Weekend concert picks

With Nessie, Will Quinlan, Baron Von Bear

FRIDAY 9 p.m. Crowbar, 1812 N 17th St.,Ybor City. $7-$10. (813) 241-8600.

Local Americana aces Have Gun, Will Travel release their Casting Shadows Tall as Giants. The swinger Blessing or a Curse starts in with a folksy singalong so good it may push that La Quinta jingle out of your head (finally). Sweet strums of the guitar, banjo, tight rhythms and viola abound, leaving no for time for misfire on this sparkling release.

Kore

FRIDAY 11 p.m. Side Splitters, 12938 N Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa. Free. (813) 960-1197

Tampa's Side Splitters will now offer live music on Fridays after its comedy shows. And Kore, a sweetly harmonic trio, is no joke, rocking the kick-off show with a Pretenders influence.

USF Bullstock VI

Featuring OneRepublic, Fabolous, J. Holiday, Sugarcult, Recycled Percussion

SATURDAY 12 p.m. USF, 4202 E Fowler Ave., Tampa. Free. (813) 974-4906.

USF's student radio station WBUL 1620 AM celebrates 20 years on the air. Headliner OneRepublic is out to prove that minus Timbaland-backed beats, they can still offer something to groove to. J. Holiday's got that suave anthem Bed (but let's hope he saves that for last). Sugarcult is sweet on power-pop and sticky hooks. And Fabolous is often a fave guest-star of hip-hop and R&B artists, perhaps because his mumbly style and easy-going demeanor are good wingman qualities.

Green Light Express

With Uncle John's Band

SATURDAY 6 p.m. Skipper's Smokehouse, 910 Skipper Road, Tampa. $5. (813) 971-0666.

Coffeehouse charmer Channing Deren teams with a full band to form the new Green Light Express. And it may prove to be one of the best local acts to come out this year. Sure, Deren was talented on her own, but Green Light Express adds a screamy guitar electricity and dots it with pretty keys. Breath to Spare drifts from pensive and dreamy to a chorus that's big and hopeful. And under the stars at Skipper's may just be the perfect setting to hear it. Strangely enough, they'll play to what may be a largely unsuspecting audience of Grateful Dead fans there to see Uncle John's Band.

Tony Faline

With DJ Mondo, Jason Perez, Brian Fink

SATURDAY 10 p.m. Green Iguana, 9202 Anderson Road, Tampa. (813) 288-9076.

The return of a John Santoro dance party means all of the lights, sounds and cryogenics of his former digs, the Amphitheater, packed now into the Anderson Road Green Iguana. DJs Mondo and Jason Perez are the series residents, spinning old-school pop and dance. Breakbeat vet Tony Faline will dig back into his crate to play fun Florida breaks, but may throw down some new electro-house tracks. Brian Fink from 93.3 FLZ hosts.

National Record Store Day

Featuring Business Casual, Lance Rowland

SATURDAY 10 a.m. Vinyl Fever, 4110 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. Free. (813) 289-8399

In its 27th year, Vinyl Fever celebrates National Record Store Day. Performers include pleasant popster Lance Rowland and Business Casual, who spin soul, funk and R&B. While independent record stores are a dying breed, Vinyl Fever owner Lee Wolfson says they've stayed alive by "marching to our own drummer" and offering hard-to-find items. An all-day parking lot sale will offer 99-cent CDs, collectibles and special 7-inch singles, produced especially for Record Store Day by R.E.M., the Breeders, Death Cab for Cutie and more.

Jake Shimabukuro

With Futureman

TUESDAY 8 p.m. Skipper's Smokehouse, 910 Skipper Road, Tampa. $12-$15. (813) 971-0666.

Don't let the photo deceive you — Jake Shimabukuro's no giant. He just rocks a ukulele. In fact, some call him the Hendrix or Page of his craft. Shimabukuro caught the attention of Jimmy Buffett and will open a few of his concerts in the coming months.

Panic at the Disco

With Motion City Soundtrack, Phantom Planet, the Hush Sound

TUESDAY 7 p.m. Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen-Booth Road, Clearwater. $35. (727) 791-7400.

Many Panic fans who witnessed their cringe-worthy MTV Music Awards performance in 2006 were left wondering whether the only flair was on the albums. But now, it's evident the group has worked out those live bugs and is putting on one peppy pleaser of a show. Their latest effort adds a Beatles-esque flavor to their usual Vegas glitz (parts were done at Abbey Road Studio in London). And while it's surprising that Ruth Eckerd is the venue, it may just add to the new and improved feel.

Also playing

Music and Motorcycles featuring the Outlaws Sun. 1 p.m. Derby Lane, 10490 Gandy Blvd., St. Petersburg. $15. (727) 812-3339.

All Time Low Sun. With the Rocket Summer, Forever The Sickest Kids, Sonny, the Matches. 6 p.m. Jannus Landing, 16 Second St. N, St. Petersburg. $13. (727) 895-3045.

Earth, Wind & Fire Sun. 7 p.m. Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen-Booth Road, Clearwater. $49-$62.50. (727) 791-7400.

Ministry Wed. With Meshuggah, Hemlock. 6 p.m. Jannus Landing, 16 Second St. N, St. Petersburg. $34. (727) 895-3045.

Red Jumpsuit Apparatus Wed. With Between the Trees. 7 p.m. Orpheum, 1902 Republica de Cuba Ave., Ybor City. $12. (813) 248-9500.

Eisley Fri. With The Myriad. 7 p.m. State Theater, 687 Central Ave., St Petersburg. $10.50. (727) 895-3045.

Steven Curtis Chapman Sat. 9 a.m. Calvary Chapel, 6825 Trouble Creek Road, New Port Richey. (727) 376-7733.

WSJT Smooth Jazz featuring KEM, Jonathan Butler Sat. Coachman Park, 301 Drew Street, Clearwater. $10. (727) 562-4839.

Michale Graves Thurs. 8 p.m. Bourbon Street, 4331 U.S. 19, New Port Richey. $10. (727) 843-0686.

Unmotivated CD release party Fri. 8 p.m. Boomerz, 6990 Seminole Blvd., Seminole. $5. (727) 391-7066.

Auto! Automatic!! Sat. With History, Hatchet Pike & Gun. 9 p.m. New World Brewery, 1313 Eighth Ave. E, Ybor City. $6. (813) 248-4969.