Top 10 concert picks for Sarasota-Bradenton-Charlotte: Dec. 2-8

The Temptations and Four Tops

A very busy week for Van Wezel kicks off with two of the biggest names in Motown music: The Temptations and Four Tops. Both groups are in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and rank among Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists, with The Temptations recording classics such as "My Girl" and "Papa was a Rollin' Stone," and the Four Tops known for tracks including "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" and "Reach Out I'll Be There." The Temptations still features founding member Otis Williams, while the Four Tops currently includes original member Abdul “Duke” Fakir. 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2; Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; $42-$112; 941-263-6799; vanwezel.org

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Allman Family Revival

Allman Betts Band, featuring the offspring of founding Allman Brothers Band members and ties to Sarasota-Manatee, serves as the house band for this show celebrating the late Allman Brothers Band frontman and former Manatee County resident Gregg Allman. Along with Gregg's son Devon, Allman Betts Band's lineup includes Sarasota native Duane Betts, son of Dickey Betts, and Sarasota County resident Berry Duane Oakley, son of the late Berry Oakley. The group will be joined by other well-known rock and blues musicians such as Robert Randolph, Donavon Frankenreiter, Lilly Hiatt and more, in this show styled after "The Last Waltz." 7:30 p.m. Friday; Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; $53-$93; 941-263-6799; vanwezel.org

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Dovydas

Fogartyville features two nights of multi-instrumentalist Dovydas, who's based in the Sarasota-Manatee area but has developed a wide audience online. Dovydas was previously known as David Smash, going viral in 2017 for a video of him covering Steve Vai at a Motorworks Brewing gig. He's continued to release videos of him performing audience requests and more on his YouTube channel, with some earning millions of views. He'll perform solo Friday, looping and layering a backing track with a synthesizer and drum machine while playing guitar, then plays with a live band Saturday. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center, 525 Kumquat Court, Sarasota; $20, $18 members, $10 students; 941-894-6469; fogartyville.org

Bradenton Blues Festival

The 10th annual music festival returns this weekend, bringing an international lineup of blues artists. Saturday features Bernard Allison, son of late blues great Luther Allison and talented performer in his own right, and Blues Hall of Famer Latimore, who had a No. 1 R&B hit with "Let's Straighten It Out" and whose music has appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon." The lineup also includes Blues Music Award-winning and nominated artists such as Doug MacLeod and Johnny Rawls on Friday, and Annika Chambers at Sunday's Bradenton Blues Brunch. 4 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday; LECOM Park, 1611 Ninth St. W., Bradenton; 11 a.m. Sunday, Mattison's Riverwalk Grille, 101 Riverfront Blvd. #120, Bradenton; $20-$30 Friday, $55-$150 Saturday, sold out Sunday; bradentonbluesfestival.org

Siesta Beach Seafood & Music Festival

This three-day festival features seafood, a Siesta Beach backdrop and live music, including some of Florida's most acclaimed acts. Guitarist/singer-songwriter Selwyn Birchwood, who's signed to renowned blues label Alligator and scored a No. 1 Billboard blues album with this year's "Living in a Burning House," plays Friday, among others. Former Anna Maria Island resident Damon Fowler, who also had a No. 1 Billboard blues album this year with "Alafia Moon," performs Saturday along with Bradenton Americana group Have Gun, Will Travel, who recently paid tribute to their home with the song and music video "Our Fair City." Noon Friday, 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday; Siesta Key Beach Pavilion, 948 Beach Road, Sarasota; free; seafoodfestivals.com

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Martina McBride

The winter holiday show season continues, as country singer-songwriter Martina McBride visits Van Wezel on her "The Joy of Christmas" tour, where she'll be joined by a local orchestra, according to the venue. McBride's had a decorated career dating back to the '90s that includes 14 Grammy nominations for tracks such as "Independence Day," "This One's for the Girls" and the heart-wrenching "Concrete Angel," named the saddest country song of all time by Rolling Stone. Her first winter holiday album was 1998's "White Christmas," and she returned to the genre for her most recent full-length "It's the Holiday Season." 8 p.m. Saturday; Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; $37-$107; 941-263-6799; vanwezel.org

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Tim Grimm

Though based in Indiana, folk musician Tim Grimm has previously worked with Asolo Rep in Sarasota, and he'll return to the area for a show at Fogartyville. Grimm visits following the release of his latest album "Gone" earlier this year, continuing a decades-long career that's included his song "The Lake" appearing on the soundtrack to the 2015 Robert Redford and Nick Nolte film "A Walk in the Woods" alongside fellow folk artists such as Lord Huron and Shovels & Rope. Carmela Pedicini and David Brain of the Sarasota area's own folk band Passerine will open the show. 7 p.m. Sunday; Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center, 525 Kumquat Court, Sarasota; $20, $15 members, $10 students; 941-894-6469; fogartyville.org

David Foster

The songwriter and producer behind some of the biggest songs of the last four decades, David Foster returns to Van Wezel for a performance featuring many of his top hits. Foster has won 16 Grammys for his work, including co-writing the 1979 Earth, Wind & Fire song "After the Love Has Gone" and producing Whitney Houston's rendition of "I Will Always Love You." Foster is set to be joined by singer/actress and Foster's wife Katharine McPhee, fellow "American Idol" contestant Pia Toscano, opera tenor Fernando Varela and singer Sheléa Frazier, who's set to headline Van Wezel next year (special guests are subject to change.) 8 p.m. Monday; Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; $87-$117; 941-263-6799; vanwezel.org

George Thorogood and the Destroyers

George Thorogood and the Destroyers visit Van Wezel while on their "Good To Be Bad Tour: 45 Years Of Rock." Along with "Bad to the Bone," the Thorogood-penned title track to the group's 1982 album that's continued to appear in film and television throughout the following decades, the group is known for its rollicking renditions of songs like "Who Do You Love?" and "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer." The band also earned a platinum album for 1986's "Live," and reissued "Live in Boston 1982: The Complete Concert" last year. Damon Fowler will open the show. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday; Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; $50-$73; 941-263-6799; vanwezel.org

Joe Bonamassa

Van Wezel's busy week closes out with blues-rocker Joe Bonamassa. The guitarist and singer-songwriter visits the venue after recently releasing his latest Billboard blues album chart-topping full-length "Time Clocks," his follow-up to last year's "Royal Tea," which earned a Best Contemporary Blues Album Grammy nomination. Along with a solo career that's included multiple other No. 1 Billboard blues albums and two additional Grammy nominations, Bonamassa was previously a member of the group Bloodline alongside Berry Duane Oakley. 8 p.m. Wednesday; Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; $85-$275; 941-263-6799; vanwezel.org

If you are an area musician who’d like to be considered for this list, please email ticket@heraldtribune.com with your event information at least a week in advance. Show schedules are subject to change; check venues/pages in advance to confirm or for questions on COVID-19 protocols.

Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Top 10 Sarasota-Bradenton-Charlotte concert picks, Dec. 2-8