A nice slate of concerts is happening on this Fri., Dec. 18. Take a look at the breakdown below, then peep what's coming up in the weekend ahead.Jesse Smith Project North Florida-born, New Orleans-based Smith is a guitarist with sax and studio chops who got on-the-job training after forming the session band for I.C. Music Productions and supporting artists that included P-Funk and George Clinton, who allegedly decreed the ensemble “graduated from Dr. Funkenstein’s School of Funk.” (Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin)
Chris Duarte with Heather Gillis He’s been howling smoky refrains and raging electric guitar in Texas-hewn blues rock odes dosed in jazz and psychedelic qualities since dropping his debut full-length in 1987. Now Chris Duarte is on Lucky 13, a 2014 LP that showcases his fine fret skills amid the tight, vigorous instrumental push of his band. (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa)
The Outlaws Green Grass & Yule Tides Jam with The Henry Paul Band The Outlaws drew sell-out crowds to Capitol Theatre this time last year. The Southern-fried country rockers have been active for upwards of a few decades with a fruitful ‘75 that found two tracks on the Top 40 –“There Goes Another Love Song” and “Green Grass and High Tides.” The “classic” lineup reunited in 2005, though 10 years later, only drummer/percussionist Monte Yoho and guitarist/singer Henry Paul remain. The latter opens the evening with his solo outfit before returning to the stage to play the “Green Grass and Yule Tides Jam,” a set that finds outlaws performing their eponymous debut (which included the two aforementioned hits) in its entirety, along with other select cuts. (Capitol Theatre, Clearwater)
Granger Smith Smith has a yee-yee-drawling hillbilly alter-ego (Earl Dibbles Jr.) that earned him viral video fame for his 2012 tongue-in-cheek ode “The Country Boy Song”; it currently has more than 11 million views. The Texas boot-stomper rolls through town behind a new 4X4 EP that debuted at No. 2 on the iTunes Country Chart and was co-produced by Frank Rogers (Brad Paisley, Josh Turner). (Dallas Bull, Tampa)
5th Annual MG Entertainment Holiday Charity Drive Jacksonville electro-rock trio Greenhouse Lounge heads up the fifth annual MoonGoddess Entertainment holiday charity drive, with warm-up sets by space funk makers Future Vintage and deep house groove DJ K-Slat, and a tacky sweater-optional dress code. Attendees are encouraged to bring a new, unused toy or food donation to receive discounted admission and a raffle ticket for prizes ranging from concert tickets to local art and gift certificates. All donations go to Metropolitan Ministries, while a chunk of proceeds from admission and all raffle ticket sales goes to UNICEF. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
Four Year Ventureversary The intrepid, nonprofit multi-media arts venue and Warehouse Arts District staple, Venture Compound, marks its fourth anniversary milestone much as you’d expect: with a hyper-diverse lineup of live music that ranges from the abrasive “disaster rock” of Veird, to the experimental neo-classical sounds of cellist/composer and Hyperbolic Chamber Music co-founder Grace Juliano, to the pop-dance attack of Mark Castle. Wren Turco, Ola Turco Lindefelt and LILITH also perform. If you can’t make it out, treat yourself to a gift of Venture membership – you can pay as little as $5 a month, or a mere $50 a year (theventurecompound.com/membership). (The Venture Compound, St. Petersburg)
ALSO TONIGHT
Christie Lenee Band (Courtyard)/Betty Fox Band Holiday Dinner & a Show (DEN) Ale and the Witch, St. Petersburg
The Florida Orchestra: A Holiday Evening Under the Stars City Centre Complex, Madeira Beach
The Spazmatics Toys For Tots Drive Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
Killer Christmas w/Rise 2 Brutality/Half Ton Hammer/Hate Tank/Funeral For A Clown/Cypher Machine/Dark Summer/Chronologic (Night 1); and Sunshine & Bullets/Coldclock Knockout/Drastic Fall/The DooD/Sahe/Glorious Rebellion/Cruz Brothers (Night 2) Local 662, St. Petersburg
Come Back Alice Ringside Café, St. Petersburg
DJ Kalani Jingles and Rocks Your Bells Emerald Bar, St. Petersburg
7th Annual Sarah Mac Band Christmas Concert Hideaway Café& Recording Studio, St. Petersburg
The DRAM Ella’s Americana Folk Art Café, Tampa
COMING UP THIS WEEKEND
Hallucination Before Christmas Sat., Dec. 19, The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City
The Set It Off Xmas Benefit Bash w/Infinity on High/UNRB Sat., Dec. 19, Orpheum, Ybor City
Pink Talking Fish Sat., Dec. 19, State Theatre, St. Petersburg
Ella Jet Birthday Jam Sat., Dec. 19, Hideaway Café& Recording Studio, St. Petersburg
VelcroStraps w/SKOK/more Sat., Dec. 19, New World Brewery, Ybor City
Jingle Ball w/5 Seconds of Summer/Demi Lovato/Nick Jonas/many more Sat., Dec. 19, Amalie Arena, Tampa
Zanesville w/One Trip Little/Fort Defiance Sat., Dec. 19, The Amsterdam, St. Petersburg
Herd of Watts Sat., Dec. 19, Ringside Café, St. Petersburg
Suncoast Blues Society's Holiday Party w/TC Carr & the Bolts of Blue ft Josh Nelms/ Franc Robert and The Boxcar Tourists Sat., Dec. 19, Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa
Zedd Sat., Dec. 19, Amphitheatre, Ybor City
The Bends Holiday Party w/The Jellyfish Brothers/Luxury Mane/UFO Sex Scene Sat., Dec. 19, The Bends, St. Petersburg
Kettle of Fish w/Ramblegrass Sat., Dec. 19, Ale and the Witch, St. Petersburg
Zanesville w/One Trip Little/Fort Defiance Sat., Dec. 19, The Amsterdam, St. Petersburg
Kidz Bop Kids’ Make Some Noise Holiday Tour Sat., Dec. 19, Capitol Theatre, Clearwater
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Party w/Rebecca Zapen & Friends Sun., Dec. 20, Hideaway Café& Recording Studio, St. Petersburg
Michael McDonald: This Christmas, An Evening of Holiday and Hits Sun., Dec. 20, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater
The Strange Trip Sun., Dec. 20, Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin
The Ultimate Joe Cocker & Santana Experience w/Mad Dogs & Sacred Fire Sun., Dec. 20, Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa
The Four Freshmen Holiday Show Sun., Dec. 20, Largo Cultural Center, Largo
George Worthmore Sun., Dec. 20, Ella’s Americana Folk Art Café, Tampa
SlayBells: Fire DigiTour w/Sammy Wilk/Sam Pottorff/Kenny Holland/Alex Lee/Grant Landis/Diegosaurs/Andrew Fontenot/Maddie Welborn/Daniel Skye Sun., Dec. 20, The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City
St. Pete Opera: Seasonal Sparkle Sun.-Mon., Dec. 20-21, Palladium Theater, St. Petesburg