When Aixangela Caballero took her annual birthday trip to Disney in 2017, she realized that the magical wonders of Disney come with a price. Now Caballero, a 20-year-old sophomore at the University of Central Florida, creates and sells her own Disney-themed ear headbands. Caballero remembers seeing a pair of bedazzled purple Minnie Mouse ears on a headband sitting…
Orlando jazz heads and experimental music fiends alike will rejoice at the news that Lithuanian (!) label NoBusiness Records is starting an extensive reissue and archival CD release campaign of music from free jazz titan Sam Rivers, who called Orlando home – and played on local stages extensively – from the early 1990s until his…
Online restaurant reservation service OpenTable just released its list of the 100 Best Restaurants in America for a Big Night Out, and it includes two local spots. The Boathouse and Raglan Road Irish Pub, both in Lake Buena Vista at Disney Springs, both made it to the list. The Boathouse is a family-friendly (like every other place in…
It’s been quite a couple of months for Lake Nona’s Alyssa Raghu. The young singer made it to the final 10 of American Idol, dueted with young country superstar Kane Brown (watch below), and is now set for quite an encore over Memorial Day weekend. Raghu will perform the National Anthem as part of PBS’ 30th…
The Florida Channel, the state-funded public affairs network, intends to have a crew in Israel as Gov. Ron DeSantis and state Cabinet members meet overseas. But many details of the upcoming excursion of about 80 people, headed by DeSantis, remain unclear or under wraps. That includes whether Floridians will be able to watch live their…
The “Spaceman” himself, KISS founding member and guitar legend Ace Frehley, has announced another run of solo dates for his “Spaceman” tour, promoting his newest album (yes) Spaceman. Though Frehley has still not fully rejoined the KISS camp, he’s teasing a tour with another shock-rock legend, Alice Cooper, later this year. Ace Frehley lands at…
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND Oginalii, Jaialai and Sad Halen, Will’s Pub, May 19 In both sound and approach, Nashville band Oginalii – who recently headlined a strong Orlando bill presented by Montgomery Drive – are a call back to the changing of the musical guard in the 1990s when tribal lines were being given the big…
Wednesday, May 22: The Daniel Heitz Band 10:30 p.m. at Tanqueray’s, 100 S. Orange Ave. Eugene Snowden’s Ten Pints of Truth 10 p.m. at Lil Indies, 1036 N. Mills Ave. Thursday, May 23Leisure Chief 10:30 p.m. at Tanqueray’s, 100 S. Orange Ave. Marvel Years 9 pm at Celine Orlando, 22 S. Magnolia Ave. Open Mic:…
New wave also-ran Joe Jackson has made himself a successful second-act career based on his musical chops. The 64-year-old Brit has always had a toe in musical waters more esoteric than the general pop landscape – see his 1982 jazz-disco hit “Steppin’ Out,” for example – and he ended up ditching pop completely for a…
Billy Manes, the activist, mayoral candidate, and longtime Orlando Weekly writer, passed away in 2017, and he took a little bit of the city’s heart with him. Now his heart’s being channeled – along with his impact on Orlando and his signature white-blond coif – by artists Michael Pilato and Yuriy Karabash into a mural…
Tomorrow x Together, Plaza Live, May 14 To those uninitiated in the manic pop thrills of K-Pop, the Tomorrow X Together (TXT to their fans) “STAR in the U.S. Showcase” extravaganza at the Plaza Live might have seemed like a topsy-turvy, Blockbuster-themed game show. LED backdrops boasted vibrant blues and yellows with geometric stars that…
The Orlando Science Center will open a new limited-time exhibit, “Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Secrets of the Sewer,” on May 25. Presented by the Nemours Children’s Health System, the exhibit aims to tackle team-building skills through the use of crime-fighting tactics and the Ninja Turtles’ strong unity. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles brothers Leonardo (the…
Most of the attention at WDW has been on the new additions coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland, but Epcot is also in the midst of its own massive reimagining. Two new rides, four updated films, and at least two new restaurants have already been confirmed for the park that is also…
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried voiced opposition Monday to President Donald Trump’s revamped trade deal with Canada and Mexico as Vice President Mike Pence was in Jacksonville urging approval of the deal. In a statement, Fried, a Democrat, said the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement fails to address dumping of crops that harms Florida farmers. “In a…
With an additional 89 cases reported last week, Florida has had 1,220 hepatitis A cases this year — more than in the five previous years combined, according to information posted on the state Department of Health website. The outbreak has hit hardest in the Tampa Bay region and in parts of Central Florida. The disease,…
Proving that poetry still exists in the world, AltMed Florida is set to open up their first medical marijuana dispensary in the area at a former Taco Bell in Longwood this week. The building has undergone an extensive renovation, with a press release describing it as “more like an Apple store now – with a…
Virgin Trains USA, formerly Brightline, announced today the development of 170 miles of new railroad track in the Phase 2 expansion between Orlando and South Florida. The expansion will go into the new South Terminal at the Orlando International Airport. Not only will it make the trip to MCO much more convenient for South Floridians, the…
Death metal worthies from two different generations, the mighty veterans Incantation and young guns Blood Incantation, have announced a co-headlining North American tour set to start in September. The “Last Atonement” roadshow will include several stops in Florida, including one in Winter Park’s metal haven, the Haven Lounge. Neither band are strangers to Central Florida stages.…
On Monday, a bipartisan group of Florida congressional members continued their push for U.S. House committees to allocate the $200 million the president directed towards Everglades restoration in the federal budget. The effort was organized by Democratic U.S. Reps. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and Alcee Hasting, as well as Republican U.S. Reps. Brian Mast and Francis Rooney.…
Music fans should consider staying in and watching some public television a couple Saturdays from now. Why? We R glad U asked! Local PBS affiliate WUCF will be premiering the epochal Prince concert film RAVE UN2 THE YEAR 2000. Originally broadcast as a pay-per-view live on New Year’s Eve 1999 at Prince’s Paisley Park complex,…
Authorities with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office arrested Starkey Elementary School fourth-grade teacher Betty Jo Soto Monday morning when a loaded gun and two knives were discovered in her backpack. Pinellas school district spokeswoman Lisa Wolf-Chason told the Tampa Bay Times that Starkey Principal Audrey Chaffin contacted law enforcement after noticing Soto suspiciously kept the…
Valencia’s newest campus in downtown Orlando’s Creative Village just received a major donation for its culinary and hospitality arts program. The combined facility with UCF is opening this fall. The school’s culinary and hospitality programs will take up three floors of the 15-story UnionWest educational building that is currently under construction. The new facility will be known…
A man with striking monochrome clothes and stark white skin stands on stage, as an enormous roll of blank paper unfurls from the heavens. He carefully selects an audience member, quickly sketches their portrait, and excitedly exhibits it to them, only to instantly deflate and dispose of his creation. The cycle repeats endlessly, growing faster…
A “fish tale” may be defined as an implausible, boastful falsehood, but there’s nothing dishonest or immodest about recognizing Joseph Swanberg and Rebecca Fisher as Orlando Fringe’s most beloved husband-and-wife performing team. This year’s revival of Fish Tales and Swan Songs, which originally debuted 15 years ago, is yet another swimming, soaring demonstration of the…
Military veterans and their families are eligible to get free single-day tickets to SeaWorld Orlando, the company says on its website. The offer begins today and will run through July 15. Here’s how it works: Between today and June 9, U.S. military veterans and retirees must redeem tickets for themselves and up to three dependents…
The 2019 hurricane season’s first named storm, Andrea, has weakened to a subtropical depression, weather officials said Tuesday morning. At 10:45 a.m., Andrea was located roughly 250 miles west-southwest of Bermuda. Its maximum sustained winds were measured at about 35 mph. Though Andrea is currently moving north at 8 mph, forecasters say it’s likely to…
According to numbers put out by the Florida Department of Education on Wednesday, 36% of children who attended the state’s Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten program (VPK) last year were not ready for kindergarten. That number rose to 42% for the 2017-2018 school year. Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday that “the failure rate is not defendable,” and has…
In a statement on their Facebook page, Winter Garden craft brewery Red Cypress announced that they will be closing at the end of May. No reason was given for the closure, and they didn’t indicate whether or not they’ll continue brewing canned or bottled beer at a different location for retail. Looks like now is…
In response to pieces of anti-abortion legislation passed in states like Alabama and Georgia, a pro-choice protest will take in downtown Orlando on Sunday, starting in Lake Eola Park and ending at Orlando City Hall. Protesters will meet at Lake Eola at 11 a.m. and march to City Hall by 12 p.m., where they will…
Local legend Sarah-Lee Dobbs and director Laurel Clark, the team behind 2015’s Critics Choice pick Tell Me on a Sunday, bring Willy Russell’s Tony-winning dramedy Shirley Valentine to the Orlando Fringe in this powerfully funny portrait of mid-life rebirth. Shirley is an empty-nest English housewife with an emotionally absent husband, who resorts to talking with…
Florida Sen. Dennis Baxley, a descendant of a Confederate soldier and literally the only person to vote against removing the name of a racist judge from a building at Florida State University, is now arguing that Alabama’s new oppressive abortion laws are a good thing because, well, the country needs more white people. While speaking…
The mating season seems to have gone awry for one South Florida alligator. David Jacobs, a Georgia resident who found himself visiting the Sunshine State for a wedding over the weekend, captured an image of a real-life gator laying on top of a not-real-life gator over the weekend. Jacobs first noticed the gator in the…
Sybrina Fulton, who rose to prominence as a gun reform advocate following the fatal shooting of her son Trayvon Martin in 2012, announced Saturday that she will run for a seat on the Miami-Dade County Commission in 2020. Fulton is challenging Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert, who’s term-limited, for the District 1 seat, the Miami…
The therapy dogs at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland got their own page in the yearbook this year. The therapy dogs have been described as an integral part of the school since a gunman killed 17 students and staff last year. The dogs attend class, give students handshakes in the hallways and even…
Creed frontman and formidable solo artist Scott Stapp today announced even more dates for his Space Between the Shadows tour. What was at first just a summer tour now extends into October and this tour will wrap up in the City Beautiful! Stapp recently unveiled new single “Purpose for Pain” that will feature on his…
The May 17 edition of the Winter Park/Maitland Observer – a newspaper that’s documented the Central Florida communities for more than 30 years – was its last, the Orange Observer reported last week. “It breaks out hearts that we won’t be here to tell our readers and the residents of Winter Park and Maitland and…
Universal Orlando revealed new details this morning about the queue and the coaster itself for “Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure,” the world’s first “story coaster.” In the ride’s queue, guests will enter ruins behind Hagrid’s hut that Hagrid uses for his groundskeeping duties. There they will begin a Care of Magical Creatures class, passing dragon…
Orlando Shakes is hosting a free Tony Awards viewing party on Sunday, June 9, from 6 to 11 p.m. Guests will watch Broadway’s biggest award ceremony on a big projection screen in the Margeson Theater, the Shakes’ largest theater. James Corden will host the awards, which will feature performances from the Tony Award-nominated shows. This…
No need to lug a 50-pound bag of food to donate to the Pet Alliance tomorrow (although that would certainly be appreciated, too). The annual “Dine for Paws” fundraising event, benefiting the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando, is tomorrow, May 21. Simply eat at one of the 11 participating restaurants and 15 percent of your…
When the Brevard Zoo’s new Rainforest Revealed area opens this fall there will be a few more residents than the zoo had originally planned for – eight, to be precise. Four Brazilian whiteknee tarantulas and four Brazilian salmon pink bird-eating tarantulas, all still babies, are part of a massive wildlife trafficking case that saw 250…
An area of low pressure is likely to form south of Bermuda late Monday, and the National Hurricane Center says there’s a medium chance it will be the first tropical or subtropical depression of the 2019 hurricane season. The early morning update says there’s a 60 percent chance that the disturbed area will develop as…
Airline safety videos aren’t known for their entertainment value, but United Airlines is trying to change that, thanks to a brand-new one featuring Spider-Man. The Easter egg-filled video is part of a marketing partnership between the airline and this summer’s Spider-Man: Far From Home that also includes United being the official airline for the movie. Multiple…
