Weekend spotlight: Comic con and concerts

Cosplayers, celebritiesand everybody in between will be at this weekend’s Tampa Bay Comic Con. Image: Video screengrab.

Geek out!

There’ll be photo ops aplenty at the 15^th annual Tampa Bay Comic Con, Friday through Sunday at the Tampa Bay Convention Center (333 S. Franklin St., Tampa).

It’s a celebration of all things comics, including films, TV, graphic novels, online streaming, role-playing games and cosplay. There’s serious business in the form of writing workshops, makeup and artist tutorials and a lot of “how-to” events. Along with a massive vendors’ market.

“Celebrity Row” is a major attraction at these things. Recognizable names and faces have been rounded up and will sign autographs, and take photos with attendees, for a free.

This weekend’s lineup includes iconic actress and singer Ann-Margret (although her connection to comics and/or superhero movies isn’t exactly clear), Ethan Peck (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds), grown-up ‘80s kid actors Soleil Moon Frye and Anthony Michael Hall, original GhostbusterErnie Hudson, wrestler/actor John Cena, Kane Hodder (Friday the 13^th), wrestling legend Ric Flair, Rosalie Hale (The Twilight Saga), Austin St. John (Power Rangers), Ian Somerhalder (Lost), Holly Marie Combs (Charmed) and a whole lot more.

See the entire guest list, and do a little price comparison, here.

And here’s the main Tampa Bay Comic Con website.

Concert calendar

That Canadian group of professional musicians known as Classic Albums Live is back at Clearwater’s Capitol Theatre tonight at 8, performing Led Zeppelin’s self-titled debut album in its entirety. Find tickets at this link.

Friday at the BayCare Sound: It’s the annual 97X Next Big Thing concert, with Yellowcard, Waterparks, Dylan Cotrone, Saints of Saturn and 408. The show starts at 6 p.m., and tickets are here.

Chance the Rapper has a show Saturday at the Ritz Theatre in Ybor City. Chicago’s Chancelor Bennett was the first independent artist to win a Grammy with the mixtape Coloring Book; Saturday’s show is part of that album’s 10th anniversary tour. Showtime (with La Reezy) is 7 p.m., and tickets are at this link.

Geckos galore

Saturday brings the annual Gecko Fest to Gulfport’s Beach Boulevard, from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. It’s an all-day vendor and food truck fest, with live music on two stages and street performers scattered from here to there.

The Gecko Parade steps off at 6 p.m. Morte details are in our story from earlier this week.

On theater stage

It’s your last weekend to catch the Jobsite Theater production ofPenelope: An Epic New Musical in the Straz Center Shimberg Playhouse. Showtimes and tickets can be found here.

Coming soon

Sept. 8 Music Night: Tone I.E. at the James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art

Sept. 10 Luke Bryan at Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre

Sept. 10 Ann Wilson at the Capitol Theatre

Sept. 11 Grupo Frontera at the Yuengling Center

Sept. 11 Kehlani at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre

Sept. 11 Vanilla Ice, Tone Loc, 2 Live Crew, Montell Jordan at Ferg’s Pavilion

Sept. 11 Arts Fest at New Tampa Performing Arts Center

Sept. 12 & 13 Bruno Mars at Raymond James Stadium

Sept. 12 Mersiv – MorFlow Fest (3:15 p.m.) at the BayCare Sound

Sept. 12 The Mavericks at Ruth Eckerd Hall

Sept. 12 The Strokes at Benchmark International Arena

Sept. 12 The Florida Orchestra The Music of Taylor Swift at the Mahaffey Theater

Sept. 16 Modest Mouse at the BayCare Sound

Sept. 17 Robin Trower at Jannus Live

Sept. 17 Empire of the Sun at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre

Sept. 17 Hispanic Heritage Month: Opening Celebration at the Dali Museum

Sept. 18 & 19 The Florida Orchestra Pirates of the Caribbean/The Curse of the Black Pearl in Concert at the Mahaffey Theater

Sept. 19 John Fogarty, Steve Winwood at the BayCare Sound

Sept. 20 Benise at New Tampa Performing Arts Center

Sept. 22 W.A.S.P. at Ruth Eckerd Hall

Sept. 23 TLC, Salt N Pepa, En Vogue at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre

Sept. 23 Michael Franti Trio at Jannus Live

Sept. 24 Wu Tang at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre

Sept 24 Little Big Town at the Mahaffey Theater

Your Weekend Spotlight appears every Thursday in the Catalyst’s CREATE section. 

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