Mastodon headlines WJRR’s Kink Music Festival this November
via Revolver I awoke today with a vague memory from a blurry show this weekend where a friend leaned over the bar to ask me – “Wait. So Mastodon is playing Central Florida Fairgrounds?” We got out our truth machines to Google the answer, and it seems, yes, WJRR is bringing the massive metal band…
The folks behind Terror on Church Street want to scare you again this Halloween
via Nightmares at the Majestic Terror on Church Street has been closed for 15 years, but Orlandoans still remember the place fondly as a year-round spot to get their adrenaline pumping. Some of the folks (including Head Makeup/Character Designer Alan E. Ostrander) behind the Church Street attraction are planning to pick up where Terror left off…
Best Superhero We Can Call Our Own
Master Legend Maybe you’ve seen him on the street in downtown Orlando, distributing food and supplies to the homeless or patrolling in his big white van, keeping an eye out for people who are up to no good. Or perhaps you’ve only heard about him, or read about him in Rolling Stone a few years…
Mickey Mouse short O Sole Minnie wins at the Creative Arts Emmys
via Mickey shorts This weekend at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, Mickey Mouse took home a golden statue. The team behind the short film “O Sole Minnie” brought home the trophy for Outstanding Short-Format Animated Program, beating other nominees Adventure Time, Phineas and Ferb, Regular Show and Robot Chicken. This is the second Outstanding Short-Format Animated Program Emmy for the Disney…
See the National’s ‘Mistaken For Strangers’ movie tonight only at Enzian
Sorry so late with this announcement, but hopefully I’ve caught any fans of the National in time to catch tonight’s special screening at the Enzian of Mistaken For Strangers, featuring the National’s Matt and Tom Berninger. It’s a campy film that pokes fun at the band’s mass appeal since Boxer placed the band atop critics’ lists and…
O-Town MacDown: Crowning the best mac and cheese in Orlando
Image via Give Kids the World If you like to get down with a bowl of macaroni and cheese, you may wanna get your ass over to the Orange County Convention Center for the O-Town MacDown on Saturday. Give Kids the World is hosting its first annual macaroni and cheese cooking competition with proceeds benefiting children…
SBK leaving Real Radio 104.1
//instagram.com/p/r19j9BkOA- Fans of local radio personality Soul Brother Kevin, better known as SBK, were sad to learn this morning that he will be leaving Real Radio 104.1, the station where he has spent the last 8 years. SBK posted a picture on Instagram this morning of the Clear Channel building with the caption “This is behind me…
The Giver is faithful to the text, but flawed in many ways
Since its publication in 1993, Lois Lowry’s cherished YA novel The Giver has been a dream project of Jeff Bridges. He originally intended to direct the film adaptation with his father Lloyd Bridges in the titular role. Two decades and countless “required reading” lists later, he takes on the role himself as the adaptation has…
This Little Underground: Radon Moon & Modrag at Will’s Pub
This Little Underground is Orlando Weekly’s music column providing perspective, live reviews and news on the city’s music scene. Read the latest column here: Intergalactic, planetary: Modrag at Will’s Pub (photo by Ashley Belanger) Instead of the usual eye-tickling swirls of color you’d expect at a psych-leaning show, this recent one (Aug. 14, Will’s Pub)…
Wayans brothers bring ‘family’ comedy to Hard Rock this weekend
Courtesy of MLA In 1990, the sketch comedy show In Living Color established the Wayans family as a comedic force to be reckoned with. Brothers Keenen Ivory Wayans and Damon Wayans created, wrote and starred in the show, along with their younger siblings Kim, Marlon and Shawn. Now, 24 years later, the brothers from that family are…
This Little Underground: OFF!, Gay Kiss, Bad Antics at Backbooth
This Little Underground is Orlando Weekly’s music column providing perspective, live reviews and news on the city’s music scene. Read the latest column here: OFF! at Backbooth (photo by Christopher Garcia) OFF! (Aug. 13, Backbooth) kicks legitimate ass. It’s maybe the most stacked punk band going and it’s the best, most relevant thing Keith Morris…
