Oct. 4-Oct. 13 Art & Algorithms Festival First things first: Yes, it’s a haul. Titusville is about an hour away, but some things are worth the travel time and we’re betting that this is one of them. A 10-day digital arts event, Art & Algorithms brings 3-D digital mapping projection, a holographic and lenticular art exhibit, a short film festival and more to the Space Coast – fitting, since the men and women of the aeronautics industry have plenty of experience creating beauty from math. Various times daily; downtown Titusville, Julia Street and Hopkins Avenue South, Titusville; visit website for details; artandalgorithms.com.
Oct. 5 The Festival of Bacon This is the first official go-round for this outdoor pig-inspired fete, and hungry festgoers get the chance to sample a multitude of bacon-inspired dishes created by more than 30 local restaurants – OLV, Porkie’s Original BBQ and the Hammered Lamb, among others. The buck doesn’t stop there, either, because you can wash down that salty, greasy pork with bacon beer and bacon cocktails (yes, you heard that right) and listen to live music provided by local standbys, including songstress Kaleigh Baker, one-man band Ben Prestage, country trio Good Luck Penny and more. With a paid ticket, you receive $10 in “bacon bucks” to spend on samples, which range from $2-$5. 11 am-7 pm Saturday; Festival Park, 2911 E. Robinson St.; $25-$35; festivalofbacon.com.
Oct. 6 Hey Bartender Fans of Redlight Redlight and the Courtesy will likely be interested in this 2013 documentary from Douglas Tirola that examines the resurgence of craft cocktail and bartending culture by following the struggles of two very different bartenders. One is an injured Marine who redirects his focus to become a bartender at the world’s best cocktail bar, and the other is a man who leaves his white-collar job to open his own dive; both stories are colored in by commentary from renowned bartenders. 1 pm Sunday; Enzian Theater, 1300 S. Orlando Ave., Maitland; $10; 407-629-0054; enzian.org.
Oct. 8 Sigur Rós, Julianna Barwick Winter is coming! The Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós changed their tune a bit aggressively on this year’s release Kveikur, but the decision was met with critical acclaim. This is their first time appearing in Orlando, and you can expect their visuals to be as spacey as their sound. No doubt experiencing Jónsi Birgisson’s unique falsetto live will make it even more fun watching him and the rest of the band when they appear in the next season of Game of Thrones. 8 pm; CFE Arena, University of Central Florida; $27.50-$47.50; 407-823-6006. Photo by Yoshika Horita
Oct. 9 Growth in Transition: Sustainable Development – Fiction or Challenge? Most of us already feel that listless anxiety about disparate (and huge) issues conflating into a giant mess of a future, but few are equipped to offer much more than small solutions or oversized rhetoric. Alexander Likhotal, a former adviser to Mikhail Gorbachev, attacks the issue of sustainability in a growing global culture with a unique, seemingly clinical perspective. Likhotal addresses the interconnectivity of our financial, ecological and social challenges, attempting to force a holistic solution that needs to come sooner than later. 10:30-11:30 am Wednesday; UCF Student Union, University of Central Florida; free; ucfglobalperspectives.org. Image via
Oct. 11 Artist-in-Residence One: Josette Urso Opening Reception One of the best things to happen on the art scene last year was the return of artists in residence to the Maitland Art Center, just as founder Andre Smith originally intended. Brooklyn abstract painter Josette Urso spent six weeks living and working on the beautiful grounds; in April, she told Orlando Weekly: “I work very intuitively, so I will bring only a ‘blank slate’ mind. Maitland’s environment will take me where it wants me to go.” Tonight is your chance to see where that was in oil paintings, watercolors and drawings inspired by her surroundings at the museum. 6-8 pm Friday; Maitland Art Center, 231 W. Packwood Ave., Maitland; $3; 407-539-2181; artandhistory.org. “Bushwick (all the way) Through, 2011, ink on paper, 23 x 29,” Drawing by Josette Urso
Oct. 17 Malick Sidibé Documentaries Cosima Spender’s roughly hourlong Dolce Vita Africana expands understanding of the joyous and wild times in which Malian photographer Malick Sidibé worked, capturing the sly wit of the photographer (and his portrait subjects) and rocking an irresistible Afro-pop soundtrack. Malick Sidibé: Portrait of the Artist as a Portraitist is an eight-minute short, featuring a recent interview with Sidibé suffused with his charm and sweetness. Go early so you can peruse the Cornell’s Sidibé exhibit beforehand, if you haven’t already. 7 pm Thursday; Cornell Fine Arts Museum, Rollins College, 1000 Holt Ave., Winter Park; free; 407-646-2526; rollins.edu/cfam.
Oct. 18-Oct. 20 Nerdapalooza 2013 Nerdapalooza is your friend. Not your only friend. But a little glowing friend. It seems if all jocks think about is sports, then all these nerds think about is music, because this year’s lineup is beefed up, including They Might Be Giants and Nerf Herder as headliners. The festival also features more than 40 bands over three days, as well as an indie game showcase, vendors and visual artists. Plus – bonus item – the first day is free. It’s a stupid fun time that makes us wish we could always be stupid! Forever! 5 pm; Orange County Convention Center, 9990 International Drive; nerdapalooza.org; free single day; $70 weekend pass.
Oct. 19 The Falcon Presents: 4th Annual Zombie Art Show The Falcon’s indefatigable procession of themed group shows continues with their fourth Zombie Art Show, a collection of works inspired by those who walk after death and crave brains. These exhibitions-slash-parties can be a mixed bag (pretty much by definition), and it’s hard to predict what you’ll see when get there, but we’re quite taken with some early images from this year’s show that we’ve seen – in particular, Plinio Pinto’s series of bloody undead redheads. 8 pm Saturday; The Falcon, 819 E. Washington St.; free; 407-423-3060; thefalconbar.com. Art by Plinio Pinto
Oct. 20 Accidental Music Festival Presents the Dublin Guitar Quartet This world-class Irish ensemble has a weakness for Ligeti, Glass, Part and Reich – and if you recognize those composers without their first names, you’ll get along just fine with the Dublin Guitar Quartet. Touring on their soon-to-drop album of Philip Glass string quartets (to be released on Glass’ own recording label), they perform in Orlando courtesy of the Accidental Music Festival, which morphs into a consistently forward-looking presenting group in the months between festivals. Their dedication to new music as opposed to old chestnuts serves them, and their audience, well. 7:30 pm Sunday; Orlando Museum of Art, 2416 N. Mills Ave.; $22; accidentalmusicfestival.com.
Oct. 23 Orlando Zombie Ball The fine folks here at Orlando Weekly host the magazine’s first costume Halloween blowout, and this spooky shindig lands you with free drinks for the first hour, live entertainment and performances on stage, plus you can compete in a costume contest with the chance to win up to $1,000 in cash prizes. Costumes are mandatory, so don’t be caught dead (or undead!) without one. 8 pm Wednesday; Firestone Live, 578 N. Orange Ave.; $10-$15; 407-377-0400; orlandozombieball.com.
Oct. 23 Suspiria Part of a less obvious Halloween trilogy, Suspiria rarely gets the big-screen time that other nightmares on certain streets do, but this 1977 Italian horror film starring Jessica Harper is as visually stunning as it is horrifyingly gory. Genuinely frightening, the camera angles employed are as unexpected as the film’s most shocking plot turns. Plus it features a prog-rock soundtrack by Goblin, a band that is basically director Dario Argento’s Ennio Morricone, which is cool if you can hear the music over your own screams. 8 pm Wednesday; Eden Bar at the Enzian, 1300 S. Orlando Ave., Maitland; free; 407-629-1088; enzian.org.
Oct. 25 East End Market Grand Opening With an aim to grow the “Good Food Movement” by highlighting Central Florida farmers and food producers, the highly anticipated, locally focused food market opens under an “All Things Good” theme. During opening weekend, guests get the chance to tour the market hall and incubator kitchen, plus visitors can grab a bite at the market’s restaurant and engage in food events and cooking classes. Beyond the demo kitchen and retail shops, East End also offers rental space where food-related events will be held year-round. 10 am-4 pm Friday; East End Market, 3201 Corrine Drive; free; 321-236-3316; eastendmkt.com.
Oct. 26 Headdress Ball Each year this black-tie extravaganza, which raises money for the Hope and Help Center’s mission of treating and helping prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in Central Florida, continues to entertain. In its 24th year now, guests of this affair will not only be dazzled by over-the-top Las Vegas-style entertainment and a flamboyant headdress competition, but they’ll also delight in gourmet bites, sip handcrafted cocktails and indulge in bidding on an impressive lineup of live auction items. 5:30 pm Saturday; Hilton Orlando, 6001 Destination Parkway; $300; 407-645-2577; headdressball.org. Photo by Belinda Perkins
Oct. 26 There Will Be Words Presents Dead Poets Slam This version of the monthly TWBW offers a chance for local lit nerds to pay homage to their beloved late poets, as guests are invited to read poems in full costume with accompanying props. No doubt you’ll see a few tribute ’staches – whether it’s a macabre Poe or an unruly Twain – from the gentlemen, while the ladies might take a lyrical approach as Sara Teasdale or go a bit darker with stanzas by Sylvia Plath. We’ll give big ups to anyone who can pull off a Whitman beard, and we’d be pretty impressed to see someone show up in a full-on Emerson three-piece suit. At the very least, light a cig and say your Cummings. 9:30 pm Saturday; Stardust Video & Coffee, 1842 E. Winter Park Road; free; 407-623-3393; stardustie.com.
Oct. 26, Oct. 30 The Nose Just how important is a high profile in 19-century Russian society? When he wakes up without a nose, an ambitious but stuffy bureaucrat finds out in Nikolai Gogol’s absurdist 1836 parable, which Shostakovich used as libretto for his 1930s opera. These Met: Live in HD broadcasts beamed straight from New York’s Metropolitan Opera are a wonderful resource for Orlandoans starved for the kind of innovative staging that only a major opera house can afford, and the kind of unconventional operas few small regional companies would risk presenting; the sets and animated projections of this 2010 pruduction designed by William Kentridge are stunning; the cast is, fittingly, conducted by Pavel Smelkov. 12:45 pm Saturday, 6:30 pm Wednesday; various theaters; $22-$24; fathomevents.com. Image by Ken Howard, courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera
Oct. 27 CF2 Salon Without new music, there would be no music – keep that in mind and support this local composers group by giving them a listen. Past salons have included audience-driven (via Twitter instructions) compositions and audiovisual treats courtesy of interaction between musical instruments and the big screen. 7:30 pm Sunday; Timucua White House, 2000 S. Summerlin Ave.; free; 407-595-2713; timucua.com.
Oct. 29 Miranda Sings Haters, back off! Comedian Colleen Ballinger’s charmingly oblivious alter ego, Miranda Sings, may not be explicitly based on Rebecca Black – Ballinger has that she was inspired by “cocky girls” in her college voice program who were terrible singers – but the yowling mannerisms of the girl who reminded the world that you gotta get down on Friday are definitely an element. Miranda’s skewed versions of pop songs, coupled with sexy-clown makeup and a sassy if ill-informed worldview, have gone viral – only confirming her massive self-confidence. If you aren’t a Mirfanda yet, you will be. 8 pm Tuesday; Orlando Improv, 9101 International Drive, Suite 2310; $22; 407-480-5233; theimprovorlando.com. Photo via
Oct. 29-Nov. 10 The Book of Mormon If the thought of the first Broadway musical by the creators of South Park and Team America: World Police, isn’t enough to get you excited, perhaps you’ll enjoy the idea of a super-hummable song with the catchy refrain, “Orlando, I love you!” Mormons were more of a hot topic when the musical by Matt Stone, Trey Parker and Robert Lopez first hit Broadway (what with Big Love on HBO and ol’ Mittens Romney on the campaign trail), but their fish-out-of-water/coming-of-age tale of a Utah missionary sent to Uganda is still fresh. Broadway Across America Orlando presents the touring production, which is likely to sell out well ahead of time – don’t say we didn’t warn you. 8 pm Tuesday-Friday, 2 pm, 8 pm Saturday, 1 pm, 6:30 pm Sunday; Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre, 401 W. Livingston St.; $50-$160; 800-982-2787; orlandobroadway.com.
Oct. 31 Nine Inch Nails, Gary Numan We’re not sure which blew our minds more, when the Associated Press embarrassingly printed that Nine Inch Nails covered Johnny Cash’s “Hurt” on this tour or the fact that we get to hear that throbbing wound of a song live on Halloween night. Plus, Nine Inch Nails has a storied live show that rumor has it will make those KISS and Paul McCartney Amway shows from earlier this year look like shadow puppet plays. May everyone in attendance come back haunted. 7:30 pm; Amway Center, 400 W. Church St.; $35.50-$99.50; 800-745-3000. Photo by Tamar Levine
Nov. 2 Kurt Vile and the Violators, Beach Fossils Touring on Wakin’ on a Pretty Daze, Kurt Vile is finally, finally coming to Orlando five albums into his mumbling but notable indie rock rise to fame. On Matador and citing Pavement as an influence, Vile offers a breed of lo-fi home recordings that features introspective social commentary over fuzzy, fast guitars. His new album might be his calmest yet, but fingers crossed we’ll hear some of the more charged older tunes as well from the childish prodigy. 6:30 pm; The Social, 54 N. Orange Ave.; $17; 407-246-1419. Photo via
Nov. 2-Nov. 3 Fall Fiesta in the Park More than 600 vendors set up shop around Lake Eola to sell all sorts of goodies – artwork, jewelry, clothing, crafts, handmade pieces, food items and more. Plus, the weather is usually a perfect cool temp for this annual outdoor festival, giving you the ideal excuse to spend a day (or two!) outside perusing the arts and crafts booths. Last year we scored novel finds like locally made dried pasta and hand-sewn pet accessories, but you never know what kind of treasures you’ll scoop up while shopping at this sprawling fiesta. 10 am-5 pm Saturday, noon-5 pm Sunday; Lake Eola Park, Eola Drive, North Eola Drive and East Robinson Street; free; 407-855-0606; fiestainthepark.com.
Through Nov. 3 Flipped Orlando: Panoramas by Roberto Bocci The Italian artist – currently a photography professor at Georgetown University – chopped and screwed photos from his recent trip to the Orlando theme parks into a breathtaking series that maps a personal vision of constructed reality and consensual fantasy. Other artists have experimented with the effect of overlapping multi-angled images (notably, David Hockney), but it’s always a thrill to see an outsider’s take on our town. As with all shows in OMA’s New Work: A Series of Bimonthly Exhibitions of Contemporary Art, admission to this multimedia installation is free. 10 am-4 pm Tuesday-Friday, noon-4 pm Saturday-Sunday; Orlando Museum of Art, 2416 N. Mills Ave.; free; 407-896-4231; omart.org. Image by Roberto Bocci
Nov. 9 SuicideGirls: Blackheart Burlesque When the Suicidegirls website launched in 2001 with some naked pix of moody Portland anorexics, it was like a depth charge was launched into the reigning bright-n-sunny Britney-obsessed pop culture. These days, the tattooed/pierced/dyed punk-rock aesthetic has a secure and accepted place in the current cultural hegemony – your grandparents probably love that Pauley Perrette – and Suiceidegirls is less an outlet/sanctuary, and more just another moneymaking porn-lite trend. However, after six years off the road, the Suicidegirls burlesque troupe seems to have gotten tired of watching the rest of the world rake in the dough on an act they perfected, so now they’re back. Fasten your seatbelts, it’s gonna be a bumpy night. 8 pm Saturday; The Plaza Live, 425 N. Bumby Ave.; $20-$30; 407-228-1220; plazaliveorlando.com.
Nov. 12 John Vanderslice, Alexander & the Grapes Gainesville songwriter and Tiny Telephone founder John Vanderslice prefers to play in intimate settings, and this special night brings him to outdoor venue the Acre and includes lots of local bonuses, like collaborations with notable area musicians and circus antics from visual spectacle extraordinaire Fun-Dipped Productions. Nights like these don’t come often, and fans will probably want to buy a ticket in advance: They are handmade and feature personal photographs from Vanderslice’s past decade of touring. 7 pm; The Acre, 4421 Edgewater Drive; $10; 407-704-5161. Photo by Elizabeth Weinberg
Nov. 15-Nov. 16 Florida Surf Film Festival This is not some garshed Blue Crush fetch; this film festival seeks to celebrate surf culture, and many of its selections were screened by hyper-qualified panelists like surfer and author Jamie Brisick. You’ll have to paddle out to New Smyrna Beach to get wet, but it’ll be worth it for documentary shorts and features, some from Japan and Australia and others we’ve never seen before, as they’re making their Florida premiere. You can also hang 10 with multimedia art and journalism workshops for emerging artists. Various times Friday-Saturday; Atlantic Center for the Arts, 1414 Art Center Ave., New Smyrna Beach; $15-$25; 386-427-6975; floridasurffilmfestival.com.
Nov. 16 Fight for Air Climb Across the nation, the American Lung Association sponsors so-called “vertical road races” in local towers of architecture (with stairs, lazy!) to both fundraise and to raise awareness for various lung diseases. It’s a clever twist on the old trope of the “run” or “walk” around a scenic lake or park as a means of raising money, because in this case, you will likely be out of breath and know just a little bit of what it feels like to suffer from a debilitating respiratory disease. Also, your legs will hurt more. Still, 25 flights of stairs at 7 a.m. is bound to boost morale and likely to help your physique. Bonus! 7 am Saturday; Bank of America Center, 390 N. Orange Ave.; $15-$35; 407-425-5864.
Nov. 22 Janelle Monáe It’s rare that a musician makes her debut with a concept album that meets critical acclaim as well as commercial success, but that’s how Janelle Monáe does. And as incredible as The ArchAndroid was, her most recent release is its prequel, and by going back, The Electric Lady is poised to push the concept even further. It’s funky R&B: spooky, thrilling, cerebral and blissfully danceable. Monáe is unquestionably brilliant, and this show will undoubtedly be a bright spot to the fall. 7 pm; Hard Rock Live, 6050 Universal Blvd.; $27.50-$45; 407-351-5483.
