They’re back! After a lengthy hiatus, long-running night spot Brick by Brick has reopened its doors under new management. The venue has been partially remodeled and there has been no time wasted in putting together a terrific lineup, including Drum Wars: An Evening with rock legends Vinnie and Carmine Appice on July 24, The Burning of Rome on July 26 and Fuel on July 31. Plans are for the venue to feature a mix of genres, but with former members of the band As I Lay Dying, who are now owners of Brick by Brick, you can expect rock to feature heavily. The building as a music site goes back to 1975, when Jerry Herrera first opened it as The Spirit. It’s great to see the tradition of great music at 1130 Buenos Ave. continue, hopefully for many years to come. • VINNIE AND CARMINE APPICE: Thursday, July 24 at BRICK BY BRICK, 1130 Buenos Ave., 8 p.m. 21 and up. $10. www.brickbybrick.com. Theme concerts and tribute shows seem to be the popular thing at the moment, but at least one group of musicians is playfully bucking that trend and concentrating on new music with a show dubbed “Things That I Love That I Used To Hate.” Taking place at Dizzy’s on July 25, the show will feature an all-star cast, including guitarist Peter Sprague, pianist Danny Green, saxophonist Tripp Sprague, bassist Justin Grinnell and drummer Julien Cantelm. While the sets will consist of new tunes, jazz aficionados can rest assured this will be a night of stellar performances full of songs sure to inspire future themed shows and tributes. • PETER SPRAGUE AND FRIENDS: Friday, July 25 at DIZZY’S, 4275 Mission Bay Drive. 8 p.m. $15. www.dizzysjazz.com. Blues fans know they’ll have a good time at a Blue Largo show. Appearing at Humphreys Backstage Live on July 28, the band has released a pair of acclaimed albums, most recently, “I’m Still In Love With You.” But like all good bar bands, a live club setting is where it truly excels. Perfect for swing dancing or just enjoying the marina view at the restaurant, the band’s originals and covers provide a great soundtrack to any evening. With a set that can include anything from evergreen “Besame Mucho” to Bill Doggett’s “Honky Tonk,” this is a band that will please both blues purists and casual fans alike.
• BLUE LARGO: Monday, July 28 at HUMPHREYS BACKSTAGE LIVE, 2241 Shelter Island Drive. 7 p.m. $12. www.humphreysbackstagelive.com. Postponed from last month, the debut of power trio Joey Harris, Caren and Paul Kamanski will take place Aug. 2 at the Kona Kai Resort. Mixing acoustic guitars and sweet harmonies, the trio’s music will be the perfect accompaniment to an evening on the resort’s patio with a nice mix of covers and originals. The latter will be particularly enticing, considering Harris is a former Beat Farmer with an arsenal of great songs in his catalog, while Kamanski is an acclaimed songwriter with such hits as “Hollywood Hills” to his credit. For fans of roots rock, Americana or acoustic music, it doesn’t get any better than this intimate showcase gig. • JOEY HARRIS, CAREN AND PAUL KAMANSKI: Saturday, Aug. 2 at the KONA KAI RESORT, 1551 Shelter Island Drive. 6 p.m. No cover. www.resortkonakai.com. Tribute bands are a dime a dozen these days, but ones that can truly match the sound and look of the band they are honoring are still a special thing. Such is the case with Cheapest Trick, which manages to not only sound pretty close to the real thing, but its guitarist and drummer are dead ringers for the original musicians. The band plays a greatest-hits show, so there won’t be any surprises, but with a catalog of great songs like “Surrender” and “I Want You to Want Me,” no one will be complaining. • CHEAPEST TRICK: Saturday, Aug. 2 at TIO LEO’S, 5302 Napa St. 9 p.m. 21 and up. Cover TBD. www.tioleos.com.