Top 10 concert picks in Sarasota, Bradenton, Englewood

It's another full week of festivals and other fun events here in Sarasota and Manatee counties, including concerts. The biggest musical name this week is Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and "King of the Movie Soundtrack" Kenny Loggins, visiting Sarasota's Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall both on his final tour and for an annual local gala. (The same venue also hosts an Irish-themed concert this week, for those looking to celebrate St. Patrick's Day early.)

This week also marks the return of the annual Sarasota Jazz Festival, showcasing acclaimed artists in the genre from across the globe, along with another free, three-day seafood and music fest and a daylong celebration of the cigar box guitar. Here are this week's highlights. Event details are subject to change.

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Kenny Loggins

Kenny Loggins visits Van Wezel on his final tour, also serving as this year's Van Wezel Foundation Inspiration Gala headliner. Loggins is known as the King of the Movie Soundtrack, thanks to songs such as the Oscar-nominated title track from "Footloose," "I'm Alright" from "Caddyshack" and "Danger Zone" from "Top Gun," which also appeared in last year's hit sequel "Top Gun: Maverick." Along with his solo career, he was also half of the duo Loggins & Messina, and has collaborated with Michael McDonald, with the two co-writing Song of the Year Grammy winner "What a Fool Believes" and Loggins' hit "This is It," which gives his final tour its name. 8 p.m. Friday; Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; sold out as of press time; 941-263-6799; vanwezel.org

Interview:Kenny Loggins on final tour, being 'incredibly lucky' with 'Top Gun: Maverick'

Englewood Shrimp & Music Festival

Update: Igor and Red Elvises are no longer playing Englewood Shrimp & Music Festival, according to the festival's website. The Yaya Diamond Band is now listed as Saturday's headliner.

Locally based Paragon Festivals' lineup of area festivals featuring food and live music continues with this free, three-day event. "Siberian surf rock" band Igor and Red Elvises headline Saturday, part of a lengthy string of Florida dates for the group that includes several more local shows in the coming weeks. Other notable acts include former Buddy Guy touring guitarist Frank Bang, also playing Saturday, with K-Luv & the United Funk Foundation headlining Friday and Gas House Gorillas topping the bill Sunday. 4-10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday; Englewood Plaza, 200 S. Indiana Ave., Englewood; free admission; 941-487-8061; paragonfestivals.com

Sarasota Cigar Box Guitar Festival

Another festival featuring a variety of blues and rock artists takes place this weekend when the annual Sarasota Cigar Box Guitar Festival returns. This year's performers include South Florida guitarist and singer-songwriter J.P. Soars, who along with his group the Red Hots earned four Blues Music Awards nominations last year, including Band of the Year and B.B. King Entertainer and Instrumentalist — Guitarist for Soars. Other performers include Steve Arvey, Stumpy Joe, Memphis Lightning and John Mary Go Round, with the festival also featuring vendors, workshops and food trucks. 1-10 p.m. Saturday; Big Top Brewing Company, 975 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota; free general admission, reserved tables available; 941-371-2939; bigtopbrewing.com

CAIN

After playing Manatee County Fair last year, Christian country trio CAIN return to the area for a headlining show at Sarasota Baptist Church. The group rose to prominence with their song "Rise Up (Lazarus)" that later became the title track to their 2021 debut album and one of their two No. 1 Christian airplay hits to date, along with "Yes He Can." The group has also earned four GMA Dove Award nominations, including New Artist and Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year. Katy Nichole ("In Jesus Name (God of Possible)," "God is in This Story") and David Leonard ("I Will Wait," "Good Lord") also perform. 6 p.m. doors, 7 p.m. show Sunday; Sarasota Baptist Church, 7091 Proctor Road, Sarasota; general admission sold out as of press time; itickets.com

