FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
Sugarland w/Jake Owen/Matt Nathanson I’d never even heard of Sugarland until I watched the 2009 Grammy’s, when the Nashville pop country music duo — Jennifer Nettles on lead vocals, Kristian Bush on backing vocals, mandolin, acoustic guitar, and harmonica — performed and took home two awards, both for “Stay,” the fourth and final single from 2006’s Enjoy the Ride. “Stay” follows the cry-in-your-beer country tradition, this one a woman’s desperate plea to her cheating man not to leave her again to see his other woman. “It’s too much pain to have to bear / to love a man you have to [image-1]share,” Nettles cries in a twangy, heartbroken soprano. 7:30 p.m., St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, $25-$45.
The Matt Kurz One [pictured] w/Mogul Street Reserve/The Semis An eclectic bill headed up by Athens, Ga.’s Matt Kurz One, who, as the name implies, does the one-man band thing in a whole new messy garage rock style, singing in a gruff howl, and playing drums, keys and guitar, sometimes all at once. The bill is rounded out by Mogul Street Reserve’s fast, hard and fun prog rock, and the pleasing alt rock dissonance of The Semis. 9 p.m., New World Brewery, Ybor City, $7.
Skipper's Smokehouse 29th Anniversary w/3rd Stone/Pocket Change/Soul2Earth The longtime Tampa venue celebrates its longevity with a funkadelic free-some — a pro gratis show with some of the venue’s current funk faves: the Hendrix-loving Soul 2 Earth, the R&B, outfit-matching Pocket Change, and 3rd Stone, which offers up a heady brew of rock, funk, Afrobeat and blues. 8 p.m., Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa, free.
The Queers "Go Pop" Tour w/The Leftovers/TA80 The Queers first formed in 1982, the band has seen countless line-up changes, with founding member guitarist/singer Joe Queer the sole constant throughout and the creative mind behind the band’s uncomplicated, never-gonna-grow-up-style of punk pop. 7-10 p.m., Orpheum, Ybor City, $15.50.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
Come Together: WMNF's Tribute to Abbey Road, Yellow Submarine and The Beatles w/The Ditchflowers/Captain Obvious and The Duh! Patrol/boon/The Chicken Chasers/The Crabgrass Cowboys/Gumbo Boogie/Hat Trick Heroes/Juniper/Mark C and Joe Reina/Parson Brown/Rich Whiteley Band/Bob Anthony with Natty Moss-Bond/Sandy Atkinson & The Revelations/Sons of Hippies/Soul Purpose /Tribal Style/others Just in time for the release of the Beatles’ remastered catalog, WMNF throws a tribute party in honor of the Fab Four. CLICK HERE to find out details about the event. 3 p.m.-midnight, Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa, $12 in advance/$17 dos.
Lydia w/Play Radio Play/Leone/Ascend the Hill Arizona’s up-and-coming indie sextet Lydia makes drifting indie rock with delicate melodies that build to dramatic crescendos. PlayRadioPlay? is the low-fi indie electro project of Daniel Hunter. 6-7 p.m., Orpheum, Ybor City, $10.
[image-2]Saturday, Sept. 26-Sunday, Sept. 27 FolkFest St. Pete 2009 w/Donna the Buffalo [pictured]/The New Familiars/South Carolina/Veronika Jackson/Dave Hardin/Green Grass Boys with TC Carr/Sarasota Slim & Nitro/Rebekah Pulley & the Reluctant Prophets/Ben Prestage/Tribute to Woodstock/Have Gun, Will Travel The city closes down two blocks of Central Avenue for the third edition of Creative Clay’s now-annual fundraiser, FolkFest St. Pete. The free two-day street party celebrates all things folk with food and drink, art booths spotlighting the works of a range of local artisans, and a solid lineup of music throughout. Florida’s finest singer-songwriters, and folk and blues artists join a few national talents on the outdoor stage. South Carolina kicks off the music on Saturday, with sets by Dave Hardin, Green Grass Boys and TC Carr, Sarasota Slim and Nitro, Rebekah Pulley and the Reluctant Prophets and Ben Prestage to follow; Charlotte, N.C.’s New Familiars headline and round out the bill with rockin’ Americana. The Sunday bill features Veronika Jackson, Ella Jet, a “Tribute to Woodstock,” Have Gun, Will Travel and the main headliners and a big score for the fest – NY’s Donna the Buffalo, their folky, rootsy jams marked by elements of zydeco, old time fiddle music and three-part harmonies. Central Avenue, between 11th and 13th streets, St. Petersburg, free.
Statesmen of Jazz: Parrott, Rosenthal, Barrett, Ascione and Redd Palladium Theater opens its 2009-10 Statesmen of Jazz series that featuring Arbors Records musicians with singer and bassist Nicki Parrott, jazz pianist Ted Rosenthal, trombonist Dan Barrett, drummer Joe Ascione, and Chuck Redd on vibes. 7:30 p.m., Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg, $20-30.
Pabst Blue Ribbon Presents: The Hurricane Party w/How Dare You/XOXO/The Future Now/DJ Mega A PBR-hosted bill featuring melodic punk rock by How Dare You and bouncy synthified post-punk by XOXO, both from Orlando, and accessible alt rock by Gainesville’s The Future Now; Mega spins the between-set jams. 8 p.m., Crowbar, Ybor City, free.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
Hat Trick Heroes w/Male Order Brides/Ella Jet, Danny S & Alex 5 p.m., Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa, $7
blink-182 w/Fall Out Boy/All-American Rejects/Asher Roth The closest I came to intentionally listening to blink-182 was when drummer Travis Barker had an MTV reality show with on again-off again wife and baby’s momma, Shanna Moakler. To me, the couple’s sexy “real life” drama was more interesting than the trio’s candy-coated punk pop. [image-3]Not that blink-182 isn’t deserving of some acclaim — the band spearheaded a new generation of radio-ready rock, has made millions of dollars along the way, and can still headline arena tours without having produced any new music since 2003. Three nearly-as-famous pop punk acts provide support on the band’s current tour, the first following a four-year hiatus. 6:30 p.m., Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa, $20- $63/ $25-$68 dos.
Everytime I Die w/Bring Me the Horizon/Oh, Sleeper The brooding metalcore crush of Buffalo, NY four-piece Everytime I Die hurtles ahead with muscular riffage and riotous reverb, fatty basslines and a vocalist who uses his powerful pipes to rage, his howls reaching grand peaks of wailing aggression. The band’s new video for “Wanderlust” — a single off their freshly-minted fifth album, New Junk Aesthetic — is directed by Chris Sims (Staind, Lamb Of God) and combines grainy, shadowy shots of the band thrash-playing as the frontman staggers down an eerie corridor, busts through doors along the way, and comes face-to-face with the tripped-out album art of New Junk brought to monstrous, animated life. 6 p.m., The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City, $16.50 in advance/$20 dos.
Eek-A-Mouse w/Bootleg Jamaica’s reggae “singjay” Eek-a-Mouse has been producing his slow and steady roots-dub since 1980, and has released more than a dozen albums, when he hooked up with producer Henry “Junjo” Lawes (Scientist, Frankie Paul, Yellowman), and started releasing hits like “Ganja Smuggling” and “Wa-Do-Dem.” 6 .p.m, State Theatre, St. Petersburg, $15 in advance/$18 dos.
