Top 10 concert picks in Sarasota, Bradenton, Englewood, Port Charlotte

We kick off February here in the Sarasota area with a full plate of concerts, ranging from headlining shows by award-winning/nominated artists, to multi-day music festivals. A two-time Grammy-winning folk musician and former Manatee County resident returns to the area for a concert, while a Grammy-nominated singer pays tribute to what would've been an iconic performer's 100th birthday.

You'll also find a Bradenton music festival paying tribute to the cigar box guitar this week, as well as a Sarasota concert featuring several of the state's biggest reggae acts and a Port Charlotte festival headlined by one of the biggest names in Southern rock. And of course, we'll have plenty of the blues musicians who regularly visit our local venues, including some playing multiple shows. Here are this week's highlights. Event details are subject to change.

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Bradenton Cigar Box Guitar Festival

Birdrock Taco Shack and Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen, sister restaurants and venues in Bradenton's Village of the Arts neighborhood, host this two-day festival celebrating the cigar box guitar. "Deep South swamp music" artist Ben Prestage, who plays a variety of instruments including a cigar box guitar and fiddle, performs Saturday while alt-Americana act Hymn for Her, who've previously played Glastonbury and earned coverage from outlets such as Rolling Stone Country, play Friday night. Steve Arvey, Stumpy Joe, Travis Bowlin, Brett Gardner and Memphis Lightning are among the other performers. 7 p.m. Friday and noon Saturday; Birdrock Taco Shack, 1213 13th Ave. W. and Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen, 1114 12th St. W., Bradenton; free; facebook.com/bradentoncbgfest

Reggae Relief

Several reggae acts from Florida's Suncoast and throughout the state will come together for this Sarasota show. You'll find musicians from Cape Coral (NostalJah, Indigo I), Tampa (Tribal Style, Undercover Rasta), Pinellas County (The New Rulers, The Dub Collectors, Nathalie Hernandez), Atlantic Beach (Root Sea) and Sarasota (Soul Purpose.) The family-friendly event will also feature food trucks, vendors and arts and crafts. Noon-9 p.m. Saturday; Sarasota County Farm Bureau Event Center, 7289 Palmer Boulevard, Sarasota; $20 advance, $25 day of; free ages 12 and under; eventbrite.com

Molly Hatchet

Bert's Black Widow Harley-Davidson in Port Charlotte presents the SWFL Music & Motorcycle Festival, headlined by Molly Hatchet, a band that previously topped the bill at Sarasota music and motorcycle festival Thunder by the Bay. The Jacksonville-formed Southern rockers, known for songs such as “Flirtin’ with Disaster” from their 1979 double platinum album of the same name, no longer features any founding members, but does include John Galvin and Bobby Ingram, who've been with the band since the 1980s. Maiden Cane, Smudgekitten and 80-HD will perform earlier in the day Saturday, with additional live music Sunday. 8:30 p.m. Saturday; Bert's Back Porch at The Twisted Fork, 2208 El Jobean Road, Port Charlotte; free general admission, VIP sold out; 941-235-3675; twistedfork.net

Miss Tess

Fogartyville, one of the top spots to see touring singer-songwriter acts locally, features the Nashville-based Miss Tess among its live music lineup this week. The musician, who blends jazz, country, blues and rock in her sound, released two albums — "The Moon is an Ashtray" and "Doucet" — in 2020. That same year, the track "True Flood" from the former album was named one of the 10 Best Country and Americana Songs to Hear Now by Rolling Stone Country. 7 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show Saturday; Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center, 525 Kumquat Court, Sarasota; $22, $18 members, $11 students ages 13 and up; 941-894-6469; fogartyville.org

Ghost Town Blues Band

Memphis blues-rockers Ghost Town Blues Band will play Sarasota brewery and venue Big Top Brewing Company this week, as well as their second show in a week at Sarasota County's Englewoods on Dearborn. The group topped the Billboard blues album chart with their 2019 full-length "Shine," but draw their sound from a variety of genres fitting their home city's rich musical history, including a "hip-hop trombone player." One of the group's self-professed influences is the Allman Brothers Band, with their 2018 live album "Backstage Pass" featuring a cover of the ABB classic "Whipping Post" as well as the Beatles' "Come Together." 7 p.m. Saturday; Big Top Brewing Company, 975 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota; 941-371-2939; bigtopbrewing.com; 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9; Englewoods on Dearborn, 362 W. Dearborn St., Englewood; $10; 941-475-7501; englewoodsondearborn.com

Johnny Rawls

Soul-blues singer-songwriter and guitarist Johnny Rawls plays multiple shows in Sarasota and Manatee counties this week. Rawls has earned several Blues Music Awards nominations and won two, receiving his most recent nomination last year in the Soul Blues Male Artist category. He released his latest album, "Going Back to Mississippi," the same year. 11 a.m. Sunday; Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen, 1114 12th St. W., Bradenton; $12 advance, $15 day of; 941-243-3735;  facebook.com/cottonmouthsoul; 6 p.m. Wednesday; Englewoods on Dearborn, 362 W. Dearborn St., Englewood; $7; 941-475-7501; englewoodsondearborn.com; 7 p.m. Thursday; Nicky's on Palm, 49 S. Palm Ave., Sarasota; reservations required; 941-330-1727; nickysbarandrestaurant.com

John McEuen and the Circle Band

Two-time Grammy winner, founding Nitty Gritty Dirt Band member and former Bradenton resident John McEuen returns to the area to play McCurdy's Music Monday concert series. McEuen's decades-long tenure with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band included their landmark 1972 album "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" and his first Grammy for Best Country Instrumental Performance for the group's rendition of "Earl's Breakdown." Along with his time in that band, and as a solo musician, McEuen has collaborated with Steve Martin, winning his second Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album for producing and performing on Martin's 2009 record "The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo." 7 p.m. Monday; McCurdy's Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota; $37; 941-925-3869; mccurdyscomedy.com

Michael Feinstein celebrates the Judy Garland Centennial

Multi-Grammy-nominated musician Michael Feinstein celebrates 100 years since the birth of iconic actress and singer Judy Garland with this show executive produced by Liza Minnelli, Garland's daughter. The show will have Feinstein taking a musical journey through Garland's illustrious career, which includes standards such as "Over the Rainbow" and "The Trolley Song" and being the first woman to win an Album of the Year Grammy, while sharing stories he learned from Minnelli and other close friends. Feinstein has earned five Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Grammy nominations for his renditions of songs by George Gershwin, Jule Styne and others. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday; Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; $37-$77; 941-263-6799; vanwezel.org

Vanessa Collier

Birdrock Taco Shack's live music lineup this week will also include blues saxophonist and singer-songwriter Vanessa Collier. The musician has received numerous Blues Music Awards nominations and won three: twice in the Instrumentalist — Horns category, and her first Contemporary Blues Female Artist win last year. That same year, Collier released her latest album "Live at Power Station," captured at the namesake New York City recording studio in front of an intimate audience. 7:30 p.m. Thursday; Birdrock Taco Shack, 1213 13th Ave. W., Bradenton; $20 advance, $25 day of; 941-545-9966; facebook.com/birdrocktaco

Oshima Brothers

Maine-based folk pop duo Oshima Brothers, comprising siblings Jamie and Sean, make their return to Fogartyville for a concert. Sean plays acoustic guitar and piano while handling lead vocals, as Jamie plays electric guitar with an octave pedal, keyboards, fiddle, additional vocals, and kick and snare drums. Since last visiting Fogartyville, the duo released their latest album "Dark Nights Golden Days," pairing tracks from their earlier "Dark" and "Golden" EPs with new songs and instrumentals. 6 p.m. doors, 7 p.m. show Thursday; Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center, 525 Kumquat Court, Sarasota; $20, $15 members, $10 students ages 13 and up; 941-894-6469; fogartyville.org

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

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Best live music concerts in Sarasota, Bradenton, Port Charlotte