Winter Park singer/songwriter Mike Dunn makes music that evokes freedom and wind in your face. His grabby, anthemic tunes send out a whiff of Americana, but at core they are pure, pop-infused rock ’n’ roll. Dunn pulls from a list of 11 confederates to make up his backing band, the Kings of New England, on any given night. No word on how many will show up at New World for this gig, but the safe bet is it won’t be all 11. Atlanta’s Rick Brantley opens, making the same kind of big-gesture rock, buoyed by his appealingly weathered voice. Will Quinlan makes a guest appearance and, well, we all know Quinlan, the dour dean of Tampa Bay’s Americana scene. (Pictured: Mike Dunn. Photo by Tessa Cox) 9 p.m. Thurs., July 2, New World Brewery, 1313 E. 8th Ave., Ybor City, $7, 813-248-4969 (Eric Snider)
Wine guide Charles Visalli leads a series of workshops on wine etiquette, how to sample wine when dining out, wine varietals, the art of pairing food with wine and more. This week's focus is "tasting and travel around the world." E-mail timeforwine@tampabay.rr.com to reserve a spot, or visit carrollwoodcenter.org for more info. 6-7:30 p.m. Thu., July 2, Carrollwood Cultural Center, 4537 Lowell Rd., Tampa, $25, $20 for CCC members, 813-269-1310, carrollwoodcenter.org.
This article appears in Jul 1-7, 2009.