THURSDAY, SEPT. 22
MINDLESS SELF INDULGENCE/SUICIDE CITY/RETARD O BOT You'll Rebel to Anything, Mindless Self Indulgence's most recent record, is a thrashing and throbbing collection of ultra-fast metal whose tunes will be sure to damage the hell out of your ears live. Atop the music, lead singer Urine (yes, that's how his name is credited) yelps and screeches deliriously, leaving it up to you to decipher what the hell he's saying. And for those in the audience old enough to remember the abysmal existence of the band Rush, there's even a neat-o demolition of "Tom Sawyer." Seeing that tower of crap come tumbling down may be reason enough to go. (Masquerade, Tampa) COOPER LANE BAKER
DIE' HUNNS/THE KINGS OF NUTHIN'/THE BLACK HALOS/ANGEL CITY OUTCASTS/CAR BOMB DRIVER/THE WORST The Hunns is a fierce but not entirely tuneless punk rock band cobbled together by ex-U.S. Bombs lead singer Duane Peters and featuring Corey Parks, who used to be the bassist for Nashville Pussy, that paragon of class. "Time Has Come Today," off the Hunns' most recent LP, bears more resemblance to the Sonics than to Black Flag, and that's definitely meant as a compliment. The Kings of Nuthin' is a group of label-mates who actually manage to mix their punk rock with ragtime jazz (yes, you read that correctly). The Black Halos tread territory similar to the headliners. (688 Skatepark, Clearwater) CLB
FRIDAY, SEPT. 23
SKIPPER'S SMOKEHOUSE 25th ANNIVERSARY FEAT. JIMMY THACKERY & THE DRIVERS/THE REV. BILLY C. WIRTZ Damn, a quarter century. Vince, Tom, feeling old, are ye? Heavy congrats to Skipper's for staging great roots shows of all stripe, year after year, month after month, week after week. We don't know how you do it, but we're glad you do. The rustic stage and sand dance floor will come alive with some special energy tonight, as two Skipper's regulars hit the stage: gritty roadhouse bluesman Jimmy Thackery and the bawdy R&B entertainer Rev. Billy C. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa) ERIC SNIDER
DR. JOHN As but a lad in New Orleans, Mac Rebbenack became smitten with the city's music legends, especially piano men like James Booker, Professor Longhair and Tuts Washington. He learned the peculiar keyboard vernacular of the Crescent City and was soon doing session work. Ensconced in a town with a rich regional music scene but little in the way of national influence, he bucked the trend by scoring at Top 10 hit in '73 with "Right Place Wrong Time." At the time, the singer-pianist was decking himself out in voodoo gear and calling himself Dr. John the Night Tripper on stage. His image has calmed considerably since, and Dr. John has become an ambassador of NOLA music, as well as an astute handler of Tin Pan Alley standards. He's an absolutely terrific piano player and his gravelly voice has its charms as well. (Tampa Theatre, Tampa) ES
COREY HARRIS The 36-year-old singer-guitarist is infatuated with the relationship between American blues and African music. His '03 disc Mississippi to Mali found him exquisitely linking the two. He's a solo act who can tap into the visceral power of acoustic delta blues, with a black cat moan of a voice. That said, he's not a museum piece. With his multi-culti leanings, he brings blues into a new light. (Java Junction, Clearwater) ES
PORCUPINE TREE Founded as an offshoot of No-Man, England's Porcupine Tree plays the kind of thorny, tricky prog-rock that will always maintain a hardcore fanbase of mostly dudes who love that sorta thing. Over the years, the band has become more song-friendly, and less reliant on whack time signatures and chromatic freakouts. (Masquerade, Ybor City) ES
METAL INSURGENCY FEAT. JON OLIVA'S PAIN/CHRIS CAFFREY'S FACES/BEYOND FEAR Jon Oliva will always be known in these parts as the mastermind behind Savatage, the first metal band from the Bay area that emerged on the international scene. Savatage leaned toward operatic art-metal, and thus is not lumped in with Tampa Bay's death metal bands. Oliva once fronted Savatage, then took a backseat as a writer-producer. Apparently, he never quelled his urge to be out front, because he's led several projects in recent years. Jon Oliva's Pain is, obviously, his newest. (Jannus Landing, St. Pete) ES
PIERRE BENSUSAN The Parisian guitarist is one of the foremost acoustic fingerstylists on the international scene. His latest CD, Altiplanos (Favored Nations), brims with fluid runs and graceful chords, which come together to create thoroughly charming six-string mini-symphonies. Bensusan has found the ideal blend of jaw-dropping technique and expressive musicality. His style stirs together traditional Brit and European folk with Celtic, Middle Eastern, Latin and other flavors. He also possesses a winning, breathy voice that he puts to use on occasional songs, singing in French. Bensusan plays a solo concert tonight at 8 p.m., then returns on Saturday at 1 p.m. for a guitar workshop. Call 727-942-5605. (Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center) ES
GOD DETHRONED/MANNTIS/NIGHTRAGE/HELL WITHIN/EPOCH OF UNLIGHT/LITLITU/THINE EYES BLEED The Dutch are associated with a lot of things, including dikes and marijuana. Now we can add demonic metal to the list, since the nation's own God Dethroned is coming to town. The band seems to take its name literally. The members have already dispensed with concepts like melody and subtlety, why not knock God off as well? Manntis (shockingly!) borrows from the same playbook, as does Nightrage. (Boomerz Boiler Room, Seminole) CLB
SATURDAY, SEPT. 24
