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Weekend spotlight: Allman, Betts and a whole lotta guests
The Catalyst’s every-Thursday look at what’s happening in entertainment and arts.
The iconic Allman Brothers Band augmented in concert by a revolving cast of spectacular musicians, continued until Gregg Allman’s passing in 2017.
The spirit of those legendary collaborations continues via the Allman Betts Band, which features Michael Allman (Gregg’s son) and Durane Betts (son of the band’s co-founding guitarist Dickey Betts) out front.
The band’s at Ruth Eckerd Hall Sunday, expanded with guests including Luther Dickinson and his brother and fellow North Mississippi All-Star Cody Dickinson, singer/songwriter Amanda Shires, lap steel guitar virtuoso Robert Randolph, Blackberry Smoke guitarist Charlie Starr, Wet Willie legend Jimmy Hall, vocalist Judith Hill; singer/songwriter Paul MacDonald and others.
Yes, it’s a regular Rolling Thunder/Last Waltz sort of deal – the 9th annual “Allman Betts Family Revival Tour.”
Tickets for Sunday’s 8 p.m. show are at this link.
Singers Brandy, left, and Monica share the bill Friday at Benchmark Arena. Publicity photo.
All Jamal
Jamal Roberts. Publicity photo.
American Idol fans have two opportunities to visit with 2025 winner Jamal Roberts (“Heal”) in concert. Friday night, he’s one of the openers for the Brandy and Monica “The Boy is Mine” show at Benchmark Arena (Kelly Rowland and Keyshia Cole are also performing). Tickets for that event are here. Roberts is back Tuesday (Dec. 16) for a concert at the Palladium Theater, a fundraiser for the Spirit of Tampa Bay Community Choir. Info and tickets are at this link.
Holiday concerts
Country music’s Trisha Yearwood, who owns a home in Manatee County with her husband, Garth Brooks, has a Christmas album out and is on the road with “The 12 Days of Christmas Tour.”
(She actually covers “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch” on the album.)
Her eight-show holiday tour began Wednesday in Atlanta (she’s a Georgia native), and arrives at Clearwater’s Ruth Eckerd Hall tonight. Yearwood will be accompanied by a “Christmas Symphony” for the concert, which begins at 7:30 p.m. Find tickets here.
St. Petersburg’s longest-running holiday-themed concert, Nate Najar’s Jazz Holiday, takes place tonight (7:30 p.m.) at the Palladium Theater. Tickets for the guitarist and band’s 19th annual Jazz Holiday are at this link.
Jazz at the Capitol Theatre tonight: A Peter White Christmas, featuring (as always) saxophonist and St. Pete native Mindi Abair. Tickets at this link.
Sarah Brightman returns to Ruth Eckerd Hall Friday, with orchestra and choir, with A Winter Symphony. Tickets.
Christian artist Michael W. Smith returns to Ruth Eckerd Hall Saturday with Every Christmas. Tickets.
St. Pete Opera has a free preview of its Holiday Sparkle show Sunday at 3 p.m. in North Straub Park. The full holiday revue is presented Dec. 19, 20 and 21 at the Palladium Theater.
The Astralis Chamber Ensemble (flute, cello and harp) is in recital Sunday at Peace Memorial Presbyterian Church in Clearwater. It’s a 3 p.m. program of classical holiday music; admission is by free-will offering. Find information at this link.
Sunday at the Palladium Theater Side Door Cabaret: Jazz pianist Zachary Bartholomew and his trio with Vince Guaraldi’s music from A Charlie Brown Christmas. Find tickets here. Bartholomew guests on Friday’s video edition of our Arts Alive! podcast.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra returns to Benchmark Arena Sunday for its annual holiday production (shows at 3 and 7:30 p.m.). Tickets.
Non-holiday music
The Catalyst spoke with Shaun Cassidy in advance of his “music and memories” show Friday at the Capitol Theatre. Read that interview (with ticket link) here.
Bruce Hornsby returns to the Capitol Theatre Saturday. Tickets.
Saturday at the Safety Harbor Art & Music Center: Blues guitarist Albert Cummings. Tickets.
The Florida Orchestra performs the music from Disney’s Frozen live-to-screen at the Mahaffey Theater Sunday (2 p.m.) Tickets can be found here.
“The Magi,” with Tristan Braboy and Morgan Tapp, continues at American Stage. Photo provided
On theater stages
The national tour of Les Miserables is at Morsani Hall (in the Straz Center) tonight through Saturday. Find showtimes, tickets and other essentials at this link.
Tonight is Opening Night for the adult (and proudly unauthorized) Dr. Seussian comedy Who’s Holiday! at the Off-Central. Earlier this week, the Catalyst spoke with director Dylan Barlowe about this Cindy Lou Who tell-all. There’s a ticket link in the story.
A Christmas Carol in Concert debuts Friday at freeFall Theatre, and will run through Dec. 24. Find showtimes and tickets at this link.
Sketch comedy: Dirty John’s Holidazed (“Oh Come All Ye Fruitcakes”) laughs its way into The Studio@620 tonight, Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m. each day. Find info and tickets here.
American Stage’s The Magi continues this weekend – it’s a modernized musical adaptation of the classic O. Henry short story The Gift of the Magi. Find showtimes, tickets and everything else by clicking here.
Tampa Repertory Theatre’s A Christmas Carol Live Radio Play continues this weekend at the Shimberg Theatre, in the Straz Center complex. Showtimes and tickets can be found here.
Also knee-deep into its December run is Stageworks Theatre’s production of the comedy Latin History for Morons. Showtimes and tickets are at this link.
Your Weekend Spotlight appears every Thursday in the Catalyst’s CREATE section.
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