Kiko Rodriguez Props to Whiskey North because who would’ve ever thought that Carrollwood would be the place you’d have to drive to see some bachata authentica. Kiko Rodriguez is a Dominican born virtuoso who started banging around on percussion in his prepubescent days before switching to guitar and giving fans genre classics like "El Verde de Tus Ojos" and "Ya Te Olvide." (Whiskey North, Tampa) INFO
"Kidz Bop Live" Not something we’d normally write about, but a web post about the Kidz Bop Kids officially scheduling live dates at Legoland Florida was well received. Newspring lovers should know that the concerts take place twice daily through April 30 at the newly renamed Kidz Bop Stadium, and outdoor venue on the shore of Lake Eloise. The kids — Ahnya, Cooper, Freddy, Isaiah, Julianna and Sierra — will be available for meet and greets after each show. Shows are included in park admission, and more information is available via legoland.com. (Legoland, Winter Haven) INFO
Sean Chambers CD Release Party Chicago blues make up the backbone of America’s greatest tradition, but it’s pretty tricky to get it right. Chambers, who grew up on the Gulf coast, gets it right, and he owes it to the countless days and nights spent idolizing heros like the three Kings (B.B., Freddie, Albert), Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck. This show celebrates a new LP, Trouble & Whiskey (released in March), and while Chambers has accomplished a lot since his 1998 debut Strong Temptation, this LP (and the fact that Guitar Magazine, named him one of the 50 greatest guitarists of all time), is something to hang his hat on. (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa) INFO
Lauris Vidal w/Damion Suomi/Burke Bros. The Bay area’s appreciation for Lauris Vidal’s toothy, one man band Florida folk revival is well known on these pages, and it’s cool to see him flanked by an East Coaster (Cocoa Beach’s Damion Suomi) for this show where the addition of Bradenton’s Burke Brothers makes for a bill that turns Ybor City into the geometric barycenter of a very powerful Sunshine State songwriter triangle. (New World Brewery, Ybor City) INFO
Son Salvaje St. Pete wants in on the new Cuba craziness (can’t Tampa just have this one, guys?), so Keep Saint Pete Local is throwing a party to bring attention to the fact that Mayor Kriseman wants a Cuban consulate in ‘The Burg. Tampa-based salsa, merengue, bachata and Latin jazz specialists Son Salvaje will provide the sounds. (Nova 535, St. Petersburg) INFO
Friday Concerts in the Park w/The Ries Brothers The Ries Brothers won’t be young forever (the kids were babyfaced when they started opening for Chicago), and this free, outdoor show is a good chance to catch up with Charlie and Kevin Jordan as they bounce around a sound that dabbles in the blues, reggae and, yes, rock and roll. (Water Works Park, Tampa) INFO
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98 Rock Fest w/Soundgarden/A Day To Remember/Pierce the Veil/Highly Suspect/Nothing More/Beartooth/Starset Nobody's quite sure how close we are to a new Soundgarden album (edit: since we published this there has been news), but one this is for sure: the guys are on tour. The band — reunited in 2010 after 13 years off — are mostly playing festivals as part of their upcoming summer tour, and it’s worth sitting through a few sets of radio rock to get to a performance by your favorite grunge law firm Cornell, Thayil, Cameron and Shepherd. (Amalie Arena, Tampa) INFO
Transitions Welcome Back Show w/Awkward Age/Blacksmith/Cemetery Circles/Dom Soares/Middle Child/One Way/more All ages, inclusive concert space Transitions Art Gallery is back...again. Things are looking pretty stable in their new spot within SPoT (the Skatepark of Tampa), and we talked to venue Jack-of-all-trades Gabe Wagner about this comeback show here. (Transitions Art Gallery, Tampa) INFO
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Rock
Local Lockdown w/Squ/Drastic Fall/Itz Lyrikal (State Theatre, St. Petersburg) INFO
Pretty Voices w/Delusionaries/Bad Spell (Fubar, St. Petersburg) INFO
Blast Friday w/Fabulous Thunderbirds (Cleveland Street District, Clearwater) INFO
The Hills Have Eyes w/Eye of the Destroyer/Grave Ascension/Suicide/Murderride/more (Brass Mug, Tampa) INFO
Fuck You Pay Me FYPM 210 w/Porno Party/Pig Pen/more (Sawgrass Gallery & Teahouse, St. Petersburg) INFO
Classical/Chorale/Jazz
Master Chorale of Tampa Bay’s Big Sing (The Portico, Tampa) INFO
Daniel Girón (Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg) INFO
Florida Orchestra Masterworks Presents Symphonie Fantastique (Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa) INFO
Hip-Hop
The Young Parisians (Ella's Americana Folk Art Café, Tampa) INFO
Tribute
Electric Avenue (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg) INFO
EDM/DJ
Herobust (The Ritz, Ybor City) INFO
DJ Rebelle (Mermaid Tavern, Tampa) INFO
Folk/Singer-songwriter
Nate Currin (Hideaway Café, St. Petersburg) INFO
Adam Randall (The Attic at Rock Brothers Brewing, Ybor City) INFO
R&B
The Rhapsody Suite: The 90s Part 2 (2 year Anniversary) (Mojito, Tampa) INFO
