A look at some live music happenings taking place this Fri., Feb. 20, from classic to bizarre....
Kristian Nairn You know him as Hodor, the lumbering half-wit from HBO’s epic fantasy series Game of Thrones who serves Bran as one-half wheel-chair, one-half vessel for his master’s Warg force. The Irish actor otherwise known as Kristian Nairn is also a progressive house DJ/producer who’s on a rather extensive “Rave of Thrones” tour (dig the play on his show’s name) that makes its way through town on this night. I know you're wondering it — I'm wondering it too: is there a Cosplay dress code? 'Cause I'm dying to see what people are gonna wear to this thing ... (District 3, downtown Tampa)
Dennis DeYoung: The Music of Styx with Rock Syphmony Only a few days after his 68th birthday, the one-time frontman of Styx comes sailing into town with a program that finds his eloquent pipes soaring through hits he wrote with his former band spanning the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s (“Lady,” “Babe,” “Come Sail Away,” “Mr. Roboto” and “Blue Collar Man” among them). His six-piece band (which includes back-up singing wife of 45 years Suzanne) is supported by a full orchestra. Pablo Cruise (“Watcha Gonna Do,” “When She Says Goodbye”) opens. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)
The Sweet The ‘70s-era glam rock/heavy metal band behind such hits as “Little Willy,” “The Ballroom Blitz,” and “Action” is many times removed from its classic lineup; the only remaining original member is guitarist/singer Andy Scott, but he keeps on trucking with an ever-changing group of instrumentalists. (Largo Cultural Center, Largo)
The Gibson Brothers with Sara Rose Dignified New York statesmen of bluegrass Eric and Leigh Gibson harmonize in tunefully country drawling tenors, playing on banjo and acoustic guitar respectively (though Eric picks up an axe now and again), and backed by a three-piece that includes players on mandolin, fiddle and upright bass. The Gibson Brothers signed to Rounder Records to release forthcoming 11th album Brotherhood, a tribute to old-time bro acts like the Everlys, Jim & Jesse, the Baileys and the Stanleys among others. (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa)
MUST DIE! with Dvnk Sinvtrv Berlin-by-way-of-Atlanta DJ/producer Lee Bates is MUST DIE!. He’s apparently preoccupied with encapsulating the essence of childhood, manic depression, bad anime and sleep deprivation in his bass-bumping, synth-blipping glitched-out brand of EDM, which wheels into and out of dubstep, electro house, DnB and 8-bit realms, and is likely the reason he’s released his recordings and remixes on such a diverse range of electro labels – Never Say Die, Ultra, Dim Mak, Mad Decent and Owsla among them. (Amphitheatre, Ybor City)
ALSO TONIGHT
ShinraCo CD Release Show w/Stegosaurus/Empty Pockets/Children of Orion/The Harvest Brass Mug, Tampa
Shore Dogs CD Release Show w/ The Pals/Dead End River/Polar Summer/Nothin’ Too Fancy Local 662, St. Petersburg
Brian Busto w/Zuccaro/Maycol Bennet/Brian Jackson Hyde Park Café, Tampa
Shadow_Run/Bros The Bends, St. Petersburg
JP Soars Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin
Sarah Peacock Hideaway Café & Recording Studio, St. Petersburg
The Fab Faux Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg
