TAMPA Entertainment GuideGo. See. Do.

TAMPA BAY CONCERTS

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Donavon Frankenreiter with Seth Pettersen

July 29, 2011  |  8:00 PM  |  $22.00 - $25.00  |  Jannus Live  |  727.565.0551

When Donavon Frankenreiter was 10 years old, he got his first surfboard. Six years later, he picked up his first guitar. It was the beginning of a wildly creative journey: His improvisational twin obsessions have carried him around the globe and into his fans' hearts. As Frankenreiter prepares to release his fourth album, Glow, this fall, the 37-year-old singer/songwriter/pro surfer admits he still thrives on simply taking the plunge. "We don't have a set show, if we did, I would go crazy," he says. "You never know what's going to happen. I love that element of surprise with music and surfing – you never catch the same wave twice."

Growing up in southern California, Frankenreiter was drawn first to guitar gods like Clapton and Page, then to songwriters like Dylan and Marley. Ska-punk soundtracked his moves in surfing films, but his first high school band was so inspired by Pearl Jam, they named it Peanut Butter and Jam. His next outfit, a Southern rock group, scored a spot on the Warped Tour and was promptly pummeled with debris whenever their harmonies followed acts like Sick of It All. He continued to play rhythm guitar with a cover band, staying comfortably out of the spotlight, until one day something clicked: he needed to branch out on his own.

Good pal Jack Johnson was starting up Brushfire Records, and offered Frankenreiter a shot, producing his first album of folk songs – including the hit "Free" – along with famed Beastie Boys collaborator Mario Caldato, Jr. Frankenreiter followed his 2004 self-titled debut with a full-band record, 2006's Move by Yourself (Lost Highway), where he plugged in and chronicled his life on the road. Joe Chiccarelli (The White Stripes, My Morning Jacket) produced 2008 disc Pass It Around, which featured guests Ben Harper and G. Love, and marked a major musical turning point for Frankenreiter: "The first time I started working with other writers." He kept up the spirit of collaboration on 2010's Revisited, a track-by-track reinterpretation of his debut disc through a Hawaiian lens. After relocating to Kauai fulltime with his wife and sons Ozzy and Hendrix three years ago, Frankenreiter became enamored with the sounds of the islands. "It started off with ukulele and my voice and [guitarist] Kirk Smart added slack key guitar, lap steel, and everything else, and it just kind of grew from there," he says. "It's really neat to hear an alternative version of what happened seven years ago."

Revisited proved a fascinating challenge, but Frankenreiter hasn't spent the last year focused on the past. And as soon as he got into a room with producer Mark Weinberg, he knew he'd found the perfect partner for Glow. "I wrote 'Keeping Me Away From You' with Mark the first time I ever met him in 30 minutes," Frankenreiter says of the warm, wistful mid-tempo track. "He looked at me and went, 'Wow, that was quick.' I asked, 'Does that normally happen?' " They recorded the entire album over three days at California's Pulse Studios, utilizing a band of crack players to amp up the original acoustic arrangements into gorgeously polished chill-out rock with U2-esque guitar flourishes ("Shadows"), lush strings ("Keeping Me Away From You"), and bluesy organ wails ("Hold On").

"In Your Dreams" is about the haunted home Frankenreiter lived in as a kid, where he imagined "the houses talking to me." On "All Right," what the singer calls "a bitching drum pattern" built on a synthesizer gives way to organic drums, finger-picked guitars and Frankenreiter's smoky vocals as he croons a soothing lullaby: "Let the good life shine/it's gonna be all right."

"The first thing I do is grab a surfboard or guitar if I'm depressed or bummed – I think that's why a lot of my songs are positive and uplifting, because those two things make me happy. I've really enjoyed living in the moment, enjoying what's going on right now," he says. The disc's title track captures this sentiment perfectly: Riding a sweet, syncopated acoustic strum, the song swells into a beautiful chorus as Frankenreiter sings, "I want to see you glow/I want to see your daylight shining all around your heart."

"The sounds are something I've never had on my records, ever," Frankenreiter says, adding he just played his acoustic guitar on the album and was pleasantly surprised by the addition of echo and delay on the disc's electric guitars. "I don't want to say it's a risk, but I don't know what people are going to think," he admits.

But in true Donavon Frankenreiter fashion, there's little room for stress on Glow. The album's 10 tracks are the perfect antidote to trying times: warm, organic, and overwhelmingly hopeful. And Frankenreiter is ready to bring the new tracks to his international fanbase as he continues to crisscross the globe on more surfing and musical adventures. "If there's anything I learned, it's that you really gotta be yourself," he says, reflecting on his career. "You can't fool people in music if you want to stick around for a long time."

Antiwarpt Music Festival 2011

July 30, 2011  |  2:00 PM  |  $10.00 - $30.00  |  Downtown St. Petersburg Venues  |  antiwarpt.com

Brokenmold Entertainment & Daddy Kool Records present Antiwarpt Music Festival 2011 in Downtown St. Petersburg! The music kicks off on Saturday, July 30th at 2:00 PM featuring more than 60 acts on 8 area stages.

Last years Inaugural Antiwarpt Fest was such a success you know we had to come back and do it again! This year we’ve doubled the venues and tripled the acts! In addition to the festival, we will be throwing two kick off parties; one in downtown St Pete at the Historic St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club featuring Sleepy Vikings, Greenland Is Melting, Living Arches and John Gold and one in Orlando at Will’s Pub with the bands tba. More info regarding ticket prices, pre shows, schedule and other activities we have planned will be coming in throughout the next few weeks, stay tuned to the Antiwarpt facebook page and antiwarpt.com. But for now here’s what you’ve all been waiting for, the initial lineup:

Artists : The London Souls, The Bright Light Social Hour, Reptar, Nervous Turkey, Seryn, Have Gun Will Travel, Thomas Wynn & the Believers, Sonkin, Sons of Hippies, Tim Version, The Semis, Eyes Lips Eyes, The Beauvilles, Car Bomb Driver, Poetry n’ Lotion, Holiday, The Pauses, Auto!Automatic!!, Set and Setting, Le BLORR, Florida Night Heat, Andy Matchett & the Minks, Radioboxer, Infinite Groove Orchestra, Alias Punch, Lauris Vidal, The Still Voice, Alexander and the Grapes, Kaleigh Baker, The Sun Society, An Introduction to Sunshine, Signals From Satellites, Fever, Young Egypt, Brahm Bones, Jane Jane Pollock, The Broken Inn, Doll Parts, FATAL, Feral Babies, Loud Valley, Sidedraft, DJ Mega, Crate Brothers, cosmicgospelhour, Louis Junior, Transcendent Other, Man Made, Blood Bats & much more.

