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Picks This Week: Possessed By Paul James, Third Eye Blind, Fuck the Facts and more
Fuck the Facts Canadian grindcore legends Fuck the Facts let it rip at Uncle Lou’s, performing songs on their latest, 2015’s Desire Will Rot. 9 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9, at Uncle Lou’s Entertainment Hall, $8 D.R.I. Check back in with ’80s crossover thrash pioneers Dirty Rotten Imbeciles, still beefy and boasting founding members singer Kurt…
28 free concerts in Orlando this week (12/9-12/15)
Wednesday, Dec. 9 Eugene Snowden’s Ten Pints of Truth 10 p.m. at Lil Indies, 1036 N. Mills Ave. Imperial’s Acoustic Soundcheck with Ben Torres 9 p.m. at the Imperial, 1800 N. Orange Ave. Orlando Music Group Open Jam 10:45 p.m. at St. Matthew’s Tavern, 1300 N. Mills Ave. Reggae Night with Hor!zen and DJ Red…
Share your memories of the last 25 years with us!
As you may have noticed in almost all of our stories this week, Orlando Weekly is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Staffers old and new gathered up memories of our favorite stories and events over the years, along with some of the musicians, actors, politicians, cultural institutions and historical events that shaped Orlando, as well as Orlando…
Orlando to start tracking downtown drivers using Bluetooth readers
Fox 35 reported yesterday that the City of Orlando plans to deploy $134,000 worth of Bluetooth readers downtown as part of a program to reduce traffic congestion. Bluetooth readers mounted near traffic lights will automatically pair with cellphones or receivers built into citizen’s cars in an effort to determine how many cars pass through an…
Watch this Orlando band member powerbomb a guy through a table during a show
Orlando is metal as fuck. At a recent show, Aaron Lee, lead singer of local Orlando band American Party Machine, channelled his inner Kevin Nash and friggin’ jackknife powerbombed a guy through a table in the middle of their set. As you can see, the band paid little mind to the spectacle and continued to shred hard…
Your wallet awakens: 5 great gifts for hungry Star Wars fans
Star Wars ice cream Brooklyn’s Ample Hills creamery is making two flavors: The Light Side (marshmallow ice cream with homemade crispie clusters and “a smattering of handmade cocoa crispies to represent the dark side still lurking within the light”); and the Dark Side (ultra-dark chocolate ice cream with espresso fudge brownies, cocoa crispies and white…
Brevard County Sheriff calls for ‘good guys with guns’ to fight terrorists
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey, who, earlier this week was playing “Wheel of Fortune” with wanted suspects, posted a 7 minute video to Facebook Monday calling for armed citizens to “take on terrorists.” In the video, posted below, Ivey says he wants citizens in his county “to be mentally and physically prepared to respond to…
New dating site helps Disney lovers find love
Disney fans finally have a dating site designed to help them find their own Prince Charming, Humpback of Notre Dame or whomever else they might be into. The site, MouseMingle.com, was designed to unite people whose love of Walt Disney Co. products outweighs all else. Aside from the basic dating site questionnaire (name, gender,…
A Brevard County burglary suspect was eaten by a gator while running from deputies
Brevard County authorities are claiming an 11-foot alligator caught and killed a burglary suspect that was fleeing from deputies. As first reported by WFTV, witnesses in Barefoot Bay called authorities on Nov. 13 after seeing two suspicious men dressed in black casing the backs of homes. When Brevard County deputies arrived, the suspects ran into…
Watch Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey play Wheel of Fugitive
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey wins the Internet today. Not only has the sheriff’s department announced that it’s come up with a new smartphone app, which allows users to search for sex offenders, scroll through recent mugshots, get crime alerts and send the department crime tips, it has also launched a new YouTube game called Wheel of…
St. Petersburg mayor calls for ban on Donald Trump
Perpetual fountain of ridiculousness and Republican presidential contender Donald Trump graced America with more bombastic statements about Muslims on Monday, this time calling for “a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on,” according to a campaign press release. Like the rest…
No new afterhours clubs in Orlando until next year, city officials say
City Commissioners approved a temporary moratorium Monday on future afterhours nightclubs in Orlando. An afterhours club opens after regular nightclubs close, from 2 a.m. to 7 a.m. and can’t serve alcohol. Orlando currently has only one afterhours club, and it opened in the last month, says Mayor Buddy Dyer. Nokturnal on West Amelia Street advertises…
