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Weekend music picks: Nile Rodgers and Chic, Noname, Raffi and more

Plus get the details on concerts by City Girls, Greensky Bluegrass, Leonid and Friends, Polyenso and more.
 
Photo by Jill Furmanovsky
Nile Rodgers and Chic will perform at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg on Jan. 18, 2019. Photo: Jill Furmanovsky
Photo by Jill Furmanovsky Nile Rodgers and Chic will perform at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg on Jan. 18, 2019. Photo: Jill Furmanovsky
Published Jan. 16, 2019

FREAK OUT: Nile Rodgers and Chic

Nile Rodgers wants to be clear: Anyone who comes to a Chic show, no matter their age, is going to have a good time. "Next to Beyoncé, we were the talk of Coachella — and honestly, I really do say that with complete humility," the disco-funk guitarist and legendary pop producer said by phone recently. "When you come and see a Chic show, I guarantee you there is not one song you do not know." It isn't just Chic songs like Good Times and Le Freak, either — these shows feature hits from Rodgers' extensive production and songwriting career, such as David Bowie's Let's Dance, Daft Punk's Get Lucky, Diana Ross' I'm Coming Out and Madonna's Like a Virgin. Freak out to them all at 8 p.m. Friday at the Mahaffey Theater, 400 First St. S, St. Petersburg. $49.50 and up. (727) 893-7832. themahaffey.com.

INTERVIEW: Before Chic plays St. Petersburg, Nile Rodgers talks David Bowie, Queen, his songwriting legacy and more

WHO'S THAT GIRL? Noname

If you want your name to be Noname, you might not want to release one of the best albums of the year. That's what 27-year-old Chicago poet and rapper Fatimah Warner did last year with her debut LP Room 25, and now her name (or lack thereof) is on everyone's lips. After rising to prominence through collaborations with Chance the Rapper (with whom she once performed on Saturday Night Live), she turned her confessional lyrics and thoughtful delivery into an electric blend of soul, jazz, hip-hop and spoken word. From here there will be temptation to label her the next Jill Scott, but she might actually be the next Chance. Elton Aura opens. 7:30 p.m. Friday. Ritz Ybor, 1503 E Seventh Ave., Ybor City. $25.50 and up. (813) 390-0397. ritzybor.com.

GREENER 'GRASS:

Greensky Bluegrass

For a band that has been part of the jam scene for nearly two decades, collaborating with Grateful Dead's Phil Lesh and Bill Kreutzman in the process, it's surprising Greensky Bluegrass is still garnering new fans. It might be that their folksy spin on bluegrass and Americana feels more akin to the brothers Punch or Avett than Phish or the Dead. On Friday they'll drop their seventh album, All For Money, and follow that with a concert at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Jannus Live, 200 First Ave. N, St. Petersburg. Cris Jacobs Band opens. $22.50 and up. (727) 565-0550. jannuslive.com.

KID ROCK: RaffI

Some singers only need one name. Prince. Cher. Madonna. Raffi. Yeah, we'd put the 70-year-old Canadian children's musician in those same ranks. Over more than 40 years, he has released dozens of beloved albums, books and songs, including kid-folk standards Baby Beluga, Bananaphone and Down by the Bay. And he kept educating his lifelong fans, which he calls "Beluga Grads," through advocacy on climate change and children's rights. It's the rare concert that three generations of listeners can attend and enjoy on a weekend afternoon. 1 p.m. Saturday. 711 N Franklin St., Tampa. $38.25 and up. (813) 274-8286. tampatheatre.org.

PUPPIN' FRESH: Polyenso

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We are — for a few more weeks, at least, until the Chinese new year on Feb. 5 — in the Year of the Dog, according to the Chinese zodiac. So Polyenso squeezed its latest EP just in under the wire. The four-track Year of the Dog is the St. Petersburg alternative trio's first release since 2016's excellent Pure in the Plastic, and it's another lush, shimmering collection of synth-rock reminiscent of Radiohead. They'll kick off a short tour with an EP release show at 8 p.m. Friday at the Attic, 1510 E Eighth Ave., Ybor City. Fr33dback and Millennium Youth open. $12 and up. (813) 241-0110. facebook.com/theatticyborcity.

IT'LL MAKE YOU SMILE: Leonid and Friends

Ask a discerning Chicago fan to name that group's best tribute act, and a lot of them might say Leonid and Friends. Which is impressive, considering the 11-piece outfit hails from Moscow, Russia — and didn't even exist five years ago. But the group's note-perfect covers of Chicago's intricate musicianship have yielded several viral videos, leading to their first North American tour. Listen to Leonid Vorobyev and company's covers of 25 or 6 to 4 or Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is, and you might be impressed enough to check them out. 8 p.m. Tuesday. Capitol Theatre, 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater. $35 and up. (727) 791-7400. atthecap.com.

ARE YOU RIDING? City Girls

The identity of the lady known as "Kiki"/"K.B." that Drake pined for in last summer's smash in In My Feelings is still up for debate. Not so much for the song's "Resha" and "J.T." — that's Caresha "Young Miami" Brownlee and Jatavia "J.T." Johnson, a.k.a. Miami rap duo City Girls. The Quality Control signees broke big as the two bad girls "kissing in the Wraith," and are poised to step further out on their own in 2019. Step out with them at a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day party at 7 p.m. Monday at Jannus Live, 200 First Ave. N, St. Petersburg. Glokk Nine also performs. $25 and up. (727) 565-0550. jannuslive.com.