Venues: The State Theatre, The Local 662, FUBAR, The Emerald Lounge, Star Booty, Sake Bomb, Cafe Bohemia, The Globe

Selena Gomez & The Scene

July 30, 2011  |  7:00 PM  |  $39.00 - $78.00  |  Ruth Eckerd Hall  |  727.791.7400

Platinum-selling artist Selena Gomez & The Scene announced their summer headline tour, kicking off July 24 in Costa Mesa at the Orange County Fair.  Opening act will be Hollywood Records’ label mates, Allstar Weekend. The tour makes a stop at Ruth Eckerd Hall on Saturday, July 30 at 7:00 PM.  Tickets go on sale this Friday, April 1 at noon.  Tickets for the entire tour will start to go on sale the weekend of April 2.  Entire tour dates and information on how to purchase tickets will be available at www.selenagomez.com.
 
Selena said, “I am so excited to see my incredible fans on tour.  We’re working a great production, and set lists including some surprise covers.  I want to make sure everyone has a fun time.”
 
In addition to her summer tour, Selena is on tap to release her third album, and will star in Fox’s feature film Monte Carlo which will be in theaters July 1.
 
The announcement comes on the heels of the impressive debut of Selena’s new single, Who Says, which catapulted to #10 and sold more than 115,000 units in its first week.  Who Says was also the #1 most added single at Top 40 radio overtaking new singles by Bruno Mars and Britney Spears.  The video for Who Says has nearly 5 million views on Vevo since its March 11 premiere.  Who Says will be featured on Selena Gomez & The Scene’s third upcoming summer album.  Selena and her band already have a platinum single, two #1 Billboard Dance Singles, and two gold-selling, top-ten debuting albums to date. Selena Gomez & The Scene performed Who Says live for the first time this Sunday at the 3rd Annual Concert for Hope, and yesterday on Ellen.
 
Selena Gomez & The Scene recently performed at the Houston Rodeo to a crowd of over 72,000.  Selena is currently in production of her hit Disney Channel original series Wizards of Waverly Place. As an ambassador to UNICEF, Selena recently rolled out their Celebrity Tap Water campaign.  In the world of social media, Selena is a dominant force as well, with over 15.5 million Facebook friends and over 4 million Twitter followers.

Opening for Selena Gomez & The Scene will be California pop/rock band Allstar Weekend.

Tech N9ne

July 30, 2011  |  8:00 PM  |  $25.00  |  Jannus Live  |  727.565.0551

Tech N9ne is a rapper from Kansas City. He emerged from the underground scene in the late 90s with a hardcore style.

Tech N9ne was a member of a number of rap groups in the Kansas City area, although their limited success prompted him to go solo. His debut in late 1999, The Calm before the Storm, failed to chart, though collaborations with other rappers helped to give him a profile.

After the low key success of Anghellic, he set up the label Strange Music for the Absolute Power album. The album went to the Top 30 of the R&B/Hip-hop charts and having established himself, subsequent releases have proven as popular.

Tech N9ne has a long list of collaborations, including 2pac and D12, to his credit. He is also a member of the gangsta rap collective The Regime, who have released three acclaimed mixtapes called the All Out War series.

Vans Warped Tour 2011

July 31, 2011  |  11:30 AM  |  $45.93  |  Vinoy Park  |  vanswarpedtour.com

It's almost time for the 2011 edition of the popular annual Vans Warped Tour concert series. This year's event will be held on July 31 at Vinoy Park in St. Petersburg. The first concert gets underway at 11:30 AM.

This year's bands are: 3OH!3 (Electronic, Rap / Hip-Hop); A Day To Remember (Pop Punk, Hardcore); A Skylit Drive (Rock, Screamo);  Abandon All Ships (Hardcore); Against Me! (Rock); Asking Alexandria (Rock, Metalcore); Attack Attack! (Metalcore, Post Hardcore); August Burns Red (Metal, Hardcore); Bad Rabbits (Indie, Pop); Big B (Rap / Hip-Hop); Big Chocolate (Electro, Dubstep); Big D And The Kids Table (Ska, Reggae); Black List Royals (Punk, Rock); Black Square (Ska, Punk); Black Veil Brides (Rock, Metal); Blood On The Dance Floor (Electronic, Alternative); Brothers Of Brazil (Punk, Rock); Campaigning For Zeros (Punk); Cold Forty Three (Rock); Columbyne (Hardcore, Metal); Continental (Folk, Punk); D.R.U.G.S. (Rock, Alternative); Dance Gavin Dance (Screamo, Experimental); DC Fallout (Punk, Rock); Demerit (Punk); Electric Touch (Alternative, Pop); Enter Shikari (Rock, Hardcore); Every Avenue (Alternative, Pop Punk); Eyes Set To Kill (Post Hardcore); Falling In Reverse (Hardcore, Rock); Family Force Five (Alternative, Pop); Foxy Shazam (Glam Rock, Progressive Rock); Freshman 15 (Pop Punk, Powerpop); Gatsby's American Dream; Go Radio (Rock, Indie); Good Guys In Black (Punk, Rap / Hip-Hop); Grieves With Budo (Rap / Hip-Hop); Gym Class Heroes (Rap / Hip-Hop, Alternative); Hellogoodbye (Pop, Indie); I Set My Friends On Fire (Screamo, Pop-Electric); illScarlett (Rock, Reggae); Ionia (Rock, Alternative); It Boys! (Rock, Pop); Ivy League (Reggae, Rock); Jack's Mannequin (Pop Rock, Rock); Larry And His Flask (Folk Punk, Bluegrass); Less Than Jake (Punk, Ska); Lionize (Rock, Soul); Lucero (Alt-Country, Punk); Machree (Rock, Progressive Rock); Madina Lake (Alternative, Electronic); MC Lars with Weerd Science (Rap / Hip-Hop, Alternative); Middle Class Rut (Alternative, Rock); Miss May I (Metal, Hardcore); Mojo Morgan (Alternative, Pop); Motionless In White (Metalcore); Moving Mountains (Rock, Ambient); My Arcadia (Rock, Pop); Neo Geo (Rock, Electro); New Years Day (Rock, Alternative Rock); Of Mice And Men (Screamo, Metal); Paramore (Rock, Pop); Passafire (Reggae, Rock); Peelander-Z (Pop, Punk); Pepper (Reggae, Rock); Permanent Bastards (Punk, Rock); Places And Numbers (Alternative, Electronic); Planet Smashers (Ska, Punk); Pour Habit (Punk); Railroad To Alaska (Alternative Metal); Rapid Decline (Hardcore, Metal); Relient K (Pop Punk, Rock); River City Extension (Indie, Folk); Set Your Goals (Pop Punk); Sharks (Rock & Roll, Punk); Shira (Alternative, Pop); Shut Up And Deal (Rock, Pop); Sick Of Sarah (Rock, Indie); Simple Plan (Pop Punk); So Long Arletta (Pop Punk, Alternative); Stephen Jerzak (Pop, Dance); Street Dogs (Punk); Sum 41 (Rock, Punk); Terrible Things (Rock, Modern Rock); Tess Dunn (Alternative, Pop); The Acacia Strain (Metal, Hardcore); The Aggrolites (Reggae); The Black Pacific (Punk, Alternative); The BOTS (Rock, Punk); The Dance Party (Alternative, Powerpop); The Dangerous Summer (Indie, Post Rock); The Devil Wears Prada (Metalcore); The Expendables (Reggae, Rock); The Exposed (Punk, Ska); The Fold (Pop Punk, Alternative); The Menzingers (Punk, Rock); The Narrative (Indie, Pop); The Ready Set (Rock, Pop); The Sheds (Ska, Post Hardcore); The Suit (Hard Rock, Punk); The Wonder Years (Pop Punk); The Word Alive (Metalcore, Rock); There For Tomorrow (Rock, Alternative); Tomorrow's Bad Seeds (Rock, Reggae); Tornado Rider (Punk, Alternative); Unwritten Law (Punk); Veara (Pop Punk, Rock); Vonnegutt (Rap / Hip-Hop, Pop); We Came As Romans (Screamo, Hardcore); We're Doomed (Rock, Progressive Rock); Winds Of Plague (Metal, Hardcore); Windsor Drive (Rock, Alternative); Woe, Is Me (Post Hardcore, Metalcore); Yelawolf (Rap / Hip-Hop, Rap-Rock).

