UKE IT OUT
On Dec. 9, WMNF presents the 6th Annual Ukulele Festival: UKE IT OUT in two locations: St. Pete’s Cage Brewing and Tampa’s New World Brewery. Enjoy ukulele, reggae and bluegrass sounds on all kinds of ukuleles (bass, electric, banjo and acoustic ukes) played by dozens of musicians. There will be food trucks at Cage Brewing, a vintage Hawaiian shirt booth, Luna guitars will be on display, Gulf to Bay Bait and Tackle will be featuring their unique ukuleles and there will be a special ukulele art display by Carolyn Bruszer. For those of us who live DTSP or Gulf Beaches, check out the downtown location. Cage Brewing has built a stage and installed a lighting system–it’s not just a brewery–it’s a concert hall–slight exaggeration, it’s more of a large covered patio than a hall. There will be ukulele lesson and a Muddy Waters of the Ukulele contest–with a prize package and trophy for the best 2-minute ukulele interpretation of a Muddy Waters song on the ukulele–sign up when you arrive.FYI: UKE IT OUT – Cage Brewing, Dec. 4. Doors 3pm, music 4-10pm. $17 Advance/ $20 door at www.wmnf.org.
BLUES GET ME UP
The Downtown Dunedin Merchants Association presents the 30th annual Dunedin Wines the Blues Nov. 13, 2-11pm. Shop, nosh and enjoy music from three stages, including the East Stage sponsored and booked by Suncoast Blues Society: 2-3:15pm–Trey Wanvig Band; 3:45-5pm–The TBone Hamilton Band; 5:30-7pm–Brian Leneschmidt Band; 7:30-9pm–Dottie Kelly Band. Headliners include Selwyn Birchwood, Beth McGee Funky Time Band, Johnny Rawls Band, Damon Fowler and Vanessa Collier.I love them all, especially Birchwood who I have seen dozens of times. “With my music,” says groundbreaking young blues visionary Selwyn Birchwood, “I tell my stories in my own way, with my own voice. You won’t ever hear me on stage singing someone else’s songs. Muddy Waters, B.B. King and John Lee Hooker all told their own stories. That’s what I’m doing.” The young guitar and lap steel player calls his original music “electric swamp funkin’ blues,” defined by raw and soulful musicianship played with fire-and-brimstone fervo.
COUNTRY ROCK
Michael Ryan, one of my favorite bartenders at Middlegrounds, is a country sensation around town. His band, Horses Wild, just performed at OCC Roadhouse, performs frequently at Niagra Tap and will be performing New Year’s Eve at the Holiday Isles Elk Lodge (open to the public) and also January 22 at the John’s Pass Seafood Festival.
BAR MUSIC SCENE
Madeira Beach’s Saltwater Hippie won The Cabbies Awards for Best Bar, and the place rocks with live music, cold beer and good eats seven days a week. Saddle up your Hog and come on down! Fiona Frensch sings her jazzypopanova at Club at Treasure Island, Island Way Grill, Verducci and now at Sea Grapes Wine Bar on Corey Ave. Downtown, check out happy hour at Flute & Dram, Sunday’s James Suggs jazz jam at The Independent, Ale & The Witch, Ruby’s Elixir, Green Bench Brewing, 3 Daughters, Steep Station, Intermezzo, The Hideaway, The Hangar Restaurant and Floridian Social Club for Bryan J. Hughes jazz jam. At the beaches, Island Grill, Bongos (Carlos & Joe Sat.), Jimmy B’s, The Saint Hotel, Salty’s Tiki Bar, Ka’Tiki Sunset Beach, Toasted Monkey, Sloppy Joe’s, Caddy’s, Crabby’s, Ricky T’s, Drunken Crab and The Sirata are the place to be.