Daily Loaf

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Seems like everything has been ghost and ghoul-related lately, but if you’re in search of a little levity, head to The Tampa Improv to see comedian Roy Johnson next Wednesday.

He’s been beefing up his funny resume since his first-ever open mic in 2000. A year later, he headlined and produced his first homegrown showcase of local talent (eight followed) and the Improv eventually hired him on as the house MC in 2002. He continued to carve a name out for himself on the road, got a ringing endorsement from standup legend David Brenner (who said Johnson “is absolutely brilliant and is destined to be a world class headliner”), won the Maxxim/Bud Light-sponsored Real Men competition and enjoyed a cushy gig opening for Charlie Murphy, Joe Rogan and John Heffron on the Real Men of Comedy Tour, released a CD, Love Notes From the True Romantic, and triumphed in the I-4 Comedy War against the best comics of Tampa and Orlando. Johnson is headed to LA and performs one more night of his observational comedy – about anything from his experiences living in Florida and dealing with hurricanes and redneck neighbors, to the follies of romance and life after marriage – this Wednesday at his farewell show. See him off, buy him a beer, and be prepared to laugh your ass off. Wed., Nov. 4, 8 p.m., Tampa Improv in Centro Ybor, Ybor City, $8, tampaimprov.com. – Leilani Polk

Last time Comedian Mark Malkoff was in town he was living aboard an Airtran airplane for a month. Mark now has a new “Keys to The City” mission, driving him via Ford Fusion to collect 100 city keys in 28 days. His comedic road trip antics brought him to Tampa on Monday to be presented the key to the city of Tampa by Mayor Pam Iorio. Maybe next time Mark will come live in our IKEA?

Read more about Mark Malkoff’s “Keys to The City” project here.

Dave Chappelle, best known for Comedy Central’s fantastic Chappelle Show and the weed movie Half Baked attempted to put on a free, secret show in Portland, Oregon on Tuesday night. I say “attempted” because the comedian, who publicized the show only through text messages and Twitter, expected about 200 people to show up. He got thousands instead. (At one point in the attached video, Chappelle estimates the crowd is around 4000 strong.) That was too big a group for the PA system, and the show had to be scrapped. Still, the video is amazing.

Check it out after the jump …

Last night, Dereck and I attended the SuperNova Sunday event at NOVA 535 (535 Dr. M. L. King Jr Street N, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701, (727) 821-6682). I’ve been spending a lot of time at NOVA lately, and when I heard they were putting on a weekly party that was part Gong Show and part social gathering, I decided it was time to go do a photo shoot.

More pics after the jump: Read the rest of this entry »

Rock the Vote stages Disturbing the Peace Fest 11, a pre-election day party featuring sets by 20 bands on three different stages at St. Petersburg’s Jannus Landing, its adjacent Tamiami Bar, and Push Ultra Lounge. Confirmed artists include Retard-O-Bot, Klik, Trace of Day, Tailgunner Joe & The Earls Of Slander, The Turncoat, and Military Junior. 5 p.m.-2 a.m., $10.

A new exhibit opens today at Scarfone/Hartley Gallery that features “pop-surrealist” mixed media by Carl Cowden, small-scale paintings by Alexandra Fernandez and sculptures made of new, found, natural and manufactured woods, metals, bronze, stone and fiber by Michael Massaro. All three are Tampa residents and University of Tampa alumni. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 813-253-6217.

Comedian Diane Ford performs a set of stand-up at Floyd’s. 8 p.m., Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, $20.

Students of USF’s School of Music Voice Studio present An Evening of Spanish Zarzuela, which includes performances of classical Spanish songs and arias. 8 p.m., Music Recital Hall (FAH 101) at USF-Tampa, free.

Eckerd College welcomes Dr. Zahid Bukhari — Director of American Muslim Studies at Georgetown University’s Prince Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding — for a talk titled, “Muslims in the American Public Square.” 7:30 pm, Fox Hall, free admission.

This is the headliner at the Hillsborough County Education Foundation Comedy Night on Thursday (9/18) at Tampa Theatre… great comedian, great cause. More info.

 Brian Bradley