Go ahead, judge a beer by its cover
Saturday’s Orlando Beer Fest 2019 may have sold out of VIP tickets, but there’s still plenty of room for general admission at Orlando Festival Park from 2-5 p.m. There will be 52 different artisans and vendors serving all afternoon until supplies run out. Big Storm Brewing Co., Clearwater, Florida Big Top Brewing Co., Sarasota, Florida…
Celebration Arts Academy is about to unveil their new, greatly expanded facility for teaching dance, musical theater, and other performing arts, and it’s more than six times the size of their old location. That’s cause for – what else? – a celebration. The new, 6,300-square-foot space will host an open house for guests on Wednesday, Dec.…
Central Florida death metal demigods Atheist have had a long career of innovating and pushing at the boundaries of extreme metal, and 2019 has seen some long overdue kudos come their way. The band now has a beer named after them, and well-respected metal imprint Season of Mist reissued three of their classic early albums.…
With “Chief Fun Officer” Shaq in tow, Carnival debuted the new ride vehicles for the rollercoaster planned to go aboard the Carnival Mardi Gras ship, under construction now. The announcement was made at the IAAPA Expo taking place this week at the Orange County Convention Center. The upcoming, Port Canaveral-based ship is one of the…
One Direction alum and solo pop star Harry Styles has added a handful of new dates to his 2020 “Love On Tour,” and one of his newly scheduled stops right here in Orlando next summer. Over the weekend, Styles was the host and musical guest on the new episode of SNL, and he will be…
SeaWorld Parks kicked off the first day of the IAAPA Expo, the world’s largest amusement-industry convention, with a pair of press events on Tuesday, one for each of SeaWorld’s new planned attractions. Unique to this year are the number of coasters and the variety of manufacturers making them. Each of the five coasters slated for 2020 is…
The fourth annual world’s largest tiny house festival is headed to Orlando and will feature tiny residences, micro-homes, presentations, workshops, and (bring the kids along) there will be children’s activities too. Don’t miss the Tiny House Band on stage Saturday night. Concessions will be available and you can bet they won’t be the smallest things…
Orlando Legals Legal Public Notices Auction: Notice is hereby given that Compass Self Storage Intents to sell the property described below to enforce a lien imposed on said property under the Florida Self Storage Facility Act (Section 83-80-83.809). The owner will sell at public auction for CASH through competitive bidding on December 11, 2019 at…
A shotgun may seem like the obvious Florida Man weapon of choice. But Florida Man contains multitudes and, lately, an affinity for machetes. Mascotte Police Tuesday arrested a Florida man who allegedly armed himself with a machete while hanging out in a shed with four other people. According to witnesses in the police report, the…
Eight percent of Blacks voted for Donald Trump in 2016. As abysmal as that number is, Trump is determined to get more African-Americans to re-elect him in to White House. Trump’s approach to court one of the most consistently Democratic voting blocs, which his campaign calls “Black Voices for Trump,” is through radio and newspaper…
Underground lifer and experimental guitarist/composer Eugene Chadbourne is heading south for the winter for a small clutch of Florida dates, including, happily an engagement in the City Beautiful. A rare treat indeed! Chadbourne’s musical life has been a long series of surprises since the 1970s, including time in Shockabilly, collaborations with outsider jazz titans like…
Teresa Jacobs and the Orange County School Board must not botch the renaming of Stonewall Jackson Middle School. After a long four-year process to rename Stonewall Jackson Middle School, the School Advisory Committee (SAC) has decided on a name almost identical to its current one. The naming suggestion, Jackson Middle School, now heads to the…
Goddamn, who ever thought one of the songwriters of “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” would ever amount to anything respectable? Well, that’s exactly what’s happening right now with country-pop heavyweight Randy Houser. With this year’s remarkably substantial album Magnolia, he’s currently in the throes of a legit epiphany, finally striking some non-pop gravitas and authenticity in an…
Looks like the Doobie Brothers are taking it to the streets one more time. Despite just playing at St. Pete’s Mahaffey Theater last weekend, the Doobs (or at least what’s left of them) are coming back, but this time with former bandmate Michael McDonald. This week, the Doobie Brothers announced a new 50th anniversary tour…
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND Human Host, TTN, Formaldehydra and Colette Parisa, Grumpy’s, Nov. 17 It’s hard to characterize anything that happens at Orlando’s underground experimental shows as usual or typical. That held true at a recent such showcase in Mills 50. Take Lakeland noise act Formaldehydra for example, who coaxed much mileage from what looked like…
A Florida woman who tossed a slushie at Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz and hit him square in the suit last June, was sentenced to 15 days in federal custody. After pleading guilty last August and facing 100 days in prison, 35-year-old Amanda Kondrat’yev was sentenced last Monday to 15 days in jail, 100 days of…
The National Rifle Association has abandoned an effort to keep secret the identities of two young adults in a challenge to a state law raising the age to purchase rifles and other long guns. The national gun-rights organization filed a federal lawsuit last year, following the passage of a sweeping school-safety law enacted shortly after…
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday called for a flurry of new spending to alleviate worker shortages in Florida’s correctional system, as he acknowledged “morale has been low” in prison facilities. DeSantis said he wants to boost the Florida Department of Corrections’ current annual budget by $114 million. The additional funds would create 380 new positions,…
The Disney-fication of Orlando is so thorough that Walt’s second theme park is not just a point of regional pride but constitutes a good deal of Central Florida’s own identity. Landmark moments in Walt Disney World history essentially become noteworthy parts of Orlando’s city history, and Disney collectibles become valuable artifacts of the region’s last…
Last month, 4 Rivers Smokehouses rolled out a new plant-based barbecue sandwich called “Beyond Burnt Ends,” a vegan meat alternative, to celebrate their 10th anniversary. Today, the Winter Park-based chain announced the sandwich and meat are available at all 14 of its locations in Florida and Georgia. As before, only a limited amount of the…
Elton John’s supposed final Orlando show happened March 18 at the Amway Center, but the bitch just made plans to come back in 2020. The pop icon is bringing the three-year “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” concert back to Amway, again, on May 28, 2020. We’re fine with his lie about saying goodbye for good, however,…
If you take a shot at the king, you best not miss. When it comes to the Beefy King, actually, just don’t take a shot at all. Thankfully, the alleged arson that took place at Beefy King only momentarily closed the cherished Orlando sandwich shop. On Monday, the restaurant’s Twitter page announced that the Beefy…
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday proposed a $91.4 billion state budget for next year, touting plans to funnel more money to public-school teachers and continue “momentum” on environmental issues. The proposal is an initial step as lawmakers prepare for the January start of the annual legislative session, which will include negotiating a budget for the…
Delivering a victory to Democrats, a federal judge Friday declared unconstitutional a decades-old Florida law that requires candidates who are in the same party as the governor to be listed first on the ballot. Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker ruled that the state law “imposes a discriminatory burden on plaintiffs’ voting rights which is…
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 Flagman. Flagman is playing Uncle Lou’s on Monday, Nov. 18. Just the facts: Who’s in the band?Dromz/Random Sounds – Grant Freeman 6 String Geetar/Vocals – Cody Singleton 4 String Daddy…
A homeless woman remained inside a closed Daytona Beach Walgreens overnight to keep warm, and WKMG Channel 6 thinks it’s all pretty weird. Police arrived on the scene soon after alarms went off around 5 a.m. Wednesday, to find 49-year-old Valorie Phillips Hannigan smoking a cigarette in the woman’s restroom, while eating food she heated…
After years of rejecting Medicaid expansion in the state Capitol, the Florida House and Senate are trying to block a proposed constitutional amendment that would put the issue before voters. The House and Senate late Thursday filed briefs at the Florida Supreme Court raising a series of legal objections to a proposed ballot initiative that…
Hey, remember when Marilyn Manson announced that he was selling an officially-licensed, black, hypoallergenic silicone dildo that was 8-inches tall with a girth of one-and-a-half inches? Yeah, this is not an update on that. This week, the 50-year-old Florida rock & roll personality announced that he’d be joining another aging shock-rock icon, Ozzy Osbourne, for…
Last weekend, a statewide neo-Nazi motorcycle club that actually prefers to be called a “racial club,” left white supremacist fliers in a neighborhood just south of downtown Bradenton. According to the Bradenton Herald, police were called to investigate last Friday night after a group called the Endangered Souls RC/Crew 519 placed the fliers inside clear…
Local radio station 104.5-FM The Beat is pulling out all the stops with their Beat Music Fest, a heavy gathering of new hip-hop talent set for November’s Classic Weekend. DaBaby, Megan Thee Stallion, Rotimi and Trap Beckham are the confirmed headliners. The Beat Music Festival happens at the Lott (located behind the Beacham, downtown) on Saturday,…
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND Titus Andronicus and Partner, Will’s Pub, Nov. 13 Going in, I still wasn’t quite sure if Titus Andronicus were one of the most flexible punk bands going right now or a rock band that just uses punk as a springboard. Really, it doesn’t matter either way because that lack of blind, niche…
Gov. Ron DeSantis wants the Florida Legislature to abandon the embattled “Best and Brightest” bonus program and replace it with a new plan to offer bonuses to public-school teachers and principals. The governor said Thursday his proposed bonus program aims to provide incentives to teachers and principals to work at schools in low-income areas. He…
Every morning on Magic 107.7 FM, Leslye Gale discusses the most interesting Orlando Weekly stories of the day on “Chad & Leslye.” Check out Leslye’s picks today. It’s Beer Festival Time Folks!!! More than 50 breweries, hundreds of labels and it’s all happening in Orlando this weekend. – LINK WOW!!! Have you seen the just…
January will mark a new beginning for Orlando’s film slam programs – both of them. The Enzian Theater will continue its slam (a showcase and competition for student, independent, low-budget and no-budget short movies from Florida filmmakers) on January 19, but it will now be known as Central Florida Film Slam (CFFS). And a week…
Essentially, President Trump’s 2017 tax plan was supposed to create jobs by handing over $1 trillion in tax cuts to corporations and our nation’s billionaires. But since Trump knew he also had to appeal to the proletariat, a portion of the plan was dedicated to things called “opportunity zones,” which would supposedly create jobs and…
The Florida Strawberry Festival won’t kick off until February, but we already know who’s headlining concerts for the yearly Plant City party. Today, the festival announced that non-Confederate Flag-waving Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd (March 8) are on the bill along with Reba McEntire (March 1), Rascal Flatts (Feb. 27) and Josh Turner (March 4). Pop…
THIS LITTLE UNDERGROUND King Princess, The Plaza Live, Nov. 12 King Princess, the persona of 20-year-old Brooklyn-born artist Mikaela Strauss, is racking up cred and clout at a dizzying clip. A musical prodigy and reportedly preternaturally wise soul even as a child, the singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist is now emerging hard as an iconoclastic queer…
C-SPAN’s award-winning bus is partnering with cable provider Spectrum to bring the Campaign 2020 Battleground States Tour to UCF Downtown and FAMU Law on Thursday. The FAMU Law School stop is from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., and the UCF Downtown event will be held from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The tour made stops…
In an attempt to increase access to health care, a House panel on Wednesday approved a proposal that would authorize pharmacists to test patients for – and treat – the flu and strep throat. “I think this bill is a realization that we need to do more in our state to make sure that folks…
We told you about Filipino-American restaurant Taglish opening this fall inside the Lotte Plaza Market. This week, they’ve begun hosting their soft open. Taglish, so named for the blend of Tagalog and English languages, is a joint venture between chef Michael Collantes and Johnny and Jimmy Tung of Bento Group. You can be among the first to…
Escape to Margaritaville tells a cautionary tale of Northerners who depart their snowy homes for the island resort memorialized in Jimmy Buffett’s songs, only to face molten lava, broken engagements and tap-dancing zombie insurance salesmen. If only they’d simply been sensible Parrotheads and vacationed in Orlando — home to not only a Margaritaville restaurant, but…
In these trying times for Donald Trump, staring down an impeachment inquiry into his alleged inappropriate dealings with foreign powers, Florida has been a safe haven. He announced he was moving his permanent residence to the Sunshine State. South Florida is home to his beloved Mar-a-Lago Club and golf course. Gov. Ron DeSantis is one…
Though abortion is a right protected by the U.S. Supreme Court, Florida state lawmakers have tried for years to make getting one as difficult as possible. The state capitol has been filled with legislators over the decades who disagree with a woman’s right to choose, but Orlando Democratic state Rep. Anna Eskamani is not one…
Two apparent cell-phone thieves have been caught by police, accused of stealing a total of 138 cell phones at Electric Daisy Carnival. The Orlando Sentinel reported one man, 25-year-old Adeson Yordan Ortega Rodriguez of Hialeah, was arrested Tuesday near Lake Okeechobee when he failed to stop for a stop sign. Inside his car, officers found 104 phones and several credit…
An arsonist allegedly came for the Beefy King. Orlando Fire Department investigators linked up with Orlando police to conclude the Tuesday fire at the cherished Orlando eatery was no accident. Using evidence from the fire investigation, witness testimony and surveillance video, the law enforcement tag-team determined the fire was set deliberately. Within a day of the…
Get a new perspective on the Orlando skyline at Baldwin Park’s annual hot air balloon festival at Blue Jacket Park. Gather on the lawn to view a picturesque spread of lit-up balloons, then get yourself a ticket for a tethered ride. You can even spring for a private launch with just you and your sweetheart.…
Bombshell’s Tavern on Edgewater Drive usually flies under the radar, but they’re hosting a burlesque cabaret this week that’s worth paying attention to. Wicked Ways Cabaret is bringing in several burlesque performers, along with a magician, for a night of entertainment along with drink specials, raffles and prizes off the beaten path. 10 p.m. Friday,…
Dubstep DJ Jacob Stanczak, better known as Kill the Noise, stops in at Celine this week for those who didn’t blow their eardrums out at last week’s Electric Daisy Carnival. Kill the Noise has collaborated with everyone from Seven Lions to Tom Morello to Skrillex. This is the last tour date on his current schedule,…
Grab a few drinks at the Nook on Thursday night and take home a new-to-you book or two at the Orlando Book Hoarder Meetup. Clear some space on your shelves by bringing down books you’re never going to read again, even though you tell yourself you will, and browse through the castoffs from other people’s…
Only ’90s kids will get this. Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes’ speaking-engagement tour stops into Hard Rock Live this week, hot on the heels of the limited release of Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, a new film set in the ViewAskew-niverse that looks at the lives of the aging slackers. Whether you’re a fan of…
An effort to crack down on alleged fraud in the auto-glass repair industry, particularly along the Interstate 4 corridor, is spurring an insurance battle in the state Legislature. A proposal by Sen. Linda Stewart, D-Orlando, that went before the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee on Tuesday would prohibit repair shops from offering rebates or other…
Schools could soon stock up on naloxone – an antidote for people who overdose on opioids, such as heroin – under a proposal unanimously approved by the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday. Sen. Jason Pizzo, D-North Miami Beach, said he decided to sponsor the proposal to allow school officials to purchase and administer the life-saving…
Video captures Orange County Sheriff’s deputy’s rough arrest of a middle schooler: Last week Orange County Sheriff’s Office deputies were recorded detaining a Westridge Middle School student. One school resource deputy brutally clasped the back of a girl’s head, clenching her hair and her headwrap to yank her head back. The girl was arrested but…
Good news for orchestral music fans: Last month, the city of Orlando completed the acquisition of the Plaza Live concert venue in the Milk District, which will be leased back to the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra for $1 per year for the next quarter-century. The Philharmonic launched their 2019-2020 Focus Series at the Plaza on Oct.…
I have fond memories of visiting Church Street Station as a tourist in the 1980s and early ’90s, before Bob Snow’s groundbreaking grown-up theme park was grounded by competition from Disney and Universal. But as a resident, I confess to barely visiting the block since the long-gone days of Terror on Church Street and Rosie…
Tori Tori wants you to know that they are, without question, a bar. A “cocktail bar,” according to their Facebook. A “neighborhood bar,” reads the opening line on their website. A disclaimer further down the page is more to the point: “Please advise that we are a bar.” OK, Tori Tori. We get it. You’re…
OPENINGS: Bagel Bruno, the much-anticipated collab between Pizza Bruno and Foxtail Coffee, is in soft-opening mode in College Park, with a grand opening celebration planned for the weekend of Nov. 23-24. Bagel Bruno will offer six “Montreal-style” bagel varieties, all vegan … The old Al’s Army Store in Parramore may soon be transformed into a…
Ford v Ferrari, director James Mangold’s tale of the Ford Motor Company’s attempt to build a faster race car than Ferrari in the 1960s, is a rare, high-octane blend of art and entertainment. Excluding Steven Spielberg, they just don’t make movies like this anymore. Probably the most visually impressive film ever made about auto-racing, Ford…
Downtown Cinema Night: Blue Is the Warmest Color Award-winning French film about the relationship between two gay women over several years. Monday, 7 pm; Mad Cow Theatre, 54 W. Church St.; free; 407-297-8788; madcowtheatre.com. The Godfather Part II One of the best sequels of all time traces the saga of two generations of the fictional…
Opening this week: Charlie’s Angels Remember when the big strategy for introducing Idris Elba as 007 was going to be establishing that the British secret service employs several “James Bonds,” a fake identity assigned to agents of various ethnicities? I tell ya, even in this day and age, a brother can’t have nothin’ to himself. …
Over the last 20 years, certified weirdos and creative pioneers Quintron and Miss Pussycat have toured the world with their subversive rock shows that incorporate musical inventions, maracas, and eccentric, hilarious puppet shows. The New Orleans-based couple, Robert Rolston (Quintron) and Panacea Theriac (Miss Pussycat), represent a sound and style in diametric opposition to the…
Titus Andronicus Indie-rock stars are touring behind new album An Obelisk, produced by no less than Bob Mould of Hüsker Dü. 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13, at Will’s Pub, $16 Pennywise Pop-punk godfathers hit Ace Cafe with the Bronix and Authority Zero (and original vocalist Jim Lindberg back in the mix). 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14, at…
My boyfriend and I met online to explore our kinks. We’d both been in relationships with kink-shaming people who screwed with our heads. Since we weren’t thinking it was more than a hookup, we put all our baggage on the table early and wound up becoming friends. Eventually we realized we had a real connection…
Senate investigator Daniel Jones and film director Scott Z. Burns are both known for exposing dirty secrets. So it’s fitting that Jones, who revealed the CIA’s post-9/11 torture practices, is the subject of Burns’ political docudrama The Report. Burns tackled agricultural-industry price fixing in The Informant! and climate change in An Inconvenient Truth. His roles…
