Thursday 8.30 One-Man Embryo The Silver Meteor Gallery hosts the premiere of a comedic one-man show, embryogenesis, created and performed by Kurt Smith. The show explores the absurdities of modern conceptual art through performance art pieces, presented by a fictitious collective of performance artists. Smith's portrayal of these characters is both improvisational and clownish, attacking the egos of such artists and demonstrating the successes and failures of attempting to redefine performance as art. Smith, a graduate of Jacksonville's Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, has spent the past four years studying theater at USF, appearing in numerous TheatreUSF productions. Performances take place through Sept. 16. Tickets are available at the door only, $12 for adults, $8 for students. The Silver Meteor Gallery is at 2213 Sixth Ave. E., Ybor City. Call 813-936-8261 for performance times.
Friday 8.31
Mixed-Media Land The Walt Disney Company has made a business of entertainment since 1929, creating a lexicon of popular icons that have become part of our consumer culture. Never Never Land is an exhibit presenting the work of 25 diverse artists whose work reflects the effects of Disney's influence. The artists appropriate, quote, amplify and reconfigure Disney's visual vocabulary through such media as painting, mixed media and video installations. The exhibit, on display in the USF Contemporary Art Museum, begins with a lecture by pop culture and critical theory author Dick Hebdige 7-8 p.m. at the Music Recital Hall, FAH 101, inside the College of Fine Arts. The exhibition itself is courtesy of University Galleries at Florida Atlantic University. USF Contemporary Art Museum is at 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa (813-974-4133).
Laughing it Off A former waitress in a Houston diner, Brett Butler has parlayed her knack for biting put-downs into a congenial style of sarcastic comedy. She's best known for playing Grace Kelly on her popular sitcom Grace Under Fire, portraying a character who, like herself, has survived an abusive marriage. She has performed comedy for 18 years and authored a New York Times best-selling autobiography, Knee Deep in Paradise. She performs through Sept. 2 at Side Splitters. Show times are 8 and 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 8:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets cost $25 and $30. Side Splitters is at 12938 N. Dale Mabry, Tampa (813-960-1197).
Saturday 9.1
Rock Bands From the Crypt Ghostly Productions presents Seance, a concert featuring nine of the best dark-alternative bands in the area, including Grim Faeries, Nothing Promise, SkinDot, Coma Girl and Calm. The headliners, Grim Faeries, have recently released a new album, Disenchanted Forest. The band's co-founder, Curse Mackey (formerly of Evil Mothers) is also involved in organizing the show. His long-term goal is to make this a semi-annual event, offering greater exposure for local talent. The all-ages show takes place in The Hangar at Frankie's. Tickets cost $7. Doors open at 3 p.m. Frankie's is at 1920 E. Seventh Ave., Ybor City (813-248-3337).
Home Show Sweet Home Show With more than 750 exhibits of the latest products available in home remodeling, decorating, landscaping, accessories and furnishings, Florida's Largest Home Show has something for everyone, including things to make your condo, apartment or dorm room a home. The event takes place at the Tampa Convention Center 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday and Monday, Sept. 2 and 3. Admission costs $6.50 for adults, $5.50 for seniors and free for children under 12. Tampa Convention Center is at 333 S. Franklin St., Tampa (813-677-6925).
Sunday 9.2
Rebels With a Cause The promoters of the Movement festival cite a lofty motive for putting on such a colossal concert — to change the world by bringing together music fans from a wide range of ages, cultures and lifestyles — the latter of which they shall accomplish indeed. Headliners, by genre, include: hip-hoppers Method Man, Cypress Hill and the Jungle Brothers; alternative bands Better Than Ezra, Soul Asylum and Cracker; electronica artists Robert Miles, George Acosta and Ani (from Deee-Lite); and reggae bands Black Uhuru, Inner Circle and Groove Collection. The event also includes an extreme sports showcase, roaming trance- and breakdancers, drum circles, henna artists, environmental- and political-awareness representatives and a voter registration drive. The event takes place 11-3 a.m. at the Ice Palace. Advance tickets cost $50 (once a limited number of $30 and $40 tickets sell out) and $60 at the door. Limited $100 VIP tickets are available. The Ice Palace is at 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa (813-301-6500). www.movementfestival.com.
The Sound and the Faure Violinist Ellen dePasquale, former concertmaster of The Florida Orchestra, performs a recital with her local colleague and friend, pianist Chadd Merrigan. The recital includes the Schubert Sonatina, the Beethoven Kreutzer Sonata and the Faure First Violin Sonata. She'll also perform the Ysaye Sonata for solo violin. Ms. dePasquale is currently Associate Concertmaster with the Cleveland Orchestra. The recital takes place at 2 p.m. at The Museum of Fine Arts. Tickets cost $15, $7 for students 21 and younger. The Museum of Fine Arts is at 255 Beach Drive N.E., St. Petersburg (727-896-2667).
Monday 9.3 O Pioneers The Pioneer Florida Museum's annual Pioneer Days Festival is a quaint, thoughtful celebration of the history of Florida's settlers. The festival takes place on the Oak-shaded grounds of the museum from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 1, through Labor Day, featuring Civil War battle reenactments (at 1 p.m. Sunday and Monday), live folk music and storytelling stage. The museum's regular exhibits, which include a restored one-room schoolhouse and an 1860s farmhouse, set the tone for the festival's signature true crafts exhibits and demonstrations. The true crafts being demonstrated are wine making, spinning, weaving, chair caning, traditional joinery, coppering, spoon making, shoe making and flint knapping. There's also food, antique cars and tractors, pony and wagon rides and a pen of small farm animals for petting. Admission costs $6 for adults, $2 for children 12 and younger. Parking is free. The museum is at 15602 Pioneer Museum Road, Dade City (352-567-0262).
Tuesday 9.4
Flora & Aqua Local artist Karen Phillips exhibits her watercolor paintings at the TECO Plaza Public Art Gallery through Oct. 31. The exhibit consists of 20 paintings in Phillips' distinctive style of richly textured and dramatic still-life painting. Her work ranges from traditional views of flowers to close-up, snail's-eye views of Florida's aquatic landscapes. Phillips has earned bachelor's degrees at the Ringling School of Art as well as the University of South Florida, and her watercolors have been featured in American Artist Magazine. Gallery hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. The gallery is at 704 N. Franklin St., Tampa (813-251-3688).
Wednesday 9.5
Erotic Hypnotic Recognized as the bad boy of the hypnosis world, Denny More's mischievous and fascinating powers of hypnosis and mind-reading amuse and bewilder audiences. Whether you enjoy the show from the safety of your seat or surrender yourself to his command on stage, an evening with More promises to be full of unpredictable, cutting-edge comedy and hysterical antics. He performs through Sept. 9 at the Improv. Show times are 8 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday; 8 and 10:30 p.m. Friday; 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday; there is also a special 18-and-over, X-rated hypnosis show at 11:30 p.m. Saturday. All shows are 21 and over, except for the 11:30
Correction
My sincerest apologies to those readers who were disappointed by my incorrectly announcing the Hank Williams III show a month and a day early. Oops. All I can say is that I'm human (despite what my ex-girlfriends say). The correct information for the show is as follows: Hank Williams III performs Friday, Sept. 21, at The State Theatre, 687 Central Ave., St. Petersburg (727-895-3045). Tickets cost $15 in advance. Doors open at 8 p.m.p.m. Saturday show. Tickets cost $8-$14 depending on the night. The Improv is at 1600 E. Eighth Ave., Ybor City (813-864-4000).
