Ramsey Lewis concert moved to St. Petersburg's Palladium

   If you have tickets to the the upcoming concert featuring jazz great Ramsey Lewis and R&B great Philip Bailey, you're going to have to drive a few blocks farther than you planned.

Ramsey Lewis

   The Feb. 24 shows was supposed to be at St. Petersburg's Mahaffey Theater, but it's been moved to the Palladium.

   The Palladium's a great venue, older and much more intimate than the Mahaffey. It's at 253 Fifth Ave. N.

   Bailey, who's best known as the lead singer from Earth, Wind & Fire, will perform with Ramsey Lewis and His Electric Band. They'll be doing some Earth, Wind & Fire stuff, and the band will no doubt offer "The In Crowd" and other classic Lewis instrumentals.
   Tickets run $49.50-$69.50. Call 727-893-7832 or go to themahaffey.com for tickets. (Student tickets are available for $35 at the door only, with a valid student ID.) If you want to know more about the Palladium, go to mypalladium.org.

St. Petersburg's Mahaffey adds four new shows.

   If you missed the Indigo Girls when they came to Sarasota a few months  back, fret not: They're coming back to the area, with a recently announced performance at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg.

Cirque Dreams Holidaze

   The Indigo's Feb. 27 concert is one of four shows that have just been added to the Mahaffey season schedule. The others are "Cirque Dreams Holidaze" (Nov. 28), "Girls Night: The Musical" (presented by the Mahaffey a few blocks away at the Palladium Theatre, Feb. 27) and "The Price Is Right Live" (April 26).

   The Indigo Girls will perform with an orchestra, as they did at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in March. Tickets are $45.50-$65.50.

   Tickets for "Cirque Dreams Hoildaze" is a holiday show with 20 acts from 12 countries. Previous Cirque Dreams shows have been very cool, so it's reasonable to expect this to be a lot better than the standard Christmas entertainment. Tickets are $29.50-$59.50.

   "Girls Night" is jukebox musical that revolves around  five girlfriends who re-live their past, celebrate their present and look to the future on a wild night out.

   "The Price Is Right Live" is a stage version of the TV game show, very similar in format, but with reduced prize amounts and lots of giveaways -- restaurant gift cards and the like -- for the audience. Sarasota's Jerry Springer hosts the show sometimes, but there's no word yet on whether he'll host this one.  Tickets are $38.50.

   For information and tickets, call  727-892-5767 or go to themahaffey.com.    

   

Erasure concert slated for St. Petersburg's Mahaffey

   Erasure was one of the biggest synthpop bands of the 1980s and the early '90s. Unlike most of their colleagues in the genre, they've thrived through decades of changing musical tastes and they've kept releasing quality albums to appreciative audiences.

Erasure

   Their latest is "The Violet Flame," which is slated to come out in September. They'll no doubt be playing selections from that album, along with songs such as “Oh L’amour,” “A Little Respect,” and  “Victim Of Love” and “Blue Savannah,”  from their previous 15 studio albums, when they come to the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg on Sept. 14.
   Tickets go on sale June 6. They'll set you back $29, $39, $49 and $59. Call 727-893-7832 or go to themahaffey.com.

'Shut Up and Laugh' returns to St. Petersburg

Mike Epps

   “Shut Up and Laugh,” the popular summer comedy tour, is coming to the Mahaffey Theater in downtown St. Petersburg for the third straight year.
    The lineup this time includes Mike Epps, Jo Koy and Michael Che. The show’s set for 8 p.m. Aug. 22. 
   Mike Epps, who’s perhaps even better known as a film actor than as a stand-up comic, has appeared in “Sparkle,” “All About the Benjamins” and “Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins.” He also starred in a stand-up special “Mike Epps: Under-rated and Never Faded” on Comedy Central and Showtime. His comedy rap album, “Funny Bidness: Da Album,” features Snoop Dogg, Kid Rock and Slim Thug.
   In 2007, Variety named Koy one of the “10 Comics to Watch.” Che was named one of Rolling Stone’s “50 Funniest People” and Buzzfeed's "50 Hottest Men in Comedy."
   Tickets go on sale at noon May 23. They’ll set you back $49.50, $59.50, $69.50 or $89.50. Call 727- 893-7832 or go to TheMahaffey.com.

