Bud Snyder, right, in the Spirit Ranch Studio with songwriter Ed Klopfer. (Staff Photos / Thomas Bender)

(See a video preview of some of the acts playing at Sarasota Blues & Brews)

All his adult life, Sarasota’s Bud Snyder has been a behind-the-curtain bigwig in the music industry, giving artists – both local and renowned — a helping hand.

This weekend, for a change, he’s getting one.

Now 60, Snyder, who has produced and engineered albums for such greats as the Allman Brothers Band and Stevie Ray Vaughan, was recently diagnosed with a potentially fatal aneurism. Upon hearing the news two months ago, his friends and colleagues organized “Sarasota Blues & Brews” — a benefit that is swooping in on Sunday (May 27) at the Cock & Bull to raise funds for Snyder’s emergency surgery.

“I’m so thankful to be part of this community, and the fact that so many people have come together to help me has been completely overwhelming,” says Snyder, who co-founded the Spirit Ranch Studio in Sarasota, which continues to record albums for global artists. “The musicians in this town have always stepped forward to help people; they never hesitate.”

Snyder has worked with the likes of the Allman Brothers Band, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jeff Buckley.

Dana Lawrence, singer and rhythm guitarist for Kettle of Fish, certainly hasn’t. With the aid of Barbara Strauss, Jack Sullivan, Tammy Merrell and Greg Herndon, Lawrence has recruited a lineup of blues acts for a 10-hour revue to rock two outdoor stages at the Sarasota venue this weekend.

“Every time I brought up Bud’s name to anyone, Gov’t Mule or the Allman Brothers, and told them he was sick, they immediately wanted to help,” Lawrence says. “It’s a life well lived to have that kind of attention and respect from the music community.”

Snyder’s fundraiser will transpire come rain or shine (though there is a 60 percent chance of rain, Lawrence says), and all proceeds will go straight to Snyder. The Cock & Bull, which is revered for its microbrews and imports, will be quenching the crowd’s thirst, of course.

Headlining is Berry Oakley’s Jive-Ass Revue: with the Rowdy Roadies and the Shady Ladies, featuring members of Dickey Betts & Great Southern. Among the other talent are The Toler-Tucci Band (including Dan Toler of the Allman Brothers Band), Kettle of Fish, Twinkle, Soundwall Jackson, Fogt’s All-Stars, Buddy Gibson, Lauren Mitchell, Tony Tyler, Mike Tozier, the Selwyn Birchwood Band and the RJ Howson Band.

“Every artist playing this show, I’ve worked with,” Snyder says. “They’re all wonderful.”

Snyder has four decades of studio experience to his name, having worked with Jeff Buckley, Edwin McCain, Warren Haynes, John Popper, Gumbi Ortiz, Leon Poindexter, Chuck Leavell, Oteil Burbridge, Derek Trucks, Jimmie Fadden and Jimmy Herring. He has handled nearly every element of music making – inside the sound booths and on the tour buses — from the United States to Europe and Japan. Snyder was an audio engineer and production manager for the Allman Brothers Band from 1980 to 2001. He was also involved in five Grammy Award-nominated records and one winner.

Snyder is currently recording Canada’s Diana Catherine and the Thrusty Tweeters, and Sarasota bands Come Back Alice and Kettle of Fish, at the Spirit Ranch.

His health issues sneaked up on him this year, however, when he suffered from a kidney stone, he says. During routine testing, his radiologist randomly discovered an aneurism, even though there were (and are) no apparent symptoms.

“If I don’t have the aneurism operated on, it will burst. If they hadn’t done the test, I might have made it two or four years, but one day, I would just have been walking and died from internal bleeding,” Snyder says. “I’m one of those people who, for a majority of my life, has had health insurance, but the last few years, I haven’t been able to afford it.”

Surgery runs from $25,000 to $60,000, Snyder says. As soon as he procures the amount, he will schedule the operation.

To generate extra cash, “Sarasota Blues & Brews” will feature a silent auction with a guitar signed by Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, vinyl records signed by Betts, and assorted items signed by members of the Allman Brothers Band, Hot Tuna, Matt Abts, the Marshall Tucker Band, the Outlaws, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill

“It’s been a really event easy to organize, due to the love and respect for Bud,” Lawrence says. “He’s just a real, honest, loving guy. I’ve never shook his hand; it’s always been a hug. That warmth and honesty is very seldom the case in the music industry. He’s just special.”

Pete Arevalo, who runs the Spirit Ranch with Snyder, shares Lawrence’s endearment.

“I don’t think these musicians could be doing this for a nicer person or someone who has given more to the community than Bud,” Arevalo says. “He has changed lives.”

This weekend, Sarasota will change his.

SATURDAY

At the Cock & Bull Pub, a quartet of Florida bass-masters will send the boom and buzz bone-deep with 94WHOMP! Out-of-towners Alexandre (Panama City) and Dubsonic (Ft. Myers) go head-to-head with locals Subcity and  Shock to the System, the original 941WHOMP! big daddy. If you’re old enough to legally enjoy the Cock & Bull’s famous selection of brew, then it’s free to get in. Under 21 (18+) pays a cover of $5. The whomp starts at 8 p.m.

Photo by Aperture Photography.

And guess who’s coming back to pay Sarasota a visit? DJ Sinna-G has been charming the club scene for over a decade. Before she moved out to Denver, she made our local airwaves throb with the “Friday Night House Party” show on WSLR 96.5 FM. Now she’s back for one night only at Prana Restaurant & Lounge, with support from DJs. Goran N. and Simplisstick. The $10 cover gets you one free drink, and be sure and sample some of Prana’s signature tapas! Get there after 9 p.m. with your best club duds on.

Now for the promised blues. I’ve mentioned Come Back Alice before, but this all-star band bears mentioning more than once. Has everyone figured out by now that they used to go by The Tony Tyler Band? Ladies’ night at the Five O’Clock Club ring a bell? At any rate, I never tire of seeing Come Back Alice play … each member is a consummate musician and together their knack for flair is a sight and sound to behold. Plus, they’re just super nice guys. Anyway, enough gushing: you can catch them down at Pastimes Pub this Saturday.

SUNDAY

And in case Saturday’s session with Come Back Alice didn’t give you enough of a blues fix, head back to the Cock & Bull (yes, coming full circle here) for Sarasota Blues and Brews from noon to 10 p.m. Hopefully, the musicians won’t outnumber the audience — dozens of bluesmen and soul sisters are coming together to make some noise for Bud Snyder. They’ll be giving back to the man who helped produce the Allman Brothers, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jeff Buckley. This will be a family-friendly event with a $10 suggested donation at the door, but you’re encouraged to not let that dissuade you from coming out. Give what you’re able — that’s what a benefit is all about!

e-mail, or on Facebook, Tumblr and Twitter.

Union Productions presents RERUB feat. Curtis B / KillNM / Shock to the System / Alexandre / Mike Anthony / Smokin’ Coyote
9 p.m., Rhythm Sarasota, 1927 Ringling Blvd., $5

Alexandre

Another mix of world-renowned DJs and local favorites will have heads rattling at Rhythm on Thursday as Union Productions once again takes over the club to present RERUB. Dance music spanning the spectrum of electro, dubstep, breaks, glitch and moombah will hit the airwaves, cut with copious quantities heavy bass frequencies. Signed with Drop the World Records, widely travelled high velocity DJ/Producer Curtis B has earned several rankings on Beatport’s Top 100 Breaks, Dubstep, Glitch Hop & Electro House charts, and has had his tracks dropped by some of the biggest names in electronic dance music. NYC’s KillNM, who will serve as MC for the evening, recently reunited with B to release his debut single “Step Back”, which quickly shot to #2 on Beatport’s Top 10 Breaks. Local dubstep whomp wizard Shock to the System, Tampa bassaholic Alexandre, Rhythm resident spinner Mike Anthony, and special guest dub-reggae tripper Smokin’ Coyote will fill in the gaps.

Thursday and Friday, May 24-25

Growlers Pub, 2831 N. Tamiami Trail:
The Wallies / Physical Plant / (the) Umbrella Cult
9 p.m. Thurs., May 24, free, age 21+
Geri X / Completely From Mountains / O’Captain
9 p.m. Fri., May 24, free, age 21+

Geri X

Growler’s kicks the week off right with a double header of three-band lineups featuring some of the most sought after talent the area has to offer. Preparing for the release of their debut EP in June, The Wallies combine ’60s mod and Brit-rock with gritty riffs and tightly timed breaks to produce adrenaline -infused tunes in the vein of Arctic Monkeys. They will be accompanied on Thursday by the psych-rock-folk-shock collegiate sound collage known as Physical Plant, as well as the heady yet highly assessable garage-rock hybrid quintet (the) Umbrella Cult, providing a diverse sampling of the overall SRQ soundscape. The party continues on Friday as tragically impassioned folk-rock princess Geri X takes the Skyway down from Pinellas to join two of Sarasota’s repurposed projects. She will be hocking copies of her brand spanking new release “Work is the Wolf”, which she unveiled at a St. Pete CD release gig just last Saturday. Known for years as the ambient, echoey solo project of front man David Daly, Completely From Mountains completed its full band transformation last year, and the reinvigorated Sarasota trio will soon unveil the fruits of its reincarnation with the release of a full-length debut in just a matter of weeks. Rounding things off will be solidly indie-folk-pop trio O’Captain, who offer up an organic earthy delivery with slight hints of vintage rock and Americana scattered throughout.

Saturday, May 26

The Return of DJ Sinna-G w/ DJ Goran N. / DJ Simplisstick
9 p.m., Prana Lounge, 1118 N. Washington Blvd., $10

Any local with even a limited knowledge of Sarasota’s DJ community in recent years has almost certainly caught a set from DJ Sinna-G at some point in the past. She was one of the most active DJs in the Suncoast scene throughout her time in Sarasota from 2000 up until last year, when she decided to gain a little more altitude and make the move out to Denver. Technically, Sinna-G specializes in Vocal House, Top 40 Remixes/Mash-Ups, Progressive House, Soulful House, Deep House, Lounge and Electro, but anyone familiar with her spins knows she’ll stray just about anywhere the energy takes her, as she weaves through vast expanses of sonic experimentation. That’s why for the second round of their monthly “Marquee Saturday Series” at Prana, Behind the Beat Promotions and Plush Entertainment have decided to fly Sinna-G back to town for one night only. And anyone who knows her personally will also agree that she’s one of the sweetest, big-hearted human beings on the face of the planet.

ALSO PLAYING THIS WEEK
(Shows are listed chronologically and alphabetically; some showtimes are unavailable.)

THURSDAY 5.24
Gulf Coast Banjo Society, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. every Thurs. (Snook Haven)
Dagmar, 11:30 a.m. (O’Leary’s)
Mike Sales, noon-3 p.m. every Thurs. (Blu Que)
Wynn Taylor, 4-8 p.m. (Daiquiri Deck St. Armands)
Ron Sherman, 5 p.m. (O’Leary’s)
Mello Vibes, 5-9 p.m. every Thurs. (Marina Jack/patio)
Mike Markaverich, 5-8 p.m. every Thurs. (Caraguilos)
Henry Monzello, 5:30 p.m. every Thurs. (Snook Haven)
Olivia Little & Bo Gilmour, 5:30-8:30 p.m. (Eat Here Sarasota)
Russ Adams Project, 6-10 p.m. every Thurs. (Clancy’s)
Crossover, 6-10 p.m. (Flounders)
Diddley Squat, 6-10 p.m. (Gatorz)
Gary Goetz, 6-9 p.m. every Thurs. (JD’s Bistro & Grille)
Martin Jordan, 6-9 p.m. (Star Keeper)
Rock Lee, 6 p.m. every Thurs. (Marina Jack/lounge)
Dave McKinney, 6-9 p.m. (Nav-A-Gator)
Henry Monzello Jr., 6 p.m. (Zeke’s)
David Moore, 6-10 p.m. every Thurs. (Sharky’s)
Roadblock, 6 p.m. (Tarpon Pointe Grill)
R.P.M., 6-9 p.m. every Thurs. (Gilligan’s)
Rob Satori, 6 p.m. every Thurs. (Eat Here Sarasota)
Smokey & Jason, 6 p.m. (Peggy’s Corral)
Taylor & Taylor, 6-10 p.m. (Woody’s River Roo)
Pat Walsh, 6-9 p.m. every Thurs. (Pier 22)
Howlin’ Bob, 6:30 p.m. (LeBarge)
Jam Yankees, 6:30 p.m. (Cortez Clam Factory)
Acoustic Pete, 7-11 p.m. every Thurs. (SKOB)
Luke Andrews, 7 p.m. (Lock ‘N Key)
Blues Jam with Carolyn Davis & The Stray Dawgs, 7 p.m. (Flying Dog)
Blues Under the Stars: Ellie Lee & Blues Fury, 7 p.m. (Englewoods on Dearborn)
Constant Vigil, 7 p.m. (5 O’Clock Club)
Metro Connection, 7-9:15 p.m. every Thurs. (Floribbean)
Jimmy Reagan, 7-11 p.m. every Thurs. (15 South/piano bar)
Wally “Gator” Sirotich, 7-10 p.m. every Thurs. (Brasserie Belge)
sTone Fish, 7 p.m. (Old Packinghouse)
Tommy D., 7-10 p.m. (Vino Loco)
Two Can Jam, 7 p.m. every Thurs. (Slip-Not)
The Venturas, 7-11 p.m. every Thurs. (Mattison’s City Grille)
Scott Curts, 7:30 p.m. every Thurs. (Salute!)
Gumbo Boogie Band, 7:30 p.m. every Thurs. (Pelican Pete’s)
Debbie Keeton, 7:30 p.m. every Thurs. (Haye Loft)
Band Jam with Al Owion, 8 p.m. every Thurs. (Kirby’s)
Scott Curts, 8 p.m. (World of Beer)
Reid Frost, 8-10 p.m. (Bridge Tender)
Gals’ Night Out feat. DJ Russ Deep, 8 p.m. every Thurs. (Libby’s)
Kettle of Fish, celebrating Bob Dylan’s birthday, 8 p.m. (Ocean Blues)
Muphin Men, 8-11 p.m. every Thurs. (McCabe’s)
NexxLevel, 8 p.m. (Dean’s South of the Border)
Cabal, 8:30 p.m. (Ceviche)
Club Duck with DJ Billy Blaze, 9 p.m. every Thurs. (Dcoy Ducks)
Curtis B & KillNM, Shock to the System, Alexandre, Mike Anthony, 9 p.m. (Rhythm)
DJ Flipmode, 9 p.m. every Thurs. (Bleachers)
Ladies Night with Ansidis and DJ O.D., 9:30 p.m. every Thurs. (Blue Owl)
Darrell Lawhorne, 9 p.m. every Thurs. (Crow’s Nest)
The Willie Royal Project, 9-11 p.m. (Darwin’s on 4th)
The Wallies, Physical Plant, (the) Umbrella Cult, 9 p.m. (Growlers Pub; 21+)
Latraia Savage & The Allstarz, 9:30 p.m. every Thurs. (Gator Club)
Democracy, 10 p.m. (5 O’Clock Club)
DJ Will K., 10 p.m. every Thurs. (Daiquiri Deck Siesta Key)
Ladies Night with DJ Marcus Molano, 10 p.m. every Thurs. (Findaddy’s)
Rye Road, 10 p.m. every Thurs. (The Beach Club)

FRIDAY 5.25
Albert Noe, 11:30 a.m. (O’Leary’s)
Mike Sales, noon-3 p.m. every Fri. (Blu Que)
Sly McLeod, 2 p.m. (Tarpon Pointe Grill)
Swamp Donkie, 2-6 p.m. every Fri. (SKOB)
Duane, 4-7 p.m. (Woody’s River Roo)
Noel Harris, 4-8 p.m. (Daiquiri Deck St. Armands)
Don Huntsinger, 4-7 p.m. (Woody’s River Roo)
Songwriters Showcase/Open Mic, 4-8 p.m. every Fri. (Hot Diggity Dog)
Mike Markaverich, 5-8 p.m. every Fri. (Caraguilos)
Roadblock, 5 p.m. (O’Leary’s)
Kokomo Chris, 5:30-8:30 p.m. every Fri. (Howards Restaurant on the Water)
Mike Sales, 5:30 p.m. every Fri. (Anna Maria Island Beach Cafe)
Bad Nicholas, 6-9 p.m. (Nav-A-Gator)
Deuces Wild, 6-10 p.m. (Gatorz)
Ben Hammond, 6-10 p.m. every Fri. (Boatyard)
Rock Lee, 6 p.m. every Fri. (Marina Jack/lounge)
Ken Loomer, 6-9 p.m. every Fri. (Bacalao)
Charlie Morris Band, 6-10 p.m. (Stump Pass Grille)
Mumbo Jumbo, 6 p.m. (5 O’Clock Club)
Chris Otto, 6-10 p.m. every Fri. (Captain Curt’s)
Twinkle, 6 p.m. (Eat Here Sarasota/outdoor fountain)
Boomer Tracks, 6:30-9:30 p.m. (Bentley’s/tiki)
George Carroll Jazz Trio, 6:30-8:45 p.m. every Fri. (Floribbean)
Sly McLeod, 6:30 p.m. (LeBarge)
Swingtide Combo, 6:45-9:45 p.m. (Mango Bistro)
Bad Influence, 7-11 p.m. (Woody’s River Roo)
Big Z Band, 7-10 p.m. every Fri. (Marina Jack/patio)
Bud Buckley, 7-10 p.m. every Fri. (Back Eddy Bistro)
Linda Dean, 7-10 p.m. every Fri. (Brasserie Belge)
Santo Gagliano, 7-11 p.m. every Fri. (15 South/piano bar)
Gemini with Lanza Bartlet, 7-11 p.m. (Flounders)
Josh Lamkin and the Automatic Heat, 7 p.m. (Tarpon Pointe Grill)
Los Listos, 7 p.m. (Ceviche)
Mellow Vibes (Steel Drum Night), 7-10 p.m. every Fri. (Jamrocks)
The Missing Links, 7 p.m. (Old Packinghouse)
Dan Mobley, 7 p.m. every Fri. (Kojaks)
Jack Mosley Band, 7 p.m. (Englewoods on Dearborn)
Shotgun Justice, 7-11 p.m. (Flying Dog)
Danny Sinoff Jazz Trio, 7-10 p.m. every Fri. (JD’s Bistro and Grille)
Smokin’ J’s, 7 p.m. (Zeke’s)
Ray Biscoglia and Glenn Stevenson Duo, 7:30-11 p.m. every Fri. (Haye Loft)
Lady Jazz, 7:30-10:30 p.m. every Fri. (Divino)
Black Fridays with Shock to the System, 8 p.m. (Desert Winds Hookah, 4824 14th St. W., Bradenton; $10; facebook.com/DesertWindsHookah)
Chameleon, 8 p.m. (Lock ‘N Key)
The Crashers, 8 p.m. (Joe Cracker)
Local band of the week, 8 p.m. every Fri. (Mattison’s City Grille)
Rising Tide, 8 p.m. every Fri. (SKOB)
Sammie J. & The Guys, 8 p.m. (Slip-Not)
Bryan Spainhower, 8-11 p.m. every Fri. (Darwin’s on 4th)
Storm Surge, 8 p.m. (Cortez Clam Factory)
Tropical Ave, 8 p.m. (Sharky’s)
Twinkle, 8:30 p.m. every Fri. (Eat Here Sarasota)
Ardens Rule, 9 p.m. (Peggy’s Corral)
Steve Arvey, 9 p.m. (Ocean Blues)
badranch, 9 p.m. (World of Beer)
The Blues Casters, 9 p.m. (Hoosier Bar)
Bob Comeau, 9 p.m. (Crow’s Nest)
Country Night, 9 p.m.-1 a.m. (CaddyShak)
DJ Russ Deep, 9 p.m. every Fri. (Libby’s)
DJ Shambala, 9 p.m. every Fri. (Selva)
Betty Fox & The Dirty Bastards, 9 p.m. (Ace’s)
Kettle of Fish, 9 p.m. (Dean’s South of the Border)
Justin Layman, Rebekah Pulley, The Heart Machine, 9 p.m. (Rusty Hook)
Mac Daddy, 9 p.m. (Ms. Rascal’s)
Lauren Mitchell Band, 9 p.m. (Polo Grill)
Greg Roche, 9-11 p.m. (Bridge Tender)
4th annual White Party feat. Oscar G., 9 p.m. (Ivory Lounge)
Cabal, 9:30 p.m. (Ceviche)
Circus, Vuela, Eric de Barros, 9:30 p.m. (Blue Owl: $3, 21+)
Democracy, 9:30 p.m. (Dcoy Ducks)
Geri X, Completely From Mountains, O’Captain, 9:30 p.m. (Growlers Pub; 21+)
Jimmy Keith, 9:30 p.m. (Rendezvous Lounge)
Rye Road, 9:30 p.m. (Gator Club)
DJ Ansidis, 10 p.m.-1 a.m. every Fri. (Darwin’s on 4th)
DJ Haze, 10 p.m. every Fri. (Daiquiri Deck St. Armands)
Flight 19, 10 p.m. (Clancy’s)
Jazz Around the Corner, 10 p.m.-midnight every Fri. (Drunken Poet)
Team Cybergeist, Push Mower, Aaron Omen, 10 p.m. (Cabana Inn)
Tony Tyler Band, 10 p.m. (5 O’Clock Club)

