Top 5 concerts this week in Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice, Port Charlotte, Anna Maria Island

July's lengthy lineup of fun things to do in Sarasota-Manatee, including live music, continues this week, with one Bradenton neighborhood's monthly artwalk alone making up three of this edition's concert picks. Two restaurants and venues with the same owner host multiple musicians during the artwalk, including a Billboard blues album chart-topping and Blues Music Awards-nominated performer and an "uncut ukulele funk" group that's played Bonnaroo.

Other notable concerts this week include a Sarasota County-raised, now-Nashville-based musician who just recently played Bonnaroo himself, as well as a Celtic Summer Jam festival featuring both local and out-of-town musical acts at one of our area's top Irish pubs. Here are this week's highlights. Event details are subject to change.

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Damon Fowler

Singer-songwriter, guitarist and former Anna Maria Island resident Damon Fowler returns to the area to play Birdrock. Fowler's releases include the 2021 full-length "Alafia Moon," which topped Billboard's blues albums chart and earned a Blues Music Award nomination for Blues Rock Album, and this year's "Live at the Palladium," recorded at the titular St. Petersburg venue. Along with his solo career, Fowler has played in the bands of founding Allman Brothers Band members Dickey Betts and the late Butch Trucks, and in the supergroup Southern Hospitality with Grammy-nominated pianist Victor Wainwright and fellow Floridian J.P. Soars. 7 p.m. Friday; Birdrock Taco Shack, 1213 13th Ave. W., Bradenton; $20 advance, $25 day of; 941-545-9966; facebook.com/birdrocktaco

The Divebombers

Chef David Shiplett's other Village of the Arts restaurant and music venue, Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen, celebrates Artwalk with a concert by Sarasota roots rock group The Divebombers. The band is back in town again after an African tour that included playing the Bushfire music festival in Swaziland. The group's members include guitarist George Worthmore, a New York Blues Hall of Fame inductee who also previously lived in Johannesburg and ran a venue there before moving to Sarasota. 6:30 p.m. Friday; Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen, 1114 12th St. W., Bradenton; no cover; 941-243-3735; facebook.com/cottonmouthsoul

John Salaway

Sarasota County-raised, now-Nashville-based musician John Salaway returns to this area for what he says will be his last Florida shows until November. Salaway's most recent album, 2021's "Salvation," featured him collaborating with musicians including Foo Fighters keyboardist Rami Jaffee and former Cage the Elephant member Lincoln Parish, and he recently took part in a Bonnaroo jam. His Troll Music show will be acoustic, while his Twisted Fork show is with his band the Regulators that includes Dave LaGrande from Sister Hazel, the Gainesville-formed rock group of "All for You" fame. 7 p.m. Friday; Troll Music, 628 E. Venice Ave., Venice; $15; 941-484-8765; trollmusic.com; 7 p.m. Saturday; The Twisted Fork, 2208 El Jobean Road, Port Charlotte; free; 941-235-3675; twistedfork.net

Celtic Summer Jam

One of the top Irish pubs in our area, Anna Maria Island's Freckled Fin hosts the third annual Celtic Summer Jam, featuring a day of live Irish and Celtic music. This year's lineup of bands includes an out-of-state act in Atlanta's the Muckers, who blend Irish music with ska, sea shanties and other genres on their albums including 2020's "Irish Goodbye" and 2018's "One More Stout." Mac Tier from St. Petersburg and Clover's Revenge from here in Sarasota also perform. Noon Saturday; Freckled Fin Irish Pub, 5337 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach; 941-251-3930; freckledfin.com

The Applebutter Express

Birdrock Taco Shack's festivities celebrating Village of the Arts' Artwalk continues with self-described "uncut ukulele funk" act The Applebutter Express. The group is based in Tampa, but has ties to Bradenton, with band members and future married couple Kyle and Shannon Biss first meeting at a record store in the Friendly City. The Applebutter Express has received national spotlights as well, playing Bonnaroo in 2012 and having their song "Hey My Brotha" appear in the 2014 Reese Witherspoon film "The Good Lie." 1 p.m. Saturday; Birdrock Taco Shack, 1213 13th Ave. W., Bradenton; 941-545-9966; facebook.com/birdrocktaco

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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 concerts in Bradenton, Venice, Port Charlotte, Anna Maria Island