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Offbeat indie pop boundary pushers Of Montreal play the Abbey this weekend
Purveyors of the wild and zany Of Montreal will soon be serving up another refreshingly danceable show to fanatics in the City Beautiful. Their tour is kicking off with four Florida dates this very week as part of a longer trek extending through the end of June. Vocalist Kevin Barnes writes that during the making…
Comedian Larry Fulford returns from Chicago with a homecoming show at Dirty Laundry
It’s an unfortunate truth that comedians inevitably move on to a bigger city like L.A., New York or Chicago if they’re even a little bit good at making people laugh. Luckily, they tend to revisit from time to time and have homecoming shows where everyone gets to laugh at their new jokes. Such is the…
Luma on Park gives you the chance to try all of the Game of Thrones scotches – for a price
As you await the premiere of the final season of HBO’s cultural touchstone about dicks and dragons, you may have caught wind of the fact that the Game of Thrones brand has moved on from its series of beer collaborations with Ommegang to a full line of scotch whiskies named after eight of the fictional…
Brooklyn’s Big Eyes bring big hooks to Will’s Pub
Brooklyn’s Big Eyes revolves around lead singer and songwriter Kait Eldridge, who’s been leading the band – named after a Cheap Trick song – since her early 20s. Now a decade into the band’s existence, Eldridge wears her love of classic power pop on her sleeve. Lead single “Lucky You” from the upcoming Streets of…
FL Antifest brings some of the Sunshine State’s noisiest to Mills Avenue
The fourth FL Antifest returns to the Mills 50 block, where it all started several years ago – at Uncle Lou’s, to be precise – with a lineup that plumbs the euphoric highs and filthy lows of the Florida harsh noise and experimental underground (with one lone Georgian and Ohioan also on the bill). The…
Theater on the Edge takes on Edward Albee’s ‘The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?’
Theater on the Edge, affiliated with Truthful Acting Studios, has developed a local reputation for putting on acclaimed performances of plays from the likes of great American playwrights like David Mamet and Tracy Letts. This week, they take on another of the greats: Edward Albee. The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? opened on Broadway in…
Central Florida Top Brewer Beer Festival challenges local breweries to put their skills to the test
The reference to Top Chef indicates that the Central Florida Top Brewer Festival is a bit more creative than most beer festivals. Each of the more than 30 participating breweries drew a random grain, hop strain and extra ingredient when they signed up, and each brewery must then brew a beer using those ingredients to…
Orlando Brewing celebrates 13 years with a day of music, food and beer
Orlando’s oldest independent brewery celebrates its lucky 13th anniversary this weekend with a flavorful blowout. The big day sees the release of Anisocoria 2.0, a bourbon barrel-aged ale clocking in at 11.25 percent ABV. SwedeDish food truck and Orlandough doughnuts will be on hand to help keep you fed, while live performances from Jestelle, Oklahoma…
Tape Face proves mimes can actually be funny at the Plaza Live
Tape Face will leave you speechless – just like him. Best known for wowing the judges on Season 11 of America’s Got Talent, Sam Wills of New Zealand never says a word. Yes, he will have tape on his face the entire time, meaning this three-hour show is sure to satisfy your inner child. Tape…
Obama speechwriter David Litt discusses his time in the White House with the JCC
Ever wanted to (metaphorically) pick the brain of someone who’s worked at the White House? Well, now’s your chance as David Litt, former presidential speechwriter and staffer from the Obama administration, has written a book about his time in the White House and will be talking about his experience there. In fact, you can mull…
Los Angeles’ She Wants Revenge will get gothy in Orlando this June
Gothy Los Angeles duo She Wants Revenge – pop chameleons Justin Warfield and Adam Bravin – have announced details for a big-time North American tour over the summer called, appropriately, the Forever Summer tour. And fans in the City Beautiful will have ample time to get sad with the band in June. The band have been…
MLS All-Stars to host Atlético Madrid at Orlando City Stadium on July 31
Last August, MLS announced that Orlando City Stadium would host the 2019 MLS All-Star game this summer, on July 31. The announcement felt like somewhat of a salve after being snubbed in favor of Atlanta’s ostentatious, 75,000-seat Mercedes-Benz stadium last year. Fine, our lovely little 25,000-seater can’t compete in sheer body count, but what we…
Jon Anderson of Yes will perform charity concert in Orlando this May
Jon Anderson, legendary vocalist for British prog icons Yes, is set to play a solo show in the City Beautiful in May, and it’s all to benefit a very, very good cause. Anderson, best known as the voice guiding the still-fresh Yes hit “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” is now leading his 1,000 Hands solo…
Orlando’s Nothing Bundt Cakes locations are giving away free cakes next week
Camp out, call off work – do whatever you have to do to make it to Nothing Bundt Cakes next Tuesday, April 9 at 3 p.m. for a Bundtlet giveaway. For 300 seconds, aka five whole minutes, mini confetti bundt cakes will be up for grabs at all NBC locations to celebrate the 300th Nothing…
Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz can’t support transgender protections because Trump could declare himself ‘first female president’
U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz actually argued at a House Judiciary Committee hearing that as much as he would like to protect transgender people from the real fears of housing and employment discrimination, he just can’t based on the vanishingly unlikely chance that President Donald Trump could then declare himself the “first female president.” The Florida…
If you’re ready for some fire in your life, Orlando astrologist RJ Speiser will help you through Aries season
For nearly eight years of my life, I was in a committed, romantic partnership. To a twenty-something, eight years can feel like forever. However, my ex-partner provided the Disney princess fairytale. We met in college, first big love, quickly moved in together, built a business, a home, fuzzy animals, white picket fence, etc. However, that…
23 free concerts coming to Orlando this week
Wednesday, April 3:Eugene Snowden’s Ten Pints of Truth 10 p.m. at Lil Indies, 1036 N. Mills Ave. The Daniel Heitz Band 10:30 p.m. at Tanqueray’s, 100 S. Orange Ave. Elizabeth Ward 8 pm at The Imperial at Washburn Imports, 1800 N. Orange Ave. Slimez 9 pm at Celine Orlando, 22 S. Magnolia Ave. Thursday, April…
Madame Tussauds Orlando is turning into an ultra-exclusive hotel this weekend
A hotel is in the works for ICON Orlando (formerly I-Drive 360) but well before that opens a very select group of visitors will be staying overnight at the complex thanks to a new ultra-exclusive offering at Madame Tussauds. Through a promotion with Booking.com, Madame Tussauds Orlando, Hollywood, Las Vegas, San Francisco, New York, Nashville…
Central Florida isn’t getting affordable housing funds under a proposed House budget
The Florida House is set to pass a spending plan that allocates $123.6 million to affordable housing programs, but none of that is going to Central Florida despite ranking as the worst place in the country for affordable housing. The funds are being directed towards the Hurricane Michael-damaged areas in the Florida Panhandle. Now, we’re…
AAF and the Orlando Apollos will suspend operations, reports say
ProFootballTalk is reporting that the Orlando Apollos and the team’s parent league the Alliance of American Football will suspend all football operations as of Tuesday afternoon, eight weeks into the inaugural season. ProFootballTalk adds that the league hasn’t officially folded yet, “but it’s heading that way.” AAF majority owner Tom Dundon, an NHL team owner…
Orlando-based Falcon’s Creative Group just scored a major partnership with a Chinese mega-developer
Orlando-based Falcon’s Creative Group has made a name for themselves in recent years with impressive partnerships and project collaborations ranging from PBS to NASA to National Geographic. The attraction and media design firm, that is known for their cool office, has now netted another extraordinary partnership that will ensure work for the company for years…
SeaWorld Orlando joins Aquatica, Discovery Cove as a certified autism center
SeaWorld Orlando announced this morning that the theme park is now a certified autism center by The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards. Announced on World Autism Awareness Day, SeaWorld now joins Aquatica and Discovery Cove as the first family of parks in the country to carry this accreditation. As a certified autism…
A man successfully swam all the way to the Lake Eola fountain but was forced out by authorities
A man who apparently had his mind set on going for a refreshing swim in Lake Eola on Sunday was pulled from the body of water by the Orlando Fire Department diver team, a spokesperson for the department confirmed. The swimming man was first reported around 1 p.m. Sunday. Downtown Community Paper Orlando captured the…
Luxury cruise line Seabourn plans to train staff with virtual reality technology
With a new cruise line seemingly being announced every month, cruise lines are looking at staff training as one of the ways to ensure smooth sailings for all guests. But one cruise line is taking a different approach – ultra-luxury cruise line Seabourn is embracing virtual reality to train staff before they even set foot…
Last year’s Fringe standout ‘Muttnik’ gets a one-night encore at the Venue
Orlando Fringe is almost upon us, which means it’s time to consider some of the hits of yesteryear. Last year’s hit one-dog play about a Soviet-era pooch launched into space, Muttnik, returns for a one-night only performance this week at the Venue. Writer Bruce Ryan Costella plays the dog, mixing observations about the dog-human relationship…
Former WPRK DJ Emily Reo headlines launch of their new membership program at Stardust
It’s a shameful truth, no matter how civic- and community-minded you are, sometimes public radio membership drives just make you wanna turn the volume down on the stereo. Luckily, local promoters Ugly Orange and Rollins College stalwart WPRK 91.5-FM have figured out a way to circumvent this; in fact, you may wanna risk a lil’…
Florida officials agree to let Trulieve open up to 49 medical marijuana dispensaries
State health officials have dropped an appeal of a Tallahassee judge’s ruling and agreed to allow Florida’s largest medical marijuana operator to open more dispensaries than a state law allowed. Quincy-based Trulieve challenged a limit on the number of storefronts that was included in a 2017 law aimed at carrying out a 2016 constitutional amendment…
Richard Dreyfuss will attend the screening of ‘Goodbye Girl’ at 2019 Florida Film Festival
Richard Dreyfuss will attend a screening of The Goodbye Girl at the upcoming Florida Film Festival, the festival’s organizers announced today. Dreyfuss won the best-actor Oscar for his role as a struggling thespian in the 1977 romantic comedy. The screening will take place April 19 at 7:30 p.m. at Maitland’s Enzian Theater, and the actor…
Roger Stone will address statewide College Republicans group in Central Florida this week
A federal arrest won’t stop former Donald Trump advisor Roger Stone from addressing the Florida Federation of College Republicans at an undisclosed location in Central Florida this weekend. Stone will be among other “Republican activists” who will speak at the event on Saturday, April 6, according to a Eventbrite ticket page. However, attendees will have to…
Publix is giving money to Florida politicians again
Publix is giving money to Florida politicians again almost a year after suspending all campaign contributions, the Tampa Bay Times reports. The Lakeland grocery chain experienced intense backlash after donating an unprecedented $670,000 to self-described “proud NRA sellout” Adam Putnam’s campaign for Florida governor last year. Parkland school shooting survivor and outspoken NRA critic David Hogg and…
Orlando weirdo music legends Obliterati announce final show in May
Local avant-rock stars Obliterati have been, as the coffee mug saying goes, keeping Orlando weird for the better part of 20 years (give or take a 14-year hiatus). But all good things must come to an end, and this extraordinarily loose collective of fringe musicians, artists and agitators are poised to hang it up for good…
Florida’s incarcerated women face significant struggles to get menstrual products
It’s something most women rarely chat about with strangers. But Valencia Gunder is walking the halls of the Capitol talking about menstruation. Specifically, Gunder’s leading a discussion about the struggles incarcerated women in Florida face because they don’t have adequate feminine products like tampons and sanitary napkins. Gunder, a former inmate who’s now a lobbyist…
Here’s a first look at Ripley’s new Travel Channel show based in Orlando
Ripley Entertainment is known for their wild and wacky exhibits at their “odditoriums,” but the Orlando-based company is far more than just a collection of unique museums. The global brand has more than 100 attractions in nearly a dozen countries and sees more than 14 million guests per year. Despite this, one of the most…
