COVER STORY
— What’s next for Jannus Landing? The life, death and rebirth of a beloved concert venue.
NEWS & VIEWS
— Image of the week: Same-sex marriage supporters March for equality in downtown Sarasota.
— The week that was: Rounding up local headlines.
— .Com-ments: Bahi Hut, El Guaro, local hooch, Safe Sex Halloween Bash.
“Quern” by B.L. Elkins will be displayed at the Creative Arts Association Fall Art Show Sat., Nov. 21
Ed. note: This piece was compiled by Danielle Favreau.
VISUAL ARTS: OPENING
ALLYN GALLUP CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERY 1419 5TH St., Sarasota (366-2093 or allyngallup.com). William Nichols Enveloped Outside will be on display through Nov. 28. Normal hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Free.
ARTCENTER MANATEE 209 9th St. W., Bradenton (746-2862 or artcentermanatee.org). On and Off the Wall, an open, juried all media exhibition will be on display through Dec. 4. Regular hours are 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. Free.
ART UPTOWN 1367 Main St., Sarasota (955-5409 or artuptown.com). Laura Avery’s solo show Atmospheric Abstracts will feature her foil on canvas works. Also on display will be Boots Culbertson’s ceramics. Regular hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat. Free.
Gil Mantera’s Party Dream plays at Cabana Inn & Lounge Tues., Nov. 24
THURSDAY, Nov. 19
ACE’S Swamp Donkie/DJ Rafferty
AMERICAN LEGION POST 312 Wings & Strings w/Smokey & Duane
BEACH THEATRE Michelle Shocked A Texas-born troubadour with a drawling soprano, Michelle Shocked (real name Karen Michelle Johnston) brings a taste of blues and soul to her countrified rock ’n’ roll. The songwriter is touring in support of her first new album in four years, Soul of My Soul, which was co-written with producer Devin Powers and touches on love, politics and the state of the nation. —Leilani Polk
THE FLYING DOG CAFÉ Open Mic/Jam Night
THE GATOR CLUB The Cherry Bombs
THE HALL IN PALMETTO Musica Sonidera feat. DJ Playboy/Carlos/DJ Imigrante
New owner Jeff Knight mans the backhoe in the Jannus Landing courtyard
“This didn’t have to happen,” says Rob Douglas, his 6-foot-4 frame slouched on a sofa in his south St. Pete condo, his raspy voice weary and tinged with bitterness. He’s a linchpin of the St. Petersburg concert scene, his tenure as a promoter, venue operator and production manager dating back to the early ’80s, when shows were put on by enterprising locals rather than mega-corporations. He spent 25 years working at Jannus Landing, one of the Bay Area’s most beloved concert venues, until August when he severed ties with the downtown St. Pete institution. Douglas, 54, had reached the end of his tether with then-owner Jack Bodziak. “Even with the wreckage of the economy, we could have survived this,” Douglas says. “It was due to piss-poor stewardship.”
When he spoke those words in late October, Jannus Landing had been empty for most of the prior three months, its last show having been the execrable Insane Clown Posse on Oct. 9. Several scheduled concerts had relocated to other venues, most to The Ritz Ybor. Bodziak was beset by financial and legal problems, the most glaring of which was his arrest by state agents in May on charges that he failed to pay more than $200,000 in sales tax on revenues from Jannus Landing. He also owed a reported $160,000 in back rent and faced eviction. A new guy, Jeff Knight, waited in the wings, a well-heeled businessman with grandiose plans and no experience in the concert business.
SO WHAT HAPPENED to Jannus Landing?
PASSERINE, FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Miles Tweed, David Brain, Tanya Radtke and Carmela Pedicini
Ed. note: This piece, by Michael Hamad, will appear in next week’s issue of Creative Loafing.
Passerine
7:30-10:30 p.m. Sat., Nov. 21, Sarasota Olive Oil Company, 500 Central Ave., Sarasota, free, myspace.com/passerinemusic
The Avett Brothers, Fleet Foxes and The Decemberists are critically acclaimed, high-profile indie rock acts that expose younger listeners to the rich traditions of American music by using acoustic instruments and homespun vocal harmonies, and by expanding the acceptable palette of alternative rock sounds.
