Skip the rock for a musical fix in the coming months – whether it’s Miami/Ft Lauderdale, or Tampa/Orlando, a wide variety of musical acts will be in action over the next couple of months. Get ready to rock (because saying ‘Get ready to pop’ just doesn’t have the same ring to it).

Adele
14 Oct - American Airlines Arena, Miami
After her breakout album 19 (2008) and the follow up 21 (2011), Adele has firmly established herself as a major star, with her ‘heartbroken soul’ sound, as she describes it, bringing her awards including a Grammy for Best New Artist in 2009.
 

 
Arctic Monkeys
9 Oct  - The Ritz Ybor, St Petersburg
This English indie-rock band holds the record for the fastest-selling debut album in UK chart history thanks to their debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not.
 

 
Blink 182 & My Chemical Romance
23 Sept - Cruzan Amphitheatre,
West Palm Beach

24 Sept - 1-800-ASK-GARY
Amphitheatre, Tampa
Blink 182 has had great success over the last decade with their pop punk style, built on songs like All the Small Things, The Rock Show and First Date. However, for many, My Chemical Romance will be the main attraction. The alternative rock band really came to prominence with their 2006 concept album Welcome to the Black Parade, which achieved massive chart success globally, and followed by Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys.
 

 
Bryan Adams
10 Aug  - Ruth Eckerd Hall, Tampa
There is an entire generation out there who like to lie about having been really big Bryan Adams fans before they realised it wasn’t cool to be one. However, many of them seemed to have grown out of it over the years, and the Canadian rocker has a very loyal following.
 

Incubus
18 Sept  - 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre, Tampa
From their first big single Wish You Were Here (2001) the rockers from California have kept at it, and are now touring in support of their latest album If Not Now, When?
 

 
Journey
Ft Foreigner and Night Ranger
17 Sept  - 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre, Tampa
Yes, all of these bands still exist. And tour. Successfully. And if the number of times Journey sits high up in the most downloaded songs lists on iTunes is any indication of the continued popularity of the band, they won’t stop any time soon.

 

 

Judas Priest
30 Nov - 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre, Tampa
Formed more than 40 years ago, this is the farewell tour for the heavy metal band from Birmingham, even though they do apparently intend to keep on recording.
 

 
Maroon 5 & Train
30 Aug - Cruzan Amphitheatre, West Palm Beach
31 Aug - 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre, Tampa
Songs like This Love and She Will Be Loved from their 2002 album Songs About Jane made Maroon 5 a household name, much like Drops of Jupiter did for their co-performers Train back in 2001. Both bands are generally classified as rock, but tend towards the pop rock side of the scale.

Unless you are a big fan of one particular band, rock festivals are the way to go, and there are a couple of good ones in Florida over the coming months.

Mayhem Festival
13 Aug - 1-800-ASK-GARY
Amphitheatre, Tampa
14 Aug – Cruzan Amphitheatre,
West Palm Beach
Yes, this is as heavy as it sounds, featuring metal and heavy metal bands both current and classic, including Disturbed, Godsmack, Megadeth, Machine Head, In Flames, and Trivium. In all likelihood, your ears will bleed. If they don’t, you might have cause to ask for your money back.

 

 
Uproar Festival
3 Sept - 1-800-ASK-GARY
Amphitheatre, Tampa
A finer collection of hard rock bands will be hard to find this summer. With the lineup including Avenged Sevenfold, Three Days Grace, Seether, Bullet For My Valentine, Escape The Fate, Sevendust, Black Tide, Art of Dying and The Black Cloud Collective, it will be a seriously rocking day.

 

Rock Allegiance Tour
5 Sep – Green Iguana Stadium, Tampa
7 Sep – FAU Arena, Boca Raton
For a collection of more alternative rockers, this festival boasts Buckcherry, Papa Roach, Puddle of Mudd, POD, Red, Crossfade and Drive A. If you’re a fan of the genre, there is certain to be a favourite (old or new) in the list.