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.

The all-local bill celebrating the release of Not Tonight Josephine’s new CD includes Drew Street Mary, Claiborne, Look Right Penny and Ghost of Gloria. All bands have a female name in the their band name. I wonder if this was done on purpose?

Rumor has it that Drew Street Mary has a fill in bass player, as bassist Chris Cale is helping fight Malaria in parts of Africa for the summer.

“We are looking forward to this show,” stated Drew Street Mary’s Vocalist/Guitarist Todd Fulmino. “We have a short, yet powerful set including ‘Barfly‘, ‘Final Approach‘ and many other DSM favorites. Plus, we have a mystery bass player, so you have to come see who it is.”

Where: State Theater, St Pete

When: Friday, July 31, 7pm

Tickets: For sale online through Vendini

Restless again. My band stops playing and a smattering of applause fills the void of sound as the barkeep kicks on the punk jukebox. Love Comes in Spurts pipes through the shitty speakers as Richard Hell’s whiney voice affirms the nihilistic undertones of modern living. I look down at my sweat-stained shirt and a tiny button of Hell’s vacant stare pinned above my left breast pocket catches my eye. For a second, its blank straight-mouthed expression curls into a shit eating grin and he whispers up at me, “I know punk sounds better through the filter of a canned, thought-out and planned recording” as I rub my eyes, pick up my amplifier and carry it hastily out the back door.

Fresh air stings my lungs, billowing smoke escaping through the closing door behind me. I drop my keys, set the amp down on the pavement and pick them up. After throwing the amp in the back seat of my car, I reluctantly re-enter the bar from the back to finish cleaning up.

Unexpectedly, the door leads directly into my parents’ house three towns over. The sun burns through the large windows as my hands begin to shake uncontrollably. I must have really shaken something up in my head last night with that show, I tell myself in a panic. I can hear my parents arguing in the next room:

“Why can’t you use your gift of music to serve the Lord?”

“All you do is yell, scream and make noise. Don’t you remember what that guy told you? That singer up in Madawaska? What did he tell you? He told you to keep God close or you will be tempted by the Devil.”

Then I hear an even stranger sound; my own voice!

“I don’t think God is interested in mediocrity and banality.” I peak my head around the corner of the entryway and peer into the living room, and I can feel my eyes popping out of my skull as I find a version of myself standing with both my parents. My other self continues, “If anything, Satan is busy lowering the standards of culture with your national television karaoke contests and hack musicians who only play for money and don’t really believe in what they do!”

I sneak out the front door into daylight and run down the walkway to my car. “What the fuck is going on?” I ask aloud as I pat my pockets for my keys but can’t find them. I blink, my eyelids closing very slowly as I continue to scour the insides of my pockets so I can make my getaway.

As I open my eyes, the darkness of night shocks my vision and I feel tears swelling below my corneas. A rag covered young oi-looking punk with a Crass patch on his left jean leg leans against the outside wall of the bar and lights a cigarette. “I really dug that set,” he spouts without looking toward me as smoke trickles from his mouth. “I love that punk noise shit. Do you have a couple bucks?”

Still in shock, I reach into my pocket and throw him two one dollar bills. “Thanks for the kind words, man. I’m glad you enjoyed it,” I hear myself respond as I wander back into the bar.

A television flashes headlines too bright to ignore: Hurricane Warning… Headed Directly For Tampa Bay… and immediately cuts to a Home Depot commercial featuring images of gas-powered generators and storm shutters. The pounding rhythm of Ghost Rider by Suicide fills all ears as Martin Rev croons, “America America is killing its youth!” and I see him inside my head smash a microphone directly into his mouth three times. The disheartening thwoks of amplified violence cause me to cringe and smile a devilish smile at the same time.

Suicide- Ghost Rider

The “extreme store” (and my place of employment) is at it again! This Saturday, July 25, Adrenalina hosts what is known as a “flavor tripping” party in its International Plaza store.

