Metal Monday came early this week with Sunday evening’s show at Czar’s Imperial Palace featuring Torche, House of Lightning and Averkiou. Death Metal, one of Tampa’s more unqiue claims to fame, has influenced a plethora of subgenres including the hardcore scene I grew up in. It was awesome to see how many old school hardcore kids made it out on a Sunday night along with a whole new group of metal afficiandos.

Torche

Hailing from Miami, Torche has a rabid fan base hooked on their unique sound – part thrash with a twist of melodic hardcore, and dare I say a bit of twang, all against a solid metal foundation. Decibel Magazine called Torche’s music a “whole new beast built from the DNA up.” Ever since Torche’s Meanderthal (Hydrahead Records) took the No. 1 spot on Decibel’s 2008 Top 40 Extreme Albums list, the band’s fan base has rapidly expanded. Thankfully, their intensity remains intact. (MORE PICS AFTER THE JUMP)

Live, the band exceeds expectations, drawing in the audience until everyone is at least nodding along if not full-on head-banging. You can see that these musicians love what they do and are having a party on stage to which the whole crowd is invited. As a gift to fans from back in the Floor days, the crowd went nuts when “Scimitar” was played. When the audience demanded an encore, the band requested a bit of patience while Rick re-assembled drums that had come undone in the intensity of Torche’s climactic conclusion. The audience happily obliged, waiting late on a Sunday night for the band to squeeze in just a couple more songs.

Their energetic stage presence had me capturing Steve and Jonathan nonchalantly hanging out in mid-air repetitively:

To really experience the mid-air nonchalance, click on the photo to view them in a larger size.

Torche’s 2009 EP (with DVD) Healer / Across the Shields (Hydrahead Records) is out now for your home enjoyment.

Torche is Steve Brooks (Guitars/Vocals), Jonathan Nuñez (Bass), and Rick Smith (Drums)

House of Lightning

The elusive and mysterious House of Lightning (ex-Dove) made one of their too rare appearances opening up for Torche. The crowd reveled as the waves of thrash crashed down upon them.

As a music photographer, few things are as entertaining to capture as the myriad faces of metal framed by hair swirling around like awful red lighting. As you can see, during House of Lightning’s set, the opportunities for capturing metal mugging were endless.

Word on the street is that House of Lightning has been recording, so hopefully a record will be coming soon!

Averkiou

In spite of being the only non-metal band of the evening, Gainesville’s Averikou did a good job of holding the attention of the mostly metal mania audience. Averkiou is, on the one hand, a prototypical shoegaze band, and are frequently compared to Swervedriver, Guided By Voices and, of course, My Bloody Valentine. Averkiou produces a delicious sound that is nearly tactile while at the same time, straight up indie pop. Check out their new album, Throwing Sparks (Clairecords/Barracuda Sound), which has received universal praise with the most common complaint from reviewers being that it is too short!

Averikou is Matt Brink, David Quarles, Chad Darby, James Hernandez and Jason Shusterman

Here a few concert announcements I received this past weekend.

No Clubs Presents sci-fi horror metal makers GWAR with special like-minded guests Job for a Cowboy and The Red Chord Sunday, October 4, at The Ritz in Ybor City. Tickets are $19 in advance/$22 day of show, and go on sale this Saturday, August 8, beginning at 10 a.m. The 25th anniversary tour marks of the band’s “re-awakening on planet Earth” celebrates their most “sonically devouring, instrumentally challenging” album to date, Lust In Space, due out August 18 on Metal Blade Records.

Tastemakers and THX Management have finally revealed part of the lineup for Summer Jam 5 on Saturday, August 29; The Honorary Title, featuring singer-songwriter/frontman Jarrod Gorbel, will headline the show at Crowbar in Ybor City with Cory Branan. Tickets are $10 in advance/$12 dos, and can be purchased by clicking here. Confirmed local acts include The Beauvilles, The Sheaks, Guiltmaker, Shunda K of Yo Majesty, Mogul Street Reserve, How Dare You, Blind Man’s Colour and many others, though there hasn’t been any word about which of the bands will perform at New World Brewery, the other venue hosting Summer Jam 5.

It was ridiculously hot. It took me 15 minutes to realize that my white wife beater would become my face towel for the day. It was loud. It was colorful. It was my first time at Vinoy Park. And finally, at the age of 24, it was my first time experiencing Warped Tour.