Vinoy Park is located at 501 5th Avenue NE in St. Petersburg.

Beres Hammond with Wayne Wonder & More

July 31, 2011  |  8:00 PM  |  $35.00  |  Jannus Live  |  727.565.0551

Kingston, Jamaica's Beres Hammond has only really risen to become popular in the ‘digital’ age of Reggae, although his career stretches back to the 1970’s. Considered by many to be one of Jamaica’s finest contemporary vocalists, his best work has generally been captured on the ‘Penthouse’ and ‘Xterminator’ labels as well as his own ‘Harmony House’ imprint. The singer with his distictive ‘Bourbon on the rocks’ vocal style remains active today both recording and producing.

Beres returned to Jamaica to perform at the Opening Ceremony for the Cricket World Cup in 2007 and released yet another album in 2008, A Moment in Time, on VP Records, which featured the single "I Feel Good".

Kings of Leon

August 2, 2011  |  7:00 PM  |  $24.50 - $50.50  |  1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre  |  813.740.2446

The first thing that strikes you about Kings of Leon’s fifth album, Come Around Sundown, is the sheer musical diversity of its songs, which touch on everything from gospel (spiritual, up-tempo rocker "Radioactive"), angular post-punk ("The Immortals," "Pony Up"), bonafide country ("Back Down South"), and even ’50s-style doo-wop ("Mary"). The album’s huge range proves that Kings of Leon haven’t lost the restless, experimental nature that has made them such an exciting band to watch.

That Caleb, Nathan, Jared, and Matthew Followill continue to follow their own muse and refuse to play it safe is especially impressive coming as they are on the heels of Kings of Leon’s most successful album to date: 2008’s Only By The Night, which catapulted the band into the mainstream. The multi-platinum-selling album debuted in the Top 5 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, hit No. 1 in five countries, sold more than 6.5 million copies worldwide, and earned Kings of Leon four Grammy Awards, including wins for their Modern Rock radio multi-week No. 1’s "Sex on Fire" and "Use Somebody" (which led to what drummer Nathan Followill describes as a "surreal and drunken" trip to the podium to collect an award for "Record of the Year" from Ringo Starr). The album’s success also led to the band’s gracing the covers of Spin and Rolling Stone, performances on Saturday Night Live and The Today Show’s summer concert series, a sold-out show at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, and headlining slots at Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and Austin City Limits festivals.

Any other band would feel pressure going into the studio, but Kings of Leon aren’t like any other band. "The funny thing is that Only by the Night was the first album we approached with the attitude of not trying to make a popular record," Nathan says. "We just made the record we wanted to make and it ended up being our best-selling album. So for this new one, I don’t think any of us were thinking we had to make a record that would stand next to Only by the Night. We definitely didn't want to go in there and make a record out of fear that it wouldn't be as big."

On Come Around Sundown, Kings of Leon haven’t sacrificed any of the rich, anthemic quality that made Only By the Night so appealing. While both albums combine a grand and propulsive rock sound with intimate post-punk moods, the band has upped the ante on the new one by connecting the dots between the blues, classic rock, and gospel influences of the Followill’s childhood to the alternative and indie rock Jared introduced them to in adulthood. Come Around Sundown gives the listener a sonic tour of the band’s entire career, from the garage-rock feel of their first two albums, 2003’s Youth and Young Manhood, 2005’s Aha Shake Heartbreak, to 2007’s expansive Because of the Times, on which they began to experiment with a shift in sound.

"Come Around Sundown" colors in the picture of us as a band, in terms of where we’ve come from musically," Nathan says. "And I think it took a record like Only By the Night to be so successful to give us the courage to put a song like 'Mary' on the album. It would have been so easy for us to go in there and try to have a record full of just polished radio smashes. In fact, I'm sure that was expected by a lot of people, but I'm glad that when a song like 'Mary' or 'Back Down South' comes on, people will know immediately that we didn't try to capitalize on being the flavor of the month."

Which is not to say that Kings of Leon’s newer fans won’t love Come Around Sundown. "It'll be neat for people who know us only from our hits because they’ll get to hear where we’ve come from musically," Nathan says. "I think a couple of these songs will turn on newer fans to our older music because it’s hard to imagine the band that wrote 'Sex on Fire' is the same band that wrote 'Trani' [from Youth and Young Manhood]. They’re songs from totally different worlds. I think Come Around Sundown has something for everyone on it, and I hope it leads people to discover us in a totally new way."

Kings of Leon began to record Come Around Sundown in February 2010, just four months after winding up nearly two years of touring the globe behind Only By The Night. "After our last show in Abu Dhabi, the plan was to take a year off and do nothing, but we got bored," Nathan says. "It was like, 'You guys want to get together and rehearse some stuff in case we have a show?' That always turns into new ideas and it only takes two or three to get us so excited that we think we could potentially start another record." Choosing to record in New York for the first time, the band went into Avatar Studios with co-producers Angelo Petraglia and Jacquire King. "Those two get us as people and as musicians," Nathan says. "If we want to stay in the studio till 4 a.m. critiquing the sound of one snare hit, they’re down for that. And like my grandma said, 'If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.'"

The band named the album Come Around Sundown after a line in a song called "Small Town" by country singer John Anderson. "Matthew was the one who heard it first and he just fell in love with it because it was so beautiful. "Once we started counting how many syllables it had," Nathan says "referring to the fact that all of Kings of Leon’s album titles have five syllables" "it was a no-brainer."

