Daily Loaf

Music Reborn II: Forbidden and Forgotten is a memorial to the Jewish composers whose lives were lost in the Holocaust and tribute to the victims of Kristallnacht that includes performances by musicians Brian Payne, violin; Jason Jerald, viola; Debra Horne, Soprano; Mary Ann Scialdo, piano; and a special performance by Franciscan friar, Father Vit Fiala. After the concert, see a taped interview with Andre Kupfermunz, a Belgian captive who tells his story of survival. Proceeds benefit the Tampa Ameet Chapter of Hadassah. Call 813-982-1480 or visit carrollwoodcenter.org for info and reservations. Tues., Nov. 10, 7:30 p.m., Carrollwood Cultural Center, Tampa, $18-$54.

The first-ever exhibit at the newly-opened Mindy Solomon Gallery, Three From Korea, is in its final week on display. The collection makes sure strides towards the gallery’s goal of becoming”a haven for outstanding contemporary ceramics and 2D art” with its array of ceramic sculptures, drawings and prints by Sunkoo Yuh, Sung Jae Choi and Kang Hyo Lee. Visit mindysolomon.com for more info. On display through Nov. 13, Mindy Solomon Gallery, St. Petersburg. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. We don’t need special incentives for a scenic stroll through the hills of St. Pete’s Historic Roser Park, but this weekend there’s even more reason to check out the bungalows, brick-lined streets and moss-draped, overgrown oaks that shade the roads: the Historic Roser Park Art Festival brings together more than 70 artists from all over the country who shut down the streets with their displays of paintings, pottery, jewelry, sculpture, photography and craftwork. Read the rest of this entry »

Beware of artists…they’re out in droves for ARTGORE, armed with paintbrushes, pencils, paper and canvas, and there’s no telling whether they’re going to draw you or draw blood. More than a dozen artists from the ARTCORE collective have works on display — among them Cheeta, Chainsaw Chuck, Casey Ryan Hall, Ben Apple, Bean Spence (work pictured right) and more. DJ Sense and Anna Gavin kick out the jams. Of course, you’ve gotta get creepy and creative with your costume, too — there are cash prizes for the top three. Fri., Oct. 30, 7 p.m., Karma Bar, 206 N. Morgan St. Tampa, free, myspace.com/ArtcoreArt. – Franki Weddington

Members of the Cheap Little Punks troupe act out the ultimate Halloween cult classic Rocky Horror Picture Show while the movie version plays onscreen. Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a bisexual, transsexual scientist from Transylvania, invites Brad Majors (an asshole) and Janet Weiss (a slut) into his creepy castle when their car breaks down. Chaos and myriad musical numbers ensue when Frank-N-Furter reveals his creation: Rocky, an Adonis who only wants to learn about how his life began. You can also check out the less well-known Repo! A Genetic Opera. It’s just what is sounds like: scientists are comin’ fer yer vital organs! Visit tampapitchershow.com for more info. Oct. 30-31, Repo shows Fri., Oct. 30, 11:30 p.m.; Rocky Horror shows Sat., Oct. 31, 8 and 11:30 p.m., Tampa Pitcher Show, 14416 N Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa,  $15 for two shows, tampapitchershow.net. – Franki Weddington

After the break: Nightfall with Edgar Allan Poe, A White Halloween: Creepy Doll Show and Rock Your Horror at the haunted Centro Asturiano Read the rest of this entry »

Like a modern form of alchemy, scientists struggle to create and purify an element necessary for human life: water. Diana Leavengood and Paula Allen have found the secret formula, and collected it in Recipe for Water, an exhibit of photography, ceramics, drawings and paintings with a common bond of “intuitive interpretations of the unseen energies around water.” (Pictured: “Recipe for Water” by Diana Leavengood) On display through Oct. 23, West Tampa Center for the Arts, 1906 N. Armenia Ave., Tampa, $3.

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Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. On Saturday, Best of the Bay winning Café Hey is celebrating its two-year anniversary with Monster’s Ball, a not-so-spooky night of music, art, and partying.

