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Fall concert preview: Taylor Swift, Janet Jackson, Luke Bryan and more

 
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift
Published Sept. 9, 2015

The biggest concert of 2015? That's a no-brainer: Taylor Swift on Halloween night at Raymond James Stadium. Hands down.

The better question is, who will Swift bring out as her surprise guest in Tampa? Already on her 1989 Tour, she has hauled dozens of celebrities on stage for cameos, including Justin Timberlake, Lorde, the Weeknd, Julia Roberts and the U.S. women's national soccer team. What will be Taylor's magical musical moment in Tampa? Considering it's the final North American stop on the tour, she's gotta bring an A-lister, right? Could you imagine if she flew out Kanye West? COULD YOU EVEN!?

Sorry, we lost it there for a second. We're just a little starved for a big-time concert, is all. After a relatively slow summer, there's finally a glut of great music on its way to Tampa, starting with Ed Sheeran, Van Halen, Kelly Clarkson and 5 Seconds of Summer this week.

Swift may be in her own orbit, but we've got 20 more blank spaces on our fall concert calendar. Here are the best shows coming to venues of all sizes — arenas, theaters, clubs and festivals — this fall.

Only one artist this fall is playing a stadium (we see you, T. Swifties), but others will fill local arenas and amphitheaters.

Luke Bryan Sept. 18, MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre: Country's king of keggers swears he's growing up; this year he ended his raucous "Spring Break" album and concert series. But he can't Kill the Lights at what'll be one of the year's rowdiest tailgates. Randy Houser and Dustin Lynch open the show. Pray for a few spare seats at livenation.com.

Janet Jackson Sept. 24, Amalie Arena: In a world dominated by Taylor and Beyoncé, are we ready for a Janet Jackson comeback? Expect to hear some songs from her forthcoming album Unbreakable, but otherwise, it'll be a night devoted to her entire, chart-topping catalog. $46.25 and up. amaliearena.com.

Zedd Oct. 17, USF Sun Dome: Fall's biggest EDM headliner is one of the few DJs capable of playing arenas. The Russian-born Zedd is a maestro of Top 40 pop (Spectrum, Clarity, Stay the Night), and his ambitious light shows are a wonder to behold. Dillon Francis and Alex Metric join him at the Sun Dome. $32.75 and up. sundomearena.com.

Legends of the Old School Dec. 4, USF Sun Dome: Babies of the '80s and '90s, say hello to your adolescence. Salt-N-Pepa, Vanilla Ice, Naughty by Nature, Color Me Badd, 2 Live Crew and K7 and TKA will bring a full night of old-school pop and hip-hop hits. See, now, kids, THIS is music. $35 and up. sundomearena.com.

The Weeknd Dec. 17, USF Sun Dome: The Weeknd's emergence as a full-on pop star comes in stark contrast to his past as a shadowy, mysterious R&B auteur. But you can't argue with the smash success of 2015 singles Earned It, Can't Feel My Face and The Hills. He'll be joined by Travi$ Scott and Halsey in Tampa. $36.25 and up. amaliearena.com.

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Also check out: Super Freestyle Explosion (Sept. 19, Amalie Arena), Brad Paisley (Oct. 2, MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre), Steve Aoki (Oct. 3, Tropicana Field), USF Homecoming After Party with Big Sean (Oct. 9, USF Sun Dome), Jason Aldean (Oct. 23, MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre), H.I.T. History in Tampa Music Festival with Nas, Fabolous, Tink and more (Nov. 7, USF Sun Dome), Mary J. Blige (Nov. 8, USF Sun Dome), Zac Brown Band (Nov. 13, MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre), Trans-Siberian Orchestra (Dec. 13, Amalie Arena).

Show some class, people. Tug on some slacks and a spritz of Stetson, and take a seat in one of Tampa Bay's fine concert halls for one of these stately shows.

Billy Idol Sept. 24, Ruth Eckerd Hall: Even approaching his 60th birthday, Billy Idol remains one of punk's greatest showmen, howling classics like White Wedding, Dancing With Myself and Rebel Yell with the smoldering sneer of a much younger man. The London Souls open the show. $53.25 and up. rutheckerdhall.com.

Jennifer Nettles Oct. 24, Ruth Eckerd Hall: With Sugarland on hiatus, singer Jennifer Nettles presses on with her powerful pipes and burgeoning solo career. She'll drop a new album early next year, and if it's anything like 2014's That Girl, it will showcase her ability to slide from country to folksy pop with ease. Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Brandy Clark opens the show. $43.75 and up. rutheckerdhall.com.

Chris Cornell Oct. 30, Mahaffey Theater: A couple of years after canceling a concert at the Mahaffey due to illness, the Soundgarden singer will finally unleash his mighty wail in St. Petersburg, touring solo with his extensive catalog of solo, Soundgarden, Audioslave and Temple of the Dog hits. It's mostly sold out, though limited tickets may become available at the Mahaffey box office. themahaffey.com.

Brian Wilson Nov. 17, Mahaffey Theater: Nearly 50 years after Pet Sounds, the Beach Boys' visionary songwriter is not only touring the country, he's having kind of a moment. This year, he released a new album (No Pier Pressure) and was the subject of an acclaimed biopic (Love & Mercy). $49.50 and up. themahaffey.com.

Joe Bonamassa Dec. 4-5, Ruth Eckerd Hall: He's not a household name, but Joe Bonamassa is one of the most bankable bluesmen in America today, with an empire of guitar nerds tracking his every move. The last time he played two nights at Ruth Eckerd Hall, both shows sold out. Expect more of the same this time around — even though tickets are a pricey $92.75 and up. rutheckerdhall.com.

Also check out: Ani DiFranco (Oct. 7, Capitol Theatre), UB40 (Oct. 23, Mahaffey Theater), Cheap Trick (Oct. 23, Capitol Theatre), Mark Knopfler (Oct. 30, Capitol Theatre), Chaka Khan (Nov. 13, Mahaffey Theater), Katharine McPhee (Nov. 21, Capitol Theatre), Mavis Staples and Joan Osborne (Nov. 22, Capitol Theatre), Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox (Nov. 27, Straz Center), Matisyahu (Dec. 17, Straz Center), Michael McDonald (Dec. 20, Capitol Theatre).

... only small venues. But while the club scene struggled this summer, fall's calendar is jam-packed with rising indie rock and hip-hop acts.

Death Grips Oct. 8, State Theatre: Are they punk? Are they hip-hop? Are they simply all hype? We may never know, because Death Grips seem determined to exist in a state of countercultural mystery, letting their thrashy, noisy cacophony of rage speak for them. $20-$22. statetheatreconcerts.com.

Ghost Oct. 11, Ritz Ybor: Few metal bands do theatricality as well as Sweden's Ghost, whose masked and anonymous members are fronted by a skeletal popelike figure dubbed Papa Emeritus III. Take their satanic proselytizing with a grain of salt, and just go bang your head to some of the heaviest riffs you'll hear all year. $25.10 and up. theritzybor.com.

Chvrches Oct. 31, Jannus Live: A concert by hot Scottish indie-electro trio Chvrches on Halloween night? We'd be all over that ... if not for Taylor Swift that same night across the bay. Curse you, Taylor! Still, there's already a lot of buzz about Chvrches' sophomore album Every Open Eye, due later this month. Could this secretly be the area's REAL top Halloween party? $23. jannuslive.com.

Chance the Rapper Nov. 5, Jannus Live: Here's the top hip-hop show of the fall. Chance the Rapper performs with a full band and the volcanic energy of James Brown, and he's coming off one of the year's best albums, Surf, an uplifting tour de force featuring cameos by J. Cole, Big Sean and Janelle Monae. $32.50 and up. jannuslive.com.

Mac Miller Dec. 1, Ritz Ybor: Pittsburgh rapper Mac Miller, 23, is such a cult hero, he has already played arenas in his brief career. But he'll play a much more intimate venue in Tampa in support of his major-label debut album GO:OD AM, due next week. $32. theritzyborcom.

Also check out: Thee Oh Sees (Sept. 18, Crowbar), Dr. Dog (Sept. 28, State Theatre), Jose Gonzalez (Sept. 29, State Theatre), Clutch (Oct. 4, Jannus Live), Toro y Moi (Oct. 9, State Theatre), Mountain Goats (Oct. 10, Orpheum), Drive-By Truckers (Oct. 11, State Theatre), Insane Clown Posse (Oct. 12, Orpheum), Vintage Trouble (Oct. 13, State Theatre), Iration (Oct. 16-17, Jannus Live), Warren Haynes (Oct. 23, Jannus Live), Joey Bada$$ (Oct. 24, Orpheum), Gang of Four (Oct. 28, State Theatre), Public Image Ltd. (Nov. 6, State Theatre), Cedric Gervais (Nov. 28, Amphitheatre), SOJA (Dec. 31, Jannus Live).

Some music festivals are gigantic outdoor affairs; others let you hop from club to club as if this was Austin, Texas. Either way, don't miss these fests.

Plan B Block Party Sept. 26, Ybor City: In its third year, this multivenue festival has become a fun, if sprawling, night of local music. This year brings Plan B's biggest headliner yet: DJ-producer RJD2, best known for composing the theme to Mad Men. Joining him are some Ybor City favorites (Hank & Cupcakes, Sunbears!) and a ton of great locals (Have Gun, Will Travel; Set and Setting; GreyMarket; and many more). $20-$25. facebook.com/brokenmold.

Clearwater Jazz Holiday Oct. 15-18, Coachman Park: There's still jazz to be found at the 36th annual Clearwater Jazz Holiday — just not at the top of the bill. This year's headliners mostly hail from the worlds of pop and rock: Sheryl Crow, the Avett Brothers,Buddy Guy, Gladys Knight, the O'Jays, Big Sam's Funky Nation and more. $15 and up per day, with various package deals available. clearwaterjazz.com.

Big Pre-Fest in Little Ybor Oct. 28-29, Ybor City: For the third time, Gainesville's Fest expands into Ybor City with dozens of punk and metal bands spread across multiple venues, including mewithoutYou; Into It. Over It.; Lagwagon; Mustard Plug; and Desaparecidos, led by Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst. Two-day passes start at $60, though in years past, individual venue tickets have been available at the door. thefestfl.com.

Ribfest Nov. 13-15, Vinoy Park: Ribfest returns for another round of lip-smacking barbecue, classic rock and country. Acts include Ratt's Stephen Pearcy (plus a still-secret headliner) on Friday; Three Dog Night, America and .38 Special on Saturday; and young country bucks Kip Moore, Chase Rice, Michael Ray and the Cadillac Three on Sunday. $16-$20. ribfest.org.

97X Next Big Thing Dec. 5, MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre: The annual alt-rock extravaganza this year moves back to Tampa from St. Petersburg's Vinoy Park, but so far, that doesn't seem to be a problem. After announcing headliners Twenty One Pilots, Walk the Moon and Of Monsters and Men, 97X tweeted that first-day ticket sales were "record-breaking." $30 and up. 97xonline.com.

Also check out: Maxima Concierto de la Herencia Hispana (Oct. 11, Coachman Park), Chillin' Music Fest (Oct. 17, Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park), 95.7 Beats By the Bay (Oct. 24, Vinoy Park), River Rock Craft Beer and Music Festival (Nov. 7, Water Works Park), 93.3-FLZ Jingle Ball, date and location TBA.