While we usually focus on Sarasota County concerts in this column for what should be obvious reasons, we also like to spotlight the Manatee County venues that regularly host live music, even as we enter June and the off-season.
That’s certainly true this week, with Bradenton’s Oscura featuring notable names in metalcore and reggae-rock, Cottonmouth hosting a musician with ties to blues-rock royalty, and 88 Live Piano Bar holding a venue debut performance by a popular Florida rocker.
First, though, we start with Punta Gorda’s Celtic Ray, an Irish pub and venue that hosts its own regular and eclectic lineup of live music, and a ska-reggae-soul band that’s based in Northwest Florida but has found a national audience within its genre. Here are this week’s highlights. Event details are subject to change.
The Freecoasters
Punta Gorda’s Celtic Ray Public House will host a return visit by ska-reggae-soul group The Freecoasters on Friday. While the band hails from nearby Fort Myers, they’ve found fans nationally, recently playing This is Not Croydon Fest in the Philadelphia area with such big names in ska as Voodoo Glow Skulls, The Toasters and fellow Floridians Against All Authority.
Jesse Wagner of Los Angeles reggae band The Aggrolites also produced their two full-lengths, 2021’s “A Different Kind of Heat” and 2016’s “Show Up.” 8 p.m. Friday; Celtic Ray Public House, 145 E. Marion Ave., Punta Gorda; 941-916-9115; celticray.net
Evergreen Terrace
Metalcore band Evergreen Terrace, named after the street the Simpsons live on but hailing from Jacksonville, will play Bradenton’s Oscura on Saturday. The group was signed to Metal Blade Records and later Rise Records, with multiple albums of theirs charting on Billboard’s since-discontinued Heatseekers Albums chart, and most recently released a split with Pennsylvania’s Wisdoms in Chains last year.
Along with their originals, Evergreen Terrace are known for their covers, including renditions of Foo Fighters’ “Everlong” and Dead Kennedys’ “Nazi Punks F— Off” and their cover album “Writer’s Block.” Days Spent, Outworld, Bang Out and Breach of Peace will also perform. 7 p.m. doors, 7:30 p.m. show Saturday; Oscura, 816 Manatee Ave. E., Bradenton; $20 advance, $25 day of; oscura.live
Will Johns
Bradenton restaurant and blues venue Cottonmouth will feature a musician with ties to blues-rock royalty when it welcomes Will Johns on Saturday. Johns’ father is sound engineer Andy Johns and his mother Paula Boyd is the sister of Pattie and Jenny Boyd, who were formerly married to George Harrison and Eric Clapton, and Mick Fleetwood, respectively.
Along with his solo work, Johns has played in bands including Glyda with Jesse Wood (son of the Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood) and Cream of Clapton (with Noah East, son of Nathan East, who’s played bass with Eric Clapton.) 7 p.m. Saturday; Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen, 1114 12th St. W., Bradenton; 941-243-3735; facebook.com/cottonmouthsoul
Greg Billings & the Stay Up Lates
Rocker Greg Billings and his band the Stay Up Lates will make their debut appearance at Bradenton’s 88 Live Piano Bar with a show on Sunday. Billings was a member of the Epic Records-signed band Romeo before pursuing a solo career.
His releases include 2016’s “Boom! Boom! All Night!” featuring two other locally based and famous rockers, AC/DC singer and Sarasota resident Brian Johnson and Cheap Trick frontman and Safety Harbor resident Robin Zander, as guest musicians. 6 p.m. Sunday; 88 Live Piano Bar, 6640 Cortez Road W. Suite A, Bradenton; 941-900-1133; 88livebradenton.com
Rockstead
Oscura’s live music lineup this week will also include Cincinnati reggae-rock group Rockstead on Wednesday. The band’s releases include 2020’s “You’re in Control” and 2023’s “Fall Down. Get Up. Repeat.,” featuring guest musicians such as The Quasi Kings and TreeHouse!, with the latter group previously playing Oscura themselves.
Sarasota psych/funk rock band Physical Plant and St. Petersburg reggae group The Rhythm-Inya will also perform with Rockstead. 7 p.m. doors, 7:30 p.m. show Wednesday; Oscura, 816 Manatee Ave. E., Bradenton; free/pay-what-you-want ages 21 and up, $10 under age 21; oscura.live
Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Top 5 concerts this week in the Sarasota Bradenton area
Reporting by Jimmy Geurts, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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By Jimmy Geurts, Sarasota Herald-Tribune | USA TODAY Network
