Concerts, July 4-10.
by Leilani PolkTHURSDAY, JULY 4
Rock the Park July 4 Edition: The Sh-Booms/Booker & Norton/Vinny Virgo The free festivities kick off early (4 p.m.), and extra food trucks and carts line up to serve barbeque, subs, popsicles (Whatever Pops!) and other edible goodies to the locals who converge on downtown Tampa for this holiday installment of Rock the Park. The fireworks over Garrison Channel are an explosive conclusion to the evening’s fiery live music lineup, which is headlined by The Sh-Booms from Orlando. The 10-piece delivers a ’60s style soul, R&B and funk revue as led by authoritative yet feminine frontwoman Emily “the Chirp” Patterson and bolstered by horns, keys, a few guitars, and a strong rhythm section. Bay area-brewed two-piece Booker & Norton serves soulful, vibrant two-piece garage blues while Vinny Virgo brings weird clever humor to his rhymes and chopped and skewed production to his hip hop swag. All ages and pets welcome. (Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Tampa)
Ace Hood“Being where I’m from and making it out of there to success is what I consider, ‘Waking up in a new Bugatti,’” South Florida-bred rapper Ace Hood told ArtistDirect.com about the inspiration behind “Bugatti.” The first single off his 2013 forthcoming fourth studio album Trials & Tribulations is an abrasive hollering anthem featuring guest spots by Rick Ross and Future, and it’s already a gold-seller. Ace hypes the LP (out July 16) and performs at this Independence Day dance party. (Amphitheatre, Ybor City)
4th of July at the Witch: Applebutter Express Toast craft brews, nosh on smoked barbecue and enjoy two shows worth of uke-fueled tunes by Applebutter Express as bookending the 9 p.m. fireworks display on Spa Beach; first show at 7:30 p.m., second at 9:30 p.m. (Ale and the Witch, St. Petersburg)
Fubar Fourth of July Freebie: Archaic Interest/The Neighbors/Article 47 A three-part bill of local indie tunes featuring druggy-drone surf-garage trio Archaic Interest, funky rocking outfit The Neighbors, and the reverb-coated dark haze post punk-shoegaze of Article 74. (Fubar, St. Petersburg)
FRIDAY, JULY 5
Mac Miller w/Chance the Rapper/The Internet/Vince Staples The rising young rapper from Pittsburgh who made such a splash at 19 with his 2011 debut is now legal and fresh off issuing a sophomore follow-up, Watching Movies with the Sound Off. The album finds Mac bringing on some skilled guests artists and producers to bolster his talents, revealing his indie cred in his own production stylings (which include samples of tracks by TuneYards, The xx, Black Moth Super Rainbow and Balkan Beat Box, among others), and jumping from sincere introspection ala his sensitive melodic rhyme-slinging in the love-addled Pharrell-produced groove, “Objects In The Mirror,” to more club-banging humor as with “Goosebumpz,” its horns-jammed reggaeton-laced production overseen by Diplo and Mac’s refrain —“When I die, bet she fuck my hologram”— spit over a sharp-striking tempo. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)
Soul Asylum Grungy Dave Pirner-led alt-rock band Soul Asylum hit the charts in the early to mid-1990s with hits like “Runaway Train,”“Black Gold,”“Somebody to Shove” and “Misery” but has declined in popularity since then and all the original members have abandoned the Soul Asylum ship save Pirner. He’s currently touring behind his band’s latest, 2012 full-length Delayed Reaction. (Hogan’s Beach, Tampa)
The Hip Abduction w/Burning Tree/Danfield In January, world-flecked St. Pete septet The Hip Abduction inked a deal with Easy Star Records producer M. Goldwasser to oversee their third full-length. They hit the studio in March, and were joined by reggae legend Anthony B. Stay along with guest musicians from Easy Star Allstars. The final mixes are in, and the video teaser for the album that dropped a few weeks ago finds THA crafting magnetic funkified vintage-hued Afrobeat with tight brass, brawny elastic lowend grooves and percussive-fueled rhythms. A release date is right around the corner. In the meantime, THA hits the Local to headline a breezy bill of jams with a few superior reggae rock outfits warming up the crowd. (Local 662, St. Petersburg)
Direct Hit/Jetty Boys/Awkward Age Direct Hit gallops through wild and raucous punk pop odes marked by a heavy bass punch, dual distorted guitar riffs and clamoring vocals somersaulting over top. Fellow Wisconsinites Jetty Boys — a three-piece that put out a split 7” with Direct Hit in 2011 — has a similar aesthetic but a three-piece configuration, more nasally vocals, and an overall effect that smells a lot like Green Day. Rounding out the night of punk-headed fun is power pop-sensible trio Awkward Age. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
The Future Now/Escape Tonight/Luxury Mane/The Dags/Tommy Simms Lover’s Lament Entertainment hosts a bill of five diverse indie rock acts as led by heavy seething fuzzed-out ’90s-styled grunge foursome The Future Now, from Gainesville, and also featuring Billy Summer-helmed hazy surf-psych outfit The Luxury Mane and punk-fused rockers Escape Tonight. (Bar Milo, St. Petersburg)
[page]Sam Pacetti w/Jim Mason/Tom Scudiero/Dawg Peter Pat Pairing virtuoso finger-style guitar skills with a resonant and soulful vocal delivery is North Florida artist Sam Pacetti, who was mentored by iconic picker Gamble Rogers and has been praised for folk-roots songwriting that delivers a combo of depth and whimsy. (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa)
Katie and the Lichen w/OK Vancouver OK/Sun Signs/Article 47 The next free all-ages show at Mojo showcases two lo-fi appealing bands from Vancouver backing 2013 releases. Katie and the Lichen pieces together loose anti-pop ditties marked by the deliciously saccharine multi-voice harmonies of its three femme members and unexpected instrumentation — ukulele, melodica, kazoo, autoharp and the like. Ok Vancouver OK (the project of musician Jeff Johnson) brings darker textures into their bouncing experimental pop songs with charmingly yelped and warbled lyrics about dreams, memory, relaxing in the garden and whatever else floats to the top. Warm-up starts at 8:30 p.m. with sets by Article 47 and Sun Signs. (Mojo Books & Music, Tampa)
SATURDAY, JULY 6
of Montreal w/Yip Deceiver No one writes a clever turn of phrase with quite so much deliberate cunning and thought-provoking rigor as Kevin Barnes, of Montreal’s vibrantly-coiffed visionary frontman and ringmaster of confetti-strewn festivities, who returns to town with his merry band of musical tricksters for the first time in a few years after skipping Tampa on the past several Florida tours. And really, what better way to end the live music run at Czar’s current complex, before the nightclub moves into and merges with The Ritz Ybor, than a glittery, eye-popping extravaganza of psychedelic pop, grooving dance music and glam rock. Two of Montreal albums dropped last year — 11th full-length Paralytic Stalks and b-sides effort Daughter of a Cloud. I’m more intrigued about an already-completed 12th LP due out this fall, Lousy with Sylvianbriar, created while Barnes was on a “self imposed isolation experiment in San Francisco,” and taking inspiration from the Flying Burrito Brothers, Sylvia Plath, Neil Young and the Grateful Dead. of Montreal side project Yip Deceiver (featuring Nicolas Dobbratz and Davey Pierce) opens. (Czar, Ybor City)
Lucky Date A producer/DJ from California (real name Jordan Atkins-Loria) who doles out doses of house music — electro, Dutch-style, progressive and tech — along with some dubstep, DnB and breaks thrown in so the mood doesn’t get too unz-tedious. His biggest Beatport.com single is his a collab with Zedd, “Fall Into the Sky.” (Amphitheatre, Ybor City)
Alabama Named for the state of their origin and coming up in the early 1970s with a swinging sound that wasn’t quite country or rock ’n’ roll, but a soft grey area in between both, Alabama (Jeff Cook, Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry) earned a few Grammys during their long tenure (for the gospel-infused “Mountain Music” and the mellow shuffling “The Closer You Get ...”), and celebrated their fourth decade in April at The Bowery in Myrtle Beach, S.C., where they performed as the house band for several years. This date is part of Alabama’s 40th anniversary “Back to the Bowery Tour.” (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)
We The Kings w/Breathe Carolina/T. Mills/The Ready Set Over the past five years, Bradenton’s We the Kings have enjoyed a come-up and 2011 full-length Sunshine State of Mind found them exploring more lightweight territories of punk pop, country-something-or-other, alt rock and reggae rock. Like acts join them on this “Summer Fest 2013” tour. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)
Rev. Billy C. Wirtz w/De Lei’ed Parrots One part fiery blues, boogie-woogie, rockabilly and roots musician, one part polyester-wearing musical satirist with a rather fine looking mustache, South Carolina music maker Rev. Billy C. Wirtz returns to the Skipperdome and brings his fun free-wheeling music along with him. (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa)
Friends of Giants CD Release Show w/Goodnight Neverland/Happiness Machine/Adam Randall/Hunter:Gatherer Friends of Giants purvey a soothing, melody-rich brand of ambient alt rock fueled by layered guitar melodies — acoustic strums and electric solos — gliding and weaving together beneath gentle sweet vocal harmonies. This show celebrates the completion and release of a new recording, English Language. (Local 662, St. Petersburg)
Ken Petersen Band CD Release Party A release more than two years in the making, Get Outta My Tree (which dropped in June via Global Recording Artists) is the new full-length album of original material by Dunedin-based quartet Ken Petersen Band. Namesake Petersen (who moonlighted in John Lennon’s Plastic Ono Band for a few years and was a player on 1971’s Pope Smokes Dope among other noteworthy gigs) leads on vocals and rhythm guitar in jammy rollicking vintage-hued rock ’n’ roll and Americana as supported by lead guitarist Scott Wendt, bassist Kurt “Doc” Harris and drummer Eddie Santiago. Petersen hits WMNF with some tunes on Pete Gallager’s Florida Folk Show the morning of the release. (JJ’s Prime Time Lounge, Dunedin)
[page]Will Do for Aunt Sue Charity Concert w/Y Los Dos Pistoles/Crash Mitchell/Dahlia Moon/…Radarmen? The indomitable elder statesman of twangy cow punk, Crash Mitchell, has persuaded some of his musician friends to perform in support of his aunt, Sue Mitchell, who suffers from the slower-growing form of ALS and has a towering stack of medical bills to contend with as well as the looming investment of a 20k wheelchair. This is the first in a series of fundraising concerts hosted by Crash for Sue. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
Dunedin Brewery’s 17th Anniversary Party w/Ghost Owl/Cope A Northern Pinellas bar scene and live music staple celebrates 17 years of bringing craft brews and heady tunes to the Bay area on this night, releasing a 17th Anniversary Bohemian Pilsner, Chronicle 11: Subtropical IPA and Lemongrass Lemon Wit and welcoming a few talented acts to its stage for the very special occasion. Local faves Cope get the crowd lubed up with their rootsy, funky electro-jammy rock n’ roll, while out of towners Ghost Owl, from Athens, Ga., close the night’s festivities with propulsive, groove-tronic sci-fi psychedelic EDM as built by former members of Perpetual Groove (Adam Perry on bass/synths, drummer Albert Suttle and keyboardist Matthew McDonald). Several screens featuring fractal explosions and other vibrant visuals complement the threesome’s instrumentals all throughout their live sets. (Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin)
SUNDAY, JULY 7
Thomas Wynn and the Believers/Have Gun Will Travel/Lauris Vidal The holiday weekend comes to a blistering close on Sunday evening when three performers all residing in rootsy realms converge on downtown St. Pete. North Floridian Lauris Vidal serves up quirky alt-folk tunes, Brandeton’s Have Gun Will Travel rocks through well-worn throwback Americana melodies, and Orlando ensemble Thomas Wynn and the Believers uplifts with soulful, Southern-fried roots and blues rock jams, he and sister Olivia’s masculine-feminine vocal harmonies soaring over the high-octane instrumentals. (MacDinton’s at Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)
TUESDAY, JULY 9
Paper Route w/Halfnoise/Goodnight Neverland All Good Tuesdays gets a fine starter on this night when Paper Route brings their upbeat synth rock to Crowbar. The Nashville-based trio was repped by Universal Records for 2009 debut full-length Absence, and though it peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard Heatseekers charts and a few songs tapped for TV, Paper Route has still managed to do better with independently-released 2012 sophomore follow-up The Peace of Wild Things, actually making it into the Billboard 200 and moving up to No. 8 from their previous Heatseekers peak. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
WEDNESDAY, JULY 10
Concord America w/Sonic Graffiti On the verge of releasing a debut full-length, Shag Nasty (due out July 16), Atlanta area trio Concord America hits town with their youthful upbeat drive and marriage of lo-fi proto-punk, emo-twang, grunge and surf-garage rock as led by yelping vocals of singer/guitarist Ben Presley, and carried on the solid rhythm section of brothers John and Vinny Restivo, the elder on drums and younger on bass, respectively. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
CLICK HERE to see a complete rundown of shows taking place this week and in the coming weeks.