Photo by Will Govus

Tuesday, May 15 – Washed Out
with Airbird, Dog Bite
8 p.m.
The Social
54 N. Orange Ave.
407-246-1419
thesocial.org
$15

We all share a loose idea of what constitutes “summer music”: good-natured lyrical matter, big, accessible hooks and a generally sunny vibe. Summer evening music, meanwhile, isn’t defined nearly as well, but if it was, Washed Out deserves to be its standard bearer. Ernest Greene’s happily nostalgic, reverb-dunked synth-pop confections sound like they’d be best consumed while driving 65 mph with the windows down at 6 p.m. on July 17 – ideally, right when the sun is burning one last great halo of light before it recedes. Greene’s solo pursuit-turned-touring band emerged in late 2009 as one of the primary names in chillwave, an indie-friendly electronic genre that’s hated by the artists tied to it (what else is new?), but is very much a real thing. A decade from now, chillwave as a whole will likely be passé, but if there’s any justice, Washed Out standards like “Feel It All Around” and “Amor Fati” will live on in seasonal playlists. – Reyan Ali

Photo by Eliot Lee Hazel

Tuesday, May 15 – Jane’s Addiction
with the Duke Spirit
6:30 p.m.
House of Blues
1490 E. Buena Vista Drive
Lake Buena Vista
407-934-2583
hob.com
$59.50-$62.50

Completing a kind of nostalgic ’80s microcosm-in-the-flesh following recent area showings by Van Halen and Guns N’ Roses, singer Perry Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro, drummer Stephen Perkins and fill-in bassist Chris Chaney bring a semi-reunited Jane’s Addiction to town for a little Ritual de lo Habitual circle-jerk action. Not that that’s a bad thing! The group may not have surprised everyone with a solid late-period album, a la Van Halen (in fact, Jane’s Addiction’s 2011 outing The Great Escape Artist may have been their worst) or given the finger to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame like Axl Rose (Jane’s is eligible for inclusion next year. Farrell says he “would be more gracious”). But damn it if the alternative pioneers don’t deserve a hefty victory lap. Without Farrell, there’d be no Lollapalooza, and without their monstrous debut album Nothing’s Shocking, there would be no “Mountain Song.” Let us give thanks. – Justin Strout

Friday, May 11 – The Heathens
with Christina Wagner, Overdale, Shyster, New Mexican Disaster Squad, the Hated Salford, Lads Pub Ensemble, a roast for Phil Longo
9 p.m.
Will’s Pub
1042 N. Mills Ave.
407-898-5070
willspub.org
$8

Local luminary Phil Longo has been a major player in the Orlando music scene longer than most area bands have been playing live, so it made sense when his birthday/“retirement” party was announced that some Phil-esque shenanigans would take place: a roast for Longo involving local comedians, a Quicksand cover set, a Smiths cover set – you know, the usual great night out on Mills 50. But this bartender is more beloved than usual, his reach more widespread, so the word “usual” just had to get thrown out the window pretty quickly. In the blink of an eye (or so it seemed to outsiders), tonight’s fete has taken on epic proportions, with reunion shows by some of Orlando’s most acclaimed acts of yesterday. Hardcore act New Mexican Disaster Squad are scheduled three and a half years after their breakup, while long-dormant ’90s area punk stalwarts Shyster get the band back together for a monumental blast from the past. Of course, the biggest news revolves around the headlining reunion of the Heathens, the one-time pop impresarios of O-town whose nasty 2007 dissolution, and the stories surrounding their implosion, has practically become its own storytelling genre around town. It doesn’t get more local, more deeply personal or more mind blowing than this, Orlando. – Justin Strout

On Sale: Friday, May 11

Bombay Bicycle Club
with Vacationer
9 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 5
The Social
407-246-1419
thesocial.org
$17-$20

Down the road:

Matt Woods, May 18 at Will’s Pub
Lisa Lampanelli, May 18 at Hard Rock Live
Screeching Weasel, May 19 at The Beacham
The Chop Tops, May 20 at The Social
Yann Tiersen, May 22 at The Beacham
Toy Bombs, May 23 at Will’s Pub
Mike Epps, May 25 at Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre
John Prine, May 26 at The Plaza Live
K.D. Lang, May 27 at Hard Rock Live
The Used, May 27 at House of Blues
Black Cobra, May 29 at Will’s Pub
Neil Diamond, June 3 at Tampa Bay Times Forum
Jim Jefferies, June 3 at The Plaza Live
Two Door Cinema Club, June 4 at The Beacham
River City Extension, June 5 at The Social
Bon Iver, June 5 at Hard Rock Live
Ceremony, June 6 at Back Booth
Malone Brothers, June 8 at The Plaza Live
Childish Gambino, June 12 at Hard Rock Live
BoDeans, June 15 at The Plaza Live
Orgon, June 16 at The Social
Roger Waters, June 16 at Amway Center
Bouncing Souls, June 17 at The Social
Luis Raúl, June 22 at Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre
LMFAO, June 23 at Amway Center
TV Girl, June 27 at Will’s Pub
Coldplay, June 28 at Tampa Bay Times Forum
Los Campesinos!, June 29 at The Social
Def Leppard, June 30 at Tampa Bay Times Forum
Fresh Music Festival with Keith Sweat, July 3 at Amway Center
Boston, July 3 at Hard Rock Live
Reel Big Fish, July 5 at House of Blues
Tab Benoit, July 7 at The Plaza Live
Best Coast, July 9 at The Social
Dave Matthews Band, July 18 at 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre, Tampa
Crocodiles, July 18 at The Social
Anders Osborne, July 21 at The Plaza Live
Stryper, July 26 at House of Blues
Kiss, July 28 at 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre
Rod Stewart, Stevie Nicks, Aug. 3 at Amway Center
Ted Nugent, Aug. 5 at House of Blues
Dirty Projectors, Aug. 6 at The Beacham
Posterra, Aug. 7 at Will’s Pub
Aaron Neville, Aug. 8 at The Plaza Live
mewithoutYou, Aug. 10 at The Social
Jim Gaffigan, Aug. 12 at Peabody Auditorium, Daytona Beach
Jason Mraz, Aug. 14 at 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre, Tampa
Jay Brannan, Aug. 23 at The Social
Steve Aoki, Aug. 30 at The Plaza Live

For complete show listings, visit our online calendar.

Photo by Liz Flyntz

Wednesday, May 9 – Beach House
with Zomes
8 p.m.
The Beacham
46 N. Orange Ave.
407-246-1419
thebeacham.com
$20-$25

The day we meet someone who was conceived to dream-pop duo Beach House’s 2010 album Teen Dream, is the day we’ll officially feel old. Unlike Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream album of the same year – a record-breaking outing that has likely resulted in way more babies than Beach House vocalist Victoria Legend or guitarist Alex Scally could compete with – Teen contained an underpinning of yearning for authentic human connection that made it a contender for the most romantic album of the decade. Despite its droning ambience, it’s hardly soporific; subtle, murky hooks propel the album’s 10 lush soundscapes. While mainstream Americans might be dreaming of drunken Friday-night revelry, Beach House presents an intoxicating, anachronistic vision that eradicates the notion that pop can’t be sensuous without being sexual. – Allie Conti

Photo by Travis Shinn

Monday, May 7 – Slash
featuring Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators
8 p.m.
Hard Rock Live
6050 Universal Blvd.
407-351-5483
hardrocklive.com
$30-$45

It’s a second homecoming of sorts tonight for Myles Kennedy, the frontman of Orlando-based Creed 2.0 rockers Alter Bridge, but of course the spotlight falls squarely on the famously shaggy mane of Kennedy’s guitarist, Slash. Along with the Conspirators, the two crank out polished post-grunge built to highlight Slash’s soon-to-be Hall of Fame fret work, and that’s fine. But is it weird that what we really want is for the top-hatted virtuoso to pay more attention to his flamenco muse, as heard on the 1998 compilation Gypsy Soul? Yeah, that’s probably weird. – Justin Strout

Junior Bruce

Saturday-Sunday, May 5-6 – You Are Doomed Fest II
with Holly Hunt, Legions, Fire in the Cave, Hollow Leg, North & South, Junior Bruce, Portals, Demons, Dissident Aggressor, Primary Colors
6 p.m.
Will’s Pub
1042 N. Mills Ave.
407-898-5070
willspub.org
$8-$10 (one-day pass)

The heaviest of last year’s rash of one-day mini music fests returns in expanded form, and it’s gonna come down like a two-day hailstorm of boulders aimed at Mills Avenue. Last year’s inaugural You Are Doomed Fest crowned the mostly Floridian lineup with the thrilling destruction of Atlanta noise-rock leviathans Whores. This year, the beacon looks like it’ll be Holly Hunt, the Miami duo of Gavin Perry and Beatriz Monteavaro (from the now-legendary Floor) that’s a minimal but mammoth haymaker of drone, doom and sludge. Saturday’s bill features Holly Hunt, Legions, Fire in the Cave, Hollow Leg, Demons and North & South. And Sunday closes with Junior Bruce (pictured), Portals, Dissident Aggressor and Primary Colors. Organizers 90 Proof Productions and Orlandooom have been leading the way in making metal respectable in this city recently, and this well-curated festival is the summit of their work. – Bao Le-Huu

Thursday, May 3 – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
with Regina Spektor
7:30 p.m.
Amway Center
400 W. Church St.
800-745-3000
amwaycenter.com
$35-$85

When Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence started work on his newest show, Florida-set Cougar Town, he decided that every episode would be named after a Tom Petty song. Three seasons and 56 episodes later, the rule remains. Why? Simple: Because Lawrence is from Florida (his parents first met at Rollins College) and he knows that, inexplicable though it seems, any true Floridian inherits some amount of reverence for the legendary songsmith, no matter his or her actual “opinion” of Petty’s music. It’s just one of those things, and who are we to argue? Although we’re compelled to love this bill out of regional allegiance, the presence of Russian-born singer-songwriter-deity Regina Spektor has us running to the front row. The piano playing siren’s Mike Elizondo-produced sixth album, What We Saw From the Cheap Seats, doesn’t drop for another few weeks, but her first single, “All the Rowboats” sounds confident and propulsive. – Justin Strout

On Sale: Saturday, May 5

Stryper
7 p.m.
Thursday, July 26
House of Blues
Downtown Disney West Side
Lake Buena Vista
407-934-2583
hob.com
$19.50-$22.50

Down the road:

The Growlers, May 10 at Will’s Pub
Enter Shikari, May 12 at The Social
Chris Cornell, May 13 at Hard Rock Live
Howling Owls, May 14 at Will’s Pub
Jane’s Addiction, May 15 at House of Blues
Heartless Bastards, May 16 at The Social
Lisa Lampanelli, May 18 at Hard Rock Live
Screeching Weasel, May 19 at The Beacham
Toy Bombs, May 23 at Will’s Pub
Mike Epps, May 25 at Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre
John Prine, May 26 at The Plaza Live
The Used, May 27 at House of Blues
Civil Twilight, May 27 at The Social
K.D. Lang, May 27 at Hard Rock Live
Black Cobra, May 29 at Will’s Pub
Neil Diamond, June 3 at Tampa Bay Times Forum
Two Door Cinema Club, June 4 at The Beacham
Bon Iver, June 5 at Hard Rock Live
City and Colour, June 6 at The Beacham
Ceremony, June 6 at Back Booth
Malone Brothers, June 8 at The Plaza Live
Il Divo, June 12 at Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre
Afrojack, June 12 at The Beacham
Puscifer, June 13 at Hard Rock Live
BoDeans, June 15 at The Plaza Live
Curren$y, June 15 at The Beacham
Roger Waters, June 16 at Amway Center
Bouncing Souls, June 17 at The Social
Luis Raúl, June 22 at Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre
LMFAO, June 23 at Amway Center
TV Girl, June 27 at Will’s Pub
Coldplay, June 28 at Tampa Bay Times Forum
Earth, Wind & Fire, June 29 at Hard Rock Live
One Direction, June 30 at Amway Center
Wolf Gang, June 30 at The Social
Boston, July 3 at Hard Rock Live
Reel Big Fish, July 5 at House of Blues
Tab Benoit, July 7 at The Plaza Live
Best Coast, July 9 at The Social
Dave Matthews Band, July 18 at 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre
Anders Osborne, July 21 at The Plaza Live
Fortunate Youth, July 28 at The Social
Kiss, July 28 at 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre
Rod Stewart, Stevie Nicks, Aug. 3 at Amway Center
Ted Nugent, Aug. 5 at House of Blues
Marc Anthony, Aug. 5 at Amway Center
Dirty Projectors, Aug. 6 at The Beacham
Posterra, Aug. 7 at Will’s Pub
Aaron Neville, Aug. 8 at The Plaza Live
Steve Aoki, Aug. 30 at The Plaza Live

For complete show listings, visit our online calendar.

Photo by Charles Glazer

Sunday, April 29 – Central Florida Composers Forum
7 p.m.
Timucua White House
2000 S. Summerlin Ave.
cfcomposers.org
free

It can be a desperate thing to be a modern classical composer. There’s very little local radio support and very few places to perform this kind of challenging work, so it can be nearly impossible to get a piece heard by more than a dozen ears, especially for composers who aren’t working in the same old tired modes. Run-of-the-mill audiences want their Beethoven – or something that sounds damn close to it – so if you aren’t aping old Ludwig Von, you’d better be part of a college music department full of built-in players (and listeners). What Central Florida Composers Forum (aka CF2) has done is break down those walls of insularity by bringing together composers from all over the area, and not only that, but bringing it to new listeners as well. CF2 is part of a renaissance of local creative music concerts: Suddenly there’s a chance to hear new music on an almost a monthly basis. Sunday’s concert will be an invigorating multimedia mix of electroacoustic, post-minimal, contemporary art song, solo piano and big-band jazz pieces by musicians and composers from Rollins, Full Sail, UCF and of course the guiding light of local arts, Benoit Glazer: musical director of Cirque du Soleil, director of the Timucua Foundation and resident of the (Timucua) White House. – Jessica Bryce Young