FRIDAY: Get out of the house and enjoy a multifaceted outside-the-mainstream art show, Cluster Fluff at USF, in the newly refurbished Gallery 102. Media on display include painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, digital media and installation, to "manipulate the viewer into a state of self-awareness."
Large, whimsical artwork by Leif Langford, Rafael Fonseca, and Alexi Berry lull one into a remembrance of youth, and reflect on nostalgia and fragmented memory. Ashley Ridenour uses the act of abstracting to deal with scientific phenomena via theory and experience.
Ashley Gaia, Matt Lukens, and Jysikka Ryan use line and subtle color as a textural narrative to the delicacy of both man-made and natural environments, and of life itself. Prints by Caroline Levinson, Erica Rohman, Elizabeth Crane, and paintings by Heather Mahoney, Kallie LeFave, and Kandy Lopez delve into an exploration of the self: "at once sensual, manipulative, curious, and grotesque."
Landscape becomes a ground for cultural exploitation and understanding via Gabriel Ramos and Rachel Matos's use of color and place. Seth Pikal, AnaSophie Ruju, and Don Compton take extremes of culture and spectacle.
Opening reception is 7-9 p.m., with free food and refreshments catered by local restaurants chosen by the graduating class. Parking and admission are both free.
For more information, contact curator and Associate Professor Neil Bender at nb2@usf.edu, or participant and publicity coordinator Ashley Gaia at agaia@mail.usf.edu. Go to art.usf.edu, and see the Facebook event page for Cluster Fluff.
FRIDAY: Forget everything you hate about poetry: the embroidered-vest marauders of mush and bugged-out hippies who scream with apoplectic abandon. Celebrate National Poetry Month with the erudite but down-to-earth poets of YellowJacket Press at the Second Annual Poetry Party. The event showcases the debut of new collections by Peter Meinke, Poet Laureate of St. Petersburg (and CL contributor), and Melissa Carroll, winner of the first annual Peter Meinke Prize in Poetry. Plus, hear Laura Sobbot Ross, the winner of the Annual YellowJacket Press Poetry Contest for Florida Poets, James Tokley, Poet Laureate of Tampa, along with several other respected poets. Projections of artwork by Jeanne Meinke, music, light refreshments, and a raffle of literary oddities and keepsakes are also featured. 6-9 p.m., Fri., April 29, at the Continuing Education Center of Eckerd College, 4200 54th Ave. S., St. Petersburg. $5 donation requested. For information, write to Gianna Russo at russo15@juno.com or visit yellowjacketpress.org. Text by Julie Garisto.
SATURDAY: Tampa's self-styled "Finest Vintage Scooter Club," Tampa Two Stroke, invites all owners of two-wheelers (bicycles, mopeds, scooters, motorcycles and the like) to engage in some friendly competition during its Downtown Throwdown Scavenger Hunt, an event sponsored by PBR. Participants register teams of two or more, pair up with other singles, and pick up the wide-ranging list of items to be collected for the hunt starting at 10 a.m. at Cafe Hey (1540 N. Franklin Ave.); the official kick-off is 11 a.m., with a midday break at The Bricks (1327 E. Seventh Ave.) for lunch, general sizing up and note-comparing, and adult games and prize-winning activities. The downtown Tampa-Ybor City hunt concludes at 5 p.m. at Crowbar (1812 N. 17th St.), where items are turned in for points and the winners are announced and given the title of ultimate scavenger! (I don't know about that last part, but at least you'll secure the bragging rights for this particular event, if not others.) For complete rules and info, visit tampa2stroke.com. Sat., April 30, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., downtown Tampa and Ybor City, $5 per person entry fee. Text by Leilani Polk.
SUNDAY: Discerning bargain-shoppers, are you tired of the same ol' plastic flowers and country ducks at flea markets? Head to the Eighth Annual Rock 'n' Roll Swap Meet on Sun., May 1, at the St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club. The sale features cool collectibles of all kinds, old and new band T-shirts, vintage clothing and music. CDs, vinyl and, yes, even cassettes can be purchased, along with musical instruments and gear (guitars, amps, cords, etc.), jewelry and distinctive artwork. In addition, you can get a handle on that hair of the dog that bit you Saturday night with beer and wine, or grab some grub and wash it down with soft drinks … oh, and, duh, play shuffleboard! More than 20 vendors are expected to hawk their wares, and five bands entertain on two stages: Thee Knight Sweats at 2:30 p.m., The Friendly Sort (former members of Rancid Polecats) at 3:10, Gino and The Goons at 3:50, The Lambasters (featuring Ernie Locke of Nervous Turkey at 4:30 and ska favorite Magadog at 5:10. 2-6 p.m., May 1, 559 Mirror Lake Drive, St. Petersburg. $5 at the door. For information, e-mail rwp67@hotmail.com. Text by Julie Garisto.
SATURDAY: Big cities like Toronto and New York are renowned for their comedy festivals. The comics at Damage Control are putting our fair li'l metro on the laugh map for the first-ever Tampa Bay Underground Comedy Fest on Sat., April 30. The event at The Heights trolley barn space, just outside downtown Tampa, aims to give exposure to some of the most underexposed and offbeat talent in the area, comics whose punch hits long after the punchline. See stand-up comedians, sketch groups, musicians, rappers and oddball acts who fall between the cracks of tradition and avant-garde. National stand-up comedian and TV personality, Helen Keaney (pictured) emcees between local favorites Hawk and Wayne (American Stage's 321, Second City and Groundlings), Comedy Rapper Big Cheese (G4 Attack of the Show, "Gimme Dat Bacon"), The Humor Mill (Orlando sketch veterans), the music of Peter Pan (The Castle, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel) and Ken Spivey, the comedy songs of Mike and Erika, and sketch duo Janine & Chad (The Ruling Show) plus a bonus midnight screening of the cult classic film The Room. Sat., April 30, 8 p.m.-midnight, 1910 Ola Ave., Tampa. 813-453-0872, TampaComedyFest.com. Text by Julie Garisto.
Also, briefly … Fri.-Sun.: Comedian Tommy Davidson Best known for his spunky performances on In Living Color, the comic/actor is touring and developing a new variety TV show. He appears at the Improv at Centro Ybor through May 1. improvtampa.com.
Fri.-Sun. Potiche at Tampa Theatre Stars Franco-legends Catherine Deneuve and Gerard Depardieu. It's rated R for some sexuality (pardon their French, hoo hoo). $9 adult; $7 kids 2-12, Senior, Military, Tampa Theatre Members. tampatheatre.org.
Fri: Paper Airplanes Take the kids and spend a high-flying evening with paper-plane world record holder Ken Blackburn at the Glazer Children's Museum. Includes demonstration and competition for kids. Dinner optional. $10-$21. glazermuseum.org.
Fri.-Sun. Christopher Titus Time has called him "brutal, hilarious and audacious." Side Splitters Comedy Club. christophertitus.com. $18-$23
Sat.-Sun.: 33rd Annual Siesta Fiesta Browse a wide variety of works by 250 artists along Sarasota's pristine Siesta Key. Sat.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Siesta Village, 5124 Ocean Blvd., Sarasota. artfestival.com.
Sun 1: Painting in the Park Celebrate the closing of the British watercolors exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Pete with a sidewalk show featuring art and musical performances. 1-4 p.m. fine-arts.org.
Also, check Leilani's Music Section for the lowdown on Ziggy Marley, USF SYCOM, and the Big BAAMO blowout, the Tales of Highways & Low Roads CD Release Show.
This article appears in Apr 28 – May 4, 2011.