Causing a Ruckus
Put on a pair of scuffed work boots, straight-denim Levis and a white undershirt with a pack of Reds rolled under the sleeve. Be generous with the hair product and get that 'do slicked back nice. Wash the souped-up Chevy, and blast some Sun-era Elvis during the drive over. Soak up the Florida cracker setting of Skipper's and lose yourself in the sounds and motifs of the '50s. Rockabilly is the day's MO, but headliner Big Sandy also know his way around Western Swing and honky-tonk.
WMNF Presents the 4th Annual Rockabilly Ruckus featuring Big Sandy & His Fly Rite Boys w/Sarah Borges & the Broken Singles, Midnight Bowlers League, Johnny Zoom Cheerleader Squad, Hot Rod Walt & The Psycho Devilles and Slip & The Spinouts, 4 p.m. Sat., Feb. 17, Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa. $20. —Wade Tatangelo
One-man wrecking crew
Scott H. Biram belts gutbucket blues with a dark twist. The one-man band does country, too, but on his own idiosyncratic terms. Hell, he even delivers tent-revival gospel. But let's start with one of his death threats: "Got a bone to pick, bitch?" he growls. "I'm gonna crush you fucking down." The track is "Plow You Under," and it's from Biram's 2006 CD Graveshift, his second on venerable indie roots label Bloodshot. The same disc finds the wild man yelping, "Look out devil you better step aside/ You ain't big enough to interrupt my stride" on a hymn titled "Been Down Too Long." Fans applaud Biram's authenticity and his ability to lash together multiple roots genres. It all sounds a bit contrived to these ears but I'm betting this dude puts on a spectacle equal to a NASCAR pileup.
Scott H. Biram, 7 p.m. Sun., Feb. 18, Orpheum, Ybor City. $8. —WT
Up Against It
Florida foursome Against Me! is doing the Sunshine State proud by pairing punk-style screaming with fast-paced folk-rock arrangements. Song titles such as "Reinventing Axl Rose," which is also the name of the band's 2002 debut LP, are pretty cool, too. The band formed in Naples but relocated to Gainesville, where they're currently based. After releasing a series of discs on the indie label No Idea, and then Fat Wreck Chords, they inked a deal with Sire in 2005. Their major label debut will be titled New Wave and is due out in the spring.
Against Me! w/Riverboat Gamblers/Fake Problems, 7 p.m. Wed., Feb. 21, State Theatre, St. Petersburg. $13. —WT
