Top 8 concerts this week in Sarasota, Bradenton, Palmetto

It'll be an especially busy weekend for live music here in Sarasota-Manatee, with all this week's concert picks taking place either on Friday or Saturday. Friday's lineup features one of the world's most popular DJs headlining an inaugural fundraiser for Sarasota's Circus Arts Conservatory, while Saturday's concert schedule includes a Grammy-winning singer with numerous '60s and '70s pop hits visiting Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

While this week's live music lineup features musicians from cities such as Los Angeles and Nashville, and from countries including the Dominican Republic and Wales, you'll find plenty of the talented musicians who call Florida home, too, including the return of an annual LGBTQ music and arts festival and a double-bill of two of the Sunshine State's best bands. Here are this week's highlights. Event details are subject to change.

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Steve Aoki

Sarasota's Circus Arts Conservatory presents its inaugural Wonderball fundraising event this weekend, with DJ and producer Steve Aoki serving as the headlining entertainment. One of the most popular DJs in the world, regularly ranking in the Top 10 of DJ Magazine's annual Top 100 DJs list (including No. 7 last year), Aoki is known both for his remixes of other artists and his original material including the Best Dance/Electronica Album Grammy-nominated "Wonderland." Aoki's most recent album was last year's "HiROQUEST: Genesis," with a diverse guest list including country star Kane Brown, emo/punk band Taking Back Sunday and the late rapper PnB Rock. 8 p.m. Friday; Sailor Circus Arena, 2075 Bahia Vista St., Sarasota; $75 and up; 941-355-9335 ext. 311; circusartswonderball.com

Kiko Rodríguez

Sarasota Latin restaurant and lounge Bombón will welcome back singer Kiko Rodríguez for a concert celebrating Mother's Day Weekend. A well-known name in the bachata genre originating from the Dominican Republic, Rodríguez has been releasing music as a solo performer from the 1990s to the modern day, including this year's single "Comerte a Besitos." He has also collaborated with bachata superstar Romeo Santos, who headlined Tampa's Amalie Arena last year, appearing on the single "El Beso Que No Le Di" on Santos' 2019 album "Utopía." 10 p.m. Friday; Bombón Restaurant & Lounge, 1118 N. Washington Blvd., Sarasota; $30-$50; tickeri.com

Have Gun, Will Travel and Pohgoh

Two of Florida's best bands team up for a handful of dates across the state promoting their new releases, including at Bradenton's Oscura. The Friendly City's own alt-Americana band Have Gun, Will Travel, who's been covered by outlets including NPR and No Depression and had their music appear on the TV shows "The Good Wife" and "The Ranch," most recently released last year's EP "Silver Sounds," now on vinyl. Tampa indie rock group Pohgoh, whose history dates back to the 1990s including a split with Midwest emo favorites Braid, released the new album "Du Und Ich" in 2022 after reuniting in the 2010s, including touring with Jawbreaker in 2019. 7 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show Friday; Oscura, 816 Manatee Ave. E., Bradenton; $12 advance, $15 day of; 941-201-4950; oscura.live

Abby Posner

Fogartyville, one of the best places to see touring singer-songwriter artists locally, features the Los Angeles-based Abby Posner among its live music lineup this week. Posner's musical style is described as "genre fluid" due to her ability to play multiple instruments and genres, with the skill to "play a mean lead-blues guitar solo, or throw down a complex Earl Scruggs banjo riff." Babyl, aka Sarasota singer-songwriter Ben Jacobs, also performs. 7 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show Friday; Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center, 525 Kumquat Court, Sarasota; $18, $15 members, $9 students ages 13 and up; 941-894-6469; fogartyville.org

Ben Prestage

Florida-raised "Deep South Swamp Music" performer Ben Prestage visits Bradenton restaurant and blues/roots venue Cottonmouth this weekend. Prestage grew up in rural Florida and later lived in Memphis, where as a street performer he started playing drums with his feet while simultaneously singing and playing other instruments, a setup he'd bring back to his home state. His repertoire of instruments he plays includes the diddley bow, which earned him a Blues Music Award nomination for Instrumentalist — Other in 2012. 7 p.m. Friday; Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen, 1114 12th St. W., Bradenton; $12 advance, $15 day of; 941-243-3735; facebook.com/cottonmouthsoul

Tom Jones

Tom Jones visits Van Wezel on his Ages & Stages Tour, and shortly before celebrating his 83rd birthday. The Welsh singer rose to fame in the late '60s and early '70s with songs such as "It's Not Unusual," "What's New Pussycat?" "Delilah" and "She's a Lady" that were major hits both in the U.S. and the U.K., also earning Grammy nominations for the first two songs as well as winning Best New Artist in 1966. In recent years, Jones has appeared as a coach on "The Voice UK" and released 2021's U.K. No. 1 album "Surrounded by Time," featuring covers of songs by musicians including Bob Dylan and Todd Snider. 8:15 p.m. Saturday; Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; sold out as of press time; 941-263-6799; vanwezel.org

Will Kimbrough

Palmetto's Waypoint Bar & Grill hosts "a night with singer-songwriters" headlined by Will Kimbrough. The Alabama native, now based in Nashville, has had his songs recorded by musicians including Jimmy Buffett and Shemekia Copeland, with her rendition of the track "Too Far to Be Gone" he co-wrote with John Hahn nominated for the Song of the Year Blues Music Award this year. Along with his solo work, Kimbrough is a member of groups including Emmylou Harris' Red Dirt Boys. Have Gun, Will Travel singer, songwriter and guitarist Matt Burke opens the show. 7 p.m. Saturday; Waypoint Bar & Grill, 11000 U.S. Highway 41 N., Palmetto; $25; 941-212-6600; waypoint27north.com

Pride | Be Fabulous Music & Arts Festival

Formerly known as Harvey Milk Festival, the annual Sarasota LGBTQ music and arts festival featuring a daylong concert returns, taking place at Fogartyville this year. Miami heavy-but-catchy rockers Palomino Blond, who released their debut album "ontheinside" in 2021 and have played other music festivals including Gainesville's Fest and Miami's III Points, headlines. They'll be joined by MeteorEYES, whose members include Fabulous Arts Foundation executive director and founder Shannon Fortner, as well as DJ DaliGanja, Myles Optimystic, Proud Miranda, The Tilt and Southerland Band. 3 p.m. Saturday; Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center, 525 Kumquat Court, Sarasota; $5 advance, $7 day of; fabaf.org

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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Best live music concerts near me in Sarasota Bradenton Palmetto