FRIDAY, JULY 28
THE LEGENDARY JC'S Super-funky Orlando soul favorites The Legendary JC's make another of their regular Skipperdome stops. The JC's aren't funky in the post-jam P-Funk sense of the word, but rather in the snappy, electrifying old-school soul-revue sense, and they've been wowing audiences locally and statewide for a while now. If you haven't seen 'em, you have no excuse. (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
THE ROCK BUS TOUR Rush Energy Drink, the folks who brought you those jam- and pop-heavy Rock Boat cruises, and Weekly Planet's parent company Creative Loafing team up here to bring you a pretty good idea — putting rising regional acts on a comparatively high-profile sponsored tour — that could've used a more discerning artist-selection process. This jaunt features two decidedly mediocre acts in generic Austin-based contemporary pop-rock unit Wideawake and Georgia's rootsy, jam-poppy Zac Brown Band. Neither of these groups is particularly reprehensible, and both ably ply their respective sounds, but if you're gonna offer exposure to hungry young musicians, why not choose musicians that aren't riding three-year-old coattails? (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
PETE BEST The former Beatle kicks off a three-night stand at Clearwater's Royalty Theatre tonight. Best continued to record and release British Invasion-flavored rock after being replaced by Ringo Star in '62, but opinions vary with regard to its quality. You might hear more early Beatles songs than obscure Pete Best nuggets at the Royalty this weekend, anyway. (Royalty Theatre, Clearwater)
WEAKSAUCE CD RELEASE PARTY Crazed Pinellas bass/guitar/brass combo Weaksauce has risen to the top of the current crop of local modern-rock bands over the last year or so. Why? Because the band's got energy, balls, personality and a reggae- and punk-tinged sound that never veers too close to Sublime's territory (or the Chili Peppers', for that matter, though both are fairly obvious influences). Basically, Weaksauce is a kick-ass live band that doesn't sound like every other kick-ass live band in town, and that rules. Tonight, the band celebrates the release of its new full-length Nightmares & Daydreams with a little help from equally groovy friends Elevated and EFfeX — and will be recording a live album to boot. (The Junction, Clearwater)
LANCE ROWLAND IN-STORE He's been in and out of town; he's been in and out of the local scene, as well, as both singer-songwriter and supporting sideman. These days, Lance Rowland is pimping his excellent, aptly named new release, The '70s Radio EP. His take on earnest, hooky, barely gritty pop-rock is straightforward and of the highest quality. Plus, his soulful voice just makes you think about tunes like "Baker Street," and that's totally a compliment. See him tonight in full-band form at Vinyl Fever; this one's pretty late for an in-store — it kicks off at 9 p.m. (Vinyl Fever, Tampa)
SATURDAY, JULY 29
DREAMS YOU DIE IN/24 HOURS TO LIVE/A HORROR STORY/FORTITUDE/AND DOWN GOES FRASIER/LOOSE CANNON/STAND BEHIND Yeah, I know — I pimped this final show by Miami metalcore favorite Dreams You Die In several weeks back, but it was postponed at the last minute to allow for 688 Skatepark's anniversary shindig. The lineup has changed a little, but rest assured you'll get every kind of brutal 'core your angst-ridden heart desires, some of it from as far away as Virginia. (688 Skatepark, Clearwater)
VELVETEEN PINK/D'VISITORS/GRAVEY RECORDS/POSITIVE RESPONSE Velveteen Pink hails from Gainesville, and rocks an infectious, good-time blend of hip electro-pop and organic funk that will have the most self-conscious hipster shaking what little ass he or she has available for shaking. Looking for the occasional Cameo-derived slinky synth line and irrepressible falsetto vocal? Yes you are. Here you go. Local groove titans D'Visitors also grace this rhythmic bill, as does St. Pete hip-hop/DJ/electro concern Positive Response. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
EMIT PRESENTS JAZZ BRASIL! EMIT top dog David Manson stokes his thing for Brazilan music with this show. The trombonist composer will join his wife, singer and native Brazilian Andrea Moraes Manson, in their septet O Som Do Jazz and play an array of bossa nova, samba, jazz and tropicalia. On their heels comes Brazilian pianist Haroldo Mauro Jr., who will perform bossa and other Brazilian styles. He'll be joined by local ace bassist Mark Neuesnschwander and Brazilian drummer Luiz Santos. For more info, call 727-341-4363 or go to www.emitseries.org. (The Music Center at St. Petersburg College, St. Petersburg) —Eric Snider
BRADENTUCKY BOMBERS BENEFIT w/THE DOWNSHIFTERS/THE RANCID POLECATS/SPANKIN' FRESH/STUCK IN SHERMER/MORE TBA Benefiting the lovely ladies of the Bradentucky Bombers roller derby team, this show actually features some of the Bombers themselves, namely the two women in the Ramones-riffing Spankin' Fresh. That band's Doug Holland even wrote a tune dedicated to the hair-pulling combatants, and Spankin' will be performing it for the first time ever this evening. As if that weren't tantalizing enough, everything earned at the door goes to benefit the team, and there's even going to be a drawing(!) This also gives you a good chance to check out the venue, a new joint called the Moondance Café and Lounge. Let's hope that it becomes a solid spot for live music. (Moondance Café and Lounge, Bradenton) —Cooper Levey-Baker