A healthy serving of shows happening on this Thurs., Aug. 20. Breakdown below...
The Motet with Serotonic Drumming force Dave Watts has been leading The Motet out of Denver for more than 15 years, pushing a heady blend of funk, jazz and Afrobeat that occasionally segues into reggae and electro-tinged territories. Watts’ robust percussive-fused rhythmic power is complemented by heavy basslines that can be wet and flexible or deep and steady, soundscaping or groove-hawking keyboards, a trumpet-sax section adding restrained boosts or dramatic accents, and occasional soulful vocals on material that ranges from originals like sci-fi greasy dub-soaked “Rynodub” and vintage Sly Stone-vibing “Closed Mouth Don’t Get Fed,” both off a 2014 self-titled LP, or covers like the S.W.A.T. theme and “Low Rider” (à la last year’s annual Halloween throwdown). (State Theatre, St. Petersburg) –Leilani Polk
Tech Jam The biggest annual fundraiser for TechStart Tampa Bay — a nonprofit that strives to provide technology education and opportunities to at-risk youth — finds five Bay area tech companies and their respective bands (like Tech Data’s Unusual Suspects and Peak 10’s From This Fire) battling it out for votes and donations and the ultimate title of Tech Jam Badass. (The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City)–LP
David Pate and Michael Ross: 40 Years of Jazz A pair of venerable Bay area jazz purveyors — saxophonist extraordinaire David Pate and upright bass stroker Michael Ross — celebrate their 40th anniversary of creating and performing music together with a program that includes solo and duo configurations, and touches on interpretations of standards by Monk, Ornette and Mingus, among others, as well as some original compositions and the spontaneous improvisations we’ve come to expect from these two gentlemen. (Studio@620, St. Petersburg)–LP
Nashville Pussy with Valient Thorr Atlantan coed quartet Nashville Pussy has been bringing its greasy, sleazy, punkified rock to the Bay area for going on two decades now, and can be counted on to deliver the kind of fun time that precipitates waking up with mystery bruises and a weird film on the teeth. Along for the ride this time around is North Carolina’s Valient Thorr, which provides a woefully underappreciated mix of stoner rock, electrified blues stomp and punk energy, as well as an always-great live set. (Crowbar, Ybor City) –Scott Harrell
Will Sprott with Alexander And The Grapes, Veiny Hands You know how you like something immediately, but you can tell it’s totally weird and maybe not accessible to the general public, even though it should be? Take a listen to “Psychic Lady” by San Jose, Calif. songmaker Will Sprott and you’ll see what I mean. It has a wobbling Old West-tinged sound with surf rock/doo-wop qualities, all tube amped guitar and vague percussive rattles and shuffling rhythms and cooing female vocal harmonies balancing Sprott’s blasé, scratchy-nasal intones. This (free!) Bends date follows a break in his tour warming up for Seattle indie-rock outfit La Luz. (The Bends, St. Petersburg)–LP
ALSO TONIGHT
Voodoo Visionary Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin
Singer-Songwriter Night @ The Bunker w/Renee is a Zombie/Zarking/more TBA Tre Amici @ The Bunker, Ybor City
Official Motet After Party w/Future Vintage Fubar, St. Petersburg
Ajeva Ale and the Witch, St. Petersburg
Genocide Pact/Blasphemous Cremation/Disevered/more Brass Mug, Tampa