Lil' Wayne with Rick Ross, Keri Hilson & More

August 3, 2011  |  7:00 PM  |  $29.75 - $89.75  |  1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre  |  813.740.2446

1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre is the place to be on August 3rd as rap and hip hop greats Lil' Wayne, Rick Ross, Keri Hilson, Far East Movement and Lloyd take to the stage for this slammin' outdoor event.

A game-changing artist and an impervious celebrity, Lil Wayne began as his career as a near-novelty — a preteen delivering hardcore hip-hop — but through years of maturation and reinventing the mixtape game, he developed into a million-selling rapper with a massive body of work, one so inventive and cunning that it makes his famous claim of being the “best rapper alive” worth considering. Born Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. and raised in the infamous New Orleans neighborhood of Hollygrove, he was a straight-A student but never felt his true intelligence was expressed through any kind of report card. He found music was the best way to express himself, and after taking the name Gangsta D he began writing rhymes. Combining a strong work ethic with aggressive self-promotion, the 11-year-old convinced the Cash Money label to take him on, even if it was just of odd jobs around the office. A year later, in-house producer Mannie Fresh partnered him with the 14-year-old B.G. and dubbed the duo the B.G.’z. Although only B.G.’s name appeared on the cover, the 1995 album True Story has since been accepted as the B.G.’z debut album both by fans and the Cash Money label. The 1997 album Chopper City was supposed to be the follow-up, but when Wayne accidentally shot himself in the chest with a .44, it became a solo B.G. release.

That same year, he officially took the moniker Lil Wayne, dropping the “D” from his first name in order to separate himself from an absent father. He joined B.G., Juvenile, and Young Turk for another Fresh project, the teen hardcore rap group the Hot Boys, who released their debut album, Get It How U Live!, in 1997. Two years later, Cash Money would sign a distribution deal with the major-label Universal. Mainstream distribution would help that year’s Hot Boys album Guerrilla Warfare to reach the number one spot on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. In 1998, Lil Wayne would appear on Juvenile’s hit single “Back That Thing Up,” or “Back That Azz Up” as it appeared on Juvie’s album 400 Degreez. Wayne would launch his solo career a year later with the album Tha Block Is Hot, featuring the hit single title track. It went double platinum but the rapper was still unknown to Middle America, since his hardcore rhymes and the rough Cash Money sound had not yet crossed over. His second album, Lights Out (2000), failed to match the success of its predecessor but it did go gold, and with an appearance on the Big Tymers’ hit single “#1 Stunna,” his audience was certainly growing. While Fresh was primarily responsible for launching his career, Wayne was now much closer to Fresh’s fellow Big Tymer and Cash Money CEO Birdman. When Juvenile left the label, Wayne — or “Birdman Jr.” as he was calling himself — showed his allegiance to his CEO by releasing an album with a title much hotter than Juvie’s breakthrough effort. 500 Degreez landed in 2002 and while it went gold, rumors began flying about Cash Money’s financial troubles and possible demise. The rest of the Hot Boys had defected and Wayne’s planned 2003 album was scrapped, coming out instead as an underground mixtape called Da Drought.

Wayne became enamored with the mixtape world after Da Drought drew so much attention from the hip-hop press. He used these underground releases to drum up anticipation for his next official album, the breakthrough effort Tha Carter. Released in 2004, the album seemed familiar on one hand with Mannie Fresh’s production, but the Wayne on the cover was a dreadlocked surprise, and the rhymes he laid on the tracks showed significant growth. His marketing skills had become sharper, too, and it was no mistake that the album’s hit single, “Go DJ,” mentioned hip-hop’s greatest tastemakers right in the title. It reached number five on the singles chart, and with a guest shot on Destiny’s Child’s number three single, “Soldier,” Wayne had officially crossed over. On the flip side, his street cred was supported by a slew of mixtapes released in 2005, including the popular titles Dedication with DJ Drama and Tha Suffix with DJ Khaled. Cash Money’s future was no longer in doubt and traditional music business rules no longer seemed to apply, as tracks would be leaked onto the Internet and various DJ’s mixtapes. “Get Something” was another bold move, as a Universal-funded video was made without the track ever seeing official release.

With his alternative marketing scheme working in overdrive, the 2005 landing of Tha Carter II was a major event, selling over a quarter-million copies the week of its release. “Fireman” and “Shooter” with Robin Thicke were released as singles, while the album — which for the first time featured no Mannie Fresh productions — went platinum. A year later he collaborated with Birdman for the Like Father, Like Son album, featuring the hit single “Stuntin’ Like My Daddy.” His mixtapes were still flooding the underground, including the stunning Dedication 2, which came with an iconic image of the rapper on the cover plus the much talked-about track “Georgia…Bush,” a venomous response to President George W. Bush’s handling of the Katrina disaster. With no official follow-up to Tha Carter II in sight, numerous collaborative tracks kept the rapper in the mainstream with “Gimme That” by Chris Brown, “Make It Rain” by Fat Joe, and “Duffle Bag Boy” by Playaz Circle becoming three of the biggest hits.

Tha Carter III was promised for 2007 but didn’t arrive until a year later, setting off Wayne’s infamous reputation of delayed releases. Part of the problem became unauthorized leaks of the album’s tracks, something combated by the official, downloadable EP The Leak released that same year. Preceded by the number one hit “Lollipop,” Tha Carter III arrived in May of 2008, selling more than a million copies in its first week of release. An appearance on Saturday Night Live and four Grammy awards — including Best Rap Album — spoke to Wayne’s mainstream acceptance. He also performed at that year’s Country Music Awards with Kid Rock, but rather than rap, he played guitar. The guitar playing was part of Wayne’s new involvement with rock music, including his help in signing Kevin Rudolf to Cash Money plus an appearance on Rudolf’s massive hit “Let It Rock.” His planned rock album was previewed with the 2009 single “Prom Queen,” but when the album failed to meet its promised April release, the music press began to portray the rapper as the king of missed street dates. Unconcerned, Wayne forged ahead with his Young Money crew, releasing the aboveground single “Every Girl,” plus the official album We Are Young Money that same year. His rock album, Rebirth, would finally see the light of day in early 2010.

Brian Wilson

August 6, 2011  |  8:00 PM  |  $45.00 - $69.00  |  Ruth Eckerd Hall  |  727.791.7400

Brian Wilson, the pioneering musical genius who co-founded the Beach Boys and wrote many of the band's greatest hits, comes to Ruth Eckerd Hall performing the greatest hits of the Beach Boys as well as his solo classics on Saturday, August 6 at 8 pm.  Tickets go on sale this Friday, July 1 at noon.
 
Brian Wilson is one of the great composers of the last 100 years. The Southern California native, along with his brothers, a cousin and a friend, formed the Beach Boys while still in his teens. With Wilson as chief songwriter and arranger, the band not only enjoyed dozens of hits, but changed music forever thanks to Brian's innovative melodies and harmonies. Songs like I Get Around, Help Me, Rhonda, California Girls, Wouldn't It Be Nice, and the #1 smash Good Vibrations remain indispensable staples in the rock 'n' roll canon. The band's Pet Sounds (1966) is regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time.
    
