A look at what's happening in live music this Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 23-24. (The Pauses!!)SATURDAY, AUGUST 23
Welcome the New PA with The Pauses, The Pals, The Patients New World has a new PA, have you heard it? Pretty nice now that all the operational kinks seem to have been worked out (hey, the place hasn’t had a PA, like, ever [?], so it took a minute to get it right). On this night, New Granada has put together a bill of all ‘PA’ bands to celebrate the upgraded sound, highlighted by a personal fave from Orlando that hasn’t played here in far too long (a year apparently) because its frontwoman was playing in Matt Pond’s touring band: ambient indietronic rock outfit The Pauses, led by dulcet-toned vocalist/bassist/glock & keys mistress Tierney Tough. (New World Brewery, Ybor City)
Janiva Magness She has a two-and-a-half octave range but Los Angeles-based blueswoman Janiva Magness’ vocals are most mesmerizing when they dip into lower, huskier intones, ala “Let Me Breathe,” the electric guitar-driven opening track on her 11th and latest album, Original, which finds her flexing her songwriting chops over 11 tracks touching on roots, rock and soul. This date supports, with full backing band. (Ringside Café, St. Petersburg)
The Tampa Urban Music Fest It’s an R&B festival, sort of. And I only say that because there are only four artists on the bill and it’s at the Sun Dome, at 8 p.m., which kinda just makes it a multi-act concert, you know? Headlining is Grammy-winning superstar Anthony Hamilton, who has velvety high-toned vocals and five studio LPs under his belt, the last 2011’s Back to Love, which features co-writing and production credits by Babyface and Dre & Vidal, among others. Soulful platinum-selling Lyfe Jennings (“Must Be Nice”) brings more R&B star power to the bill. Also performing: Mali Music and Jazmine Sullivan. (USF Sun Dome, Tampa)
A Hot & Saxxy Night Get your smooth n’ sexy brass-blown jazz grooves on when three Tampa-area players with contemporary chops – sax men Eric Darius and BK Jackson along with Hammond B3 organ maestro Shawn Brown – hit Tampa Theatre for this single-night presentation. (Tampa Theatre, downtown Tampa)
Cisco Adler with On The Avenue, The Crazy Carls‘Member Whitestarr? The Malibu, Calif. band that was the subject of short-lived VH1 “rockumentary” series, The Rock Life? No? What about Cisco Adler (son to producer Lou Adler)? Ohhh, you remember him for all those hot Hollywood “starlets” he dated – Mischa Barton, Paris Hilton, Kat Von D, Lauren Conrad, Kimberly Stewart, etc. He doesn’t really seem to have much in the way of recorded solo material; most of his non-Whitestarr output has been collabs with alt hip hop singer-rapper Shwayze. But he claims to always writing music, so it’s possible he’ll have some new jams to play for this live date. Or at least one single, the peppy poppy acoustic guitar-driven “Back to School.” (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)
Under the Covers: ‘90s Alternative The live series featuring local and Florida regional acts playing sets by bands that fit within a sonic theme gets a new organizer – Katomic Productions picks up where Lover’s Lament left off – and a new era of sound: ‘90s Alternative. Two venues feature 11 bands from 8 p.m. to sometime after 1 a.m.: at the Local 662, in order of appearance, Fox Wedding (Silverchair), Specialized (The Specials), Slade and the Wasters (Nirvana), Yoshi Gish (Smashing Pumpkins), All on Black (Alkaline Trio) and Danny Smooth (Weezer) while a few doors down at Fubar, there’s Notorious SAD (Operation Ivy), Geek Stink Band (Green Day), Micah Pilson (U2), A Gentlemen Army (Hot Water Music), Paranoids (The Mr.T Experience) and Devil Gone Public (Stone Temple Pilots). (Fubar and Local 662, St. Petersburg)
Raise Your Glass Charity Concert Several Bay area musical talents – singer-songwriter Matt Haley, folk-Americana fiddler songbird Camille Dupree (leader of The Broken Fetters), Caleb Hyers sans band and Justin Vilardi of Paint the Town Red – perform in this live showcase to raise funds for Current of Tampa Bay Inc.’s Laundry Project, which provides free laundry services to low-income neighborhoods. (Hideaway Café& Recording Studio, St. Petersburg)
SUNDAY, AUGUST 24
Ol’ Dirty Sundays with Tony Touch The DJ, producer and break dancer otherwise known as Joseph Anthony Hernandez infuses his mixes with a healthy dose of soul, salsa and reggaeton, though hip hop is his bread and butter and the foundation of his sound. Tony Touch picked up some mad turntable skills when he came up in the early ‘80s, and earned street cred after putting out the well-regarded 50 MCs parts 1, 2 and 3 mixtapes, which featured a who’s who of genre talent, including Eminem, KRS-One, Wyclef Jean and Mos Def. Sixth and latest album, 2013’s The Piece Maker 3: Return of the 50 MC's, drew in some more big names, among them, Busta Rhymes, Xzibit, Black Thought, Styles P, Jadakiss, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, RZA, Action Bronson, Prodigy, Royce da 5'9", Redman, Method Man… you get the idea. Dude’s a big deal. So why not see him working the decks for free at the latest edition of Ol’ Dirty Sundays? (Crowbar, Ybor City)
Tribal Seeds with New Kingston, The Expanders Hailing from San Diego, roots reggae rock group Tribal Seeds is on tour behind their first full-length album in five years, Representing, released in May and full of echoing dub effects, honeyed vocal harmonies and all the positive vibes we’ve come to expect from island-swaying music. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)
ALSO THIS WEEKEND
LILITH w/Kyle Chason & The Swindlin' Hearts/SleepTown/Joey Cujo Sat., Aug. 23, Planet Retro, St. Petersburg
Sara Rose Band Sat., Aug. 23, Ka’Tiki, Treasure Island
The Reactions Sat., Aug. 23, Ale and the Witch, St. Petersburg
Halcyon w/Dropin Pickup Sat., Aug. 23, Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa
Mad Beach Band Feat. TC Carr & more Sat., Aug. 23, Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg
Gimme Hendrix Sun., Aug. 24, Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin
Cash Cash Sun., Aug. 24, Hogan’s Beach, Tampa
DA Smith & the Soul Projectors Sun., Aug. 24, Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa