Top 6 concert picks for Sarasota-Bradenton-Charlotte: May 19-25

Tyler Braden

After recently hosting LoCash and Tyler Rich, Sarasota brewery and venue Big Top's string of concerts featuring national country musicians continues with Tyler Braden. Up until last week, Braden competed on the inaugural season of NBC's Snoop Dogg and Kelly Clarkson-hosted music competition show "American Song Contest," making it to the finals alongside famous musicians such as Michael Bolton and Allen Stone. Braden represented Tennessee on the series, moving to the country music hub of Nashville after growing up in Slapout, Alabama to pursue a musical career, releasing his debut EP "What Do They Know" last year. 7 p.m. Thursday, May 19; Big Top Brewing Company, 975 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota; $10; 941-371-2939; bigtopbrewing.com

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More: Sarasota native, blues-rock musician Greg Poulos dies at 70

Matthew Curry

After just playing Englewoods on Dearborn, blues-rock guitarist and singer-songwriter Matthew Curry will next visit Bradenton's Cottonmouth and Big Top. Curry's fans include Peter Frampton, The Doobie Brothers and Steve Miller Band, all of whom he's opened for, and Fender Guitars, which tapped him for its Fender Accelerator Tour. Curry has also appeared onscreen in the 2015 David Spade comedy "Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser," portraying the late Lynyrd Skynyrd frontman and Jacksonville native Ronnie Van Zant. 7 p.m. Thursday; Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen, 1114 12th St. W., Bradenton; $10; 941-243-3735; facebook.com/cottonmouthsoul; 7 p.m. Friday; Big Top Brewing Company, 975 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota; 941-371-2939; bigtopbrewing.com

NocheUnidos

Sarasota-Manatee Hispanic/Latino community organization UnidosNow will celebrate a decade operating with this concert, visiting both Van Wezel and Venice Performing Arts Center. Renowned mariachi band Mariachi Cobre will be joined by the Venice Symphony and conductor Michelle Merrill, who served four years as the assistant and then associate conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Mariachi Cobre celebrated its own 50th anniversary last year and is known for its performances at Epcot in Disney World, where they've performed since 1982. 7:30 p.m. Friday; Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; $30-$120; 941-263-6799; vanwezel.org; 2:30 p.m. Saturday; Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave., Venice; $33-$96; 941-218-3779; veniceperformingartscenter.com

Damon Fowler

Along with playing Sarasota Shrimp & Music Festival at downtown's J.D. Hamel Park, Damon Fowler will visit Cottonmouth and Englewoods on Dearborn this week. The guitarist, singer-songwriter and former Anna Maria Island resident most recently released last year's "Alafia Moon," which topped Billboard's blues albums chart and was nominated for the Blues Rock Album Blues Music Award. He's also played in the supergroup Southern Hospitality with Grammy-nominated pianist Victor Wainwright and fellow Floridian J.P. Soars, and in the groups of founding Allman Brothers Band members Dickey Betts and the late Butch Trucks. 7:30 p.m. Friday; Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen, 1114 12th St. W., Bradenton; $20-$30; 941-243-3735; facebook.com/cottonmouthsoul; 7 p.m. Wednesday; Englewoods on Dearborn, 362 W. Dearborn St., Englewood; $7; 941-475-7501; englewoodsondearborn.com

Greg Poulos Celebration of Life

Guitarist Greg Poulos, a fixture of the Sarasota music scene for decades who played in bands such as Kettle of Fish and the Venturas, sadly passed away recently. To celebrate his memory, Stottlemyer's Smokehouse will host this event with two stages of live music. Those scheduled to perform include Chris Anderson, the singer-songwriter and former Outlaws member who played with him as the Anderson Poulos Band. The planned lineup also includes Poulos' son Nick Poulos, a musician himself who plays in the national thrash group Municipal Waste, along with Kettle of Fish, Greg Billings, Twinkle, Kara Nally, Sarasota Slim, Prodigal Sons and others. Noon Sunday; Stottlemyer's Smokehouse, 19 East Road, Sarasota; no cover; 941-312-5969; facebook.com/stottlemyerssmokehouse

La Lucha

Jazz Club of Sarasota's Monday Night Jazz Cabaret series, held in Florida Studio Theatre's John C. Court Cabaret, continues with La Lucha. The Tampa Bay-based trio features bassist Alejandro Arenas, pianist John O'Leary and drummer Mark Feinman, often joined on record by other acclaimed jazz musicians such as Houston Person, Ken Peplowski and Diego Figueiredo. Along with their originals, La Lucha is known for inventive jazz covers of songs such as Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (the title track of their 2020 album), and Deftones' "Change (In the House of Flies)." 6:30 p.m. doors, dinner/drinks, 7:30 p.m. show Monday; John C. Court Cabaret, 1265 First St., Sarasota; $34-$39; jazzclubsarasota.org

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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Top 6 Sarasota-Bradenton-Charlotte concert picks, May 19-25