BRADENTON — It's another weekend, and you know what that means. If you guessed another great lineup of local, talented musicians in Manatee, Sarasota, and surrounding counties, you would be correct. Check out The Bradenton Times Weekend Sounds to see what bands you can catch at your favorite venues.
James Albritton
Floridays Woodfire Grill & Bar
Friday - 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
James Albritton serves up the soul sound of the 70s (and more). “People don’t think they know me, but they do,” claims James Albritton. The reasoning behind that, he explains, is that he plays guitar and sings at clubs and in concerts in lots of different configurations, from solo gigs to backing up others (and just to add to the confusion, that may be on guitar or drums), to regularly playing with Andrew Glasgow, Damon Jeffrey Owens and John Hetherington as The Hydramatic (his regular full-band home) and in various duo or trio configurations. So you may have seen him and not realized it was him, he reasons… but offers this helpful hint: “I’m the giant, nerdy-lookin’ dude who sings weird.” No cover.
About the venue:
Floridays - We’re not just seafood and orange groves - we’ve got acres of farmland producing strawberries, tomatoes, okra, green beans and a variety of greens. We have a rich heritage of southern cooking and family gatherings.
Suzanne Lucas
Tamiami Tap
Friday - 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Suzanne Lucas, the extraordinary jazz singer from Brooklyn, NY, captivates audiences with her unparalleled ability to craft each song into a unique masterpiece. In the world of jazz, her spellbinding phrasing and soulful interpretation, weaves stories through her music like no other. Suzanne has been captivating audiences with her unique blend of jazz, blues, and folk since she was a young woman.
The Hot Boyz: Suzanne’s performances are elevated by the mesmerizing accompaniment of “the hot boyz.” Berklee graduate and multi-instrumentalist, Ruffus, is on piano, saxophone, melodica, flute and more. His fingers dance across the keys and instruments, adding depth and dimension to every note. James Vernardo”, an exceptional drummer, grew up playing music in the church, and studied at Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA. Vernardo provides the intrinsic rhythmic foundation, infusing each piece with energy and precision. Jazzy hot boy, Glenn Paladino -- a New Hampshire native -- is a talent on keyboards, and left hand bass. Paladino also sings tenor with a rich and playful upbeat voice, adding his own jazz and pop tunes to the mix. No cover.
About the venue:
Live Music Friday & Saturday Nights
Our mission here at Tamiami Tap is to be the neighborhood entertainment night spot for the whole family right here in Historic Laurel Park in Downtown Sarasota Florida.
Bywater Call
Cottonmouth
Friday - 7:00 p.m.
Bywater Call is a powerhouse seven-piece Southern soul, roots rock band from Toronto, Canada, featuring Meghan Parnell (vocals), Dave Barnes (guitar), Bruce McCarthy (drums), Mike Meusel (bass), John Kervin (keys), Stephen Dyte (trumpet) and Julian Nalli (tenor sax).
Bywater Call has received many blues music award nominations, including most recently, Best International Artist for the 2024 UK Blues Awards. They have toured extensively in Europe where shows have been praised by Dutch, German and UK media, with references to Meghan as one of the best female voices in blues and roots today.
The band’s music is an exploration of life’s highs and lows. From intimate ballads that lay bare the complexities of human emotion to electrifying anthems that demand to be played at full volume, their catalogue is a journey through the human experience, incorporating influences from the likes of The Band, The Wood Brothers, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Otis Redding, Little Feat, Sly and the Family Stone, among others.
Cover $20 AVD; $25 DOS
About the venue:
Cottonmouth - Bradenton Florida’s music venue serving southern soul cuisine and live music on our beautiful patio in the Village of the Arts. Dave Shiplett and crew will to serve you and give you an evening you will long remember with seating inside and outside and art from local artists on display. Cottonmouth is the place to hang and feed your soul.
Hale Law Presents: LANCO
Big Top Brewing
Saturday - 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Brandon Lancaster is well aware there’s an element of fantasy in country music. You can’t turn on country radio without hearing a stream of songs depicting field parties, endless summer nights, and tricked-out trucks. The irony of course is that those things all come with a price—if they’re even attainable at all.
As the front man, singer, and chief songwriter for the multi-platinum-selling band LANCO, Lancaster is focused on something different: reality.
The group’s upcoming EP—arriving later this year via Riser House Records—gives a hearty bear hug to the flesh, blood, victories, and disappointments of everyday life. Produced by GRAMMY Award-Winning Producer, Jay Joyce (Eric Church, Cage The Elephant, Brothers Osborne), the material is about soldiering on against the headwinds of uncertain futures, fluctuating bank accounts, and occasional heartbreak.
Lancaster—along with keyboardist Jared Hampton, bassist Chandler Baldwin, and drummer Tripp Howell—are no strangers to paying lyrical homage to lived experiences and the daily struggle. Lancaster wrote about an authentic relationship—from its birth to its breakup and rekindling—in 2017’s “Greatest Love Story,” a song that gave LANCO a multi-week Number One country radio hit and resonated with fans across all genres. When they released their debut album Hallelujah Nights the following year, they found themselves atop the Billboard Country Albums Chart, making them the first country band in a decade to have their first album debut at No. 1. The platinum single “Born to Love You” came next and Lancaster & Company—the long form of the group’s name—were on an undeniable roll.
Their upcoming EP arrives as a follow up to their self-produced 2021 EP “Honky-Tonk Hippies,” recorded at Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Like that EP and 2018’s Hallelujah Nights before that, their new music captures the band at a specific moment in time: seasoned but no less ambitious, musically evolved but still LANCO.
Cover $20; For tickets, click here.
About the venue:
Big Top Brewing Company is a Sarasota-based production brewery. A complement to Sarasota’s historical association with The Ringling Circus and the performing arts, Big Top has set out to create great beer worthy of the history and culture that is Sarasota. Featuring brewing, tasting, and live music from some of the area’s best performers. A spacious outdoor venue with an expansive beer garden, porch bar, and food truck. 975 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota.
Undercover Rasta
Gulf Drive and Kokonut Hut
Saturday - 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Undercover Rasta composes and performs a rich mixture of soul, funk, pop and rock that is mostly rooted in Reggae that sometimes have the sensibility of Lovers Rock; the edgy rawness of Punk; the smooth feel of Latin Jazz; the joy and happiness of Funk; and the thoughtfulness of Roots & Culture. No cover.
About the venue:
The Gulf Drive Café was established in 1981 and has been a staple on Anna Maria Island for locals and tourists ever since. The current owners, George & Wendy Kokolis, purchased the historic property in 1987. The Kokolis’ extensive experience in the restaurant industry has expanded over 45 years. After celebrating over 20 years as owners, they decided to renovate and expand the Café into a bar, The Kokonut Hut and event space, The Sunset by Gulf Drive Café.
The property sits on 2 acres of waterfront on the Gulf of Mexico and has many offerings for guests to enjoy. It includes delicious meals, impeccable service, cold cocktails, and live entertainment.
Bassel & The Supernaturals
Fogartyville
Saturday - 8:00 p.m.
Syrian Heart. Midwest Soul.
Bassel & The Supernaturals tells the story of Bassel Almadani’s experience as a first generation Syrian-American using soulful melodies, funk inspired rhythms, and captivating lyrics regarding love, loss, otherness, and the war in Syria. They made their national television debut in May 2024 as part of a new PBS docuseries starring Dule Hill entitled The Express Way, regarding the transformative power of the arts. Echoing Stevie Wonder’s rhythm and blues, Jamiroquai’s social justice centered lyricism over jazz-infused funk, and Steely Dan’s seamless amalgam of American music, Bassel & The Supernaturals evoke joy and thoughtfulness in diverse audiences throughout hundreds of cities across North America.
In addition to performing in major festivals, performance halls, concert series, and clubs, the group works closely with organizations on events and residencies that build awareness and empathy for Syrian refugees and immigrants. Deeply inspired by Otis Redding, Bassel uses the stage as a vehicle to unite his listeners and share the story of his cultural duality. A substantial portion of their proceeds benefit the Karam Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on building a better future for Syria.
Bassel & The Supernaturals | Saturday, March 15, 8 p.m. | Doors open at 7 p.m.
Tickets: $20 members; $25 not-yet-members; $12 students (13+)
For tickets, click here.
About the venue:
Fogartyville is a special gathering place for those who truly appreciate music and community. Nothing draws people together like a shared musical experience, and the listening room atmosphere at Fogartyville enables people to fully appreciate that experience.
Sara Nelms
Fiorelli Winery & Vineyard
Sunday - 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sara Nelms is an Americana singer-songwriter based in Sarasota, FL. Nelms' sound combines the control and melodic power of her classical training, melancholy of lost loves, the southern stylings from a lifetime love affair with country music, and the grit and truth found in her former home in New York City. Nelms performs throughout the Sarasota and Bradenton areas. No cover.
About the venue:
Fiorelli winery was started with humble beginnings in 1998, now more than 20 years later we are happy to continue sharing our love of wine with our guests who we consider a part of our family!
Aside from making wine, we offer wine tastings as well as private tours. We also host a wide range of private events such as weddings, birthday parties, corporate gatherings and so much more. If you can dream it, we can host it.
The Sound of Music
MPAC
Sunday - 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
THE SOUND OF MUSIC
MARCH 6-16
Family Musical Romance
One of the most beloved musicals of all time! In Austria, 1938, an exuberant young governess brings music and joy back to a broken family, only to face danger and intrigue as the Nazis gain power. Using patience, kindness, and The Sound of Music, she ultimately wins the hearts of both the children and their father, but the family must soon make the unthinkable choice and flee their homeland.
Appropriate for all audiences
$32-$40
Bryan Spainhower
Bavaros SRQ
Sunday - 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Bryan Spainhower is a world-renowned guitarist and musician, known for his exceptional skill and passion for world music. Born and raised in the United States, Bryan was first introduced to music as a child, learning to play the guitar at an early age.
Over the years, Bryan has traveled extensively, immersing himself in the musical traditions of cultures from around the world. From the flamenco rhythms of Spain to the intricate melodies of India, the percussive beats of Africa to the haunting ballads of the Middle East and the dancing rhythms of Cuba, Bryan has studied and mastered an incredible array of musical styles.
Today, Bryan is recognized as one of the world’s leading experts in world music guitar. His performances are renowned for their virtuosity, complexity, and emotional depth, drawing on a lifetime of musical experience and a deep appreciation for the rich cultural traditions that inspire his art. No cover.
About the venue:
Out of passion, tradition, hard work and integrity, Bavaro’s opened its doors in March 2009 as the first traditional Neapolitan Pizzeria in the state of Florida. Determined to share their family recipes with the world, Dan Bavaro, his wife Anna-Maria, and their five beautiful children packed their U-Haul, left their friends and family, drove from New Jersey to Tampa, and set out to provide for others the same love, energy, and authenticity that they experience around their own dinner table.
For more local music listings in Bradenton and throughout the area, check out GoTonight.com or download the GoTonight app.
Artists and local venues, you can now sign up and input your own calendar info directly into the Bradenton Times website. Click here to learn more.
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