Lots brewing this weekend in addition to Gasparilla Music Festival. Take a look below...SATURDAY, MARCH 7
WiLD Splash 2015 Tampa Bay's self-styled Party Station and R&B/hip-hop pushers WiLD 94.1 stage the 15th annual edition of its day-long festival by the water, WiLD Splash. Leading the lineup is three-time Grammy-winning Atlanta-brewed rapper T.I., who's spent some quality time high up on the charts over the past several years, both as the lead artist ("Whatever You Like,""Live Your Life,""Dead and Gone,""No Mediocre,""About the Money") and as a featured guest ("Soldier,""My Love,""Blurred Lines"). The rest of the performers are just as mainstream-friendly and include Miami's own Flo Rida ("Low,"“Right Round,”“Club Can’t Handle Me” and current club-banger “G.D.F.R.”), Philly rhyme-slinger Meek Mill (“Tupac Back,”“Amen”) and Baton Rouge native Kevin Gates along with a few R&B-pop up-and-comers: Wash, tapped for Trey Songz track "Lonely," and Dutch-born Natalie La Rose, whose debut single, “Somebody,” is really just a revised version of Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.” (Coachman Park, Clearwater) –Leilani Polk
Florida Strawberry Festival: John Legend John Legend is far from ordinary despite his claim in the hit song that made him famous, “Ordinary People.” The ivories-stroking singer-songwriter has earned nine Grammys for his well-wrought, hip hop-and-gospel-seasoned soul and R&B; he also earned a Golden Globe and an Oscar for “Glory,” the protest anthem he wrote with Common to accompany the 2014 film about the voting rights marches of 1965, Selma. (Festival Grounds, Plant City) –LP
Aesop Rock / Rob Sonic w/DJ Abilities/Homeboy Sandman No. Not A$AP Rocky. Underground hip-hop demigod Aesop Rock (aka Ian Matthias Bavitz). He lands in town with backup in Rob Sonic and DJ Abilities, following the release of a second Hail Mary Mallon album Bestiary, which combines Aesop’s poetic genius with Rob Sonic’s poignant humor for unparalleled hip-hop artistry. And to the Aesop purists, don’t fret. He’ll be dishing out plenty of his solo tracks, too. Also on the mic is emcee Homeboy Sandman, a busy Queens-based rapper and writer who’s dropped four albums and seven EPs since his 2007 debut and also pens stories for Gawker and The Huffington Post. (State Theatre, St. Petersburg)–Adam Hardy
Foundation.DNB: Return of Drum & Bass 2 A special electro music event featuring the founder of Big Riddim Recordings and a long-standing leader of the drum and bass movement who’s been relentlessly dedicated to its vitality for more than two decades: AK1200. The “classically trained” DJ builds fast-paced grimy mixes touching on jungle and bass MUSIC, and he’s known for his style of live mixing and spontaneous programming. Also performing on this night: CLRH2O, Thee Joker. Reinforced sound by TEK Productions. (The Social Club, Ybor City)–LP
Roy Book Binder The “Hillbilly Blues Cat” plays a relaxed finger-picked acoustic guitar that’s heavy on harmonics and open tunings, his low-toned smoky vocal quality a perfect complement to his touching and oftentimes witty style of musical storytelling. (Craftsmen House Gallery, St. Petersburg)–LP
Andy Grammer / Alex and Sierra w/Paradise Fears Andy Grammer produces the sort of teeth-hurting pop tunes that are so damn charming you can’t help but like ‘em, even as you cringe a little inside. Take “Honey, I'm Good” off 2014 sophomore LP, Magazines or Novels: a bright and bouncing ode with a cooing chorus about monogamy, its accompanying video downright heart-warming. Appropriate co-headliners Alex & Sierra bring tender masculine-feminine folk-pop vocal harmonies to “The Good Guys & A Girl Tour,” their win on the final season of X-Factor USA fueling the release of 2014 debut It's About Us. (Orpheum, Ybor City)–LP
Dash Berlin DJ Mag named Dash Berlin primary Jeffrey Sutorius as the 10th most popular DJ in the world. The Dutch EDM biggie has produced synth-whirring vocals-fueled trance epics for the past eight years. (The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City)–LP
Paul Anka Paul Anka has had a career that most musicians can only dream about: teen idol, Academy Award nominee, Billboard chart topper for seven consecutive decades. He’s produced some of pop music’s most memorable hits, “Diana” and “Put Your Head On My Shoulder” among them. He’s written songs for everyone from Frank Sinatra to Michael Jackson. And he’s not done yet. Anka hits the Hall supporting his latest album, Duets, a 14-song collection featuring guests like Willie Nelson and Celine Dion. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater) –Seth Peterson
