Weekend spotlight: Russ, Keith Sweat in Tampa Friday

A self-contained artist who writes, performs, produces and mixes his own material, Russell Vitale, better known as Russ, is a key figure in contemporary hip hop.

The Atlanta-based musician’s melodic raps use elements of R&B and other styles, and he has to date released 15 singles that have sold gold and/or platinum, including “What They Want,” “Losin Control,” “Missin You Crazy,” “Civil War” and “Best on Earth” (featuring Bia).

Russ will take to the stage at the Mid Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre Friday, with Big Sean and Sabrina Claudio.

He has written two books, It’s All in Your Head and It Was You All Along.

Earlier this year, the 32-year-old Vitale opened up to Men’s Health about his experiences with psychiatric therapy: “Having somebody who cares about what I’m going through, and then learning that I need to care about what I’m going through, has made me a better person,” he said. “I can now empathize when somebody’s not being the best version of themselves. I’m not so quick to shame and judge them because I get that they’re just going through it, like I have.”

Find tickets for Friday’s concert at this link.

And more concerts

Ryan Adams is at St. Petersburg’s Mahaffey Theater Sunday. Photo: Wikipedia.

New Jack Swing pioneer Keith Sweat is back for another Amalie Arena show Friday. SWV, Joe, Dru Hill and Ginuwine share the bill for the singer’s 8 p.m. “Birthday Bash” (he turned 64 earlier this week). Find show tickets at this link.

Friday brings standup comedian Lynne Koplitz (Netflix special: Hormonal Beast) to the Palladium Theater Side Door Cabaret. We spoke with the funny lady not so long ago; read that interview here.

North Carolina singer, songwriter and bandleader Ryan Adams is back at the Mahaffey Theater Sunday. Tickets to see the Whiskeytown founder are at this link.

K-pop singer Jin (aka Kim Seok-jin) has concerts Saturday and Sunday (8 p.m. both days) at Amalie Arena. Jin is also a member of the K-pop boy band BTS. All tickets are at this link.

Say goodbye to St. Pete jazz stalwart Trace Zacur, who’s leaving in two weeks for Boston and law school. The well-regarded saxman and his band have a “farewell” show Saturday at the Side Door Cabaret. Zacur explains its all in this Catalyst interview.

Capitol Theatre perennial Here Come the Mummies is (are?) back on that Clearwater stage. It’s a funk band, with all members dressed as Egyptian mummies. That is all. Tickets are here.

Local singer/songwriters Shelby Sol and Ari Chi share “On Night Only” concert duties Saturday at The Studio@620. Find tickets here.

On theater stages

Friday at Bayboro Brewing: It’s Broadway Rave, a New York-based “musical theater dance party” that’s a show tunes-and-costumes lollapalooza for “musical theatre nerds, drama geeks, actors, actresses, theatre lovers and more!” Thought you’d want to know. It starts at 8 p.m., and tickets are at this link.

Puffs: Or, Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic & Magic, the Harry Potter parody onstage at the Straz Center Jaeb Theatre through Aug. 3, rolls along tonight through Sunday afternoon. Tickets for the Jobsite production are here.

At LAB Theatre Project, the summer program of short comedies, LAB Laughs, is also presented though Aug. 3, and also runs tonight through Sunday afternoon. Tickets are here.

American Stage’s final Summer Cabaret show (Sunday in the upstairs lobby) is sold out.

Tonight at Stageworks Theatre: The Funny Side of Summer with standup comedians Jeff Wait, Ethan Dayo, Dylan Vattelana and Jared Thomas. Tickets.

Sunday brings The Evolution of Drag to the Central Park Performing Arts Center, a full-production stage show with Tampa drag performer Daphne Ferraro. Read about the 7 p.m., 18+ show (subtitled Drag Through the Decades), and find tickets, at this link.

Your Weekend Spotlight appears every Thursday in the Catalyst’s CREATE section. 

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