Wilson continued to make great music after the Beach Boys, with 10 solo albums including his breathtaking Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE, which he began recording in the 1960s and finally completed in 2004 to thunderous critical acclaim and Top 20 chart success (as well as earning a Grammy®). A member of the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, the Songwriter's Hall of Fame, a Kennedy Center honoree and recipient of multiple Gold and Platinum records, Brian Wilson has earned his well-deserved pop music immortality.

Hot Tuna Acoustic Show

August 6, 2011  |  8:00 PM  |  $25.00 - $30.00  |  Skipper's Smokehouse  |  813.971.0666

After two decades of acoustic and electric concerts and albums, the 1990s brought a new focus on acoustic music to Hot Tuna. More intimate venues with a more individual connection to the audience became increasingly frequent stops. Soon, the loud electric sound (and the semi trailer load of equipment) disappeared entirely from Hot Tuna tours. Maturity brought the desire to do things not instead of but in addition to being a touring band. Both had become interested in teaching, passing along what they had learned and what they had uniquely developed to a new generation of players.

In 1998 Jorma and his wife Vanessa opened Fur Peace Ranch Guitar Camp, in the beautiful rolling Appalachian foothills of southeastern Ohio.

Here, on a sprawling and rustic yet modern campus, musicians and would-be musicians come for intensive and enjoyable workshops taught by Jorma, Jack, and other extraordinary players, learning things that range from different styles of playing to songwriting and even storytelling (the musician in performance has to say something while changing that broken string!), to making a song one’s own.

In addition, there is now BreakDownWay.com, a unique interactive teaching site that comes closest of anything yet to make individual instruction available to students anywhere there is a computer and an Internet connection.

But the teaching doesn’t replace Hot Tuna’s busy tour schedule; it’s in addition to the tours. Nor have they lighened up their individual schedules. Jack released his first solo CD, Dream Factor, on Eagle Records in 2003. He has a busy and elaborate website at jackcasady.com. Jorma has a website, too, and achieved enormous critical acclaim and a Grammy nomination for his 2003 solo album, Blue Country Heart. (Both are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame due to their pioneering work in The Jefferson Airplane.) As 2006 began, they launched another exciting website, Hot Tuna Tunes, where fans may inexpensively download professionally made recordings of full Hot Tuna concerts in both MP3 and lossless encodings, suitable for portable player and home-burned CDs respectively. Hot Tuna Tunes is added to all the time, so it’s almost as if Hot Tuna were releasing numerous live concert albums every year. Collect the entire set!

For the last few years, Jorma and Jack have been joined in most of their Hot Tuna performances by the mandolin virtuoso Barry Mitterhoff. A veteran of bluegrass, Celtic, folk, and rock-influenced bands including “Tony Trischka and Skyline” and “Bottle Hill,” Barry has found a new voice in working with Hot Tuna, and the fit has been good — watching them play, it’s as if he’s been there from the beginning and they’re all having the time of their lives.

Jorma and Jack certainly could not have imagined, let alone predicted, where playing would take them. It’s been a long and fascinating road to numerous exciting destinations. Two things have never changed: They still love to play as much as they did as kids in Washington D.C., and there are still many, many exciting miles yet to travel on their musical odyssey.

Bryan Adams "Bare Bones" Tour

August 10, 2011  |  8:00 PM  |  $35.00 - $59.50  |  Ruth Eckerd Hall  |  727.791.7400

Grammy® Award-Winner Bryan Adams returns to perform in concert at Ruth Eckerd Hall on Wednesday, August 10 at 8 pm.  Tickets go on sale this Friday, April 15 at noon.  This will be Bryan’s first concert at Ruth Eckerd Hall since his sold-out date in January 2009.  His last two concerts at Ruth Eckerd Hall have been sell-outs.  Bryan is currently touring in support of his most recent CD, an acoustic album - Bryan Adams - Bare Bones - recorded in the spring of 2010 while on the road in the U.S.
 
Bryan Adams is one of the world’s most highly acclaimed musicians whose career has spanned more than three decades. Constantly in demand, the celebrated rocker is on the road more than 150 days a year  playing rock n’ roll favorites (Summer of 69, Run To You, 18 ‘Til I Die, It’s Only Love, Somebody, The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You) to sold out audiences on six continents.
 
He continues to push those boundaries, becoming the first westerner to play in both Pakistan and Vietnam.  He has achieved #1 status in more than 40 countries. Holder of the record for the longest running #1 hit in the history of the British charts (16 weeks), Adams’ has had 4 #1 singles as well as racked up an impressive array of Oscar® and Golden Globe® nominations, a Grammy® Award, American Music® Awards, Juno® Awards and ASCAP® Film and Television Music Awards. He is a Companion of the Order of Canada, has been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame as well as Canada’s Walk of Fame.  Adams namesake foundation funds projects supporting the victims of wars and natural disasters and other disadvantaged individuals and organizations.

An Evening with Shawn Colvin

August 12, 2011  |  8:00 PM  |  $47.00 - $67.00  |  Capitol Theatre  |  727.791.7400

In an era when female singer-songwriters have been ever-more ubiquitous, Shawn Colvin stands out as a singular and enduring talent. The three-time Grammy® winner has released eight albums to date, including the platinum A Few Small Repairs which featured the hit song Sunny Came Home.

Colvin's songs have been included on many soundtracks (Armageddon, Serendipity, Because of Winn Dixie and more), and she has also made appearances i...n films (Grace Of My Heart, Heartbreakers, and the forthcoming Crazy), on television (Suddenly Susan, The Simpsons, The Larry Sanders Show) and on the stage (The Vagina Monologues). Her most recent studio album, These Four Walls, was lauded by People magazine as “the most self-assured album of her career” and “one for the ages” by the Washington Post. The Austin-American Statesman called it “an exquisite portrait of strength and vulnerability.”

The Capitol Theatre is located at 405 Cleveland Street in Downtown Clearwater.

Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival

August 13, 2011  |  2:15 PM  |  $19.00 - $53.25  |  1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre  |  813.740.2446

Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival announces the 2011 line-up with Disturbed, Godsmack and Megadeth, joined by Machine Head, In Flames, Trivium, and many more of today’s most electrifying artists. The tour will make a 26 date trek across the country beginning on July 9th at the San Manuel Amphitheater in San Bernardino, California. Tune in to www.rockstarmayhemfest.com, and www.livenation.com for up-to-date ticketing information.

This summer’s mainstage artists, Disturbed, Godsmack, and Megadeth, will be joined by a ferocious mix of the best hard rock and metal artists of today. For the first time in festival history, through their success, In Flames, Machine Head and Trivium have grown through the ranks to now perform on the mainstage in rotating slots throughout the tour.

The Mayhem is thrilled to see the return of festival veterans Disturbed, Machine Head, Trivium, and Suicide Silence.

The Jagermeister stage will feature Unearth, Kingdom of Sorrow, Red Fang, and the winners of Jagermeister Battle of the Bands. The Extreme Stage will spotlight Suicide Silence, All Shall Perish and Straight Line Stitch.

The 4th annual Mayhem Fest will also feature Rockstar Metal Mulisha Jump Team, the World’s Greatest Freestyle Motocross team.

“Strap yourself in and hold on tight, cuz this ride goes reeeeeal fassst this summer,” exclaims Godsmack vocalist Sully Erna. “Godsmack/Disturbed, Mayhem Festival!! Can't Fu@?kin' wait!!!”

Mainstage guitarist Dan Donnegan of Disturbed adds, “Disturbed is looking forward to being part of the biggest summer tour in the U.S. this year. It's been years since we shared the stage with Godsmack and we've been wanting to team up with them and join forces for a longtime. Megadeth has been a big inspiration to us and we are looking forward to the other bands rounding out what seems to be a solid bill.”

Rascall Flats with Sara Evans, Easton Corbin & More

August 19, 2011  |  8:00 PM  |  $31.00 - $54.50  |  1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre  |  813.740.2446

If any act embodies the place to which country music has evolved in the new century, it is Rascal Flatts. Since their inception a decade ago in 1999, the trio has helped change the face of popular music. Their trademark sound--Gary LeVox's powerfully emotive lead vocals coupled with the soaring harmonies of Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney, set amid world-class arrangements and production, have made the band the standard bearers for cutting-edge country. Drawing on Nashville's best tunesmiths and their own enviable songwriting skills, they have released, in songs like "These Days," "Bless The Broken Road," "What Hurts The Most" and "Take Me There," some of the most important and successful music to come out of Nashville in recent years. Along the way, they have placed 10 #1 singles and 20 Top Tens, seen every one of their studio albums go multi-platinum, with total sales approaching 19 million, been the ACM and CMA top vocal group every year since 2003, and won multiple American Music Awards and People's Choice Awards.

They continue to carry the country banner into arenas and stadiums, humbled by how far their star has risen with a profound impact on the concert stage. In good economic times and bad, their tours have been marked by sellouts and venue attendance records, as their state-of-the-art production, high energy approach and hit-filled set list thrill audiences year in and year out.

The three are committed family men who take seriously their role in the community. They are known for their charitable efforts, which have included raising millions of dollars for charities including the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt and for their work on the celebrity cabinet board of the American Red Cross.

At the core, though, is the three-way friendship and musical partnership dedicated to making records they would want to listen to and putting on shows they would want to attend. It is that approach that has brought so much pleasure to so many fans and given them such an enviable position in the musical world.

"It's just beyond measure," says Levox. "We get to touch people's lives through music. There's no greater gift in the world and we love it today more than when we got the record deal in '99. We're planning to be around for a long time."

Alison Krauss & Union Station

August 21, 2011  |  7:00 PM  |  $45.00 - $125.00  |  Ruth Eckerd Hall  |  727.791.7400

Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas will bring their Paper Airplane Summer Tour 2011 to Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater on August 21 at 7 pm. Tickets go on sale this Friday, April 22 at noon.
 
On April 12, 2011 Rounder Records released the eagerly anticipated Alison Krauss and Union Station album, Paper Airplane.   A truly breathtaking collection of 11 exquisite songs, Paper Airplane is Krauss’ 14th album and the band’s follow-up to 2004’s triple Grammy® winning Lonely Runs Both Ways (Rounder). It is Krauss’ first release since her 2007 internationally acclaimed, multi-platinum collaboration with Robert Plant, Raising Sand, which won six Grammys including “Record Of The Year” and “Album Of The Year.”
 
Alison Krauss along with Union Station band members Dan Tyminski (guitar, mandolin and lead vocals), Barry Bales (bass and harmony vocals), Ron Block (banjo, guitar and harmony vocals), and Jerry Douglas (Dobro and harmony vocals) will crisscross the nation beginning this summer performing more than 50 dates.
 
Part of Alison Krauss’ incontestable talent is how effortlessly she bridges the gap between roots music and country, rock and pop. A highly sought-after collaborator, Krauss has worked with some of the biggest names in popular music, including James Taylor, Phish, Dolly Parton, Yo Yo Ma & Bonnie Raitt.   Since signing with Rounder Records at the age of 14 in 1985 Krauss has sold in excess of 12 million albums and garnered 26 Grammy® Awards, the most for any female and the third most of any recording artist in Grammy® history. Her breathtaking live performances should not be missed.

Jack's Mannequin with Guster

August 23, 2011  |  7:30 PM  |  $30.00  |  The Ritz Ybor  |  813.247.2555

It's been a while since Jack's Mannequin has done any heavy touring, but that changes now! Just announced, Jack's Mannequin will be hitting the road mid-June through mid-July -- headlining venues all across the US and Canada. They will then return in August to co-headline nearly twenty shows with Guster!

He’s the ethereal voice, songwriting powerhouse and full-contact keyboardist behind Something Corporate, the piano-rock quintet praised by one critic for its “combination of intelligent lyrics, infectious melodies and killer piano.” Now Andrew McMahon is taking something of a spring break from the band with which he’s practically lived for the last four years in order to offer up an angst-flavored side project. In the guise of Jack’s Mannequin comes Everything in Transit (release date: 8/23/05 on Maverick Records), a highly personal theme album by McMahon and collaborators. It’s clear that, like his longtime band, McMahon’s latest venture defies an easy pigeonhole.

With Something Corporate on break, McMahon looked to bring the best of his songs together into a concept album exploring his alienating return to the hometown he left to pursue his music, and the dissolution of a long, meaningful relationship because of it. He brought his signature piano and distinctive tenor to the project, with vocals, bass and guitar offered by Something Corporate producer Jim Wirt, a friend and collaborator. McMahon and Wirt produced the album, which also features Bobby (Raw) Anderson on guitar, and Patrick Warren (who’s worked with Fiona Apple, Macy Gray and Jon Brion) with organ, strings and arrangements. Mötley Crüe’s Tommy Lee supplied live drums to complement samples by CJ Eiriksson, who also served as the album’s engineer.

And what does Andrew McMahon hope to accomplish with Jack’s Mannequin and Everything in Transit? A chance to vocalize a difficult period in his life, and to broaden his musical landscape. He also looks to bring fresh energy back to Something Corporate and to draw greater attention to the band. Given the musical density of this side project and his rise as a talented and iconoclastic performer, there’s no doubt Andrew McMahon will be a magnet for audience attention no matter the musical platform.

Skullcandy presents The IDentity Tour

August 24, 2011  |  1:00 PM  |  $50.00 - $400.00  |  1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre  |  813.740.2446

From August 11th to September 10th, you can witness a sensory extravaganza at the Skullcandy Amphitheater Stage on IDentity Tour, headlined by international house hero, Kaskade. This is the first traveling tour of its kind, and it features unparalleled production for a festival environment. The festival area itself is a huge open space that will host an array of entertainment as well as an electro-elite lineup that includes: Pretty Lights, Disco Biscuits, Rusko, Avicii, Chuckie, Booka Shade, Pete Tong, Modeselektor, Jessie and the Toy Boys, Steve Aoki, DJ Shadow, Etienne De Crecy, The Crystal Method, Nero, Holy Ghost!, Datsik, Hercules and the Love Affair, Le Castle Vania, The Eye and Doorly, Steve Lawler, Manufactured Superstars, White Shadow, LA Riots, Aeroplane, Nervo, Chad Hugo, Marshall Barnes and The Eye…with special guests still to be announced! Dim Mak and Beatport have partnered with Skullcandy and SGE to back three traveling stages, making IDentity Tour one of the largest traveling electronic music festivals to date.

Kenny Vance & The Planotones

August 26, 2011  |  7:30 PM  |  $39.50 - $60.00  |  Ruth Eckerd Hall  |  727.791.7400

Among today's great vocal pop musicians, Kenny Vance and The Planotones have voices of original and inviting dimension. The group, Kenny Vance, Johnny Gale, Kurt "Frenchy" Yahjian, Jimmy Bense, keyboardist Chip Degaard, and Tony Gallino on Drums, redefine oldies with vocal authority and freshness. As exemplified by their signature song "Looking For An Echo", their material is influenced by the music of the 50's and 60's, but they consistently bring a unique and musically sophisticated point of view. In this sense they are classicists, opening the eyes of a new generation to a rich historical musical style. With their cool and sultry musical approach, they give a gift to those who are discovering them for the first time!
 
Members of the group are Kenny Vance, Johnny Gale, Frenchy, Jimmy B., Chip Dee and Tony G..

Hippiefest "A Concert for Peace and Love"

August 27, 2011  |  5:00 PM  |  $39.00 - $75.00  |  Ruth Eckerd Hall  |  727.791.7400

Let your freak flag fly!  Although it's been almost 45 years since the Hippie movement began, there's been an annual concert event since 2005 that celebrates the music of the era and the lifestyle revolution it represented - HIPPIEFEST.  This summer will mark the sixth year of HIPPIEFEST which will feature artists who first achieved stature in the decade that expressed peace, love and happiness.  The tour will make a stop at Ruth Eckerd Hall Saturday, August 27, 2011.  Tickets go on sale this Friday, May 20 at noon.
 
Beginning August 3rd in San Diego, California (call it "California Dreamin'"), "flower power" returns with some of the biggest names of the sixties and seventies including Dave Mason (Traffic), Mark Farner (formerly of Grand Funk Railroad), Rick Derringer, Felix Cavaliere's Rascals and Gary Wright comprising this year's incredible HIPPIEFEST line-up (see full itinerary at www.hippiefest.net).
 
Dave Mason -- who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as co-founder and original member of Traffic in 2004 -- will be bringing his guitar and performing hits from Traffic along with those from his impressive solo career. As the guitarist, a vocalist and one of the principal songwriters for the band Traffic, Mason penned one of the band's first and biggest hits, Hole In My Shoe, which appeared on their first album in 1967. The following year, the band would release their self-titled second album that would contain another classic hit by Dave called, Feelin' Alright, that would eventually be covered by several artists including Grand Funk Railroad, Joe Cocker and Three Dog Night among others. In 1970, he would have his first taste of solo success with the song, Only You Know and I Know. In 1977, Dave would have his biggest hit with We Just Disagree, which would reach #12 on the Billboard charts. Over the years, Dave has performed and recorded with some of rock's greatest musicians including Michael Jackson, The Rolling Stones (Beggars Banquet), Eric Clapton, George Harrison (All Things Must Pass), Paul McCartney (Listen to What the Man Said), Fleetwood Mac, Cass Elliot and Jimi Hendrix. If you listen closely to All Along The Watchtower, that's Dave on acoustic guitar.
 
Shortly after its formation in 1969, Grand Funk Railroad lead singer and guitarist Mark Farner took his American band to the heights of success. They would release their first album titled, On Time, in August of that year and follow it four months later with the release of their second album, Grand Funk. In 1970, Closer to Home -- featuring Mark's song, I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home) -- would be released and the band would go on to sell more albums that year than any other American band. As the lead singer, guitarist and writer for the majority of their material, Farner and company would sell out New York's Shea Stadium faster than the Beatles in 1971. From 1969 to 1974, the band would release nine consecutive studio albums that would go gold or better (five reaching platinum status). With hits such as We're An American Band (which would hit #1 on the Billboard charts on Mark's 25th birthday in September, 1973), Walk Like A Man, The Loco-Motion, Shinin' On, Some Kind of Wonderful and Bad Time among others, the band fortified itself in rock history. Since his days with Grand Funk, Mark has continued to perform with his solo band throughout the world. In the mid-90's, Mark would join Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band for two consecutive tours. He rejoined Grand Funk for a brief stint in the late 90's, before continuing on with his solo career.
 
It's doubtful that anyone will be sitting in their seats when Rick Derringer breaks into his well-known rock anthem, Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo. The song continues to be a staple on rock radio and was featured in several movies including The Spirit of '76, Rush, Stag, What A Girl Wants and the cult classic, Dazed and Confused. It's a little known fact that years before his success as a solo artist, Rick had a band at the age of 17 called The McCoys that had a #1 hit in 1965 called, Hang on Sloopy.  The song would eventually be knocked out of the top spot by The Beatles' Yesterday. A year after its release, The McCoys would find themselves as the openers for the entire Rolling Stones American tour. Although written and recorded a few years earlier, Rick released his most famous version of the song in 1974 and never looked back... In 1977, he would appear on the last Led Zeppelin North American Tour. In the years to follow, Rick would perform with such artists as Alice Cooper (Under My Wheels), Steely Dan (Show Biz Kids and Chained Lightning), KISS, Todd Rundgren, Edgar Winter, Johnny Winter and Weird Al Yankovic among others. From 1986 to 1992, Rick would tour with Cindy Lauper and co-write a song from her True Colors album titled, Calm Inside The Storm.  Before embarking on this year's Hippiefest tour, Rick will be in Europe with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band.
 
Felix Cavaliere of the Rascals also has an incredible catalog of popular songs to choose from... As the vocalist and keyboard player for the group Steven Van Zandt called, "the first rock band in the world" (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies in May of 1997), Cavaliere and the (Young) Rascals had three number one hits -- Good Lovin', Groovin'  and People Got To Be Free -- among several Top 20 classics as A Girl Like You, I've Been Lonely Too Long, You Better Run, It's Wonderful, A Beautiful Morning and How Can I Be Sure (the latter two of which were Top 5). He sang vocals on six of the band's successful singles. Throughout the seventies, Felix would release a handful of solo albums and, in 1980, would score a Top 40 solo hit with Only A Lonely Heart Sees.  In June 2009, Felix was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame with former writing partner and Rascals bandmate Eddie Brigati. Last year, all four members of the Rascals reconvened for a benefit performance held in New York. He’s continued to tour over the years, most recently as Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals, who will be appearing at this year’s Hippiefest.
 