Super Secret Best Friends, Florida Night Heat, SOG and DJ’s SowsDef and Pocket Chomper stop by to drop some live music in your ears, and lotsa local artists — like Chad Mize and Phillip Clark of BlueLucy, Anthony Zollo (another BOTB alum), Josh Pearson and more – showcase an array of awesome art. Don’t let the artists and musicians have all the fun, though — there’s body plastering for anyone who wants in on the action, and fire spinning for those who prefer spectator sports. Sat., Oct. 17, 8 p.m.-midnight, Cafe Hey, 1540 N. Franklin St., Tampa, free, cafehey.com. – Franki Weddington

Under the Big Top is a dance showcase by the Hip Expressions belly dance studio: a collection of circus-themed acts sprinkled with Egyptian-inspired numbers, lively gypsies and dancing clowns. Visit hip-expressions.com for more info. Tues., Oct. 13, 7-11 p.m., St. Petersburg Nights Restaurant, 6800 sunset Way, St. Pete Beach, $10, $5 ages 11 and younger.

As anyone familiar with the “texting phenomenon” will have guessed, Kthx;)!!1! – a collaboration by Elisabeth Horan and Ryann Slauson — “represents the technological advances that shift our direct dialogue.” In other words, we’re incapable of holding an IRL (that’s “in real life” to you non-leet speakers) conversation without being constantly connected to Read the rest of this entry »

Tes One (nee Leon Bedore) returns to Tampa for Repeat Offender, his first solo show in five years. The artist’s prints are familiar to local gallery-goers (and to CL readers — he did our Obama-inauguration cover in January), and his new collection contrasts “nature with technology, grime with grace.” The results are immediately striking and visually interesting, but require closer inspection to fully digest. More often than not, what’s underneath the surface is even more important than the clearly visible — like the snarling grizzly bear screenprinted over a sign advertising “space available.” Ironic, of course, because we’re cutting down the trees in the grizzly’s space to make our signs. Best of the Bay-winning DJ Mega and Nak 1 scratch at the opening reception. Sat., Oct. 3, 7-11 p.m.; on display through Nov. 30, Redletter1 Gallery, 1510 E. Eighth Ave., Ybor City, free, 813-241-2435, tesone.net. –Franki Weddington

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, when buxom lasses and dudes in lederhosen lift steins to praise the amber liquid that will sustain us through the cold, cold winter — Oktoberfest! But how will you be able to take advantage of the two simultaneous brew celebrations this weekend? No worries, you won’t have to.  Do you like the crisp and simple taste of American and international macro-brews, sampled in refined comfort while sharks and rays look on in jealous hunger? Head to the CL-sponsored Brews by the Bay: Oktoberfest 2009 at The Florida Aquarium. Along with the full repertoire of Anheuser-Busch, you’ll be able to sample beers from Magic Hat, Boddington’s, Stella Artois and many others, all while noshing food from restaurants like Datz Deli. Smoke, and more. If local craft brew floats your sudsy boat, then Dunedin Brewery’s ninth annual OktoBEERfest is more your cup of tea. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. This Saturday, Tes One (aka Leon Bedore) returns to Tampa for Repeat Offender, his first solo show in five years.

The artist, whose prints are a mainstay in galleries around the Bay area (and designer of CL’s own Obama-inspired cover), creates a collection that contrasts “nature with technology, grime with grace” — the results of which are immediately striking and visually interesting, but require closer inspection to fully digest. More often than not, what’s underneath the surface is even more important than the clearly visible — like the Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. This weekend brings us two nifty art events. Before you fret about which one to attend and start flipping coins, hold your horses — you won’t have to forsake any of our rad local art, because you can spin at Record Remix in St. Pete on Friday night before heading to a SLAMmin’ art party in Ybor on Saturday to benefit Support Local Arts and Music magazine.