Enzian hopes to begin expansion construction in summer of 2016
The Enzian Theater in Maitland plans to break ground on its expansion in the summer of 2016, not this year, as was originally speculated. The project, first revealed by The Orlando Weekly in April 2013, will add two screens, a new lobby and other amenities. “We have a site plan submitted to the city [of…
Take Uber to these 7 restaurants, score super-secret menus this week only
If you feel like grabbing dinner out but don’t have much scratch left after the weekend, Uber is here to help you eat well and leave some $$ in your bank acct, too. This week, Dec. 7-11, Uber riders can show their ride receipt to their server at seven Orlando restaurants to get a special…
Florida purges 9,000 children from state medical system
An investigation by the Miami Herald shows Florida cut 9,000 children from the state’s Children’s Medical Services program through a screening process to reduce costs. Reporter Carol Marbin Miller follows the story of Aref Shabaneh, a 6-year-old who is almost completely blind and was declared ineligible for the taxpayer-funded healthcare program: “Aref is among about…
10 don’t-miss concerts coming to Orlando in 2016 (plus 15 bonus big shows to look forward to)
As 2015 winds down, my eyes are already cast down the road to some of the major concerts announced for next year. Outside of Okeechobee Music & Arts Fest (with a bill that continues to grow in intrigue) in March, there has been a really admirable amount of cool shows announced that have seen me…
Orlando Muslims, community leaders talk about Islam and terrorism
Fatima Ait Rami lives more than 2,457 miles away from San Bernardino, California, where last week 14 people were killed by a couple alleged to have been inspired by the terrorist group ISIS. But the Tuesday after the massacre, she felt afraid to wear her hijab outside in Orlando. “I was very worried to get…
20 Years Later: 1995 – The Year In Music
In honor of Saturday’s big celebration of all things 1995 at Will’s Pub (including a DJ set by yours truly!), here’s a look back at why 1995 was such a pivotal year for music. Month by month, here are some awesome things that happened in 1995, and although you could probably look closely at any…
Sriracha lovers will rejoice at Sweet Tomatoes’ new soup offering
If there’s a bottle of rooster sauce in your fridge at all times (and a backup one in the pantry) and you’ve already taken TheOatmeal.com’s quiz, “How Addicted to Sriracha Are You?” and maybe you even donned that red Target screen-printed tee with a green beanie for Halloween this year (essentially turning yourself into a…
John Waters gets holier and dirtier for Christmas at the Plaza Live on Tuesday
John Waters has been America’s favorite filthy filmmaker since the early 1970s, so at age 69 you might expect that the “Pope of Trash” would be taking it easy for the holidays. Instead, the near-septuagenarian has been all over lately, appearing on the recent season of RuPaul’s Drag Race and penning multiple upcoming books. And…
Doug the Pug, the most followed pug on the Internet, is coming to Orlando
Doug the Pug, a popular dog that has no idea it’s famous, will be visiting Orlando next week for a complimentary meet-and-greet. On Wednesday, Dec. 9, Doug fans can “mug” with the pug, aka snap a photo with the smushy faced animal, and also listen to Doug’s favorite tunes. The event will be held in…
Rapper Turbo B, known for ‘Power’ and ‘Rhythm is a Dancer,’ will host Orlando Weekly’s ’90s party
Orlando Weekly’s 25th anniversary party is right around the corner and to celebrate this huge milestone we’re taking it back to the year it all began, 1990. To help ensure our ’90s-themed party is tighter than an acid-washed French roll, we’ve enlisted rapper Turbo B from the Eurodance supergroup Snap! Known for his fire verses on tracks…
UCF kicks Theta Chi fraternity off campus after throwing insanely reckless party
University of Central Florida officials say they have terminated a housing contract for Theta Chi after members of the fraternity threw a house party that violated the lease agreement regarding alcohol, fire safety and disregard for property. Thirty-five men currently living in the house must leave by the end of the semester, says UCF spokesman…
CONCERT REVIEW: Hall & Oates (Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Dec. 3)
Let’s start with some full disclosure: I’m a huge Hall & Oates fan, so this review will be notably lacking in objective critical distance. That said, who really cares what critics have to say about Hall & Oates in 2015? This is a duo that can claim a) massive influence, b) artistic and stylistic integrity,…
Free cookies at Insomnia Cookies today for National Cookie Day
Probably the most successful strategic placement of a dessert restaurant in the whole city has to be the new Insomnia Cookies store at University and Alafaya by UCF. Whether you’re drunk and need some sustenance in the form of sweet, chocolatey, warm, greasy deliciousness or you just finished a late-night study sesh and need brain…
James Beard Foundation’s Celebrity Chef Tour brings an extravagant menu to Capa at the Four Seasons
There’s no shortage of amazing food events in Orlando, especially at this time of year, but this may be a tough ticket to top. On Saturday night, the Four Seasons Resort Orlando hosts an eight-course dinner prepared by 10 legendary chefs (including Top Chef vets Edward Lee and Tony Mantuano and James Beard Award winners Gerard Craft and Norman…
Local hospice patient who helped end ‘low value’ arrests dies
Larry Thompson, the 62-year-old whose collections court arrest helped lead to the nullification of 21,000 arrest orders in the Ninth Judicial District, died Thursday from terminal obstructive pulmonary disease. When Larry Thompson was arrested by the Orlando Police Department in August for failing to pay courts costs on 2010 charge of driving without a license,…
George Zimmerman’s Twitter account suspended after posting revenge porn, which is a sex crime in Florida
George Zimmerman, a local child killer who was acquitted for the murder of Trayvon Martin in 2013, had his Twitter account suspended Thursday afternoon for posting nude photos of a woman he claims cheated on him with a “dirty Muslim.” As first reported by Mic, the two tweets showed not only a nude woman (who he…
The best quarterback in Florida right now is probably this sorority sister from FSU
A sorority sister at Florida State University has been crushing it on the football field as of late. Michelle Roque, a member of the Gamma Mu Chapter of Delta Gamma, became something of a sports-media darling after a highlight reel of her intramural flag football matches landed on Youtube Dec. 1. The video showed Roque…
Florida Supreme Court picks congressional district map
After months of political fights and district drama, Florida finally has a new congressional districts map. In a 5-2 decision, the Florida Supreme Court voted to approve the map created by a group of plaintiffs, including Common Cause Florida and the League of Women Voters of Florida, who filed a lawsuit in 2012 alleging the…
Map shows 27 mass shootings in Florida during 2015
According to a map assembled by PBS Newshour using data collected by a website called shootingtracker.com, more than 113 people were wounded or killed during 27 mass shootings that took place in Florida during 2015. Of those shootings, the map indicates, three took place in the Orlando area. Mass shootings – like the ones…
Lucero frontman Ben Nichols to give free acoustic lunchtime concert at the Copper Rocket Friday
If you slept on getting tickets to see Lucero at the Social Friday night, or if you just want to start your night off really, really, really early, you may want to plan on hitting up the Copper Rocket for lunch tomorrow. Lucero lead singer and songwriter Ben Nichols will be on the tiny stage…
Senses Fail frontman Buddy Nielsen uses music to further the discussion on gender and sexuality
Senses Fail, with Silverstein | 6 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 8 | The Beacham, 46 N. Orange Ave. | 407-246-1419 | thebeacham.com | $18-$20 Senses Fail frontman Buddy Nielsen is queer. He is not straight. He is not gay. He is not bisexual. He is engaged to a woman. This may be confusing for those who…
Go on a musical journey to Pallet Town in Pokemon: Symphonic Evolutions at the Dr. Phillips Center
Do you want to be the very best, like no one ever was? Well, the only way you’re going to catch ’em all at the Dr. Phillips Center is by tuning your eardrums like a wild Audino to the sweet sounds of Pokemon: Symphonic Evolutions. The Orlando Philharmonic brings the house down like a Snorlax…
Get whipped by Krampus at the Hammered Lamb’s Krampusnacht party this Saturday
Basically the evil version of Santa, Krampus is said to visit homes on Dec. 5 to punish naughty children by giving them coal and swatting them with branches. Also, he looks like a medieval depiction of Satan, with fur covering his body and horns protruding from his skull, which is probably why he’s become popular…
Accidental Music Festival pays tribute to New York composers at Will’s Pub Friday
The northward pull of New York on Orlando’s creatives is, well, magnetic, and Chris Belt, founder of the Accidental Music Festival, wasn’t immune – despite the fact that the new music series has continued here in Orlando, Belt and his wife, oboe player Beatriz Ramirez, have lived in NYC since 2012. Perhaps that has some…
Hillary Clinton says Florida is behind due to Gov. Rick Scott
At Wednesday’s rally in Orlando, former Secretary of State and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton criticized Florida Gov. Rick Scott for his policies and refusal to expand Medicaid in the state. “Arkansas expanded Medicaid,” she says. “Alabama’s Republican governor is talking seriously about expanding Medicaid. The incoming governor of Louisiana is making this a top…
Drunk Sarasota man drives home, falls out of car and flips off sheriff’s helicopter
Last Saturday, Sarasota resident Aaron Proulx drove home drunk, fell out of his car, rolled around for awhile and then flipped off a sheriff’s chopper, that happened to be filming the whole thing. According to WTSP, the 23-year-old’s breathalyzer results were .22, three times the Florida legal limit. Sarasota Sheriff Tom Knight told the station,…
A 9-foot anaconda was caught and euthanized in Brevard County
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials say they killed an invasive 9-foot green anaconda in Brevard County on Monday–an amazing feat– something Owen Wilson could not accomplish in the 1997 film Anaconda. According to the FWC’s Facebook page, a fisherman tipped officials off to “a very large snake” on a riverbank near the…
Monthly concert series Punk on the Patio debuts Jan. 6 with Flashlights, Out Go the Lights and Slumberjack
Although indie booking giant Foundation Presents has as defining a reputation as it gets in this city’s music scene, it’s not on the local front. But Marshal Rones, one of the group’s newer and most enterprising staff members, has been changing that. Now we already told you about the free Monday show series he initiated…
Cypress Grove Festival of Lights cancelled due to its insane popularity
This just in from Orange County Parks and Recreation: The annual Cypress Grove Festival of Lights, a holiday light show that has taken place at Cypress Grove Park for the past 15 years, has been cancelled. Apparently, the event was a victim of its own popularity. According to the county, the park usually gets around…
Ricky Martin endorses Hillary Clinton ahead of Orlando speech
Ahead of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s speech in Orlando this afternoon, Puerto Rican superstar Ricky Martin endorsed her on his social media. Proud to support @HillaryClinton, a Latina at heart. Text RICKY to 47246 to join us. ¡Pa´lante! #WEPA #Hillary2016 — Ricky Martin (@ricky_martin) December 2, 2015 Martin told BuzzFeed News: “Our community…
Okeechobee Music & Arts Fest drops a bomb: Ween, Robert Plant and more added to March lineup
If you were looking at Okeechobee Music & Arts Fest wondering what justified the pricetag, the bill just got significant weight added in today’s big announcement. Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters, Ween and Daryl Hall & John Oates were heaped onto the bill as of 10 a.m. today, plus the first unique-to-Okee collaboration…
32 free concerts this week in Orlando (12/2-12/8)
Wednesday, Dec. 2 Eugene Snowden’s Ten Pints of Truth 10 p.m. at Lil Indies, 1036 N. Mills Ave. Imperial’s Acoustic Soundcheck with Circa Antipop 9 p.m. at the Imperial, 1800 N. Orange Ave. Liquid Spiral 10:30 p.m. at Tanqueray’s, 100 S. Orange Ave. Orlando Music Group Open Jam 10:45 p.m. at St. Matthew’s Tavern, 1300 N.…
Universal could buy 474-acre property, says Skyplex attorney
For those of you still wondering what the heck those anti-Skyplex mailers were about, Skyplex attorney Hal Kantor could have your answer. Before the Orange County Commission voted to approve Skyplex, Kantor said Universal Orlando opposed the project because Universal is trying to buy a 474-acre property near Universal Boulevard, currently owned by Colony Capital…
Orange County Commission says yes to Skyplex
In spite of Universal Orlando’s strong lobbying efforts, the Orange County Commission unanimously voted to approve the $460 million proposed Skyplex development on International Drive. Skyplex developer Joshua Wallack’s proposal includes a plan for the world’s tallest roller coaster at 501 feet, a 450-foot Skyfall drop tower, a surf park, the world’s largest Perkins Restaurant…
This Little Underground: AAHZ honors Orlando’s breaks legacy
Heads up, beauties, TLU’s on break next week because it’ll be our big, special silver anniversary issue, where we’ll be getting all meta with our coverage. The Beat It practically doesn’t get any more seminal in Orlando dance culture history than the AAHZ nights. Although the AAHZ reunions have always rekindled the primary fire like…
Savage Love (12/2/15)
I’m a straight woman in my mid-20s. I’ve been dating a wonderful guy for two years – but I recently found something that has put me on edge. Before we met, he was in a relationship with a terrible, alcoholic and mentally unstable woman. They got pregnant early in the relationship and stayed together for about…
Free Will Astrology (12/2/15)
ARIES (March 21-April 19) “Charm is a way of getting the answer ‘yes’ without having asked any clear question,” wrote French author Albert Camus. I have rarely seen you better poised than you are now to embody and capitalize on this definition of “charm.” That’s good news, right? Well, mostly. But there are two caveats.…
Gimme Shelter (12/2/15)
Orange County Animal Services has a friendly dog who’s ready to find a loving new home. Meet Paisley (Animal ID A336020)! She’s a 7-year-old, 21-pound pup who enjoys spending time outside. Paisley is a little overweight, but she still has a lot of pep in her step as she loves to run around in the…
This Modern World (12/2/15)
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UCF White Student Union Facebook page creates controversy
Student protests against racial injustice at the University of Missouri that led to the ouster of the school’s president sparked similar movements on college campuses nationwide, and the University of Central Florida was no exception. Two weeks ago, UCF’s Black Student Union held a sit-in to support the organization that spearheaded the protests, Concerned Student…
Selections: Our picks of the week’s best events, Dec. 2-8
Wednesday, 2 Drunken Problem Solving: All the Holidays Edition If you haven’t made it to Lil Indies’ Drunken Problem Solving nights, you’re missing out on some hilarious conversation. The game plays less like a trivia night and more like a guided conversation with your friends. Host Trevor Fraser posits a hypothetical situation to the teams…
As he opens a new restaurant in Mount Dora, Norman Van Aken says the city is “like an early version of Napa Valley”
When Norman Van Aken talks, people listen. The Illinois-bred and Florida-honed chef’s influence on modern-day cookery is undeniable, but the celebrated “founding father of New World Cuisine” isn’t done yet. Van Aken plans to open a new restaurant in Mount Dora in early 2016, an announcement that came as a surprise to many. The name of the…
Even more brunch at Cask & Larder, 5 new restaurant openings and more in local foodie news
Kappo at East End Market will close at the end of the month, but the owners will transform the space into a konbini, or Japanese convenience store. According to co-owner Lordfer Lalicon, “People will be able to buy select sake, Japanese prepared foods, candies and all types of random things that we can think of.…
Lucero tightens their focus to relax their sound on finely nuanced new album
It’s often said it’s a sign that a musician is maturing when performances start to be as much about what the musician doesn’t play as the amount of notes he plays. Applying that logic to Lucero suggests the full band is reaching a new level of growth and maturity together with a new album, All…
Picks This Week: St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Mac Miller and more
Great live music rattles Orlando every night
Polercoaster designer Bill Kitchen discusses the benefits and challenges of the Skyplex project
At last month’s International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Expo, Universal Orlando executive John McReynolds was inducted as IAAPA’s new chairman. Yards away on the show floor, ride manufacturer Intamin was advertising the Polercoaster, the world’s tallest roller coaster, which they hope to build in Orlando as the Skyscraper, the centerpiece of north I-Drive’s…
Eddie Izzard has been out for a long time, which makes him, in the current cultural moment, very much in
Eddie Izzard has made a name for himself in his nearly 30 years of performing on stage, not just as an “executive transvestite” (more on that later) but also with his loopy, drawling, discursive style. And it’s true, due to his dyslexia, which he discussed in 2010 on BBC radio, he’s not performing to a…
Jessica Jones takes a swing at rape culture in new Marvel series on Netflix
While movies and television shows based on comic books are a white-hot commodity right now, they’ve been justifiably criticized for their lack of female lead characters. Despite Marvel’s large stable of strong, compelling lady superheroes, only Black Widow has made an appearance in more than one film, and she’s rarely given any agency of her…
Opening in Orlando: Chi-raq, Christmas Eve, and Krampus
Chi-raq Spike Lee’s latest directorial effort is a modern riff on Lysistrata in which a bunch of Chicago women try to force an end to the city’s gang violence by refusing to give up the nappy dugout until the shooting stops. In other words, no peace, no piece. (And if it were set in East…