SATURDAY 5.26
Pete Messina, noon (O’Leary’s)
Mike Sales, noon-3 p.m. every Sat. (Blu Que)
Saturday Lunch Brunch Jazz feat. Lady Jazz, noon-4 p.m. (Floribbean)
Acoustic Pete Blues Trio, 1-5 p.m. every Sat. (Gilligan’s)
Bluegrass, 1-5 p.m. every Sat. (Snook Haven)
Coastal Jamz, 1-5 p.m. (Flounders)
EZ Street, 1-5 p.m. (Gatorz)
Dana Lawrence & Friends, 2-6 p.m. every Sat. (SKOB)
Mac McConnell, 2 p.m. (Peggy’s Corral)
Paul Roush, 2-5 p.m. (Nav-A-Gator)
Swamp Donkie, 2 p.m. (Tarpon Pointe Grill)
Doug Bidwell, 2:30-4:30 p.m. (Bridge Tender)
Chris Otto, 2:30-6:30 p.m. every Sat. (Marina Jack/patio)
Scott Curts, 4-8 p.m. (Daiquiri Deck St. Armands)
Marvin, 4-8 p.m. every Sat. (Daiquiri Deck Siesta Key)
Max McCann, 5-8 p.m. (Stump Pass Grille)
Bob Comeau, 5:30-8:30 p.m. every Sat. (Howards Restaurant on the Water)
4-Play, 6-10 p.m. (Gatorz)
Fremont John, 6 p.m. (O’Leary’s)
Rock Lee, 6 p.m. every Sat. (Marina Jack/lounge)
Moments 2 Remember, 6-9 p.m. every Sat. (DeMarco’s Italian Grill)
Rick Quimby, 6-9 p.m. (Star Keeper)
Sidney Wingfield, 6 p.m. every Sat. (Mattison’s Forty-One)
Don Hunsinger, 6:30 p.m. every Sat. (Pelican Pete’s)
Sly McLeod, 6:30 p.m. (LeBarge)
Bandana, 7 p.m. (Englewoods on Dearborn)
Bud Buckley, 7-10 p.m. every Sat. (Back Eddy Bistro)
Clint, 7-10 p.m. every Sat. (Jamrocks)
Jeff Evans Band, 7-10 p.m. (Linger Lodge)
Koko Ray & The Soul Providers, 7 p.m. (Zeke’s)
Shotgun Justice, 7 p.m. (Flounders)
Linda Dean, 7-10 p.m. every Sat. (Brasserie Belge)
DooWop Denny’s Rockin’ Oldies Show (season finale, celebrating 15 years at Saltwater), 7-10 p.m. (Saltwater Cafe)
The Frayed Knot Band, 7 p.m. (Old Packinghouse)
Santo Gagliano, 7-11 p.m. every Sat. (15 South/piano bar)
Gemini, 7 p.m. (Tarpon Pointe Grill)
Jennifer Leigh & Her New Digs, 7-11 p.m. every Sat. (Marina Jack/patio)
Los Listos, 7 p.m. (Ceviche)
Kitt Moran, Mike Moran, Dominic Mancini, 7-10 p.m. every Sat. (JD’s Bistro & Grille)
Mike Markaverich, 7:30 p.m. every Sat. (Haye Loft)
TC and the Troublemakers, 7:30 p.m. every Sat. (Mattison’s City Grille)
Walk the Line to the Past: A Tribute to Johnny Cash (feat. Keith Coleman and Ruby Tuesday), 7:30 p.m. (Sarasota Classic Car Museum; $15)
Pedro Arevalo and Friends, 8 p.m. every Sat. (Eat Here Sarasota)
De Corazon, 8-11 p.m. every Sat. (Darwin’s on 4th)
High Tide, 8 p.m. (Sharky’s)
Justin Layman, 8 p.m. (Tap & Cork)
Strait Up, 8 p.m. (Cortez Clam Factory)
Torched, 8 p.m. (Lock ‘N Key)
Mike Tozier, 8 p.m. every Sat. (SKOB)
Tropical Ave, 8 p.m. (Slip-Not)
Ira Wilkes, 8 p.m. every Sat. (Closer to the Vine)
Ben Hammond, 8:30 p.m. every Sat. (Hub Baja Grill)
Selwyn Birchwood Band, 9 p.m. (Ocean Blues)
Copperhead, 9 p.m. (Dean’s South of the Border)
Deja Vu, 9 p.m. (Hoosier Bar)
DJ Gumbee with Tony Faline, Mondo, Mike Anthony, Ekko, 10 p.m. (Rhythm)
DJ Rafferdy, 9 p.m. every Sat. (Cork’s Cigar Bar)
DJ Shambala, 9 p.m. every Sat. (Selva)
DJ Sinna-G, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. (Prana Lounge; $10)
DJ Supreme 1, 9 p.m. (Ivory Lounge)
Dr. Dave Band, 9 p.m. (Clancy’s)
Eartheart, 9 p.m.-midnight every Sat. (Cafe Amalfi)
Joel Fisher, 9 p.m. (World of Beer)
Reid Frost, 9-11 p.m. (Bridge Tender)
Katalyst, 9 p.m. (Ms. Rascal’s)
Latin Salsa Nite, 9 p.m. every Sat. (Bacalao)
Joey LaVallee, 9 p.m. (Ranch Grill)
NexxLevel, 9 p.m. (Harpoon Harry’s)
The Kelly Richey Band, 9 p.m. (Ace’s; $10/$13)
R.P.M., 9 p.m. (Crow’s Nest)
Slamming Electronic Music by Groove Paradigm!, 9 p.m. every Sat. (Kirby’s)
Washed Up Hacks, 9 p.m. (Rusty Hook)
Cabal, 9:30 p.m. (Ceviche)
Mumbo Jumbo, 9:30 p.m. (Dcoy Ducks)
Rhythm Saturdays feat. Tony Faline, Mondo, Mike Anthony & Ekko, 9:30 p.m. every Sat. (Rhythm)
Rox Band, 9:30 p.m. (Rendezvous Lounge)
Latraia Savage & The Allstarz, 9:30 p.m. (Gator Club)
The Boneshakers, 10 p.m. (5 O’Clock Club)
DJ Kaiser, 10 p.m. every Sat. (Daiquiri Deck Siesta Key)
DJ Will K, 10 p.m. every Sat. (Daiquiri Deck St. Armands)
418 Band with Twinkle, 10 p.m. (Cabana Inn)
Jazz Around the Corner, 10 p.m.-midnight every Sat. (Drunken Poet)
Roadblock, 10 p.m. (Daiquiri Deck St. Armands)

SUNDAY 5.27
Pete Messina, 11:30 a.m. every Sun. (O’Leary’s)
Sunday Jazz Lunch feat. Betty Comora, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. every Sun. (Cafe Palm)
The Blues Casters, noon-4 p.m. (Peggy’s Corral)
Ricci Degatano, noon (Tarpon Pointe Grill)
Sarasota Blues & Brews (a benefit for Bud Snyder) feat. Berry Oakley’s Jive-Ass Revue, Kettle of Fish, Twinkle, Toler-Tucci Band, RJ Howson Band, Selwyn Birchwood Band, Mike Tozier, Lauren Mitchell, etc., noon-10 p.m. (Cock & Bull; $10 suggested donation)
Calypso with Cort, 1-5 p.m. every Sun. (SKOB)
Paul Cottrell, 1-3 p.m. (Waterside Grill)
Joey & Brian, 1-5 p.m. (Flounders)
Chris Otto, 1-5 p.m. every Sun. (Cha Cha Coconuts)
Swervin Earl, 1-5 p.m. (Gatorz)
John Frinzi, 2-5 p.m. (Nav-A-Gator)
Lee James, 2 p.m. (Dean’s South of the Border)
Larry Rich, 2-4 p.m. (Bridge Tender)
Kenny Rose, 2-5 p.m. (Stump Pass Grille)
Sunday Funday Patio Party with live reggae, 2 p.m. every Sun. (Gilligan’s)
Jimmy McCarthy, 3 p.m. (Zeke’s)
Los Rumberos, 4-8 p.m. (Daiquiri Deck St. Armands)
Sly, 4-8 p.m. every Sun. (Daiquiri Deck Siesta Key)
Southern Breed, 4-7 p.m. (Linger Lodge)
Big Z Band, 4:30 p.m. every Sun. (Marina Jack/patio)
Frankie Catalina, 5 p.m. (O’Leary’s)
Scott Curts, 5-8 p.m. (Bentley’s/tiki)
Jennifer Leigh & Her New Digs, 5-9 p.m. every Sun. (Blu Que)
Memorial Jam feat. Frankie Lombardi Acoustic, RJ Howson Band, 5-9 p.m. (Ace’s)
Messenger, 5 p.m. (Tarpon Pointe Grill)
Swamp Donkie, 5-9 p.m. (Clancy’s)
Jazz Juvenocracy, 6-9 p.m. every Sun. (Broadway Bar)
Jemm, 6-10 p.m. (Gatorz)
Kool Breeze, 6-10 p.m. (Sharky’s)
Ron Kraemer, 6 p.m. (Cortez Clam Factory)
Rock Lee, 6 p.m. every Sun. (Marina Jack/lounge)
Nick LeValley, 6-10 p.m. every Sun. (Captain Curt’s)
Lauren Mitchell Band, 6-10 p.m. (Flounders)
Open Blues Jam, 6 p.m. every Sun. (Gilligan’s)
Joe Thayer, 6 p.m. every Sun. (Mattison’s Forty-One)
Howlin’ Bob, 6:30 p.m. (LeBarge)
Island Swing Band, 6:30 p.m. every Sun. (Pelican Pete’s)
Kapo Kings, 6:30 p.m. (Dean’s South of the Border)
Latin Rendezvous, 6:45-9:45 p.m. (Mango Bistro)
Debbie Keeton Jazz Quartet, 7-10 p.m. every Sun. (Mattison’s City Grille)
Ocean Blues Sunday Jam, 7-11 p.m. every Sun. (Ocean Blues)
Chris Otto, 7-11 p.m. every Sun. (SKOB)
Larry Stokes, 7-9 p.m. (Bridge Tender)
Luigi Toth, 7-10:30 p.m. every Sun. (15 South/piano bar)
Mike Markaverich, 7:30 p.m. every Sun. (Haye Loft)
Doug Deming & the JewelTones, 8:30 p.m. every Sun. (Cork’s Cigar Bar)
House Sundays at Pastimes (with DJ Smooth), 9:30 p.m. every Sun. (Pastimes)
Jason & The Burners, 9:30 p.m. (Dcoy Ducks)
Lost in Unison, 9:30 p.m. (Cabana Inn)
Democracy, 10 p.m. every Sun. (The Beach Club)
Roadblock, 10 p.m. every Sun. (Gator Club)
SuperBot, 10 p.m. (5 O’Clock Club)

MONDAY 5.28
Jim Gromko, noon (O’Leary’s)
Mike Sales, noon-3 p.m. every Mon. (Blu Que)
Roadblock, 1 p.m. (Tarpon Pointe Grill)
Siren, 1-5 p.m. (Gatorz)
Joy & the Gang, 2 p.m. (Zeke’s)
Russell D., 4-8 p.m. (Daiquiri Deck St. Armands)
Chris Otto, 4:30 p.m. every Mon. (Marina Jack)
Mike Sales, 5 p.m. (O’Leary’s)
Spark Notes, 5 p.m. (Cortez Clam Factory)
Tom Barrett (Dixieland music), 6-9 p.m. every Mon. (Floribbean)
Doug Bidwell, 6-10 p.m. every Mon. (Clancy’s)
Buster and the Gang, 6-10 p.m. every Mon. (Mattison’s City Grille)
Coastal Jamz, 6-10 p.m. (Sharky’s)
Duel Sax Ron & The Hornets, 6-9 p.m. every Mon. (Snook Haven)
Joel Fisher, 6 p.m. (Tarpon Pointe Grill)
Jam Night with Karma, 6-10 p.m. every Mon. (Flounders)
Ron Kraemer, 6-9 p.m. (Ranch Grill)
Nick LeValley, 6-10 p.m. every Mon. (Captain Curt’s)
Open Mic with Noel, 6-10 p.m. every Mon. (Blu Que)
Open Mic Night with Dean Johanesen, 6-9 p.m. every Mon. (Star Keeper)
Joe Thayer, 6 p.m. every Mon. (Mattison’s Forty-One)
BC Hathaway, 6:30 p.m. (LeBarge)
Dixieland Jazz Band, 7 p.m. every Mon. (Pelican Pete’s)
Open Mic with Rick Alvis, 7 p.m. every Mon. (Old Packinghouse)
Steve Scott & Andrew Gotham, 7 p.m. every Mon. (Kojak’s)
Luigi Toth, 7-10:30 p.m. every Mon. (15 South/piano bar)
Tony Tyler, 7-11 p.m. every Mon. (SKOB)
Eddie Tobin, 7:30 p.m. every Mon. (Haye Loft)
Danny Fox, 8-10 p.m. (Bridge Tender)
Marcia Mucci, 8 p.m. every Mon. (Dean’s South of the Border)
Muphin Men, 8-10 p.m. every Mon. (Cork’s Cigar Bar)
David Smash, 8 p.m. (Ocean Blues)
Damon Fowler’s Sugar Shack Monday, 8:30 p.m. (Ace’s)
Death to the Dancefloor, 9 p.m. (Pastimes)
Al Fuller Blues Jam, 9 p.m. every Mon. (5 O’Clock Club)
Monday Night Open Blues & Rock Jam, 9 p.m. every Mon. (Rusty Hook)
James Albritton Band, 10 p.m. every Mon. (Gator Club)
Ben Hammond and Friends, 10 p.m. every Mon. (Beach Club)

TUESDAY 5.29
Connie Dillon, 11:30 a.m. (O’Leary’s)
Mike Sales, noon-3 p.m. every Tues. (Blu Que)
Kevin Thompson, 4-8 p.m. (Daiquiri Deck St. Armands)
Frankie Catalina, 5 p.m. (O’Leary’s)
Richy Kicklighter, 5-7 p.m. every Tues. (Hot Diggity Dog)
Joey Lavalle, 5-9 p.m. every Tues. (Marina Jack/patio)
Jazz Jam Session, 5:30-8:30 p.m. every Tues. (Valenti’s Allegro Bistro, 1740 E. Venice Ave., Venice)
Tuesday Night Jazz Jam, 5:30-8:30 p.m. every Tues. (Snook Haven)
Shawn Brown, 6-10 p.m. every Tues. (Gatorz)
Gary Goetz, 6-9 p.m. every Tues. (JD’s Bistro & Grille)
John Paul & Macarena, 6-9 p.m. every Tues. (Snook Haven)
Rock Lee, 6-11 p.m. every Tues. (Marina Jack/lounge)
R.P.M., 6-10 p.m. every Tues. (Gilligan’s)
Rye Road, 6 p.m. (Tarpon Pointe Grill)
TC and the Troublemakers, 6-10 p.m. every Tues. (Clancy’s)
Joe Thayer, 6 p.m. every Tues. (Mattison’s Forty-One)
Keith & Nancy, 6:30-9 p.m. every Tues. (Floribbean)
Max McCann, 6:30 p.m. (LeBarge)
’50s Rock ‘N’ Roll Party, 7 p.m. every Tues. (Pelican Pete’s)
Metro Connection, 7-9:30 p.m. every Tues. (Bacalao)
Myakka Bluegrass Band, 7-9 p.m. every Tues. (Waterside Grill)
Open Mic with Ben Hammond, 7-11 p.m. every Tues. (SKOB)
The Road Dogs, 7 p.m. every Tues. (Old Packinghouse)
Mike Sales, 7-10 p.m. every Tues. (Feeling Swell)
Luigi Toth, 7-10:30 p.m. every Tues. (15 South/piano bar)
Broadway Jam, 7:30-11 p.m. every Tues. (Broadway Bar)
Clam Jam, 7:30-11:30 p.m. every Tues. (Cortez Clam Factory)
Dwight Icenhower (Elvis tribute artist), 7:30 p.m. (Visani; $14)
Jennifer Leigh & Her New Digs, 7:30-11 p.m. every Tues. (Mattison’s City Grille)
Pinkham Family, 7:30 p.m. every Tues. (Ceviche)
Eddie Tobin, 7:30 p.m. every Tues. (Haye Loft)
Reid Frost, 8-10 p.m. (Bridge Tender)
RJ Howson with Mike Kach and the Ocean Blues Revue, 8 p.m. (Ocean Blues)
Diana Russell Trio, 8 p.m. every Tues. (Dean’s South of the Border)
Charlie Whitt Acoustic, 8 p.m. every Tues. (Ace’s)
Marc Anthony, 9 p.m. every Tues. (Captain Curt’s)
Chameleon, 9:30 p.m. (Gator Club)

WEDNESDAY 5.30
Silver String Dulcimer Band, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. every Wed. (Snook Haven)
Sea Breeze, noon (O’Leary’s)
Mike Sales, noon-3 p.m. every Wed. (Blu Que)
Noel Harris, 4-8 p.m. (Daiquiri Deck St. Armands)
Ed Brown & Company, 5-9 p.m. every Wed. (Gatorz)
Dan Crawford, 5 p.m. (O’Leary’s)
Larry Rich, 5-8 p.m. every Wed. (Martini Bistro)
R.P.M., 5-9 p.m. every Wed. (Sandbar)
Sal Garcia, 5:30-8:30 p.m. every Wed. (Broadway Bar)
Shawn Brown, 6-9 p.m. every Wed. (Swordfish Grill)
Frankie Catalina Steel Drums, 6-9 p.m. every Wed. (Polo Grill)
Cellfish Jr., 6 p.m. (Cortez Clam Factory)
Jay Crawford, 6-10 p.m. every Wed. (Clancy’s)
Doc Mambo, 6 p.m. (Zeke’s)
Ben Hammond, 6-10 p.m. every Wed. (Captain Curt’s)
Al Hixon, 6-9 p.m. every Wed. (Floribbean)
Jeff Hughes, 6-10 p.m. every Wed. (Blarney Stone)
JustUs, 6-10 p.m. (Gatorz)
Rock Lee, 6-11 p.m. every Wed. (Marina Jack/lounge)
Billy Lyon, 6-8 p.m. every Wed. (Blue Owl)
Moments 2 Remember, 6-9 p.m. every Wed. (DeMarco’s Italian Grill)
David Moore, 6-10 p.m. every Wed. (Sharky’s)
Kara Nally, 6-10 p.m. (Flounders)
Debra Opie Jazz Quartet, 6-9 p.m. every Wed. (Snook Haven)
Sammie J., 6 p.m. (Slip-Not)
Songwriters Night with John Frinzi, 6-9 p.m. every Wed. (Linger Lodge)
Taylor & Taylor, 6-10 p.m. every Wed. (Tarpon Pointe Grill)
The Venturas, 6-10 p.m. every Wed. (Marina Jack/patio)
Katt Hefner Trio, 6:30-9:30 p.m. every Wed. (Prana)
Max McCann, 6:30 p.m. (LeBarge)
Tommy C and Judy Love, 6:30 p.m. every Wed. (Englewoods on Dearborn)
Kettle of Fish, 7-11 p.m. every Wed. (SKOB)
Joey Lavallee, 7-11 p.m. every Wed. (15 South/piano bar)
Open Mic with Joe B., 7-10 p.m. every Wed. (Pastry Art)
Wally “Gator” Sirotich, 7-10 p.m. every Wed. (Brasserie Belge)
Trapezoid, 7 p.m. (Old Packinghouse)
Richard “Stretch” Bruyn, 7:30-11 p.m. every Wed. (Haye Loft)
Andres Colin, 7:30 p.m. (Ceviche)
Swamp Donkie, 7:30-10:30 p.m. (Bridge Tender)
The Wheedles with Lady Ta Ta, 7:30 p.m. every Wed. (Pelican Pete’s)
Blues Jam with RJ Howson, 8 p.m. every Wed. (Ace’s)
Dakota Rose, 8 p.m. every Wed. (Bleachers)
Torched, 8 p.m. every Wed. (Dean’s South of the Border)
Marc Anthony, 9 p.m. every Wed. (Captain Curt’s)
DJ Ryan: Reggae Nite, 9 p.m. every Wed. (Bacalao)
The Cherry Bombs, 9:30 p.m. (Gator Club)
DJ Kaiser, 10 p.m. every Wed. (Daiquiri Deck Siesta Key)
Ladies Night with DJ Ekko & Steve Rice, 10 p.m. every Wed. (Rusty Hook)
Tony Tyler Band, 10 p.m. (5 O’Clock Club)

Tickets ($25 in advance, $30 at the door) are available at venicebrewbash.com or Brindley’s Liquor, Wine & Gourmet Store, Venice MainStreet Inc. or Burgundy Square Cafe. Burgundy Square Cafe, Foodeez Catering and Flying Sliders will have food for purchase.

You can also let Sarasota Coach be your designated driver; they’ll be running a bus service from Westfield Sarasota Square mall to the Brew Bash. Car drop and loading area is at the east end of the mall near JC Penney’s.

(Brindley’s Liquor, Wine and Gourmet Store, 421 Tamiami Trail S., Venice. Burgundy Square Café, 227 W. Miami Ave., Venice. Venice MainStreet Inc., 101 W. Venice Ave., Suite 23, Venice.)

