Don’t Stop St. Petersburg Music and Arts Festival
If you’ve always wanted to get into the local arts scene but didn’t know where to find it, or whether you would like it once you did, this weekend is the perfect chance to get out of the mainstream and take a dip in the local puddle.
This Saturday at 1 p.m., the 600 block of downtown St. Petersburg will close to cars for a massive street festival sponsored by Sweet Water Brewing Co. The event includes an art walk, fashion show, street vendors and ton of musicians, both local and visiting. Stop by and sample any style of music (or beer) that strikes your fancy. Tickets are $15.50 and can be purchased online or in person from Daddy Kool Records. Visit dontstopstpete.com for more information.
The Crow’s Nest recommends:
Tides of Man
Listen on last.fm
Self-described instrumental indie rock, Tides of Man is a structured jam band with a progressive flourish. Their music used to include vocals, but when former lead singer Tillian Pearson left to try out for Saosin, they never bothered to replace him. Instead, they have allowed the instrumentation to come alive — imagine the progressive splendor of Coheed and Cambria without all the high-frequency shrieking. – Ryan Ballogg
Polyenso
Listen on Bandcamp
Once known as post-hardcore outfit Oceana, the band mates found their tastes changing and decided to take their musical journey down a different path. They now play a brand of smooth and soulful indie rock, with offbeat Radiohead-esque rhythms, double guitar and a touch of jazzy trumpet. Their edge still shows up in the experimental side of their music — especially the mid-song percussive breakdowns. – Ryan Ballogg
Kersey Williams
Listen on Soundcloud
Williams’ ukulele-laden folk songs are serene and tinged with magic. This is definitely the performance to see if you like singer-songwriters and creative acoustic instrumentation. — Ryan Ballogg
Black Taxi
Listen on last.fm
This NYC four-piece is equal parts electronic/synthesized and folksy/acoustic, producing a sound dubbed “grit-pop” and “dance-punk.” Think jangly and quirky like Talking Heads or OK Go, and groovy and smooth like The Strokes. Black Taxi embellishes straightforward rock instrumentals with glockenspiel, trumpet, keys and synths to deliver funky, danceable tunes —Tyler Killette
SWIMM
Listen on Bandcamp
Florida’s own shoegazey dance rock two-piece SWIMM blends elements of gritty rock’n’roll and psychedelia delivering dreamy, floating tracks. —Tyler Killette
Goodnight Neverland
Listen on Facebook
This alt rock three-piece has been frequenting bay area stages for more than 10 years — and its members have yet to surpass their early 20s. With lyrics seeped in resolute thoughtfulness, the band’s serene rhythms and guitar blend to create an atmospheric sound that is heartbreaking yet enigmatic. — Meaghan Habuda
Mountain Holler
Listen on Bandcamp
Through Mark Etherington’s grizzly ginger beard chime buttery “ooohs,” “ahhhs” and “ohhh-oh-oh-ohs” capable of covering an entire audience in pronounced goosebumps. The St. Petersburg local’s acoustic set — habitually played barefoot — is earthy, whimsical and utterly haunting. Be sure to catch Etherington fronting psychedelic folk band Red Feather as well. —Tyler Killette
Set times and stages:
THE 600 BLOCK MAIN STAGE
5:00-5:45 p.m.: Red Feather
6:15-7:00 p.m.: Tides of Man
7:30-8:15 p.m.: FASHION SHOW
8:30-9:15 p.m.: Polyenso
9:45-11:00 p.m.: Black Taxi
VIBE STAGE (2nd Outdoor Stage):
4:30-5:00 p.m.: Glass Bottom Boat
5:45-6:15 p.m.: Kersey Williams
7:00-7:30 p.m.: Paint the Town Red
8:00-8:30 p.m.: Jun Bustamante
9:15-9:45 p.m.: Connor Zwetsch
THE STATE THEATRE:
6:00-6:45 p.m.: Talk to Mark
7:00-7:45 p.m.: Sons of Hippies
8:15-9:00 p.m.: Cusses
9:00-10:00 p.m.: Amerigo Gazaway (of Gummy Soul)
10:30-11:45 p.m.: Murder By Death
THE LOCAL 662:
3:00-3:30 p.m.: Carlisle
4:00-4:30 p.m.: The Real Clash
4:45-5:15 p.m.: Ajeva
5:45-6:15 p.m.: Tidal Wave
6:45-7:15 p.m.: Oliver & Company
7:45-8:15 p.m.: Goodnight Neverland
8:30-9:00 p.m.: Variance
9:15-9:45 p.m.: Dropin Pickup
10:00-10:45 p.m.: Easter Island
11:00-11:45 p.m.: Levek
12:00-12:45 a.m.: SWIMM
1:00-2:30 a.m..: Displace
FUBAR:
1:00-1:30 p.m.: Mountain Holler
1:45-2:15 p.m.: Chase L Christeson
2:30-3:00 p.m.: Granata
3:15-3:45 p.m.: Hunter Gatherer
4:00-4:30 p.m.: Young Egypt
4:45-5:15 p.m.: Euglossine
5:30-6:30 p.m.: MSNRA
6:45-7:15 p.m.: Bolt Action Punk ft. mem. of The Holy Mountain
7:30-8:00 p.m.: I’m An Intestine
8:15-8:45 p.m.: Memphibians
9:00-9:30 p.m.: Kid Aids
9:45-10:15 p.m.: Repo Man
10:30-11:00 p.m..: Ex-Breathers
11:15-11:45 p.m.: Primate Research
12:00-12:30 a.m.: JSC
12:45-1:15 a.m.: Sonic Graffiti
1:30-2:00 a.m.: Slade and the Wasters
SAKE BOMB:
6:30-7:00 p.m.: Broke Bones
7:30-8:00 p.m.: Archaic Interest
8:30-9:00 p.m.: Article 47
9:30-10:00 p.m.: The Patients
10:30-11:00 p.m.: Hail Dale
11:30-12:00 a.m.: Rebel
12:30-1:15 a.m.: War Generation
EMERALD STAGE:
6:00-6:30 p.m.: Rexxx Palor
7:00-7:30 p.m.: A Gentlemen Army
8-8:30 p.m.: Cave of Swimmers
9-9:30 p.m.: Just Satellites
10-10:30 p.m.: Cryptics
11-12:00 a.m.: Stolen Idols
12:30-1:00 a.m.: The Pretty Voices
THE BENDS:
6:00-6:30 p.m.: Lonly Monster
6:45-7:15 p.m.: Los Demolirs
7:30-8:00 p.m.: The Cost!
8:15-8:45 p.m.: Las Tias
9-9:30 p.m.: The Gun Hoes
10-11 p.m.: The Disasternauts
EVERYTHING DOLCE:
5:00-5:30 p.m.: Madame Albatross
6:00-6:30 p.m.: Matthew Fowler
7:00-7:30 p.m.: Caleb Hyers Band
8:00-8:30 p.m.: Friends of Giants
9:00-9:45 p.m.: Lyonia
10:15-11:00 p.m.: Sidereal
11:15pm-12:00 a.m.: Oceanstone
