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This week's best concerts: Metallica, Warped Tour, Chicago, Rick Ross and more

 
Metallica is performing at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Wednesday, July 5.
Metallica is performing at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Wednesday, July 5.
Published June 29, 2017

When it comes to the biggest bands of the last 40 years, Metallica is up there with U2 — so it's fitting they're both spending their summers on outsized stadium tours. Metallica's architecturally monumental stage is a suitable setting for the sprawling, epic riffs of their latest album Hardwired … to Self Destruct, not to mention the muscle of classic songs like Master of Puppets, Enter Sandman and Sad But True. Considering they haven't been to Tampa since 2009, you'd better hit the road to catch them at Orlando's Camping World Stadium, 1 Citrus Bowl Place. Avenged Sevenfold and Volbeat open at 6 p.m. Wednesday. $55.50 and up. (407) 440-7900. campingworldstadium.com.

The shirtless and inked-up masses will once again descend upon St. Petersburg's Vinoy Park on Saturday to mosh and thrash to dozens of bands across seven stages at the Vans Warped Tour. It's a rite of passage here; the value is more in the experience than the music. But there are a few acts not to miss:

The schlock-spewing aliens have forged on since the 2014 death of founding frontman Dave Brockie, a.k.a. Oderus Urungus. This is their first trip back to Tampa Bay, a longtime haunt, since then.

Continuing the heavy overtones of this year's Warped lineup are these Richmond, Va., thrashers, who, fun fact, created a beer with Cigar City Brewing called Divine Blasphemer.

If American politics has you down, these agit-punk legends will probably have something to say about it.

Raucous Southern metal without all the darkness, like Motorhead meets Andrew W.K. with a splash of Eagles of Death Metal thrown in.

The Warped Tour has long outgrown its pop-punk roots, but the Ataris will bring a few fast 'n' melodic riffs.

More acts include Andy Black, Bowling for Soup, American Authors, Never Shout Never, Memphis May Fire, the Acacia Strain, Hawthorne Heights, Beartooth, Dance Gavin Dance, Save Ferris, Neck Deep, Blessthefall, Hatebreed, Carnifex, Emmure, Sick of It All and Strung Out. Gates open at 11 a.m. Set times are unveiled the day of the show. $39.50 and up. vanswarpedtour.com.

When you think of the rockin'est bands of the '70s, Chicago and the Doobie Brothers, above, don't always come to mind. True, no one's banging their head to Black Water or If You Leave Me Now. But if you can hear 25 or 6 to 4, Jesus Is Just Alright or China Grove without shredding a little air guitar, you've got problems. Chicago, especially, has had a little more pep in their step since getting into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year. If they team up with the Doobies for a show-closing collaboration, like they did with Earth, Wind and Fire last year in Tampa, watch out. 7:15 p.m. Thursday. MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, 4802 U.S. 301 N. Remaining tickets start at $17 and up. (813) 740-2446. livenation.com.

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If you're willing to take a leap of faith on tickets, you could be looking at a heck of a weekend of hip-hop in Tampa Bay. But make no mistake, no matter how you feel about Rick Ross and Chief Keef, that caveat is necessary. First, on Friday, you have Rick Ross, top, in concert at Green Gators Bar and Grill, 9202 Anderson Road in Tampa. Far be it from us to question the character of Mr. Rozay, but these far-flung club shows don't always go off as advertised. Assuming he shows, expect him to take the stage way, way after the posted 9 p.m. start. $40 and up at eventbrite.com. Then on Saturday it's Chief Keef, below, a rapper whose checkered legal history (drugs, guns, violence, all that jazz) led to a pair of canceled Tampa Bay concerts in 2013. The arrests haven't stopped in 2017 — he was most recently nabbed at a South Dakota airport and charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernelia — so every show with his name on the marquee is always a gamble. If you're feeling lucky, tickets are $31 and up. 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Jannus Live, 200 First St. S, St. Petersburg. (727) 565-0550. jannuslive.com.

You're not in the Upside Down. That really is Joe Keery, aka smug flop-top Steve from Stranger Things, playing guitar for the psych-rock outfit Post Animal, who play New World Brewery on Friday. Like Stranger Things itself, the Chicago group loves a good synthesizer; their trippy yet danceable songs have been compared to Tame Impala and Beach Fossils. If all you want is an up-close look at the Stranger Things dude, save your money for Tampa Bay Comic Con; Keery will be there at the end of July. If you want to let some freaky-deaky sounds unpeel your brain banana, check out Post Animal. 8 p.m. 1313 E Eighth Ave., Ybor City. Luxury Mane and FayRoy open. $7 and up. (813) 248-4969. newworldbrewery.net.

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