Bring on da ‘Spunk’
A review of American Stage’s production of ‘Spunk’
Red in the Face?
French Reds Made Easy
Spins
Bob Dylan Love and Theft The critical book on Bob Dylan goes something like this: He releases a lot of crap but occasionally surprises folks with a masterful effort. With Love and Theft, the cycle, however tenuous, is broken. The new disc is not a masterstroke. And it's certainly not crap. Furthermore, it's Dylan's first…
Letters
Mining the Past Re: "Mines Get Little Notice" by Francis X. Gilpin (Sept. 27-Oct. 3) My letter will probably be only one of a few who doesn't call Gilpin a traitor or some other demeaning name. Let me first state that I love my country and am a patriot, but I fear my government. We…
Outtakes
Short reviews of movies playing at local theaters
Class Dismissed
Watching a person appear on the O'Reilly Factor can be a lot like watching an unsuspecting guest on The Jerry Springer Show. You're not sure what sort of abuse the guest is in for, but you know it's not going to be pretty unless his or her political views are staunchly rightwing. Last week University…
The Wine List
The Language of Wine Learn terms, pronunciations and take part in wine-talk discussions. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5. The Tampa Wine Institute, 2009 N. 22nd St., Tampa. $20. 813-241-8587. Pastariffic Wines Italy produces the greatest variety of wines of any country. The focus of this tasting is the little red wines from Piedmont to Sicily.…
Planet Picks
Thursday 10.4 Out of the Celluloid Closet The 12th annual Tampa International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival takes place through Sunday, Oct. 14, at Tampa Theatre. The festival opens with a party at 6 p.m. in front of the theater at TECO Plaza on Franklin Street, where partiers can meet several stars of the festival,…
DVD/Video Pick
Dark Days In the mid '90s, Marc Singer, an intrepid British transplant in his early 20s, started hanging around the homeless dwellings in New York City subway tunnels. He just wanted to help. After befriending the denizens of this shadow world, he hatched a scheme to create a film that would shed light on the…
Soundboard
<font Thursday, Oct. 4 Events State Theatre Stavesacre/Denison Marrs/Copeland Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center Rippingtons w/Russ Freeman Bars/Small StagesAlley Cat's Cafe Jamie Perlow Beach Place (Whitey's) Beggar's Opera Big J.R.'s Sequel Billy G'Z (Clw.) The Gita Brass Mug Karaoke w/Laser Ray Chase Club Derek Williams Club Hedo Gemini/Passthamic/Ryan McGary/Cory K Dave's Bar & Grille Michael…
Our Hearts Were Young and Gay, Part 12
The Tampa International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival returns
Books
Ava's Man By Rick Bragg Knopf/$25 In an effort to bring to life the grandfather who died a year before his birth, Rick Bragg summoned his family to share their pain-laced memories. While Bragg re-creates his grandpa's story through starry-eyed envy, he is careful not to leave the old man completely untarnished. Ava's Man is…
Beyond Space and Time: Vue
San Francisco's Vue will probably never read anything about their latest release, Find Your Home, that doesn't include descriptions like "retro," "dated," or, God help us, "old-school." For an underground band on an independent label, displaying an enthusiasm for seminal rock 'n' roll styles is often tantamount to heresy, and punishable by the assumption that…
Web Site
Acts of Gordhttp://www.actsofgord.com This site is perfect for anybody who has or currently does work in customer service, dealing with the dregs of society, pandering to their insipid whims and absolute stupidity, simply because the paycheck relies on such a demeanor. How many times have you wished to be the owner, just so you could…
Nuclear Reaction
What happens if a suicide bomber drives a jumbo jet into one of America's 103 nuclear power reactors? What happens if a fire fed by thousands of tons of jet fuel roars through a reactor complex — or, worse, through the enormous and barely protected containment pools of spent nuclear fuel found at every such…
Freebie
For the second consecutive year, Barnes & Noble and Writer's Digest Books are co-sponsoring the World's Largest Writing Workshop. The workshop takes place simultaneously at almost 500 Barnes & Noble stores nationwide at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4, reaching thousands of writers. Authors and speakers from some of the nation's largest and more prestigious organizations…
Cuban Missive
For a small island, Cuba has an inordinate wealth of artistic talent. Even in the nation's currently ravaged state, contemporary Cuban culture is experiencing something of a renaissance. Cuban musicians, writers, dancers, artists, and dramatists have distinguished themselves on the world stage. In the United States, jazz pianist/composer Chucho Valdes received two Grammies, Buena Vista…
The List
Visual Arts Openings The Second Annual Art Stroll in Safety Harbor, hosted by Syd Entel Galleries and Susan Benjamin Glass etc., takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6. Artists taking part include T.W. Curtis, Dragoslav Milic, Susan Frame and Robin Borland. Local establishments, such as the Stuffed Mushroom and Cello's Charhouse, are…
Public Life
Heal the Hurt at Sports Night Saturday, Oct. 6 6-10 p.m. Sports Night 2001 raises funds to prevent child abuse and neglect. The event features a silent auction of sports memorabilia, autographed items, sporting event tickets, equipment, artwork, hotel and dinner certificates; a dinner buffet, live music and games. Single tickets cost $60, a pair…
The World According to George
If comedian Jerry Seinfeld had made a companion episode to the close talker and the soft talker parodies, his third might have been modeled after Clearwater resident George Kelly — the fast talker. The Clearwater newsstand owner explains why he's now suing members of the State Supreme Court for $1-million each over his case involving…
Tapa the World: Ceviche
The following column is written by the fourth finalist in the contest to find the next Weekly Planet Food Editor. Tapas have come a long way from their humble beginnings as bar food. According to legend, the original tapa was a salty slice of ham served atop a glass of sherry. The saltiness was designed…
Culinary Events
Couples' Exotic Flavor Fusion Cuisine Hands-on class with Chef Ken and his sumptuous menu of wilted spinach with pink peppercorns and chive vinaigrette with apple-slaw, pineapple and juniper-marinated grilled breast of duck with a cranberry-honey glaze, parsley and pancetta-Israel-couscous and curried-sweet-onion and sun-dried-cherries relish, zucchini and summer-squash medley with white wine and herbs, spiced Florida…
Music Menu
Stavesacre/Denison Marrs/Copeland An evening of spiritually minded modern rock, brought to you by those wonderful folks at The Refuge. Tooth & Nail Records act Stavesacre has been described as heavy alternative; one might take that to mean that they offer a little bit more than the standard pop-punk strains. Lakeland's Denison Marrs, our Best of…
The French maze
Navigating the red regions
