As the summer heat retreats, the fall concert blitzkrieg starts in earnest, making it rather difficult to narrow it down to a mere handful of highlights. So as in Fall Arts issues past, I’ve grouped the most significant ones together, this year by venue size, and have also included a list of other noteworthy acts hitting Tampa through December.Don’t miss…
Big shows (10,000+) Lots of arena-size tours land in Tampa Bay, starting with a pair of hip-hop biggies sharing co-headlining duties at MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater: Drake vs. Lil Wayne (9/4). Activity at the Amp resumes again the next day by way of Nashville’s grinding southern alt-rock band Kings of Leon (9/5), then into the following week with classic blues-rock beardies ZZ Top as joined by U.K. guitar fusion guru Jeff Beck (9/10). A few country music bills later and it’s the inaugural Coral Skies Festival featuring Cage the Elephant, Julian Casablancas & the Voidz, The Hold Steady and others (10/25). Tampa Bay Times Forum boasts its own impressive fall lineup by way of Florida-bred classic rock staple Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (9/21), Dan Auerbach-led garage-blues outfit The Black Keys with art-rock songstress St. Vincent (12/16), and iconic melody makers Fleetwood Mac, this time featuring Christine McVie (back) in the ranks (12/20). Finally, rising neo-soul/pop act Fitz and the Tantrums makes its local headlining debut at USF Sun Dome (9/10), while UK pop-rock giant One Direction hits the biggest venue of them all, Raymond James Stadium (10/3).
Happy mediums (2,000+) Jannus Live and The Ritz Ybor vie for domination on either side of Tampa Bay with exciting and diverse fall schedules. The St. Pete venue sets its stage for the return of soul-blues singer-songwriter Citizen Cope after more than four years away (10/4). Then, Jannus welcomes Warren Haynes-led Southern blues-rock jammers Gov’t Mule (10/11), R&B-soul crooner Macy Gray (10/18), the final tour of Orlando-brewed Anberlin (10/25), Long Island’s beloved alt-rock stalwarts Brand New (the 10/26 date sold out in under an hour), NYC post-punk revivalists Interpol with Gainseville electro-pop experimenters Hundred Waters (10/30) and “Talk Dirty”/“Wiggle” hit-making R&B-pop star Jason Derulo (11/1). The Ritz Ybor has fewer shows slated, but each one is first-rate indietronic dance ‘n’ groove music —Washed Out (9/14), Bonobo (10/5) and Chvrches (10/6) — with the exception of Swedish folk-pop duo First Aid Kit (11/5).
Ruth Eckerd Hall has a few choice concerts of its own this fall — choppy metal-flecked Flamenco guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela (10/9) and the return of dynamic psych-alt rockers Primus (11/12). Finally, there’s that Skrillex stop at Hogan’s Beach (10/28), which’ll likely draw thousands of EDM fans to the Causeway’s beach bar-cum-music venue.
Small wonders (Under 2,000) The most anticipated date this season (one that’s gonna sell out any minute if it hasn’t by the time of this posting) is explosive indie punk-garage rock favorite Ty Segall (9/12, Epic Problem, Tampa). Other smaller-scale fall highlights include Bogus Pomp Orchestra playing the music of Frank Zappa with 25-piece symphonic backing (9/20, Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg); sludgy underground noise/punk/metal favorite Melvins with Mexican garage-punk rockers Le Butcherettes (11/6, Orpheum, Ybor City); the multi-venue lead-up to Gainesville’s Fest, Big Pre-Fest (10/29-30, various venues, Ybor City); bluesy-jazzy Latina singer-songwriter and guitarist Gaby Moreno (11/7, Jaeb Theater at the Straz Center, Tampa); and wrapping up 2014 once and for all, the New Granada Records 20th Anniversary Extravaganza (12/25-27, New World Brewery, Ybor City).
Also on the Fall 2014 radar…
Summer Jam 10 Finale Sat., Aug. 30, Crowbar and New World Brewery, Ybor City
Deep Purple Sat., Aug. 30, Hard Rock Live, Orlando
Umphrey’s McGee Sun., Aug. 31, Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
Coldair Fri., Sept. 5, New World Brewery, Ybor City
Diarrhea Planet Wed., Sept. 10, Crowbar, Ybor City
Lily Allen Wed., Sept. 10, House of Blues, Orlando
DJ Shadow / Cut Chemist Sun., Sept. 14, House of Blues, Orlando
Erasure Sun., Sept. 14, Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg
Skeletonwitch Mon., Sept. 15, Orpheum, Ybor City
The Pretty Reckless Fri., Sept. 19, Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg
Rootz Underground Fri., Sept. 19, Local 662, St. Petersburg
Alesana Sat., Sept. 20, Orpheum, Ybor City
Experience Hendrix Sat., Sept. 20, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater
J Boog Sun., Sept. 21, Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
Joyce Manor Wed., Sept. 24, Epic Problem, Tampa
David Gray Mon., Sept. 29, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater
Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers Tue., Sept. 30, Capitol Theatre, Clearwater
Old 97’s Sat., Oct. 4, State Theatre, St. Petersburg
Plan B Festival with Those Darlins, AJ Vincent, People's Blues of Richmond & many more Sat., Oct. 4, Crowbar, New World Brewery, The Social, Market on 7th, The Dirty Shame, Ybor City
Rise Against! Sun., Oct. 5, Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
Kool Keith Sun., Oct. 5, Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin
St. Vincent Tue., Oct. 7, The Beacham Theater, Orlando
Lykki Li Thurs., Oct. 9, House of Blues, Orlando
Lyle Lovett Sun., Oct. 19, Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg
Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band Thurs., Oct. 23, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater
American Authors w/The Mowglis Fri., Oct. 24, Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
Yellowcard / Memphis May Fire Sun., Oct. 26, The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City
Mike Doughty Tue., Oct. 28, Crowbar, Ybor City
Watsky Wed., Oct. 29, State Theatre, St. Petersburg
Lake Street Dive Sat., Nov. 1, The Cuban Club, Ybor City
Sunbears! Album Release & Tour Kickoff Sat., Nov. 1, New World Brewery, Ybor City
Matisyahu Tue., Nov. 7, Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
Randy Newman Tue., Nov. 11, Capitol Theatre, Clearwater
Patti LaBelle Sun., Nov. 16, Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg
Garfunkel and Oates Fri., Nov. 21, Carol Morsani Hall at Straz Center, Tampa
Kenny Rogers Christmas & Hits Sun., Nov. 30, Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg
Living Colour Sat., Dec. 13, State Theatre, St. Petersburg