Top 12 concerts this week in Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice, Englewood

February is among the busiest times of the year for events in Sarasota and Manatee counties, and live music is no exception, with this week featuring a star-studded lineup of performers. Multiple Grammy and Blues Music Award-winning or nominated acts will be in town for concerts — some on Valentine's Day, including a famous musical married couple.

There'll also be plenty of the talented musicians who currently or have formerly called the Sarasota area home, including at a fundraiser concert for a local personality and an inaugural country music festival. Here are this week's highlights. Event details are subject to change.

More fun things to do this week: Festivals and more in Sarasota, Bradenton area this weekend

100-plus fun things to do in February in Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice, Punta Gorda

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'Hooray for Hollywood' with Michael Feinstein

Grammy-nominated singer Michael Feinstein will join the Venice Symphony for "Hooray for Hollywood," a concert celebrating film music with a program featuring such classic songs as "New York, New York," "The Way You Look Tonight" and "Singin' in the Rain." It's fitting material for Feinstein, an ambassador for the Great American Songbook who's also appeared on Turner Classic Movies as a guest host. Feinstein has been nominated five times for a Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Grammy, including for 2000's "Romance on Film, Romance on Broadway," which features a rendition of "The Way You Look Tonight." 7:30 p.m. Friday, 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave., Venice; $50-$100; 941-207-8822; thevenicesymphony.org

Phil's Phundraiser Benephit

As Sarasota emcee and performer Phil Phunn battles colon cancer, multiple musicians will perform at this benefit concert at Big Top. They include Sarasota natives Duane Betts, guitarist, singer-songwriter and the son of Allman Brothers Band co-founder and longtime Sarasota County resident Dickey Betts; and Chris Anderson, a former member of the Tampa-formed Southern rockers the Outlaws and singer-songwriter/guitarist. Founding Tesla guitarist Frank Hannon will also appear, with items up for raffle and auction to include a guitar signed by the entire Tesla band. 6 p.m. Saturday; Big Top Brewing Company, 975 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota; $20, $250 up front table for eight; 941-371-2939; bigtopbrewing.com

Motorworks Brewing Country Festival

Bradenton brewery and music venue Motorworks will host this inaugural country music festival this weekend. Those set to perform include the Davenport, Florida-born Aaron Kelly, a fifth-place finalist on season nine of "American Idol" in 2010 and new Sarasota County resident. The festival will also feature the Eric Von Band, Chas Collins Band, Keepin' It Country and a Shania Twain tribute, as well as Southern food, a mechanical bull and, of course, Motorworks' topnotch craft beers. 11 a.m. Saturday; Motorworks Brewing, 1014 Ninth St. W., Bradenton; $35; 941-567-6218; motorworksbrewing.com

EG Kight

Bradenton restaurant and blues spot Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen's live music lineup this week will include the return of guitarist and singer-songwriter EG Kight, whose "country-flavored Southern-fried blues" make her a fitting act for the venue. Kight earned her latest Blues Music Award nomination this year in the Acoustic Blues Album Category for last year's "Sticks & Strings." She's been nominated for numerous other Blues Music Awards during the course of her career, including Song of the Year twice for her tracks "Southern Comfort" and "Nothin' Ever Hurt Me." 7 p.m. Saturday; Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen, 1114 12th St. W., Bradenton; $15 advance, $20 day of; 941-243-3735; facebook.com/cottonmouthsoul

Damon Fowler

Guitarist, singer-songwriter and former Anna Maria Island resident Damon Fowler will play Big Top's Blues & Brews Sunday concert series this week, as well as a Valentine's Day show at Cottonmouth. Fowler topped the Billboard blues album chart and earned a Blues Music Awards nomination for Blues Rock Album with his 2021 full-length "Alafia Moon." Along with his solo career, Fowler has also played in the groups of founding Allman Brothers Band members Dickey Betts and the late Butch Trucks, and in Southern Hospitality with Grammy-nominated pianist Victor Wainwright and fellow Floridian J.P. Soars. 3 p.m. Sunday; Big Top Brewing Company, 975 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota; 941-371-2939; bigtopbrewing.com; 6:30 p.m. Wednesday; Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen, 1114 12th St. W., Bradenton; $10; 941-243-3735; facebook.com/cottonmouthsoul

Gipsy Kings featuring Nicolas Reyes

Gipsy Kings, still featuring founding lead singer Nicolas Reyes, are set to make their Van Wezel debut this week. The group's sound blending flamenco and rumba with pop is credited with helping introduce the former two genres to a worldwide audience through releases including their platinum-selling 1987 self-titled album, featuring tracks such as "Bamboleo" and "Inspiration," which appeared on a "Miami Vice" episode. (Their cover of the Eagles' "Hotel California" also appears in the Coen brothers' 1998 comedy cult classic "The Big Lebowski," and their rendition of Randy Newman's "You've Got a Friend in Me" in 2010's "Toy Story 3.") Gipsy Kings are also eight-time Grammy nominees, winning a Best Global Music Album Grammy for 2013's "Savor Flamenco." 7:30 p.m. Tuesday; Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; sold out as of press time; 941-263-6799; vanwezel.org

David Foster and Katharine McPhee

Also playing Van Wezel will be the husband-and-wife musical duo of composer/producer David Foster and singer Katharine McPhee for a show that, fittingly, falls on Valentine's Day. Foster is a 16-time Grammy winner who had a hand in some of the biggest pop songs of the '80s and '90s, including Chicago's "Hard to Say I'm Sorry," Celine Dion's "Because You Loved Me" and Whitney Houston's rendition of "I Will Always Love You." Meanwhile, McPhee rose to fame as the runner-up of "American Idol" season five in 2006, releasing her self-titled debut album the following year, along with an acting career that's included lead roles on the television shows "Smash" and "Scorpion," and on Broadway in "Waitress." 7:30 p.m. Wednesday; Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; sold out as of press time; 941-263-6799; vanwezel.org

Bruce Katz Band

Another former member of Butch Trucks' band (who's also performed with fellow Allman Brothers Band founders Gregg Allman and Jaimoe), Bruce Katz will play an area Valentine's Day show too. The pianist and organist is considered one of the best working in the blues genre today, with seven Blues Music Award nominations in the  Instrumentalist — Piano category, also earning an Acoustic Blues Album nomination in 2020 for his piano album "Solo Ride." Katz won the same category the previous year for his collaboration “Journeys to the Heart of the Blues” with guitarist Joe Louis Walker and harmonica player Giles Robson. 6:30 p.m. Wednesday; Englewoods on Dearborn, 362 W. Dearborn St., Englewood; $7; 941-475-7501; englewoodsondearborn.com

Patti Smith

Iconic singer-songwriter Patti Smith, who was named Selby Gardens' first artist-in-residence and has performed there thrice now, will return for “An Encore with Patti Smith Dedicated to Georgia O’Keeffe,” commemorating the gardens' exhibition "Yayoi Kusama: A Letter to Georgia O’Keeffe." Smith is known for her highly influential 1975 album "Horses" — which was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2021 and named the 26th greatest album of all time by Rolling Stone in 2020, and was featured in this year's Oscar-nominated film "Perfect Days" — as well as her 1978 hit "Because the Night" co-written with Bruce Springsteen. Rolling Stone also named Smith the 47th best musical act of all time, and she was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15; Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 1534 Mound St., Sarasota; sold out as of press time; 941-366-5731; selby.org

John Primer

After playing last year's Bradenton Blues Festival and competing at this year's Grammys, John Primer will return to our area. The blues guitarist and singer-songwriter has played with Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon and Magic Slim, along with a successful solo career that's included four Blues Music Awards wins and three Grammy nominations. His most recent nomination was in the Traditional Blues Album category for "Teardrops for Magic Slim: Live at Rosa's Lounge," which was also recently nominated for Album of the Year at this year's Blues Music Awards. Can't make this show? Primer is also scheduled to play Feb. 23 at Cottonmouth. 6:30 p.m. Thursday; Englewoods on Dearborn, 362 W. Dearborn St., Englewood; $10; 941-475-7501; englewoodsondearborn.com

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 a series of shows starting at Venice's Troll Music. 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. Salaway says he'll be joined on this string of shows that also includes Phillippi Crest Community Club on Feb. 17 and The Twisted Fork on Feb. 18 by Rizz & the Believers, featuring former Tesla drummer Troy Luccketta (Two Tesla members in town the same week? Apparently!) 7 p.m. Thursday; Troll Music, 628 E. Venice Ave., Venice; $18; 941-484-8765; trollmusic.com

Etienne Charles

The Ringling’s Art of Performance series will continue with Trinidad-born trumpeter and composer Etienne Charles, who'll play two shows. Charles has received accolades including a 2015 Guggenheim Fellowship, performed at festivals across the world, released albums of his own, and was a producer and songwriter on Somi's "Petite Afrique," which won Outstanding Jazz Album at the 2018 NAACP Image Awards. He also currently serves as associate professor of studio music and jazz at the University of Miami's Frost School of Music. 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Feb. 16; Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota; $30-$40; 941-360-7399; ringling.org

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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 12 concerts near me in Sarasota Bradenton Venice Englewood