Top 6 concerts this week in Sarasota, Bradenton, Punta Gorda

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With us in June and out of tourist and snowbird season, it's another concert picks installment made up almost entirely of musicians from Florida, and largely ones who call the Sarasota area home — at least for now. In bittersweet news, one of my current favorite bands from Sarasota-Manatee will be moving, but not before playing a farewell bash at one of their regular local venues.
That same venue in Bradenton this weekend will also host a reunion show for another Sarasota-Manatee group. Other notable concerts this week will include the debut of a new venue hosting coffeehouse folk-style acts, the return of a Blues Music Award-nominated performer, and two free, day-long fests celebrating punk and blues music. Here are this week's highlights. Event details are schedule to change.
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Tracing their origins back to the early 2010s, when the members were students at Manatee School for the Arts in Palmetto, indie-rock/new wave band Youth Antics is now moving out of Florida. Before they say goodbye to the Sunshine State, though, the group will throw an "Escape from Florida" farewell show at one of their regular venues, Bradenton's Oscura. Joining them will be Bradenton singer-songwriter Lennon Cripe, "suburban funk" Orlando band Treis & Friends, and new act RuslanSilvr. 7 p.m. doors, 7:30 p.m. show Friday; Oscura, 816 Manatee Ave. E., Bradenton; $10; 941-201-4950; oscura.live
This double-bill of folk singer-songwriters will also serve as a debut for Building Bridges Coffeehouse at Manatee Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. A native of New Jersey, where she won a Garden State Music Award for Outstanding Folk Performer, Elaine Silver has performed since the 1970s, including after she moved to Florida in 2000. She'll be joined by Robert Killian, now living in Sarasota County but also formerly from New Jersey, where he won a Garden State Music Award for Best Revival Folk Artist, among other accomplishments including having his song "There'll Come a Day" recorded on Pete Seeger's 2010 Grammy-winning album "Tomorrow's Children." 7 p.m. Friday; Manatee Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 322 15th St. W., Bradenton; $20 at door; 941-746-0067; manateeuuf.org
Soul-blues singer Betty Fox will return to Bradenton restaurant and music venue Cottonmouth for a show this weekend. Fox previously earned a Blues Music Awards nomination for Best Emerging Artist Album for 2020's "Peace in Pieces." That album was recorded at the renowned FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, featuring Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section members Spooner Oldham and Clayton Ivey, as well as a horn section and backing vocals. 7 p.m. Saturday; Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen, 1114 12th St. W., Bradenton; $15-$20; 941-243-3735; facebook.com/cottonmouthsoul
Oscura's live music lineup this weekend will also include Sarasota-Manatee folk duo Lady & Gentleman, featuring Emily Owen and Matt Roback, playing a reunion show after nearly 10 years since disbanding. While the two have remained active with other musical projects — Roback plays in Bradenton post-hardcore band In Transit, whose members also include Oscura co-owner Ben Bakker, while Owen has performed at Oscura recently as a solo artist — this will be Lady & Gentleman's first show since 2016. Sarasota indie-folk favorite Lesa Silvermore will also perform, along with Dan Shafer and Angelica Smith. 7 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show Saturday; Oscura, 816 Manatee Ave. E., Bradenton; $10; 941-201-4950; oscura.live
Sarasota's Big Top Live will kick off the summer (which technically starts next weekend, but hey, who's counting?) with this free, all-ages show featuring five punk bands from Florida's west coast. Palmetto's No Pants Maurice, who've previously played Oscura opening for acts such as Wolf-Face and Hans Condor and recently released the new single "Archie Andrews is a F--- Up," will top the bill. Other performers will include Low Season and Human Error from St. Petersburg, Amulet Yellow from Naples, and Offset Era from Cape Coral. 6 p.m. Saturday; Big Top Live, 975 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota; free; 941-371-2939; bigtoplive.com
Charlotte County waterfront destination Fishermen's Village will host its own free, day-long event celebrating a particular music genre Saturday with the return of its annual Electric Blues Extravaganza. Among those scheduled to play is Reggie "King" Sears, who started performing in his teens — including at the 2005 Sarasota Blues Festival, where he shared the stage with names such as Delbert McClinton and Shemekia Copeland — and has kept at it ever since. Other performers will include The Cedrick Talton Experience, Rockin' Jake Band, J.W. Gilmore, Ronny Hill, Josh Rowand and Sp3ctacle. Noon-9 p.m. Saturday; Fishermen's Village, 1200 W. Retta Esplanade, Punta Gorda; free; 941-639-8721; fishermensvillage.com
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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Top 6 concerts this week near me in Sarasota, Bradenton, Punta Gorda