Artist/owner Marina Williams is at it again for ARTpool’s twice-monthly opening Record Remix Art Party, this time with art installations created from and on vinyl (pictured), an LP fashion show by Cindy Linville, and a record sell-off to that’ll put the vinyl purists out there in a frenzy. The $10 cover gets you in with the indie crowd along with a drink and hors d’oeuvres. Fri., Sept. 25, 6 p.m.-12 a.m. ARTPool, 919 First Ave. N., St. Petersburg, $10, 727-324-3878, artpoolrules.com. – Franki Weddington

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HCC’s Visual and Performing Arts Series presents Danny Hoch’s (pictured) critically acclaimed one-man show, Jails, Hospitals and Hip-Hop — with a twist. Accompanying lone actor Curtis Belz’s eight monologue characterizations – which include Flip, a good ol’ boy from the Midwest who has come to identify with urban hip-hoppers; Bronx, a sidewalk vendor who gets pinched for selling without a license; and Sam, a prison guard with an anger management problem (evidenced by his beating a prisoner nearly to death) –are musician Matt Wetherington and choreographer/dancer DeMario Henry. Wetherington’s original score includes mixing on stage and live guitar; Henry shows off fresh hip-hop moves and dance, and his hip-hop troupe, the VYB Dance Company, kicks off the show. Sept. 17-19, 7:30 p.m. Thurs.-Sat., Hillsborough Community College – Ybor Campus, Performing Arts Building, Corner of Palm Avenue and 14th St., Ybor City,  $10 general admission, $5 students and seniors, free for HCC students, faculty and staff, 813-253-7695. – Lily Reisman Read the rest of this entry »

DFAC’s myriad new fall exhibits include The Cabinet of Natural Curiosities, a group exhibit by Shihoko Amano, Lanny Bergner, Deon Blackwell, Ladislav Hanka, Timothy Horn, Adrienne Outlaw, Yuka Saito and Tanja Softic, who “explore the theme of Albertus Seba’s eighteenth century natural history classic by the same name.” It inspired a variety of media, including sculpture, printmaking, painting, wood, ceramics, jewelry and fiber. (on display through Dec. 23.) Then,  Rachel Simmons: Wonders of the Sea explores just that: the beauty and intricacies of coastal life, portrayed in multimedia. (on display through Oct. 18.) Critters God Left on the Drawing Table is a bedazzling array of weird and intriguing creatures created by DFAC jewelry instructor Susan Maxon and her students. (on display through Oct. 18). (Pictured: “Sea Eyes” by Rachel Simmons, part of the Wonders of the Sea exhibit) Dunedin Fine Arts Center, 1143 Michigan Blvd., Dunedin, 727-298-3322, DFAC.org.

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Art lovers, comic fans and those in-between: time to throw on your tights, tie on your cape and iron your underwear! St. Pete’s co-op gallery and boutique ARTpool is having a Heroes and Heroines art party for its monthly show opening. The all-ages opening is expected to garner 100-300 attendees (including you) and showcases comic-inspired 2D, 3D and video art from local talent — commissioned and otherwise. $10 gets you in the door with hors d’oeuvres, a complimentary drink and face-time with super-heroine owner Marina Williams and other local superguys and gals to celebrate the graphic novel as an art form. If you’re worried about your secret identity, visitors are encouraged to dress as their favorite comic character, though Clark Kent and other civilians are welcome. (Pictured: “Harley and Ivy”  by Nick Yakimovich) Sat., Sept. 12, 6 p.m.-12 a.m., ArtPool, 919 First Ave. N., St. Petersburg, $10; includes hors d’oeuvres and drink, artpoolrules.com. –Ryan Jent Read the rest of this entry »

Ruth Eckerd Hall continues its partnership with the historic and recently refurbished Capitol Theatre in Clearwater by bringing another show to its stage: Barrage, a nine-piece performance troupe that takes fiddling to a whole new level of fiery fusion. The ensemble actually began rehearsing for their U.S. tour at the Capitol and kick off their new program, Animado (which means “lively” in Spanish), at tonight’s night’s show. Described as a cross between Riverdance and STOMP, the music, song and dance production features a back-up band and six fiddlers who combine the traditional sounds of Old World Europe with contemporary world music influences (calypso, Latin jazz and bolero, rock, folk and more), layers of vocal harmonies, and throbbing rhythms, all of it choreographed into one stunning spirited spectacle. Thurs., Sept. 10, 7 p.m., Capitol Theatre, 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater, $29.75 and $35, 727-791-7400, rutheckerdhall.com. – Leilani Polk Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. This Sunday, Czar hosts Sweatshop III, a massive mash-up of music, art and fashion.

