The BayCare Sound
Devo
CLEARWATER — New wave legends Devo will perform on Thursday, Aug 27, 7 p.m., at The BayCare Sound, 255 Drew St., Clearwater.
Tickets start at $102. Visit www.rutheckerdhall.com.
In 1973, out of the remnants of late ’60s political activism, the seminal band Devo was born. The formative lineup consisted of two sets of brothers — Mark and Bob Mothersbaugh, and Gerald and Bob Casale — along with drummer Alan Myers, all hailing from Akron, Ohio.
The band’s prophetic message of “Devolution” and their strikingly original fusion of electronics and punk made them a singular influence throughout the ’80s and into the ’90s. Devo began when Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale met as students at Kent State University and began exchanging ideas about art and music.
Deeply influenced by the Vietnam War, campus protests, and the tragic Kent State shootings of May 1970, the duo started making films and writing songs that would evolve into a wholly unique performance style. Their art-meets-music ethos quickly propelled them into the spotlight as one of the most high-profile acts in the new wave movement, earning them a fervent cult following that included David Bowie, Iggy Pop, and Neil Young.
In 1978, after an impromptu endorsement at Max’s Kansas City where David Bowie declared them “the band of the future,” Devo was whisked off to Germany. There, Brian Eno — along with Bowie’s collaboration — produced their debut album “Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are DEVO!.” The record caught the attention of both critics and the industry, helping the band build a devoted following. It wasn’t until their third album, “Freedom of Choice” — produced by Bob Margouleff and featuring the double-platinum single “Whip It” — that DEVO became a worldwide phenomenon.
Devo has continued to perform at festivals and venues around the globe. Their message feels more relevant than ever, and their influence can be heard in bands ranging from Rage Against the Machine and Nirvana to LCD Soundsystem and Santigold.
In 2023, Devo embarked on their 50th anniversary tour, featuring three original members — Mark and Bob Mothersbaugh, and Gerald Casale. Jeff Friedl now holds the drumsticks, and Josh Hager has taken over for the late Bob Casale on rhythm guitar and synths. Their high-energy performances blend punk, rock, and synth-pop in a way that continues to astonish and delight audiences.
Jannus Live
Buckcherry
ST. PETERSBURG — Hard-rock outfit Buckcherry will perform on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 7 p.m., at Jannus Live, 200 First Ave. N., St. Petersburg.
Tickets start at $47.26. Visit www.jannuslive.com.
Buckcherry formed in 1995. In their original incarnation, they released two albums: “Buckcherry” in 1999 and “Time Bomb” in 2001. The original band split up in 2002. In 2005, lead vocalist Josh Todd and lead guitarist Keith Nelson reformed Buckcherry with a new lineup. A new album, “15,” followed in 2006.
Buckcherry is unique, complex, simple, passionate, explosive, original, and always a good time. From hit songs to platinum and gold records and millions of fans worldwide — all during a time when traditional-sounding hard rock bands didn’t exist, except for Buckcherry.
They beat the odds and built their reputation on the live shows, and their “one of a kind” approach to every opportunity.
In 2025, Buckcherry released their 11th studio album, “Roar Like Thunder,” on Round Hill Records. Current band members include Todd, along with Stevie D., Kelly LeMieux, Francis Ruiz, and Billy Rowe.
Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center
Yacht Rock Gold Experience
TARPON SPRINGS — Yacht Rock Gold Experience will perform on Saturday, Aug. 22, 7 p.m., at the Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center, 324 Pine St., Tarpon Springs.
Tickets start at $45. Visit tarponarts.org.
One of the most commercially successful musical genres of all time, yacht rock has built a loyal and unwavering fan base who are today’s prime ticket buying audience. Yacht Rock Gold Experience brings all your favorite hits from the late 1970s and early 1980s to new generations of music fans. Celebrating the smooth sounds of the Doobie Brothers, Fleetwood Mac, Steely Dan, Christopher Cross, Kenny Loggins, Little River Band, Ambrosia, Boz Scaggs and so many more, Yacht Rock Gold Experience engages fans with amazing harmonies and musicianship that brings audiences back to a time when music made you feel good and soothed the soul.
Yacht Rock Gold Experience, features four lead singers, delivering incredible harmonies, accompanied by a five piece rhythm section with the killer iconic sax and flute.
Skipper’s Smokehouse
Ward Davis
TAMPA — Ward Davis will perform on Friday, Aug. 28, 8 p.m., at Skipper’s Smokehouse, 910 Skipper Road, Tampa.
Tickets are $25.03 in advance. Visit skipperssmokehouse.com.
Ward Davis is a Nashville-based country singer-songwriter known for pairing raw honesty with sharp wit and a deep love for the craft of storytelling. His latest single, “Wouldn’t Wanna Be Me Right Now” captures his trademark blend of grit, soul, and self-deprecating humor – an unfiltered look at life from one of the genre’s most genuine voices.
Following the success of his acclaimed debut “15 Years in a 10 Year Town” featuring Willie Nelson and Jamey Johnson, Davis continues to blur the line between poet and barroom philosopher. Beyond the stage, he’s a natural conversationalist who finds laughter in the messiness of life while exploring creativity, resilience, and the wild truths behind great songs. Davis released “Here I Am,” his most recent album, in February. Touring in support of the album, he is ready to talk about the stories, scars, and sense of humor that built his career from the ground up.
The BayCare Sound
Blues Traveler & Gin Blossoms
CLEARWATER — Blues Traveler and Gin Blossoms will perform on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 6 p.m., at The BayCare Sound, 255 Drew St., Clearwater.
Also performing will be special guest Spin Doctors. Tickets start at $54.50. Visit www.rutheckerdhall.com.
Nearly four decades ago, the four original members of Blues Traveler — John Popper, Chandler Kinchla, Brendan Hill, and the late Bobby Sheehan — gathered in their drummer’s parents’ basement in Princeton, New Jersey, to jam. From these high school sessions emerged a band that would go on to release a total of 14 studio albums, four of which have gone gold, three platinum, and one six-times platinum, selling more than 10 million combined units worldwide. Over an illustrious career, Blues Traveler has played over 2,000 live shows in front of more than 30 million people, and, in “Run-Around,” had the longest-charting radio single in Billboard history, which earned them a Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. In 2021, Blues Traveler released the Grammy-nominated “Traveler’s Blues” on Round Hill Records. This collection features reimagined and recharged classics from the American blues songbook. It is the group’s first official blues album. The second release in this series, 2023’s “Traveler’s Soul,” takes a similar approach —consisting of cover songs from a specific genre, this time classic R&B and soul.
Gin Blossoms is an American alternative rock band formed in 1987 in Tempe, Arizona. The band rose to prominence following the 1992 release of their first major label debut album, “New Miserable Experience,” and the first single released from that album, “Hey Jealousy” became a Top 25 hit and went gold. “New Miserable Experience” eventually went quadruple platinum, and three other charting singles were released from the album including “Allison Road” and “Until I Fall Away.” The band’s follow-up album, “Congratulations I’m Sorry” in 1996, went platinum including the Grammy nominated “As Long as It Matters” and the Top 10 single “Follow You Down.” Gin Blossoms continue to tour every year and in recent years have shared the stage with Blues Traveler, Collective Soul, Barenaked Ladies and Hootie & The Blowfish.
Spin Doctors’ first album in 12 years is at once a bold leap for a legendary band and the sound of a group truly revitalized. Marking their debut on new label home and iconic major Capitol Records, “Face Full of Cake” finds the alt-rock veterans in top form with an abundance of hooks in their arsenal and the warm, funky sound that longtime fans have come to expect from them. The record truly marks a new era for Spin Doctors, and with a blockbuster summer tour on the horizon and new bassist Jack Daley in tow, it’s impossible not to catch the thrilling feeling that this 35 years strong-and-running crew is, despite their wealth of experience, just getting started.
MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre
Dirty Heads & 311
TAMPA — Alt-rock and reggae-rock favorites 311 and Dirty Heads are teaming up once again for a North American co-headline summer tour. The outing will make a stop in the Tampa Bay area on Saturday, Aug. 29, 5:30 p.m., at the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre at the Florida State Fairgrounds, 4802 U.S. 301 N., Tampa.
Tickets start at $40.50. Call 813-740-2446 or visit www.livenation.com.
Dirty Heads are the soundtrack to an endless summer, blending genres, crafting infectious hooks, and delivering soulful storytelling that resonates around the world. Since forming in Huntington Beach, California, in the late 1990s, the group — led by co-vocalists Jared “Dirty J” Watson and Dustin “Duddy B” Bushnell alongside Jon Olazabal (percussion), Matt Ochoa (drums), and David Foral (bass) — has forged a sound uniquely their own, fusing reggae, hip-hop, rock, and alternative influences into laid-back yet anthemic tracks.
What began as late-night jam sessions among friends has grown into a global career spanning eight studio albums, from their 2008 debut “Any Port in a Storm” to 2022’s “Midnight Control,” with hits like “Lay Me Down,” “Vacation,” and “Oxygen” earning chart success, platinum certifications, and billions of streams. In early 2026, the band returns with their new single “Seven Seas,” a track that captures their signature island sound while exploring themes of resilience, connection, and navigating life’s challenges. They released their ninth studio album, “7 Seas,” in June.
311 is an alternative rock band known for their signature blend of rock, reggae, and funk influences. With a devoted fan following and a legacy spanning three decades, the band continues to innovate and bring fresh energy to the music scene. Their 311 Day celebrations have become a staple for fans worldwide, offering an unparalleled experience of music, community, and exclusive content.
Catherine Hickman Theater
Backtrack Blues Band
GULFPORT — The Backtrack Blues Band will perform on Saturday, Aug. 29, 8 p.m., at the Catherine Hickman Theater, 5501 27th Ave. S., Gulfport.
Tickets are $30. Visit mygulfport.us/events/.
The Backtrack Blues Band is one of Florida’s longest running and most accomplished blues bands. Founded in 1980, the group has performed continuously for over 40 years. Backtrack’s high energy Chicago-style blues with exceptional guitar, harp, and vocals, has made the band a constant on the Florida blues concert, club, and festival scene for over three decades.
The group has established a strong reputation for creative songwriting and has released seven CDs and two DVDs of original music, all of which charted on the U.S. blues radio charts.
The quintet consists of Sonny Charles on harmonica and vocals, Kid Royal on lead guitar and vocals, Little Johnny Walter on rhythm guitar and vocals, Steve Vitale on bass, and Joe Bencomo on drums. Backtrack has appeared as an opening act in concert with many legendary blues artists including B.B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy, Gregg Allman, Robert Cray, Johnny Winter, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and others. The group has also been recognized by the Tampa Bay community as a leader in the blues music arena by garnering three Tampa Bay Music Awards as the area’s Best Blues Band.
Bayboro Brewing Co.
The Kevin Steele Band
TAMPA — Kevin Steele, the legendary lead singer and frontman of Roxx Gang and The Mojo Gurus, is back by popular demand. Steele will perform on Friday, Aug. 28, 8 p.m., at Bayboro Brewing Co., 2390 Fifth Ave. S., St. Petersburg.
Tickets start at $22.52. Visit www.bayborobrewing.com.
Steele will be playing songs from his new solo record, “One Thing Left To Do,” as well as some Roxx Gang and Mojo Gurus favorites. He will be backed by an all-star band featuring guitarists Billy Summer and Matt Boyle, bassist Jim Stevens, drummer Steve C. Tanner and pianist Lee Pons.
Steele’s new record showcases his masterful songwriting across all the musical styles that have shaped his colorful career, including glam, punk, rock, blues, and even southern gospel. His band Roxx Gang was one of America’s great bands and the first rock band signed to Virgin Records in America. Their debut record, the classic “Things You’ve Never Done Before,” sold over 250,000 copies.
“One Thing Left To Do” was released in February via Steele Records/Amplified Distribution.
The Orpheum
Emarosa
TAMPA — American rock outfit Emarosa will perform on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 6 p.m., at the Orpheum, 14802 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa.
Tickets start at $35.06. Visit www.theorpheum.com.
The band formed in 2006-2007 with core members with Jordan Stewart, Lukas Koszewski and ER White. They released their debut album, “Relativity,” in 2008 through Rise Records. Two more albums followed on the Rise label before the band moved to Hopeless Records, releasing “131” in 2016 and “Peach Club” in 2019.
Currently, band members include founding member ER White along with lead vocalist Bradley Walden, who joined the lineup in 2013. The group has undergone several lineup changes throughout its career, with lead guitarist ER White being the sole remaining founding member. Originally oriented towards post-hardcore and alternative rock, Emarosa has gravitated towards a more pop rock sound in recent years.