Weekend Sounds: March 8-10

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.

Mike Sales 
Anna Maria Beach Café
Friday - 4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Mike Sales smooth, clear vocals, accompanied only by the rhythm of his electric guitar is best described as “chill”. Performing his tropical arrangements of eclectic best selling cover songs and seamlessly weaving in his own originals...unpretentious, casual and crisp. 

Mike Sales is the singer you’ll want to include in your tranquil island vacation and your playlist when you return home. No cover. 

About the venue:

Anna Maria Beach Cafe: Outside Beachfront cafe serving breakfast, lunch, brunch and dinner. Serves Beer & Wine, live music and also takeout.

Eric Von
Origin Craft Beer & Pizza Café
Friday - 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Country Rock Island Style, Singer songwriter Eric Von is a Nashville recording artist. Born and raised in Cortez, FL., Eric Started playing guitar and writing music at twelve then began performing at fourteen and has been Blessed to continue doing what he loves ever since.

Eric spent three years in Nashville, playing on Broadway, writing and recording his second CD. His song “ I Can't Help But Smile” made it all the way to 64 on the Country Breakout Charts. He just released his third CD this year. It is a five song EP. The video for his title track, “Be Mine for a Little While' can be found on YouTube. Eric now lives in Orlando and plays across the US, but the Gulf Coast will always be home. No cover. 

About the venue:

Origin Craft Beer & Pizza Cafe is neighborhood Cafe located at The Shoppes at UTC. Spirits, local craft beer, baked wings, salads and specialty pizzas! Live Music every weekend 6-9pm.

The Garbage-Men
Birdrock Taco Shack 
Friday - 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

We are a band of five guys from Sarasota, FL who encourage recycling and giving back by playing music on instruments that we make ourselves from garbage and recycled materials.

The band started in March of 2010. After seeing Jack build his first guitar from a recycled cereal box and an old yardstick, Ollie had the idea to make a band that played music exclusively on instruments made from trash. 

We now have five members and have made more than fifteen instruments that we play at our shows. We perform regularly across the country, on the streets, and at festivals and charity events. In addition to many Florida venues, the band has played at CNN, NYC Hall of Science, Times Square, Atlanta's Fox Theater for America's Got Talent, St. Petersburg's State Theatre, Tampa's MOSI, The National Guitar Museum Exhibit, and many others. We have been featured in The Blue Man Group Invent an Instrument, NPR's Science Friday, Time Magazine, Wired, and our PBS Gulf Coast Journal segment won an Emmy. We've been featured in a book called Garbology, written by Edward Humes, and even appear in a Chinese middle school English textbook!

The band recently recorded a CD of some of our originals and unique renditions of hit tunes. We donate proceeds from this CD and our other merchandise to both local and national charities. So far, we have raised over $6000. No cover.

The musicians are:

Ollie Gray: Drums
Jack Berry: Guitar
Harrison Paparatto: Sax, Trombone, and Violin
Evan Tucker: Bass
Austin Siegel: Chromatic Percussion

About the venue:

Located in Bradenton Florida's Village of the Arts,  Birdrock Taco Shack is not your average taco joint, but a unique funky-fun taco spot and live music venue. Owner and chef David Shiplett (who also owns the popular Cottonmouth South Soul Kitchen) doesn't serve up just any tacos. Dave has worked as a Chef in San Francisco, San Diego, Sarasota, and now Bradenton. Dine inside the eclectic artsy shack or outdoors on the porch and back patio. Great food, cool people... and TACOS! 1213 13th Avenue West, Bradenton.

Aaron Kelly
Motorworks Brewing
Saturday - 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Pennsylvania Native Aaron Kelly is a Singer-Songwriter best known for his run as the youngest artist ever to reach the Top 5 on American Idol. No stranger to national stages, he’s performed on the Ellen Show, David Letterman, Wendy Williams, Good Morning America, America’s Most Talented Kids, and worldwide when Aaron performed the National Anthem for the Televised Little League World series Championship Game. Aaron also has had the honor to sing the National Anthem for the President. Those are Just a few of Aaron’s experiences on the world stage including being a household name and appearing in many local and worldwide publications such as People Magazine, J-14 and Tiger Beat, among many other National and Local publications. No cover. 

About the venue:

Venue: BRADENTON’S BEER GARDEN AND TAPROOM - Join us for a lovely afternoon or evening in our famous Beer Garden under a 150-year-old oak tree or enjoy our Taproom that is full of our great beers, wine, spirits, and cocktails.

We strive to fine-tune award-winning craft beer delivered to satisfy anyone’s palate. Our beers and service are performance-driven, the same as the Hudson service center housed in our brewery during the 1940s and 50s.

Based on weather conditions, Live Music may be performed in the Taproom. 

Babyl
Origin Craft Beer & Pizza Café
Saturday - 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Ben Jacobs, BABYL, is a high-energy performer and singer/songwriter from Sarasota, FL. He brings soulful pop sounds with grit in his throaty vocals. Reviving the essence of old-school rock married with soul. No cover. 

The Glass Menagerie
Manatee Perfoming Arts Center
Saturday - 8:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

The classic Tennessee Williams play comes to MPAC this spring!

Ghosts of the past continue to haunt in Williams' seminal play The Glass Menagerie. Amanda Wingfield is a faded remnant of Southern gentility who now lives in a cramped St. Louis apartment with her aimless son, Tom, and her debilitatingly shy daughter, Laura. With their father absent and the Great Depression in motion, the siblings find comfort in their distractions — alcohol, movies and writing for Tom and a collection of glass animals for Laura. When a gentleman caller arrives for dinner, the Wingfield family is flooded with hope. But it’s uncertain if this mysterious visitor will change things for the better or shatter a family’s fragile illusions.

Directed by Lee Gundersheimer, the show is presented with Jill Schroeder as faded Southern belle, Amanda, Haley Hines as the mentally fragile, Laura, Leo Dominique as Tom, who serves as the narrator, and Brendan Flowers portraying Jim, the high school friend of Tom and Laura.

The show runs February 29 to March 10.

Rated PG
Tickets: $27
•Our concession area will offer beverages and light snacks for purchase. Please note that there is a $5 minimum purchase when using a credit card.
•This show is general seating
•Everyone coming to see the show must have a ticket regardless of age
•All ticket sales are final and non-refundable.
•Discounted tickets for Season Subscribers, teachers, students, and active military can be purchased by calling the Box Office.
•The Box Office will open hour prior to the performance.

Performance Dates:
Thursday, February 28, 2024 from 7:30 PM-10:00 PM
Friday, March 1, 2024 from 8:00 PM-10:30 PM
Saturday, March 2, 2024 from 8:00 PM-10:30 PM
Sunday, March 3, 2024 from 2:00 PM-4:30 PM
Wednesday, March 6, 2024 from 7:30 PM-10:00 PM
Thursday, March 7, 2024 from 7:30 PM-10:00 PM
Friday, March 8, 2024 from 8:00 PM-10:30 PM
Saturday, March 9, 2024 from 8:00 PM-10:30 PM
Sunday, March 10, 2024 from 2:00 PM-4:30 PM

The event will be held in Bradenton Kiwanis Theater

Additional Complimentary Parking
401 7th Street West
Bradenton, FL 34205

Ektor Keys
Island Time Bar & Grill
Sunday - 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Ektor Keys is not just your ordinary piano player and singer; he is a captivating artist who weaves a tapestry of emotions through his unique musical arrangements. With his boundless creativity and soulful voice, Ektor takes you on a journey that transcends genres and eras, breathing new life into beloved classics and creating breathtaking interpretations of contemporary hits.

Drawing inspiration from a diverse range of influences, Ektor infuses his performances with a touch of jazz, a hint of blues, and a sprinkle of pop, effortlessly blending them into something truly extraordinary. His fingers dance across the ivory keys, breathing fresh energy into every note and transforming familiar tunes into mesmerizing experiences.

Whether it's a heartfelt ballad, an upbeat pop anthem, or a timeless jazz standard, Ektor Keys masterfully delivers each song with an unmatched passion that leaves audiences spellbound. His voice, rich with emotion, reaches deep into the hearts of listeners, evoking memories, and forging new connections through the power of music. No cover. 

About the venue:

Island Time Bar and Grill is located on Anna Maria Island’s Bridge Street. Situated on the ground floor beneath the Bridge Street Bistro, Island Time Bar & Grill offers an open "no-walls" tropical indoor/outdoor beachside bar setting with welcoming gulf breezes. Their varied menu serves from their upstairs restaurant, Bridge Street Bistro, featuring fresh ingredients, surf-to-turf, and made-from-scratch recipes by chef Jimmy Lopatinski. Full bar, beachy cocktails, specialty, and classic margaritas, and cold beer! 

Marcus Click Quartet
Fogartyville
Sunday - 7:00 p.m. 

As a native of Louisville, Ky., Marcus Click grew up with aspirations of becoming a pro football player, but his goals changed after having committed over 13 years of his young life to the U.S. Navy honorably.

During this time, his love for jazz grew by listening and learning from the late Grover Washington, Jr., David Sanborn and Kirk Whalum, to name a few.

Click says on one account, "I became truly inspired by a phone call from the late saxophonist, George Howard, a conversation I’ll never forget.” Surprisingly, Marcus would find himself with Rebbie Jackson (sister of Jacksons; Janet Jackson) during her show in Las Vegas. He knew his life was being routed towards a musical journey.

During Click’s musical journey, he has received encouragement from famed percussionist, Sheila E. and fellow saxophonists: Nelson Rangell, Najee, his sax mentors: Joe Yorio (Toured with Peabo Bryson), Mel Holder (Grammy & Stellar Award Nominee).

In 2019, Marcus won the AMG’s Instrumentalist of the Year Award. Also, he has released music singles that have climbed the charts. Notably, his single, “Brand New Day”, was produced by International Recording Artist, Jonathan Fritzen. It debuted #1 for the most spins (1st week in rotation) for Billboard Smooth Jazz radio stations. Also, “Together We Stand” charted on SmoothJazz.com Top 50 list and is currently spinning on Sirius XM Radio’s Watercolors and the Music Choice Network.

Marcus Click Quintet | Sunday, March 10, 7 p.m. | Doors open at 6 p.m.

Tickets: $25 members; $30 not-yet-members; $15 students (13+)

Paid for in part by Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax revenues

For more local music listings in Bradenton and throughout the area, check out GoTonight.com or download the GoTonight app.

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