August in the arts: A whole lot of outdoor concerts

Welcome to August and the so-called dog days of summer – hot, humid, sticky, and not loads of fun to be outside.

As for the bay area’s August concert schedule, let’s say it all together now: Woof!

That’s because most of the big concerts are happening outdoors, at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre, the 20,000-seater at the Florida State Fairgrounds in eastern Hillsborough County.

There are two mega-shows at Raymond James Stadium.

The Mid-Florida schedule looks like this:

Aug. 1. Post Malone, the rapper who’s sold more than 80 million records.

Aug. 4. Bret Michaels, singer of Poison fame, with Night Ranger, Jefferson Starship (original members: 0), Steve Augeri and Mark McGrath.

Aug. 5. Disturbed. The Chicago metal band (The Sickness) with Breaking Benjamin, Theory of a Deadman.

Aug 9. Counting Crows. Yep, that one hit (“Mr. Jones”) from 1993 continues to resonate. With Dashboard Confessional.

Aug. 10. Pentatonix. The Texas-based a capella singing group, with Lauren Alaina.

Aug. 11. All-American Rejects. The pop/punk band’s “Wet Hot All-American Summer Tour” kicks off with this show, with New Found Glory, Starting Line and the Get Up Kids.

Aug. 12. Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa. Hip hop extravaganza, with Too $hort, Warren G and others.

Aug. 16. Offspring, Simple Plan, Sum 41. The Offspring is a veteran (circa 1980s) California punk band; Simple Plan and Sum 41 are Canadian.

Aug. 19. 50 Cent. Rapper Curtis Get Rich or Die Tryin’ Jackson is calling this his Final Lap tour. With Busta Rhymes and Jeremih.

Aug. 20. Smashing Pumpkins. Rock’s Billy Corgan and company, with Interpol and Rival Sons.

Aug. 26. Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper. Shockmeister Zombie is likely still stinging from the somewhat less-than-glowing reviews of his big-screen remake of The Munsters; original shockmeister Cooper needs no introduction.

Aug. 31. Ghost, Amon Amarth. Swedish metal band, with an opening set by a different Swedish metal band.

Over at Raymond James Stadium, before the Buccaneers return for their first preseason game (Aug. 11), country mega-star George Strait stops in Aug. 5, along with Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town.

“Dynamic pricing” has driven tickets for the Aug. 16 Beyonce concert in Raymond James Stadium into the thousand-dollars-plus range. Just an FYI.

The Sound, the outdoor venue that opened just a month ago in Clearwater, appears to be taking the entire month off.

Highlights for the month at Jannus Live, the outdoor/indoor/courtyard in downtown St. Pete: Aug. 12, Stephen Marley; Aug. 23 Matisyahu, G. Love & Special Sauce.

Moving indoors, the other August concert dates appear to be a cool (as in air conditioned) bunch.

Aug. 2. Jackson Browne, Ruth Eckerd Hall.

Aug. 3. O’Jays, Seminole Hard Rock.

Aug. 5. “Freestyle Explosion Throwback Jam” with Stevie B., Taylor Dayne and others, Amalie Arena.

Aug. 10. Seth Myers, Seminole Hard Rock.
Aug. 11. Jesse & Joy (“Mexico’s most beloved musical power duo”), Mahaffey Theater.

Aug. 16. Ryan Adams & the Cardinals, Mahaffey Theater.

Aug. 24. Colin Jost, Seminole Hard Rock.

Aug. 26: Lionel Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire, Amalie Arena.

Aug. 27 Flo Rida, Seminole Hard Rock 11 a.m. pool party

Aug. 29: $uicideboy$, Ghostemane, City Morgue, Amalie Arena.

Aug. 31. Needtobreathe, Seminole Hard Rock.

Theater for August

Andrea Mosely returns to Jobsite Theater in Tampa Aug. 18-28 with the one-woman drama Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992.

Singer/actress Rose Weaver stars in At Home With Ethel Waters, the latest collaboration between Los Angeles’ Ebony Repertory Theatre and St. Pete’s freeFall Theatre Co., which will open its 2023-24 season with the biographical musical Aug. 12.

Local playwright Joe Zarobinsk’s one-act On the Rocks premieres Aug. 16 and 17 at thestudio@620.

Local playwright Steven R. James’ A Soul’s Final Journey premieres Aug. 24-27 at thestudio@620.

Remember, all dates are subject to change.

Please add us to your mailing list – send all press releases and event info to bill@stpetecatalyst.com.

You can also submit your events to the Catalyst calendar, by clicking here.