Adrenalina has invited indie favorites Claiborne to play an acoustic set at the event, which should be met by no protests from fans since it will show off lead singer Tiffany Francum’s amazing voice. Joining them this go ‘round is

Tampa indie rock outfit, good friends of Claiborne, and one of my personal favorite local bands, The Woodwork (pictured). Although they’ve recently lost their drummer, the remaining members — Matt, Lucas, and Jeffrey — have kindly agreed to perform an unplugged set or two as well. (And if we’re lucky, they might even play their cover of Outkast’s “Hey Ya”!)

So what exactly is a “flavor tripping” party, you ask? These curiously named events center around one very tiny, yet very expensive item — Miracle fruit. (More info on the fruit and details about the event after the jump.)

Miracle fruit is a berry that makes sour and acidic substances taste sweet. In other words, it totally messes with your sense of taste. It was first discovered in 1725 by Chevalier des Marchais while he was on an excursion to the fruit’s native West Africa. The effects last anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes, but in that time you can sample many different things you would normally be put off by. Bet your friends you can take a shot of hot sauce like it’s no big deal, then take them for all they’re worth! (Photo credit: modernfuel.org.)

This little shindig kicks off at noon and will go until about 5 p.m. There’s an entry fee of $5 if you’d like to try the fruit, and that gives you one berry and access to the spread of treats to try out! There will be demos by some awesome Flowriders, including Tampa’s Jimmy Sugrue, appearances by various extreme sports athletes, and (hence the article) live music.

So if you’re intrigued by the idea of warping your taste buds, want to see some sweet Flowrider action, love local music or just want to hang out in the coolest store in the mall, come on in to Adrenalina this Saturday. Claiborne will be playing at 2:30, followed by The Woodwork.

If you visit the store between now and the morning before the party you can grab a flyer from any of the sales associates or at the register that will give you $2 off the entry fee – or print one out from the store’s website (linked above and below). See you there!

Pedals on our Pirate Ships finally sailed into Tampa on July 21! Which explains how I found myself out late on a Tuesday work night at Transitions Art Gallery to see Pedals on our Pirate Ships (Richmond), The Wild (Atlanta) and Regular Size People Fight (Tampa).

Pedals on our Pirate Ships

My friend Jeff made me some mix CDs last winter and the song that immediately caught my attention was “Peter Pan Syndrome,” with its chorus “Will you be my Wendy? Will you be my Tinkerbell? / Don’t be silly you can be my Tiger Lily still” and lines like “We don’t have goals but we have lots of fun” and “but secretly we all miss our mothers, we seek security in the arms of lovers.” When I couldn’t get the song out of my head, I looked up the band with a peculiar name, Pedals on our Pirate Ships, listened to the rest of the songs posted on their Myspace page, and was hooked.

Hailing from Richmond, VA, these folk punk rockers play extremely fun and catchy tunes with just a tinge of introspection. In “Reinventing Bryan Adams” Matt belts out “Why do they call it goodbye, doesn’t feel so good to me, why don’t we call a spade a spade, say what we really mean… look me in the eye and say loving you is fucking killing me” At the show, a small but enthusiastic crowd sang along at the top of their lungs to the crowd favorites, including “Peter Pan Syndrome” and “Night of the Living Wage.”

Originally, Pedals on our Pirate Ships was Matt Seymour’s solo acoustic project featuring an extensive guest and former member list including the following musicians: Michael Otley, Jameson Price, Tim Baker, Casey Martin, Lindsay Sisk, Tim Barry, Nick Bergheimer, Tim Carroll, Ian Cassidy, David Donaldson, Lindsey Driscoll, David Hughes, Joe Hunt, Joe Mager, Josh Small, Daniel Rickey, and Adam Thompson. It’s amazing how much more fun a show is when the band is having as much fun as the audience and that was certainly true at this show. Adding to the visual joy of Pedals on our Pirate Ships, the drummer uses a steamer trunk as a bass drum.

Pedals on our Pirate Ships currently are Matt Seymour (vocals/guitar) with Adrienne Brown (vocals/melodica/tambourine) and Louis Cyrtmus (drummer)

The Wild

We arrived during The Wild’s set. I liked them immediately and not just because they had a banjo in their punk rock band. Hailing from Atlanta, The Wild also plays music in the folk punk genre. Like Pedals on our Pirate Ships, they had a great time playing and as a consequence the audience had a great time listening. I look forward to checking out their recorded material.

The Wild is Kylee (drums), Ben (Bass), Dianna (Tambourine and vocals and more!) and Witt (guitar and vocals)

Regular Size People Fight

Regular Size People Fight features a group of talented Tampa musicians from Dukes of Hillsborough, Watson and The Tim Version playing post-punk. It was fun to see these guys doing something a bit different… I haven’t heard their record Yowza! (Fast Crowd Records) yet but No Idea Records describes it as “Smart lyrics and clever guitar riffs that will make you want to crack open a cold one and sing along.”

For more photos, please check out the following links:

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 23
Nightmare Of You (pictured) w/Plushgun/Brian Bonz/Aushua In Nightmare of You’s single, “I Think I’m Getting Older,” frontman Brandon Reilly laments about aging against jangly guitars and post-punk bounce, and right before it peters to an end, there’s a brief breakdown of lazy, watery dub. Haven’t heard the rest of the Long Island, NY, four-piece quartet’s just-released second album, Infomaniac (Bevonshire), but my curiosity is piqued. Plushgun and Brian Bonz are both Brooklynites; Plushgun does cloying electro-pop (oft-described as “infectious”) while Bonz has a husky vocals and a pleasant ambience to his organic experimental rock. Thurs., July 23, 9 p.m., Crowbar, Ybor City, $10 in advance/$12 dos (18 and up).

Ex-Norwegian w/The Lighthouse and the Whaler /Pemberley While the name may imply far away origins (or an appreciation of Monty Python’s Flying Circus), Ex-Norwegian hails from Miami Beach and their music has the bright and shiny quality you’d expect with hand-claps, acoustic guitar and cheery vocals. Ohio’s Lighthouse and the Whaler make airy folk rock with percussive trimmings and multi-voice harmonizing that give the music a tender, rustic feel. Thurs., July 23, 9 p.m., New World Brewery, Ybor City, $7.

Friday, July 24
Collie Buddz w/Bootleg/Tribal Style Bermuda Collie Buddz — real name Colin Harper, his “Collie Buddz” handle a slang term for weed — was born in New Orleans, raised in Bermuda, and produces music that’s more Caribbean-flavored hip-hop than honest-to-goodness reggae. Fri., July 24, 8 p.m., State Theatre, St. Petersburg, $19.

Honky Tonk Hustlas A fast-playing rockabilly string trio — guitar, upright bass, mandolin — from Montgomery, Ala., that brings an outlaw feel and deep grit lead vocals to their honky-tonkin’ stompin’. Fri., July 24,  Dave’s Aqua Lounge, St. Petersburg, $?.

Blind Man’s Colour (pictured) w/Viernes A relatively new experimental duo from St. Petersburg that produces off-kilter, low-fi (four-track) psyche electronica akin to Animal Collective and with the same sort of undeniable charm. Fri., July 24, 9 p.m., New World Brewery, Ybor City, $5.

Benefit for Faces Of Courage Cancer Support Fundraiser with Rubix Cubed Take a trip back to the 1980s with Rubix Cubed, which offers a retro experience with covers of era hits like “Video Killed the Radio Star,” “Hit Me with Your Best Shot,” and “I Ran,” among many others. Proceeds go to the nonprofit cancer support organization, Faces of Courage Foundation. Fri., July 24, 8 p.m., Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa, $10 donation.

The Beauvilles w/John Wesley Shawn Kyle Beauville, frontman for The Beauvilles, has as much of a rock star air as any artist based in Tampa Bay. He’s a charismatic performer and passionate singer who sounds as if he has a fondness for heart-on-sleeve artists like U2, Jeff Buckley and the better acts lumped into emo. Guitar wizard John Wesley, who lives in Brandon but tours regularly with the British prog-rock band Porcupine Tree, is an accomplished singer, songwriter and rocker in his own right. Fri., July 24, 9 p.m., Orpheum, Ybor City, $7. (Eric Snider)

RX Bandits w/Dredg Calif.’s Rx Bandits formed in 1995 and jumped into the midst of the Third Wave ska revival. Over the years, the band has branched into a busier, more proggy thing, but still relies on certain ska orthodoxies: the coiled energy and especially those hotwired horns. Dredg is a quick-rock band out of San Francisco. Fri., July 24, 8 p.m., Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg, $15 in advance/$18 dos. (Eric Snider)

Saturday, July 25
Matthew Dear (pictured, photo by Will Calcutt) w/DJ THREE Avant electro pop artist Matthew Dear, aka Audion, is a solo DJ and producer who first grabbed my ears with his third album, 2007’s Asa Breed, a straightforward and unexpectedly lyrical album with hints of minimalist house and acid-washed dance funk paired with Dear’s offhand, occasionally multi-tracked baritone. Dear performs as his Audion “dark alter ego” at this seven-year anniversary party for SNATCH, Hyde Park Cafe’s ongoing tech house night, and he’ll create new interpretations of his material on the fly amidst a custom video setup with psychedelic visuals that create a “powerful experiment in chaos and hypnotic depth.” He is joined by NYC’s DJ THREE. Sat., July 25, 10 p.m. doors, Hyde Park Cafe, Tampa, $10.

BélO The 29-year-old artist is Haiti’s answer to Sting, with his smooth blend of reggae, jazz, R&B and world music and a voice that sounds strongly reminiscent of the ex-Cop. Some of BélO’s songs revolve around the undulating arpeggios of his acoustic guitar, while others have a breezy Island feel. His lyrics, sung in Creole French, often address the problems of his home country, the most poverty-stricken in the Western Hemisphere. Sat., July 25, 8 p.m., Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Tampa, $10-$15. (Eric Snider)

Andy Irvine Group CD Release Party w/Hammerslug Jazzy funkster Andy Irvine (pictured) — known locally by his role in the recently-reunited Beanstalk and nationally from his several-year stint with West Coast trio On the One — is a badass bassist who’s capable of tuning into a groove and soloing over it with the ease that comes with more than 25 years of experience. Irvine is currently celebrating the completion of his new solo album, Soul Clap, an instrumental work that fuses Irvine’s funk-soul leanings with greasy Hendrix-style rock ‘n’ roll and occasional progressive edginess, all augmented by saxophone that never manages to stray too far into that cheesy smooth territory and even heats things up at unexpected moments. The lineup for this CD release show features Mike MacArthur on sax, jazz heavyweight brothers Dave and Ron Reinhardt on drums and keyboards respectively, and LaRue Nickelson on guitar; special guest appearances by Beanstalk’s guitarist Joel Lisi and drummer Billy Carr are also expected, and local shred-loving prog-jammers Hammerslug open. Sat., July 15, Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa, $7.

Tater Famine Another night of roots music at Dave’s, this one featuring Santa Cruz trio Tater Famine, which plays its country punkin’ string music acoustic and with a good dose of whisky-soaked twang. The band self-released their debut full-length, …An Untimely Fashion, in December. Sat., July 24, Dave’s Aqua Lounge, St. Petersburg, $?.

Life of Pi/Aaron Lepley & the Inward/The Sea/Nick Shanahan CL’s own site editor, Stephen Hammill, heads Life of Pi, a foursome responsible for quality alt rock, with some songs drenched in heavy reverb and distortion, and others, like the band’s currently streaming Myspace single, “Eat a Rainbow,” leaning more towards Brit-pop catchy. Also on the all-local bill is Aaron Lepley (of November Foxtrot Whiskey) doing a side project thing, solo ambient music maker Daniel Wainwright performing as “The Sea,” and gruff-voiced folk-roots songwriter Nick Shanahan. Sat., July 25, 9 p.m., New World Brewery, Ybor City, $5.

The Movement/Passafire The Movement hails from Philly, does the alt-reggae thing and brings a tasty hip-hop flavor and slow groove to their vibes. Savannah, Ga.’s Passafire adds some progressive flourishes and a bit of funky fun to their dub and dancehall jams, and have been called the “musicians’ musicians.” Sat., July 25, 8 p.m., State Theatre, St. Petersburg, $12.

Big Sam’s Funky Nation He plays a big instrument, the trombone. His sound is a big, booming sort of funk, less nuanced (more George Clinton) than his brethren from the New Orleans scene. Bring your dancin’ shoes. (Big Sam pictured, photo by Kevin Schexnayder.) Sat., July 25, 9 p.m., Crowbar, Ybor City, $10. (Eric Snider)

Sunday, July 26
Vans Warped Tour 2009 feat. 3OH!3/A Day to Remember/A Skylit Drive/Alexisonfire/Anti-Flag/Bad Religion/Bayside/Big D and the Kids Table/Black Tide/Bouncing Souls/Breathe Carolina/Brokencyde/Cash Cash/Chiodos/Dance Gavin Dance/Dear and the Headlights/Dirty Heads/Escape the Fate/Every Avenue/Flogging Molly/Gallows/Hit the Lights/I Set My Friends on Fire/Jeffree Star/Less Than Jake/Lights/Meg & Dia/Millionaires/NOFX/Outernational/P.O.S./Saosin/Scary Kids Scaring Kids/Senses Fail/Shad/Silverstein/Sing it Loud/Streetlight Manifesto/Tat/The A.K.A.s/The Architects/The Ataris/The Devil Wears Prada/The Maine/The White Tie Affair/There For Tomorrow/Therefore I Am/Thrice TV/TV/Underoath/Valencia/Westbound Train A summer tradition now 15 years strong, the Vans Warped Tour makes its annual stop in Tampa Bay once again. The all-day festival returns to the waterside Vinoy Park with more than 50 bands spread across multiple stages. Warped vets NOFX, Bad Religion, Flogging Molly and Anti-Flag are guaranteed crowd pleasers; other highlights on the expansive bill include Underoath, The Devil Wears Prada, and Chiodos, three of today’s leaders in the metalcore scene. Tampa’s own Underoath and Devil Wears Prada are together again wrapping a co-tour this past winter. Each brings a positive message delivered via melodic vocals or intense screams, and set against skilled instrumental work. Chiodos is back on the Warped bill after a summer off and lead singer Craig Owens is never one to disappoint. Expect blistering heat, lots of beer, and plenty of fast music. Stay hydrated. To read CL’s Q&A with Dia of Meg & Dia (who are also on the Warped bill), click here. Sun., July 26, noon-8 p.m., Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg; tickets are $35 and can be purchased free of service charges at Daddy Kools for a limited time. (Matt Wiley)

Progressive Nation Tour feat. Dream Theater/Zappa Plays Zappa/painofsalvation/Beardfish Uh, don’t go huntin’ for women at this show, fellas. But if you’re one of dudes planning to attend, you knew that already. Dream Theater is a proto-prog band that’s been around since 1985; their music comes replete with all the labyrinth guitar lines, tricky time signatures and tempo changes that are hallmarks of the genre. Oh, and lyrics that tend to be, um, lofty. Zappa Plays Zappa is a tribute band that plays the incredibly complex music of the late Frank led by his son Dweezil. I prefer our own Zappa tribute band, Bogus Pomp. Sun., July 26, 7 p.m., Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, $45.50-$75.50. (Eric Snider)

Gainesville’s dreadlocked singer-songwriter Chris McCarty, a local fave who hits the Skipperdome every eight weeks or so, brings his soulful acoustic groove-pop back to town, this time performing at Push Ultra Lounge for a “Ralley Florida” concert. The charitable event is held to raise awareness and funds for the statewide, grassroots “Share a Little Sunshine Tampa Bay (SALS)” viral marketing campaign to infuse much-needed revenue into Florida’s economy.

If you’re interested in doing your part, visit the SALS website (at VisitFlorida.com). Once there, upload some sort of video about Florida’s greatness, then send it out to encourage friends, family and loved ones to vacation here. Every person who sends or receives an invite will be registered to win one of 12 Florida getaways. As an added bonus, every person who sends an invitation and brings the printed online confirmation to the concert gets in for free. The show takes place Friday, July 24, at 9 p.m.; regular admission is $5 at the door.

WMNF’s 4th Annual Americana Fest at Skipper’s Smokehouse went off without a hitch this past Saturday, July 11, a hand clappin’, boot stompin’ good time that showcased the vast array of talent in Florida’s Americana scene.

Have Gun, Will Travel

Originally masterminded by Ted Lukas, Americana Fest is all grown up. This year featured ten outstanding Florida Americana bands: Ted Lukas & the Misled, Will Quinlan & the Diviners, Have Gun, Will Travel, Thomas Wynn & the Believers, Nervous Turkey, Black Finger, Roppongi’s Ace, Mike Dunn & the Kings of New England, Matt Butcher and The Nine Volts plus a national headliner: Blue Mountain.

Thomas Wynn & The Believers

As typical on summer days in the lighting capital of the world (Tampa really does mean “sticks of fire”), downpours threatened throughout the day. In spite of inclement weather, Americana Fest was packed with folks eager to see the array of homegrown talent with music lovers of all ages in attendance.

Kids building sandcastles at Skipper’s smokehouse

According to Wikipedia, Americana is the “amalgam of roots music fused by the confluence of the shared and varied traditions that make up the American musical ethos; specifically those sounds that are merged from folk, country, rhythm & blues, rock & roll and other external influential styles.” In the absence of individual set reviews, suffice to say that each of these alt country bands delivered inspired performances tapping into the full range of musical influences of the Americana genre. It was common to see band members making guest appearances during other sets to add a harmony here and there, or provide some necessary instrumentation. The sense of community among these musicians was inspiring.

Missed out on this show? Next up for Americana fans in Tampa: WMNF presents The Avett Brothers (with Matt Butcher and The Revolvers) at The Cuban Club on Saturday, July 18.

The Nine Volts

The Nine Volts are Larry Fulford (drums), James Mitchell (guitar/ mandolin), Adam Wheeler (bass) and Conrad Wilson (vocals/ guitar).

Matt Butcher

Black Finger

Black Finger is Greg Lovell, Andy McAusland, Sean Fernandez, and Jesse Dalton.

Mike Dunn & The Kings of New England

Mike Dunn and The Kings of New England is Mike Dunn (Vocals, Guitar, Piano) and depending on the performace an assortment of the following regal players: Jacob Kaplan (Bass Guitar), Joey Bradshaw (Rhythm Guitar, Vocals), Cannon Lee (Drums), Kyle Pierce (Guitar, Pedal Steel), Andy Simmonds (B3 Organ, Vocals), Chris Martin (Drums, Bass Guitar, Vocals), Daniel “Bones” Anderson (Drums, Smiles), C.J. Mask (Lead Guitar, Vocals), Jeff Snow (Drums, Metal History), Dean Lorenz (Shred) and Susan “Soon to be” Snow (Violin).

Roppongi’s Ace

Roppongi’s Ace is Alex Spoto (Vocals, Guitar, Fiddle), Max Norton (Drums, Hootin’), Jesse Norton (Bass, Harmonica, Hollerin’), and Rob Pastore (Pedal Steel).

Nervous Turkey

Nervous Turkey is Ernie Locke (Vocals, Harp, Guitar), Aaron Fowler (Drums), and Mark Cunningham (Organ).

Thomas Wynn & The Believers

Thomas Wynn & The Believers is Thomas Wynn (lead vocals/guitar), Olivia Wynn (vocals/organ-piano/tambo), Justin Beckler (guitar), John Hembree (bass), Thom Damon (drums) and Chris Bell (harmonica).

Have Gun, Will Travel

Have Gun, Will Travel is Scott Anderson (elec. guitar, lap steel), Jean-Paul Beaubien (drums), Matthew Burke (voice, accoustic guitar), Daniel Burke (bass guitar, voice) and Joshua Hernandez (viola)

Will Quinlan & The Diviners

For this performance, Will Quinlan & The Diviners was Will Quinlan (Vox/Guitar), Soraya Zaumeyer (vox/keys), Daniel Burke (upright bass), Scott Anderson (electric & lap steel guitars), Alex Spoto (Fiddle) and Jesse Martin (drums).

Ted Lukas & The Misled

Ted Lukas & The Misled is Ted Lukas (guitar/vocals), Mark Tinker (bass), Sonny John Sundstrom (guitar/vocals), and Sean Doyle (drums/vocals)

Blue Mountain

Blue Mountain is Cary Hudson (Guitar, vox), Laurie Stirratt (bass, vox) and Frank Coutch (drums,vox).

For more photos, please visit the following links:

Don’t let her goofy personality and head full of dreads fool you. Emily Turnage is a young musician with huge potential. “I think I’ve been playing since I was about 14,” she told me in a recent conversation. A Saint Petersburg native, this flower child finds her peace through the strings of her guitar.

Her love of guitar paved her way to joining band after band, never giving up on her dream. “I want to have 30,000 people sing my songs with me.”

Raw talent flows through her veins. She has never taken a guitar lesson in her life. “I taught me-self!” she exclaimed with a laugh.

Emily took inspiration from the music around her. “My best friend Jacob is an excellent musician and whenever he played I just fell in love with it. Hayley Williams [Paramore] influences me as well.”

Practicing in the quiet of her home, Emily started to realize that she had more then just impeccable guitar skills. She had a killer voice too! “What held me back from singing? I guess when I was growing up, my brother hated my voice. And whenever I’d sing, he’d tell me to shut-up cause my voice was annoying. So I just never sang,” she chuckled.

With her new found confidence, Emily was ready to explore new ways to live out her dream. First stop: American Idol. “I definitely realized it for what it really was, not what it seems. Not making it kind of put me down ’cause I had high hopes. A lot of people gave me high hopes, but once I saw the show, I realized that they already had the people picked out so why are they gonna pick me?”

Shaking off the disappointment, she headed home, head up high, ready for a new challenge. Soon enough, Emily was given a few great opportunities. “My best friend Audrey took me to a hookah bar once and they had an open mic. I had never done an open mic before. So I started doing open mic and then they asked me to play every Tuesday night.” With a set list ranging from Pink Floyd and Journey to Radiohead and Coldplay, with some originals as well, the diverse repertoire showcases all of Emily’s hard work and dedication. Not to mention her sweet and soulful voice mixed with classic acoustic guitar strums.

“Some people say [music] gives them peace and happiness, ya know. It gets them in touch with their feelings. I’m happy to be able to bring that to people through music”.

Emily plays shows all around the bay area. Head over to her Myspace for more information.

Tampa electro-infused powerpop five-piece, Select Start is going to be repping “Earn It Yourself” on the Kia Kevin Says stage Sun., July 26, at the St. Petersburg stop of this year’s Van’s Warped Tour.

Now, if you’ve never heard of Earn It Yourself, I can assure you that you’re not alone.

I myself wasn’t aware of the amazing “E.I.Y.” or “Earn It Yourself” philosophy created by Sarah Saturday, which is based on the idea that everyone can and should use DIY methods to work towards their goals, but not feel guilty or worried about being labeled a “sell out” when they succeed. Her idea stemmed from years of playing in a band and working in the music industry. After brainstorming with other like-minded music lovers, and with a little help from Warped Tour creator Kevin Lyman, Saturday turned E.I.Y into a full-blown website that helps unsigned bands get lots of exposure and connects them with other industry professionals and normal people who are really tapped into their local scenes.

Acting as the booking manager for the Kevin Says Stage of the Vans Warped Tour since 2004, Saturday hears bands from all over that are trying to get spots on the tour. This year, even though Kevin Says is branching out from just booking unsigned bands on this stage to having some actually bigger name acts, Sarah will be securing one spot per day to local unsigned acts.

I definitely suggest you check out the E.I.Y website — and join! You can connect with other music enthusiasts, find bands in your area and beyond to support, and help promote bands you already know and love – like Select Start. And make sure you come out to Vinoy Park on July 26 for the 15th anniversary of the Vans Warped Tour to show your support for our local music scene and the boys in SS.

Also, a big thank you to Mr. John Reisinger (yes, he is Matt of Select Start’s father!) of Bands Doing Battle – an organization that brings together musicians for the purpose of the spreading the word about cancer treatment and raising money for other life threatening disease – for letting me know about Select Start being chosen for this spot. Please check out his website, it’s for an amazing cause and all the bands featured are fantastic.