Grapes, which joins the ephemeral Happiness Machine and lo-fi wonders Jensen Serf Co.; altogether, an uplifting showcase inventive bands with varying degrees of ebullience and eccentricity. (The Venture Compound, St. Petersburg) —Julie Garisto
Blast Friday w/The Fixx Who remembers the two '84 shows at the old Bayfront Theatre (curently the Mahaffey Theatre) that featured The Fixx and were filmed for an MTV broadcast? Well, if you do and you were there, you ought to be allowed to attend Friday night’s Fixx show for free. Of course, everyone is allowed to see one of the best-selling bands of the 1980s for free as part of the Blast Friday series in downtown Clearwater. Lead singer Cy Curnin is as animated as ever on stage with his theatrics and Bowie-isms, and lead guitarist Jamie West-Oram still packs a mighty mean punch. (Cleveland Street, Clearwater) —GE
Lushbudget w/The Wallies/The Black Marys/Fowler’s Bluff St. Pete act Lushbudget’s website is a mesmerizing online marvel, full of minimalist design, dramatic alt-rock and some encouragingly disturbing art-damaged music videos. The group’s real strength lies in incorporating just enough raw emotion to stay on the safe side of the line where ambition topples over into pretense. South-of-the-Skyway act The Wallies balances melodic punk with sexy garage rawness, St. Pete’s The Black Marys bare their dirty and eclectic souls, and Fowler’s Bluff — featuring former members of The Boats — gives up a rhythmic, dynamic and varied blend of jazz intent and posthardcore execution. Highly recommended. (Local 662, St. Petersburg) —SH
