Deerhoof
With Busdriver and Harlem Shakes
SUNDAY 8 p.m. Crowbar, 1812 N 17th St., Ybor City. (813) 241-8600. $10, all ages.
This one's all about uniqueness - three acts that stand apart from the herd of shoe-shuffling indie rock waifs. Deerhoof, the hipster band of the moment, calls San Fran its home and Kill Rock Stars its label. The Anglo-Asian co-ed progressive pop trio might remind you of the Schoolhouse Rock players if they were knocked out and transported through time, told to wear Urban Outfitters clothes and forced to drink Chopin vodka at a Williamsburg dance club. Trendiness aside, the band is appealingly unique, cute but edgy, with jagged guitars, thumpy beats, colorfully bizarro keyboard touches and catchy nonsense choruses. Their newest CD, Friend Opportunity, released last month to favorable press, many critics proclaiming it the group's best so far. According to local show promoter Jack Spatafora, Radiohead and the Flaming Lips have requested Deerhoof as tour support. An interesting side note to the Tampa show: No smoking will be permitted inside Crowbar by request of the artist. Harlem Shakes actually shakes it from Brooklyn, with enough earnest pop and frenetic overlapping of organs, guitars and rollicking beats to keep you happy in your borough of choice. (For more on Busdriver, see page 17.)
Watson
With History, Monolith and Hydra the Sea Serpent
SATURDAY 8 p.m. Transitions Art Gallery Skatepark of Tampa, 4215 E Columbus Drive, Tampa $5. All ages. (813) 621-6793.
This is another one of those shows for the brainy macho dudes who like to stand up front with their arms folded and heads bobbing ever so slightly. Comprising members of such groundbreaking Tampa punk bands as Clairmel, Vagina Sore Jr. and the Dukes of Hillsborough, Watson packs a wallop of vintage rock meets hardcore that's thoroughly listenable to people with all sorts of rock predilections. Co-headliner History, from Winter Park, delivers as much bang but with sweeping swaths of metal and prog-rock. Gainesville's Monolith is an esoteric jazzy outfit with a kicking trombone, and Gainesville's Hydra the Sea Serpent kicks out the experimentally mental jams.
Space Program
With Mouse Fire and Jason Choi & the Sea
SATURDAY 9 p.m. New World Brewery, 1313 E Eighth Ave., Ybor City. $5. (813) 248-4969.
A creatively gifted band formed by gizmo genius Wavley Mark Groves, Space Program performs atmospheric soundscapes that change up in a nice way before lingering too long in the stratosphere. Birthday alert: Come out and give Groves well wishes because the show falls on his big day. Mouse Fire is one of Central Florida's best pop-rock-indie outfits, and Jason Choi & the Sea, which hails from parts south of here, is a pleasant, guy-girl folk-pop act.
Rockabilly Ruckus
With Big Sandy & His Fly Rite Boys (pictured), Sarah Borges & the Broken Singles, Slim Tim Phantom Trio, Hot Rod Walt & Psycho Devilles, Johnny Zoom Cheerleading Squad, Slip & Spinouts and Midnight Bowlers League
Saturday 4 p.m.-midnight. Skipper's Smokehouse, 910 Skipper Road, Tampa. $20. (813) 971-0666.
WMNF 88.5 presents this fourth annual orgy of fun greaser anachronism with a hot rod show. While all the bands are noteworthy, be sure to check out national headliners Big Sandy and Sarah Borges, who bring true vintage sodypop talent, and Tampa's Johnny Zoom Cheerleader Squad revs things up with a more today-friendly rock that maximizes on classic riffs without going overboard.
Against Me!
With Riverboat Gamblers and Fake Problems
WEDNESDAY 7 p.m. State Theatre, 687 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. $13. (727) 895-3045.
If you like to pump your fist in the air and shout like you, um, care, this is the show for you. Tom Gabel started Gainesville's Against Me! as a solo acoustic punk rock protest singer thing and has since formed a full band, toured craphole venues, sold-out shows and got signed to major label Sire. The singer's gravelly troubadour soul is still at the heart. At the State show, expect new songs from forthcoming CD, New Wave. (Warning: Tickets may sell out fast; available at Sound Exchange.) Naples' Fake Problems recalls Against Me!'s early folky days, and Riverboat Gamblers is rough-and-tumble but equally slick punk band from Denton, Texas.
Also playing
Bite Size Reunion Show with Friends Fri. 8 p.m.-midnight. Globe Coffee Lounge, 532 First Ave. N. St. Petersburg. Free.
Bluegrass Parlor Band Sat. With Bits of Grass. 7:30 p.m. Palladium Theater, 253 Fifth Ave. N, St. Petersburg. $15.
Vogues Sat. 7:30 p.m. Suncoast Cathedral, 2300 62nd Ave. N, St. Petersburg. $15. (727) 741-2798.
Fat Joe Sat. With Above the Rest, Jediah and 2 Pistols. 10 p.m. Club Code, Ybor City. $25-$60. (727) 452-9425.
Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze Sat. 9:30 p.m. Dave's Aqua Lounge, 10820 Gandy Blvd., St. Petersburg. $7. Benefits the Diamond Teeth Mary "Really Got the Blues'' blues musicians fund.
Scott H. Biram Sun. With Dead Popes and Semisoul. 8 p.m. The Orpheum, 1918 Republica de Cuba Ave., Ybor City. $8.
JJ Grey Mon. With Mofro and Virginia Coalition. 8 p.m. Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa. $17, $20. (813) 977-6474.
Mardi Gras on Main Street Tue. Featuring 23 Skeedoo and Zydefunk. 5 p.m.-midnight Main Street, between Louden Avenue and Broadway, downtown Dunedin. Free. (727) 733-3197.
Iron Butterfly Tue. 8 p.m. State Theatre, St. Petersburg. $16 advance, $18 day of show.
Florida Orchestra Wed.-Thur. "The Lord of the Rings Symphony for Orchestra,'' Markus Huber, guest conductor. 8 p.m. Mahaffey Theater, 400 First St. S, St. Petersburg. $25-$65. (813) 286-2403.
Taylor Hicks Thurs. 8 p.m. Tampa Theatre, Tampa. Sold out.
Torche Thur. With The Same and Light Yourself on Fire. 9 p.m. Orpheum, Ybor City. All ages. $6.