The Pretty Reckless plans St. Petersburg show

   The Pretty Reckless, purveyors of the huge current hit "Heaven Knows" are coming to St. Petersburg. They'll perform at The Mahaffey Theater at 8:30 p.m. Sept. 19. 
   The Pretty Reckless' most famous member is frontwoman Taylor Momsen, the actress from "Gossip Girl."
  

Taylor Momsen

Their second album, "Going to Hell," came out in March. It debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart and got rave reviews. The videos for the title song and "Heaven Knows" have garnered millions of online views.
   Tickets for the Mahaffey show are $22.50 and $100. The $100 VIP package includes early entry into the venue, a meet-and-greet, tour merchandise items and other perks.
   Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday. Go to  TheMahaffey.com, or call 727-893-7832.

Florida Orchestra offers premiere of Rogers work

  David Rogers is well-known to area music lovers. Before he left the Tampa Bay area last year to become executive director of the Yakima Symphony Orchestra, Rogers co-founded and performed at the prestigious Bonk Festival of New Music, which presented memorable concerts in Sarasota, St. Petersburg and Tampa for 14 years. He also taught composition at the University of South Florida and played with the avant-garde rock band Handshake Squad.
   He'll be back in the area this weekend to see the world premiere of his work "Euphemism No. 3." The Florida Orchestra will perform a masterworks concert featuring

David Rogers

that piece, Bartok's "Piano Concerto No. 1" and Sibelius' "Symphony No. 4." Stefan Sanderling, the Orchestra's erstwhile music director, conducts.
   The concert will be performed three times, Friday at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, Saturday at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg, and Sunday at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater. St .Petersburg's obviously the closest one for Bradenton-area residents. That one starts at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets will run you $15-$45.
   Rogers will be part of the pre-concert presentation about an hour before each show.
   Call 727-892-3337 or go to www.floridaorchestra.org

Gipsy Kings play St. Petersburg May 14

   In 1987, the Gipsy Kings released "Bamboleo, " their first single that became a huge hit and started them on their Grammy-winning career.
   Their first album remained on the music charts for 40 weeks and was certified gold or platinum in 15 countries.

  

The Gipsy Kings

That was 27 years ago, but for some reason, the Gipsy Kings are now on their 25th anniversary tour. They'll be at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg Wednesday, May 14 at 7:30 p.m. 
   The Kings combine traditional flamenco styles with Western pop and Latin rhythms, and Arabic, reggae, jazz and gypsy styles. 
   Tickets go on sale at noon Friday, March 7. They'll set you back $52.50, $62.50, $72.50, $92.50. Call 727-893-7832  or go to www.themahaffey.com.

Inconic singer-songwriter Morrissey plays St. Petersburg

   Morrissey is coming to St. Petersburg.
   The charismatic and controversial frontman for the Smiths and successful solo artist is heading out on a U.S. tour in May. The tour includes a stop at the Mahaffey Theater on May 30.
  

Morrissey

Tickets go on sale at noon Feb. 21. They'll set you back $55-$89.50.
   Morrissey has recently completed a new album, his first in five years, and it should be released later this year.
   Joining Morrissey are guitarists Boz Boorer and Jesse Tobias, bassist Solomon Walker, drummer Matthew Walker and keyboard player Gustavo Manzur.
    For tickets and information, call
727-892-5767 or go to www.themahaffey.com.

Chris Cornell cancels concert in St. Petersburg

   The Chris Cornell/Bhi Bhiman concert scheduled for Friday at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg has been canceled.
    Cornell had to cancel a Nov. 27 show in Delaware to rest his shoulder after suffering a severe strain. He performed in

Cornell (second from left)
with Soundgarden

Atlanta Tuesday, but Wednesday morning, a doctor advised complete rest because the injury has worsened.

   All tickets will be refunded, which would seem to indicate there are no plans to reschedule. If you ordered through the phone or a website you should receive an automatic refund. If you bought tickets at the box office you'll have to go there and get your money back. The box office is open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 

Collective Soul to play St. Petersburg's Mahaffey

   Collective Soul, who broke into the mainstream 20 years ago with the hit single “Shine,” is coming to St. Petersburg.
They'll be at the Mahaffey Theater at 7 p.m.  March 2. Opening will be Ed Kowalczyk, the former lead singer of Live.
    Tickets start at $35.50 and will go on sale at noon Friday, Nov. 22.
    It's been a long time since their biggest hit, but Collective Soul's been active all along, and three of its four member remain from the "Shine" era. The newest member is guitarist Joel Kosche, who joined in 2001.

Collective Soul

   Kowalczyk was the lead singer and primary songwriter for Live (who played at the Mahaffey in May) until he went solo in 2009.
   You can get tickets by phone at 727-893-7832, online at www.themahaffey.com or in person at box office. The Mahffey is at 401 First St. S., St. Petersburg.

Pat Metheny plays Mahaffey in St. Petersburg

   Pat Metheny's one of those artists that almost everyone seems to like, or at least appreciate. He has the chops and the creativity to appeal to music connoisseurs, and the amiable attitude and melodic sense to appeal to casual music fan. He also treads the border between rock and jazz so skillfully that adherents of both camps enjoy his music.

Metheny (left) and the Unity Group

   The celebrated guitarist will bring his Unity Group to the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg at 7 p.m. Feb.9.
   Tickets go on sale next week, on at noon Sept, 27. They'll run you $45, $55 or $65.
   Metheny's Unity Group includes Chris Potter, Ben Williams, Antonio Sanchez and Giulio Carmassi. They'll be releasing a new album in February, right around the time of the Mahaffey concert.
   You can get tickets by calling 727-893-7832, by visiting www.themahaffey.com, or by stopping in to the Mahaffey Theater Box Office.

Drummer Billy Cobham plays St. Petersburg Friday

   Oct. 1 will mark the 40th anniversary of Billy Cobham's legendary debut album "Spectrum." Cobham's marking the occasion with an American tour he's calling "Spectrum 40." 
   The tour kicks off Friday at the Palladium in St. Petersburg.
   In 1973, Cobham was already a major force in jazz fusion, having played with Miles Davis and having been a member of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, and he's been recording ever since. But "Spectrum" is still considered his seminal recording. It helped define the fusion genre, and Cobham's innovative drumming style on that album has influenced drummers ever since.

"Spectrum" album cover

   He can't reassemble the band from that album since guitarist Tommy Bolin died in 1976. (In a recent Skype interview from his home in Switzerland, Cobham called Bolin "B.B. King in a young man's skin.") But he's put together a band of long-time musical collaborators, including bassist Ric Fierabracci, guitarist Dean Brown and keyboardist Gary Husband.
   The concert will include four or five pieces from "Spectrum," plus other selections from Cobham's career.
   In the interview, Cobham said that he's eschewing cities like New York on this tour, opting instead for places like St. Petersburg, Albuquerque, N.M. and Akron, Ohio. "The real America," he said.
   He came into St. Petersburg early, and on Thursday he conducted clinics with music students from local high schools and colleges. At one point, when he asked if anybody had any questions, a music teacher asked, "Do you have any albums out?"
   Friday's show, which is presented by the Mahaffey Theater even though it's at the Palladium, starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $30, $40 and $50. Call 727-892-5767 or go to www.themahaffey.com for tickets and information.
   The Palladium is at 253 Fifth Ave. N., St Petersburg. Call
727-822-3590 or go to www.mypalladium.org  for venue information.

Rick Ross plays St. Peterburg's Mahaffey Theater

   Rick Ross, the Grammy-nominated rapper and hip-hop magnate, is heading out on an eight-city tour, and St. Petersburg is one of the stops.

Rick Ross

   He'll be at the Mahaffey Theater at 8 p.m. Nov. 22.
   Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. this Friday (Sept. 20) at 10 a.m. online and charge by phone and 11 a.m. at The Mahaffey Theater Box Office.
   Ross will team up with the famed 1500 or Nothin’ Band, a five-piece band that has also toured with Snoop Dogg, Lupe Fiasco, T.I., The Game and Faith Evans,
   “It’s never been done like this,” Ross said in a press release. “We’ll be performing everything from 'Tears of Joy' to 'Aston Martin Music,' all with a live band." 
   Tickets run $42, $52 and $72. You can get them online at www.themahaffey.com,  by phone at 727-893-7832 or in person at the Mahaffey Theater Box Office. Box office hours are 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and at least 90 minutes prior to any ticketed event.

Tony Bennett comes to St. Petersburg's Mahaffey

   One of the classiest singers in music is coming to St. Petersburg.
   Tony Bennett will make his Mahaffey Theater debut on Feb. 12. Tickets go on sale at noon Aug. 9. They'll set you back $65-$150.

Tony Bennett in 2011

   Bennett will be 87 by the time he gets here, but he's still drawing great reviews and enthusiastic audiences for his concerts. He usually tours with a small combo so that he can sing whatever he and his audience are in the mood for.
    For tickets, call 727-893-7832 or go to www.themahaffey.com.
  

  

Maze, Frankie Beverly reschedule St. Petersburg show

    If you were planning to go see Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly

Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly

at the Mahaffey Theater on Sept. 15, well, we may have some bad news for you.
   They're still coming, but the date has been changed. It's scheduled for 8 p.m. Sept. 27 instead. The original date was a Sunday and the new one's a Friday, so maybe that's a good thing.
   Ticket are on sale now. Prices range from  $49.50 to $79.50. You can get tickets and information by phone at 727-893-7832 or online at at www.themahaffey.com.

Read more here: http://heraldbuzzworthy.blogspot.com/search?q=maze#storylink=cpy

  
  

Queen, Green Day shows visit St. Petersburg

   The music of Green Day and Queen is coming to the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg. Green Day and Queen are not.
   The Mahaffey has just announced that the touring production of "American Idiot," the musical based on the Green Day album, is stopping in for a one-night stand on April 8. 

"American Idiot"

   The next week, on April 16, Gary Mullen & the Works, a tribute band with a solid reputation, will offer "One Night of Queen."
   We can't tell you a whole lot about Gary Mullen & the Works, but "American Idiot" (which came through Tampa earlier this year) is a wonderful show, with inventive staging and, of course, lots of great songs.
   Tickets for both go on sale at noon Aug. 2. "American Idiot" starts at $39.50; the Queen thing start at $37.50. Call 727-892-5767 or go to www.themahaffey.com.

Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly comes to St. Petersburg

Maze featuring Frankie Beverly

   When you're in the mood for some sweet '70s soul music, you can't do much better than Maze featuring Frankie Beverly.
   The group behind such classics as “Lady of Magic,” “Workin’ Together" and “Traveling Man” will be at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg Sept. 15. 
   The band became a staple on "quiet storm" radio stations in the late 1970s and continued to produce gold albums into the '90s.
    Tickets go on sale July 12. They'll set you back between  $49.50 and $79.50. You can get tickets and information  by phone at 727-893-7832 or online at at www.themahaffey.com.

Toni Braxton comes to St. Petersburg's Mahaffey

   Apparently Toni Braxton is still a singer.

Toni Braxton

   The six-time Grammy winner, who created such smoky early-'90s R&B hits as "You're Making Me High" and "Unbreak My Heart" is best-known these days for her hit reality show "Braxton Family Values." But she'll be focusing on music once again when she comes to the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg. The recently announced concert is set for Aug. 28 .
   Tickets are $45.50, $55.50, $69.50, $75.50 and $99.50. They go on sale May 31. Call 727-893-7832 or visit www.themahaffey.com.

Pet Shop Boys coming to St. Petersburg

   Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, aka Pet Shop Boys, are coming to the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg.
   The Sept. 13 concert will be the second stop on the Boys' American tour. Their 12th album, "Electric," is set to be released July 15.

Tennant (left) and Lowe

   Pet Shops Boys are the most successful duo in British Music history, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, and they've sold more than 50 million records since they debuted in the early 1980s.
   Tickets go on sale Saturday, May 4 at the Mahaffey box office, by phone at 727-893-7832 or at www.themahaffey.com. Prices range from $29.50 to $99.50.
  

Black Crowes play Mahaffey in St. Petersburg

   The Black Crowes have been on hiatus for a couple of years, but that hasn't diminished their fan base.

Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes

   They're back on an American tour now, just of a five-week tour of Europe, and a lot of their upcoming dates are already sold out.
  There are still some tickets for their April 30 show at the Mahaffey Theatre in St. Petersburg, but it's probably a good idea to get yours soon or you may not get them at all.
   The show starts at 7:30. Tickets are $39.50-$49.50. Call  727-892-5798 or visit www.themahaffey.com.