Lately it seems like, all of a sudden, the artsy folks of Tampa Bay looked up, discovered each other, and decided, “Hey! Your stuff is pretty rad! Maybe we can help each other out.” And from that realization came a string of collaborations mixing the worlds of art, music, fashion, and the need to be seen and heard. Sweatshop is at the forefront of these kickass pan-art events, and its third incarnation “celebrates the decades-long love affair between fashion and rock music,” with runway offerings from Ben Chmura (whose raven wing dress is pictured) and DEMENTA by Raven Reda, and a stylish soundtrack from The Vera Violets and In Fireworks. Properly Polished presents a live painting and fashion installation, and Jedd Lancaster and James Dormer-Schneider rock out fabric art. As if local couture mavens weren’t already drooling to get in the door, there’s also a trunk show where you can find the latest (and the yet-to-be-discovered) from independent designers. Sun., Sept. 6, 10 p.m., Czar, 1430 Seventh Ave., Tampa, $13 ages 21 and up, $15 ages 18-21, czarybor.com. – Franki Weddington

The Native Music Rocks! Tour — starring Micki Free and American Horse, Crystal Shawanda, Casper, Martha Redbone and more — is a national Florida-born initiative to promote all varieties of Native American music as performed by modern Native American musicians. Highlights include the blues-infused rock of American Horse, which features tattooed Cherokee-Comanche Micki Free on electric guitar and lead vocals, afro fantastic drummer Cindy Blackman (Pictured: remember her from her days pounding skins for Lenny Kravitz?), and bassist David Santos (Joe Cocker, CSNY); the sweet-soulful country music of full-blooded Ojibway Indian and Canada native singer Crystal Shawanda; the hope-filled Native-roots-meets-dub reggae of Hopi / Dine singer Casper Lomayesva; and a fusion of soul, R&B, and funky bump by Native and African-American singer-soulwriter Martha Redbone. Tues., Sept. 1, 7 p.m., Floyd’s at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 5224 N. Orient Dr., Tampa, free, seminolehardrocktampa.com. Read the rest of this entry »

The air is getting crisp, the leaves as starting to fall, and everywhere you go, the smell of autumn is in the air…oh, no? Wait, we live in Florida, so our sad excuse for a pre-winter season won’t be here for a few months, but that’s not stopping the [5]art folks from debuting a fantastic new fall collection of exhibits, including Fresno G25, which features original works – paintings ranging from abstract to graphic, organic sculpture, wall art and more — by a dozen resident artists of Gallery 25 in California. Next up is a, um, revealing exhibit by Keith Thomas called Haven’t I Seen You Online? It includes large-scale paintings and drawings that explore his “life as a gay boy in the sprawling suburbs of Tampa,” and was inspired by the wide world of internet sex and dating sites. The final exhibit is a one-night-only affair in honor of the opening reception, and includes works by April Childers, whose small-scale sculptures have graced previous [5]art exhibits; photo art by Rion Sabean, and more. DJ Oblivion puts dancers in a trance at the reception, catered by Cigar City Brewing – providing a welcome break from the humdrum of house wines with a selection of microbrews, including Jai Alai IPA and Maduro Oatmeal Brown Ale. Pictured: a work from Keith Thomas’ Haven’t I Seen You Online? exhibit) Opening reception, Fri., Aug. 28, 7-10 p.m., Fresno G25 and Haven’t I Seen You Online? on display through Sept. 18, West Tampa Center for the Arts, 1906 N. Armenia Ave., #211, Tampa, free, 813-245-1034, five-art.com. – Franki Weddington Read the rest of this entry »