Southern Culture on the Skids The North Carolina trio otherwise known as SCOTS has been active since the 1980s, pushing a cheeky-sleazy blend of psychobilly, roots and surf rock dosed in country twang and caked in swamp-punk gunk. They hit town on the heels of releasing Party At My Trouse, a new 12" pressed on grape Kool-Aid vinyl. (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa)–LP
Sam Jones: Trumpet + Electronics Julliard-trained NYC-by-way-of-St. Pete musician/composer Sam Jones juggles five trumpets with varying tones, and has dedicated his career to developing a contemporary trumpet repertoire that calls on live electronics and effects, improvisation and plenty of experimentation with mutes. The result is brain-itching avant jazz with hints of classical flavor. This solo recital includes original music by Jones and a few other modern talents. (The Fuzz Factory, Gulfport)–LP
SUNDAY, MARCH 8
Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan A program of Indian classical music by a celebrated sitar maestro known for the vocal-style phrasing of his raga improvisations. (India Cultural Center, Tampa)–LP
Karla Harris Sings the Dave & Iola Brubeck Songbook with Ted Howe Trio Once upon a time, Dave Brubeck’s wife of 70 years, Iola, wrote lyrics to go with several of his instrumental compositions. The latest Side Door program pays tribute to the iconic jazz pianist and his poetic other half, with jazz vocalist Karla Harris putting Iola’s verses to songs like “The Duke,”“Strange Meadowlark” and “Take Five” as delivered by the Ted Howe Trio. A studio recording of Karla Harris Sings the Dave and Iola Brubeck Songbook dropped last month. (Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg) –LP
Santana Carlos Santana is just as devoted to peace, love and spiritual fulfillment as he’s made out to be; I know this even from talking to him only briefly following the release of Shape Shifter three years ago. His warm tranquility is even more apparent in 2014 memoir, The Universal Tone: Bringing My Story to Light. Last year’s Corázon found the guitar guru delivering a full-scale Latin music album with genre guests encompassing Gloria Estefan, Juanes and Pitbull – like a Spanish language Supernatural. The 2015 support tour kicks off right here in St. Pete and will more than likely draw a sell-out crowd. (Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg)–LP
Florida Strawberry Festival: Reba McEntire with Parmalee The fiery-haired queen of country music, Reba McEntire, has enough stature and name recognition that she could essentially just go by ‘Reba’ and people would still know who was being referenced. One of the best selling Billboard artists of all time has 26 studio LPs to her credit – the next, Love Somebody, is due in April – not to mention an active acting career that has seen her on film, TV and even the stage. She closes the Strawberry Festival’s 2015 concert series with a twangin’ bang. (Festival Grounds, Plant City) –LP
Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn A pair of heavyweight banjo talents who also happen to be husband and wife – Flecktones vanguard Fleck and clawhammer-style picker/singer Washburn – put their picks together to produce last year’s self-titled LP of duets, which touch on originals and traditionals, and incorporate a range of banjo types – cello, baritone and uke included. (Capitol Theatre, Clearwater)–LP
ALSO THIS WEEKEND
Don Diablo Sat., March 7, Amphitheatre, Ybor City
Emily Kopp w/Phil Barnes Sat., March 7, Murray Studio Theater at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater
Eli & Bill Perras Sat., March 7, Hideaway Café& Recording Studio, St. Petersburg
Tribal Style Sat., March 7, Three Birds Tavern, St. Petersburg
Urban Gypsies of Florida Sat., March 7, Ale and the Witch, St. Petersburg
Worlds Divide w/[De]Absolve/Screaming At The Silence Sat., March 7, Brass Mug, Tampa
Brent Byrd Band Sat., March 7, Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin
2nd Annual Notorious B.I.G. Tribute Night w/DJs Casper & LeSage Sun., March 8, Crowbar, Ybor City
Bria Skonberg Quartet Sun., March 8, Glendridge Performing Arts Center, Sarasota