Through Dec. 8 Diana Beltran Herrera: Birds of Florida One of the last projects facilitated by departed CFAM curator Jonathan Walz (sniff), this adorable yet scientifically sound flock of paper avians was crafted by Colombian artist Diana Beltran Herrera. Hyperreal re-creations of local bird species, built to life size, float and hover in perpetually arrested motion in the CFAM galleries. Like some of the species that these works represent (and like the local sojourns of forward-looking curators), paper is a fragile thing that might not last forever – see this show while you can. 10 am-4 pm Tuesday-Friday, noon-5 pm Saturday-Sunday; Cornell Fine Arts Museum, Rollins College, 1000 Holt Ave., Winter Park; free; 407-646-2526; rollins.edu/cfam. Art by Diana Beltran Herrera
Orlando Magic In his first season as Orlando Magic head coach last year, Jacque Vaughn’s success didn’t quite match up to the initial hype, but we’ll just consider it a warmup. Nevertheless, the Magic are back in action this fall and fans look forward to a season filled with less injuries and more victories. The team sees a home opener against the New Orleans Pelicans (Nov. 1), and then jumps into Eastern Conference matchups against the Brooklyn Nets (Nov. 3) and Boston Celtics (Nov. 8). Later in November, they’ll need to bring everything they’ve got when state rivals and defending champs the Miami Heat come to town (Nov. 20). . The following home games all take place at Amway Center, 400 W. Church St.; various prices; 407-896-2442; orlandomagic.com. Oct. 11 Orlando Magic vs. Cleveland Cavaliers preseason game 7 pm Friday Oct. 18 Orlando Magic vs. Memphis Grizzlies preseason game 7 pm Friday Oct. 20 Orlando Magic vs. Detroit Pistons preseason game 6 pm Sunday Oct. 25, Nov. 1 Orlando Magic vs. New Orleans Pelicans 7 pm Friday Nov. 3 Orlando Magic vs. Brooklyn Nets 6 pm Sunday Nov. 6 Orlando Magic vs. L.A. Clippers 7 pm Wednesday Nov. 8 Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics 7 pm Friday Nov. 13 Orlando Magic vs. Milwaukee Bucks 7 pm Wednesday Nov. 16 Orlando Magic vs. Dallas Mavericks 7 pm Saturday Nov. 20 Orlando Magic vs. Miami Heat 7 pm Wednesday Nov. 24 Orlando Magic vs. Phoenix Suns 6 pm Sunday Nov. 27 Orlando Magic vs. Philadelphia 76ers 7 pm Wednesday Nov. 29 Orlando Magic vs. San Antonio Spurs 7 pm Friday Photo by Fernando Medina
Orlando Solar Bears The Orlando Solar Bears suffered a disappointing inaugural East Coast Hockey League season earlier this year, but they’re putting it behind them and looking forward with a new coaching staff led by head coach Vince Williams, along with a handful of new players. The Bears come into this season ranked fourth in conference standings, and the team will endure a tough season opener against the Florida Everblades (Oct. 19), but we fully trust they should be well-equipped come time for their double-header against the Toledo Walley (Nov. 10-11). The following home games all take place at the Amway Center, 400 W. Church St.; various prices; 407-951-8200; orlandosolarbearshockey.com Oct. 19, Nov. 2, Nov. 21 Orlando Solar Bears vs. Florida Everblades 7 pm Saturday, 7 pm Thursday Oct. 26, Oct. 27 Orlando Solar Bears vs. Gwinnett Gladiators 7 pm Saturday, 3 pm Sunday Nov. 7 Orlando Solar Bears vs. Elmira Jackals 7 pm Thursday Nov. 10, Nov. 11 Orlando Solar Bears vs. Toledo Walleye 3 pm Sunday, 7 pm Monday Nov. 26, Nov. 28 Orlando Solar Bears vs. Greenville Road Warriors 7 pm Tuesday, 6 pm Thursday
UCF Knights Football In their first year as part of the American Athletic Conference, the Knights started off the 2013-14 season with a three-game winning streak, including a shutout against Florida International University in Miami and an impressive road victory at Penn State’s Happy Valley. They suit up for an intense battle against the highly ranked South Carolina Gamecocks (Sept. 28) and then trudge through several conference bouts, before hosting cross-state foes the University of South Florida Bulls (Nov. 29) for a Friday night rivalry week matchup. The following home games all take place at Bright House Networks Stadium, University of Central Florida; times to be announced; various prices; 407-823-1000; ucfathletics.com Sept. 28 UCF Knights vs. South Carolina Gamecocks Oct. 26 UCF Knights vs. Connecticut Huskies Nov. 9 UCF Knights vs. Houston Cougars Homecoming game for the Knights Nov. 21 UCF Knights vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights 7:30 pm Thursday Nov. 29 UCF Knights vs. USF Bulls