Thank you, Internet: Edible chocolate Legos and Mad Men goes modern
You hear that? That’s the weekend coming at you. We know, we know … you’ve still got some work day to get through, but we’ve got some links that should help you kill at least some of that time: via This is Colossal 1. Illustrator and designer Akihiro Mizuuchi has given a brand new meaning…
SeaWorld announces plans for new killer whale habitats
An artist’s rendering of new killer whale habitat released by SeaWorld today Finally, some good news to report about SeaWorld: After more than a year of battling with advocates for marine mammals and the makers of the movie Blackfish, SeaWorld has announced plans to make significant changes to killer-whale habitats at its parks. According to…
Mellow Mushroom celebrates 40 years with throwback pricing (including 75-cent beer)
35 of the best restaurants in Orlando, as determined by you On Wednesday, Aug. 20, Mellow Mushroom will be taking a trip in the time machine. Orlando’s pick for Best Pizza in our Best of Orlando 2014 Reader’s Poll is celebrating their fortieth birthday by offering items from their original menu … at the original prices. For one…
Video: Robin Williams once starred in a short film at Disney’s MGM Studios
From 1989 through 2003, Robin Williams took center stage in Walt Disney World’s Magic of Disney Animation tour at Disney’s MGM Studios (now Disney’s Hollywood Studios). Williams starred in Back to Neverland, a 10-minute film that was part of the tour, alongside Walter Kronkite. Williams played a tourist who gets turned into a cartoon by…
Saturday is National Rum Day — here are 7 ways to celebrate
You’re getting ready for National Rum Day, right? Making sure you have white, golden, aged, spiced and (my favorite) blackstrap on hand? Remember, Malibu doesn’t count. If you’re still not sure what to drink on Saturday, below are a few recipes from Orlando Weekly’s monthly Remix column. This may help you decide, or just make it…
The Onion: 9,600-mile-long megacoaster unveiled at Busch Gardens
Via The Onion The Onion takes aim at theme parks today, with this story about Busch Gardens in Tampa unveiling a new roller coaster that’s 9,600 miles long and “designed to push the limits of human endurance.” The story goes on to describe a ride on “The Staminator” as a 14-day-long experience “that challenges passengers’ physical and…
Shows I Go To: Kishi Bashi and Tall Tall Trees begin with a burst at the Social
Perhaps it was because I learned about and listened to music at 432 Hz prior to leaving the house that set the tone for the evening, or maybe it was that sweet free cab ride from Lyft, but when I departed the Kishi Bashi show Saturday night, I couldn’t help but sing the chorus of “Everything…
Orlando Indie Comedy Fest releases full lineup
via The group organizing the Orlando Indie Comedy Fest have released all of the names of the comics that will be performing in town during the weekend of Sept. 25-28. In addition to national comic Kyle Kinane, who will be performing at Will’s Pub on Saturday, Sept. 27, the festival will feature 30 visiting up-and-coming comedians…
Bittersweet 16 party at Bar-BQ Bar this Saturday
When Bar-BQ Bar originally opened in 1998, they actually served up Southern cooking as their primary focus, but eventually the bar overcame the BBQ to transform the downtown dive/institution, and now 16 years later, the bar will close just 16 days after its 16th birthday. They’re feeling bittersweet; co-owner Ashley Mccammon Dishman says it’s been…
Map of suspected arsons in Orlando’s historic districts
Yesterday afternoon, Orlando police were called to investigate a suspicious odor of smoke in the vicinity of 1406 E. Harwood St. in Orlando’s Colonialtown neighborhood. When they arrived, officers discovered the smell coming from 419 Shine Ave., right around the corner. It was the 13th fire suspected to have been intentionally set in one of…
10 free things to do in the Orlando area this weekend (8/15-17)
