Sundance: Day Four-ish
Monday was officially the fifth day of the Sundance Film Festival if you count the Gala in Salt Lake City. The fourth in Park City. And it was our third full day here. This is a day that is generally characterized with a lot of transition. The opening weekend is in the books and many…
Greetings from Park City!
We arrived in Park City on Saturday afternoon a little too late to wait-list for our first selection – the premier of "What Just Happened" at 6:15pm. Since we wanted to jump right into the Sundance experience, we headed to Main Street for some evening people watching and to shoot some filler footage for our…
Top 10: Songs for MLK
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day: 1. "A Change Is Gonna Come," Sam Cooke 2. "What's Going On?" Marvin Gaye 3. "Strange Fruit," Billie Holiday 4. "Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud," James Brown 5. "Fight the Power," Public Enemy 6. "Respect," Otis Redding/Aretha Franklin 7. "To be Young, Gifted and…
Lucero performing “I Don’t Wanna Be the One”
This YouTube entry from an unidentified venue dated “4/7†finds Tennessee roots rockers Lucero turning in a rousing performance of “I Don’t Wanna Be The One.†Ben Nichols is in fine voice as he delivers one of his better kiss-offs. Sporting the straggly beard of a road warrior and cut-off sleeves that reveal his ample…
Signed, Anonymous
I was outed this week at a restaurant, thanks to a server that I worked with down in Sarasota way back in the day. She pegged me from the get go and I decided to stick out the meal and feed the restaurant some rope. You can read about the results a week from Wednesday.…
Big Corn Is Watching
After writing about Michael Pollan's new book last week, I received an email from your friends at the Corn Refiners Association. Nice to know that they're examining local media for stories that might cast aspersions on nutritious and wholesome high fructose corn syrup. Here's the letter: Dear Editor: The January 16 article “Chew on this, 
The Medusa
This position offers a lesson on both love and balance. It starts with the man squatting on the floor, using only his feet for balance. The woman then straddles him, allowing penetration. The movement is described as a back and forth rocking motion, similar to that of a hammock. There is also a variation on…
Top 10: Songs about the Hometown
I keep returning to the title-track of Ringo Starr's new album Liverpool 8. It's a gloriously sentimental account of Richard Starkey's rise to stardom that spotlights his hometown ("Liverpool 8" is the name of the neighborhood where he was raised). Over big guitars and bombastic strings, Starr maximizes his limited vocal ability, sounding genuinely moved…
coming soon…
updates from park city starting this weekend!
The Hold Steady, George Strait and drinking at Mangroves
Here's what I have running in the new issue of Creative Loafing: The Hold Steady, Capillary Action and Patty Larkin are coming to town. George Strait, Sharon Jones and Foo Fighters also perform locally this week. Tool's Maynard James Keenan bricks with Puscifer (scroll down). Concert reviews of Galactic and Dresden Dolls. BAR TAB: All…
Could St. Pete’s Panhandling Ordinance Eliminate Street Musicians?
That’s one of the big questions I had coming out of last week’s St. Petersburg City Council meeting where council members unanimously passed an ordinance expanding the anti-panhandling zone to include most of downtown. The ordinance goes into effect this week. Panhandlers and street musicians do share some similarities. They both gravitate toward downtown sidewalks.…
Gov. Crist has proclaimed January as ‘Help the Homeless Month’
It’s true. Late last month, Governor Charlie Crist signed the proclamation that states "the solution of the issue of homelessness requires that all citizens become involved in helping their neighbors in need through donations of time, talents and treasures.†But the St. Petersburg City Council must not have gotten the memo. Last week, they voted…
Eating Local — But Not Around Here
The federal WIC (Women, Infant and Children) Program has provided food assistance targeted at “low income pregnant, breastfeeding, non-breastfeeding postpartum women, infants and children up to five years of age who are at nutritional risk†since the 1970s. Recently, WIC has been criticized for the lack of fresh food options that it allows participants to…
Have a cow, man
USDA regulations make finding locally raised meat difficult at best. Commercial meat has to be slaughtered at special slaughterhouses, none of which is in our vicinity, and few people have the opportunity to raise their own. Luckily, Rick McHan will do it for you. McHan's Plan It Earth (15433 County Road 39 S., Lithia, 813-784-2727)…
Sound and fury
Paul Thomas Anderson unveils his most ambitious work to date.
Galactic grooves and dynamic Dolls
Refreshed funksters at Jannus; punk cabaret at Tampa Theatre.
Don’t Panic
Is Iran trying to start a war with the United States? Iran's military has toppled Mexico's government, unleashing chaos that has sent the remaining handful of Mexicans who haven't already moved to the United States across our border. Iran's military has bases in Jamaica, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos, and pretty much…
Thicker than Water
"They only discovered they were blood relatives after the wedding." – —An AFP/yahoo.com report from London about twins — and newlyweds — separated at birth and adopted by different sets of parents. "Richison also reportedly locked his parents in their bedroom and briefly choked the family dog." – —A Sarasota Herald-Tribune staff report about a…
We can rebuild him
Romo, Golden Globes and McCain
La Scala on screen
Beach Theatre continues to expand its offerings with a new ongoing film event: the La Scala Opera Series, which features high-definition, Dolby Digital sound-enhanced screenings of operas performed this season at the illustrious La Scala opera house in Milan, Italy. This Sunday's selection is Aida. In Verdi's dramatic classic — set in ancient Egypt —…
New joints for the new year
Here are three places that have opened in the past month; check them out, and drop me a line with your perspective. De Santo Latin American Bistro, 128 Third St. S, St. Petersburg, 727-895-6400 or pushlounge.comLatin tapas that melds Caribbean, Mexican and South American flavors. There's also a giant "ultra-lounge" attached, for all your ultra…
Foo Fighters, Tinsley Ellis
Plus Ronny Elliott and Friction Farm
The Hold Steady, Capillary Action
Plus Patty Larkin
Bad Money?
Reviews of new and recent releases
The week in craptastic television
We took one for the team and watched prime-time TV — so you don’t have to.
All the pretty people
Friday night at Mangroves.
Thrown out at first
12 reasons why a new ballpark and redeveloped Trop site won’t — and shouldn’t — fly.
Wu-Tang, Village People
Plus Queensryche
How to carve a bird
Remembering the power to make memories.
Dap queen
Sharon Jones has taken the long road to success.
A ginger snap
Quench your thirst with this crisp, refreshing beverage.
Chew on this
Michael Pollan’s new book aims to make you rethink what you eat.
High on white
A chemist’s take on wine.
You’ll feel Alright
Listening to this Steve Earle classic.
Don’t hate the player, hate the game
Why game shows have taken over.
Big bang
Artists team up to send out the former TMA building in style.
A Killer party
Courtesy of the Hold Steady
Away From him
The Savages: Smart, nuanced tragicomedy
Underneath it all
As adapted by Steve Martin, The Underpants has little to offer.
Wine List
Got an upcoming or ongoing wine event? Send information to: The Wine List, 810 N. Howard Ave., Tampa, FL 33606, fax 813-739-4801 or e-mail brian.ries@creativeloafing.com. BEST BET: CORKS & FORKS WineStyles Safety Harbor will be pairing food and wine every Saturday night in their new series of tastings. This week is Parisian Bistro Night, featuring…
Toby Bonar digs in
And comes up with a superb debut
“Creating a sense of place”
Michael Kalt and Matt Silverman
Herbie Hancock does Joni Mitchell
Plus: Puscifer’s “V” Is for Vagina
When panhandlers attack
Who needs legislation when you’ve got this handy guide?
