This weekend's best bets in Bay area music: Revolting Cocks, Freaker's Ball with the Legendary JC's & Rev. Billy C. Wirtz, Eric Lindell, Solillaquists of Sound and more

30th Annual Freaker's Ball Magical Mythical Tour w/The Legendary JCs/Rev. Billy C Wirtz For its 30th Halloween throwdown, Skipper’s has organized an evening of guaranteed good times. The Legendary JC’s brings funky energy and a thoroughly sweaty soul revue to the mix; country blues artist Rev. Billy C Wirtz brings his deep-voiced sardonic wit. Dress up as your idol, real or imagined; this year’s theme is “myths and legends,” and the winner of the contest gets a schweet prize. 8 p.m., Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa, $10.

Josh Gracin He made it all the way to American Idol with his countrified style, and while the former U.S. Marine didn’t win, Nashville artist Josh Gracin made it all the way to fourth place in the show’s second season and got himself a record deal once it was all said and done. The music has its commercial pop moments, but his guitar riffs and solos are harder than you’d expect, his [image-1]songs brightened by fiddle and the occasional swell of organ. 10 p.m., doors open 7 p.m., Dallas Bull, Tampa, advance $9.95/dos $15.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24

Solillaquists of Sound [pictured] No More Heroes, the sophomore effort of one of the hottest hip-hop acts to come out of Orlando, Solillaquists of Sound, finds the quartet taking a more aggro, in-your-face turn that’s seasoned with steady-grooving psychedelic funk, dubstep, afrobeat, folk and synth-symphonic drama. “New Sheriff in Town” has a driving bumpin’ beat and slick rhymes delivered fast, demanding and occasionally with a vox box while “Look” takes its softer and slower with lovely harmonies and down-beat tempos. The album is apparently the second in a a trilogy of conceptually-linked records produced for Anti-, this one focused on self-empowerment. 9 p.m., 18 & up, Crowbar, Ybor City, $to be determined.

Side Door Blues: Sean Chambers The elder statesman of locally-fried blues plays this intimate show as part of the Palladium’s concert series. 8 p.m., Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg, $12-15.

New Riders of the Purple Sage The New Riders have been doling out their distinctive brand of psychedelic roots-jam rock since they debuted in San Francisco in ’69 with “Panama Red,” arguably one of the most famous pot songs of all time. 8 p.m., Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa, advance $15/dos $20.

Gary Dizon's Birthday Party w/Gary Dizon & Friends/Greenhill/The Boozers 9 p.m., New World Brewery, Ybor City, $5.

Sarasota Blues Fest feat. [image-2], Sarasota, advance $20/dos $25.

WOBtoberfest w/Eric Lindell [pictured] The West coast-based blue-eyed roots soul rocker brings his pop-sensible, made-for-radio melodies and new record, Gulf Coast Highway, to this beery Octoberfest party. 10 p.m.-midnight, World of Beers, Tampa, $5 before 7 p.m., $10 after 7 p.m.

Stryper The Orange County, Calif. quintet brought Christian metal into the mainstream and had their heyday in the mid to late-80s. The group disbanded in 1993, reunited in 2003, and have released a few studio albums since then, this year’s Murder by Pride their ninth and latest. 9 p.m., doors open 8 p.m., Bourbon Street Night Club, New Port Richey, advance $18/dos $25.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25

Scott H. Biram Country punkin’ Biram is an explosive, one-man band whose whiskey-drinking ditties are perfect for pounding your feet on a dusty floorboard and yelling retorts to raucously humorous choruses like “Babe, I’m ‘bout to plough you under / Forget you forever and ever, I’m ‘bout to plough you goddamn under.” 8 p.m., Pastimes Pub, Sarasota, $ TBA.

N.Y.C. feat. Tommy Bolan w/Sledge Grinder/Chamber the Cartridge/MGP Can you guess where N.Y.C. is from? Vocalist/guitarist Tommy Bolan leads the crushing industrial metal trio with talk-growled and growl-screamed vocals. 7 p.m., State Theatre, St. Petersburg, $10.