Gallery: 29 fun things to do in Orlando this week Even if you don’t have a big budget we have 10 ways for you to go big in the Orlando area this weekend, all gratis: Sweet Bea and the Boys Dance your ass off to the hits from the ’60s to today, all performed by a…
Florida Supreme Court to consider damages in UCF player’s death
The Florida Supreme Court said Wednesday it will take up a case stemming from the 2008 death of University of Central Florida football player Ereck Plancher, who collapsed after a series of conditioning drills. An Orange County jury awarded $10 million to Plancher’s family, but the 5th District Court of Appeal last year said the…
This Little Underground: Ted Nugent at the Beacham
This Little Underground is Orlando Weekly’s music column providing perspective, live reviews and news on the city’s music scene. Read the latest column here. Caveman rock: The Nuge back when this was presumably considered more manly That’s the thing about being a blow-hard. Everyone always has their yardstick out to see if you – every…
Lure Design is creating the brand identity for new bar Olde 64
As much as we will miss Bar-BQ-Bar, it’s always nice to see a fresh new face among the downtown bars. And so it goes, with the passing of Bar-BQ (closing at the end of August), a new bar – Olde 64 – will take its place. (Although there should be many familiar faces behind the stick;…
Orlando 101: Welcome to Orlando Weekly’s college guide
“Hello, babies. Welcome to Earth. It’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It’s round and wet and crowded. At the outside, babies, you’ve got about a hundred years here. There’s only one rule that I know of, babies – God damn it, you’ve got to be kind.” In Kurt Vonnegut’s genius novel…
6 things to do if you don’t love the club
Want to go out, but you don’t feel like hanging out at clubs? Try one of these activities instead
How to study abroad (the right way)
In the words of Saint Augustine, “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” Whether taking a weeklong excursion to Africa or spending a semester in Europe, studying abroad is at the top of many college bucket lists. So read away, mark the pages of your odyssey and…
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19) Researchers in Peru have recently tracked down many previously unknown varieties of wild cacao plants. What that means is that there are exotic kinds of chocolate that you and I have never dreamed of, and they will be commercially available within a few years. As delicious as your Chocolove XOXOX Extra…
The Offspring celebrates the 20th anniversary of their ‘Smash’ success
Guitarist Noodles discusses the Offspring’s place in punk history
Cloak and Blaster gives you a +1 to all saving throws vs. sobriety
Bar Exam: the what, where and why of Orlando bars
Rotation: The Dead Boys’ ‘Young Loud Snotty’
What local artists are listening to. This week: Mick ‘Dagger’ McIuan of Room Full of Strangers
Review: ‘Crimes of the Heart’ at Theatre Downtown
Complex women take center stage at Theatre Downtown, where a sense of family reigns
Showdown on county charter amendments at Tiger Bay
Commissioner Fred Brummer and Tax Collector Scott Randolph trade barbs; Brummer disappears
Movies opening in Orlando theaters this week
‘The Expendables 3,’ ‘The Giver,’ ‘What If’
Pinocchio’s Marionette Theater finds a new home; P-House still playing
Culture 2 Go: a roundup of local arts news
Commissioner Regina Hill’s aide gets arrested
Movie theater incident calls into question police behavior
Savage Love
I’m a 25-year-old gay male into puppy play. About a year ago, I joined a pack with one Sir and several puppies. I became very close to one of my “pup bros” and became his alpha. Fast-forward nine months, and the pack has fallen apart due to various relationship troubles. My pup bro, let’s call…
Pam Bondi pulls the brakes on marriage equality
Beleaguered attorney general asks court to hold off for national ruling in order to save state money
Let the web be your guide
The best sites for navigating Orlando culture
Drinking, Nightlife and Parties
Where to drink and party in Orlando this week
Interns R Us
How to land an internship that won’t make you resent being somebody else’s free labor
Food on a stick!