UPDATE: As of May 1, 2019, Bungalows Key Largo is no longer managed by Noble House Hotels & Resorts. The fire took place four days after the change in management. Less than five months after opening, Bungalows Key Largo went up in flames earlier this month, shutting down the resort for months. The fire caused…
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 Viedma. Viedma are playing May 25 at Will’s Pub with Massacre and Druid Lord. Just the facts: When did the band form?The individuals you see before you converged amid the…
If we’ve learned anything from the Evil Dead franchise, it’s that going into the woods and reading incantations from an ancient tome rarely ends well. So consider this fair warning: When four friends (Esteban Vilchez, McKenzie Jo Frazer, Christopher Baker, Amanda Lane Decker) gather on the fringes of the Fringe beer tent and begin fooling…
David Lee already has a well-earned Fringe Lifetime Achievement Award, but after his latest one-man triumph, he might have to regenerate like a Time Lord so that he can be presented with another. In Ray Bradbury’s H2O, Lee and producer/director Margaret Nolan return to the seminal sci-fi author’s short stories, bringing three classic tales (“The…
As a cisgender male, I’m fortunate that society doesn’t expect me to spend over 10% of my waking life on personal grooming, but thanks to first-time writer/performer Lily Garnett, I’ll now have a little more empathy the next time I’m waiting on my wife to apply her makeup. Garnett begins her autobiographical monologue War Paint…
Usually, when a beloved theme park attraction undergoes a major update, it emerges from refurbishment with the spark that once made it special ripped away (think the Enchanted Tiki Room, or Epcot’s original Imagination pavilion.) But The Animatronicans are the exception that proves the rule, because the runaway stars of 2016’s Fringe are now “Under…
John Michael just wants to introduce his new boyfriend to his mother. Unfortunately, she died a little over 2 years ago. Still, that’s not stopping him from whipping up a batch of her famous homemade meatballs in hopes of resurrecting mama for a metaphysical mangia. Between sharing fantasies about being anally violated on the Second…
Hark, and attend well this tale of future woe, in which Skynet hath slain the human race as verily as Aaahnold murdereth the English language. I might be biased because I worked on the Universal Studios attraction for several years, but I consider Terminator 2: Judgment Day to be James “King of the World” Cameron’s…
With the scheduled execution of serial killer Bobby Joe Long less than a week away, the Florida Supreme Court on Friday rejected a challenge to his death sentence. Justices unanimously turned down a series of arguments filed by Long’s attorney, including that Long should be resentenced because scientific advances have increased knowledge about brain injuries…
Last year, writer-director Adam McCabe confronted Fringe audiences with a grim sci-fi fable about a world where people can be murdered with the flip of a switch. This year, he returns with Death Face, a high-concept black comedy that’s equally as edgy and misanthropic, although with more morbid laughs. Kelly Kelly (Jerry Jobe Jr.) is…
Now that Spooky Empire has turned traitor and is taking its convention over to Tampa, there’s only one con in town with real star-drawing power, and that’s MegaCon. This weekend, you can meet, greet and selfie with stars like best-ever Doctor-and-companion team David Tennant and Billie Piper (Doctor Who); Marty (Michael J. Fox), Doc (Christopher…
Opera buffs know this as Benjamin Britten’s setting of an English miracle play about Noah’s Ark to his vivid, sophisticated original music. Fans of Wes Anderson, on the other hand, will recognize it as the charming children’s pageant staged in Moonrise Kingdom. Britten firmly intended this as a children’s opera, to be performed in churches…
Orlando’s messy, gooey and fun-filled science experiments return this weekend to the Orlando Science Center. The Mess Fest features three brand new mess zones, along with five mess zones from previous years. Mess Fest, an annual event, happens this year from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, May 18-19. The event helps kids…
Activists and environmental groups will join hands on the beach on Saturday for a midday synchronized event across 95 worldwide locations. Promoting renewable energy and protesting Trump administration plans to roll back coastal protections, Hands Across the Sand is being promoted as especially important this year. The event was founded by Surfrider Foundation member Dave…
I’ve got a confession to make: I’ve never been a big fan of “Lilly,” the baby-voiced character that narrates preshow announcements at the Venue. But for the final new VarieTease fantasia before the building is demolished, creator/choreographer Blue Star (with the aid of collaborator/writer Patrick Fatica) has finally found a way to make me empathize…
Updated: The Miami Herald and Sun Sentinel reported late Friday afternoon that U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said the agency does not have imminent plans to send migrants to Broward and Palm Beach counties. But transporting migrants to South Florida is a possibility as part of “contingency” plans, the newspapers reported. “We do not…
Dandy Darkly (aka New York-based writer/performer Neil Arthur James) may look like Captain Spaulding raided Elton John’s closet and commandeered the Polar Express, but don’t judge this book by its glittering cover. In All Aboard, Darkly invites his audience on an express ride into the dark heart of gothic Georgia, where long-buried ghosts are still…
There’s a subtext of existential dread underlying many shows at this year’s Festival, but leave it to Space Hippo to make that unspoken angst explicit in this unexpectedly sophisticated surreal knee-slapper. Scientists warn that life on Earth will be extinguished in only five years, but instead of doing something sensible to stop our extinction, short-sighted…
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND TV Girl and Yohuna, Soundbar, May 15 West Coast indie-pop band TV Girl sure know how to light up a room. Well, yeah, there were good actual lights at their Orlando concert, but their music and mien are what set this absolutely packed house aloft on a party cloud. Working the nostalgic…
Tonight’s much-anticipated Nicky Jam has just been postponed, according to the Amway Center. No official reason has been cited by venue or artist as of this writing. A rescheduled date and ticketing information for the reggaeton star’s Orlando show will be announced via the Amway Center’s website and social media outlets in the near future. Get…
From representing the University of Florida to co-starring in “Florida’s greatest photo” with a taxidermied raccoon on its head, the alligator is truly the spirit animal of the Sunshine State. And Gatorland, the “Alligator Capital of the World,” is the quintessential tourist-trap-turned-legit Florida story. The oldest theme park in the Orlando area, it’s a place…
The Downtown Orlando Information Center will reopen this June with a new name and a new mission. Discover Downtown will still be located at 201 S. Orange Ave., but the newly refreshed center will feature a retail space featuring local artists and vendors, Orlando-based publications and reference guides, and an area for business and networking events.…
We all know the answer to the ancient question “Does a bear shit in the woods?,” but what about Girl Scouts? You’ll learn the truth behind that, along with other secrets you always wanted to know but were afraid to ask, in the outrageously unconventional Pack Animals, a two-person comedy that’s improbably successful at integrating…
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ status as a “green” governor is officially up for debate. On Friday, DeSantis signed a bill – the Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance, or M-CORES – that requires the state to build two new toll roads and extend a third toll road through rural parts of Florida, according to a press…
Every year, I go through the same four-month emotional cycle when the James Beard Foundation Awards — known as the “Oscars of the food world” — list is released. First, cautious optimism when the semifinalists list comes out in February. There’s usually a smattering of Central Florida talent: Scott Hunnel (Victoria & Albert’s), Hari Pulapaka…
And you thought you were never going to get any more use out of that captain’s hat you bought for your Thurston Howell III costume. This Saturday, May 18, Wall Street Plaza gets in on the yacht rock craze with a block party featuring the smoothest sounds on land. Music is provided by Captain Korndogg,…
Avant-percussionist and Assistant Professor of Music at UCF Thad Anderson has been a longtime live favorite here at Orlando Weekly, whether playing solo or in ensembles. And as of a few days ago, we now have a piece of recorded music from Anderson to hold us over until his next show, courtesy of New Hampshire-based…
This Is My Brave: The Show will hold open auditions this weekend in Avalon Park for a performance in September. “This Is My Brave” began in 2011 as a blog by Jennifer Marshall, upon the surfacing of her bipolar disorder. It eventually evolved into a theater production with the help of Kickstarter campaign. Now it’s…
Put it down. Texting while driving in Florida is now officially illegal. On Friday during an event in Sarasota, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill, HB 107, that makes using your phone while driving in Florida a primary offense. The law also requires school zones and active work zones to be hands-free areas — as…
The Clearwater lawyer who filmed himself saying “So long, sucker” to a raccoon he left stranded 20 miles offshore is now being investigated by the Florida Bar. According to the Tampa Bay Times, Bar officials confirmed that an investigation into Thomas Cope’s raccoon incident is underway, but did not say which rules he may have…
Theatrical Japanese pop-metal wunderkinds Babymetal are setting their sights on North American domination later this year with the announcement of a September/October tour that, amazingly, will kick off right here in the City Beautiful. The band recently lost one of their three singers — Yuimetal, who headed off for a solo career — with Su-metal and…
The federal government plans to release hundreds of migrants into Broward and Palm Beach counties starting next week, blindsiding Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has been an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump’s efforts to crack down on illegal immigration. The Republican governor’s office said DeSantis was not informed of the plan, adding that Florida counties…
The doctors fixed Mick Jagger’s heart, and now the Rolling Stones are ready to get back on the road after postponing shows so the band’s frontman could receive emergency medical attention. On Thursday morning, the band announced a series of rescheduled dates for the band’s tour, which stops in Jacksonville (July 19 at TIAA Bank…
If you’re stuck in traffic right now it might be because a damn plane just made an emergency landing on I-4. According to authorities, a small plane ran out of fuel while headed to the Orlando Executive Airport and was forced to land on the on-ramp to WB I-4 from Maitland Blvd at around 5:45 p.m.…
The recently announced LEGO playset based on the popular Netflix retro-fest Stranger Things has already hit the LEGO store at Disney Springs. Though the set is only available online to non-“LEGO VIPs” (yeah, that’s a thing) on June 1, any old schlub can now walk into the Lake Buena Vista store and pick up the set…
Florida’s hurricane season starts June 1, and Ron DeSantis enacted into law a formal tax holiday exempting certain items from sales tax. The Florida Department of Revenue posted a list of items ranging from flashlights to food coolers that Floridians can buy between May 31 and June 6 without paying sales tax. Items like bungee…
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott and other members of Florida’s congressional delegation on Thursday backed Gov. Ron DeSantis’ statement that election records in two unidentified counties were hacked by Russians during the 2016 campaign. But questions continue to linger. Scott, who was governor from 2011 to early this year, said in a statement that he —…
Two of Orlando’s buzziest restaurants are coming together for a one-night-only match-up featuring the two heavyweights of the comfort food world: — In this corner, Pizza Bruno, serving up their wood-fired pies and epic garlic knots as the self-described “noisy neighbor” of Curry Ford West! — In the other corner, Hunger Street Tacos, Winter Park’s…
In his debut State of the County address, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings committed to raising the minimum wage for county employees to $15 by 2021 and announced a 1-cent sales tax increase to fund better public transportation. Demings’ three-pronged speech emphasizing “innovation, collaboration and inclusion” spared the audience inundating statistics and political jargon and instead looked…
Do the right thing, drivers, or Orange County sheriffs will refresh your memory with a hefty fine. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office released a video on Twitter Thursday to remind motorists to follow traffic law as it relates to school bus safety. The tweet also mentions that a driver caught not stopping for a school bus in the…
Master Police Officer Anthony Wongshue of the Orlando Police Department was arrested late Wednesday night on manslaughter charges stemming from a fatal shooting that took place at the Colonial Plaza on May 7, 2018. Wongshue, a 16-year veteran of law enforcement, was notified of his indictment and opted to turn himself in to authorities, police…
This is happening! After some uncertainty last month about a show in Tampa, Chan Marshall’s Cat Power went one better and scheduled another show in Central Florida, right here in the City Beautiful. Great news for Cat people, as fans of the band have been waiting to see Marshall and co. since the cancellation of…
Canadian storyteller T.J. Dawe is one of the most popular frequent presenters at the Orlando Fringe for very good reason, and this year he’s making another welcome return with Operatic Panic Attack, his newest autobiographical monologue that connects his love of Verdi with his crippling anxiety disorder. Like many of T.J.’s tales, this one starts…
Need a ride? There’s an app for that, SunRail says. On Thursday, SunRail, Central Florida’s commuter rail system, announced the release of the company’s new SunRail App for mobile devices. The app includes features such as train schedules that provide down-to-the-minute arrival times; a trip planner with travel times, distance and fares; station information, such…
Bronze Kingdom, the gallery of African and African-American art in the likely doomed Fashion Square Mall, is celebrating a year of business in its current location this Saturday, May 18. It’s a great time to check it out, as the gallery, which normally costs $12 for an adult admission, will be free to browse all…
Thornton Park restaurant Tre Bambine has closed just a couple of months after opening their doors. Located in the space that previously housed Spice Modern Steakhouse next to Lake Eola in downtown Orlando, Tre Bambine Modern Italian Bacaro opened Feb. 26, but owner Jacquelyn Angiulli says they “just couldn’t make it work,” adding, “I am very sorry…
More than a year after the Florida Legislature passed gun restrictions, a Leon County circuit judge has dismissed a lawsuit that alleged a ban on “bump stocks” was an unconstitutional taking of property. Judge Ronald Flury last week issued a 12-page ruling that sided with the state in the dispute stemming from a law passed…
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND Tape Studies, CityArts, May 13 The In-Between Series has such an established tradition of avant-garde music that Tape Studies – who were the featured act at this most recent edition of the monthly event – seem almost square by comparison. Not to give anyone an unnecessary complex or anything, but I’ve seen…
Sure, you can buy Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Publix, but wouldn’t you rather let an expert hand-scoop a free cup for you? We think you would. The Jeni’s truck tour is coming to Orlando and will be parked at two locations in town during Friday and Saturday, May 24 and 25, featuring some of…
Hurricane-tested Floridians and back-to-school shoppers will be able to once again take advantage of sales-tax “holidays” as they prepare for the upcoming storm season and the new school year. Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday signed a tax package (HB 7123) that features the disaster-preparedness and school tax holidays, as well as relief for business owners…
Trae Crowder is one of our favorite success stories connected to the Orlando Indie Comedy Festival. The Tennessee comic appeared as a young comic in the first two years of the festival, but then his “liberal redneck” videos went viral on Facebook, skyrocketing him to internet fame. Crowder returned to headline the third year of…
As a door closes on one no-wave powerhouse (Obliterati), so a door opens on another – just down the street, in fact. Las Vegas is not known for its robust underground, so for Spring Breeding to hail from there is a bit of a shocker. Even more shocking is the electrical ferocity and urgency of…
New England post-hardcore firestarters Pile cemented their place in the hearts of Orlando gig-goers who like it loud on the strength of previous engagements at the Peacock Room and Backbooth. Now they’re finally returning with a new record, a new sound and a new guitarist. This year’s Green and Gray takes a step back from…
Hawt and Popular is coming back for a second issue! Thomas Mack’s snarky yet earnest collaborative zine project highlights and celebrates lesser-known music, art and small businesses in the City Beautiful in an effort to, says Mack, combat the idea of a “tourist hub [lacking] any real culture.” If you didn’t make it out to…
Two Spirit Health Services throws a gala at the Orchid Garden this weekend to thank the community for assisting in their noble mission of providing mental health services for the LGBTQ community. The upscale event is Big Easy-themed, with music provided by Bon Bon Vivant and appearances from Raven and Jujubee from RuPaul’s Drag Race.…
WeWork, a New York City-based shared workspace company, is set to launch its latest location in the South Orange Avenue building that houses Wahlburgers in downtown Orlando early next year. The company signed its lease at the SunTrust Center on Monday, according to a news release from WeWork, which has more than 425 locations in…
