A rather interesting lineup of live music on this Thurs., Feb. 16. A breakdown of highlights below...l
RL Grime with Djemba Djemba, Tommy Kruise Bouncing up from the bowels of Los Angeles’ EDM scene is young Mr. Henry Steinway, aka RL Grime, who blends up a brew of dancefloor-grinding bass music, ominous synth-whirring trap and rhyme-sampled hip hop. He is a co-founder of the WeDidIt collective/label with Shlohmo, Groundislava and D33J. His debut full-length on WeDidIt, Void, includes guest spots by Boys Noize, Big Sean (the hard kicking “Kingpin”) and Djemba Djemba, the latter an LA compatriot and dirty beat-maker who joins RL Grime on his current tour. (The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City)
Florida Strawberry Festival: Alabama with Bobby Vinton The Florida Strawberry Festival has become THE place to see a showcase of superior country music talent, from buzzed-about up-and-comers to longtime vets of the genre, though you’ll find the odd rock, pop and R&B acts, too. The 85th fest’s Headline Entertainment gets rolling in 2015 at 3:30 p.m. with vintage pop-lounge croons by Bobby Vinton (“Blue Velvet,” “Mr. Lonely”). Purveyors of Southern rock-fried bluegrassy country sounds, Alabama, headline the evening’s sounds with a catalog spanning more than four decades, 19 studio albums and 32 Hot Country hits (the longest-running “Jukebox in My Mind” in 1976). (Festival Grounds, Plant City)
Gravy Flavored Kisses An eight-piece New Orleans band that plies a seething, spirited mix of Zeppelin-influenced blues and roots rock soaked in bayou hues, driven by blasts of brass (two trumpets and two trombones join drums, guitar and bass), and moving at tempos that shake, rattle, march and tumble with blithe confidence. (Ale and the Witch, St. Petersburg)
The Expendables with Ballyhoo!, Katastro The annual “Winter Blackout Tour” brings Santa Cruz, Calif.’s , posi-vibing reggae-rock quartet The Expendables back to town. This time, they back a just-released sixth full-length, Sand In The Sky, that is heavy on the mellow harmonizing vocals and swaying bass-grooving rhythms, though cuts like “Music Move Me” amp up the tempos and ska infusions while “Anti-Social” shows off the musicians’ aggro metal/punk chops, its guest horns and mix of distorted guitar riffs and clear Van Halen wailing solos driving their points home. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)
On the Edge @ the Amsterdam with Hussar, Abstract Machine, Jared Waters, Young 40 St. Petersburg’s self-proclaimed “alterni-mental” rock quartet Hussar broke into the local scene back in 2013 and has since released a six-track self-titled EP, which finds member Emily Turnage’s slightly nasal vocals juxtaposed against spacey reverb-soaked guitar riffs. Their songs tend to start slow and hypnotic before gaining momentum and evolving into different and more danceable animals. Also playing this night is electro-experimenter Abstract Machine and skater hip-hop group Young 40. Comedian Jared Waters adds a set of stand-up to the bill, making for an eclectic night of local music and laughter. (The Amsterdam, St. Petersburg) –Adam Hardy