Beer: Rayon Vert

Brewery: Green Flash, California

Notes: A new arrival in Florida. It’s made with the wild yeast Brettanomyces, known for its funky qualities. In most beers it would be considered a flaw. Not in this brew. Rayon Vert has a nice earthy aroma, which I’m guessing comes from the Brett, mixing with yeasty and sour fruit notes. The flavor is dry and crisp with more sour notes. This beer is all about the wild yeast. Reminds me of a basement, and that’s good. If you don’t like funk, you won’t like this beer. Wild ale fans, seek it out.

Have you had Green Flash Rayon Vert? What did you think? Use the comment field below to sound off.

Jared Barnes, brewmaster at Darwin’s on 4th, the new-ish brewpub in downtown Sarasota, emailed about the restaurant’s plans for the summer months.

They plan to do monthly beer dinners, with the first being this Thursday at 6 p.m. The events will “focus on beer and food pairings and cooking with beer,” Barnes writes. “Each dish will be paired with a beer that we brew here, and some of them will be made specifically for these dinners, so this will be the only chance to try them.”

They will also be offering beer classes, with the first on Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. Barnes write that the classes “go over the entire brewing process, with a hands-on ingredients workshop that showcases different varieties of grains and hops used in beer, and finishes off with a tasting portion encompassing all of the beers that we make here at Darwin’s, and going over flavor profiles for each of the styles. ”

Their next big event will be during the Suncoast Super Boat Grand Prix Festival the last weekend in June. They will be closing the parking lot in front of Station 400 and will have live music and a beer garden. Barnes writes that they hope to have race boats on view and a “national celebrity or two to make an appearance with one of the bands.”

Going further out, Darwin’s is organizing an Oktoberfest Block Party on Sept. 29. The setup will be similar to the Grand Prix party, but this time there will be outdoor beer stands pouring a house-brewed Oktoberfest beer that will be served throughout the month of October.

Contact Darwin’s for more details and reservations.

John Lichtenstein rumbles on the bass while Zach Skylab plays the typewriter, of all things.

I have encountered these music happenings known as The End of the Dial Tone Radical Experimental Collaborative Music Band Band, founded, curated and driven by bassist John Lichtenstein, on more than one occasion. I actually stumbled upon the very first one years ago, a thrashy, oddly bluesy affair over at the former Sarasota Olive Oil Company — or maybe it was The Venue then, or Felice’s — I forget. And I’ve caught it in snatches at The Rusty Hook, where it sounded eerily synchronized and surprisingly listenable. Polished, even. But certainly not rehearsed.

As of Monday, I’d never experienced one in its entirety, though, from the first riff to the final strains of the last jam session. So I decided this time, I’d be in it to win it.

Drummer Matt Rogers.

At 9 p.m. in the upstairs lounge of The Gator Club, the TEOTDT crew had erected a veritable fortress of instruments and sound gear. I thought I could hear the floorboards groaning under all that tonnage. The 10 performers threaded their way back and forth through the profusion of stuff, loading up on drinks (which I presume are an essential ingredient to an hours-long group improvisation) and noodling away on their respective axes.

Lyndsay Charlotte, aka "Stormy Angel," tirelessly worked the mic.

Lichtenstein picked up his signature megaphone and unceremoniously kicked the gathering crowd out of the room so he could share “a moment” with his crew. The lounge reopened about 20 minutes later and the curious onlookers padded back inside to range along the walls and sink into the velvet sofas. It was remarkably quiet. Kyla Stevens stepped up to the microphone to open the ceremonies, and began to intone the lines of a Jim Morrison poem. Lichtenstein immediately picked up a low drone, while the flickering of cymbals washed over the room from the two drum kits. We drifted on a vaporous wave of sound until, with the line “Wake up!” the whole ensemble crashed into a frenzied rhythmic commotion.

The roaring from the double drums, two basses, two electric guitars, strings and keys went virtually unchecked all night, punctuated only by the four — count ‘em — four times the band blew out the power. Time ceases to exist in a sonic onslaught like that, so I am still unsure as to how long they actually carried on before instrumentalists started taking breaks. Performers became audience, and audience members slipped into the fray of performers. It was like a game of “Name That Local Band Member”: here’s Leon Kerber from Big Blu House switching out his famous Fender Rhodes keyboard for Fancy Rat member John Ewing‘s bass guitar. There goes Alex Frazzoni of (the) Umbrella Cult, handing off his sticks to Mike Murphy of whatever handful of projects he’s into these days. They all crashed, thudded, shrieked and howled with feedback until, sometime around 1 a.m., I think I heard Lichtenstein announce, “I’m content.” And with much nodding of heads, we’d finally reached the End of The Dial Tone.

Live art from TEOTDT. It totally sounded like it looks.

Someone once told me that the best part about taking psychedelic drugs is the part where you’re not on them any more. I suspect TEOTDT experiences are a lot like that. You smile a little shakily and say, “Whew, that was crazy/intense/wild/educational/fun.” I definitely lost more than a few precious stereocilia (my ears are still ringing to prove it) and I wouldn’t say the ride was always pleasant. But it’s not that often you get to see a room full of musicians, largely strangers to one another, rock out at a blistering fever pitch for hours. Now I feel I’ve officially tried it, and I refuse to knock it.

– She may be having hearing problems, but the Scenestress still wants to hear from you! Say “hi” in an email, or on Facebook, Tumblr and Twitter.

A sorghum-based Redbridge Beer, a horseradish-stuffed Black Angus beef patty, and a slice of citrus ginger ice cream pie with graham cracker crust wouldn’t seem like a fitting meal for bar goers with food sensitivities. But owner Annie Mallon tells me that’s exactly the point here, and her regulars can vouch.

“You don’t have to feel like you’re sacrificing anything when you eat and drink here,” says Mallon, who moved with her staff from her original 2007 Osprey location to the current one on South Tamiami Trail in September. “We want people who have food allergies or are gluten free to feel like they have the same choices as everybody else.”

Midway into my chat with Mallon, a thirty-something woman at the bar informs me that she has celiac disease, and that she frequents Beckham’s nightly post-work.

“This is the only place I can go and grab a drink and know I can have something new every time that’s gluten free,” she says. “Otherwise, I just don’t go out to eat, because you can’t find that in town.”

Redbridge Beer

From the gluten-free pork lollipops with cranberry barbecue sauce to the Pasta Selva with bacon Parmesan sauce and sautéed shrimp, the menu reads like a decadent gourmet roster that couldn’t possibly be diet. All the pastas, burgers and sandwich buns are sourced from Island Gluten Free Bakery, and the produce is from local growers. Want fish and chips without the standard batter? Done.

“Years ago, I developed a lot of food intolerances, so cooking here was making my life difficult. I know how hard it is to eat when you have food allergies,” says Mallon, who cooks much of the fare and all the desserts. “I love the idea that you can come in and get gluten-free burgers, fries and ice cream. Where else can you do that?”

You may as well meander in from 4 to 6 p.m. for the 20-percent early bird discount, as your timing will overlap with happy hour (11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily). Watch a golf or soccer game on one of the seven high-definition TVs while sipping $3.25 house wines or $4.25 well martinis. Try the black currant sangria with fruit juice, merlot and frozen fruit, for $5.95.

Horseradish Burger

In the non-gluten-free taps are Guinness, Yuengling, Stella, Bass, Shock Top and the standard Buds and Michelobs.

