Three quality shows of note on this Sun., Aug. 23. Take a look at the breakdown below.Umphrey’s McGee with J. Roddy Walston and the Business I’ve seen Umphrey’s McGee play live. A lot. Admittedly, I used the music of the Chicago septet to fill the musical void left during the period that Phish was “broken up,” between 2004 and 2009. But I developed separate and equally intense feelings of appreciation for Um, made up of highly skilled and technically inclined musicians who draw on the finer sounds of rock, jazz, metal, reggae, electronic music and even a little funk, soul and hip-hop, their “progressive improvisations” not so much jams as calculated musical odysseys. And their live show will melt your face. Don’t sleep on this one. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)
Leisure Cruise with Saskatchewan, Hotbox New York-by-way-of-Canada session musician/producer Dave Hodge has been operating virtually under the radar for years, composing music for movies and commercials while recording and playing with groups like Broken Social Scene and Feist. It was making music for a feature film that led to the formation of synth-pop recording project Leisure Cruise with Firehorse frontwoman Leah Siegel; the duo dropped an eponymous debut last year. Warm-up on this date by local funky dance outfit Hotbox and Orlando’s dreamy hazy indie-pop purveyors Saskatchewan. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
Yes & Toto Two classic-rock radio staples have teamed up for a co-headlining tour that lands in Clearwater on this night. Grammy -winning soft prog-rock band Yes has been making music since the late ‘60s and boasts an expansive catalog that hits many moods, from complex ‘70s-era instrumental forays like “Roundabout” to more urgent ‘80s-spawned heartache à la “Owner of a Lonely Heart.” Meanwhile, fellow easy prog-rockers Toto formed about a decade later, and continue to hit the road behind old well-worn charters like “Rosanna” and “Africa” along with fresher numbers off this year’s Toto XIV. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)
ALSO TODAY
SBS International Blues Challenge for Bands Ace’s Lounge, Bradenton
Jim Morey Band Ella’s Americana Folk Art Café, Tampa
Benefit for Faces of Courage w/The Black Honkeys/Greg Billings/more Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa
Ol' Dirty Sundays w/DJ Hedspin Crowbar, Ybor City