An interesting weekend ahead...
Reggae Rise Up Festival with Rebelution, Steel Pulse, Collie Buddz, Zion I, Ballyhoo!, Rootz Underground, Los Rakas New to Tampa but now in its sixth incarnation, Reggae Rise Up Festival brings eight acts with island swaying sounds to town, then tops off the music with food and beer from local eateries and breweries along with an art showcase featuring Bay area talent. Among the performers at the day-long fest are world-calypso-flavored quintet Rebelution from Santa Barbara, Calif., backing a fourth full-length, Count Me In; a few Jamaican exports, roots reggae icons Steel Pulse and rocking upstarts Rootz Underground; and Los Rakas, their own sound mixing hip hop and Latino aesthetics. (Raymond James Stadium, Tampa)
Pre-Big Pre-FEST with Awkward Age, Tiny Tortures, Moonbeard, Joy Spent The title might sound a bit confusing but it’s just a warm-up party for the warm-up party for FEST. Still confused? Okay, so Ybor is hosting Pre-FEST in Little Ybor 2, a two-day multi-venue music event leading up to FEST in Gainesville this October. Pre-Big Pre-FEST is an official party before the pre-party, to stoke the local anticipation nice and early. Bay area ‘90s-vibing punk-pop act Awkward Age leads the Saturday night charge. More info HERE. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
Heart to Heart Benefit Thx Mgmt Presents has put together a diverse and appealing bill to play this benefit for the Purple Heart Memorial site, including the reggae bumping sounds of local mash-up DubbTenn with guests Badda Skat, and a few Sarasota guests, avant synth-pop outfit MeteroEYES and raw garage-blues trio Hail Dale. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
Hyperbolic Chamber Music 1: Works for Cello The launch of a new series that features cutting-edge sounds and aims to redefine the boundaries of contemporary classical music by taking it out of formal concert halls and bringing it into unconventional performance spaces. More info about the series and the USF consortium that helped make it a reality right here. (The Venture Compound, St. Petersburg)
Bruuuuuce! WMNF presents Bruce Springsteen’s 65th Birthday Tribute The Boss celebrates 65 years on earth this month, and while he might be old enough to retire, he hasn’t giving any indication that he’s ready to hang it up just yet. And why should he? His creative output hasn’t slowed much nor has he lost his ability to top the charts (18th album High Hopes dropped in January and marked his 11th No. 1). WMNF celebrates New Jersey’s favorite rocker in its usual style – by throwing a multi-band showcase and tasking each of the 20 or so participants with performing selections from his wide-spanning (1970s-‘00s) catalog from 4 p.m. to midnight. Talk to Mark performs Born to Run in its entirety, 10 singer-songwriters stage a song each from Nebraska in the original tracklist order, and interactive diversions include an audience air sax contest (with a prize for the hottest faker), and a “Prove It All Night” open mic for anyone who wants to howl it out, Springsteen style. Check out the full schedule of performers slated to take on Bruce at wmnf.org. (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa)
Live Forever with Buffalo Buffalo, Justin Norris Tampa four-piece Live Forever does Southern rock right. Their small, but varied assortment of joyous barroom-rock takes notes from a book of acts ranging from J. Roddy Walston & The Business to Deer Tick and The Hold Steady. When they’re not working day jobs, they divvy their time between writing and recording one-offs at singer/guitarist Dan Sells’ home studio. Latest track, “The Dog, the Drink and the Back Door,” is a fast-drive onslaught of squealing guitars, crushing drums (at the hand of Andrew W.K. drummer Rich Russo), and strained Southern melody that’d be right at home beneath the hazy bar lights of The Hub on this night. (The Hub, downtown Tampa) –Andrew Silverstein
Troy Ave In his latest track with Lloyd Banks, “Your Style,” rising Brooklyn emcee Troy Ave reflects on the fly women he’s attracted since his come-up, his phrasing evoking Stevie Wonder’s “Part-Time Lover” over a sample of “Lonely Disco Dancer” by Dee Dee Bridgewater. He’s dropped nearly a dozen mixtapes since 2009 but only issued his debut full-length last year; New York City: The Album features guest spots by Raekwon, Prodigy and Pusha T among others. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
The Chop Tops with Twisted In Graves, Eldomeano, Switchblade Villian Plying a rip-rearing and revving blend of rockabilly, surf, psychobilly and punk rock come The Chop Tops from Santa Cruz, Calif., frontman Sinner crooning or howling country twangy vocals while banging the beats on stand-up drums. (Local 662, St. Petersburg)
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28
Taj Weekes & Adowa In a movement where homophobia and weed-smoking is the standard, St. Lucia reggae maker Taj Weekes stands out as a Rasta musician who isn’t necessarily referring to the ganj when he waxes on herb (“Herb is sustainability and vitality … it’s engaging in a healthy life and it tasting good,” he commented in a recent press statement), and actually promotes the “One love” creed he preaches (“I would rather see two men loving each other than a man beating a woman. That is what One Love means to me. You cannot define love so easily for other people.”). His pan-Caribbean dub and soul-infused sounds are similarly warm while Taj’s vocals are sweet, high-toned pipings. (Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin)
ALSO THIS WEEKEND
Harmonicide w/Hellfrost/Witch Bastard/Slikk Wikked/Voz/The Heene Boyz Sat., Sept. 27, Brass Mug, Tampa
RSP Industry Showcase Sat., Sept. 27, State Theatre, St. Petersburg
Oktobeerfest Party w/Grandpa’s Cough Medicine Sat., Sept. 27, Ale and the Witch, St. Petersburg
Astari Nite/Autarx/First Born Souls Sat., Sept. 27, Octave, St. Petersburg
Zulu Wave Album Release Party Sat., Sept. 27, The Attic, St. Petersburg (MORE INFO HERE)
Danielle DeCosmo Sat., Sept. 27, Hideaway Café & Recording Studio, St. Petersburg
Fresh Hops Sat., Sept. 27, Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin
Turbo Saturday w/See Shellz/SubPirate/Laurentz Sidedraft/Sirkit Sat., Sept. 27, Fubar, St. Petersburg
Faster Pussycat Sat., Sept. 27, Bourbon Street, New Port Richey
Tampa Jazz Club Presents: O Som Do Jazz Sun., Sept. 28, HCC-Ybor Mainstage Theater, Ybor City
Ol’ Dirty Sundays: Mr. Walt w/Crazy DJ Bizarro Sun., Sept. 28, Crowbar, Ybor City
Arsis w/Allegaeon/Exmortus/Burning Fair Verona/Akeldama Sun., Sept. 28, Orpheum, Ybor City
Caribbean Cowboy Sun., Sept. 28, Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa