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy is just a shadow of the plans Disney World once had for ‘Cars’
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy opened this past weekend at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but this is just part of the story of the Cars franchise at DHS. The new 10-minute long show features an impressive audio-animatronic Lightning McQueen along with a massive curved screen that is nearly two stories tall and more than 200 feet long.…
A Beauty and the Beast-themed bar might be headed to Disney’s Grand Floridian
In a head-scratching move, it looks like Disney might be adding an adult-only Beauty and the Beast bar to the Grand Floridian. The new bar would replace the popular but dated Mizner’s Lounge on the second floor of the main building. Mizner’s has been a favorite spot for those looking to sneak away from the…
Danny Feedback reclaims freak-rock crown at Illuminated Paths show in the Milk District
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND Illuminated Paths showcase, Iron Cow, March 29 This event was the home stretch of an ambitious string of live showcases for Illuminated Paths. Across six shows in just the span of a month, the preeminent Oddlando music label – and mini scene unto itself – has been shedding brilliant weirdness all over…
Trump says Florida Everglades restoration money is ‘coming soon’
President Donald Trump discussed the importance of completing restoration of the Herbert Hoover Dike around Lake Okeechobee, and vaguely promised funding “coming soon” for the Everglades, following a tour of the structure Friday. “What we’re doing is very important —- it was very dangerous and it’s a big project,” Trump said of dike repairs during…
Band of the Week: Matthew Fowler
Welcome to Orlando Weekly’s “Band of the Week.” Every week, we highlight one of our favorite local bands. This week, we’re pleased to bring you Matthew Fowler. Matthew Fowler is playing April 3 at Will’s Pub. Just the facts: When did the band form?I started performing original music in 2013. Who’s in the band?I’m the…
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspends fees, penalties for SunPass users until June
Florida officials have imposed a $4.6 million fine on the company that oversaw last year’s botched SunPass conversion, and are also making internal changes to how the state’s toll-collection system is managed. The Florida Department of Transportation announced the penalty for Conduent State & Local Solution on Friday. Gov. Ron DeSantis has ordered the continued…
More than 5.2 million people will call Central Florida home in 2030, report estimates
As part of the 2019 Orange County Regional Economic Summit on Friday, a panel of local leaders noted some of the large-scale changes coming to the region in the Orlando Economic Partnership’s 2030 report. The 2030 report projects that Central Florida will add roughly 1,500 people per week, buoying the population to over 5.2 million…
A third location of Tin and Taco is coming to College Park
College Park is poised to get yet another taqueria. Along with Tijuana Flats and PR’s Taco Palace, the 32804 will soon see Tin & Taco serving its unique brand of craft tacos. Yes, taco fiends will soon be gorging on such hefty numbers as the “Tacosaurus” and the “Taco Bomb.” Rob Bair’s third taco joint will…
Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz proposes climate counter-proposal dubbed ‘Green Real Deal’
U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, the Florida Republican who once tried to get rid of the federal agency protecting the environment, is now all aboard the climate change train. “Climate change is real,” he told the Pensacola News-Journal earlier this week. “It’s not something people get to choose to believe in or not.” Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach,…
Foxtail Coffee is going strawless
Local chain Foxtail Coffee is officially going strawless. Known for brewing ethically sourced beans in almost any style you can imagine, Foxtail will be transitioning all their locations to strawless lids. “Big impacts of small change help us do our part in limiting our environmental footprint,” said co-founder Iain Yeakle on Foxtail’s website. So many…
Dixie Dharma, Kai Asian Street Fare and more join lineup at Oviedo’s Food Factory hall