Although he's probably best known for his massive hit, Dream Weaver, Gary Wright originally hit the popular music scene as the singer and keyboard player for the band Spooky Tooth in 1967. In 1970, he would perform at the famous Isle of Wight festival as a member of another band called Howl the Good. Prior to the breakup of Spooky Tooth in 1974, Gary was invited to perform piano on George Harrison's solo classic, All Things Must Pass. In 1975, Gary released his first solo album The Dream Weaver featuring the singles, Dream Weaver and Love is Alive, both of which would hit the #2 position on the Billboard charts and remain classic rock radio mainstays until this very day. Dream Weaver would sell more than a million copies shortly after its release and go on to be prominently featured in three major movies including Wayne's World, The People vs. Larry Flynt and Toy Story 3. In 1981, Gary would achieve his third big hit with the release of Really Wanna Know You. Since 2008, Gary has toured with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. Most recently, Gary released an album titled, Connected, featuring such musicians as Ringo Starr, Joe Walsh and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter.
 
HIPPIEFEST will be one hit right after another providing the ultimate spectacle of music that has spanned the generations meant for all to enjoy.
 
Ruth Eckerd Hall will again feature a Hippiefest marketplace offering beads, tie dyes and other iconic reminders of Woodstock, San Francisco and a generation that brought a whole new outlook to life.  Bring your parents, your grandparents and bring the kids!

Maroon 5 with Train and Matt Nathanson

August 31, 2011  |  7:00 PM  |  $49.50 - $79.50  |  1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre  |  813.740.2446

A mix of polished pop/rock and neo-soul sex appeal made Maroon 5 one of the most popular bands of the 2000s, with songs like "This Love," "She Will Be Loved," and "Makes Me Wonder" all topping the charts worldwide. Previously, bandmates Adam Levine (vocals/guitar), Jesse Carmichael (keyboards), Mickey Madden (bass), and Ryan Dusick (drums) had spent the latter half of the '90s playing in Kara's Flowers, even releasing a debut album for Reprise Records while still attending high school. The record tanked, however, and Kara's Flowers found themselves dropped from Reprise's roster. After briefly attending college, the bandmates regrouped as Maroon 5, added former Square guitarist James Valentine to the lineup and embracing a more R&B-influenced sound. Several years later, the quintet had officially risen to the forefront of pop music with Songs About Jane and It Won't Be Soon Before Long, both of which went multi-platinum.

Songs About Jane propelled the band into the mainstream, but the album was not an immediate hit. Octone Records had signed the newly christened Maroon 5 in 2001, and the debut album Jane received a lukewarm response upon its in June 2002. "Harder to Breathe" became a radio staple 17 months later and was soon followed by the omnipresent "This Love," whose steamy video (featuring frontman Levine and a barely clothed girlfriend) wooed the TV-watching crowds at MTV. Songs About Jane finally entered the Billboard Top Ten in August 2004, more than two years after the album's release, and follow-up singles like "She Will Be Loved" and "Sunday Morning" helped the album move over 2.7 million copies by year's end.

Maroon 5 toured exhaustively in support of Jane's slow-burning success, issuing two stopgap recordings -- 2004's 1.22.03.Acoustic and 2005's Live Friday the 13th -- while traveling the world alongside groups like the Rolling Stones and John Mayer. Their schedule was especially trying on percussionist Dusick, who sustained wrist and shoulder injuries and was often unable to play. By fall 2006, Dusick had been officially replaced by Matt Flynn (the former drummer for Gavin DeGraw), and the revised band released its sophomore effort in May 2007. It Won't Be Soon Before Long proved to be less popular than its predecessor (which had sold more than four million copies in the U.S. alone), but it still enjoyed double-platinum certification while spinning off the chart-topping single "Makes Me Wonder."

Maroon 5 had cemented their status as pop/rock heavyweights, and they now had the connections to prove it. Released in late 2008, Call and Response: The Remix Album reinterpreted the band's catalog with remixes by influential producers like Mary J. Blige, Mark Ronson, and Pharrell Williams. Meanwhile, the band worked with a different producer -- veteran rock/country architect Robert John "Mutt" Lange -- on a third studio album, Hands All Over, which was released in September 2010. Andrew Leahey, Rovi

Erasure Tomorrow's World Tour

August 31, 2011  |  8:00 PM  |  $35.00  |  The Ritz Ybor  |  813.247.2555

Synthpop pioneers Erasure are back with Tomorrow’s World, the band’s first album in more than four years. The new album is out Fall 2011 and is produced by one of the UK dance scene’s most exciting new talents, Frankmusik, whose remixing credits include Lady Gaga, Pet Shop Boys, Ellie Goulding, and Far East Movement and whose solo album Complete Me debuted at number 13 in the UK Albums Chart.  Tomorrow’s World was mixed by Rob Orton.

After Erasure’s triumphant return to the stage for Short Circuit presents Mute at the Roundhouse, London, a one-off performance which saw Vince Clarke perform with very special guests Alison Moyet and Feargal Sharkey, plus a performance at 2011’s Ultra Music festival, Erasure is bringing the new album to the U.S. for their first tour in five years! The 25-date US tour begins August 31st in Tampa, continues through September, and finishes in Seattle on October 6th. Tickets go on sale Friday June 24th at Ticketmaster, as well as TicketFly. Ticket presales, which will offer a chance to preorder the new album Tomorrow’s World, will start on Wednesday June 22nd.

Tomorrow’s World was written in New York, London, and at Vince Clarke’s cabin studio in Maine following a short break, which found Andy Bell recording and releasing his second solo album Non Stop, and Vince Clarke reuniting with former Yazoo partner Alison Moyet for a recent tour.  It was recorded in Maine, London and Los Angeles between January and June 2011, with Vince using his vintage collection of analog synths for the final touch.  The end result is a collection of electronic songs that sound totally contemporary and classic at the same time.  All songs are written by Bell and Clarke.

From Lady Gaga to La Roux, the futurist, electronic sound Erasure championed is more relevant today than ever, and once again re-charging the global music scene. The award-winning duo of Vince Clarke and Andy Bell unleashed on the nation a succession of both influential and chart-topping pop anthems.  Songs like “A Little Respect”, “Sometimes”, “Victim Of Love”, “Ship Of Fools”, “Chains Of Love”, “The Circus”, and “Breathe,” ensured a formidable presence on the singles charts complemented by five consecutive No 1 albums including “The Innocents”, “Wild!”,  “Chorus” and the beginning of the worldwide Abba revival “Abba-esque”.