Ask Mallon about the rotating summer specials that run from 4 p.m. daily or all day Sunday, including a three-course dinner with soup or salad, and a choice of entrée (such as meatloaf to pork loin), and a dessert for $15.99.

“We are always switching up the menu, and everyone here contributes to the quality of the experience, from the kitchen staff to the front of the house,” Mallon says. “We want to give you a reason to come back.”

The people are as warm as the décor, with its dark wooden bar, forest green ceilings, and booths with hanging gold and green lamplights. Mallon’s original photographs of ospreys and sunsets on Siesta Beach and Historic Spanish Point adorn the burnt orange walls. Singles grab stools at the bar to do crossword puzzles or converse.

“I want it to be inviting here, like a family,” Mallon says. “It’s a place where ladies can come to the bar or the patio with a book and feel comfortable. We have Wi-Fi. You can just come and chill out.”

…and splurge without remorse.

“Men in Black 3″ gets brownie points simply for not being “Men in Black II.”

It’s been 10 years since “MiBII,” and while I’ve completely forgotten the plot of that movie, the bad taste it left in my mouth lingers. I remember thinking it was one of the laziest sequels I’d ever seen, simply taking the quirky original film and repackaging its key elements for a cynical, money-grubbing do-over.

Despite that, it made something like a half-billion dollars, so the question becomes: why did it take a decade to make another movie?

The jaded, cynical critic in me can’t help but take note that the careers of star Will Smith and director Barry Sonnenfeld have not exactly been afire as of late. Sonnenfeld’s been stuck doing low-profile television since the disastrous “RV” six years ago, which also pretty much marked the end of Robin Williams as a leading man. Smith hasn’t starred in anything since 2008, when he gave us the lackluster “Seven Pounds” and the lackluster-er “Hancock.”

Even if “MiB3″ exists simply to gobble up cash and rejuvenate some careers, it’s a reasonably engaging bit of disposable entertainment.

It’s not nearly as funny as it ought to be, and I kept feeling like the characters were explaining the movie to me rather than letting it just happen. But there’s plenty of slapsticky action, more enjoyably scary/goofy aliens, and a few unexpected poignant moments.

Agents J (Smith) and K (Jones) are back as footmen in the Men in Black, a super-secret agency serving to protect the many alien species that are secretly residing on Earth (and the humans from them). Their jobs and their relationship have grown stale, with J frustrated with K’s inability to ever open up to him.

“I’m getting too old for this. I can only imagine how you feel,” J riffs after a particularly nasty dust-up in a Chinese noodle shop.

Unfortunately, a superbad dude named Boris the Animal — “It’s just Boris,” he repeatedly insists, not that anyone pays any attention — breaks out of Lunar Max, the alien prison on the moon. A creepy alien with camera lenses for eyes and a pet that lives inside his hand and spits deadly spikes, Boris (Jemaine Clement) swears vengeance on K, who blew his arm off back in 1969.

Boris goes back in time and alters the temporal reality so K no longer exists. Now it’s up to J to travel back to the days of hippies and decent rock ‘n’ roll and put things right.

Josh Brolin plays the young K, expertly mimicking Jones’ curt mannerisms and high-pitched Texas drawl. The ’60s-era aliens are a trip, made up to resemble extra-terrestrials from movie and TV of that time.

I really enjoyed Michael Stuhlbarg as Griffin, the sole survivor of his alien race, who can see across the dimension of time and envision all possible outcomes at once. He’s a got a daffy lost-puppy vibe, sweet-natured but with a bit of bite.
There’s also a clever bit where J and K encounter Andy Warhol, who turns out to be another Men in Black agent in deep undercover to infiltrate the counterculture. “I’m so out of ideas I’m painting soup cans and bananas!”

The run-up to the big showdown is a blur of chases and quips, culminating in a fight on the launch pad of the Apollo 11 rocket as it’s getting set to shoot the moon. There’s also something about an ArcNet protecting the earth from a Boglodite invasion, and a love flame for K (played by Alice Eve when young and Emma Thompson when not) and a half a dozen other untidy story threads that screenwriter Etan Cohen never bothers to knit together.

It’s hard to say that “Men in Black 3″ is worth the wait, since I don’t get the sense much of anyone was really waiting for it. But now that it’s here, at least you won’t feel like zapping yourself with one of the MiB forget-it-all gizmos after watching it.

– Christopher Lloyd is co-founder of TheFilmYap.com.

The problem with “Battleship” is that it spends so much time denying that it’s a video game before turning on the fireworks that everyone came to see.

Yes, yes, the movie is actually based on the classic Hasbro board game, in which opponents try to blindly guess where their enemy’s battleship is. (And, at least in my case, attempt to stave off mind-numbing boredom while playing it.) But it’s a big-budget special effects summer movie, make no mistake.

To those wondering what the heck the game has to do with the film: yes, there is a sequence about halfway through where the good guys use a clever trick using a grid-like pattern to track the alien boogums they’re fighting. And, of course, nearly all the mayhem takes place aboard Navy vessels.

If you’re looking for metaphysical ruminations about the first contact between man and an alien race, you won’t find them here. The aliens come to Earth for purposes never really made clear, other than they’re here to give humans something to shoot at.

They come out of the ocean in big seafaring hovercraft-y things that sort of jump around the water’s surface and cfhange shape. Think “Transformers” meets “Independence Day” meets “War of the Worlds,” and you’ve got a pretty good handle.
Eventually they do emerge from their ships, and are surprisingly un-buggy and humanoid. They could be first cousins to the blue dudes in “Avatar,” but they favor mechanistic armor and weaponry over a biometric hair hookup.

Liam Neeson is featured prominently in the film’s trailers, but it’s just a walk-on role as the stern admiral, who promptly gets sidelined as soon as the sea spray hits the fan. The real star is Taylor Kitsch as Alex Hopper, a ne’er-do-well rebel who joins the Navy as a last resort, and somehow ends up commanding the battle against the aliens.

Kitsch has presence as an action star, but the wind-up involving Alex’s transformation from zero to hero takes way, way too long. It’s 45 minutes or so into the movie before the critters from outer space show up, and until then it’s a bunch of familiar pabulum about learning to grow up, work as a team, etc.

Director Peter Berg and screenwriters Erich and Jon Hoeber cling so desperately to the idea that their movie is about the human element, when Alex and all the rest (including singer Rihanna) are really just arcade avatars ready to be put through their paces.

Brooklyn Decker plays Alex’s love interest, who just so happens — gosh! — to be the daughter of the mean ol’ admiral. Decker has the notable luck to be featured in two big Hollywood releases this week (the other is “What To Expect When You’re Expecting”), but neither one is much to brag about.

Gregory D. Gadson, an actual Army veteran who lost both his legs in Iraq, has a solid turn as a disgruntled war veteran who rediscovers his inner warrior battling the aliens.

Now, the movie is named “Battleship,” but of course battleships are military anachronisms — huge, hulking behemoths designed to batter the enemy with its huge guns. The Navy prefers fast, nimble destroyers these days. There’s a turn of events late in the going that rectifies the discrepancy, which is both extraordinarily unlikely and a cheap applause moment.

There are a few times in this movie to cheer and thrill, but the filmmakers don’t seem to want to own up to its bubblegum nature. The worst kind of video game movies are those that pretend not to be.

Christopher Lloyd is co-founder of TheFilmYap.com.