Daily Loaf

As everyone in the world that possesses a television knows, New Moon, the second installment of Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight Saga is in a theater near you at midnight tonight. My guess is most fans are going to watch Twilight right before they go see New Moon, just for the thrill of it. However, if they want to do it in the company of other “Twihards” and “Twimoms,” Regal Cinemas University 16 is showing the first film before the opening of the new flick for the Twilight Saga Festival Night. There’s also a Twilight/New Moon costume contest (costumes must have shoes, a shirt and no mask) along with a Twilight poster design contest. Winners of both receive prizes (please let it be Edward Cullen in a box, please let it be Edward Cullen in a box…) Read the rest of this entry »

Dr. John’s stage persona (pictured), “The Night Tripper,” is as big and colorful as the Big Easy — he embodies the culture and heritage of his hometown of New Orleans, and his latest project is a tribute to Duke Ellington and Johnny Mercer. Dr. John and the Lower 911 take the stage with “The Sauce Boss” Bill Wharton. Visit mypalladium.org for more info. Thurs., Nov. 5, 8 p.m., Palladium Theater, $45.

This week’s installment in the Dalí and Beyond Film Series of shocking and surreal cinema is  5,000 Fingers of Dr. T, a live-action Dr. Seuss adaptation about Bart, who hates his piano lessons with Dr. Terwilliker and is dragged to a dream world where his piano professor is ruler and the students become his subjects. Visit salvadordalimuseum.org for more info. Thurs., Nov. 5, 6 p.m., Salvador Dali Museum, St. Petersburg, $5 after 5 p.m. Read the rest of this entry »

Today, award-winning local actress Sharon Scott debuts Mahalia, Just As I Am, her new musical about the life and times of gospel great Mahalia Jackson. The powerhouse vocalist was the first artist to be awarded a Grammy in gospel, but everything wasn’t coming up roses – the show follows her continued struggle with segregation in the South in the midst of Mahalia’s rise to fame. (Pictured: Sharon Scott as Mahalia Jackson) Oct. 16-25, 8 p.m. Fri.-Sun.; preview performance, Thurs., Oct. 15, 7:30 p.m., The Studio@620, 620 First Ave. S., St. Petersburg, $15-$25, 727-895-6620, studio620.org. – Franki Weddington

Meet the author and pick up your autographed copy of Paul Abercrombie’s Organic, Shaken and Stirred: Hip Highballs, Modern Martinis, and Other Totally Green Cocktails, along with two tickets for drinks detailed in the book. Visit inkwoodbooks.com for more info. Thurs., Oct. 15, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Restaurant BT, 1633 W. Snow Ave., Tampa, $30.

The Visiting Artists and Scholars Series continues with Lance Winn, the director of the University of Delaware’s MFA program. Winn discusses form and formlessness, using a series of smaller images to create what appears to be one large image from far away — his interpretation of “how personal experience fit into the overall picture of society.” Contact Ashleigh Gallant at agallant@arts.usf.edu for more info. Thurs., Oct. 15, 7-9 p.m., USF Marshall Center, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, free.

After the break: Writers at the U,  Almost Maine at the library, and the Dali and Beyond Film Series. Read the rest of this entry »

The Morean Arts Center and The Studio@620 continue to bring current art and issues to the community — this time, with a month’s worth of advance screenings of Art21-Art in the Twenty-First Century, the national TV series with a focus on contemporary art. After the show, the host of WMNF’s “Art in Your Ear,” JoEllen Schilke, moderates a panel discussion on the episode’s themes. Visit art21.org or studio620.org for more info. (Pictured: Art:21 production still of artst Oliver Herring at work) Thursdays through Oct. 23, 7:30-9:30 p.m., The Studio@620,  620 First Ave. S., St. Petersburg, free.

If local craft brew floats your sudsy boat, then the ninth annual OktoBEERfest is your cup of tea. Or, well, beer. The line-up of events include the brewery’s Liter Release and Appreciation night, and a huge party that spills out onto the streets from Dunedin’s tasting room. “Notoriously German food” and live music by Bump accompany the constantly flowing beers. Visit dunedinbrewery.com for more info. Thurs.-Sun., Oct.1-4, Dunedin Brewery, 937 Douglas Ave., Dunedin. Read the rest of this entry »

If you thought Warped Tour was over, think again. For one night only, movie theaters across America screen the Vans Warped Tour 15th Anniversary Celebration, a two-hour tribute to the beloved music fest and its talented artists. Warped Tour is often associated with punk music and culture, but this showcases the diverse bands that have not only played the outdoor concert, but become known because of it. The screening includes live performances, red-carpet clips and behind the scenes footage from artists like NOFX (pictured), Bad Religion, Blink-182, Ice T, Katy Perry, All-American Rejects, The Aggrolites, Underoath and more. Warped fans can get a glimpse into the lives of their favorite bands, and all in the comfort of air conditioning. Now that’s what I’m talking about! Thurs., Sept. 17, 8 p.m., Citrus Park Stadium 20, 7999 Citrus Park Town Center Mall, Tampa, 12.50, visit fathomevents.com for a full list of participating theaters. – Lily Reisman Read the rest of this entry »