It’s been three years since I attended a music festival and as I walked through the ticket line into a field filled with tents, stages, beer stands and even a slip n’ slide, I instantly recalled why I love outdoor fests; passing through the gates meant entering a world of the unpredictable and the unexpected. I didn’t know what kind of crazies I’d come across (there were bound to be some amidst the 10,000 attendees), what kind of new music I’d hear, or how pleased I’d be with the bands I was there to support.

The second thing I love about music festivals is people-watching. Scenesters were everywhere. I saw blue hair, purple hair, mohawks, rainbow socks, mesh shirts, ripped shirts, patched pants, asses hanging out of daisy dukes, bikini tops, all kinds of neon clothing, hundreds of tattoos as well as band shirts ranging from Minor Threat to Run-DMC to Hank Williams Jr. It was refreshing and entertaining.

I’m not going to lie, I was only interested in seven bands playing at Warped — Bad Religion, Less Than Jake, Streetlight Manifesto, Bouncing Souls, NOFX, Flogging Molly and Shooter Jennings (a surprising addition ) — but I was disappointed to find that the latter three acts fell off the line-up. However, Flogging Molly still had a merch tent set up, which Greg Graffin — lead singer of Bad Religion — made sure to knock at the end of Bad Religion’s set. Quite hilarious.

After arriving, my friend Zach and I checked out a couple of bands we’d never heard. I was able to tolerate the first, Chiodos, for about five minutes. Though the band seemed to have a solid fan base, the music just wasn’t for me; I’m not into the hardcore, scream-your-head-off fare with moments of melodic singing sprinkled in between.

When I asked a young girl the name of the next band I saw, she replied, “I set my friends on fire.” I stared at her with what must have been horror and contemplated whether or not she was on acid. “I’m sorry, what?” I asked. She replied, “The name of the band is I Set My Friends On Fire.” I laughed, thanked her and walked a safe distance to check out the two-man band from Miami. I only caught about five minutes of the show, and the music wasn’t memorable. Although, the one thing I did like about ISMFOF — and something I noticed at a few other stages — was the band’s intense energy and easy engagement with the crowd.

I found out the name of Cash Cash from a red-headed girl with cute freckles and braces, which should have been a warning sign. One of the musicians had a keytar so I had high hopes that the band would be better than the last two I’d seen. The members’ colorful attire and spunky attitudes perfectly correlated with their catchy, bubblegum, uber-pop sound. After listening to two songs, Zach summed it up perfectly: “They are the next stage of evolution for the boy bands.”

It was 3: 45 p.m.; time for Bouncing Souls.

I like Bouncing Souls, but it was my friend Zach who was eager to see them perform. I started out with him in the pit, but the second the push circles and moshing began, I backed away in fear of smashing my good camera and breaking my neck. Bouncing Souls delivered big for their fans, opening with “Kate Is Great” off 1997’s self-titled album. They also played cuts off Hopeless Romantic and How I Spent My Summer Vacation. I was happy to hear “Lean On Sheena” off their late, The Gold Record, because it’s the only Bouncing Soul song I know every word to thanks to its overplay on Sirius Radio. At the end of the set and in the middle of a song, vocalist Greg Attonito had fun with the crowd when he declared he was doing a first at Warped Tour — asking the audience to be as quiet as possible. “Everyone wants us to be loud, so we’re asking you to be quiet,” he said. It worked. The crowd was silent. He added, “Well done everybody, thank you, we appreciate it,” and then the crowd began devotedly clapping in sync and the song started back up for a strong finish. Zach’s description of the show: “Fucking brutal.”

Less Than Jake (LTJ) immediately followed Bouncing Souls. This was my third time seeing LTJ and the band was as good as ever. The musicians came out to the Star Wars theme and then picked up the tune with their own instruments. Trombonist Buddy Schaub never ceases to amaze me with his electrifying energy. He was all over the place, interacting with the crowd and loving the fans’ rowdiness. At one point he ran around, spraying the crowd with a water gun (pictured at left). I wondered how he had any breath left to play the trombone. As the band launched into “The Science of Selling Yourself Short,” I had a surprising revelation: I’ve always loved lead vocalist Chris Demakes, but for the first time I realized I’m more partial to bassist Roger Manganelli’s vocals. The Gainesville band had strong support from family members who’d turned out to see the show. Demakes’ mom (who appeared at the last LTJ show at Jannus) stood stage left and sang every word to every song — it was so endearing. Demakes’ mom wasn’t the only one singing along — of the two St. Pete policemen behind the barricades, one appeared to hate his job while the other sang along to LTJ’s tunes when he thought no one was looking.

