This weekend is jammed with live music beginning on this Fri., Jan. 29. Take a look at the breakdown below, then take a peek at what's coming up on Saturday and Sunday...
Johnnyswim Some of the best folk songwriting is crafted by artists who really seem love each other (see: Fleetwood Mac). Once you hear the sonic tenderness of Amanda Sudano (whose mom is Donna Summer) and Abner Ramirez, it comes as no surprise to learn the LA-based songsmiths who perform as Johnnyswim are married. Their blend of simple acoustic instrumentals with rousing vocal interplay lends itself to an incredibly intimate sound that still feels capable of filling an arena. (Ferguson Hall at Straz Center for Performing Arts, Tampa) –Leanne Castro
McCormick Marimba Festival Originally launched in 2002, the fest was founded by USF music professor Robert McCormick and draws national talent – both professional soloists along with high school and college ensembles – to Tampa for a few days of marimba love, practice and interpretation. A Solo Showcase Concert kicks off the festivities on Friday night, with a full day of performances on Saturday beginning at 8:30 a.m. and stretching to a 5:45 p.m. finale by McCormick and Janis Potter. (USF Concert Hall, Tampa)–Leilani Polk
TFO Rock: The Music of U2 The Florida Orchestra tackles the music of the Irish-bred alt rock behemoths in its latest Rock Series program, with guest vocalist Brody Dolyniuk channeling Bono in a setlist that touches on “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “With or Without You,” “Beautiful Day” and “Pride (In the Name of Love),” among others. (Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg)–LP
American Babies with The Groove Orient, Wyllys Tom Hamilton is the visionary mind behind American Babies, a Philadelphia outfit that produced rather straightforward Americana when their self-titled debut dropped in 2008. Eight years later, he and his Babies have embraced a warmer, breezier roots rock sound with vintage psych folk and ‘70s AM appeal. On the current run of dates, they’ll perform material off forthcoming studio LP, An Epic Battle Between Light and Dark (due out March 18 on Royal Potato Family). (Crowbar, Ybor City)–LP
Blast! Friday: Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes If the vocals and joyous big brass sounds of the Asbury Jukes call to mind Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, it’s with good reason – both share a hometown and a long history of collaboration. Throughout a decades-long tenure, the Jukes have developed their own blue eyed-soulful mix of R&B, rock and blues as led by band namesake John Lyon. In 2015, the band released their first album in five years, 2015’s vintage-hued Soultime!, and they hit town behind it to perform for free during the first Blast! Friday of 2016. (Cleveland Street, downtown Clearwater) –LC
The Expendables with Zach Deputy Santa Cruz reggae rock outfit The Expendables are currently on the road behind a sixth studio album, Sand in the Sky; warm-up from multi-instrument-juggling one-man calypso-funk-soul band, Zach Deputy. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg) –LP
Slaid Cleaves Stephen King is a fan of Slaid Cleaves, whose sound is rooted in country and traditional folk music, a warm vocal quality that’s vaguely reminiscent of Jackson Browne but with higher reach, and lyrics that are reflective and poignant ala 2013’s Still Fighting The War, its title track waxing on the realities of post-military life. (Craftsman House Gallery, St. Petersburg)–LP
Robby Kreiger Unlike much of the gimmicky (but often still good) psychedelic pop of the late 1960s, the Doors forged an original sound with unique temporal mobility. In other words, some 50 years after they were the house band at the Whisky a Go Go, younger generations continue to discover them as though they released their self-titled debut last week. With his signature flamenco and blues-inspired style, guitarist Robby Krieger penned some of the Doors' best-known songs ("Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times") as well as tons of lesser-known tracks ("Indian Summer," "Wishful Sinful") and even sang on a one prior to their short post-Morrison run ("Runnin' Blue"). Krieger's set will consist of Doors tunes. (Tamiami, St. Pete Beach)–Kate Bradshaw (EDIT: We received a press release just after 3 p.m. today, Friday, announcing that the Robby Kreiger show has been moved to Ferg's Live in downtown Tampa.)
David Bromberg Quintet Americana’s godfather came up in the Greenwich Village folk scene in the mid-’60s, was a first-call session player who appeared on hundreds of records by a range of respected artists – Bob Dylan, The Eagles, Willie Nelson, Carly Simon and George Harrison among them – and collaborated with loads of others (The Grateful Dead included). His latest album, 2014’s Only Slightly Mad, loosens genre restraints and hearkens back to his ‘70s-era material, infusing his rootsy sounds with elements of blues, bluegrass, gospel, folk and pop music. (Capitol Theatre, Clearwater) –LP
Andrew Duhon Trio with Geri X, Beartoe Singer-songwriter Andrew Duhon hails from New Orleans, draws from a folk and blues sonic palette, and has a storyteller’s lyrical style in subject matter ranging from love across class lines (“She loved a West Virginian who didn’t own an acre of land / He had sawdust in his eyes and coal dust on his hands,” from “Patricia and Her Man”), to growing old and sidestepping the grave. Duhon’s trio also plays with Kristopher James at Ale and the Witch in St. Pete on Thursday. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)–LP
ALSO TONIGHT
The Independents w/Car Bomb Driver/The Funeral Dazies/Death By Convictions Local 662, St. Petersburg
The Porch Sessions/Flat Stanley/Cities in Flight/Old Vices Red Star Rock Bar, Tampa
Destroyer of Light w/Gravespeed/Grave Gnosis The Bends, St. Petersburg
Loudpvck Amphitheater, Ybor City
John Prine Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater
Tropidelic w/Reggae Lou Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin
Kelley McRae w/Josh Harty Hideaway Café & Recording Studio, St. Petersburg
Selwyn Birchwood w/RJ Harman & Company Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa
Wild Roots/Holey Miss Moley/No Need Ringside Café, St. Petersburg
COMING UP THIS WEEKEND
Naughty By Nature Sat., Jan. 30, Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
Rebirth Brass Band Sat., Jan. 30, Orpheum, Ybor City
Throwdown By The Bay w/Little Big Town/Chris Stapleton/Maddie & Tae Sat., Jan. 30, Amalie Arena, Tampa
The Gun Hoes w/Jensen Serf Co./Selectric/The Green Benchers Sat., Jan. 30, The Bends, St. Petersburg
L.O.R.E. w/Shadow Laughter/Kuraishi/more TBA Sat., Jan. 30, Brass Mug, Tampa
Estes Love & Porcupine Sat., Jan. 30, Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin
Jess Glynne w/Conrad Sewell Sat., Jan. 30, State Theatre, St. Petersburg
Damon Fowler Group w/Roosevelt Collier Sat., Jan. 30, Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa
Awkward Age/The Tim Version/Edmonton/Blacksmith Sat., Jan. 30, New World Brewery, Ybor City
Gary Puckett & The Union Gap Sat., Jan. 30, Capitol Theatre, Clearwater
Cheryl Wheeler Sat., Jan. 30, Craftsman House Gallery, St. Petersburg
Unmotivated/Bumpin Uglies/Summer Survivors Sat., Jan. 30, Ringside Café, St. Petersburg
Mosquito Teeth/Slade & The Wasters/Tiefighterdown/Stand Up Ralph Sat., Jan. 30, Fubar, St. Petersburg
Soul Saturday: Danielle DeCosmo & Blackbird Morning Sat., Jan. 30, Hideaway Café & Recording Studio, St. Petersburg
Dash Berlin Sat., Jan. 30, Amphitheatre, Ybor City
Botomatics w/Broken Taillight/Hector Mayoral/Doug Deming & the Jewel Tones Sat., Jan. 30, Ruby's Elixir, St. Petersburg
Muphin Chuckrs w/The Real Clash/Trainquill/Bless Ed/Didges Christ Superdrum Sat., Jan. 30, Local, St. Petersburg
Francesco Attesti and Nathalie Avila Sat., Jan. 30, Largo Cultural Center, Largo
Ira Sullivan Sun., Jan. 31, HCC-Ybor Mainstage Theater, Ybor City
Hyperbolic Chamber Music 6: Ampere + St. Pete Pre-International Noise Conference 2016 Sun., Jan. 31, The Venture Compound, St. Petersburg)
Acme Jazz Garage Sun., Jan. 31, Ella’s Americana Folk Art Café, Tampa)
Friends of Fil Album Release Show w/Chris Sgamatto Sun., Jan. 31, Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa
The Tenors Sun., Jan. 31, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater
Music in the Afternoon Sun., Jan. 31, St. Pete Beach Community Center, St. Pete Beach
A Symphonic Organ Experience w/Felix Hell & Grace Kim Sun., Jan. 31, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Largo
Exotype/Like Monroe/Cunningham Wake Sun., Jan. 31, Brass Mug, Tampa
Mercy McCoy Sun., Jan. 31, Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin
