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<\/p>\nFor concert-goers, May\u2019s big news is the spring awakening of the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre, which closes down its live music facilities during the chillier months.<\/p>\n
With covered and outdoor seating for approximately 20,000, the Hillsborough County venue, at the Florida State Fairgrounds, is only slightly smaller than Benchmark International Arena. Which is also in Tampa.<\/p>\n
The rapper\/singer and record producer Pitbull kicks off the amphitheater\u2019s 2026 season with a May 16 performance. May 24 brings the \u201870s Canadian rock trio Triumph, reunited after decades apart, with April Wine opening. The three original members of Triumph are augmented by guitarist Phil X from Bon Jovi.<\/p>\n
The month continues at Mid-Florida with the Dave Matthews Band May 26, Kid Rock May 30, and the Black Crowes with Whiskey Myers May 31.<\/p>\n
The month\u2019s biggest show, outdoors or otherwise, is the May 29 appearance by Post Malone and Jelly Roll at Raymond James Stadium. The stadium seats 75,000, although for the recent sold-out BTS concerts the capacity was broken down to 60,000).<\/p>\n
Additional outdoor shows include Foghat and Nazareth at (Ferg\u2019s, April 15), the moved-from-the-beach Country Thunder Festival (May 8-10 at Coachman Park) and, next door to Coachman in west Clearwater: Bush (May 13), Willie Nelson (May 17) and Sam Barber (May 21).<\/p>\n
As always, events are subject to change.<\/p>\n
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Willie Nelson returns to the BayCare Sound May 17. Photo: Wiki Commons.<\/p>\n
The calendar<\/p>\n
May 1 The Kid Laroi at the Yuengling Center<\/p>\n
May 1 Rend Collective at the Capitol Theatre<\/p>\n
May 2 6 Guitars at the Capitol Theatre<\/p>\n
May 2 Steve Forbert at Jack Kerouac House<\/p>\n
May 3 Steve Forbert at Bayboro Brewing<\/p>\n
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Laura Jane Grace: Bayboro Brewing May 5. Photo: Bella Peterson.<\/p>\n
May 5 Laura Jane Grace at Bayboro Brewing<\/p>\n
May 6 Devon Allman\u2019s Blues Summit at the Capitol Theatre<\/p>\n
May 7 10,000 Maniacs at the Capitol Theatre<\/p>\n
May 8 Heroes Off Duty (comedy) at the Capitol Theatre<\/p>\n
May 8 Kid Cudi at Benchmark Arena<\/p>\n
May 8-10 Country Thunder at Coachman Park<\/p>\n
May 8 Tampa Bay Symphony: Fate and Fantasies at New Tampa Performing Arts Center<\/p>\n
May 9 (2 shows) Killers of Kill Tony at the Mahaffey Theater<\/p>\n
May 10 Leoni Torres at Straz Center Morsani Hall<\/p>\n
May 10 Tampa Bay Symphony: Fate and Fantasies at the Palladium Theater<\/p>\n
May 11 Kings Kaleidoscope at the Palladium Theater<\/p>\n
May 12 Tampa Bay Symphony: Fate and Fantasies at Straz Center Ferguson Hall<\/p>\n
May 13 Bush at the BayCare Sound<\/p>\n
May 13 Cellist Luka Sulic at the Mahaffey Theater<\/p>\n
May 14 Classic Albums Live Creedence Clearwater Revival \u201cChronicle\u201d at the Capitol Theatre<\/p>\n
May 14 Sit Down for Stand Up (comedy) at the Palladium Side Door Cabaret<\/p>\n
May 15 Foghat & Nazareth at Ferg\u2019s<\/p>\n
May 15 Ruslan KD (Christian podcaster) at the Capitol Theatre<\/p>\n
May 15 Journey at Benchmark Arena<\/p>\n
May 16 Jason Mraz at Ruth Eckerd Hall<\/p>\n
May 16 Pitbull at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre<\/p>\n
May 16 Our House: The Music of CSNY at the Capitol Theatre<\/p>\n
May 17 Willie Nelson at the BayCare Sound<\/p>\n
May 20 Bill Wharton The Sauce Boss at the Palladium Side Door Cabaret<\/p>\n
May 21 Sam Barber at the BayCare Sound<\/p>\n
May 21 Josh Gates at Ruth Eckerd Hall<\/p>\n
May 21 Forever Young\/Bob Dylan Birthday Bash with Have Gun Will Travel, Grant Peeples, The Currys, Bad Dog Mama at the Palladium Theater<\/p>\n
May 22 Fred Astaire Fantasy: Night at the Museum (dance) at the Palladium Theater<\/p>\n
May 22 Jim Breuer at the Capitol Theatre<\/p>\n
May 22 Electric Callboy at Yuengling Center<\/p>\n
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St. Petersburg native Mindi Abair plays Clearwater\u2019s Smooth Jazz Jam, Memorial Day weekend at Ruth Eckerd Hall. Photo provided.<\/p>\n
May 22 Paul Gilbert at Central Park Performing Arts Center<\/p>\n
May 24 Triumph at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre<\/p>\n
May 24 Shankh & Friends \u2013 A Global Music Project at New Tampa Performing Arts Center<\/p>\n
May 24 After Bridge at Seminole Hard Rock Event Center<\/p>\n
May 24 The Wilson Van at Ferg\u2019s<\/p>\n
May 26 Dave Matthews Band at Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre<\/p>\n
May 29 Post Malone & Jelly Roll at Raymond James Stadium<\/p>\n
May 30 & 31 Clearwater Smooth Jazz Jam at Ruth Eckerd Hall<\/p>\n
May 30 Kid Rock at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre<\/p>\n
May 30 Shinedown at Benchmark Arena<\/p>\n
May 31 Duane Betts & Palmetto Motel at the Capitol Theatre<\/p>\n
May 31 Black Crowes & Whiskey Myers at Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
The national Broadway tour of the musical \u201cSIX\u201d visits the Straz Center May 12-15. Publicity photo.<\/p>\n
Theater<\/p>\n
May 2 & 3 Tampa Repertory Theatre Every Brilliant Thing at New Tampa Performing Arts Center<\/p>\n
May 6-31 Jobsite Theater Danny & the Deep Blue Sea at the Straz Center Shimberg Playhouse<\/p>\n
May 6 Fresh Ink (play reading by American Stage at Green Light Cinema)<\/p>\n
May 10 Mama I\u2019m Coming Home at freefall Theatre<\/p>\n
May 12-15 Six (Broadway tour) at Straz Center Ferguson Hall<\/p>\n
May 14-21 Dead Canary Productions\u2019 HIR at The Studio@620<\/p>\n
May 15-17 Dream Child: The Trial of Alice in Wonderland at Powerstories Studio<\/p>\n
May 16-18 I, Banquo at Straz Center Shimberg Playhouse<\/p>\n
May 26-30 The Notebook (Broadway tour) at Straz Center Ferguson Hall<\/p>\n
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The Florida Orchestra<\/p>\n
Sibelius\u2019 Symphony No. 2: May 1, 8 p.m., Straz Center, Ferguson Hall; May 2, 8 p.m., Mahaffey Theater; May 3, 2 p.m., Ruth Eckerd Hall<\/p>\n
Free Pops in the Park: May 10 at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park. Tampa<\/p>\n
Inside Brahms\u2019 Symphony No. 4 at the Mahaffey Theater<\/p>\n
Brahms\u2019 Symphony No. 4: May 15, 8 p.m., Straz Center, Ferguson Hall; May 16, 8 p.m., Mahaffey Theater, May 17, 2 p.m., Ruth Eckerd Hall<\/p>\n
Play Out Tampa Bay: May 21, 7:30 p.m. at Straz Center Ferguson Hall<\/p>\n
America 250: Rhapsody in Blue: May 22, 8 p.m., Straz Center, Ferguson Hall; May 23, 8 p.m., Mahaffey Theater<\/p>\n
Rachmaninoff\u2019s Piano Concerto No. 2: May 29, 8 p.m., Straz Center Ferguson Hall; May 31, 2 p.m., Mahaffey Theater<\/p>\n
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Art events<\/p>\n
The Architecture of the Dali opens May 2 at the Dali Museum<\/p>\n
Dali in America opens May 8 at the Dali Museum<\/p>\n
Wolves: Photography by Ronan Donovan opens May 9 at the James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art<\/p>\n
Babs Reingold: After Venus opens May 16 at the Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg<\/p>\n
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Websites<\/p>\n
St. Petersburg\/Largo:<\/p>\n
American Stage<\/a><\/p>\n Central Park Performing Arts Center<\/a><\/p>\n Dali Museum<\/a><\/p>\n The Florida Orchestra<\/a><\/p>\n freeFall Theatre<\/a><\/p>\n Jack Kerouac House<\/a><\/p>\n James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art<\/a><\/p>\n Jannus Live<\/a><\/p>\n Mahaffey Theater<\/a><\/p>\n Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg<\/a><\/p>\n The Off-Central<\/a><\/p>\n Palladium Theater\/Side Door Cabaret<\/a><\/p>\n The Studio@620<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Clearwater\/Safety Harbor\/Dunedin\/Tarpon Springs:<\/p>\n Capitol Theatre<\/a><\/p>\n Ruth Eckerd Hall\/BayCareSound\/Murray Theatre<\/a><\/p>\n Safety Harbor Art & Music Center<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Tampa:<\/p>\n Benchmark Arena<\/a><\/p>\n Jobsite Theater<\/a><\/p>\n LAB Theater Project<\/a><\/p>\n New Tampa Performing Arts Center<\/a><\/p>\n Raymond James Stadium<\/a><\/p>\n Seminole Hard Rock Event Center<\/a><\/p>\n Skipper\u2019s Smokehouse<\/a><\/p>\n Stageworks Theatre<\/a><\/p>\n Straz Center<\/a><\/p>\n Yuengling Center<\/a><\/p>\n Add us to your mailing list \u2013 send all press releases and event info to\u00a0bill@stpetecatalyst.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n