Will Evans

Former frontman of New England roots rock group Barefoot Truth, turned solo musician, Will Evans visits Fogartyville for a concert this week. His sound recalls musicians including Jack Johnson and Trevor Hall, who appeared on the opening track of Evans' 2018 album "Rise" and with whom Evans has toured. Evans is a multi-instrumentalist who uses live-looping in his shows that include the didgeridoo, steel drums, percussive beatboxing, acoustic guitar and vocals. 6 p.m. doors, 7 p.m. show Sunday; Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center, 525 Kumquat Court, Sarasota; $30, $25 members, $15 students ages 13 and up; 941-894-6469; fogartyville.org

Tyrone Vaughan

Joyland's live music lineup this week includes Texas blues artist Tyrone Vaughan, who hails from a musical family, as the son of Jimmie Vaughan and nephew of the late great Stevie Ray Vaughan. Along with a solo career that includes the album "Downtime," Vaughan has played guitar in the supergroup Royal Southern Brotherhood, whose other members have included The Meters' Cyril Neville and fellow blues-rock progeny Devon Allman. Sarasota-based bluesman RJ Howson and musician friends join Vaughan. 8 p.m. Monday; Joyland, 8341 Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota; $20, $100 VIP; 941-210-4110; joylandsarasota.com

Sarasota Jazz Festival

Jazz Club of Sarasota's annual festival, featuring an all-star lineup of musicians in the genre, kicks off this week. Jazz singer Lizz Wright, who broke through with her 2003 album "Salt" and recently appeared on the Hulu series "The 1619 Project" performing in Nina Simone's childhood home, plays Wednesday along with Grammy-nominated pianist Christian Sands' trio. Grammy-winning bassist Marcus Miller, known for his collaborations with Miles Davis and Luther Vandross, plays Thursday with the Allen Carman Project and Gumbi Ortiz. Along with these main stage concerts, held in a big top at Nathan Benderson Park, other events include a University Town Center jazz trolley pub crawl on Tuesday. Monday-March 18; various venues; ticket prices vary; 941-260-9951; sarasotajazzfestival.com

Saliva

This week, Joyland also hosts nu-metal band Saliva, visiting the venue on its Spring Mayhem tour. The group rose to fame with its 2001 platinum-selling album "Every Six Seconds" featuring the Best Hard Rock Performance Grammy-nominated "Your Disease" and "Click Click Boom," which became one of their biggest hits along with the following year's "Always." The band's lineup has largely changed since originally forming, but it still features founding guitarist Wayne Swinny. Sarasota hard rockers Seven Years Past also perform. 5:30 p.m. doors, 7:30 p.m. show Wednesday; Joyland, 8341 Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota; $20, $30 ages 18-20; 941-210-4110; joylandsarasota.com

Popa Chubby

Bradenton restaurant and venue Birdrock Taco Shack welcomes blues-rock guitarist and singer-songwriter Popa Chubby for a concert. The musician has strong credentials in both genres, formerly playing with punk rock legend Richard Hell and releasing multiple albums on esteemed blues label Blind Pig Records. He earned a Blues Rock Album Blues Music Award nomination for his full-length "Tinfoil Hat" in 2022, releasing his follow-up album "Emotional Gangster" that same year. 7 p.m. Wednesday; Birdrock Taco Shack, 1213 13th Ave. W., Bradenton; $20 advance, $30 day of; 941-545-9966; facebook.com/birdrocktaco

'Ireland with Michael' Live

For those looking to celebrate St. Patrick's Day a little early, Van Wezel hosts this Irish-themed show featuring Michael Londra on the eve of the holiday. Since performing on "Riverdance on Broadway" as well as the national tour of "Riverdance," Londra has hosted the PBS travel show "Ireland with Michael." The concert blends songs and stories of Ireland with the backdrop of footage filmed for the series, creating an immersive journey around the Emerald Isles. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 16; Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; $22-$62; 941-263-6799; vanwezel.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 near me in Sarasota, Bradenton, Englewood