HORRORPOPS/ROGER MIRET AND THE DISASTER/LEFT ALONE What's up with the preponderance of northern European rock acts leveling the Tampa area this week? Denmark's HorrorPops ride in with a reputation for psychobilly, although the band seems to be having a lot more fun than the genre usually lets on. Lead singer Kim Nekroman even rocks an upright bass in addition to her vocal duties. Just naming off the group's two albums, Hell Yeah! and Bring it On!, pretty much tips you to what the band is up to. Roger Miret tows a more traditional punk rock line, while Left Alone keeps it mainly hardcore. Maybe what the bands need is an upright bass. (State Theatre, St. Pete) CLB
JIM DONOVAN Drummer and percussionist for the folkie-funk band Rusted Root, Donovan comes to town both to entertain and to educate — entertain by playing a set of music, educate by putting on a clinic for aspiring drummers. The music will be percussion-heavy, of course, but will feature a variety of other musicians. You know what astounds me, though? It's already been 10 years since his band's "Send Me on My Way" mercilessly bombarded the airwaves for months on end. Scary. (Java Junction, Clearwater) CLB
ILLBREAK A competent, radio-ready rock band that's got a way with its instruments, but lacks in the lyrics department. There's no way not to mention this shortcoming. The song "Wake" actually begins with the following: "High, you make me high/ Come, come down from this/ So you can/ Wake from your dreaming." Wow. In addition to tonight's performance, the band will also be in Bradenton Sept. 25 at Rockerfellas. (Boomerz Boiler Room, Seminole) CLB
RAY BONNEVILLE Fogartyville Café has been sleepy lately; little has been going on there except for the occasional WSLR benefit. Bonneville, who plays solo blues with a percussive electric guitar and foot-smacking as rhythm, will hopefully change that trend with his performance tonight. Bonneville's originally from New Orleans and you can hear the various strands of the city's music in his technique. The recent tragedy in his hometown may lend this concert an extra poignancy. Bonneville also opens for Steve Forbert at Skipper's on Sept. 25. (Fogartyville Café, Bradenton) CLB
PENNYWISE/H20/DEATH BY STEREO/A WILHELM SCREAM Pennywise have been doing its thing for quite a while — its self-titled debut dropped in 1991 — and has lost none of its edge, musically or politically. The band has also managed a rare consistency and a solid popularity in the punk rock community. Death By Stereo brings a more metal vibe to the lineup, and A Wilhelm Scream keeps it hardcore. (Jannus Landing, St. Pete) CLB
KELLER WILLIAMS He just announced that he's slashing commissions on all new home sales. Wait, that should be in the real estate pages. Keller Williams, the musician, straddles the folk and jam-band scenes with his percussive acoustic guitar work and hippie-inspired songs. He enjoys a solid, steady career, plus gets residual advertising from all those property FOR SALE signs around town. (Tampa Theatre, Tampa) ES
SUNDAY, SEPT. 25
DIGITAL UNDERGROUND In the early '90s, with hip-hop dominated by Public Enemy's edgy politics and gangsta rap's unfettered violence, Digital Underground emerged from Oaktown with a deeply funky take on the genre, typified by the hit "The Humpty Dance." Frontman Shock-G donned a Groucho nose-and-glasses and unveiled the character Humpty Hump, who excelled at sexual innuendo and clumsy come-ons. Tough to say what Digital Underground is up to now, but the group is living proof that hip-hop acts can now work in some semblance of an oldies circuit. (State Theatre, St. Pete) ES
SIZZLA Born in Kingston, Jamaica and loosely classified as part of the "conscious" dancehall movement, Sizzla has maintained an astounding productivity since his arrival in 1995. A quick count on my part comes up with at least 25 releases since then. His latest effort mixes in some more pop-oriented reference points, such as crooning, but the music's still all about the rhythm and the man's prowess on the mic. (Jannus Landing, St. Pete) CLB
STEVE FORBERT w/RAY BONNEVILLE One in a long line of "new Dylans," singer-songwriter Steve Forbert has soldiered on with a resilient career, albeit beset with fits and starts. He has one hit record to his credit, 1979's "Romeo's Tune," and a slew of uneven albums. Still, Forbert inspires intense devotion from his cult of fans. Canadian native Ray Bonneville, a journeyman blues musician fresh from a show in Bradenton, opens. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa) ES
MONDAY, SEPT. 26
FOREVER CHANGED/STAPLE/SIDES OF THE NORTH It's kind of ridiculous to label a genre after the faith of the musicians that perform it, but it's almost unavoidable that this show will get slotted as "Christian rock." The phrase really means nothing beyond the clue it gives you to lyrical content. Forever Changed, for example, sounds like any modern rock band, and is even tougher than a lot of others out there. I'm just waiting for the split into "Protestant rock" and "Catholic rock." (688 Skatepark, Clearwater) CLB
BILL SCHUSTIK It seems like Schustik's in town every couple of months. He's well known for his versions of traditional American ballads, stretching out to tackle even sea chanteys and other folk varieties. The man's got a big, throaty voice perfectly suited to his milieu of choice. Plus, this is a beautiful chance to catch a concert outdoors and enjoy the evening. When the set strays into the too obscure or the just plain boring, the wind and the waves will keep you satisfied. (Sarasota Sailing Squadron, Sarasota) CLB
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 28
BLUES TRAVELER The band rose to popularity in the '90s, riding the commercial crest of the jam-band scene. Frontman John Popper, he of the impressive girth and bold hats, earned a rep as a badass harmonica blower, with a speedy technique akin to bebop legend Charlie Parker. I gotta say, though, that it sounded mostly like chattering to me. Blues Traveler lived through its fall from the charts, as jam bands are apt to do, and Popper shed a bunch of weight. Wonder if he kept it off? (Jannus Landing, St. Pete) ES