This nearly nonsensical pastiche – co-written by an out-of-his-acid-dropping-mind Jack Nicholson, by the way – is like an American version of the Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour, but with the Monkees standing in for the Fab Four. It’s a mix of sketch comedy, music and nonsense that’s far more convinced of its transcendence than it has…
Moshi Moshi Productions always puts on some of the best afterparties for the convention crowd, and for this year’s MegaCon, they’re putting on three. Opening night takes place at I-Drive’s Icebar, giving you the chance to cool off after an afternoon of the convention sweats. Dress up to compete in the costume contest, or just…
On Thursday, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings will deliver the 2019 State of the County address at the Orange County Convention Center. Demings’ first mayoral address will highlight his administration’s current and future initiatives, including transportation, affordable housing and wages, among other priorities, officials say. The program begins at 9 a.m. and will be televised…
Synth-pop ’80s stars Information Society made their name on the strength of freestyling 1988 single “What’s On Your Mind (Pure Energy)” but – unlike many of their peers on the singles charts of the time – kept going, touring and consistently releasing new albums. And Orlando fans will get an up-close chance to see how the…
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has detected the presence of the phytoplankton that causes red tide, Karenia brevis, in low concentrations in waters off the Southwest Florida coast. Between May 2 and May 9, low concentrations between 1,000 and 10,000 cells per liter were found between Longboat Key and Bradenton Beach in Sarasota County and the intracoastal waters…
By Cameron Meier In 1992, Cameron Todd Willingham was judged guilty of burning his three baby girls to death in a house fire in small-town Texas. But as he sat on death row, a re-examination of evidence and testimony showed that Willingham was probably innocent. Texas killed him anyway. This revelation would normally be a…
The Orlando Fringe is in full swing for the next two weeks, and seeing all those shows can be thirsty (and hungry) work. Your best bet, as always, is to patronize the vendors on the Fringe Lawn, as well as the Beer Tent and the Booze Tent. The food vendors are open for business weekdays…
OPENINGS: Another day, another food hall announcement. Kevin O’Donnell, co-owner of the Local Butcher and Market and The Porch in Winter Park, will open a 4,000-square-foot food hall and biergarten concept at the redeveloped Fort Gatlin Shopping Center this November. The space will see Da Kine Poke, Swine & Sons, the Local Butcher and Market,…
“Tick, tock, Mr. Wick.” When last we left unhappily unretired professional killer John Wick (modern noir god Keanu Reeves), he had just been given a one-hour head-start on his excommunication from the global assassins’ guild he is a member of, along with the laying of a contract on his life that will be too big…
We’ve updated our annual A-to-Z (all right, A-to-W) guide to getting the most out of the festival. Check out show details, festival policies and venue maps at orlandofringe.org, where you can also buy tickets, and keep an eye on Orlando Weekly’s show reviews at orlandoweekly.com/fringe2019. App Look for the official Orlando Fringe app on the…
Once again, here’s our list of highly anticipated productions, assembled based on the artists’ past performances, previews and insider word-of-mouth. Follow along with our actual reviews at orlandoweekly.com/fringe2019! Critically Acclaimed Encores & Sequels: 2 for Tea (James & Jamesy; Sussex, U.K.; Silver) 6 Guitars (Chase Padgett; Vancouver, Washington; Silver) 90 Lies an Hour: Paul Strickland…
Garbage human here. I’ve had herpes for about 15 years. The first five years, I was in a relationship with a guy who also had it. The last 10 years, I haven’t been in a serious relationship. I’ve been a (rare, drunk) one-night-stand type of gal, and I don’t usually tell the guy because, like,…
Churro (A428127) arrived at the shelter a few weeks ago as a stray with an injured left front leg, which our veterinarian suspects to be radial nerve damage. He’s been recovering for the past few weeks, and miraculously has started to regain use of his leg! While his gait has been improving recently, he will…
Opening this week: The Biggest Little Farm This documentary about a couple who abandon city life to spend eight years building their own farm has been a big hit on the festival circuit, inspiring plaudits that incorporate words like “joyful,” “sustainable,” “harmony” and “footprint.” There’s probably a “mindful” in there too, but thank God I didn’t…
