Top 5 concert picks for shows this week in Sarasota, Bradenton, Englewood and Punta Gorda
Two of the most talented blues guitarists and singer-songwriters who call Florida home will visit our area this week, as recent Song of the Year Blues Music Award winner Selwyn Birchwood performs at Cottonmouth Southern Soul Food in Bradenton and Big Top Brewing Company in Sarasota, while fellow Blues Music Award nominee Damon Fowler plays Englewoods on Dearborn in south Sarasota County.
Not feeling the blues? Bradenton's recently reopened Oscura – which I'm convinced could be Sarasota-Manatee's hippest venue after seeing indie-emo group Camp Trash play the release show for their album "The Long Way, Slow Way" there, host another album release show for In Transit, whose members include Oscura co-owner Ben Bakker. The concert celebrating the group's debut full-length "Signal Fires" will also feature one of the Friendly City's best bands, Have Gun, Will Travel, as well as Garrett Klahn of the seminal emo group Texas is the Reason. Here are this week's highlights.
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Pitbull Toddler
Joyland, nearing one year at its new location off University Parkway, will welcome Tampa Bay rock group Pitbull Toddler as part of its live music lineup this weekend. The band features Mike Calta, host of radio station 102.5 The Bone's popular "The Mike Calta Show," on bass, with co-host Galvin playing the drums. Pitbull Toddler's previous gigs have included past visits to Sarasota-Manatee, as well as a main stage spot at Florida Strawberry Festival in 2019 when Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler had to drop off due to unforeseen circumstances. 9 p.m. Friday; Joyland, 8341 Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota; $15 (free drink included); 941-210-4110; joylandsarasota.com
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Frank Bang
Punta Gorda Irish pub and venue Celtic Ray Public House's live music lineup this week is set to include bluesman Frank "Bang" Blinkal. The performer started out in the blues hub of Chicago, working at Buddy Guy's Legends club before joining the blues legend's band as a touring guitarist for five years. These days, he serves as a frontman himself, having released albums such as 2016's "The Blues Don't Care" under the name Frank Bang & The Cook County Kings. Can't make this show? He's also scheduled to play the following Friday at Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen in Bradenton. 9 p.m. Friday; Celtic Ray Public House, 145 E. Marion Ave., Punta Gorda; 941-916-9115; celticray.net
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Selwyn Birchwood
Florida-based, nationally acclaimed blues guitarist and singer-songwriter Selwyn Birchwood is set to visit both Cottonmouth in Bradenton and Big Top Brewing Company in Sarasota this week. Earlier this year, Birchwood won the Song of the Year Blues Music Award for his track "I'd Climb Mountains" off 2021's Billboard blues albums chart-topping "Living in a Burning House," his third full-length for renowned blues label Alligator Records. He previously won a Best New Artist Debut Blues Music Award in 2015 for his first Alligator album "Don't Call No Ambulance." 7 p.m. Friday; Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen, 1114 12th St. W., Bradenton; $20; 941-243-3735; facebook.com/cottonmouthsoul; 3 p.m. Sunday; Big Top Brewing Company, 975 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota; 941-371-2939; bigtopbrewing.com
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In Transit album release show
Bradenton indie-rock group In Transit just recently released its debut album "Signal Fires," and to celebrate, they'll throw a release show at the recently reopened venue Oscura that band member Ben Bakker is also a co-owner of. Joining them will be fellow Bradenton group Have Gun, Will Travel, the Americana act who's been covered by outlets including NPR and No Depression and had its music appear on the shows "The Good Wife" and "The Ranch." The event will be presented by Emo Night Tampa, and fans of that genre will be happy to hear that Garrett Klahn of renowned emo group Texas is the Reason will take part in the show as well. 7 p.m. Saturday; Oscura, 816 Manatee Ave. E., Bradenton; $10 advance, $12 day of; 941-201-4950; facebook.com/oscuralive
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Damon Fowler Band
Sarasota County restaurant and blues venue Englewoods on Dearborn is set to welcome guitarist and singer-songwriter Damon Fowler along with his band. Fowler most recently released last year's Billboard blues album chart-topping full-length "Alafia Moon," which also earned him a Blues Rock Album nomination at the Blues Music Awards earlier this year. Fowler has also played in the bands of founding Allman Brothers Band members Dickey Betts and the late Butch Trucks, and in the supergroup Southern Hospitality with Grammy-nominated pianist Victor Wainwright and fellow Floridian J.P. Soars. 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4; Englewoods on Dearborn, 362 W. Dearborn St., Englewood; $7; 941-475-7501; englewoodsondearborn.com
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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Top 5 Sarasota, Bradenton, Punta concerts this weekend near me
