Top 6 concerts this week in Sarasota, Bradenton, Punta Gorda
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Even with the end of snowbird season here in Sarasota-Manatee, there are still plenty of fun things to do locally in June including concerts, with nationally touring musicians among those still visiting our area. Sarasota's live music lineup this week, for instance, includes a singer-songwriter who's co-written numerous hits for country superstar Luke Combs, and a former "American Idol" contestant headlining a local LGBTQ+ organization's Pride Month party.
There'll also be plenty of the blues music our area is known for, including a three-time Blues Music Award-winning saxophonist and singer-songwriter. And you'll find some of the many talented musicians who call Florida home, including a band from here in the Sarasota area playing an EP release show. Here are this week's highlights. Event details are subject to change.
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Sean Chambers
Florida blues guitarist and singer-songwriter Sean Chambers plays both Punta Gorda Irish pub Celtic Ray and Sarasota brewery Big Top Brewing Company this week. Along with his solo career, Chambers previously toured with the late blues great Hubert Sumlin, paying homage to him on his 2021 album "That's What I'm Talkin About: Tribute to Hubert Sumlin," which cracked the Top 10 of Billboard's blues albums chart, as did his 2018 full-length "Welcome to My Blues." The Big Top date also serves as a fundraiser for the Feo family. 8 p.m. Friday; Celtic Ray Public House, 145 E. Marion Ave., Punta Gorda; 941-916-9115; celticray.net; 3 p.m. Sunday; Big Top Brewing Company, 975 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota; 941-371-2939; bigtopbrewing.com
The Grand Carnival with Ada Vox and Zee Machine
Sarasota LGBTQ+ organization Project Pride SRQ's Pride Month festivities include this event with an open bar, light bites and live performances by two national musicians. Drag performer Ada Vox is known for her television appearances on the singing competition series "American Idol," where she finished in the Top 10 on season 16 in 2018, and the 2021 debut season of "Queen of the Universe," coming in second place. Zee Machine, who was nominated earlier this year in the Breakout Musical Artist category at the Queerties Awards, also performs. 7 p.m. VIP, 8 p.m. general admission Saturday; Circus Arts Conservatory, 2075 Bahia Vista St., Sarasota; $75, $125 VIP (21-and-up only); ppsrq.org
Terry Hanck
Bradenton restaurant, and frequent venue for blues musicians, Cottonmouth welcomes another well-known name in the genre when saxophonist and singer-songwriter Terry Hanck performs there this weekend. Hanck has won three Blues Music Awards for Instrumentalist — Horns and earned several more nominations in the category, as well as in Song of the Year for his track "Appreciate What You Got." Along with his solo career, Hanck toured with Elvin Bishop of "Fooled Around and Fell in Love" fame for more than a decade, later appearing as a guest on Bishop's 2011 live album "Raisin' Hell Revue." 7 p.m. Saturday; Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen, 1114 12th St. W., Bradenton; $5 advance, $10 day of; 941-243-3735; facebook.com/cottonmouthsoul
Divine AF EP release show
Sarasota band Divine AF will celebrate the completion of their new EP "Beautifully Broken" with a release show at Bradenton's Oscura. The group's sound blends indie, folk, rock, pop and world music, and features an all-women member lineup including three vocalists. Atlanta-based singer-songwriter Indee Star, who's shared bills with Divine AF at their previous EP release show and the 2018 Harvey Milk Festival, will also perform at the show along with Alliene Bouchard and Jami Gee, both occasional collaborators with the group. 6 p.m. doors, 6:30 p.m. show Saturday; Oscura, 816 Manatee Ave. E., Bradenton; $20 (comes with copy of CD); 941-201-4950; oscura.live
Ray Fulcher
Big Top, which in recent years has regularly held concerts by national names in the country music genre, hosts another such show this week with Ray Fulcher. The singer-songwriter's credentials include co-writing eight tracks on country star Luke Combs' 2019 triple-platinum album "What You See is What You Get," including No. 1 country airplay hits "Even Though I'm Leaving," "Lovin' on You" and "Does to Me." Fulcher's solo releases include last year's full-length "Spray Painted Line" and this year's single "After the Rain" featuring Tenille Arts (who just recently played a concert at University Town Center.) 7 p.m. Thursday, June 8; Big Top Brewing Company, 975 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota; $15; 941-371-2939; bigtopbrewing.com
La Lucha
After featuring La Lucha earlier this year at Sarasota Jazz Festival and their Monday Night Jazz Cabaret Series, Jazz Club of Sarasota once again brings the Tampa Bay-based trio to the other side of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge for a Jazz Thursday show at Sarasota Art Museum. La Lucha has a particular flair for jazzy covers of songs such as Britney Spears' "Toxic," Deftones' "Change (In the House of Flies)" and Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants to Rule the World." That last song also serves as the album title to their most recent 2020 full-length. 5:30 p.m. Thursday; Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; $20, free museum members; 941-309-4300; sarasotaartmuseum.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 Punta Gorda