LTJ’s setlist included: “Sugar in Your Gas Tank,” “Last One out of Liberty City,” “All My Best Friends Are Metal Heads,” “Help Save the Youth of America from Exploding” “Scott Farcus Takes It on the Chin” “Look What Happened,” “The Ghosts of Me and You” and “Conviction Notice.”

After LTJ we had an hour to kill before Bad Religion and Streetlight Manifesto. We took the opportunity to sit, cool down and take it all in. The Truth.com tent was having a contest to the sounds of Spice Girls and Aqua — it was bizarre and out of place. As I watched dirt that had turned into mud drip down my leg, I finally paid attention to the band that was playing in front of us, SET IT OFF from Clearwater. They were my favorite “new” band of the day, their songs catchy without being obnoxious. The musicians performed amazingly, breaking it down hard on stage.

At 6:55 p.m., we headed over to see Bad Religion.

I was psyched. I think it’s cool to see any band that’s been around for almost 30 years, and apparently so did a lot of other people. Bad Religion pulled one of the biggest, if not the biggest crowd at Warped Tour. After it started raining a couple minutes into the show, Graffin declared that whenever they play, it rains, because someone “up there” doesn’t like Bad Religion.” I got a good chuckle out of that one. The band was phenomenal. Graffin’s voice hadn’t changed; whether he screamed or sang melodiously, it was flawless. As much as the rain sucked, it was worth it to stick out the show. The set included “Infected,” “21st Century (Digital Boy),” “Requiem for Dissent” and “Sorrow.” On a side note, “Sorrow” was the last song I karaoked and let’s just say it was a real buzz kill for the crowd.

It was still raining when Bad Religion finished; a slight chill had replaced the unbearable heat. There was one band left I wanted to see — Streetlight Manifesto. I became a fan of the ska band over the past year and quickly fell in love with their first album, Everything Goes Numb. The band played a short set and there were some technical difficulties with the microphone. During a crowd favorite, “Here’s to Life,” the mic went completely dead, but the fans made sure to fill in the void with the appropriate lyrics. Even though lead singer Tomas Kalnoky’s vocals weren’t as strong live, the band was on point. There is something about Streetlight’s horn section that makes me want to dance … and I did.

My first Warped Tour experience was a blast. However it did somewhat defy my idea of the unexpected and unpredictable (at least when it came to the crowd): I had no exciting random conversations with strangers; I witnessed no fights or streaking; I came across no obliterated drunks; and I smelled weed less than five times. Maybe those are good things.

A quick breakdown of this weekend’s most worthy concerts beginning with Thursday, ’cause that’s when the weekend really starts, right? For a more comprehensive schedule of concerts, check out our Upcoming Events page.

Thursday, July 30
Jeffree Star w/Artist VS Poet/Watch Out! Theres Ghosts/Lets Get It Jeffree Star is conversely ambiguous and flamboyant ­— he could be a woman or a man with his long, bright pink hair, dragtastic make-up and swaths of rock star tattoos. The LA-based self-proclaimed “Queen of the Internet” is a dance music recording artist and Internet phenom who has more than a million MySpace friends and more than 12 million hits on his most played song, “Eyelashes Curlers & Butcher Knives.” Thurs., July 30, 8 p.m., Orpheum, Ybor City, $10, all ages.

Maxwell w/Chrisette Michele Neo-soul singer Maxwell — the Grammy-nominated artist who hits the high notes in his seductive, made-for-making-looove serenades — is currently touring in support of his fourth studio album and first new effort in eight years, BLACKsummers’night. The Brookyn native’s latest features a 10-piece band that brings a lush feel to the album’s supple grooves. Soul support act Chrisette Michele actually won a Grammy for “Best Urban/Alternative Performance” in 2009 for her up-tempo “I Will Survive”-style single, “Be OK.” Thurs., July 30, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater; last time I looked this show was SOLD OUT, although I’m sure you can find tickets floating around outside.

CKY This foursome took their name from and eventually grew in popularity due to the “Camp Kill Yourself” series of skate and prank videos created by Bam Margera, whose brother Jess is CKY’s drummer. Their music has been featured in all four of the vids and in various other related projects (Jackass, Viva La Bam, Jackass: The Movie) as well in video games like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3. As you can likely surmise, the music is brawny alt rock with heavy riffs, pleasantly gruff vocals and the odd synth melody. Thurs., July 30, 8 p.m., Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg, $17.

Friday, July 31
Blazed and Confused Tour feat. Snoop Dogg/Slightly Stoopid w/Stephen Marley/Mickey Avalon Snoop Dogg is everyone’s favorite beanpole rapper. Slightly Stoopid does reggae rock with a hip-hop bounce. Both are West Coast tokers who aren’t afraid to tell the world about their smoking habits. Be prepared for a thorough pat down at the door and don’t be surprised if you see a few drug-sniffing dogs. Fri., July 31, 6 p.m., USF Sun Dome, Tampa, $35.50.

Black Moth Super Rainbow The Pittsburgh, Pa.-based experimental rock outfit puts the “psyche” in psychedelic, though frontman Tobacco would rather think of his band’s music as pop. Click here to read this week’s feature on the band. Fri., July 31, (Crowbar, Ybor City) —LP

REH on the Road: Flo Rida After the Rays play the Kansas City Royals, the Trop hosts an after-concert with Flo Rida, the rapper who produced the club-hoppin’ hit “Low” with T-Pain. You know it: “She hit the floor (she hit the floor) / Next thing you know / Shawty got low, low, low, low, low, low, low, low.” Fri., July 31, after the game, Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg; the show is included with admission to the game. Tickets start at $19.

Jim Morey Band w/Sons of Hippies A bill featuring two solid local acts — neo-Ragtime-Creole-jazz makers Jim Morey Band, and Sarasota-based electro-psychedelic alt rock duo-turned-trio Sons of Hippies. Fri., July 31, 9 p.m., The Garage, St. Petersburg, $5.

Not Tonight Josephine CD Release Party w/Stalling Dawn/Drew Street Mary/Ghost of Gloria Although the band is less than a year old, Tampa’s Not Tonight Josephine has already made the pages of *tbt and played at 97X’s Memorial Day Backyard BBQ. This CD release party celebrates the completion of the band’s new EP, This Orphan Heart. The show will be webcast live at synclive.com and a song, “Sunshine,” recorded live for a forthcoming video. Fri., July 31, 7 p.m., State Theatre, St. Petersburg, $5 (all ages).

Saturday, Aug. 01
Atmosphere w/Eyedea & Abilities/Attracted to Gods Minneapolis indie hip-hop duo Atmosphere — made up of rap artist Slug (Sean Daley) and DJ/producer Ant (Anthony Davis) — bring a smart and refreshing change to the bloated bravado found in much of modern hip-hop music. For more, click here. Sat., Aug. 1, 8 p.m., State Theatre, St. Petersburg, $21.

Mumpsy (pictured below) Record Release Party w/Win Win Winter/Mouse Fire Orlando’s garage pop foursome Mumpsy produces music with an early Beatles feel, brimming with tender melodies, and brightened by tambourine and harmonica. The band marks the release of a four-song limited edition 7” vinyl album, Posturing, with a 10-show mini-tour that makes its second stop here. Sat., Aug. 1, 9 p.m., New World Brewery, Ybor City, $7.

Cracker w/Gringo Star Formed by David Lowery after the break-up of his other band, Camper Van Beethoven (which re-united in 2004), alt roots rockin’ foursome Cracker enjoyed a taste of mainstream fame via their 1993 Billboard charting hit, “Low” and its subsequent video featuring Sandra Bernhardt in a boxing ring. The foursome is currently touring in support of their ninth and latest studio album, Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey. Sat., Aug. 01, 8 p.m., Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa, $15 in advance/$20 dos.

Poco and Pure Prairie League Poco has been making country rock since 1968, when it was formed by Richie Furay, Jim Messina and songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Rusty Young after the demise of Buffalo Springfield. Both Furay and Messina abandoned the project less than five years in, but Young has kept the momentum going all on his own and led an ever-revolving lineup for the past few decades. Poco’s folky, acoustic rock is marked by slide guitar, lap steel, banjo and mandolin, and gentle vocal harmonies. Pure Prairie League, also a country-rock band that was born in the late ‘60s, had its heyday in the mid-‘70s. Sat., Aug. 1, 9 p.m., The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City, $17.50-$52.50.

Sunday, Aug. 02
Torche w/House of Lightning/Averkiou The general metal-loving consensus seems to be that Torche’s second album, 2008’s Meanderthal, is a brilliant slice of melodic and muscular sludge. The Miami-Atlanta trio headlines this all-ages show presented by Two Beards, which regularly brings worthy metal and punk acts to Tampa. Sun., Aug. 2, 8 p.m., Czar, Ybor City, $10 (all ages).

Sunday, Aug. 02 Miggs w/Gareth Asher/Ernie Halter Fronted by lead vocalist/guitarist/songwriter Don Miggs, three-piece rock outfit Miggs — formerly of San Francisco, currently of Tampa — was signed to Jersey indie label Rock Ridge Music for their June 2008 full-length, Unraveled, which includes a selection of radio-ready songs drawn from previous releases that have been given a production makeover. Sun., Aug. 2, 5 p.m., Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa, $7 in advance/$10 dos.

“I’m so blessed to / have spent the time / with my family and the friends I love/ with my short life / I have met so many people I deeply care for”

These final chanted lyrics of Yeasayer’s “Red Cave” go a ridiculously long way in summarizing exactly what my recent trip to Chicago for the fifth annual Pitchfork Festival meant to me. While I’d been to the fest several times in the past (the first three, actually), this marked the first time that a huge group of old friends (LBHS stand up!) were able to meet up and enjoy the city and the music and the drunken shenanigans together. (Pictured at right: Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips; all photos by R. Kevin Rose.)

What’d I learn? well, for starters… we are all official members of the POSI-ADULT CREW. Not straight edge — not even close — but definitely upbeat and affable. Positive, if you will. A group of kids raised on (amongst many, many other things) Bad Brains’ “P.M.A.”, Seven Seconds, Dag Nasty, Gorilla Biscuits, etc., who grew into a geographically dispersed crew of adults … all of us still kinda “Screaming For Change” in our own unique ways. (LOTS MORE PICS AND SHENANIGANS AFTER THE JUMP)

Admittedly, the relentless POSI-CORE tunes we were simultaneously improvising & singing all weekend (titles I somehow managed to remember include “Don’t Die!,” “Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes,” “Si Se Puede,” “Why Did You Leave?” … you get the picture) were more than a touch tongue-in-cheek. But facts are facts; my old school crew only jokes about mosh-ing kids to a nub — we don’t actually do it.

So that’s the scene — about 20 of us (ages: 35-40) lazily taking in the festival during day followed by way-too-long nights of heavy drinking / mild partying at night. By the end of the weekend, a ringing, unifying consensus had emerged: We’re all getting way too fucking old to ride hard for days on end like that. Realization aside — wow. What a blast!!! I saw some great bands / acts, got plenty of much-needed re-connect time (I hadn’t seen some of these fine folks in YEARS!!!), laughed ’til my sides hurt, punished my liver thoroughly and survived to write this little wrap-up piece about it.

While I could easily re-count endless minutiae and I’ve written up several drafts about what our posse did, all the bars, all the food, all the hi-jinx, and so on & so forth, would likely be lost on y’all. Instead … I’m just gonna riff on what turned me on about this year’s fest. By day – check it:

FRIDAY: Got to the fest just in time for Tortoise (pictured below, at right). They took the stage to a relatively mellow response and got the party started. Confident, focused and tasteful without any over-arching sense of urgency … kind of a nice way to ease into the whole thing. They played “DJed,” which has gotta be pretty rare as the tune is long with a capital “L” and it travels in a multitude of directions. There was a little girl on her dad’s shoulders, maybe 3 years old, who was TOTALLY mouthing along to John McEntire & Jon Herndon’s boom-bap … made me smile ear to ear. One of my fave bands of the last 15+ years, these hometown heroes set the bar pretty high, even if it wasn’t the most intense set I’ve ever seen them play.

Yo La Tengo was next. They came on, did their thing, nice and simple and melodic indie jamming. I guess they’ve been steadily perfecting that schtick since I first saw them in the early ’90s. They probably should’ve opened.

Most of the crew had congregated by this point, all of us pumped for The Jesus Lizard, which ended up being great. David Yow told more than a few horribly tasteless jokes, spit a shit-ton of loogies, offered a snappy retort when a stage dive kinda fell apart (”Thanks for your support”) and proved himself a remarkably impressive reservoir of energy for someone that was unquestionably one of the best front-persons on the planet 20+ years ago. But y’know — Yow’s more or less icing. Duane Denison had that silly-stupid Fripp-ian fret stretch technique, sparks and shards of perfectly dischordant guitar. David William Sims laid the bass lines down, complete with his signature lunging head-snap move. And drummer Mac McNeilly had that metronomic and taut attack that kept it all chugging along. Got right up front for the end of the set and their sound was dialed in. They wrapped it up and I was left with the distinct sense that this was, unfortunately, as intense as things were gonna get all weekend … and I was right. The crew decided to forgo Built To Spill in favor of the Bottom Lounge, and while I kinda would’ve liked to have stuck around to see BTS, I was uncharacteristically going with the flow. Much much more drinking and silliness ensued.

SATURDAY: The cab dropped us off at Cobra Lounge, a coupla blocks from the park. We took some shots, had a few beers and got our minds right for Yeasayer. This was my first time seeing them and as I mentioned in my preview post, they were the only band I felt I HAD to see. And they were good and I was real happy to enjoy their live set. I guess they’ve parted ways with their drummer, which kinda sucks, but they’d replaced him with both a kit drummer and a percussion dude who was playing a barrage of samples like a human drum machine. Yeasayer played at least three new songs, and there were more than a few jams from All Hour Cymbals. About two-thirds of the way into their set, as one of the new songs started, so did the rain and most of us got a little wet, though that tiny shower subsided just as the band’s dancey outro kicked in. It was a pretty darned rave-y moment … more than a bit ecstatic. Then, the sun came poking through the clouds as they made their way through “Sunrise,” almost as if they’d planned the weather. They closed with the aforementioned “Red Cave” and I was content. That being said, their singer needs a little work on his live vocals. All in all, I was extremely pleased with my maiden Yeasayer voyage and I still can’t wait to hear their next record.

Doom (formerly known as MF Doom, pictured masked at left) was solid and it was nice to have some hip-hop front and center. But I preferred the small club set I saw him perform years ago. Watched a few of his tunes but was careful to hurry back to smallest stage in time to catch Lindstrøm (pictured at the bottom of the post). This Swedish disco / house producer definitely brought it: relentless thumping four-on-the-floor and Moroder-esque chord progressions. Fantastic stuff. Could’ve zoned out to him a lot longer than he performed as I was feeling prettay loose by that point. But that was that … my group was moving on.

Headed to a barbeque at a friend’s house, where we drank more beer, ate brats and listened to a healthy dose of Husker DU, Naked Raygun, Descendents, Rites Of Spring, Replacements, etc. Goooood times. The beer ran out and someone came back from a beer run with a bottle of Cazadores. Next thing I remember, we were clown-car packed into Brian Costello’s whip with Fear’s “Lets Have A War” blasting from the speakers (”There’s too many of us, there’s too many of us, there’s too many of us…”). The tequila was passed around and, well… I don’t remember much past that point.

SUNDAY: While I really wanted to strike out on my own and see DJ/Rupture and The Walkmen (pictured lat left), among various others, the crew was all meeting at Cos’ for his birthday grill out. In the end I acquiesced. Brian went big with the grilled meat and veggies, and I plowed through as much of the yumminess as I could manage.

We grabbed another cab (only used my $14 three-day-pass ONCE, on the initial trip from ORD), so as not to miss Grizzly Bear … who RULED! They fought through sound issues and executed a superb selection of tracks both old and new. I’ve actually listened to a bootleg of their set four or five times since after returning home, which is absolutely unheard of for me. (I think the only other live recording I’ve listened to that many times is Santana’s Lotus. Seriously.) But yeah – they were so good, soooo good. Really makes me wanna travel somewhere to see them in a darker, smaller space where they’ll obviously get to play longer. They’re on top right now. If you’re into dynamic, original music and you haven’t checked them out yet — well, you might wanna rectify that ASAP.

