THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1
JIMMY BUFFETT AND THE CORAL REEFER BAND Gulf Coast easy-living ambassador Jimmy Buffett brings his touring party to town for not one, but two shows, with the second gig taking place at the Ford Amp on Saturday. Parrotheads take note: A recent date at the Fillmore in San Francisco found Buffett performing Lord Buckley's "God's Own Drunk" for the first time in seven years, according to the San Jose Mercury News. He also covered Bob Dylan's "Rainy Day Women #12&35," the Grateful Dead's "Scarlet Begonias," CSNY's "Southern Cross" and Neil Young's "Heart of Gold." But don't fear; he also managed to squeeze in "Margaritaville" and just about every other selection from Songs You Know by Heart. (Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa)
FALL OUT BOY w/GYM CLASS HEROES/PLAIN WHITE T'S Fall Out Boy played the Ford Amphitheatre in June, and later that night bassist/lyricist and Ashlee Simpson dater Pete Wentz DJ'ed a high-priced dance party at Jackson's Bistro. Is it worth driving to Orlando for another glimpse of the dude? Is it worth the trip to hear singer Patrick Stump belt out "Sugar, We're Goin' Down;" "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" and a bunch of other emo ditties with really long titles? You decide. (New UCF Arena, Orlando)
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2
EARL GREYHOUND w/SUMMERBIRDS IN THE CELLAR/GIDDY-UP, HELICOPTER!/HEY THERE BATTLESHIP Originally scheduled to open for Chris Cornell at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center (the show was canceled), New York City power-trio Earl Greyhound instead returns to Ybor City (they rocked New World Brewery in March) to offer its comely concoction of heavy blues, psychedelia and glam. Summerbirds in the Cellar wrap multiple layers of gauzy guitar and electro beats around the detached-yet-engaging vocals of Brad Register on the band's new full-length, Druids. (Crowbar, Tampa)
REV. HORTON HEAT w/HANK III & ASS JACK/NASHVILLE PUSSY Psychobilly heroes The Rev. Horton Heat headline this show that also features Hank Williams III. A notoriously hard-living man with a voice like his granddaddy's, III's a gifted songwriter of painfully honest honky-tonk tunes who doubles as a mediocre Melvins-esque metal screamer when performing under the moniker Ass Jack. (Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg)
STEEL TRAIN w/ACE ENDERS/KEVIN DEVINE New Jersey rockers Steel Train offer a big sound that recalls U2/Arcade Fire mixed with a quirky, '60s pop sensibility. Lead singer Scott Irby-Ranniar has a strong, expressive voice that carefully tackles subject matter like the falling of the Twin Towers on the band's new album, Trampoline, released Oct. 16 on Drive-Thru Records (New Found Glory, The Early November). (Orpheum, Ybor City)
JIMMY THACKERY & THE DRIVERS w/BILLY C. WIRTZ These two acts have been pleasing crowds at the Skipperdome for years. An acclaimed ax man, Jimmy Thackery delivers blues-rock that's all about the extended guitar solos. Wirtz plays boogie piano, peppering his set with plenty of faux preaching and humorous songs with titles like "Sleeper Hold on Satan" and "What I Used to Do All Night (Now Takes Me All Night to Do)." (Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa)
TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA Yuletide prog-rock specialists responsible for the hit "Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)" bring their sprawling ensemble and laser light show to Lakeland for performances today and Saturday. (Lakeland Center, Lakeland)
THE 2007 SARASOTA HIP-HOP SUMMIT w/DAYLIGHT DISTRICT/EVERYONE OWNS THE RIGHT/DEAD CELEBS A "Sarasota Hip-Hop Summit" might sound a bit oxymoronic, but the laid-back Bradenton combo Everyone Owns the Right hopes the event will change that perception. A mix of rock and rap groups perform, accompanied by DJs, guest speakers, graffiti artists, battle MCs, slam poets and even a handful of breakdancers. This thing's not just a rap show; it's full-blown immersion therapy. (Gallery Billiards, Sarasota) —Cooper Levey-Baker
LUKE BRYAN Suncoast honky-tonkers are in for a rare treat this week as Bradenton's Joyland welcomes a true rising star on the contemporary pop-country scene. Luke Bryan has everything you need for mainstream success: chiseled features, good-ol'-boy charm and, oh yeah, some decent chops as both a songwriter and a singer. No, Bryan doesn't reinvent the wheel, but he does the hooky, nostalgic, salt-of-the-earth thing as good as almost any other young country star. (Joyland, Bradenton) —CLB
HELMET During the grunge/alt-rock craze of the early/mid '90s, Helmet emerged on the scene with a more sinister sound than many of its peers and enjoyed airplay with the singles "Unsung" and "Milquetoast." The band had a minor comeback in '04 with their album Size Matters, which produced the track "See You Dead." (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3
MADINA LAKE W/MAYDAY PARADE/WE THE KINGS Taking the emo template and twisting it with layered guitar grandeur and synthy industrial touches, Chicago quartet Madina Lake's debut album, From Them, Through Us, To You, came out earlier this year on Roadrunner, producing the modest hit "House of Cards." Opening the show are We the Kings, a Bradenton band whose self-titled debut album was released last month on S-Curve Records (Fountains of Wayne, Joss Stone) and had reached No. 33 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers survey at press time. I spent time with the band before their recent show at Jannus Landing. To read my profile, see p. 57. (The Orpheum, Ybor City)
