The weekend's live music breakdown.SATURDAY, JANUARY 9
The Ries Brothers with Alex & Bella Duo Last year proved a rather busy one for The Ries Brothers. In April, the teenage siblings-driven rock duo that infuses bits of blues, funk and reggae into their original repertoire embarked on their second tour warming the stage for Chicago, played some dates in the Northeast, and amid it all, continued working the local scene, selling out the Murray Theatre at Ruth Eckerd Hall three times between August and November, and closing 2015 with an opening slot for Butch Trucks at Capitol Theatre’s New Years Eve party. See Charlie (age 19) juggle drums, bass-keys and lead vocals with his guitar-slinging brother Kevin at this free show, which also subs Kevin’s 17th birthday party. (Ale and the Witch, St. Petersburg)
Beebs and Her Money Makers with Control This!, Levon White Maybe you became acquainted with vibrant soulful ska peacock Michelle Beebs via all those dates she and her Orlando-based Money Makers played around town when first carving out a unique niche for themselves in the Florida scene. Or maybe your introduction was by way of Fuse TV’s reality series Warped Roadies; the second season (currently streaming on Hulu) featured the band prominently during their debut on Warped Tour debut, a gig that helped spur the band’s momentum. They’ve since toured with Reel Big Fish and recorded two albums with frontman Aaron Barrett (How to Start a Dance Party in 2013 and 2014 full-length Würst Album Ever), opened for all manner of other respected ska acts, and played another Warped in 2014. This year, Beebs joins Less Than Jake on their 25th anniversary tour, but first, hits the SKipperdome to headline this skanky Skipperdome bill. (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa)
SUNDAY, JANUARY 10
Abi Reimold, Curtis Cooper, The Other Ryan Willis, Poultry Venture Compound welcomes two Philly artists to lead this Sunday evening bill – Abi Reimold loops and layers her sultry rich vocals over stripped-back experimental rock dissonance, while Curtis Cooper has a dusty folk sound that ramps up to wild, garage-kicking levels of force. (The Venture Compound, St. Petersburg)
John Sebastian The singer-songwriter is best known for his tenure as leader of vintage rock group The Lovin' Spoonful, which is behind such feel good ‘60s hits as “Do You Believe in Magic?”“Summer in the City” and “Daydream.” He’s also a solo artist with film and TV chops; his sole No. 1 single in 1976, “Welcome Back,” was most famously tapped for beloved sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter. (Largo Cultural Center, Largo)
Oogee Wawa with SOFLOW If you can get past the silly moniker (which is actually the phonetic spelling of “cheers” in Zulu), you might just dig the music of New York ensemble Oogee Wawa; their sound is reggae rock at its core but fused with elements of hip hop via a mix of straightforward posi-vibing singing and rhyme-slinging that sails over swaying, jumping and bumping instrumentals. (CJ’s on the Island, Treasure Island)
1349 with Tombs, Full Of Hell Norwegian black metal group 1349 takes their name from the year that the Black Death quite literally sailed into their country and decimated most of the population. They hit town behind sixth and latest studio album, Massive Cauldron of Chaos. (Orpheum, Ybor City)
ALSO THIS WEEKEND
Mosquito Teeth/Slap of Reality/Rekced Division/Jeff Brawer Sat., Jan. 9, The Bends, St. Petersburg
Brian Smalley Sat., Jan. 9, Hideaway Café& Recording Studio, St. Petersburg
The Real Clash Album Release Party Sat., Jan. 9, Crowbar, Ybor City
Bryan Lee Sat., Jan. 9, Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin
And One For All/Limbs/Aera Cura/Prepare The Grave/Chlover/Seek Well Sat., Jan. 9, Brass Mug, Tampa
Local Lockdown: Sunshine & Bullets/From This Fire/Rising Down/Otherworld/All Hail The Queen/Nyami Moire Sun., Jan. 10, State Theatre, St. Petersburg
Elvis Birthday Bash Sun., Jan. 10, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater
Bernie Sanders Fundraiser w/The John Clark Band/Trapfone/American Song Box/PURR PURR PURR/the kind of joy Sun., Jan. 10, New World Brewery, Ybor City
Damon Fowler w/Beth Mckee/Johnny Shelton Sun., Jan. 10, Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa