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, NOVEMBER 12

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[pictured] I’m an admitted fan of Pete Yorn’s 2001 debut, musicforthemorningafter. It’s full of alt pop gems like “Life on a Chain,” “For Nancy (‘Cos It Already Is),” and “Strange Condition,” the last featured on such romantic comedies soundtracks as Me, Myself & Irene, 40 Days and 40 Nights and The Sweetest Thing. The Jersey-based singer-songwriter has released four more albums since then, including his latest, Break Up, a collaborative concept album recorded with actress-singer Scarlett Johansson and inspired by Serge Gainsbourg’s duets with Brigitte Bardot. Yorn performs solo at this Bay area appearance. 9 p.m.,Push Ultra Lounge, St. Petersburg, $17.50.

Captured by Robots A one-human comedy-experimental rock act, JBOT (Jay Vance, actor, comic and former bassist for ska punk bands Blue Meanies and Skankin' Pickle), is backed/enslaved by inhuman (robot, ape and ambiguous) players: DRMBOT 0110, a severed doll's head on drums, assistant drummer AUTOMATOM, GTRBOT666 on bass and guitar, The Ape Which Hath No Name on tambourine halo, The Son of the Ape Which Hath No Name on monkey cymbals, and on horns, despite missing the parts that conduct air, the Headless Hornsmen. 7 p.m., Orpheum, Ybor City, $8 advance/$10 DOS.

Home w/Flexxehawk/Insect Joy NYC-by-way-of-Tampa experimental pop quartet Home return to the Bay area with their whimsical psychedelic sounds in tow. The band has self-released 15 albums since 1992 – seven cassettes, one 8-track, an internet-only download, and five CDs; Relativity Records put out the band’s sole major label release, IX, in 1995. 9 p.m.,  New World Brewery, Ybor City, $7.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13

Lucero [pictured] w/Cedric Burnside and Lightnin' Malcolm The much-anticipated return of Lucero to Tampa follows the release of their sixth album and major label debut, 1372 Overton Park. Contrary to the fears of fans, Lucero hasn’t abandoned their Southern twangy, alt-country rock sound but rather, refined it with well-placed horns, hookier refrains and overall impressive production. Self-proclaimed “two-man wrecking crew,” guitarist Lightnin’ Malcolm and drummer Cedric Burnside provide support with some ragin’ blues-drenched rock. 8 p.m.,Czar, Ybor City, $12 in advance/$15 DOS (all ages).

Say Anything w/Moneen/Eisley/Miniature Tigers “Hate Everyone,” the first single off Say Anything’s new self-titled album, is an anthem against the world at large. From the beginning, lead singer-songwriter Max Bemis makes the snotty assertion, “Well if you think I'm being harsh / Well, baby keep on counting stars / ‘Cause I hate everyone / I hate everyone / I hate everyone / Upon this cursed earth,” then concludes the song with an ironic “I guess that everyone includes me … And that's why I'm an humanist.” The LA six-piece’s pleasant fusion of emo punk and alt rock stands out from the rest and their fun and cheeky lyricism just makes it even better. 7 p.m., State Theatre, St. Petersburg, $17 in advance/$20 DOS.

Roots ‘n’ Rhythm 5 w/Knock Down Drag Out/Midnight Bowlers League/Hindu Cowboys. 8 p.m., Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa, $10.

w/Morningwood [pictured]/Jet/Gator Country/Blue Oyster Cult/Damon Fowler/George Thorogood and the Destroyers/Big Kenny/Sonia Leigh/Levi Lowrey/Nic Cowen/Zac Brown Band The three-day food fest offers a diverse selection of rock ‘n’ roll for its ’09 edition – hip alt rock on Friday (Morningwood, Jet), blues-saturated jams on Saturday (Blue Oyster Cult, Thorogood, Fowler), and Southern-fried licks (Zac Brown Band) on Sunday on Sunday. Gates open 11 a.m. Fri.-Sun., Nov. 13-15, Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg, $10 in advance/$15 at the gate.

Tribal Style w/The Hip Abduction/Johnny Cakes and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypso Take a taste of some local tropical music in three varieties – funked-out reggae by Tribal Style, jazzy Afrobeat tropi-rock by The Hip Abduction, and jaunty alt-ska by Johnny Cakes and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypso, which is celebrating the release of their new album, Rise of the Pink Flamingos. 9 p.m., New World Brewery, Ybor City, $7.

Sander Kleinenberg w/Carlos Mendoza/2 Tall Keith Dutch progressive house DJ Sander Kleinenberg is renowned for his use of a custom Pioneer DVJ rig during his live shows, which allows him to work the turntables while creating in-sync tripped-out visuals. The result is touted as an “audio/video marathon.” 10 p.m. doors, Vintage Ultra Lounge, St. Petersburg (ages 21 and

up); call 727-735-3344 for ticket info.

MC Chris [pictured] w/Whole Wheat Bread/I Fight Dragons You know the rapper-comedian from Adult Swim – MC Chris has worked behind the scenes and contributed his original writing and goofy, helium-high voice to shows like Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Space Ghost: Coast to Coast. His sense of humor is much as you'd expect – over-the-top and tongue-in-cheeky, like in "Ten Year Old," where argues that though he sounds like he's a ten-year-old, he doesn't need a low voice to make microphone gold: "I got my glocks cocked / I got my nine's primed / I got my crosshairs locked on Kelly LeBrock's behind / I got my lungs locked on chemotherapy kind / I got more rhyme than Shel Silverstein and Shakespeare combined." 7 p.m., Crowbar, Ybor City, $12 in advance/$14 DOS (all ages early show).

Rick Gee's Jazz Jamm feat. Manhattan Casino All-Stars/Jordan Richardson Jazz Septet Last October, at age 14, tenor saxophone virtuoso Jordan Richardson had his stage debut performing with the Alfred Sheppard, Jr. Jazz Quartet. In this concert of jazz standards, dubbed “Before & After – Passing the Torch,” Richardson plays with jazz greats Sylvester Manning (alto sax), Joe Davis (baritone sax), and Al Williams (valve trombone), among others. 7:30 p.m., Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg, $20.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14

Have Gun Will Travel CD Release Show Tampa-grown Americana rock five-piece HGWT presents their latest album, Postcards from the Windy City. To read my review of Postcards, click here. 9 p.m., New World Brewery, Ybor City, $7.

Laura Izibor [pictured] Soul sensation Laura Izibor is an on-the-rise recording artist from Ireland who's been compared to anyone from Aretha Franklin to Alicia Keys. The songstress sets her strong, velvety vocals against a sound fusing funk, R&B and pop into catchy upbeat songs that make you want to get your groove on. Her debut album, Let the Truth Be Told (Atlantic), dropped in the U.S. this past June and at least five tracks have already been used in various films and TV shows. 8 p.m., The Capitol Theatre, Clearwater, $27.50 and $37.50.

The Get Up Kids w/Kevin Devine/Mansions Kansas City, Mo.’s Get Up Kids are credited with helping pioneer the second wave emo movement in the mid-90's, though their sound has a grittier alt rock edge that’s generally missing from the punk pop that followed. The fivesome broke up in 2005, reunited for a surprise show in late 2008, and are now touring in honor of the 10th anniversary of the re-release of Something to Write Home About, their most successful studio album to date. New material is supposedly in the works. 6 p.m., State Theatre, St. Petersburg, $19.99 in advance/$25 DOS.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15

Melt Banana The music of Japanese experimental rock trio Melt-Banana is fast, loud and hard, full of screeching and overlapping riffs, ear-piercing reverb, and various electro embellishments that add to the barrage along with the chirping, yelping and barking vocals of frontwoman/founding member/songwriter Yasuko Onuki, who delivers her lyrics in English. 9 p.m., Crowbar, Ybor City, $10 in advance/$12 DOS.

[pictured] w/BURNS He’s the progressive house DJ/producer who wears a giant mouse head with huge round eyes and a wide open curving mouth that’s one-half grin, one-half leer – a freaky-cute drug happy imitation of Mickey Mouse. Deadmau5 (pronounced “deadmouse,” birth name Joel Zimmerman) just dropped his seventh album, For Lack of a Better Name, and in honor of the occasion, also released his first official video, ever, for the single, “Ghosts n Stuff” (featuring Rob Swine), which follows the trials and tribulations of Deadmau5 as he dies for a few hours and becomes a dance-happy ghost. 9 p.m., The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City, $20 general/$50 VIP.

Judy Tampa & Bunko Squad CD Release Party w/Ronny Elliott/My Little Trotsky/Harry Hayward: Half Man/Half Wit. 5-9 p.m., Springs Theatre, Tampa, $10 suggested donation.

The Family Harvest Jubilee w/The Pilot Brothers/Ella Jet/Danny S & Alex The brothers who lead Experimental Pilot, Robert and Stephen Vessenmeyer, perform as an acoustic duo at this “family style rock show,” which also features solo sets by Ella Jet, the 12-year-old singing-songwriting daughter of Stephen, and soulful piano-rockers Danny & Alex (ages 12 and 13, respectively). 5 p.m., Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa, $7.

Hatebreed w/Cannibal Corpse/Unearth/Born of Osiris/Hate Eternal Grammy-winning Hatebreed is an influential five-piece from Connecticut that’s been doling out their crushing, ferocious blend of metalcore since 1994 and stops in town in support of the release of their new self-titled fifth album; a bevy of high-quality hardcore acts kick things off. 6 p.m. doors, State Theatre, St. Petersburg, $27.