Transcendental Telecom
Following their April release (Escape From Shred City EP), local slacker-rockers Transcendental Telecom mustered the motivation for a Florida mini-tour that kicks off at Will's Pub.
9 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 5, at Will's Pub, $5
Face to Face
Similar to what Alkaline Trio recently did with their limited four-show, career-spanning club stands, California pop-punk legacy band Face to Face returns with their own live extravaganza of an intimate multi-night run that spotlights their pacesetting, golden-era material. As one of only about a handful of cities to receive the deluxe “Triple Crown” series residency, Orlando will see three consecutive but different evenings of Face to Face concert action, each focusing on one of their first three albums: Don’t Turn Away, Big Choice and Face to Face, in that order. - Bao Le-Huu Read more.
7 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 6-8, at the Social, $25-$60
The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die
The grandiose emotional sonics of the World Is ... draws listeners to luxuriate in hindsight-obsessed do-over longing on the shifting ensemble's new Death to New Years EP.
6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6, at Backbooth, $16
Orlando Nerd Fest
Orlando Nerd Fest dazzled and drew geeks from all over during its successful first iteration last year, and now it’s back with new combo moves sure to delight local nerdy elitists. With a packed lineup featuring some of the most recognizable names in nerdcore (MC Chris, Nuclear Bubble Wrap) along with some of our favorite not-quite-nerdcore locals (E-Turn & SPS, Moonmen From Mars), ONF looks to be upping their game this year. - Thaddeus McCollum Read more.
Noon Friday and Monday, Aug. 7 and 10, 10 a.m. Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 8-9; Friday and Monday at The Geek Easy, Winter Park; Saturday-Sunday at Orlando Science Center, free-$50
Booty and the Browns
Tons of appeal here, really, with legit locals Nuka Waves and Tight Genes, but especially after ripping through Booty and the Browns' new freaky surf-punk stream. Also, according to Facebook, Miami rockers Buffy have partially relocated here. All have Bandcamps worth checking out.
10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, at Uncle Lou's Entertainment Hall, $3-$5
The Scene II Underground Hip-Hop Festival
Spoken-word artists? They’ve got ’em. Local bands and MCs? Expect more than 30. Live graffiti demos? Definitely. B-boys and B-girls? Yep. Vinyl swap meet? Hell yes. No wonder his event, which calls itself a “cultural marketplace” that represents Orlando’s alternative hip-hop scene, brought out nearly 1,000 people earlier this year. The goal is to connect local artists, businesses and musicians with new audiences and build a scene that supports its local talent. This year’s performers and artists include MCs Phraydoe Peans and Mango Beats, Bezz Believe and Overlordz, live art from German Lemus, poetry from Orange is Media and more – way too many to list here. Get your fix of local hip-hop vids, music, dance and merch, and find a ton of new talent to follow on social media so you can find out where they’ll be performing live next. - Erin Sullivan
8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, at Venue 578, $10
The Appleseed Cast
This show will sting and stun nostalgic fans as the Appleseed Cast performs dense, thrilling songs from their sophomore album, Mare Vitalis, to celebrate its 15th anniversary.
7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, at Backbooth, $13
The Get Up Kids
Try not to pick on all these emo bands for celebrating anniversaries basically every year for some occasion or another – they’ve already thoroughly established through their lyrics how pensive and thoughtful they are; this endless rehashing is expected. Especially when it comes to cherished indie pop like the Get Up Kids, whose angsty rev still races pulses even if they can play through the songs on autopilot by now. This year marks 20 as a band and they’re bringing along Braid on tour to revive the earliest days when the acts shared splits and came up together. Expect to hear songs that span their career (their most recent release was 2011’s There Are Rules) and expect the crowd to perk and swerve any time they rotate back to tracks off 1999’s Something to Write Home About. It’s apt timing to sing out “One summer night’s the only time we’ve known” from single “I’m a Loner, Dottie, a Rebel” anyway.
6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9, at House of Blues, $19.99-$24
Mariachi, Empanada & Tequila Night
Control This! performs punk covers as a mariachi band, for a themed night bolstered by snacks and shots for full effect. Bring canned food to donate to Ferncreek Elementary Food Pantry.
9 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9, at Will's Pub, free
Alice in Chains
Reformed Alice in Chains lost a little edge on radio rock hits you likely heard blasted from their last album in 2013, but their comeback resonates with '90s fans still enthralled by their loaded earlier mystique.
8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 10, at Hard Rock Live, $43.50-$83.50
"Weird Al" Yankovic
"I found that I really enjoyed directing music videos, and I started directing my own music videos, then I kind of put it out there that if anybody wanted me to work on theirs and give their videos a little bit of my sensibility, I would be happy to do it," Yankovic says. "And, you know, some of the people that I worked with were friends, like Ben Folds and other people were people that just kind of came to me because they thought that they'd like the 'Weird Al' touch." Check out our interview with "Weird Al."
8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, at Hard Rock Live, $26.50-$45.50
Blackalicious
"At that point you let the creativity take over. You think, what if this isn't dope? Then you have to realize that's not really up to me. The only thing that is up to me is to show up to the paper with a pen and try to feel it and create." Check out our interview with Blackalicious' Gift of Gab.
8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, at Hard Rock Live, $26.50-$45.50
Blue 82
Slip into Smiling Bison to experience the hypnotic improvised careen of this jazz quartet featuring Chris Charles, Bobby Koelble, Tony Venturini and Brian Menendez.
8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, at the Smiling Bison, free
