Thursday-Sunday, Sept. 24-27: Monster Moku
Monster Moku, happening at the DoubleTree on International Drive, is a weekender exploring “the dark side of tiki.” Combining the frightful prospects of strong rum drinks, haunted kitsch, live music, horror movies and vintage cars — it’s like a dream convention for a psychobilly who got their shit together. The long weekend also features vendors, collectibles, a drive-in movie night, panels, cosplay and even Butch “Eddie Munster” Patrick.
Various times Thursday-Sunday, Sept. 24-27, DoubleTree by Hilton, 10100 International Drive, monstermokuevents.com, $174-$499.
Saturday, Sept. 26: Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy
Will Oldham’s latest mutation comes in the form of Ghosts of American Psychonauts, a live album revisiting songs from throughout his itinerant history as Bonnie “Prince” Billy. Hitting the shops just days before his Orlando stop, the record gives older material another life while still resting on the familiar backbone of Oldham’s ghostly drawl and skeletal guitar. Catch a greatest hit becoming another greatest hit at the Pugh Theater, where there’s a fair chance the songs won’t stay the way you remember them for long.
8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, 445 S. Magnolia Ave., drphillipscenter.org, $47.
Friday, Sept. 25: Harber Wynn
Hanna Harber and Thomas Wynn have been playing out together for a little while, but have only now begun to build a catalog, beginning with brand-new single “Same Old World.” It’s a honeyed Southern brew of boogie, rock and soul featuring Grammy winner Tyler Bryant that’s a promising vista into the potential of combining these two supernovas. Even better, the single heralds an upcoming full-length album to follow this winter. Opening will be Funky Brewster.
8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, Will’s Pub, 1042 N. Mills Ave., willspub.org, $20-$25.
Friday-Sunday, Sept. 25-27: Sunburst Convention
Orlando gets plenty of character meet-and-greets, but the Sunburst Convention of Celebrity Impersonators and Tribute Artists swaps the cartoon stars for Elvis Presley or Cher with no oversized mouse-heads in sight. The annual gathering of celebrity look-alikes returns Sept. 25 to 27 and promises an army of past and present celebrities and pop-culture icons.
Various times Friday-Sunday, Sept. 25-27, Embassy Suites by Hilton Icon Park, 8250 Jamaican Court, sunburstconvention.com, $25-$35.
Saturday, Sept. 26: Buzzwords
Those dinosaur rockers may have that old sound down, but punks — like Orlando punk supergroup The Buzzwords — have always been far more kindred to the raw animalism at the very heart of rock & roll. While everyone else is copying Elvis, the punks are channeling the original wildfire that Elvis himself was trying to copy.
8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, Will’s Pub, 1042 N. Mills Ave., willspub.org, $10
Saturday, Sept. 26: Orlando Girls Rock Camp matinee
With a mission of empowering young girls, trans and nonbinary youth through music and performance, Orlando Girls Rock Camp takes over the stage at Will’s Pub. Youth to the Front highlights seven local acts, some of which are OGRC alums: Bacon Grease, Electric Blue, Immortal Jellyfish, Killing in the Kitchen, Shine and the Shakers, Switch Slut and Usual Suspects.
1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, Will’s Pub, 1042 N. Mills Ave., willspub.org, $10-$20.
Saturday, Sept. 26: DJ Summit
Now in its third year, the rising DJ assembly offers a comprehensive program designed to both develop (workshops, panel discussions, networking) and thrill (DJ battles, live showcases, star appearances). Expect a day of tips, tricks and technique by national experts of the ones and twos, all capped by a studded after-party featuring Kid Capri, DJ Nasty, DJ Affect, DJ Popo and Scram Jones. Bring your hunger and skills.
11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, Pargh Event Center, 11184 S. Apopka Vineland Road, instagram.com/orlando_dj_summit, $25-$40.
Sept. 29-Oct. 18: Hamilton
Orlando gets another chance to be in the room where it happens when the Tony- and Pulitzer-winning hip-hop phenomenon returns to the Dr. Philips Center starting this week and running through Oct. 18.
Various times, Sept. 29-Oct. 18, Walt Disney Theater, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, 445 S. Magnolia Ave., drphillipscenter.org, $107-$296.
Saturday, Sept. 26: Melrose Film Festival
Not a single movie at this year’s Melrose Film Festival will ask for more than 10 minutes of your time, in case your commitment-phobia was already starting to flare up. The Orlando Public Library’s home-grown film fest returns with 31 selections spanning micro shorts, animation, documentaries, traditional shorts and a nine-film block devoted entirely to … AI? (disgruntled spit take) Yes, artificial intelligence gets its own hour on the bill, along with considerably more human-made films from Central Florida directors and international entrants.
12:30-5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, Melrose Center, Orlando Public Library, 101 E. Central Blvd., ocls.org/melrose-film-festival, free.
Saturday, Sept. 26: Yacht Rock at CityArts
Yes, yacht rock, the 1970s easy-on-the-ears offshoot of rock & roll that dispensed with heavy riffs and instead indulged in silky vocals, high-end production, and laid-back tempos and song structures. Local outfit Estate Sale Boat channels the velvety-soft likes of Christopher Cross, Hall & Oates, Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins, delivered with a wink and perhaps even a sea-captain’s hat perched on at least one member.
8:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, City Arts, 39 S. Magnolia Ave., orlandoweeklytickets.com, $30.
