Top 10 concerts this week in Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice, Port Charlotte

We leave December and enter January in this week's concert picks, with many shows taking place on New Year's Eve to help ring in the new year. One New Year's Eve party on a downtown Sarasota rooftop bar, for instance, will be soundtracked by a lineup of acclaimed DJs.

Already have plans for New Year's Eve, but still hoping to catch some live music this week? Don't worry, you still have plenty of options too, including a two-time Blue Music Award winner, the soul musician and songwriter behind a Top 3 hit, and a famed Canadian rock 'n' roller. Here are this week's highlights. Event details are subject to change.

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Steve Arvey, Rev. Billy C. Wirtz and Captain Catfish

The roots-blues duo of Rev. Billy C. Wirtz and Steve Arvey will return to Bradenton restaurant and venue Birdrock Taco Shack this weekend, this time as a trio with Captain Catfish. Along with hosting the weekly radio show The Rhythm Revival on WMNF, Wirtz has a dedicated following as a musician, blending irreverent lyrics with serious boogie-woogie piano chops. The Bradenton-based Arvey, meanwhile, is one of the area's busiest blues musicians, as well as a renowned cigar box guitarist. 7 p.m. Friday; Birdrock Taco Shack, 1213 13th Ave. W., Bradenton; 941-545-9966; facebook.com/birdrocktaco

John Salaway

Americana singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist John Salaway, who grew up in Sarasota County before moving to Nashville, will return to the area for two shows this weekend. First he'll perform at Troll Music in Venice, with Pond Music opening; then he'll play at Port Charlotte's The Twisted Fork along with Maiden Cane and Sunset Strip for their New Year's Eve festivities. Salaway has released albums such as 2021's "Salvation," featuring guest musicians including Foo Fighters keyboardist Rami Jaffee and former Cage the Elephant member Lincoln Parish.  7 p.m. Friday; Troll Music, 628 E. Venice Ave., Venice; $18; 941-484-8765; trollmusic.org; 6:30 p.m. Sunday; The Twisted Fork, 2208 El Jobean Road, Port Charlotte; free general admission, $44 VIP; 941-235-3675; twistedfork.net

Selwyn Birchwood

After recently performing at Fogartyville in Sarasota, Florida-raised blues guitarist and singer-songwriter Selwyn Birchwood will play another area show at Birdrock Taco Shack's sister restaurant/venue Cottonmouth. Earlier this year, Birchwood released his latest album "Exorcist" on Alligator Records, his fourth album for the esteemed blues label. It's the follow-up to his 2021 full-length "Living in a Burning House," with its opening track "I'd Climb Mountains" winning Song of the Year at last year's Blues Music Awards, where Birchwood also won Best New Artist Debut for his first Alligator release "Don't Call No Ambulance." 7 p.m. Saturday; Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen, 1114 12th St. W., Bradenton; $20 advance, $25 day of; 941-243-3735; facebook.com/cottonmouthsoul

John Ellison

Soul musician John Ellison will come to Manatee Performing Arts Center for two shows titled "You're Some Kind of Wonderful." The name comes from the song Ellison is most famous for, "Some Kind of Wonderful," which his R&B group Soul Brothers Six released as a Billboard Hot 100-charting 1967 single, before Grand Funk Railroad had a Top 3 hit with their 1974 cover. In recent years, Ellison has released the Black Lives Matter-inspired track "Wake-Up Call (Black Like Me)," covered by outlets including Rolling Stone; "West Virginia State of Mind," paying tribute to his home state; and a new recording of "Some Kind of Wonderful" this year. 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday; Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave. W., Bradenton; $40-$50; 941-748-5875; manateeperformingartscenter.com

Free Fallin'

Free Fallin', which pays tribute to the late great Gainesville native Tom Petty — the group takes its name from one of Petty's biggest hits, with the song "Love is a Long Road" from the same "Full Moon Fever" album soundtracking the recently released trailer for the long-anticipated "Grand Theft Auto VI" — will play Sarasota's Big Top this weekend. Dana Lawrence, who along with playing in Free Fallin' leads Sarasota rock group Kettle of Fish, said this will be the band's first show since the death of Greg Poulos, who played with both groups. Free Fallin' will be joined by special guests Tom McNulty and Kara Nally. 7 p.m. Saturday; Big Top Brewing Company, 975 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota; 941-371-2939; bigtopbrewing.com

Salute to Vienna New Year's Concert

For those looking to ring in the new year a little early, this annual holiday tradition will return to Van Wezel the night before New Year's Eve. András Deák of Budapest will serve as conductor and master of ceremonies, joined by the Strauss Symphony of America, tenor Franz Gürtelschmied of Vienna, and soprano Katarzyna Dondalska of Berlin-Warsaw. The concert will also feature performers from Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami. 7 p.m. Saturday; Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; $68-$101; 941-263-6799; vanwezel.org

New Year's Eve Dance on Water

The eighth-floor Perspective Rooftop Pool Bar at downtown Sarasota's Art Ovation Hotel will celebrate New Year's Eve with this party, featuring a lineup of renowned DJs. The Puerto Rico-born, now Miami-based Robbie Rivera, who has been included in DJ Magazine's Top 100 DJs poll, will perform with DJ Dan, who was once named the No. 1 House DJ by the same publication. The also-Miami-based Val Verra, who previously played Perspective's Neon Terror Halloween party, will also perform. 6 p.m. Sunday; Art Ovation Hotel, 1255 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota; $50 advance, $75 day of, VIP packages also available; 941-316-0808; perspectiverooftopbar.com

Derek Lersch

Meanwhile, on downtown Bradenton's Old Main Street, country singer Derek Lersch will provide the music for the Bradenton Alive New Year's Eve Celebration. Lersch is wrapping up a busy year that has included playing shows in several states beyond his native Florida and releasing new music, including a recent song for another December holiday, "I Saw Santa in a Honky Tonk." Lersch released his debut EP "100 Proof" in 2021, featuring songs including "Girl Dad," a tribute to his daughter that earned a write-up by Parade magazine. 8:30 p.m. Sunday; 450 12th St. W., Bradenton; facebook.com/bradentonsalive

Brenda Watty

Cottonmouth will close out 2023 with one last concert featuring Sarasota singer Brenda Watty. After performing with groups including a touring version of The Marvelettes, Watty moved to Sarasota, where she's become a prolific live performer and in 2018 released her debut solo album "It's My Time," which featured both originals and covers including The Marvelettes' "Too Many Fish in the Sea." Watty will be joined at the Cottonmouth show by James Varnado, Johnnie Barker and other special guests. 9 p.m. Sunday; Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen, 1114 12th St. W., Bradenton; $10 advance, $15 day of; 941-243-3735; facebook.com/cottonmouthsoul

Pat Travers Band

Canadian rock guitarist and singer-songwriter Pat Travers and his band will help kick off a new year of live music at Big Top. Travers rose to fame in the late '70s and early '80s with songs such as his rendition of "Boom, Boom (Out Go the Lights)," "Snortin' Whiskey" and "I La La La Love You," which appeared on the soundtrack to the 1983 film "Valley Girl." In recent years, Travers has released albums including last year's "The Art of Time Travel," performed as a duo with Carmine Appice, and inspired the 2017 Mountain Goats song "Rage of Travers." 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 4; Big Top Brewing Company, 975 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota; $25 early bird; 941-371-2939; bigtopbrewing.com

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Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by  subscribing.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Top 10 concerts this week in Sarasota Bradenton Venice Port Charlotte