Editor's local music picks for the week

By Julie Garisto, Local music writer
Published August 24, 2007

WMNF Listener's Choice Show

Featuring Poetry 'N Lotion, Giddy-up, Helicopter!, Roppongi's Ace, Vodkanauts and Ditchflowers

SATURDAY (8/25) 8 p.m. Skipper's Smokehouse, 910 Skipper Road, Tampa. $12. (813) 971-0666.

The 'MNFers spoke and the station listened. When asked who were the best local acts to play two recent shows sponsored by WMNF-FM 88.5 - the Led Zeppelin tribute and Tropical Heatwave - listeners called in and made their recommendation, and those five bands are playing this humdinger of an event. The youngest band to be chosen, Roppongi's Ace, features two recent high school grads, lifetime buddies Max Norton and Alex Spoto, who grew up listening to classic rock and blues and performing rustic blues rock with vocal harmonies and gritty jams. Ditchflowers' founding heavyweights, Brian Merrill of Barely Pink and Ed Woltil incorporate aspects of great pop and rock - solid hooks, shimmering guitars, strong beats and harmonies - without ripping off any one artist or genre. Poetry N' Lotion is the oxymoron of all oxymorons, a unique cover band that takes stuff by Metallica, Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath, rocks it with electric and vintage instruments, and does it hard and purty. Giddy-up, Helicopter! is another band that people freak out over, but they perform their introspective and densely gorgeous rock with the same passion and eagerness to please as their first nervous gig. The Vodkanauts might seem like your typical novelty surf-rock band, but the experienced and energetic guys in this band know how to dirty up their sonic martini just right so you're both rocked and entertained.

Zanesville

With Kevin K

SATURDAY (8/25) 10 p.m. Emerald Bar, 550 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. $5. (727) 898-6054.

Let's say a teenager from Alabama, Loretta Mae, let her long-haired cousin from New York City, Clyde, share her trailer park bedroom, in, oh, um, 1975. She gradually wore fewer ruffled blouses and applied her Bedazzler to torn black T-shirts. T-Rex replaced Tammy Wynette on the record player. Well, things got hot and heavy, and the two had a baby. (Yeah, you can see where this is going.) That incestuous love spawn is Zanesville. Throw in a swearing mechanic stepfather and you'll get the complete picture. Kevin K is like that kid from New York, with a little Florida trash thrown in. This is a great show for inbred garage-glam rock.

'80s Hair Metal Party

Featuring Plush, the Rest of Us, Sins of the Father, Stranded, the Clockouts

SATURDAY (8/25) University Area Hangout, 2025 E Fowler Ave., Tampa. $5. (813) 977-2683.

Some of Tampa's best DIY punk bands forgo the unwashed jeans and slip on the Spandex; the brighter the pink or yellow, the better. Note: The show's not a tribute show; the bands will be playing regular sets with, maybe, some covers thrown in. It's more of a costume party, with a contest for the most fabulous getup. So, bust out the Aqua Net, make-up and torn shirts. Guys, wear Pleather for her pleasure. Ladies, fishnets are a "shoe"-in. The all-female trio Plush is the standout of the bands on the bill. The three gals are like Violent Femmes meets the Dixie Chicks on an LSD comedown.

Papercranes

With Textual, Summerbirds in the Cellar, the Vera Violets and I Love U

THURSDAY (8/30) 9 p.m. Crowbar, 1812 N 17th St., Ybor City. $5. 18 and older. (813) 241-8600.

Rain Phoenix and her Gainesville band the Papercranes perform music as delicate as their name. Fans of soft rock and chamber pop will enjoy this show. Textual's been around since 2000, a side project of producer multi-instrumentalist David LeBleu that has been evolving as a collaboration with Phoenix. It's understated, too, but more explorative with sounds. Whereas you might hear Papercranes in a SoHo salon, Textual is the band playing at the Web design firm next door. Their touring band includes live percussion, bass, vibes, electric piano, moog and vocals. Summerbirds in the Cellar (from Orlando originally; now headquartered in Athens, Ga.) and I Love U (Winter Haven and Gainesville) are solid openers, the former with its lush, powerful and rhythmically snazzy rock and the latter with a fuzzier, edgier sound

Sal DiTroia Memorial Benefit

Featuring Richard Gilewitz, Radio Reset, Jeff Arthur, Gale Tripplesmith, Ted Wray, Sam Pacetti

TUESDAY (8/28  Skipper's Smokehouse, 910 Skipper Road, Tampa. $10. (813) 971-0666.

Eminent session guitarist Sal DiTroia lent his fingerwork to classics like The Monkees' I'm A Believer, Harry Nilsson's Everybody's Talkin' (At Me), Melanie's Brand New Key and the soundtrack to The Godfather. DiTroia died of heart failure June 22, 2007, before he had a chance to gain recognition for his majestically delicate tunes. DiTroia spent his final years in St. Petersburg to live with and assist his aging parents and helped found the Tampa Bay Fingerstyle Guitar Guild. Along with a heartbreaking loss, the DiTroia family has incurred unexpected expenses. The artists in this showcase, which range from modern pop to folk to jazz, got together to raise money. DiTroia's only solo recording, Lost in the Music, will be for sale, too.

Also playing

Business Casual (soul/funk DJs ) Fri. Kelly's Pub, 206 N. Morgan St,, Tampa. 9:30 p.m. Free. (813) 228-0870.

Ronny Elliott Fri. (8/24) with Roppongi's Ace; the Diviners; Have Gun, Will Travel; Matt Butcher and Frank Ryan. 8 p.m., New World Brewery, Ybor City. $5. (813) 248-4969.

Def Leppard Fri. (8/24) With Styx and Foreigner

7 p.m. Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa. $25-$75. (813) 740-2446.

Adrian Belew Fri. (8/24) 8 p.m. State Theatre, St. Petersburg. $25. (727) 895-3045.

Taylor Hicks Fri. (8/24) 8 p.m. Ruth Eckerd Hall; sold out.

Joe Walsh Sun. (8/26) 8 p.m. Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg. $65-$100. (727) 892-5767.

[Last modified August 24, 2007, 13:40:22]