If the typical trappings of visual art — white-box exhibitions, snooty gallery assistants and mind-boggling price tags — strike you as absurdly pretentious, take heart in mail art. The fiercely anti-commercial genre most often takes the form of postcards, illustrated envelopes and custom paper creations (though the odd three-dimensional object makes for a welcome surprise), traded among practitioners for the modest cost of a postage stamp. The Studio@620 presents Chromatophore, the multidisciplinary space’s second annual mail art exhibition, curated by St. Petersburg artist Jennifer Zoellner. Many of the more-than-300 mail art works on display engage the concept of the chromatophore (a pigment-bearing cell that enables creatures to change color in response to their surroundings) as a theme. Roll up your sleeves for hands-on mail art activities and soak in the sounds of singer-songwriter Rebecca Zapen at the exhibit’s multi-sensory opening reception. (Pictured: Me and Mona Go for a Boat Ride, by Katherine Michael) Chromatophore: a Mail Art Exhibit, Aug. 27-Sept. 5 with an opening reception Thurs., Aug. 27, 6:30-9:30 p.m., Studio@620, 620 First Ave. S., St. Petersburg, 727-895-6620, studio620.org. – Megan Voeller Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Today’s edition includes a slew of cool new exhibits at [5]art, where they don’t let the sticky summer heat stop them from putting on a kickass autumn art debut this Friday.

The air is getting crisp, the leaves as starting to fall, and everywhere you go, the smell of autumn is in the air…oh, no? Wait, we live in Florida, so our sad excuse for a pre-winter season won’t be here for a few months, but that’s not stopping the [5]art folks from debuting a fantastic new fall collection of exhibits, including Fresno G25, which features original works – paintings ranging from abstract to graphic, organic sculpture, wall art and more — by a dozen resident artists of Gallery 25 in California. Next up is a, um, revealing exhibit by Keith Thomas called Haven’t I Seen You Online? It includes large-scale paintings and drawings that explore his “life as a gay boy in the sprawling suburbs of Tampa,” and was inspired by the wide world of internet sex and dating sites. The final exhibit is a one-night-only affair in honor of the opening reception, and includes works by April Childers, whose small-scale sculptures have graced previous [5]art exhibits; photo art by Rion Sabean, and more. DJ Oblivion puts dancers in a trance at the reception, catered by Cigar City Brewing – providing a welcome break from the humdrum of house wines with a selection of microbrews, including Jai Alai IPA and Maduro Oatmeal Brown Ale. (Pictured: a work from Keith Thomas’ Haven’t I Seen You Online? exhibit) Opening reception, Fri., Aug. 28, 7-10 p.m., Fresno G25 and Haven’t I Seen You Online? on display through Sept. 18, West Tampa Center for the Arts, 1906 N. Armenia Ave., #211, Tampa, free, 813-245-1034, five-art.com. – Franki Weddington

Maison Rouge fashion show at Some Like It Hot

From the outside, NOVA 535 Art Lounge looks like a run-of-the-mill storefront: a brick exterior and nifty neon sign amidst a string of shops on St. Petersburg’s Ninth Avenue. But don’t let this art and event space fool you: the deceptively tame exterior gives way to a hip, trendy night spot finished with dark wood, soft lighting, high ceilings, and exposed beams and brick. Recent events like the Size Matters opening reception have been drawing local party people in droves — and for good reason.

NOVA’s got a new culture collaboration nearly every night of the week, and last Friday’s Some Like It Hot show was no exception. After a rousing game of shuffleboard, my friends and I decided to ditch our flippy-floppies for heels and walk to the party (which I regretted after a few blocks).

We arrived around 10:30 p.m. to a packed house. The crowd gathered on the second-floor patio to drink, smoke and be merry have a perfect vantage point for judging you before you even walk in the sidedoor street entrance — so do as the fliers say and “dress to impress, “  lest ye be cast out with the rest of the tragically un-hip. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Today’s edition is a super NOVA event (I had to go there) — that combines the worlds of fashion, art and music in one bumpin’ shebang.

