After playing impressive support slots for Cursive and Superhumanoids, fresh Tampa-based five-piece Empire Cinema performs its first headlining gig, throwing covers like Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" into a repertoire of dark, post-punk and New Wave-flavored originals. The band is currently in the studio recording its first EP, so you can likely expect some newer material in the mix. Opening the show are Miami's retro-fuzz surf-garage rockers Lil Daggers and St. Pete's eclectic, upbeat electro-psyche outfit, Transcendent Other.
For fans of: Echo & the Bunneymen, The Smiths, Psychedelic Furs
Details: Empire Cinema with Lil Daggers and Transcendent Other, Fri., April 1, 9 p.m., New World Brewery, Ybor City, $7 (ages 21 and up).
This article appears in Mar 31 – Apr 6, 2011.