Tampa Concert Calendar: 8 Summer Shows You Won't Want to Miss

There are hundreds of things to love about life here at the Villages of Citrus Hills, but one of the perks that often goes overlooked is the fact that just about every major concert tour makes a stop right down the road in Tampa.

The big national acts will pack the house at large venues like Raymond James Stadium, the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater, and the Amalie Arena. But there are also plenty of smaller venues like the Tampa Theatre and the Capitol Theatre for more intimate shows.

If you are looking to catch a great concert this summer, we have pulled together a list of eight shows that you definitely won't want to miss.

Luke Bryan - June 23 - Raymond James Stadium

 Serious country music fans pretty much plan their summers around the annual Luke Bryan concert at this point, and Tampa is going to have an outstanding date this year. Luke will be out promoting and performing songs from his most recent album, "What Makes You Country," which debuted at number one on the Billboard Top 200 and the Billboard Top Country Albums.

 Rascal Flatts - July 20 - MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater

 You might not realize it, but Rascal Flatts has been around for almost 20 years now, and they have sold an astounding 22.5 million albums and have 15 number one hits under their belts. They're heading out on the road again this summer with Dan and Shay & Carly Pearce.

Chicago / REO Speedwagon - July 21 - MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater

Another can't-miss show heading to the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater this summer will be the combo of Chicago and REO Speedwagon hitting the stage on July 21. Fans of either group will be excited about the show, and most people who are fans of one group are also thrilled to see the other.

Dave Matthews Band - July 25 - MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater

 The Dave Matthews Band has become a modern-day version of The Grateful Dead with a similarly passionate fan base that simply doesn't miss shows. After taking the summer of 2017 off, the band is back this summer and we can expect those fans to be as excited as ever. Expect to hear all of your favorite DMB classics, as well as some new songs from the album that should be out soon.

Miranda Lambert & Little Big Town - August 3 - MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater

Just as joint concerts are popular with classic rock bands, they are also something we see more and more of from the country genre. On August 3, we will have the opportunity to catch country stars Miranda Lambert and Little Big Town at the same show here in Tampa. Miranda is amazing.

Taylor Swift - August 14 - Raymond James Stadium

Speaking of amazing ladies, the iconic Taylor Swift will be in town on August 14 as a part of her Reputation Stadium Tour. Whether you love her or hate her, you'll know every song she sings, and you're sure to have a blast at this one.

Jeff Beck & Paul Rodgers with Ann Wilson - August 26 - MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater

Anytime you have the chance to see one of Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time," you'd be crazy to miss out on the opportunity. And that is exactly what you will have when this former Yardbird shows up in Tampa on August 26. Jeff will be joined by Paul Rodgers, as well as Ann Wilson from Heart.

 

Paul Simon - September 7 - Amalie Arena

 Jeff Beck might be the best guitarist passing through Tampa this summer, but Paul Simon could be the most admired songwriter we will have the chance to see this year. This farewell tour could be your last opportunity to see the legend headlining, and it will happen in one of the most intimate arenas in the city.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2017 Season Preview

With Raymond James Stadium in Tampa just about an hour and a half away, a lot of our residents consider the Bucs their adoptive NFL team.

After posting a 9-7 record last season and just missing the playoffs, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reloaded with some impressive talent on the offensive side of the ball over the offseason, and are looking like they will be one of the more exciting teams in the explosive NFC south this year.

That new level of excitement is likely what attracted the producers at HBO to choose the Bucs to be the featured team on this year's edition of their Hard Knocks show, which began airing on August 8. The show will provide all of us with an inside look at this year's team, but first let's take a look at some of the key things they did to improve this offseason.

The Bucs Are Getting Offensive

Everything in the Buccaneers offense revolves around the playmaking ability of quarterback Jameis Winston. Last year, we saw both sides of that coin with Winston accounting for some unbelievable highlight reel plays, as well as more than a few ugly interceptions.

There is no reason not to expect Winston to take another dramatic step forward this year and hopefully establish himself on the level of the other quarterbacks in his division, which just happens to be three pro bowlers in Matt Ryan, Cam Newton, and Drew Brees.

Jameis found his groove with wide receiver Mike Evans last season, and that led to Evans being the most targeted wideout in the entire league. That trend was likely to continue no matter what, but the Buccaneers should be able to scheme more opportunities for Evans after adding free agent wide receiver DeSean Jackson to start opposite him. This will give Winston two dynamic big play receivers and should lead to one of the best offenses the fans in Tampa have ever seen.

In order to improve the passing game even further, the Bucs spent their first-round pick on tight end O.J. Howard out of Alabama. While receiving tight end Cameron Brate is still going to be around for red zone packages, Howard is more of a dual threat player that can catch the ball, and should also be able to open up some holes for running back Doug Martin when he returns after the three games remaining on his suspension.

Don't Get So Defensive

With the Buccaneers focusing most of their offseason efforts on upgrading their offensive weapons, they did very little to improve what was a middle of the road defense last season.

Two improvements that they did make were signing defensive lineman Chris Baker from the Redskins and safety J.J. Wilcox from the Cowboys. Those moves should add some depth, but any real improvement in this defensive unit is going to have to come from young stars like linebacker Kwon Alexander and cornerback Vernon Hargreaves taking big steps forward.

While they didn't make many moves on the defensive side of the ball this offseason, perhaps the most significant move was defensive coordinator Mike Smith's decision to return and sign an extension instead of taking a head coaching job elsewhere. Coach Smith has a proven track record of getting the most out of his players, and he should have no problem shaping this defense into a formidable unit by the end of the season. 

The Lonely Kicker

Following their first preseason game, the Bucs officially cut ties with kicker and former second round pick Robert Aguayo. After struggling through most of his rookie year, Aguayo was not looking much better in his sophomore camp, and the front office decided that they would be more comfortable with veteran Nick Folk.

In addition to playing in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are also staring down the barrel of a daunting non-division schedule that features matchups with the New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers, and New York Giants. If they are going to evolve into a playoff team this year, they are going to have to prove that they can score on some of the best defenses in the league while slowing down some of the best offenses.

Fortunately, they appear to have just enough tools to do both!