A fantastic fusion of couture art, music and fashion collide at the Some Like It Hot show next weekend in St. Pete. Art by Will Stryffler and Allen Hampton (whose intricate, large-scale drawings are rendered in pig’s blood) is sure to draw the indie crowd in droves. Throw in lingerie-clad models working the room in designs by Rhonda Shear, a RENO BEACH bikini fashion show by Nikki Valentine, and Reda Raven rounding out the offerings to the fashion gods, and you’ve got whole new mix of haute hags and drags added to the mix. Top the whole thing off with bumpin’ blends by DJ BC, and it looks like NOVA knows how to throw one hell of an explosive party. (Pictured: untitled (Birth of the Ataxian Mongrel), blood on paper, by Allen Hampton)Fri., Aug. 21, 8 p.m.-2 a.m., NOVA 535 Art Lounge, 535 Ninth St. N., St. Petersburg, $10 ages 21 and up, $20 ages 18-20, nova535.com. – Franki Weddington

Often recognized as Shakespeare’s bloodiest play, the Secret Theatre Company puts a new spin on the old ultraviolence with their production of Richard III. Quick to point out that this hybrid of theater and rock ‘n’ roll is “not to be confused with a rock musical” (we’re not talking Andrew Lloyd Webber here), the performance fuses a live show by local rock band Sobriety with “stylized period design and graphic deaths,” all in a smoky, sinister setting that’s sure to mold the mood for Richard’s epic rise to power. Witness Richard’s evolution from oily antihero to prey of gloom, self-doubt and paranoia after his coronation, gained through betrayal and foul play. The ever-popular State Theatre is an ideal venue to host the bevy of bands that open the show with original music and a score of six songs written just for Richard. (Pictured: Giles Davies in Richard III) Aug. 8, Sat., 8 p.m., State Theatre, 687 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, $20, $15 students, 727-895-3045, statetheatreconcerts.com. — Franki Weddington

There’s no doubt that Texas comedian Ron White gets filed under “redneck humor” in most folks’ minds, and with good reason. He shot to national attention as part of the four-person “Blue Collar Comedy Tour” a few years back, yukking it up alongside double-wide staples Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy. But White, who brings his Behavioral Problems Tour 2009 to Tampa Bay, was the least redneck of the quartet, opting instead for a more subversive brand of self-deprecating humor centered on his over-indulgences. Sure, you can focus on his “Tater Salad” persona, but we prefer the wickedly funny side that saunters onstage with a half-smoked cigar and a tumbler full of scotch. Not exactly a sophisticate but not quite ready to be consigned full-time to Branson, Mo. Consider this: He early on did a bit about a friend of his who was a homophobe. “Is that the most useless thing you can possibly be is afraid of gay people? We’re all gay. It’s just to what extent are you gay,” the joke began. And for those parents who loooooved Blue Collar Comedy on Comedy Central, just forget about taking your kids to see the in-concert White; he works blue. Real blue. Fri., Aug. 7, 7:30 pm, Progress Energy Center for the Arts – Mahaffey Theater, 400 First St. S. St. Petersburg. $44.75. 800-745-3000. www.mahaffeytheater.com. — Wayne Garcia

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Etsy is like eBay for artists: a highly interactive, visually appealing online market. Artisans, “vintage” collectors, designers, stay-at-home moms — all kinds of buyers (and sellers) frequent the site. Etsy’s a great place to buy one-of-a-kind items and gifts for those “hard-to-shop-fors.”

Shoppers can place requests on the “Alchemy” list, or search for items by color, materials used, location and recently listed. Etsy was developed in New York, and the team that runs it keeps it up to date and highlights various vendors, making sellers accessible as soon as you get to the homepage. It has a DIY heart and a entrepreneurial spirit.

Check out a few pieces from my favorite local artists after the break:

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