THURSDAY, sept. 21
SICK OF IT ALL/THE WARRIORS/THE AUTUMN OFFERING/DEAD HEARTS Sick of It All may not have invented the first wave of metallic-crossover NYC hardcore, but they've pretty much defined it for 20 years now. This anniversary outing — and introduction to new album Death to Tyrants — brings California SOIA acolytes The Warriors, new-school Daytona thrash/doom/metalcore unit The Autumn Offering, and Buffalo, N.Y.'s Dead Hearts, which splits the difference between the two generations of "aaarrrrggghhh." (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
BEFORE DAWN/KINGS OF THE HIGHWAY/HIPNAUTICA Pinellas Park's only Gothic sushi joint continues it run of national shows with this gig. Before Dawn hails from Austin, but has roots on both coasts of Florida; the group's comparatively light version of New Romantic/retro-Wave fare is, in all honesty, nothing special. Port St. Lucie's Kings of the Highway play a fairly interesting, bass-driven blend of darkwave rock and pop, while another Austin project, Hipnautica, provides the most synth-driven — and immediately gratifying — throwback sounds on this bill. Before Dawn and Hipnautica will also make a stop at Sarasota's Tavern on Main tomorrow night. (Café Tsunami, Pinellas Park/Tavern on Main, Sarasota)
THE CASUAL FIASCO From Burlington, Vt., the heavily reggae-accented groove-pop act The Casual Fiasco cut its teeth amid the burgeoning Northeastern jam scene before settling into a touring cycle that saw it log 200 shows up and down the coast in less than a year. The Fiasco is in the midst of its second jaunt, and tonight brings its crisp, danceable sound to Ybor City club Prana. Pretty good stuff. (Prana, Ybor City)
NEW ROMAN TIMES/MODERN SKIRTS/THE LAKE AUDITION/GREYMARKET Yeah, yeah, we pimp Orlando's New Roman Times every time they come down here. It's because the group totally brings it live, stupid. This time around, there's a value-added bonus in the form of top-notch Athens sophistipop combo Modern Skirts, as well as unique local post-rock units Greymarket and The Lake Audition. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
FRIDAY, SEPT. 22
THE REVEREND HORTON HEAT w/THE HORRORPOPS Look, I'm as sick of writing the same glowing words about the venerable Rev and his twisted punkabilly trio every time they come to town as you are of reading them. But I just saw 'em, AGAIN, a couple of weeks back in Chicago, and they completely slew — AGAIN. Always a good time, and always highly recommended. So is the sexy, catchy, upright-bass-thumping Danish rockabilly outfit The Horrorpops. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
RUSTED ROOT w/TREVOR HALL While mid-'90s college-rock outfits were applying the Grateful Dead's loose, trippy eclecticisim to traditional folk- and pop-music styles, Pittsburgh's Rusted Root was blending it with soulful rock and rhythms from around the world. The band is apparently back from a hiatus during which founder/vocalist Michael Glabicki stretched his solo-performing muscles, and mounts a two-night stand at Jannus with a little help from singer-songwriter Trevor Hall, who plies a more mainstream-friendly strum-pop style. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
TRACY LAWRENCE Dallas Bull brings another in a string of impressive mainstream-country names to its relatively intimate environs. The platinum-selling Lawrence stirred a little gritty honky-tonk into his pop-C&W to stay at or near the top of the charts for most of the '90s; his hits include "Alibis," "If The Good Die Young," "Texas Tornado" and "As Any Fool Can See." (Dallas Bull, Tampa)
THE LEE BOYS This Orlando-based group of kinfolk specializes in the gospel subgenre known as sacred steel — a variation of Southern black gospel that showcases the pedal steel guitar. This is no weepy country stuff, though; The Lee Boys and their ilk make the steel snarl. (Skipper's Smokehouse) —Eric Snider
HAVE GUN, WILL TRAVEL/GASOLINE HEART/MIKE DUNN AND THE KINGS OF NEW ENGLAND/MILITARY JUNIOR A wholesome break from whiplash-metal, this alt-country lineup at Rockerfellas is a winner from top to bottom. Have Gun is the much-celebrated solo side project of Chase Theory singer Matt Burke. Gasoline Heart is a rough 'n' ready whiskey-rock band from Winter Park, which is also the hometown of Mike Dunn, who brings a similar sort of noise. St. Pete's Military Junior kicks things off. Even if you happen to not like good music, this show is worth supporting for the sheer fact that Rockerfellas is trying to branch out without watering down the rock. (Rockerfellas, Bradenton) —Cooper Levey-Baker
HARBOR CLUB ANNUAL FALL FESTIVAL: A SALUTE TO JOHN COLTRANE Well, I'm all for a salute to John Coltrane, the saxophonist/composer who died in 1967 and was so important that jazz is still considered to be in the post-Coltrane era, which is to say that no figure has come along to eclipse his towering shadow. That said, a salute to John Coltrane requires a considerable amount of talent and imagination, or the salute will be a pallid one. Featured acts on this show are Dwayne White with Quadrivium, and guests Denise Moore, Rose Bilal and Niki Barnes. I couldn't dig up much information on these artists; White is a trumpeter affiliated with the Al Downing Tampa Bay Jazz Association, Moore is linked to smooth jazz and Bilal is a singer and actor who's worked in nostalgia revues. As for their ability to viably salute John Coltrane, let's just say I'm a tad incredulous. (Harbor Club, Sulfur Springs) —ES
