There are plenty of great gigs on tap in May for aficionados of all styles of music, but for fans of classic rock, there are a few shows that simply can’t be missed.

For starters, 1960s British rockers The Spencer Davis Group will perform on Monday, May 12, at the Largo Cultural Center, a stylish yet intimate setting to hear hits like “Gimme Some Lovin’,” “Keep On Running” and “I’m a Man.”

Next up, check out Ace Frehley as he plays Jannus Landing in St. Petersburg on Sunday, May 18. An original member of Kiss, Frehley's incendiary stage antics are famous.

On Sunday, May 25, guitar god Steve Miller will take the stage at Ford Amphitheatre at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. Known for chart-toppers like “Take the Money and Run,” “Rockin’ Me,” “Jet Airliner,” “The Joker,” “Livin’ in the USA” and the immortal “Fly Like An Eagle,” Miller’s stage execution remains as dynamic as his influence in the industry.

As if those rock icons weren’t enough, for all those diehard prog-rockers out there, Adrian Belew of King Crimson fame will perform on Friday, May 30, at Skipper’s Smokehouse in Tampa. In addition to work with Crimson, Frank Zappa and David Bowie, Belew boasts an extensive list of solo efforts including his recent trilogy, “Side One,” “Side Two,” and “Side Three,” along with 2007’s “Side Four,” a live set featuring the Adrian Belew Power Trio.

Pinellas County revealed a recent archeological discovery: An area resident located a 39-foot pine canoe which dates back approximately 1,100 years.

Found in the sand along the shoreline in Weedon Island Preserve, the canoe – along with a pine pole possibly used for paddling or poling – is likely an artifact of the Weeden Island Culture, Florida Gulf Coast inhabitants of the Manasota Period.

Admittedly, a battered, time-worn canoe may not compare to Hollywood’s Indian Jones and his upcoming “Crystal Skull” caper, but the local discovery does come with a bit of a mystery: As investigators document, conserve and protect the find, they are puzzled by how the pine escaped more extensive erosion in the aggressive salt and sand environment.

According to a county press release, to date, only a pre-excavation dig has been undertaken along with radiocarbon dating and wood sampling. Further excavation and preservation of the canoe are dependent upon the acquisition of adequate funding and resources.

A manatee mother and newborn calf struck by a boat near Naples, Fla., recently arrived at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo, pushing the facility to a new record-high patient load of 15 manatees at one time at the David A. Straz Jr. Manatee Hospital within the Lykes Florida Wildlife Center.

According to the center, a large 1,625-pound cow and her 69-pound dependent male offspring have joined other patients in the care of zoo veterinary staff. Previously, the highest number of manatees being treated at the hospital at one time was 14 which happened in 2003 and again in 2006.

The zoo spends approximately $1 million a year on the manatee rehabilitation program. In addition to the rehabilitation program, the center educates more than one million visitors annually, stressing the importance of aquatic and marine habitat conservation.

A nonprofit organization, Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo offers visitors an opportunity to “Share the Care,” supporting a favorite park resident and contributing to its care by becoming a “Zoo Parent.” There are other ways you can help support Lowry in its commitment to education, conservation and research … and to help make sure the hospital’s newest patients have a second chance.

Tampa's Riverwalk project is one step closer to completion.

On Saturday, April 26, 9 a.m., Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, along with other key city officials, will participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Platt Street Bridge segment of Riverwalk. Following the ceremony, the city will sponsor the inaugural RiverWALK, a casual stroll beginning at USF Park on the Riverwalk, 233 South Ashley Drive, and continuing to Cotanchobee Ft. Brooke Park. There will be music and entertainment, and street painter Greg Nixon will offer demonstrations.

It's been just over a year since the start of construction on this critical segment of Riverwalk which will connect USF Park and the Tampa Convention Center. When finished, Riverwalk will provide a continuous 2.4-mile winding pedestrian path from the North Boulevard Bridge in Tampa Heights to the Channelside District, opening the waterfront to residents, encouraging economic development, promoting educational and social activities and enriching the cultural arts district.

HCA West Florida Division has partnered with the American Cancer Society to raise awareness about the importance of colon cancer screening, sponsoring the Get Tested: Defeat Colon Cancer campaign.

According to the ACS, men and women ages 50 or older are at risk for colon cancer, regardless of their family history. The ACS and HCA urge people over 50 to talk to their doctors about the test that's right for them.

Here are some statistics about colon cancer, provided by ACS and HCA:

• 90 percent – The five-year survival rate when colon cancer is found at an early, more treatable stage;
• 58 percent – The percentage of Florida residents who get tested when they should;
• 39 percent – The percentage of colon cancers which are discovered at the earliest, most treatable stage;
• 11,000 – The number of people who will be diagnosed with colon cancer in Florida this year;
• 3,500 – The number of people who will die from the disease in Florida this year.

HCA West Florida hospitals in the Tampa Bay area include:

• Community Hospital, New Port Richey
• Northside Hospital, St. Petersburg
• Edward White Hospital, St. Petersburg
• St. Petersburg General Hospital, St. Petersburg
• Largo Medical Center, Largo
• South Bay Hospital, Sun City Center
• Brandon Regional Hospital, Brandon
• Blake Medical Center, Bradenton
• Doctors Hospital of Sarasota, Sarasota
• Englewood Community Hospital, Englewood

For information about cancer, contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345.

Friends of the Island Parks will host Island EarthDays 2008 on Saturday and Sunday, April 19 and 20, at Honeymoon Island State Park.

In addition to celebrating EarthDay, the event will draw attention to two parks: Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island state parks. Live outdoor entertainment will include performances by John Shaw (steel drum), Eric Pieniak (acoustic), Maria Valentine (harp), Juniper Trio (folk) and Urban Gypsies (folk/rock/R&B). There will be a kayak competition, seafood, artists and crafters and environmental vendors.

Event hours are Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Pirates laid siege to downtown St. Petersburg this weekend as the 23rd annual American Stage in the Park began its occupation of Demens Landing, on the corner of First Avenue North and Bayshore Boulevard.

For this year’s production, American Stage Theatre opted to produce Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Pirates of Penzance,” complete with its young lovers, pirate king and the Major General. Todd Olson, the company’s producing artistic director, helmed this production and oversaw some innovative modifications to the classic musical comedy. For starters, it’s set in modern times. Olson added some bikinis, some Gasparilla-style pirates and more contemporary sounding music to appeal to a broader audience.

The production will continue through May 4. Performances are Wednesdays through Sundays, 8 p.m. Tickets range from $11 to $27 depending on day and seating preference.

April is shaping up to be another great month for music aficionados.

Clearly, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi and Sheryl Crow will attract the most attention in the upcoming weeks, but don’t forget about the annual Tampa Bay Blues Fest coming up at Vinoy Waterfront Park in downtown St. Petersburg. Where else can you catch Robert Cray, Los Lonely Boys and Robben Ford all in one weekend?

Some other gigs that shouldn’t pass by unnoticed include the C U LaTour, supposedly the last go-around for Grammy-nominated industrial metal band Ministry, at Jannus Landing in St. Petersburg. Also of note: Garaj Mahal, a funk-jazz-Indian fusion band, playing Skipper’s Smokehouse in Tampa; folk legend Joan Baez appearing in the intimate setting of Tampa Theatre; and Alligator Records recording artists Little Ed & The Blues Imperials, playing Ace’s Lounge in Bradenton.

Check out the complete April music lineup.

If you’ve been feeling fed up with the complexities of the modern age, two Tampa Bay area festivals offer a perfect escape into yesteryear – joust in time!

The 2008 Bay Area Renaissance Festival is underway and will continue through April 6 at the Museum of Science and Industry. The festival features the world of the Tudor Dynasty, complete with jousting tournaments, human chess, royal high tea with the queen and the ladies of the court as well as the antics of the Washing Well Wenches.

If you prefer the 13th century to the Renaissance, check out the fourth annual Sarasota Medieval Fair on April 5 and 6 at the Sarasota County Fairgrounds. More than 200 entertainers, themed vendors and concessionaires will bring to life this medieval village. Sample some mead, cheer on jousting knights and enjoy a human combat chess match.

Never let it be said that St. Petersburg's American Stage Theatre Company is short-sighted.

In addition to a busy 2008-09 season and a planned relocation to its new digs in a state-of-the-art theater, American Stage recently announced it will dedicate the next nine years to producing all ten of Pulitzer Prize-winning August Wilson's plays. The "Pittsburgh Cycle” is a cycle of ten plays, each set in a different decade of the 20th century and centered on an exploration of the African-American experience.

American Stage will perform the regional premiere of Wilson's King Hedley II, opening Jan. 23, 2009. Other plays scheduled for the 2008-09 season include Richard Schenkkan's By the Waters of Babylon, the holiday cult classic A Tuna Christmas, an adaptation of Aristophanes' Lysistrata and the Tampa Bay area premiere of Tuesdays With Morrie.

As for the 2007-08 season: Shakespeare's greatest tragedy, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, will run through March 30.