Still, some cringe at the terms “folk music” or “Americana,” bristling at what they view as a preference for tradition over originality. Others simply tune out to any sounds they perceive as belonging to their parents’ — or even their grandparents’ — generation.
For Passerine, a Sarasota-based quartet, Americana encompasses all of this country’s musical traditions without exception. Folk, bluegrass, rock and roll, soul, country and even pop have a place at the table. Rather than limiting what is allowable, Americana embraces every style under the sun.
Pete Yorn plays at Push Ultra Lounge Thurs., Nov. 12
Ed. note: This piece was compiled by Jennifer Almond.
THURSDAY, Nov. 12
THE FLYING DOG CAFÉ Open Mic/Jam Night
THE GATOR CLUB The Cherry Bombs
HONOLUANA ISLAND GRILL Open Mic w/Lynn Haines
THE IRISH ROVER Rhythm & Blues w/Paul Duffy
MATTISON’S RIVERSIDE The Tony Tyler Band
OLD PACKINGHOUSE GreenHouse Effect
O’LEARY’S Willie BeThere (Early)
ORPHEUM Captured! By Robots A one-human experimental comedy rock act, JBOT (aka Jay Vance), is backed/enslaved by inhuman (robot, ape and ambiguous) players: DRMBOT 0110, a severed doll’s head on drums, assistant drummer AUTOMATOM, GTRBOT666 on bass and guitar, The Ape Which Hath No Name on tambourine halo, The Son of the Ape Which Hath No Name on monkey cymbals, and on horns, despite missing key air-conducting parts, the Headless Hornsmen. —Leilani Polk
Photographer Patsy Hall will have her work displayed at Artists’ Guild Gallery on Nov. 13
Ed. note: This piece was compiled by Danielle Favreau.
VISUAL ARTS: OPENING
ALLYN GALLUP CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERY 1419 5TH St., Sarasota (366-2093 or allyngallup.com). Enveloped Outside, an exhibit by artist William Nichols, will be on display through Nov. 28. Normal hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Fri., 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat. Free.
ART CENTER SARASOTA 707 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota (365-2032 or artsarasota.org). Join Sean and Marina Colson for a Hungarian night of ethnic food, fun, culture and art. 6-9 p.m. Nov. 12. Normal gallery hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Free.
— This is just really, really dumb: “U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan told a Sarasota audience Monday that he voted against the health care reform bill because he thinks it will lead to rationed care and the government ‘pulling the plug’ on grandmothers to save money.” Puh. Leeze.
— It’s a rare story that makes me wish I was a middle-schooler again, but Christopher O’Donnell’s profile of a Bayshore High School class that teaches the history of hip-hop and also requires students to perform their own tracks does it. Unfortunately, methinks it can’t be long before some idiot who can’t stand the rap music launches a campaign to get the program shut down.
— “In a 40-page strategic plan released Monday, Nov. 9, Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight identifies five major goals that will guide the sheriff’s office for the next five years.”
Laura Gale of Everything But the Girl is Atomic alumni… She is a FOUR TIMER, folks! Laura produced the fashion shows for AHB II & III with Monica Eshkoli (of Freaky Tiki) and EBTG will be at both Atomic shows this year, Saturday Night, 12/12/09 and Sunday, 12/13/09.
I remember the first Atomic show in 2006, Laura made a point of stopping me a little before the doors were getting ready to open and she told me to stop and take it all in. What can I say? It was a moment, a very, very good moment! Everything But the Girl is kind of like Atomic Holiday Bazaar year round, we are very lucky to have such a fun and colorful place to shop in Sarasota! It wouldn’t be Atomic without Laura. Ms. Gale’s interview can be read below!
Name of Business/Website Address? everything but the girl, boutique & gallery / shopebtg.com/
What City/State do you reside in? Sarasota FL
Is this your first time attending Atomic or have you done the show before? I am in my senior year, Year #4!
