Concert picks

Harbor Sounds Music Festival

Featuring Rebekah Pulley, Ferengata, Christie Lenee and the Funk Grass Groove, Wildlife Refugees, Four Star Riot.

SATURDAY Noon. Safety Harbor Marina, 110 Veterans Memorial Lane, Safety Harbor. Free. (727) 724-1572, Ext. 313.

Safety Harbor's free shindig includes music from Christie Lenee, who crafts blues, funk, and classic rock songs (sometimes on the fly) for an experience she deems "peacefully energetic." Lenee's extensive study of classical and jazz guitar is readily apparent, as is her dedication to rocking a crowd. Four Star Riot ignores modern music trends in order to play no-nonsense rock full of crisp chords and harmonies. The group has some nice Tom Petty covers, too. And sure, we've told you 76 times already, but go see Rebekah Pulley and enjoy some tunes with a little twang and lots of heart.

Matt Hires CD Release

With Damion Suomi, Nathalia Estrada, Chris Tolan.

WEDNESDAY 9 p.m. New World Brewery, 1313 Eighth Ave. E, Ybor City. $6. (813) 248-4969.

One of Tampa Bay's most promising young talents, Matt Hires offers uplifting acoustic melodies, earnest lyrics and a vocal range reminiscent of the Counting Crows' Adam Duritz. Now signed to an Atlantic Records imprint, Hires releases a new EP recorded live at the Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles this summer. Also on his slate: an opening gig for French pop star Yael Naim, and a performance on John Mayer's party cruise. Opener Damion Suomi brings a style a friend once astutely described as "kind of like Michael Stipe and Billy Bragg having too many beers and playing Woody Guthrie songs."

Bradenton.com Battle of the Bands 2008

Featuring Bootleg, the Human Condition, the Prospect and more.

FRIDAY 6 p.m. and SATURDAY 11 a.m. Manatee Civic Center, 1 Haben Blvd., Palmetto. $5-$8. (941) 748-0411, bradenton.com/botb.

Bradenton has watched a handful of its locally grown artists sprout to prominence this year: American Idol finalist Syesha Mercado, pop-punk band We the Kings, Next Great American Country Star winner One Night Rodeo and Christian rock band Since October. Now the town's promoting its next crop of talent with a battle event featuring almost 30 local and regional artists. Best bet Bootleg brings authentic, party-ready reggae and rock jams, including an upbeat ode to Holmes Beach. Even the local fire marshal knows Bootleg, as the band's been known to overcrowd hometown beach bars. The superb Human Condition offers acoustic rock that's warm, personal and, well, human. The group's radiant melodies and easygoing aura should delight fans of Ben Harper, Matt Costa and Dave Matthews. The Prospect has earned a loyal fan base with stylish licks and emotive energy, a la Taking Back Sunday.

OktoBEERfest

Featuring Tribal Style, Badda Skat, Legacy.

SATURDAY 6 p.m. Dunedin Brewery, 937 Douglas Ave., Dunedin. Free. (727) 736-0606.

Celebrate Oktoberfest in your best Lederhosen to the sounds of sweet, sweet reggae. Wait, go back? Indeed, the Bavarian holiday gets reggae-fied with Tribal Style's modern spin on traditional roots reggae. Under big hair, Badda Skat brims with positivity and good vibes. His dancehall material also contains calls for activism and reform.

Emmanuel Jal

WEDNESDAY 7 p.m. Eckerd College, 4200 54th Ave. S, St. Petersburg. Free. (727) 864-7979.

Drafted by Sudan's rebel army at age 7, hip-hop and afro-beat artist Emmanuel Jal spent the majority of his childhood fighting in his country's gruesome civil war. It wasn't until a British aid worker came to his rescue that he'd find hip-hop as a means to express his horrifying past. On Warchild, he sings, "I lost my father and mother in this battle / my brothers too perished in this struggle / all my life I have been hiding in this jungle."Jal was recognized by mtvU and Source for his efforts, and performed for Nelson Mandela earlier this summer. He'll share his experiences in lecture format on the Eckerd College campus.