A sunny day for heavy hearts when House of Lightning returns with Wrong at Backbooth
Just a few months back, the walls at Backbooth trembled to sustain House of Lightning’s force. The group was nearly buried under a loaded bill that included other excellent Florida acts Torche and Wrong. If you showed up late, you missed House of Lightning’s bracing thrash spectacle that dazzled people smart enough to show up…
18 free concerts this week (6/17-6/23)
Wednesday, June 17 Eugene Snowden’s Ten Pints of Truth 10 p.m. at Lil Indies Reggae Night with Hor!zen and DJ Red I 10 p.m. at the Caboose Anything Goes: Marc With a C, Grace Trotta, Spooky Steve 7 p.m. at The Greek Easy The Imperial’s Acoustic Soundcheck With Lauren Lester 9 p.m. at The Imperial at Washburn…
Catch Talib Kweli twice this week as a headliner at Venue 578 and special guest at the Social
Give it to Conscious Mind Records and Venue 578 for conceiving Hip Hop Junktion, a sincerely legit recurring beat downtown that featured Styles P and Tony Touch last month and this month delivers the master Talib Kweli. Kweli’s been hugely busy, and not just with mentoring local hip-hop upshoot Niko Is, correcting ignorant bitches on…
CFE Arena named one of Florida’s top venues
UCF’s CFE Arena was recently named the third best venue in Venues Today magazine’s “Florida Top Stops” list. The ranking is determined by Florida venues with a capacity between 5,001-10,000, in addition to their 2014 event season gross ticket sales and attendance. This marks the seventh consecutive year that the arena made the “Top Stops” list.…
Toast Tiki culture with Parkeology’s “secret history” of Trader Sam’s
Pop quiz, Disney fans: What do Walt Disney’s Tropical Serenade, the Polynesian Village resort, the Adventurers Club, and Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto all have in common? If you answered “America’s mid-century obsession with Tiki culture,” have I got an article for you. (And if you just drunkenly shouted “Kungaloosh,” that’s OK too.) Parkeology, one of…
Roll your own: Dragonfly Robata Grill & Sushi celebrates International Sushi Day on Thursday
We know you’re not tired of international/national/local-themed food days yet, probably because they bring with them some pretty cool experiences and deals. Like this one: International Sushi Day is Thursday, June 18, and Dragonfly Robata Grill & Sushi is celebrating with a create-your-own-roll event to benefit the Community Food and Outreach Center. The event is…
More $3,000 a night bungalows coming to Walt Disney’s World Wilderness Lodge
The Bora Bora Bungalows along the Seven Seas Lagoon have dramatically changed the look and feel of Disney’s Polynesian Village resort. The bungalows are just the latest addition to the ever growing Disney Vacation Club. With only 20 bungalows they’ve proven to be a popular choice despite prices that start at $2,137 per night and…
Epcot offers 5 hour walking tour to tell you it has culture
If you can’t wait for Frozen to overtake Norway next year or have your fair share of random food and wine booths, Epcot has something new to offer you. With the new ‘World Showcase: DestiNations Discovered tour, you’ll dive into the cultural background of each of the World Showcase pavilions. Yep, forgot all the hullabaloo about…
With tiered ticket prices, is Disney planning a 90% jump on some tix prices?
If you’ve been in Orlando for any amount of time you know there are certain times of the year that you just don’t visit Magic Kingdom (like between Christmas and New Years). There are plenty of other times around the year that a visit can feel as though you’re one of the only people in…
Gov. Rick Scott and his cabinet expected to settle Sunshine Law suit
Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet will be asked next week to approve a settlement agreement in a lawsuit that contends they violated the Sunshine Law by using staff members as “conduits” in discussions about the forced resignation of the state’s top law-enforcement officer. The mediated proposal would, in part, require Scott and the…
Out of all the Orlando theme parks, SeaWorld had a pretty crappy year
The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) has released their annual amusement park attendance numbers for 2014 and once again Florida dominated the top 20. The annual report is unofficial but most in the industry do view it as the most accurate count of the world’s leading amusement parks. With seven of the top 20 theme parks…
Washington Post discovers that Walt Disney World tickets are expensive
Stop the presses, because one of our nation’s most prestigious daily newspapers has made a shocking discovery. Over the weekend, the Washington Post exclusively revealed that Walt Disney World tickets are really expensive now. Snark aside, this new WaPo article examining WDW ticket pricing (“How theme parks like Disney World left the middle class behind”)…
Council Watch!!!!!: Liveblogging city government so you don’t have to (for the last time)
The city council agenda feels like a Double-Stuff Oreo today, mostly because last time your darlings of the dais convened, it was a morning incident, meaning that scheduled public hearings and ordinances had to be pushed back BECAUSE THE LAW. Things we’ll be paying attention to in our final liveblog of this mess (this guy’s…
This Little Underground: The Rolling Stones (Citrus Bowl)
When it comes to rock & roll icons, there is none greater than the Rolling Stones. They’re testament to not only the reach of the art form but to its immortality. Their longevity is legendary, superhuman, in defiance of all known natural law. Consider the few bona fide stadium bands still going and you realize…
A raccoon posed on an alligator last weekend, resulting in Florida’s greatest photo
Last weekend was packed with fantastic Florida-based photo-ops, the Rolling Stones rocked the Citrus Bowl, Orlando City beat DC United and this proud, magnificent raccoon posed on the back of an alligator. Palatka, Florida resident Richard Jones told WFTV he took this photo in Ocala National Forrest, Sunday afternoon, June14th, after his son startled…
Forever on its own frequency, DIY label Illuminated Paths launches first label tour with signature curious touch
ILLUMINATED PATHS SHOWCASE TOUR with Heliophonic, Public Spreads the News, Nosis, Ray Brazen, Maximino, DJ Nigel John 9 p.m. Sunday, June 21 | Uncle Lou’s Entertainment Hall, 1016 N. Mills Ave. | 407-898-0009 | $6 Traveling the Illuminated Paths catalog is like listening to broadcasts from another world. Fittingly headquartered in a famous porthole to the…
Lake Como residents plan to rally to save the pink bunny **UPDATE: The pink bunny is staying where it is**
UPDATE: After talking to the neighborhood association and a group of residents who gathered at Lake Como Park today to ask Commissioner Patty Sheehan to leave the bunny at Lake Como, Sheehan agreed that it could stay. She says that the neighborhood association has agreed to write a letter of support for allowing the statue…
Pizza inception, pizza assault, hot-dog-stuffed-crust pizza and more: The week in pizza
OK, snackwavers, it’s been a hell of a week for pizza out there. Hyperpizza? Pizza Inception? They just call the pizza-topped pizza (because what is the best pizza topping? More pizza) at Vinnie’s Pizzeria the “Mini Vinnie,” but the internet went insane for it by any name. Vinnie’s is located in Brooklyn, but if you…
Florida Department of Transportation tells city to take down a piece of public art in Mills 50
Local artist Brendan O’Connor (also editor of Bungalower.com and former calendar editor for Orlando Weekly) has spent a lot of his free time creating public art. From mosaic murals in Apopka to brightly painted chairs left at desolate bus stops to Dumpster painting in Orlando, he’s left his colorful mark all around the area. In…
Olive Garden food truck coming to Orlando, debuting breadstick sandwich
If you’re like most Americans who have a sick addiction to Olive Garden’s breadsticks, your lucky day has come. Fueling this obsession—which previously required a drive to your neighborhood joint—has now been made easier than ever. As part of their first-ever “Breadsticks Nation Tour”, Olive Garden is promoting their newest menu item, Breadstick Sandwiches, during…
Gourmet calendar: Upcoming food and wine events
The Dinner Party Project, an invitation-only weekly dinner party, hosts Saveur Summer at the Brookhaven Space Saturday, June 13, at 6:30 p.m. It’s the official launch party for Em’s Neighborhood Kitchen, a new catering concern headed up by local chef Emily Weidner. Suggested donation is $40-$50 and it’s open to 100 guests. Just a few…
We finally got the truth on what happened to Yum-Mi: Updated
Update: Based on this (despite being informed otherwise by someone who, let’s say, should have been considered a trustworthy source) we go back to official “I GIVE UP” status on this one. Sweet mystery of life! Finally, the story can be told. (<< an unnecessarily dramatic intro to this blog post) We’ve been asked repeatedly by stymied…
This video perfectly captures how annoying it is to ride a motorcycle in Florida
Whether you ride a motorcycle or not, you have to admit that this video pretty much sums up what every Florida commuter encounters on a daily basis. Shot with a helmet-mounted GoPro in South Florida and uploaded to YouTube back in May, the rider shows us torrential downpours, panhandlers, close calls in traffic and everything else…
Florida beaches are now featuring a rare and deadly flesh-eating bacteria
Joining an already robust roster of ways the ocean can murder you, a rare and deadly form of flesh-eating bacteria has now made its way to Florida beaches. It’s called Vibrio vulnificus bacterium (or Vibro) and health officials are warning residents and tourists about the potentially deadly bacteria that has already infected at least seven…
Pink bunny statue in Lake Como park is being relocated
It appeared in Lake Como park in spring 2014 – a statue of a pink bunny perched on its haunches was suddenly peering out at traffic that drove around the east side of the traffic circle. Another bunny statue just like it appeared in Langford Park, as well. The statues were erected by City Commissioner…
Rethink the Princeton’s two-pronged battle moves forward, raises cash
Late last year (and into this year), College Park development The Princeton at College Park has been engaged in a heated battle with residents of surrounding neighborhood over any number of things: density, traffic, ugliness, height. The city has so far sided with the developers (surprise!), who addressed some of the concerns with revised renderings…
County Mayor Teresa Jacobs delivers dry speech, tries “not to do a Marco Rubio,” says state of the county’s economy is strong
In what can only be described as a surprising move, beleaguered Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs – the least transparent in the transparency club – had nothing negative to say about the land over which she lords when giving her State of the County speech this morning. Things you should know: The room was half…
According to study, 20 Florida hospitals charge uninsured patients 10 times the cost of care
In a country where the average hospital charges patients 3.4 times the actual cost of their medical expenses, Americans should be concerned about the growing cost of health care, especially in Florida. Currently in Florida, the threat of breaking an arm or catching a stomach bug can result in a crippling 6 figure hospital bill. According to…
Lawsuit filed to challenge 24-hour waiting period for abortion law just signed by Gov. Rick Scott
A day after Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill requiring a 24-hour waiting period before Florida women can have abortions, abortion-rights advocates quickly challenged the constitutionality of the law. A lawsuit, filed Thursday in Leon County circuit court by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights, seeks an emergency injunction to…
Get stuck with Huey Lewis & the News at Universal Studios
A few fun thoughts about Huey Lewis and the News – revelations that have not really involved the workmanlike churn of husky-voiced Republican coffee-table pop for average folk – have circulated over the years, and those thoughts have sort of given Lewis a quirky afterlife in post-nostalgia relevance, but only sort of. Sometimes good is…
New Smyrna resident to appear in Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2
One Florida man is saying goodbye to the Sunshine State and hello to District 12. New Smyrna Beach native Bradley Bowen will appear uncredited as a C151 Capitol Resident in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2. Bowen, 44, hasn’t always been in show business. Two years ago, after a long career in construction, he decided to pursue…
A Daytona man actually tried to rob a Subway by putting his hand under his shirt and pretending it was a gun
Troy Cowart, a simple man and Daytona Beach resident, tried to rob a Subway Tuesday, June 9th, by putting his hand under his shirt and pretending it was a handgun. According to the Daytona Beach New-Journal, Cowart walked into the 213 Mason Ave., Subway location at around 7:30 p.m. and demanded money after putting his…
Dedicated Ralphfest organizers track down golden-age clarinet for scholarship winner
A big part of Ralphfest’s local legacy emerges quietly after the loud music festival fades out: The Ralph Ameduri Jr Music Scholarship handpicks promising young musicians to equip them with professional instruments that ostensibly position them to become the backbone of the future generation of badass local players (and if we’re thinking bigger, beyond). This…
Concert pic of the week: Little girl seeks “Cover Girl” moment at New Kids on the Block at Amway
Our favorite concert photo this week basically had to come from Carlo Cavaluzzi’s series from the New Kids on the Block arena freak-out featuring TLC and Nelly last weekend. While it was hard to choose between the withered Chilis and the goofy boy band camp, we couldn’t overlook this adorable superfan clearly seeking to recreate…
We’ve got pictures of some delicious new items at this year’s Epcot Food & Wine Fest
Every year brings new deliciosity, but we’ve got the scoop on a few new items that will make an appearance at this year’s Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. And yes, we know it doesn’t start until Sept. 25 (through Nov. 16) but some people like to plan ahead, OK? Grilled Sweet and Spicy Bush…
Agencies Spring Art Show crashes into your heart Friday and Saturday
This weekend brings the second Agencies exhibition, a show of work by women (cis and trans) addressing women’s experiences in the South, including photography, paintings, drawings, installation, performance, video and the spoken and written word. In their words: AGENCIES (June 2015) will feature curated artworks by cis and trans women that critically examines subjects shaded by the…
A semi-truck filled with sharks crashed on I-95 near Volusia County
In what easily could’ve been a scene from the film Final Destination, a truck filled with sharks crashed on I-95 outside of Volusia County, Florida. Wednesday afternoon, June 10th, the truck was carrying four sandbar sharks North through heavy storms. According to FHP Sgt. Kim Montes a tire separated from the vehicle outside of Oak Hill,…
Seminole County Commission: Maybe “Orlando North” isn’t such a great slogan after all?
Yesterday, the Seminole County Commission decided to table its discussion of rebranding the county as “Orlando North.” The county has been considering adopting the slogan and marketing materials in an effort to draw in more of the tourist dollars that flow so freely in the Orlando area. According to a story in the Orlando Sentinel,…
Gov. Rick Scott signs 24-hour waiting period for abortions into law
In a widely expected move, Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday signed a measure that will require a 24-hour waiting period before women can have abortions. The bill (HB 633), sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Sullivan, R-Mount Dora, prompted passionate debate during this spring’s regular legislative session, but passed overwhelmingly in the Republican-controlled House and Senate. “The…
🍕Snackwave report: Pizza is more portable when it comes in a cone🍦
Florida Mall’s latest brag is its snazzy new Dining Pavilion, but not all of the new-new food experiences are found within those walls. The mall also recently snagged a Kono Pizza kiosk, the first American outpost of an international chain. James Saliba, the French-American owner of the kiosk, says, “The Original Kono Pizza sets aside…
Attorney for man kicked by Orlando police says officers’ actions were out of line
Today, two press conferences were held in downtown Orlando to address an incident in which two Orlando police officers are accused of using excessive force in the arrest of a man on Orange Avenue in downtown Orlando on June 4. Noel Carter, a 30-year-old banker from South Florida, was at Venue 578 downtown when he…
Check out the interactive website for Jurassic World
People have been dying for release of Jurassic World, the fourth movie in the Jurassic Park series (read our review here). It comes out on Friday, June 12, but in the meantime, you can “visit” Jurassic World via its website. Taking a page from the TV series Lost, which had an interactive website that gave…
Plans leak for 4 Rivers outpost at City Hall, pending vote
Downtown denizens won’t have to hop in their cars to schlep out for great BBQ much longer. The 4 Rivers empire is about to get bigger, with plans leaked to Orlando Business Journal that confirm a 4 Rivers downtown café to open in a 1,912-square-foot space on the ground floor of City Hall. Previous reports…
Carnival is banning guests from bringing on bottled beverages, claiming it’s not about the money
Starting July 9th, Carnival Cruise Lines will ban guests from boarding with bottled beverages. The ban includes booze and water. However, you can board with pre-packaged non-alcoholic beverages, but you can only board with twelve and they have to be in sealed cans or cartons. Also, if you decided to bring those twelve drinks in…
‘Ratchet & Clank’ reboot gets a beautiful new trailer!
Just in time for the movie of the same name, Insomniac’s flagship duo are getting the reboot treatment — and it’s one hell of a stunner! Seriously folks, these graphics are all rendered in-game. We’re losing it over here. The story is essentially a reimagining of the 2002 PS2 classic wittily narrated by Captain Quark,…
Jurassic World: high on adventure, low on logic
3 out of 5 stars The fourth installment in the Jurassic series is spectacular summer entertainment, a sort of Cecil B. DeMille on speed. But if you long for intelligence, scientific credibility and a plot that actually makes sense, rent Steven Spielberg’s 1993 masterpiece. Jurassic World, directed and co-written by Colin Trevorrow (Safety Not Guaranteed),…
A Florida man was arrested for assaulting his roommate with pizza
Daniel Allen Plunkett, Treasure Island resident and man with little to no respect for Italian American cuisine, was arrested for throwing a slice of pizza at his roommate. The incident occurred last Wednesday, June 3rd, when a shirtless Plunkett got into a pizza-related argument with his roommate, Brenda Fiejdasz, and hurled a slice in her…
Taste local flavor at Thursday’s Farm-Haus pop-up dinner
New local biz Farm-Haus is part of the wave of companies offering convenience with a conscience. It’s meant to help out on those days when you just don’t feel like cooking, much less shopping for food, but you’re not willing to give up your ideals of fresh, healthy, locavore eating. Just check the weekly menu,…
Battle aliens in Superheaven’s new side-scrolling game before the band invades Backbooth
Last year, Philly post-hardcore band Daylight decided to change their name to Superheaven after some other band copyrighted it and claimed it for themselves. (ICYMI: There was an absurd amount of Internet backlash to this extremely levelheaded decision.) So if you’re familiar with their previous releases as Daylight, you should jump on board for their…
The Red Paintings weird out Backbooth with magically accessible art rock
You want to get thriller-movie freaked out? Put on the Red Paintings’ “Dead Children” off 2013’s The Revolution Is Never Coming and watch your knuckles whiten as the art-rock force originally from Australia turns your eardrums into war drums. Drama is almost an extra band member, its presence is so powerful, and the band –…
Free Will Astrology (6-10-15)
ARIES (March 21-April 19) “To look at a thing hard and straight and seriously – to fix it.” Aries author Henry James said he wanted to do that on a regular basis. He didn’t want to be “arbitrary” or “mechanical” in his efforts. I invite you to make this perspective one of your specialties in…
Disney imports cheap overseas help to replace local workers because they can
“Our operations in non-U.S. jurisdictions are in many cases subject to the laws of the jurisdictions in which they operate rather than U.S. law. Laws in some jurisdictions differ in significant respects from those in the U.S., and these differences can affect our ability to react to changes in our business and our rights or…
Gimme Shelter (6-10-15)
Meet Adele! She’s a friendly 3-month-old kitten who loves to be petted and held. She was recently found as a stray and is now looking for her new forever home. Thanks to the shelter’s Certified Pre-Owned cat adoption promotion, all cat and kitten adoption fees are now waived. Some kitties even come with a CAT…
Republican House defies logic and Medicaid expansion (again)
Pardon the hoarseness of our written voice in this penultimate issuance of Happytown™ political sparkle and splatter, but, as it stands, we are in a special session of the Florida Legislature, a session caused by the stomping feet of Florida House Republicans, who – though “talking” with the Florida Senate now – are playing stunt…
This Modern World (6-10-15)
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A trip to Disneyland for its 60th anniversary celebrations proves everything isn’t always awesome in Anaheim
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