Top 8 concerts this week in Sarasota, Venice, Bradenton, Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda

While we're nearing the time of year where things to start settle down events-wise in the Sarasota area, there'll still be plenty of noteworthy live music this week, including arguably the biggest concert here in the next three months.

Circus Arts Conservatory's electronic dance music fundraiser Wonderball, which debuted last year with Steve Aoki headlining, will return this weekend with another renowned DJ appearing. Other genres represented in this concert picks installment include ska, folk, and — as with most weeks in our area — blues, including the return of a multiple Blues Music Awards-winning artist. Here are this week's highlights. Event details are subject to change.

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The Birdwatchers

Sarasota's Fogartyville will welcome Utah-based acoustic ukulele trio The Birdwatchers this week. The group comprising Kim Bjerga, Clark Holmes and Andy Nufer performs tenor, baritone and bass ukulele, as well as guitar and vocal harmonies. Their YouTube page features ukulele covers of songs such as Grace VanderWaal's "I Don't Know My Name," currently nearing a million views. Kirk Jones and Vincent and Norine Mungo will open the show, with The Birdwatchers and Jones holding ukulele workshops earlier in the day at Fogartyville. 6:30 p.m. doors, 7:15 p.m. show Friday; Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center, 525 Kumquat Court, Sarasota; $26, $22 members, $13 students ages 13 and up; 941-894-6469; fogartyville.org

Sofia Talvik

Describing her sound as "Americana/folk with Swedish roots," Sofia Talvik will perform at Venice's Troll Music this weekend. The singer-songwriter hails from Sweden, recording her most recent album — last year's "Center of the Universe" — in the country's small rural village of Sulegång. Yet she has visited nearly all 50 states while touring and has numerous ties to America, including the Sunshine State, releasing the 2010 album "Florida" that she partially wrote during a time when she lived in Orlando. 8 p.m. Friday; Troll Music, 628 E. Venice Ave., Venice; $20; 941-484-8765; trollmusic.com

Alan Walker

Wonderball, an electronic dance music concert fundraiser benefiting Circus Arts Conservatory youth education programs, debuted in 2023 with Steve Aoki headlining, and this year will feature another well-known DJ in Alan Walker. Hailing from Norway, the 26-year-old Walker has been named to DJ Magazine's Top 100 DJs list every year since 2016, landing at No. 11 in 2023, the same year he played Lollapalooza and put out the album "Walkerworld." Along with his own releases and tours, Walker has remixed songs such as Julia Michaels' "Issues" and shared bills with other such musicians as Rihanna and Justin Bieber. 7 p.m. Saturday; Sailor Circus Arena, 2075 Bahia Vista St., Sarasota; $100 stadium seating, $250 dance floor, sponsorships also available; circusartswonderball.com

Matthew Curry

Blues-rock guitarist and singer-songwriter Matthew Curry from Bloomington, Illinois, will make a return visit to Bert's Back Porch at The Twisted Fork in Port Charlotte this weekend. His fans include Peter Frampton, The Doobie Brothers and Steve Miller Band, all of whom he's opened for. Curry also appeared onscreen in the 2015 David Spade comedy "Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser," portraying the late Lynyrd Skynyrd frontman and Jacksonville native Ronnie Van Zant.  2:30 p.m. Sunday; Bert's Back Porch at The Twisted Fork, 2208 El Jobean Road, Port Charlotte; 941-235-3675; twistedfork.net

The Freecoasters

Bradenton brewery Motorworks Brewing will welcome ska-reggae-soul group The Freecoasters for a show. Though the group hails from nearby Fort Myers, they've found fans nationally, recently playing Washington, D.C.'s famed venue Black Cat with two big names in ska, The Slackers and Mustard Plug. Jesse Wagner of Los Angeles reggae band The Aggrolites also produced their two full-lengths, 2021's "A Different Kind of Heat" and 2016's "Show Up." Can't make this show? The Freecoasters are also set to play April 19 at Celtic Ray in Punta Gorda. 1 p.m. Sunday; Motorworks Brewing, 1014 Ninth St. W., Bradenton; 941-567-6218; motorworksbrewing.com

The Toasters

Speaking of ska and Celtic Ray, the venue will welcome one of the oldest American bands in the genre, The Toasters, this week. The ska group formed in New York City in the 1980s, but many '90s kids first discovered them through the Nickelodeon series "KaBlam!," which used their track "Two-Tone Army" as its theme song, with their music also appearing in the pilot episode of the cult animated series "Mission Hill." The band, still featuring founding frontman Robert "Bucket" Hingley, will be joined by Bargain Bin Heroes at their Celtic Ray show. 8 p.m. Monday; Celtic Ray Public House, 145 E. Marion Ave., Punta Gorda; free (21-and-up only); 941-916-9115; celticray.net

Curtis Salgado

Returning to Bradenton restaurant and music venue Cottonmouth this week will be bluesman Curtis Salgado. The harmonica player and singer-songwriter has earned several Blues Music Awards, including three consecutive Soul Blues Male Artist wins from 2021 to 2023, with other notable wins including Song of the Year for "Walk a Mile in My Blues" in 2017 and B.B. King Entertainer of the Year in 2013. Salgado is also known for inspiring The Blues Brothers, with their 1978 album "Briefcase Full of Blues" dedicated to him. 7 p.m. Tuesday; Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen, 1114 12th St. W., Bradenton; $30 advance, $35 day of; 941-243-3735; facebook.com/cottonmouthsoul

Ben Prestage

Florida-raised, self-described "Deep South Swamp Music" performer Ben Prestage will make his monthly appearance (more or less) at Celtic Ray for a show this week. Prestage grew up in rural Florida and later lived in Memphis, where as a street performer he started playing drums with his feet while simultaneously singing and playing other instruments, a setup he'd bring back to his home state. His repertoire of instruments he plays includes the diddley bow, which earned him a Blues Music Award nomination for Instrumentalist — Other in 2012. 7 p.m. Tuesday; Celtic Ray Public House, 145 E. Marion Ave., Punta Gorda; 941-916-9115; celticray.net

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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Top 8 concerts in Sarasota Venice Bradenton Port Charlotte Punta Gorda