Looking for live music? Here are some of my best bets for touring bands, original tunes, big acts and otherwise cool shows this month in Southwest Florida. I’ll add more as venues announce new shows.
This list focuses mostly on original music and interesting concerts. Check individual venues for cover bands and other shows.
ACMA
Every Sunday: Songwriters Circle, weekly event where local songwriters get together, perform their original songs and get feedback from the group. Anyone is welcome. Just bring your guitar! 2-5 p.m. Free.
March 17: Pat Donohue, Grammy Award-winning fingerpicking guitarist who plays blues, swing and R&B covers and originals. Mike McMillan opens. 7 p.m. $15-$20.
March 24: Joe Jencks, Chicago folk musician with conservatory training, Irish roots and a working-class upbringing. Robert Bidney opens. 7 p.m. $10-$15.
March 31: The Rough and Tumble, the working name of Nashville folk-Americana duo Mallory Graham and Scott Tyler, known for their close harmonies, versatile playing and tongue-in-cheek songwriting. Terry Lynn Melody opens. 7 p.m. $10-$15.
The Americana Community Music Association Listening Room inside All Faiths Unitarian Church, 2756 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. americanacma.org
ALLIANCE FOR THE ARTS
March 18: Bluegrass in the Theater, monthly bluegrass show with bands from Southwest Florida and beyond. Presented in partnership with the Acoustic Music Society of Southwest Florida. The March bands are Silvia & Pete, Bluegrass Central and Highway 41. 2-5 p.m. $15.
Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers. 939-2787 or artinlee.org
ARTIS-NAPLES
March 16: Audra McDonald, SOLD OUT.
March 16: Paul Byrom, the well-known Irish tenor sings some of Ireland’s greatest songs, including Van Morrison. 6 and 8:30 p.m. $55. This event is almost sold out.
March 17: The Righteous Brothers, SOLD OUT.
March 25: Steep Canyon Rangers, the Grammy Award-winning bluegrass act plays its first-ever shows at Artis-Naples. 5 and 7:30 p.m. $55. This event is almost sold out.
March 25: Rick Springfield, TV/movie star and rock ‘n’ roller known for “Jessie’s Girl” and other hits. 7 p.m. $59-$89.
Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples. 597-1111 or artisnaples.org
BARBARA B. MANN PERFORMING ARTS HALL
March 19: Jason Mraz, two-time Grammy Award winner known for “I’m Yours,” “I Won’t Give Up,” “The Remedy (I Won’t Worry)” and “Lucky.” He’ll play a solo acoustic show. 8 p.m. $56-$100.
March 20: Get the Led Out, tribute band that doesn’t try to look like Led Zeppelin, but instead recreates the band’s biggest hits, note for note, exactly the way they sounded on classic albums such as “Houses of the Holy,” “Physical Graffiti” and the immortal “Zoso.” 7 p.m. $26-$37.
MORE: Coming to Bonita: George Clinton, Three Dog Night, Crystal Gayle and more
March 24: Rodney Carrington, the country comedian returns to Mann Hall. 7 p.m. $47-$206.
March 25: Rock On!”, Gulf Coast Symphony performs rock songs from the 70s and 80s. 7 p.m. $42-$65.
Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Hall, 13350 FSW Parkway, south Fort Myers. 481-4849 or bbmannpah.com
THE BARREL ROOM
Every Thursday: The Dan Miller & Lew Del Gatto Quartet, featuring trumpeter Miller (who has toured and recorded with Harry Connick Jr., Wynton Marsalis and more) and saxman Del Gatto (formerly of the Saturday Night Live band) playing jazz every week in this local quartet. 7-10 p.m. Free.
Every Sunday: Americana Sundays, different Americana acts perform from 4-7 p.m. Free.
March 16: Anthony Gomes, the blues rocker was recently awarded Best Musician in the 2017 European Blues Awards. 9 p.m. $10.
March 17: Albert Castiglia Band, hard-edged, contemporary blues act from South Florida. 9 p.m. $10.
March 24: The Nouveaux Honkies, Florida duo that plays what they call “roots and roll that rocks.” Their music combines roots music with blues, Americana, swing and more. 9 p.m. $5.
March 30: Damon Fowler, blues/roots/rock singer, songwriter and guitarist from Tampa. 9 p.m. $10.
March 31: Nattybos, west Florida band that plays “blues-a-billy rock” and soul jams. 9 p.m. $5.
The Barrel Room, 2214 Bay St., downtown Fort Myers. 333-2225 or barrelroomfortmyers.com
BERT’S BAR
March 15, 17 and 31: The Hipnauticals, Matlacha band known for its hip originals and covers played in the style of old-fashioned swing music, R&B and rock with an upright bass and more. 7 p.m. Free.
March 23 and 30: Mike Imbasciani and his BluezRockers, the young Southwest Florida bluesman has been singing and playing guitar professionally since age 5. 7:30 p.m. Free.
Bert’s Bar & Grill, 4271 Pine Island Road, Matlacha. 282-3232 or bertsbar.com
BIG ARTS
March 16: Recycled Percussion, the “junk rock” band got national attention when it appeared on “America’s Got Talent” in 2009. They're known for making music out of unusual percussion instruments such as buckets, ladders and power tools. 7:30 p.m. $42-$46.
March 23: Hotel California,SOLD OUT.
BIG ARTS, 900 Dunlop Road, Sanibel Island. 395-0900 or bigarts.org
BIG BLUE BREWING
March 16: The Hipnauticals, Matlacha band known for its hip originals and covers played in the style of old-fashioned swing music, R&B and rock with an upright bass and more. 9 p.m. Free.
March 30: Betty Fox Band, Tampa blues/funk/soul favorites. 9 p.m. Free.
March 31: The Good Bad Kids, local duo that plays a high-energy, rough-and-rowdy mix of folk-rock, bluegrass and rockabilly. 9 p.m. Free.
Big Blue Brewing, 4721 S.E. 10th Place, downtown Cape Coral. 471-2777 or bigbluebrewing.com
BUCKINGHAM BLUES BAR
Ongoing: Open Stage Blues Jam, twice-weekly blues jam open to all musicians and hosted by bar owner and bluesman Tommy Lee Cook. 3-6 p.m. every Sunday, 8-11 p.m. every Wednesday. Free.
March 17: Backyard Blues Fest, another installment of the outdoor music series with Mac Arnold, The Night Hawks and Tommy Lee Cook & The Heathens. 2-11 p.m. $10.
March 31: Backyard Blues Fest, the outdoor series continues with JP Soars and the Red Hots, Tommy Lee Cook & The Heathens and more. 2-11 p.m. $10.
Buckingham Blues Bar, 5641 Buckingham Road, Buckingham. 693-7111 or buckinghambar.com
CAPE CABARET
March 17: George Orr, Rod Stewart look-alike who brings the raspy-voiced pop singer to life with witty, funny banter in between songs like “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy” and “Maggie May. 7 p.m. $15 admission with a $10 minimum food or drink purchase.
March 24: The Goldtones, quartet sings four-part harmony on doo-wop and oldies tunes. 7 p.m. $5 admission with a $10 minimum food or drink purchase.
Cape Cabaret, 4725 Vincennes Blvd., Cape Coral. 549-3000 or capecabaret.com
CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS BONITA SPRINGS
March 28: John Sebastian, the singer-songwriter performs solo songs and also hits from his time with The Lovin’ Spoonful, including “Summer in the City,” “Do You Believe in Magic?” “Daydream” and “Welcome Back.” 8 p.m. $38-$48.
Center for Performing Arts Bonita Springs, 10150 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs. 495-8989 or artcenterbonita.org
CIGAR BAR LIVE
Every Wednesday: The Electric Mud, the gritty and soulful rock band from Fort Myers plays during Ladies Night. 9 p.m. to midnight. Free.