Dixie Dharma, Kai Asian Street Fare and several more eateries will be opening “micro restaurant” spaces at Oviedo on the Park’s Food Factory venue. When it opens, the 14,500-square-foot food hall will hold eight 800-square-foot micro restaurants that will frame the Factory Bar, a distillery-inspired craft cocktail bar, according to leasing agent ACRE Commercial Real Estate. Aside from…
Winter Park’s Ravenous Pig is opening a brewery next door this summer
The Ravenous Pig owners James and Julie Petrakis will be opening a new brewery next to their Winter Park restaurant this summer. The James Beard semi-finalist restaurateurs are also launching their own exclusive beer label, the Ravenous Pig Brewing Company, to be headed by their current brewmaster, Larry Foor. “When we opened and started brewing beer, we were…
Florida Republicans want to make it harder to put amendments on the ballot
A partisan clash over changing Florida’s Constitution was in full view Thursday when a House panel approved a proposal that would make it harder for citizens and groups to put measures on the ballot. On one side, Democrats said the Legislature would infringe on First Amendment rights by adding hurdles to the citizen-initiative process. But…
Experimental composer and artist John Cage will be featured in an exhibition at the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery
The Bob Rauschenberg Gallery at Florida Southwestern State College in Fort Myers has impressed those with a taste for edgier art and music with retrospectives of arts collectives Fluxus and Guerilla Girls, and next month they’re set to turn the spotlight on a experimental composer whose trailblazing work still challenges ears: John Cage. John Cage…
The Messthetics prove to be more than the sum of their Fugazi parts at Will’s Pub
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND The Messthetics and Mary Lattimore, Will’s Pub, March 27 Although the Messthetics are a new instrumental band that emerged only a year ago with a debut album on venerable punk imprint Dischord Records, the D.C. triad arrived packing the preceding, built-in kind of cred you get when you feature Fugazi’s rhythm section.…
Disney Springs debuts new mac and cheese food truck clearly meant for stoners
Disney Springs is debuting a new mac and cheese food truck Friday with options that are obviously supposed to be eaten at 3 a.m. after you’ve run out of packaged ramen. The Mac & Cheese Truck, opening March 29, is serving up cheesy goodness in a variety of forms, including: – The “Crunchy Mac-N-Cheese” option…
Op-ed: Senate Bill 168 would hurt thousands of Floridians
As a lifelong Florida resident, I’m proud to contribute to my community every day. I’ve lived in this beautiful state since the age of 8, and as a DACA recipient with many dreams and goals ahead of me, I’m looking forward to building my future here. But a new bill, SB 168, proposed by Governor…
Poca’s Hottest takes over the Will’s Pub parking lot for a cooking competition and concert
They say there are two kinds of people in the world: those who can handle spicy foods and those who can’t. For those of you with a tongue of steel, this event will put your taste buds to the test as 20 cooks attempt to make their tastiest dish that incorporates one or more of…
Yacht Rock Revue sail into House of Blues for easy listening debauchery this weekend
Ever get drunk with your parents and watch them make out to Loggins & Messina? Want to replicate that experience, but with a bunch of other people’s parents? Have we got the show for you. Whenever Atlanta-based cover band Yacht Rock Revue rolls into town, people get nuts. The scene at one of their shows…
Orlando Ballet showcases the stars of tomorrow in their Fast Forward showcase
See the future stars of the local dance scene now at Orlando Ballet School’s Fast Forward performance when the school’s upper-level students present classical and contemporary dance pieces in a professional production Friday night at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. The Orlando Ballet School dancers will also be accompanied by the Florida Symphony Youth…
Beard in Baldwin showcases some of the area’s most award-worthy bites in Baldwin Park
Put down your beard oil, buddy. This food fest in Baldwin Park is named after James Beard, and more importantly, the James Beard Awards, basically the Oscar for foodies. More than 35 local restaurants serve up their top culinary creations, paired with wine, cocktails or local beer. Many of the restaurants involved have been nominated…
Gothic cabaret mastermind Aurelio Voltaire plays a solo show at Soundbar this weekend
He may look like a Hot Topic come to life, or an overzealous What We Do in the Shadows cosplayer, but one listen to Aurelio Voltaire dispels any notion that this is a man who takes himself too seriously. Since the late ’90s, the cult performer has traded in gothy cabaret and rock that’s more…
Lawsuit alleges Florida veterans charity scammed $6.5 million from donors instead of helping vets
In a lawsuit filed March 27 in Florida’s Middle District Court, a Sarasota non-profit called American Veterans Foundation Inc is accused of bilking more than $6.5 million from donors who thought they were sending care packages to troops overseas, and helping homeless vets. The lawsuit alleges that the “donations almost entirely benefited” the group’s founder,…
Florida lawmakers want to limit how high you can get on medical marijuana
Florida patients can now smoke medical marijuana, but some Republican legislative leaders want to put a limit on how high they can get when lighting up. The House is considering a proposal that would cap THC levels in medical marijuana at 10 percent, Rep. Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero, said in an interview with The News Service…
A new candy shop with giant treats is opening at Margaritaville Resort Orlando tomorrow
A candy shop with novelty treats like giant chocolate bars, a Stranger Things maple-flavored gummy waffle and a king-sized box of Nerds is opening at the Margaritaville Resort Orlando on Friday. IT’SUGAR, the largest specialty candy retailer in the world with over 100 stores, is opening their new location at the Kissimmee resort’s Sunset Walk on March…
New York’s avant-garde Wet Ink Ensemble to perform at Stetson University in April
Adventurous classical collective and New York Times’ “Best Ensemble of 2018,” Wet Ink Ensemble have announced two shows in Florida next month. And one of those is just a little drive on I-4 East away! The Wet Ink Ensemble is celebrating over twenty years of boundary-pushing, and students at Stetson University and the general public get…
NRA official contacted a Sandy Hook truther to spread conspiracy hoax about the Parkland school shooting
One day after 17 students and teachers were murdered at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, an official with the National Rifle Association reached out to a prominent conspiracy theorist to spread a hoax about a possible second shooter. According to emails and court documents obtained by the Huffington Post, NRA officer Mark Richardson emailed…
Central Florida lawmakers denounce Betsy DeVos’ plan to cut Special Olympics funding
Days after U.S. Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced cuts to federal funding for the Special Olympics, U.S. Reps. Stephanie Murphy, Val Demings and Darren Soto joined in chorus Thursday to denounce the decision. It’s an issue that affects what happens in their own backyard, as Orlando is set to host the 2022 Special Olympics –…
Florida Rep. Darren Soto files bill to make Puerto Rico a state
U.S. Rep. Darren Soto has filed a bipartisan bill that would admit Puerto Rico into the union as the 51st state. “It’s time to end 120 years of colonialism for Puerto Ricans,” Soto, D-Orlando, says in a statement. “Today, along with Jenniffer González Colón, I’m proud to introduce the first direct Puerto Rico Statehood bill…
Dr. Phillips Center puts a lid on Steinmetz Hall this weekend
The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts will be moving serious weight Saturday when they install the 142-ton roof atop Steinmetz Hall. One lane of South Street between Rosalind and Orange avenues will be closed at 10 a.m. Friday, March 29, to install a crane in the intersection of South Street and Magnolia Avenue.…
Aquatica’s KareKare Curl ride will open in Orlando April 12
Aquatica’s new KareKare Curl ride will open in Orlando next month on April 12. The attraction is a vertical wave wall that promises to be a “high-adrenaline, weightless adventure,” according to a press release from SeaWorld Orlando. “KareKare” is a reference to the Maori word for “waves.” The ride will hold two passengers at a…
Disney bans smoking inside its Orlando, California theme parks starting May 1
Disney is banning smoking areas inside its Orlando and California theme parks starting May 1. Smoking areas will also be removed from the company’s water parks, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and Downtown Disney in California, according to the announcement. New designated smoking areas will be available outside the theme park entrances and at Disney…
Midwestern industrial act Plack Blague set to turn Stonewall on its head this Friday
Nebraska’s sado industrial project Plack Blague is 100 percent a one-off. Fronted by an out-and-proud singer dressed and masked head to toe in leather and studs, dancing and howling amidst strobe lights to undeniable dark-disco beats, this is musical performance as exhilarating spectacle. Orlando Weekly caught the Blague opening for Adult. last year and we…
Eighties star Howard Jones announces show in Orlando at Hard Rock Live this summer
Did you know that 1980s hitmaker – “Things Can Only Get Better” – and New Wave hero Howard Jones is still going strong? Orlando Weekly saw him open for OMD and Barenaked Ladies in St. Augustine a couple of years ago and Jones was a dynamo onstage. Now, Orlando ’80s kids and beyond get to…
Enzian goes eastbound and down with free screening of ‘Smokey and the Bandit’ in Central Park
The City of Winter Park and Enzian team up for a screening of one of Burt Reynolds’ most popular movies this week. Smokey and the Bandit tells the story of a charismatic truck driver, the titular Bandit, leading a convoy of trucks to deliver beer to a race and win a bet. Public drinking is…
Sanford’s Little Fish Huge Pond is closing after 12 years in business, owner says
Sanford staple Little Fish Huge Pond, the eclectic neighborhood dive bar that’s been host to a variety of music, comedy, poetry and other events, is reportedly closing at the end of the month. Owner Moire Wisdom revealed on her Facebook page that their lease is coming to an end and she “can’t get a new…
Orlando Apollos and the AAF may be in the process of folding
Alliance of American Football majority owner Tom Dundon told USA Today that if the NFL Players Association doesn’t play ball and let the league’s players compete in the AAF, then the start-up AAF may fold. “If the players union is not going to give us young players, we can’t be a developmental league,” said Dundon, an…
Orange County approves $1.7 million in extra funding for Supervisor of Elections office
Orange County commissioners approved Tuesday an additional $1.7 million for the Supervisor of Elections’ budget to upgrade voting equipment, including switching from the county’s in-house voter registration system. The elections office will switch from the in-house system, which has become increasingly obsolete since its implementation in 1991, to one designed by VR Systems. The Florida-based…
Orlando Philharmonic will celebrate John Williams’ soundtrack staples from ‘Star Wars’ in April
The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra is set to celebrate the iconic soundtrack work of prolific composer John Williams next month, with performances of his scores for the Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jaws and Harry Potter films jam-packed into one night in April. The Orlando Phil will be joined by Michael Krajewski, Music Director of the Philly Pops…
Get a first look at SeaWorld Orlando’s now open Sesame Street land
SeaWorld Orlando opened its new Sesame Street land Thursday, and it’s pretty adorable. The immersive land features landmarks from the popular children’s television show including the 123 stoop, Mr. Hooper’s Store, Big Bird’s Nest and Abby Cadabby’s Garden, as well as the lovable furry friends Elmo, Grover and Rosita. The six-acre attraction includes interactive experiences like…
NBA Experience at Disney Springs will open Aug. 12
The NBA Experience at Disney Springs will open this summer on Aug. 12. Disney announced this week the opening date for its one-of-a-kind two-story attraction, complete with 13 interactive elements and activities across 44,000 square feet. “Developed with the NBA, and inspired by the league’s 29 arenas around the country, NBA Experience will highlight the heart-pounding…
A ‘Jurassic World’ live-action show is coming to Orlando next year
A live-action Jurassic World show is coming to Orlando’s Amway Center next January. The show, produced by Feld Entertainment, invites guests to travel to Isla Nublar and experience classic Jurassic World characters like Blue the Raptor, Triceratops, Pteranodons and the T. Rex. Escape the Indominus Rex and save a new dinosaur named Jeanie. Tickets to…
Effort to expand needle exchange programs throughout Florida moves forward in the House
With scores of medical school students in the audience, a House health-care panel Tuesday approved a bill that would allow counties across the state to establish syringe and needle exchange programs in an effort to cut down on the spread of hepatitis C and HIV. Members of the House Health Quality Subcommittee voted 9-1 to…
Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights is bringing back ‘Stranger Things’ with new mazes
This morning Universal Orlando announced the return of the popular Netflix horror series “Stranger Things” to Halloween Horror Nights 2019. Not a lot of details were released about the new mazes, but Universal promises to parallel season 2 and 3 of the hit show, the latter debuting July 4. The mazes will open at both…
Anti-immigrant group works with Florida GOP to defeat the state’s nonexistent ‘sanctuary cities’
A hard-line group that wants to “defeat immigration anarchy” in Florida influenced the drafting of a Senate proposal that would ban so-called sanctuary cities, one of the legislative session’s most politically charged fights. A bill sponsored by Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, would give the attorney general authority to take action against local governments, an approach…
Trump is visiting Florida this week to see Lake Okeechobee and probably get in a round of golf
On Twitter, White House Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere wrote that President Donald Trump is slated to “visit Lake Okeechobee Friday to tout work on dike repair, EAA reservoir.” The White House added that Trump will be in the state to promote work on the Herbert Hoover Dike around Lake Okeechobee and a reservoir in…
Orlando expatriate Amanda Seales stirs debate, spits wisdom and smashes the patriarchy
To be young, gifted and black
Opening in Orlando: Dumbo, Hotel Mumbai and more
Opening this week: Dumbo I don’t know what it is with these live-action remakes of two-dimensional cartoons. Beauty and the Beast. The Lion King. Your second marriage. I mean, leave well enough alone, right? This time, it’s Tim Burton revisiting that which should remain untouched, namely Disney’s classic 1941 plea for tolerance of the different…
ICYMI: Lakeland’s Confederate statue gets moved, Orlando plans new rideshare hub, plus other news
Lakeland’s Confederate statue is finally coming down: It only took a years-long debate and a federal lawsuit, but the 108-year-old Confederate monument in Lakeland’s downtown Munn Park is finally coming down. The process of moving the statue about a mile down the road to Veterans Memorial Park began last week, says a spokesperson for the…
Goodbye Baja Burrito Kitchen, hello Sette and more in Orlando foodie news
OPENINGS: Sette, the rustic Italian concept by Se7en Bites’ Va Propst and Trina Gregory-Propst, has opened in Ivanhoe Village (check out our first look at Sette here) … Conrad’s Shanty, a back-porch style bar, is open in the old BART space on Mills Avenue near Lake Highland Drive … Hi-5 Poke and Sushi has opened…
Trump is a man surrounded by smoke shouting that there’s never been fire
Does this sound like vindication to you?
Savage Love: ‘Revolution Hall’
Savage Love Live stormed into Revolution Hall in Portland, Oregon. Comedian Corina Lucas absolutely killed it before our sold-out crowd, singer-songwriter Elisabeth Pixley-Fink performed an amazing set, and two lovely couples competed in our first (and most likely last) Mama Bird Cupcake Eating Contest. I wasn’t able to get to all of the audience-submitted questions,…
Gimme Shelter: Meet Lisa!
Meet Lisa (A420561)! This five-year old girl has been in our shelter since January and has been waiting for her fur-ever family to come in. Lisa knows sit, lay down, roll over and many other tricks. She does have heartworm disease, which can be fatal if not treated, but luckily her treatment is sponsored. Adopt…
Avant-harpist Mary Lattimore hits the open road with Messthetics
Heartstring highways
The best concerts coming to Orlando this week
Bengali 600 It’s Afrobeat night at the Iron Cow headlined by these scene luminaries; a fine way to dance right through the wee hours of Hump Day. 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 27, at Iron Cow, $5 Pedestrian Deposit Beyond-intense performance art/noise legends Pedestrian Deposit return to Orlando for the first time in over a decade;…
Downtown Orlando’s historic Rogers Kiene Building is now officially the new CityArts
Over the last 130-odd years, it’s been known as the Old English Club, the Cosmopolitan Club, Democratic Party headquarters, Mad Cow Theatre, DMAC, and most recently the Gallery at Avalon Island. But on Thursday, March 21, downtown Orlando’s historic Rogers Kiene Building was officially rededicated as the new CityArts, centerpiece of the Downtown Arts District’s…
