Tampa Bay music report

It's an awesomely balmy Friday afternoon. I'm seated on the patio of new SoHo hotspot The Bungalow (pictured). I'm sipping on a Bud, gnoshing on a killer B.L.T and some deliciously crunchy fries.

A Buffett saloon song I dig called "Bama Breeze." just gave way to the reggae classic "Rivers of Babylon." Screw the office or my apartment, this is the way to blog.

And on that note…

Here's what I have for ya in the Creative Loafing Music Section.

• An interview with Alkaline Trio frontman Matt Skiba, who talks about wanting "to do things that make me forget about how fucked up things are".

• One of my favorite unsigned bands, The Modern Skirts, performs tonight at Crowbar. It's a CD release party. Be there!

• The Crystal Method, Dolly Parton, Rise Against and many more upcoming shows in Music Week.

• Records by Blitzen Trapper, Oasis and more reviewed in Spins.

• Tampa's Palantine release new disc Melee.

• Notable Moments of Women in Music.

• The Avett Brothers, David Byrne, Neil Diamond and more in Concert List.

This article appears in Oct 15-21, 2008.