By Nanette Wiser
Fall into the most fabulous time of year for music festivals and concerts with Clearwater Jazz Holiday Oct. 16-19, St. Pete Country Fest 2025 Nov. 21-23 at SkyBeach Resort in the Skyway Marina District featuring country music star Jon Langston, and Suncoast Jazz Festival Nov. 21-23.
Fabulous local musicians perform from downtown St. Pete to the beaches including Rob Tyre at The Wharf Wed.-Sat. 6-9:30pm on the front porch; Fiona Frensche every Thursday at Taverna and Sunday evening at The Palms (Tradewinds Island Resort); TomKat Orchestra every Monday at CJ’s Backstage in Tyrone; Bryan Hughes and The Crew the last Thursday of the month at Horse & Jockey and most Sunday evenings at The Floridian Social. Dive into an
eclectic season of jazz, rock, folk, opera and classical tunes.
FALL MUSIC & DANCE SERIES – UNDER THE STARS
Friday’s at the Warehouse Arts District ArtsXchange Stage is marvelous with doors open at 6pm and show at 6:30pm with a Latin flair. Foodie Labs serves up great grub and beer/wine. Oct. 10 is David Manson with O Som Do Jazz Bossa Nova and samba from the 1960s and 1970s. Oct. 17 is Rumba Flamenco Night with Nuevo Flamenco’s guitar virtuosity and fiery rhythms form Rodolfo Troncoso (WADA’s events manager and well-known musician) and Sebastian Fox. The one and only Tito Puente Jr. sizzles with salsa under the stars Oct. 24, bringing mambo energy to the stage. The Fractal: Free Jazz and Dance Fusion meshes improvised music and modern movement in a collaborative performance with Robert Strickland, David Pate, Jim Stewart and dancer Helen French (also the new Arts Alliance executive director). On Nov. 20, WADA’s second annual fundraiser is Tango Under The Stars, an elegant celebration of Latin culture and artistic vibrancy with a Latin Grammy-nominated Tango Ensemble, Argentinian BBQ and live painting performances. Hats off to Markus Gottshlich, executive director and his team! Wadastpete.org
ZETA THE BABE
On Oct. 23, The Palladium Side Door features a unique collaboration by this national recognized sulty vocalist and saxophonist. The PACT: Poetry and Sax Benefit Concert and Showcase is a semi-theatrical benefit concert created and hosted by Zeta The Babe, known for her unique blend of live instrumentation and emotional storytelling, The experience blurs the lines between open mic, concert, and stage play. Structured like a narrative open mic, it centers around Zeta as the host and main character, guiding the audience through a vulnerable journey of poetry, music, and self-reflection. Collaborators will take the stage in a rotating format to perform their pieces live, with the support of Triopolitan – Zeta’s original crossover jazz and neo-soul band. Each guest will receive a pair of silent-disco-style headphones and hear a short, pre-recorded monologue from the artist before they perform – sharing the thoughts, emotions, or inspiration behind their piece. It’s a rare opportunity to step inside the creative mind and experience each performance on a deeper, more personal level. Described as “the most vulnerable open mic in the world,” this show isn’t just a concert – it’s a statement. Half of all proceeds will be donated to the nonprofit The Studio @620.
Also at The Palladium is St. Pete Opera’s Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah 10/17 10/19 10/21, Simon Lasky Group 10/25, Go Now The Moody Blues Tribute 10/27, Toby: The Experience 11/3, Jeremy Carter Group – My Favorite Things 11/8. Mypalladium.org