Drake Night Summer Sixteen, son. A night before the real Drake Drizzy Rodgers comes to Tampa’s Amalie Arena for a show with Future, this classy St. Petersburg dive is resurrecting their infamous “Drake Night” complete with hundreds of Drake masks on popsicle sticks and a menu of Drake-themed cocktails (CL is theoretically wondering what the “Too Good,” “Jumpman,” and “Child’s Play” would taste like). Bends mainstays Big Chris the Movie and Sweet Baby Angel promise to spin the best of the OVO Sound camp, and you won’t want to get too drunk because nothing will be the same after this one. Doors are at 10 p.m., but don’t miss the Champagne Papi toast at midnight. (The Bends, St. Petersburg) INFO
Future Vintage Matt Giancola had to go to Colorado to get his chops up to speed by studying composition and jazz improvisation at Denver University’s, but the 37-year-old frontman of Tampa funk-fusion outfit Future Vintage now calls St. Pete home and will bring his band to the breezeway for a set supporting their 2015 album, Doin’ It Right, where they marry a sound that gets off like Stevie Wonder got high in the back of Deadmau5’s digi-feline painted sky blue “Purrari” (which is actually a 458 wrapped in vinyl). Songs like “Obliquity” even delve into a world music, drum & bass, soul party vibe, so it’ll be interesting to see how Future Vintage work through, amend, and extend the whole of the 71-minute album. (The Ale & the Witch, St. Petersburg) INFO
Hank and Cupcakes w/ Grey Market/Jeremy Gloff/DJ ReBelle This bill is a little insane. Tampa’s Devon Moore is stepping out of her vintage clothing retailer gig to play selector for the evening while prolific, eclectic 813-songwriter Jeremy Gloff is continuing a run of local shows promoting a new album, Those Who Survived. GreyMarket, who emerged from a long hiatus and gave old fans a new album, The Stress Kills, where Cave McCoy and Michael Garigiulo work through cuts like “Minutiae,” where a theater kid’s appreciation for bombast gets infused with all kinds of danceable synth lines and anthemic power-pop choruses. Headliners Hank & Cupcakes quickly gained buzz from MTV after debuting in 2008 and were a hit at the most recent Plan-B festival and are celebrating a brand new album of their own. Cheap Thrill, is the NYC-by-way-of-Tel Aviv duo’s third release since a 2012 EP (Ain’t No Love) and captures the energy of their off the wall, high-contact live show which comes off a little like a hedonistic rock & roll revival steamrolled into a sweaty, who-the-hell-needs-clothes-anyway, kind of psychedelic disco. Mexican pop artist Claudio Limon composed Cheap Thrill’s eye-popping album art and don’t expect the band’s stage set up to be any less hypnotizing. (Crowbar, Ybor City) INFO
Vodkanauts How many shots of the Vodkanauts can you handle? We only ask because the long running lounge favorites are playing two shows in one night for this gig at everyone’s favorite off the 600 Block dive bar. The band — led by Mark Warren — debuted almost a decade and a half ago at the State Theatre just one block away, and the band has not wavered from a mission to mash an old-school Las Vegas show vibe with whatever music is running through their loins at the given moment. Thursday’s night’s agenda includes an early set that will lean hard on the Nauts’ Dean Martin, Rat Pack, come-here-and-sit-in-my-lap influences before the band breaks and then moves into a late night, reverb-drenched, fuzz and surf-rock laden oddball variety hour where new drummer Ricky Wilcox (Deloris Telescope) will be tested for durability. Vodkanauts (Emerald Bar, St. Petersburg) INFO
Wayne Brady Oh, man. CL previewed this show where we wonder if Wayne Brady is “going to have to stab a bitch” in our Fall Arts Preview, so go ahead and flip back there to get the details on this after hours shindig at the Tampa amusement park/animal containment facility. (Busch Gardens “Red Carpet Series,” Tampa) INFO
Australian Pink Floyd Tributes to this iconic UK rock band are not uncommon. Not many can say they actually played at David Gilmour’s 50th birthday, though. That award goes to the Australian Pink Floyd who are going to deploy eye-burning lasers (just kidding, leave the Blue Blockers at home), LED screens, and even inflatable puppets (think: giant pink kangaroo) to Ruth Eckerd Hall for a show that is going be closer to the actual thing than most fans are used to. The spectacle has sold over 4 million tickets across the globe and has even been described as the “gold standard” and “kings” of the tribute genre, so don’t scoff at the $40 price tag too much. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater) INFO
Andy Brey & Friends Can a geologist rock? Duh. This one folk-rocks though, and while Andy Brey usually sits back in the set when he plays with Bay area favorites like Have Gun, Will Travel, he’s bringing his mandolin front and freaking center at the Seminole Heights eatery for this set with friends like HGWT’s Matt & Danny Burke who will back Brey this time around. It’s gonna be cotdamn Dugan fest in the place, and there’ll be meatloaf for your belly, too. (Ella’s Americana Folk Art Cafe) INFO
Justin Martin Are you sick of the Harbour Island and Channelside grind, but too cheap or anti-exercise to Uber or walk outside of downtown Tampa? Warehouse/events space District 3 has something of a solution for your ass, then. There's been some controversy about the way ownership is treating performing artists, but Dirtybird crew co-founder and Coachella favorite Justin Martin is coming to headline a set just a day before he flies back to to Detroit for day two the Motor City installment of his label’s Dirtybird BBQ tour. The San Francisco-based producer has a trim, melodic brand of EDM that doesn’t take itself too seriously. He released a new LP, Hello Clouds, in April, and the effort peaked at no. 15 on Billboard’s Dance/Electronic Albums chart in May. Since it’s an election year, it’s noteworthy to mention Martin’s hilarious anti-Wasserman-Schultz Twitter post where he delivered a hefty “f*** u” to the former DNC head and let her know that she “cockblocked our planets last hope.” (District 3, Tampa) INFO
Selwyn Birchwood Admittedly, there are not minimal chances to see Tampa Bay-boy gone big Selwyn Birchwood play locally. That doesn’t mean that seeing his big, happy smile and gigantic afro ever gets old. If you’re the rare one who hasn’t experienced the Alligator Records-signee live, then one of these two sets (he plays Thursday and Friday) at the Palladium’s intimate Side Door room is the right time to pop that cherry. (Side Door Cabaret at The Palladium, St. Petersburg) INFO
Also Playing
Pretty Boy Floyd, (Venom Custom Choppers, New Port Richey)
Hip Hop Showcase w/ Craig Tillman/Heye Yella/Vern Sr./Hagan Lee/Charli Funk/Mowgli/Wally Clark, (Crowbar, Ybor City)
