Top 6 concerts this week in Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice, Englewood, Punta Gorda
There will also be multiple acclaimed blues acts in town, including a few that've been nominated for Blues Music Awards. And while we tend to highlight original music over tribute acts in this column, we're showcasing two shows that pay tribute to recently departed musicians, one of whom was a former Sarasota resident. Here are this week's highlights. Event details are subject to change.
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50-plus fun things to do in August in Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice, Punta Gorda
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Snowblind: A Black Sabbath Tribute
Ozzy Osbourne died last week, just 17 days after a massive final concert headlined by his pioneering metal band Black Sabbath and a set of Osbourne's solo material. While you sadly won't be able to see Osbourne live again, you can still see the countless musicians carrying on his legacy, including this Black Sabbath tribute group from Tampa (a hub for death metal, a subgenre that arguably wouldn't exist without Black Sabbath and Osbourne.) Snowblind pays tribute in particular to Black Sabbath's years with Osbourne as frontman, a catalog that includes classic songs such as "Paranoid," "War Pigs," "Iron Man," "Sweet Leaf" and "Changes." 7:30 p.m. Saturday; Troll Music, 628 E. Venice Ave., Venice; $25; 941-484-8765; trollmusic.com
Rick Derringer tribute
Guitar hero, songwriter, and acclaimed producer Rick Derringer died earlier this year at age 77 in Ormond Beach. Now, on what would've been the week of his 78th birthday, Bradenton's 88 Live will host a musical tribute to Derringer that is open to Bradenton and Sarasota residents — which Derringer himself formerly was. A wide range of musicians will honor Derringer's legacy, which includes hits such as 'Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo' and 'Hang On Sloopy,' the theme song for Hulk Hogan — another Florida resident who recently passed away — and producing numerous albums by the likes of Edgar Winter, Johnny Winter, and Weird Al Yankovic, including parody classics like 'Eat It.' The lineup includes Derringer's wife, Jenda Derringer, Tony Wilson, Stormbringer, Del Couch, Henry Lawrence, Steve Arvey, Rick Alvis, Susi Best Walker, Wayne 88 Live, Randy Stonehill, Mike MacArthur, Phil DeGracia, and Rebecca Bird. 5:30 p.m. Monday; 88 Live Piano Bar, 6640 Cortez Road W., Suite A, Bradenton; $40 donation at door; RSVPs required; 941-900-1133
'Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo' rocker and former Sarasota resident Rick Derringer dies
George Lynch
Guitarist George Lynch, of Dokken and Lynch Mob fame, will return to Big Top Live in Sarasota. During Lynch's time with Dokken, the group released multiple platinum-selling albums on Elektra Records (which Lynch Mob were also signed to for their first two full-lengths) and were nominated for the inaugural Best Metal Performance Grammy for 1988's "Beast from the East." The lineup will also include XYZ frontman and former Great White lead singer Terry Ilous, Tora Tora vocalist/guitarist Anthony Corder, and Heartbreak Boulevard. 6 p.m. doors, 7 p.m. show Thursday, Aug. 7; Big Top Live, 975 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota; $30.35 general admission, $110.15 VIP front row; 941-371-2939; bigtoplive.com
J.P. Soars and the Red Hots
Boca Raton blues guitarist/singer-songwriter J.P. Soars and his band the Red Hots will return to Sarasota County venue and blues spot Englewoods on Dearborn. The group was nominated for four Blues Music Awards in 2022: Band of the Year, B.B. King Entertainer and Instrumentalist — Guitar for Soars, and Instrumentalist — Drums for his bandmate Chris Peet, who scored another nomination in the same category this year. Soars also plays in the supergroup Southern Hospitality with Grammy-nominated pianist Victor Wainwright and fellow Floridian Damon Fowler. 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 7; Englewoods on Dearborn, 362 W. Dearborn St., Englewood; $7; 941-475-7501; englewoodsondearborn.com
Ben Prestage
Florida-raised, self-described "Deep South Swamp Music" performer Ben Prestage will return to one of his semi-regular venues, Celtic Ray Public House in Punta Gorda. The musician 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. Thursday, Aug. 7; Celtic Ray Public House, 145 E. Marion Ave., Punta Gorda; 941-916-9115; celticray.net
Matthew Curry
Bloomington, Illinois blues-rock guitarist and singer-songwriter Matthew Curry will return to Bradenton restaurant and blues spot Cottonmouth for a solo show. Curry counts among his fans Peter Frampton, The Doobie Brothers and Steve Miller Band, all of whom he's opened for, and he also appeared onscreen in the 2015 David Spade comedy "Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser," playing the late Lynyrd Skynyrd frontman and Jacksonville native Ronnie Van Zant. Can't make this show? Curry is also set to play Troll Music on Friday, Aug. 8. 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 7; Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen, 1114 12th St. W., Bradenton; $5; 941-243-3735; facebook.com/cottonmouthsoul
If you would like to be considered for this story, please submit your event to tinyurl.com/SubmitEventHeraldTribune at least 10 days before our Thursday publication date.
Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Top 6 concerts Sarasota Bradenton Venice Englewood Punta Gorda
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