Who needs cutlery? These sweet and savory portable feasts skewer boredom
Review: ‘Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki,’ the newest novel by Haruki Murakami
The globally revered author’s latest novel doesn’t disappoint
Solillaquists’ DiVinci infuses tech into Ms. Lauryn Hill’s live show
DiVinci discusses his creative collaborations and close friendship with the mother of hip-hop invention
Epcot Food & Wine Fest to offer new food-only hours for reduced price
Plus updates on restaurant openings and closings
Watering holes
UCF college haunts Knight Library 11448 University Blvd., knightlibrary.com Named one of the top college bars in the country by thedailymeal.com, Knight Library has four bars, beer pong, tons of drink specials and notoriously gross bathrooms, just like any respectable college bar should. Knights Pub 3910 Alafaya Trail, 407-382-4171, knightspuborlando.com One of the newer UCF-area…
Map quest: More on the redistricting ruckus
Letters to the editor and reader comments
Eat this
How to feed yourself when you don’t know how to cook and don’t have anything to eat
Hardcore supergroup Off! tours with Melvins drummer Dale Crover
Legendary punk singer Keith Morris discusses Florida gripes, Wasted Years regrets and what kind of beast Dale Crover can be
City signs suspicious new deal for soccer stadium
Black Business Investment Fund gets city money while still owing city money
You said it
Students tell us about life near their campuses
The best things in life are cheap (or free)
Tuition is high, your student loan repayments are looming and chances are you barely have $2 stashed away in your dorm room for an emergency. But, somehow, you still gotta live. That’s what student discounts and freebies are for. They’re hardly publicized on billboards, so finding killer deals requires a bit of digging. Don’t worry…
Social studies
The college experience isn’t just about book learning – it’s also about expanding your horizons, meeting people and teaching yourself to balance work and play. Your school has you covered on the work part of the equation – we’ll help you out with the playing. Below, we’ve listed a bar special, club night or drinking…
This Little Underground: BJ Barham deepens his solo set
Plus: Jessica Pawli leads the Milk Bar, Kaleigh Baker, heY!ALLigator, Round Eye
Watch the 1998 version of Godzilla while the guys from MST3K riff on it live
RiffTrax: Godzilla On Mystery Science Theater 3000 Kevin Murphy, Bill Corbett and Michael J Nelson made a career out of poking fun of deplorably bad movies, making them more entertaining in the process. Now, with RiffTrax, the guys from MST3K have taken to the big screen and are riffin’ their way through some big budget flicks. Previously, they tacked such…
Keith Lay wants to play music on swan-boat-mounted radio-controlled train klaxons and we think that’s awesome
We’ll be writing more about this as the actual event approaches, but just wanted to point you to another awesome Orlando project currently in the Kickstarter phase. Composer Keith Lay is continuing his ongoing experiments into the very nature of sound with Distance Music at Lake Eola, and he wants you to help him build the instrument on…
Florida Legislature approves new, slightly changed congressional district map
Today, the Florida Senate approved new congressional maps, in the wake of Circuit Court Judge Terry Lewis’ ruling that the maps for Congressional Districts 5 and 10 were totally jacked – see our recent stories here and here. The old district maps looked like this: And take a look at the new maps below. Still…
Original Halloween Horror Nights mazes and scare zones revealed
Image via Universal Orlando After teasing us for weeks with news of mazes and scare zones based on already existing content, today Halloween Horror Nights finally announced this year’s original offerings, loosely based on cannibalistic fantasies and our deepest, darkest fears. Dollhouse of the Damned takes fright-seekers into an old-timey morgue that has been abandoned. A young girl has…
We’ve got estimated opening dates for the College Park PR’s Taco Palace and RusTeak
The Winter Park PR’s, via PR’s Taco Palace. Will their College Park space look like this? Already home to many delicious restaurants (for instance, Hubbly Bubbly and K Restaurant! And we can’t forget Christo’s), the College Park neighborhood will welcome two new foodie spots to its landscape in the coming months: After rumored opening dates have come and gone, the…
An interview with Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu
For a good hour before my quick interview with Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu, I sat in a dark corner booth of a hotel bar nursing a glass of wine and thumbing through my childhood. What do you ask somebody who has scored hundreds upon hundreds of hours of your gaming childhood? An artist who’s won countless…
International Drive megamall and hotel project approved
Image via iSquare Mall + Hotel Earlier this year, we reported on plans to build a new megamall on International Drive. Yesterday city commissioners approved the project, called the iSquare Mall + Hotel. Originally slated to stand 31 stories tall, the approved plans call for a 26-story hotel with more than 700 hotel rooms. In addition…