Cigar Bar Live, 1508 Hendry St., downtown Fort Myers. 337-4662 or worldfamouscigarbar.com/live
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS (THE RIVER DISTRICT)
March 16: Music Walk, downtown Fort Myers comes alive with music at this monthly celebration with bands in the streets and inside the bars and venues. 6-10 p.m. Music Walk takes place on the third Friday of every month. Free. Downtown Fort Myers. downtownfortmyers.com/music_walk
Downtown Fort Myers. fortmyersriverdistrictalliance.com
FORT MYERS BREWING COMPANY
March 24: The Full Service, the Austin, Texas, band plays what they call “rock music for weirdos.” Their Hop n’ Along Tour has been visiting craft breweries across the country. Now they’re coming to Fort Myers Brewing Company with their acoustic show. 7 p.m. Free.
Fort Myers Brewing Company, 12811 Commerce Lakes Drive, Unit 28, south Fort Myers. 313-6576 or fmbrew.com
GEORGE & WENDY’S SANIBEL SEAFOOD GRILLE
March 16 and 30: Rex Bongo, local blues, roots-music and swamp country-rock musician. 9 p.m. to midnight. Free.
March 22: Tribal Love, Fort Myers reggae, dancehall and soca trio. 9 p.m. to midnight. Free.
March 23: The Hipnauticals, Matlacha band known for its hip originals and covers played in the style of old-fashioned swing music, R&B and rock with an upright bass and more. 9 p.m. to midnight. Free.
March 24: The Pitbull of the Blues, frontman Josh Rowand — otherwise known as The Pitbull of Blues — and his high-energy band known for its fun mix of traditional and original blues. 9 p.m. to midnight. Free.
March 29: The Electric Mud, gritty and soulful rock band from Fort Myers. 9 p.m. to midnight. Free.
George & Wendy’s Sanibel Seafood Grille, 2499 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel Island. 395-1263 or sanibelseafoodgrille.com
GERMAIN ARENA
March 22: FGCU NestFest, the annual music fest featured headlining rappers A Boogie Wit da Hoodie and Hoodie Allen. 8 p.m. $35-$45, plus $15 for parking.
Germain Arena, 11000 Everblades Parkway, Estero. 948-7825 or germainarena.com
HOWL
Every Thursday: HOWL Open Jam, local musicians jam together with host Frankie Colt, a house drum kit and some surprises (including comedy and burlesque performances). 8-11 p.m. $5.
March 17: The Young Dead EP release show, the ferocious local punk/grunge act celebrates its new EP, “Righteous Violence,” with a cassette-release party. The show also features Tampa’s The Nervous Girls and Miami’s Snowmoon. 9 p.m. $5.
March 24: Lydia Can’t Breathe, touring Central Florida rock band. Plus fellow touring bands Helius and Eunoia. 8-11 p.m. $10.
March 29: Cobress EP release, the local rock band performs at this release party for its new EP. This will be an 80s glam/hair metal-themed event. Plus burlesque dancing by Freckles Galore and special musical guests Demigod Duo, Xid and the 25, and Duke Stamina. 8-11 p.m. $5.
HOWL, 4160 Cleveland Ave, Fort Myers. 332-0161 or howlftmyers.com
OLDE FISH HOUSE MARINA
Every Monday and Thursday: Scottie's Coast Connection Band, local act that combines southern blues, country and rock with bandleader Scottie Player's washboard and beer-bottle xylophone. 12:30-3:30 p.m. Free.
Olde Fish House Marina, 4530 Pine Island Road, Matlacha. 282-9577 or oldefishhousemarina.com
POINT YBEL BREWING COMPANY
Every Thursday: Hunter Dahlen, Fort Myers jazz musician who sings and plays guitar, violin and viola. 7-10 p.m. Free.
March 17: St. Paddy’s Green Fest, SOWFLO and Roots Almighty play the reggae for this St. Patrick’s Day party that includes food trucks and special beer releases. Noon to midnight. Free.
March 23: Strangled Darlings, touring “doom pop” duo from Vermont. 8-11 p.m. Free.
March 30: The Good Bad Kids, local duo that plays a high-energy, rough-and-rowdy mix of folk-rock, bluegrass and rockabilly. 7:30-11 p.m. Free.
Point Ybel Brewing Company, 16120 San Carlos Blvd., south Fort Myers. 603-6535 or facebook.com/PointYbelBrew
RACK’EM
March 17: Shenanigan’s Wake, the Southwest Florida Celt-rock band performs on St. Patrick’s Day. 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Free.
March 21: Rise Beyond album release, the metal band performs and releases its new album, “The Truth Untold.” 9 p.m. Free.
March 23-24: Celebrating 22 Years, Rack’em celebrates its 22nd birthday with two nights of music and giveaways. Friday night features the bands Emerald Vision, The Kimberlys and Coffin Varnish. Saturday features DJ Jack Millz. 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. both nights. Free.
March 30:A Night of Metal, nothing but metal music at this show featuring the bands Kick Em Ugly, Fatherless Bastard and Personal Kings. 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Free.
Rack’em Spirits & Times, 1011 S.E. 47th Terrace, downtown Cape Coral. facebook.com/RackemspiritsandTimes
THE RANCH CONCERT HALL & SALOON
March 23: Eric Paslay, country star known for “Friday Night,” “She Don’t Love You,” “Song About a Girl” and more. 9 p.m. $24-$56.
The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers. 985-9839 or theranchfortmyers.com
THE SHELL FACTORY
Wednesday: Dance Nights with Jerry Dycke, the singer/songwriter/keyboardist performs covers of country songs, ballads, waltzes and more, plus some of his own solo music. Dycke is a former recording artist for Sun Records, the Memphis studio famous for Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley. Three of his songs have made it onto the Billboard Top 100 radio charts: "I Never Said Goodbye,” "Daddy Played Harmonica” and “Beethoven Was Before My Time." He was inducted into the Florida Country Music Association Hall of Fame in 1994. 6-9 p.m. Wednesdays. $6. Takes place in The Dolphin Room.
The Shell Factory & Nature Park, 2787 N. Tamiami Trail, North Fort Myers. 995-2141 or shellfactory.com
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA EVENT CENTER
March 16: Pig Floyd, the Pink Floyd tribute band performs. 8 p.m. $25-$45.
March 24: Little Texas, Nashville act known for 90s country hits such as “God Blessed Texas,” “What Might Have Been” and “My Love.” 8 p.m. $25-$55.
March 30: Karla Bonoff, the American singer-songwriter has written songs recorded by Bonnie Raitt (“Home), Wynonna Judd ("Tell Me Why") and Linda Ronstadt ("Someone To Lay Down Beside Me," "Lose Again" and "If He's Ever Near" from the 1976 album Hasten Down the Wind”). 8 p.m. $25-$49
Southwest Florida Event Center, 11515 Bonita Beach Road S.E., Bonita Springs. 245-9910 or swfleventcenter.com
SPACE 39
Every Thursday: Space Jam, weekly soul/funk jam open to everyone. 8 p.m. to midnight. Free.
March 24: Jennifer Westwood and the Handsome Devils, independent Michigan roots-rock band with a “honky tonk soul.” They’ve won five Detroit Music Awards. 9 p.m. Free.
Space 39 Art Bar & Martini Lounge, 39 Patio de Leon, downtown Fort Myers. 204-9949 or space39artbar.com
Want your band to be considered for SWFL LIVE! and The News-Press’s various entertainment calendars? Just visit events.news-press.com and enter details about your upcoming shows. You can also email concert details (including times and ticket prices) and high-res band photos to crunnells@news-press.com. No cover bands, please!
Connect with this reporter: Charles Runnells (News-Press) (Facebook), @charlesrunnells (Twitter), @crunnells1 (Instagram)
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