Flaming Lips were next, but I figured I’d check out The Very Best first and re-join my friends a little later. I stumbled back to the “C” stage and was treated to what, for me, was the biggest surprise of the weekend. Club beats laced with African singing and dancing, really really positive vibes. Gonna have to listen to that Mixtape from last year a little closer now that I have a better idea of what they’re all about. I watched their whole set, then stumbled back to my friends, who’d all pretty well decided that the Lips had turned into a novelty act. So we left. And just as we were headed out the front gate, the Lips started to tear into some older jams and they sounded pretty damn tight and I was somewhat bummed to miss it. We grabbed cabs, met at another bar where I randomly bumped into one of my favorite singers ever (Gared O’Donnell [ex-Planes Mistaken For Stars]).

So yeah, there’s more but I’ll save that for the memoirs. I’m so glad I was able to go (thanks to Joran and Leilani for hooking up the passes for Kevin and I). Seriously — so happy I got to get away for a few days and enjoy some great live music and some freakishly awesome Chicago weather (I dont think it got hotter than 80 degrees the whole trip) … but even more importantly, some great friends. Here’s hoping you get to do the same sometime real real soon!

MORE PICS:

Lindstrøm

Ed Droste of Grizzly Bear.

Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear.

Bassist Kathy Foster of The Thermals

Grizzly Bear

More Flaming Lips

And more …

And just a little more.

Minneapolis indie hip-hop duo Atmosphere — made up of rap artist Slug (Sean Daley) and DJ/producer Ant (Anthony Davis), pictured (photo credit Dan Monick) — bring a smart and refreshing change to the bloated bravado found in much of modern hip-hop music. Slug raps in a personal style that often draws from his own experiences, like the uplifting “Sunshine,” about appreciating the sunny days of life and wanting to bottle them in a plastic jar, “Bust it out whenever someone’s actin hard,” or the funky fun, sample-heavy “C’mon” from the duo’s new (and free) EP, Leak at Will, about being aware of where you’re from but not falling prey to its lawless temptations. But he’ll just as soon offer up a story — “The Waitress” from 2008’s When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold, looks at the antagonistic relationship between a waitress and a homeless man as told from his point-of-view, “I wonder when she’ll realize / That she’s the only reason I visit / The only woman in my world that acknowledges my existence.” Eyedea & Abilities and Attracted to Gods provide support for the duo’s Bay area show. Sat., Aug. 1, 8 p.m., State Theatre, St. Petersburg, $21. (Videos after the jump)

“Trying To Find A Balance” from 2003’s Seven’s Travels

Atmosphere – “Guarantees,” from 2009’s When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold

Lots of new concert announcements arrived in my email box over the past three days. I’ve paired the new with a few that slipped through the cracks for your concert planning convenience. For a complete breakdown of area shows, visit our Upcoming Concerts page.

Saturday, Aug. 8 Sons of Bill, Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa, $7 in advance/$10 dos; ON SALE NOW.

Friday, Aug. 14 Tracy Byrd, Dallas Bull, Tampa, $9.95 in advance, $15 at the door; ON SALE NOW.

Sunday, Aug. 23: White Rabbits w/The Fiery Furnaces, The Social, Orlando, $13 in advance, $15 dos; ON SALE NOW.

Friday, Sept. 04: Soja w/The Movement, State Theatre, St. Petersburg, $15; ON SALE NOW.

Friday, Sept. 04 Lee “Scratch” Perry, The Social, Orlando, $20 in advance, $25 dos; ON SALE NOW.

Wednesday, Sept. 16: Living Colour (pictured above), Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg, $15 in advance, $18 dos; ON SALE NOW.

Friday, Sept. 25: The Queers “Go Pop” Tour w/The Leftovers/TA80, Orpheum, Ybor City, $15; ON SALE NOW.

Saturday, Sept. 26 Victor Wooten, Plaza Theatre, Orlando, $22 in advance, $25 dos; ON SALE NOW.

Wednesday, Sept. 30: The Decemberists “A Short Fazed Hovel” tour w/Laura Veirs & the Hall of Flames, Hard Rock Live, Orlando, ON SALE NOW.

Wednesday, October 14: Teenage Bottlerocket w/Cobra Skulls/Red Scare, Orpheum, Ybor City Doors, $8 in advance/$10 dos; ON SALE NOW.

Friday, October 16: Dear and the Headlights w/Kinch, Orpheum, Ybor City, $10, ON SALE NOW.

Sunday, Oct. 18: DJ Tiësto, The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City, $35; ON SALE NOW.

Friday, Oct. 23 Blues Traveler, House of Blues, Orlando, ticket info not available yet.

Thursday, Oct. 29: Ghostland Observatory (pictured, photo by Daniel Perlaky), Hard Rock Live, Orlando; ticket info not available yet.

Sunday, Nov. 01: Brother Ali, The Social, Orlando, $13 in advance, $15 dos; tickets on sale Saturday, August 1

Tuesday, Nov. 10: Joshua Radin w/The Watson Twins, State Theatre, St. Petersburg, $16 in advance, $18 dos; ON SALE NOW.

Saturday, Nov. 14: The Get Up Kids w/Kevin Devine/Mansions, State Theatre, St. Petersburg, $19.99 in advance/$24 do; ON SALE NOW.

Saturday, Nov. 21: The Revival Tour feat. Chuck Ragan (of Hot Water Music) w/Jim Ward/Frank Turner/John Snodgrass/Chad Price/The Zydepunks, State Theatre, St. Petersburg, $16.

Looking over my notes from Thursday night’s show, I’m inclined to call Nightmare of You unique. Words like “nuts,” “dub” and “sultry” jump off the page, infiltrating my consciousness and recreating the music of this NYC band.

The four-piece put on an incredible show. After a little bit of gambling with members of other bands (Plushgun, Brian Bonz, and Aushua), these guys jumped on stage and rocked it. There was no need for onstage shenanigans — the music said it all.

Frontman Brandon Reilly (formerly of The Movielife) sang in a somewhat nasally falsetto, but it was a surprisingly pleasant. His vocals took me to another place and put me in a near trance when paired with the band’s overall sound, which combined elements of classic rock, pop, and alt rock. All of the songs had their own twist and were laced with intricate melodies and enchanting lyrics. Bassist Brandon Meyer threw down some badass basslines (at one point, Reilly actually commented “That is nasty!“) and drummer Michael Fleichmann dropped some serious beats, sometimes flavored with a hint of hip-hop. And guitarist Jospeh McCaffery blew my mind. He played so fast that his hand was a virtual blur!

Nightmare of You put out their self-titled debut in 2005, released videos for three of their singles, and soon became popular on FUSE TV’s Steven’s Untitled Rock Show and Oven Fresh. Currently, the band is gearing up to release their sophmore effort, Infomaniac, on August 4. If you enjoy music that is creepy, but in a good way — a more upbeat Shins mixed with Radiohead and a dash of The Matches — I would suggest picking up a copy.

Jamie Foxx has come a long way since his In Living Colour sketch comedy days. That job led to some serious acting gigs, then to an Academy Award-winning performance of Ray Charles in the 2004 biopic, Ray, then to a lucrative music career. Foxx had always played music (he began taking piano lessons at age 5 and actually released an album, Peep This, in 1994), but that role opened new doors for him as the artist proved he could not only act, but that he had a damn fine voice and knew how to use it.

With music cred came guest spots that began when Foxx was featured with Kanye West on Twista’s song chart-topping “Slow Jamz.” His “I Got a Woman” Ray Charles-inspired hook in West’s “Gold Digger” followed and the song debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained there for 10 weeks. It was all downhill from there. Foxx proved himself a multi-talented force to be reckoned with and while virtually no one heard Peep This, Foxx’s second album, Unpredictable, sold nearly 2 million copies in the U.S. alone and was certified double platinum by the RIAA.

Foxx’s current 50-city North American “Blame It” tour in support of his third album, 2008’s Intuition, makes its way down to Florida and stops at Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center’s Carol Morsani Hall on Monday, August 31, at 8 p.m. Tickets on sale at noon this Monday, July 27; regularly priced tickets start at $56.50.

A series of shots from the Wednesday, July 22 show featuring Reel Big Fish, the English Beat and The Supervillains at The Ritz Theater in Ybor City.

Reel Big Fish

(More pics after the jump)

The English Beat

The Suppervillains’ guitarist Skart pictured below.