Cover Story
Everything worth doing in Orlando this fall
Festivals, food, parties, pop-ups, sports and oh yeah, Halloween
Living dead return to Audubon Park for the annual Zombietoberfest block party
Orlando’s ninth annual night of the living dead returns to Audubon Park with another all-ages block party for zombie lovers. The festival and night market features zombie- and Halloween-themed vendors, food trucks, a DJ, and children’s activities for little zombies. There’s also a cash bar, costume contest and face-painting, so don’t fret if you don’t…
Ten10 Fest pairs bands with their own limited-edition beers this weekend
One of the linchpins of the Virginia Drive beer strip throws a party for itself this week with an all-day lineup of 10 bands. What’s really unique about this block party, though, is that Ten10 collaborated with some of the bands on the bill to create a limited-edition “Artist’s Ale” for them. Fat Night gets…
Orlando’s Ariel Bui returns from Nashville with a slate of shows, including this weekend at Will’s Pub
Although she’s breaking out of Nashville, Ariel Bui is through and through a product of the Central Florida music scene, having graduated with a music degree from Rollins College where she was a particularly active mover at WPRK 91.5-FM. Now, she returns as a budding artist of some accomplishment. Produced by Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes,…
Maitland Art Center opens ‘Drawing the Unseen’ in style with fun-filled Culture Pop! party
If you missed 2015’s Dalí exhibition at the Maitland Art Center, you didn’t just miss out on Salvador’s Saturnian giraffes and Martian self-portraits; you also missed a nifty selection of way-out watercolors by André Smith, the founder of the Research Studio himself. The new show Drawing the Unseen: Artists Explore the Subconscious, opening Friday, gives…
Com Truise hits the Social just in time to bring Vangelis-esque soundscapes to Blade Runner weekend
While synth-wave practitioner extraordinaire Seth Haley is seemingly on a quest to answer Leonard Cohen’s final, ghostly question, “You want it darker?” with a resounding “Yes!” as ghosts finally take over the machine and the grooves become altogether colder and more subtly menacing, that’s only part of the story. See, Haley, as Com Truise, has…
David Bowie design exhibition coming to Modernism Museum in Mount Dora
Singer/artist/musician actor David Bowie (clearly) wore many hats in his life, and one of them was that of a collector and aficionado of cutting-edge works of art and design. The Modernism Museum in Mount Dora will highlight this with an exhibition of pieces from Bowie’s personal collection of pieces by the Italian design movement Memphis later this…
26 free concerts happening in Orlando this week
Wednesday, Oct. 4 Eugene Snowden’s Ten Pints of Truth 10 pm at Lil Indies, 1036 N. Mills Ave. Reggae Night with Hor!zen and DJ Red I 10 pm at the Caboose, 1827 N. Orange Ave. The Daniel Heitz Band 10:30 pm at Tanqueray’s, 100 S. Orange Ave. Forget Myself 10:30 pm at Tanqueray’s, 100 S.…
Orlando Public Library invites you to drink openly (for once) in celebration of Booktoberfest
Kick off a month of Oktoberfest celebrations at the Orange County Library’s Booktoberfest. You’ll be able to sample a tasty variety of beers as you participate in a round of beer trivia from Curtis Earth Trivia and shovel traditional German food down your gullet courtesy of Rogue Pub and Chef 1 Studios. Live music is…
Chicago’s Second City returns to the Dr. Phillips Center with classic sketch comedy
Chicago’s pioneering improv comedy troupe, the Second City, is an institution. It’s been a career-launching point for comedians, actors and directors who have risen to become household names since its inception in 1959. Second City’s touring company, made up of young unknowns currently working and studying at one of the theater’s several locations, returns to…
Rick Scott opens relief centers for Puerto Rico evacuees as Democrats push further action
Gov. Rick Scott is opening three disaster relief centers in Florida to help Puerto Rican evacuees fleeing the disaster on the island in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. Scott announced centers would open in at Orlando International Airport, Miami International Airport and the Port of Miami to provide families arriving from Puerto Rico with available resources from…
Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes announce Hurricane Irma benefit show
After a certain “Boss,” that other paragon of New Jersey no-frills rock & roll, Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes, today announced a benefit show to help those in South Florida impacted by Hurricane Irma. Southside Johnny have been an integral part of the musical DNA of New Jersey for decades, with former Jukes including…
Florida AG Pam Bondi, staff go to Las Vegas to help shooting victims
Drawing on lessons learned after a nightclub massacre last year in Orlando, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and members of her office will be in Las Vegas the next few days to help victims of the nation’s latest mass killing. Bondi, along with Emery Gainey, director of the Division of Victim Services and Criminal Justice…
Here’s what’s left of Universal’s Dragon Challenge coaster
Fare thee well old friend. 😮 pic.twitter.com/H1UJ9QvrPs — HorrahNightzMayhem (@jtamagni1976) October 3, 2017 Universal’s Dragon Challenge, also known as Dueling Dragons, is now just a heap of scrap metal. This afternoon, Twitter user @jtamagni1976 posted a photo showing what’s left of the coaster, which officially closed back on Sept. 4. It would appear the coaster’s…
Sound of Ceres transform Will’s Pub with next-level DIY stage production
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND Sound of Ceres, Breathers and Aveleon, Will’s Pub, Oct. 1 Sound of Ceres are a relatively new Brooklyn band that comes with some deep credentials. They’re on Joyful Noise Recordings and are loaded with members from acts like Candy Claws, the Drums and the Apples in Stereo. Their particular brand of dreampop…
Disney confirms Epcot will get a ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ roller coaster
Disney’s Epcot will be getting a Guardians of the Gallery-themed ride and it reportedly will be a roller coaster. According to WDW News Today, the Vice President of Epcot, Melissa Valiquette, confirmed that the new Guardians attraction will indeed be a coaster, which will be a first for the park. The new roller coaster, which will launch riders into…
Noel Paul Stookey of Peter Paul and Mary to play Mount Dora
Noel Paul Stookey, who put the “Paul” in famed ’60s folk trio Peter, Paul & Mary, will play a one-off show in Mount Dora later this month. Fans of the political activism that was so central to Peter, Paul & Mary’s music will be pleased to hear that time has not dulled Stookey’s anger. Noel…
Protesters will rally against the Trump-Ryan tax plan this Wednesday in downtown Orlando
Orlando residents will call on House Republicans to take a stand against the proposed Trump-Ryan tax plan this Wednesday. The protest is planned by For Florida’s Future, a nonprofit public policy organization, and will take place at Marco Rubio’s office at 201 S. Orange Ave. this Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 12:30 p.m. The demonstration comes in anticipation…
Marco Rubio, who accepted nearly $10,000 from the NRA last year, sends his ‘thoughts and prayers’ to Las Vegas
Americans woke up Monday morning to the horror that a white domestic terrorist shot and killed an estimated 58 people and injured more than 500 more at a country music festival in Las Vegas. In the aftermath of the shooting, which has now surpassed Orlando as the most deadly mass shooting in modern history, lawmakers…
Pam Bondi is investigating debris-removal companies following Hurricane Irma
Attorney General Pam Bondi issued subpoenas to three Florida debris-removal companies that are allegedly failing to fulfill their contracts following Hurricane Irma, according to a Monday press release. Bondi is looking into AshBritt, Inc., Ceres Environmental Services, Inc. and DRC Emergency Services. According to Bondi, the companies are not living up to pre-storm debris removal contracts with…
Florida lawmaker files proposal to ensure nursing homes have backup air conditioning
Amid continuing fallout from the deaths of residents of a Broward County nursing home after Hurricane Irma, a key state senator has filed a bill that would seek to prevent lengthy air-conditioning outages at nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Senate Children, Families and Elder Affairs Chairman Rene Garcia, R-Hialeah, filed the measure (SB 372)…
Federal judge says Florida abortion law violates free speech
Calling it a “naked effort to impede speech on a disfavored topic,” a federal judge has blocked provisions of a sweeping Florida abortion law from going into effect. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle centered on part of the 2016 law dealing with people or organizations that provide advice to women considering abortions.…
Orlando will hold vigil tonight for Las Vegas shooting victims
The One Orlando Alliance is planning a vigil Tuesday night to honor the victims of the Las Vegas mass shooting, which currently stands at 59 dead and more than 500 wounded. The Orlando United for Las Vegas vigil will be tonight at the Seneff Art Plaza in front of the Dr. Phillips Center for the…
After years of delays Disney’s Flamingo Crossings might finally get its village center
Back in 2007, Disney announced a new budget-conscious development known as Flamingo Crossings. The new mixed-use development was put on the back burner when the recession hit a year later. Disney then got distracted with transforming Downtown Disney into the much higher-end shopping district Disney Springs. With a half-million square feet of retail, 5,000 hotel…
Pam Bondi really doesn’t want O.J. Simpson to serve parole in Florida
Following Sunday’s release of O.J. Simpson, the former NFL star and current criminal indicated he plans to move to Florida, but not if Attorney General Pam Bondi can help it. In a letter penned to the Secretary of the Florida Department of Corrections, Bondi laid out strict probation rules for Simpson, in the event he chooses…
Here’s where to get help in Orlando for anxiety over Las Vegas shooting
The mass shooting at a Las Vegas country music concert that left at least 58 dead and more than 500 injured has left many Pulse survivors and residents in Orlando feeling anxious or depressed. And it’s completely normal to feel that. After all, it was only 16 months ago that 49 people died in a…
Legendary Florida rocker Tom Petty has died
UPDATE: TMZ now reports that the initial reports were premature, and that Tom Petty is still alive. However, Petty has been pulled from life support and is not expected to live: Sources tell us at 10:30 Monday morning a chaplain was called to Tom’s hospital room. We’re told the family has a do not resuscitate…
New brewery to break ground In Ivanhoe Village this month
It’s been said that the Ivanhoe Village area will someday become the backbone of Orlando’s brew scene, and it seems a new brewery is helping this vision become one step closer to reality. Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company is expected to break ground Oct. 13 and will open for business in spring 2018. In a post on the…
This isn’t normal
Last night, Stephan Paddock shot an automatic rifle from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas, killing an estimated 58 people and injuring at least another 500 attending a country music festival. If it feels like mass shootings are becoming deadlier and more frequent, it’s because they are. This tragic event is now…
Orlando leaders react to Las Vegas mass shooting
Orlando leaders were mostly in shock Monday afternoon after a gunman shot and killed 58 people at a country music festival from the high floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. The Sunday-night massacre is the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history. Until hours ago, the notorious title was held by…
Florida health officials pushed to give go-ahead to edible marijuana
A medical marijuana operator is demanding that the Florida Department of Health develop a regulation so vendors can begin processing and selling edible marijuana products to patients. In a petition filed Friday, Surterra Florida asked health officials to start a rule-making process involving a new law designed to implement a voter-approved constitutional amendment that legalized…
The Moody Blues to play Orlando in January
British prog-rock legends the Moody Blues have announced a new round of touring to mark the 50th anniversary of the milestone album Days of Future Passed and they will be playing Orlando as part of it! The band will be playing a greatest hits set first and then the album from start to finish after…
Andretti Indoor Karting ushers in a new era of entertainment on Universal Blvd
After nearly a year and half, the much-anticipated Andretti Indoor Karting & Games has officially opened on Universal Boulevard in the heart of the I-Drive tourist corridor. Located at the intersection of Convention Way and Universal Boulevard the 150,000 square feet family entertainment complex is one of the investments yet on still mostly undeveloped Universal…
Rick Scott declares state of emergency to help Puerto Rico recovery
Governor Rick Scott declared a state of emergency Monday in all 67 Florida counties to help Puerto Rico relief efforts. Following the devastation left by Hurricane Maria, the governor signed an emergency order designed to provide families leaving the island with important resources and assistance upon arrival. “Puerto Rico was totally devastated by Hurricane Maria…
With new holiday events coming to Hollywood Studios, Disney looks to be sinking the Jingle Cruise
Since 2013, Disney has transformed the Jungle Cruise at both the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland in Anaheim into a pun-filled, Christmas inspired attraction known as the Jingle Cruise. Initially panned by critics, Disney added more props, like Santa hats for some of the animatronic animals, and worked on the script. In more recent years the…
We went to opening night at Kadence and here’s every dish we ate
We told you Friday that Kadence, the new nine-seat omakase restaurant by the talented trio behind Kappo and Konbini at East End Market, opened. Well, later that night, I had the opportunity (at full menu price; no freebies for me) to partake in the superlative multicourse sushi omakase fashioned by Mark Berdin, Lordfer Lalicon and…
Band of the Week: Leo Æther
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 Leo Æther. Leo Æther are playing Monday, Oct. 2 at 64 North. Just the facts: Who’s in the band? Juan Burgos is from Puerto Rico and plays the electric and…
Have a drink for a good cause at Savoy’s annual Celebrity Bartender Night
For the fifth year in a row, local celebrities get behind the stick at Savoy to raise money for the Center. Big(gish) names from the worlds of entertainment, journalism, politics and art take your orders and do their best to create your preferred cocktail. Send it back if it’s really bad, but remember that all…
Florida prepares for influx of evacuees from Puerto Rico
From schools to shelters, Florida is readying for an influx of people struggling for food, water and power in hurricane-damaged Puerto Rico. Gov. Rick Scott said Florida doesn’t know how many people will make the trip from Puerto Rico. Also, Scott said it is unknown how many will decide to remain permanently in Florida or…
There’s an emu running loose in Eustis
In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, one Eustis woman is searching for her lost Emu. 74-year-old Betty Carter told WKMG that “Tweety Bird” had gone missing after the record-breaking storm felled a tree that damaged a portion of her fence. Speaking to the station, Carter said “I come out and I stand there and I call…
This video of Puerto Rican friends and family reuniting at Orlando International Airport is wonderful
A heartwarming scene as family welcomes back loved ones from Puerto Rico on today's @JetBlue relief flight. Story: https://t.co/PPysL8aOrz pic.twitter.com/9cwYqtGwws — Orlando Intl Airport (@MCO) September 29, 2017 Finally, some good news. Friends and family were reunited today at Orlando International Airport, as Jetblue’s relief flights from Puerto Rico arrived this afternoon. According to OIA: …
Florida will miss deadline for handing out medical-marijuana licenses
Health officials won’t be able to meet a legislatively mandated Tuesday deadline to hand out five new medical-marijuana licenses, the head of the state’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use said Friday. Christian Bax, the marijuana office’s executive director, blamed the delay on Hurricane Irma and a pending challenge to a recently passed law that ordered the Department of…
Florida lawmaker files bill to make it a hate crime to attack someone’s political affiliation
A Florida lawmaker recently filed a bill that would make going after someone’s political affiliation an actual hate crime. Joe Gruters, a Republican from Sarasota, filed HB 209 yesterday and told the Miami New Times, that the bill would protect “both sides.” If successful, the bill would add “political affiliation” to two of Florida’s hate crime statutes.…
Florida lawmaker says he’ll ‘punch you in the face’ for kneeling during national anthem
A Florida lawmaker engaged in some keyboard-warrior antics Friday when he tweeted that he’d “punch you in the face” for anthem protests. Republican Rep. Julio Gonzalez, of Venice, is firmly in President Donald Trump’s corner after the leader of the free world spent his time this week vulgarly criticizing football players like Colin Kaepernick who choose to…
Orlando artist Wolfrich made this week’s cover, and you can score a copy at Artlando
We’ve been getting a lot of questions about this year’s Fall Guide cover and we’re here to try and answer them all. Who made it? Badass local artist Wolfrich. What was the inspiration? “I read a lot of Where’s Waldo? books when I was a kid and I always wanted to make my own. So…
Florida restaurant hosting NFL jersey burning party this Sunday
In response to football players bringing attention to racial injustice by kneeling during the national anthem, a Florida restaurant is offering a free hot dog to anyone willing to toss their NFL merchandise into a community bonfire. Coney Island Drive-Inn in Brooksville, Florida, is hosting a “Celebration of Patriotism” this Sunday for anyone triggered enough by…
Rapper Lil Pump to play Orlando in November
South Florida Soundcloud MC Lil Pump has announced an extensive North American tour for later this later that includes three (!) Florida stops, including one in Orlando. Lil Pump also just announced the imminent release of his debut mixtape, which will get a distribution boost via Warner Bros. Lil Pump plays the Beacham on Wednesday,…
Retail and beer venture Phas3 to open in former Spacebar location
After the recent announcement that Milk District venue Spacebar was closing for good, details have been revealed about the future of the former Milk District Live Music fixture. In October, Phas3 will open in the former Spacebar space. Phas3 will be a joint retail (and beverage) cooperative with Legacy Vintage, Simply Clean, Please Evolve, Dead Beat…
U.K. metal legends Venom Inc. infect the Haven this weekend
Venom (pre-Inc.) burst out of the U.K. metal scene in 1981 with a raw, noisy sound that owed as much to punk as it did to Judas Priest, and then upped the ante with overt Satanic imagery, festooning baphomets over everything in sight. Venom delivered beyond mere shock, though, with songs like “Black Metal” and…
Florida Supreme Court overturns ‘stand your ground’ decision
In a legal dispute stemming from a Tampa bar fight, the Florida Supreme Court on Thursday drew a line in the use of the state’s “stand your ground” self-defense law in criminal and civil cases. The issue facing justices involved criminal charges and a civil lawsuit filed against Nirav Patel after he struck Ketan Kumar…
Online voter registration set to start in Florida
On Sunday, Florida will join 35 other states in offering online voter registration to its residents. Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner announced Thursday that his department is ready to launch the RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov website in compliance with a 2015 law that required online registration to be available by Oct. 1. Detzner, who originally opposed the…
Oh, hello! Comedian John Mulaney drops in to Hard Rock Live for a double feature
Baby-faced comic John Mulaney first got our attention as a writer on Saturday Night Live, that bastion of weekly satire that no one admits to liking until it’s the only thing calling out the emperor for having no clothes. But when he tried to make the jump to a prime-time sitcom, Mulaney, in 2013, neither…
Henao Center revives spirit of warehouse parties for Orlando House Music Party Vol. 2
House music can sometimes get a bad rap, due mainly to the confusion over genres in the electronic dance music pantheon. House – the original underground dance genre – grew out of underground disco parties in Chicago in the late ’70s and early ’80s, and retains a lot of the hallmarks of disco. DJs Andre…
Feast on a spread of weekend favorites at the Orlando Brunch Festival
Sometimes the hardest part of brunch is deciding where to actually go for brunch, amirite? Well, this weekend all you Madisons and Tylers can rest easy: The Orlando Brunch Festival promises multiple vendors preparing a la carte brunch dishes, along with mimosas, bloody marys, craft beer and more. And after you’re done noshing, you can…
Mark Kozelek of Red House Painters and Sun Kil Moon comes to Dr. Phillips Center this weekend
Indie rock has few personalities on the provocation level of Mark Kozelek, a man who makes even artistically sympathetic intellectuals clutch pearls like none other. Despite his prickly reputation, however, the Red House Painters and Sun Kil Moon frontman delivered an extraordinarily intimate and generous performance here in this very theater back in 2015. His…
Kadence, new restaurant by Kappo founders, opens Friday in Audubon Park
Friends, Orlandoans, lovers of all things Nihon, lend me your ears. Lordfer Lalicon, Mark Berdin and Jennifer Banagale, the trio behind such Japanese-inspired outfits as Kappo and Konbini, announced they will open Kadence, their much-anticipated Audubon Park omakase restaurant, TODAY. There’s no signage on the restaurant, so if you’re wondering where it is, just look…
Royal Caribbean cancels cruise and sends ship on rescue mission to Puerto Rico
Royal Caribbean has canceled one of their upcoming cruises in order to help evacuate hurricane victims from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. According to the Miami Herald, Royal Caribbean canceled a scheduled Saturday voyage for the Adventure of the Seas, which can carry 3,114 passengers, and has instead sent it to San Juan,…
This restaurant in Lakeland has little Kaepernick jerseys in their urinals
This is the coolest urinal ever. I need one of these at my house. A post shared by Scott Dwyer (@scottdwyer8) on Sep 2, 2017 at 6:57pm PDT Lakeland’s Winners Circle Sportsbar & Grill, a self-described “politically incorrect restaurant,” has placed stickers in the shape of Colin Kaepernick’s jersey in their urinals, because nothing says you…
New craft cocktail bar coming to the Milk District in October
With the addition of yet another watering hole, the Milk District is slowly but surely becoming a staple for Orlando bar hoppers. Southern Craft (2405 E. South St.), which will serve specialty craft cocktails and beers, is hosting a soft opening on Wednesday, Oct. 11, according to the bar’s Facebook page. Doors open at 5…
Now kings of the mountain, Mastodon roll deep with Eagles of Death Metal and Russian Circles
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND Mastodon, Eagles of Death Metal and Russian Circles, Hard Rock Live, Sep. 26 If some of the trash that ends up getting the hype and spotlight is a total mystery to you, you’re not the only one. It’s the story of modern popular music, and it’s never been very straightforward. Stardom is…
Mario Batali is coming to the Orlando Museum of Art for a cooking demo
Get ready to rub shoulders with the orange-Croc’d wonder right here in Orlando when Publix Aprons Cooking School hosts A Culinary Journey With Mario Batali at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 4. Underestimate Batali at your peril – the shoes may be silly, but the man wearing them is a true lover of all things Italian, and…
Aramis Ayala ranked as one of the 100 most influential African-Americans
Orange-Osceola State Attorney Aramis Ayala has certainly made headlines this year and now she is being recognized as one of 2017’s 100 most influential African-Americans by The Root. Ayala, the first African-American elected state attorney, is ranked 86th on the list. As we previously reported, Ayala made waves earlier this year when she decided not…
Saturday night is your last chance to see delightful ‘First Date’ at the Abbey
I’m continually grateful to have been happily coupled for the past decade, and therefore exempt from modern society’s excruciating courtship rituals. But I may have felt different about being single if any of my early romantic encounters had been half as effervescent as Generation Production’s presentation of First Date, which closes this Saturday, Sept. 30,…
‘American Idol’ winner Nick Fradiani to play Orlando
American Idol Season 14 winner Nick Fradiani is on tour and set to play Orlando in October. Fradiani is playing shows around the country to promote his upcoming self-released EP of country-pop Where We Left Off. Nick Fradiani will play the Abbey with Alternate Routes on Friday, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m. Tickets start at…
Florida schools are becoming increasingly segregated, says recent FSU study
Although Florida is becoming a more racially diverse state, its public-school system is becoming more segregated, a new study from the LeRoy Collins Institute shows. “Student enrollment trends in Florida over the past decades show growing racial isolation for Hispanic and black students on some measures, with signs of continuous segregation on others,” the study…
Country singer Miranda Lambert announces Orlando show in 2018
Country star Miranda Lambert has just announced the dates for her 2018 “Livin’ Like Hippies Tour” of North America, and there is an Orlando date confirmed! The singer is set to play the Amway Center on Friday, Jan. 19, 2018, with Jon Pardi and Brent Cobb. Ticketing information TBA. Related Stories
The City of Orlando is collecting donations for Puerto Rico; here’s how you can help
The City of Orlando is coordinating with the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration Office to collect and send emergency supplies to the U.S. territory devastated by recent extreme weather events. After the one-two punch of hurricanes Irma and Maria, Puerto Rican residents are still suffering, lacking electricity, drinkable water, sewer service, cell phone and internet coverage,…
A week after Hurricane Maria, Trump finally waives Jones Act for Puerto Rico
A week after Hurricane Maria left millions of Puerto Ricans in the dark and without water, President Donald Trump has finally waived the shipping restrictions of the Jones Act for the U.S. territory. The Jones Act, also known as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, is a World War I-era law that requires goods shipped between…
Sound of Ceres brings theatrical performance of new album ‘The Twin’ to Will’s Pub
Listen to “Gemini Scenic” from Sound of Ceres’ upcoming album, The Twin, and the echoed-out, ghostly vocals of Karen Hover will conjure images from Andrei Tarkovsky’s Solaris. A symbiotic relationship of sci-fi and fantasy, Sound of Ceres’ live performances of The Twin promise an autumnal blessing with hand-crafted anachronistic costumes, magical lighting whipped up with…
Mexican rock pioneers Café Tacvba bring triumphant tour to House of Blues
Widely considered to be one of the most important and adventurous rock bands to emerge from Mexico, Café Tacvba have been fearlessly stretching the boundaries of rock & roll since the early ’90s. From raw, folk-punk beginnings, the band has since restlessly experimented with genres as diverse as hip-hop, tejano and electronic music. They’ve won…
CFAM’s newest exhibition, ‘Time as Landscape,’ defies description
Someone once said that writing about music is like dancing about architecture – meaning, we guess, that it’s mostly impossible and maybe pointless. Clearly we enjoy a challenge, as we expend thousands of words per week writing about music, food, art, and so on, but sometimes the maxim proves true. For instance, the massive exhibition…
Former SeaWorld president working with feds in ‘Blackfish’ investigation
In the continuing wake of 2013’s Blackfish, former SeaWorld Orlando president Terry Prather is now working with federal investigators probing a potential cover-up of the company’s stock ratings, reports Page Six. SeaWorld entered the stock market just several months after the release of Blackfish. Speaking in 2013, then CEO Jim Atchison maintained the documentary had little effect…
Rick Scott replaces Florida’s emergency management chief with former staffer
Florida’s emergency-management director is leaving the job as the state emerges from the destruction of Hurricane Irma and with two months remaining in the Atlantic storm season, Gov Rick Scott’s office announced Tuesday. Bryan Koon, who has been director of the state Division of Emergency Management since 2011, will leave office effective Sunday “to pursue…
Florida nursing home industry challenges governor’s order to install generators
Pointing to “impossible” timeframes, an industry group has filed a legal challenge to new requirements by Gov. Rick Scott’s administration that nursing homes and assisted-living facilities quickly install generators to power air-conditioning systems. LeadingAge Florida, which represents more than 100 nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, filed the challenge late Tuesday in the state Division of…
Rick Scott will be traveling to Puerto Rico Thursday to offer aid
Gov. Rick Scott will be going to San Juan, Puerto Rico on Thursday to coordinate recovery efforts after Hurricane Maria ravaged the island and left millions without electricity and potable water. The Miami Herald reports Scott’s office says the Florida governor’s trip comes at the request of Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló. Rosselló has warned the deteriorating…
Lana Del Rey is coming to Orlando in 2018
Singer Lana Del Rey has just announced her “L.A. to the Moon” North American tour for early 2018, with only two Florida dates, one of which is in Orlando. Lana Del Ray will be touring behind her critically-lauded and torchy new LP Lust for Life. Lana Del Rey is set to play the Amway Center…
Lawmaker introduces bill for free college tuition, just as long as you stay in Florida
Florida State Representative Shevrin Jones proposed a new bill this week that would help pay for some student’s college tuition, just as long as they stay and work in the Sunshine State. HB 181, which was introduced on Monday, Sept. 25, calls for the creation of the Sunshine Scholarship Program, which would cover the total cost of…
Florida teacher reprimands first-grader for kneeling during Pledge of Allegiance
A first-grader at a Florida school was told to stand after his teacher noticed he was kneeling during the Pledge of Allegiance. On Monday, Sept. 25, a teacher at Wiregrass Elementary School in Pasco County told the kneeling 6-year-old student to “stand up and stop it” in front of his classmates. She eventually texted his mother…
Florida governor candidate Andrew Gillum supports ‘Medicare For All’ proposal
Democratic Florida governor candidate Andrew Gillum is embracing the “Medicare for All” health care proposal first introduced by democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Just a day after the demise of the Graham-Cassidy Obamacare repeal, the Tallahassee mayor released a statement in support of the proposal. “The Graham-Cassidy bill has met the same fate as…
Winter Park teen accused of fatally beating Roger Trindade files ‘stand your ground’ motion
One of the teenagers accused of beating 15-year-old Roger Trindade to death in Winter Park last year has filed a motion for a “Stand Your Ground” defense. WKMG 6 reports the state attorney’s office has confirmed a lawyer representing one of the teen boys filed a motion claiming the juvenile was defending himself during the incident…
Florida nursing homes look for answers on generator costs
With time running out to comply with what could be a $240 million generator mandate handed down by Gov Rick Scott, nursing-home administrators and long-term care lobbyists left a Tuesday meeting without an indication of what, if anything the state will do to help offset the costs. Members of a nursing-home payment workgroup may have…
Taddeo grabs big win for Florida Democrats in Senate battle
In a race viewed as a litmus test of President Donald Trump and Florida Democrats’ ability to make gains in local and statewide elections next year, Miami businesswoman Annette Taddeo coasted to victory Tuesday in a race to replace a disgraced former state senator. The Colombia-born Democrat, who has never held public office, defeated former…
Local synth project Moondragon releases debut album
Orlando synth-waver Moondragon – a relatively new entrant to the electronic scene – has been making a name for himself on local stages opening for the likes of Gost and holding his own. Live, he mixes analog and digital synthesizers and drum machines with visuals that make for a temporal mashup; fond nostalgia collides with…
Artlando celebrates Central Florida’s vibrant arts scene at Loch Haven Park
Celebrate creativity and community at Orlando’s biggest annual art event Saturday at Loch Haven Park. Catch up with over 150 local artists who display, create and sell interactive pieces on-site, some of which will be entered into the city’s largest live-art competition. The all-day event also includes more than 20 food trucks from Tasty Takeover,…
24 free concerts happening in Orlando this week
Wednesday, Sept. 27 Eugene Snowden’s Ten Pints of Truth 10 pm at Lil Indies, 1036 N. Mills Ave. Reggae Night with Hor!zen and DJ Red I 10 pm at the Caboose, 1827 N. Orange Ave. The Final Giant Peach Hip-Hop Jam 9 pm at Will’s Pub, 1042 N. Mills Ave. Thursday, Sept. 28 Thursday Jazz…
Say goodbye to Black Sabbath with a film of their final show at the Enzian
At a 2013 press conference announcing the release of their swan-song recording, 13, the members of Black Sabbath were asked to identify the biggest challenge they had faced in making the album. Guitarist Tony Iommi, who was at the time undergoing treatment for lymphoma, broke into an ear-to-ear grin and replied, “Not dying.” Four years…
Disney releases promotional photo of Hawkeye holding a bow like an idiot
This is how you lose digits, kids. This morning, Disney’s Public Relations Manager, Jonathan Frontado posted a brief story to the official Disney blog highlighting Marvel characters that will be featured on Disney Cruise’s upcoming “Marvel Day at Sea.” “Today, set your sights on another sensational Super Hero – Hawkeye,” says the blog. The only problem is that…
For the fearless, it’s worth wading through the seafood options at Joyful Garden
The 1st Oriental Supermarket may very well be the star tenant of the Westside Crossing shopping center on West Colonial Drive, but there are plenty of other radiant points lighting the way through the plaza’s shadowy parking lot for gastronomes – specifically, the cluster of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese and Taiwanese restaurants. Newish eatery Joyful…
Columbus is a worthy destination
To succeed in architecture, one must master space – both positive and negative – and learn to assemble small, stationary parts into a large, stable construction. The same is true for filmmakers, although we often forget it thanks to most movie’s frenetic, haphazard camerawork. But writer-director Kogonada hasn’t forgotten the connection between architecture and film.…
Foxtail Coffee Co. goes drive-thru in Altamonte, Paramount Fine Foods is gone, plus more in our weekly food roundup
NEWS: Austin Boyd, who served as executive chef for Seito Sushi Baldwin Park, Osprey Tavern and Reyes Mezcaleria, is no longer working for Jason Chin’s three restaurants. Chef de cuisine Huy Q. Tin will head up the kitchen at Seito, chef de cuisine Elek Kovacs will head up Osprey, and both will help Chin at…
Our 50 fave spots to drink and dine alfresco in Orlando
It’s impossible to name every restaurant in Orlando with a patio, terrace, or even just a few tables on the sidewalk. But now’s the time of year you can sit outside and feel the sun on your shoulders without passing out, so get out there and take advantage. Here’s a list of our 50 (yes,…
Every major art exhibition coming to Orlando this fall
As the days grow shorter and the year seems to slip into a fugue state of sorts (especially this year), we look to find beauty and enlightenment and new perspectives to inspire and shake us up. This fall’s (and beyond) slate of visual arts exhibitions and happenings promises energizing jolts to the system. Orlando Museum…
14 Central Florida pumpkin patches, corn mazes, hayrides and more
Central Parkway Baptist Church 5281 Central Florida Parkway, 407-352-8664 cpbcorlando.com Central Parkway Baptist Church has you covered for pumpkin picking seven days a week starting Oct. 7 through Halloween. Take part in some extra fall fun during the Fall Festival on Oct. 21. Lukas Nursery 1909 Slavia Road, Oviedo, 407-365-6163 lukasnursery.com Lukas Nursery & Butterfly…
Four fall film festivals coming to Orlando worth getting off the couch for
If fall means scary movies to you, don’t worry: We have a whole section on those too. But if you’d rather read subtitles than shriek at jump scares, this season’s schedule of film festivals should give you more independent and world cinema than you could possibly digest. Enjoy it while it lasts; 900 screenings of…
5 specialty cocktails you should be drinking in Orlando this fall
Sugar and spice and everything nice (but no pumpkin, we promise)
Trump trolls’ half-ironic bigotry helps normalize events like the Charlottesville terror attack
Where the hell is Kekistan?
Selections: Our picks for the best things to do in Orlando this week
Friday, Sept. 29: Time as Landscape: Inquiries of Art and Science Someone once said that writing about music is like dancing about architecture – meaning, we guess, that it’s mostly impossible and maybe pointless. Clearly we enjoy a challenge, as we expend thousands of words per week writing about music, food, art, and so on,…
A talk with Guy Nelson of Dynamic Attractions before his appearance at November’s IAAPA trade show
Disney’s Imagineers and Universal’s Creative team usually get all the credit for blockbuster rides like Soarin’ or Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, but neither of those attractions would exist without Dynamic Attractions, one of the most acclaimed independent design/build companies in the amusement industry. A decade ago, CEO Guy Nelson leveraged his stake in…
8 seriously funny comedy shows coming to Orlando this fall
In addition to the usual showcases, open mics, improv shows and other comedy events that we have year-round in Central Florida, fall brings in a few headliners from out of town that you may want to keep an eye on. From top stand-ups to YouTube and television stars, there’s something for everyone to laugh at…
Savage Love: ‘Girls and Women and Sex’
My teenage daughter just came out to us as gay. We told her we love her and support her. As a heterosexual, cisgender mother, how do I make sure she gets good advice about sex? I don’t want her learning from other kids or porn. Do you know of any good, sex-positive advice books for…
Opening in Orlando: American Made, Columbus and more
OPENING THIS WEEK: American Made Tom Cruise plays real-life commercial pilot and smuggler Barry Seal, who got caught up in the U.S. government’s efforts to help the Nicaraguan Contras deal coke and frame the Sandinistas for doing the same thing. Is filmmaker Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity) following in the crusading footsteps of his late…
Gimme Shelter: Meet Groot!
Are you looking for a new furry friend? Meet Groot! Groot (A379405) is a 6-year-old boy who is looking for a home. He’s a super friendly dog, and would do best with an active family. Groot walks well on a leash, is housebroken, and knows the command “sit.” He loves to eat treats, and he…
There’s a Monster Mash of horror flicks on screens in October
Besides sitting in a pumpkin patch waiting for you-know-who, there’s only one better way to pass the time lounging in the dark once October hits. We’re talking about taking in a horror flick, a time-honored tradition of the season going back to the heyday of Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff (if not before). And local…
Southern Fried Sunday spotlights the women of Central Florida music
Boy, I never thought I’d be housed by anything named Irma. But like all those busted trees and power lines everywhere, so went the show calendars, and so went my material in the aftermath. So, apologies for the unannounced column break last week. But the beat goes on. SFS SOUTHERN BELLE BALL, WILL’S PUB COMPLEX,…
ICYMI: Florida is overflowing with poop, the Twitter account of a porn-hating lawmaker ‘liked’ a porn clip and more
Twitter account of Florida lawmaker who’s trying to declare porn a public health crisis ‘liked’ a porn clip: After filing a bill decrying the evils of pornography and its effect on women and children, state Rep. Ross Spano, R-Dover, played himself after his Twitter account “favorited” a pornographic tweet last January. Looking back through Spano’s…
The best jazz, opera and classical performances coming to Orlando this fall
This fall’s classical music offerings are a diverse bounty of orchestral listening to suit all tastes. The events we are highlighting are the fall slates of a number of hardworking and creative arts organizations putting on classical and opera concerts, and one-off engagements from touring productions and performers. So on the one hand, you’ve got…
Athens cult rockers Five Eight return to Orlando to say goodbye to a friend
Athens, Georgia, indie heroes Five Eight are a band who discovered that there’s more freedom in the underground, and have stuck it out there since the early ’90s, beloved of those with discerning ears. One of those fans was the much-missed local writer and activist Billy Manes, who championed them ceaselessly. This Friday, Five Eight…
The best Orlando concerts happening this week
Alison Wonderland Australian EDM wunderkind honed her chops as a classically trained cellist and is now fêted by Diplo and touring the world. 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27, at House of Blues, $20 Thad Anderson Who knows what wonderment that restless experimental percussionist Anderson has in store for us? Only one way to find out.…
The top Orlando theater seasons for 2017-2018
Get your tickets
