Three pretty cool shows are happening on this Mon., March 7. Take a look at the breakdown below.
Machine Gun Kelly Machine Gun Kelly is one of the best up-and-coming rappers in the game right now, his fast-paced flurry of a flow and relatable and emotional lyrics earning him a massively dedicated fan base. MGK uses his rough come-up in Cleveland as motivation to help and inspire the other down-and-outers of this generation, and he references his home town in almost all his songs. Dirty, aggressive, rage-filled intensity mixed with brutally honest lyricism, furious beats and heart breaking ballads, and an absolutely wild, turned-up, unpredictable stage show, MGK and his EST. 19XX are redefining hip-hop one “Lace Up” at a time. (The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City) –Justin Croteau
Antje Duvekot After more than a decade of writing simply-structured songs – just voice and guitar – you’d think Antje Duvekot might be tempted to change up her tried-and-true methods. But she seems to be of the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” sort, remaining a folk artist through and through who’s unafraid to expose the painful stories from her difficult life – from an abusive stepfather to a mother that cut all ties with her more than two decades ago. Hers is a story demanding to be heard, not because it’s loud or fast – it’s neither – but because it’s so sincere. Each song is more intimate and tender than the last, with her whispered vocals luring you in to listen closer and pay keen attention because she just might reveal her secret heart. “But you lost yourself inside those sounds,” she breathes in “Ragdoll Princes & Junkyard Queens,” perhaps the perfect unintentional description of what it feels like to let time slip away while playing her music. Have you been listening to her gentle musings for minutes or hours? With melodies as sweet as these, does the answer really matter? (Jaeb Theater at the Straz Center, Tampa) –Leanne Castro
Tony Bennett The pop-jazz behemoth just keeps on crooning and re-inventing himself. What about that duets album with Lady Gaga – 2014’s Cheek to Cheek? (Those rash of holiday commercials were both charming and nauseating.) And his 2015 musical theater songbook tribute, The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern with Bill Charlap? That won a Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album last month and earned the No. 1 spot on the Jazz charts. Twice. Gotta admire his vigor, not to mention his keen sense for fruitful collaborations. (Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg)–Leilani Polk
