Visual Arts
Openings
Gold Dragon Gallery, 3508 S. Manhattan Ave., Tampa (813-832-2755). The Gold Dragon exhibits works by clients of Project Return, Tuesday, Oct. 2, through Nov. 15. Project Return is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for adults with mental illness through educational and vocational services. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
Quilt Exhibit, featuring quilts by Anthony Jones, opens Monday, Oct. 1, at the Tarpon Springs Cultural Center. Jones is a housing manager for the Pinellas County Community Development department, and he also teaches quiltmaking at fabric and craft shops throughout the Bay area. Admission is free. The exhibit is on display through Oct. 31. Hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday. The Tarpon Springs Cultural Center is at 101 S. Pinellas Ave., Tarpon Springs (727-942-5605).
Ongoing
531 Central Fine Arts, 531 Central Ave., St. Petersburg (727-822-2787). Shades of Autumn is an exhibit of both traditional and abstract works by five artists. The artists are Chris Goertz, Arturo Guerrero, J.P. Monange, Robert Palevitz and Vera Tuns. The exhibit continues through Oct. 20. Summer hours are noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Visit www.531central.com.
Adrian Howard Galleries, at the Suncoast Resort Hotel, 3000 34th St. S., St. Petersburg (727-865-6906). Confluence and Influence blends the end of summer with the beginning of fall, featuring works by Mark Mizener, Laura Luna and Ocampo Silva, among others. The exhibit runs through Sept. 30. Hours are 1 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday; 1 p.m. to midnight Friday; and 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday.
Ambiance Galleries, 1535 Ninth St. N., St. Petersburg (727-821-8331). Placement/Replacement is an exhibit of sculptural wall constructions by Rachel Stewart. The sculptures are carved, torn, sanded, rubbed and painted in rhythmic textural surfaces that attempt to portray the visual and emotional experiences of the artist. The exhibit continues through Oct. 6. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Arts Center, 719 Central Ave., St. Pete (727-822-7872). The Arts Center's Fall Focus on Photography includes works by William Eggleston, Robyn Voshardt and Sven Humphrey, Herb Snitzer and Janice Garrin. Eggleston's prints are acclaimed for his use of dye-transfer color printing and his concept of art from the obvious. Voshardt and Humphrey are collaborative artists working in large-scale color prints, documenting objects of personal significance. Herb Snitzer's exhibit is a documentary of Winky Wright and the St. Pete Boxing Club, conveying the duality of boxing's violence and grace. Garrin's images are of teens, giving voice to young people by showing their lives and portraying their concerns. The exhibit runs through Oct. 26. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, through Saturday.
Artspace, on the second floor of 10 Fifth St. N., St. Petersburg (727-360-0900). One Possible Reality is an exhibit of Mary Klein's latest cloisonne enamels. The wall pieces share a common theme of Earth mothers from cultures throughout the world and history. The exhibit is on display through Sept. 30. Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Baisden Gallery, 442 Grand Central Ave., Suite 100, Tampa (813-250-1511). Pictorial Horizon is an exhibit of landscapes featuring the work of Alison Burnett, Scott Duce, Jim Draper and Matt Larson. The exhibit presents a cross section of media and landscape themes. The exhibit runs through Nov. 17. Hours are noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and by appointment.
Brad Cooper Gallery, 1712 E. Seventh Ave., Ybor City (813-248-6098). International Voices features works by 10 artists from as many different nationalities. The artists include Eva Lobreis, Peter Mitchev, Roberto Rodriguez, Posoon Sung and Larie Wickenkamp. The exhibit continues through Oct. 31. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and by appointment.
Clayton Galleries, 4105 S. MacDill Ave., Tampa (813-831-3753). Clayton Galleries opens their fall schedule with a two-person show, featuring the work of Jeff Whipple and Virginia Derryberry. The show runs through Oct. 13. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Creative Clay Cultural Arts Center, 176 Fifth Ave., Safety Harbor (727-723-8638). Return to Sender is the center's sixth anniversary celebration, at which patrons are able to purchase black-and-white, postcard-size artworks by students from Creative Clay's arts program. All pieces cost $20 and are on display through Oct. 30. Hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and by appointment.
Dunedin Fine Art Center, 1143 Michigan Blvd., Dunedin (727-298-3322). Three exhibits by painters whose works depict the meeting of land, sea and sky run through Oct. 14. Drawn to Light is an exhibit of seascapes by eight contemporary artists. Melbourne artist Harry Leach shows a selection of his impressionistic Florida landscapes. Sarasota painter and teacher Roy Nichols presents a selection of his academic landscape/seascape works. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday; and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Visit the center at www.DFAC.org.
Florida Craftsmen Gallery, 501 Central Ave., downtown St. Pete (727-821-7391). The Exotic and the Esoteric is an exhibit surveying new works by 16 of Florida's finest artists working in the medium of wood. The exhibit includes such works as wall sculptures by Cape Coral artist Dennis Elliot, lathe-turned wood by Dick Codding and hand-carved trompe l'oeil quilts and hats by Tampa's Fraser Smith. The exhibit runs through Oct. 26. Hours are 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday.
Glass Canvas Gallery, 146 Second St. N., St. Petersburg (727-821-6767). The area's largest art glass gallery has moved (see above address). New hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Snooty Judy's Gallery for the Open Mind, 514 Skinner Blvd., Dunedin (727-734-9835). Joe Draye displays his surrealist oil paintings and Ron Michael Kelley shows off his steel sculptures in an exhibit that runs through Nov. 13. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. See the gallery at www.openmindart.com.
Something Fishy 913 N. Fort Harrison Ave., Clearwater (727-461-FISH). Just in Time is an exhibit of new clocks by Pamela Corwin, on display through Oct. 26. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Studio Encanto, 209 First St. N., St. Petersburg (727-821-2959). Studio Encanto presents an exhibit of paintings by Edin Gutierrez through Oct. 11. Gutierrez has studied at the Alejandro Academy of Fine Arts in Havana, and his technique utilizes highly textured mixed media. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday; noon to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Synthesis Fine Arts, at Tampa City Center, 201 N. Franklin St., Tampa. Reflections of Life is an exhibit of oil paintings by Ludner Confident, on display in the mezzanine. Absolutely Synthesis is an exhibit of oils, watercolors, photography and sculpture by 15 artists, on display in the lobby. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For details on the show, call the gallery's second location, at 1-877-SYNTHESIS.
Museums and Attractions
Clearwater Marine Aquarium, 249 Windward Passage, Clearwater (727-441-1790). This nonprofit organization is dedicated to education, research and the rescue, rehabilitation and release of marine animals. Drop by to visit the dolphins, sea turtles and river otters, and to touch a stingray or two. Admission costs $7.75 for adults and $5.25 for kids. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Florida Aquarium, 701 Channelside Drive, Tampa (813-273-4000). The aquarium's latest exhibit, Sea Hunt, includes colorful predators from the world's oceans. The aquarium also features over 10,000 aquatic plants and animals in three galleries: Wetlands, Bays and Beaches and Coral Reefs. Enjoy behind-the-scenes and audio tours, dive shows, a touch-tank with sharks and rays, and special exhibits like No BoneZone, Frights of the Forest and Dragons Down Under. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Tickets cost $13.75 for adults, $12.75 for seniors, $8.75 for age 3-12 and free for children under 3. Visit www.flaquarium.net.
Florida Holocaust Museum, 55 Fifth St. S., St. Petersburg (727-820-0100). On the Edge of the Abyss is an exhibit of 93 drawings by Ella Liebermann-Shiber, portraying the horrors she witnessed in Nazi captivity. Ella's family was taken from Berlin in 1938, and she eventually ended up in Auschwitz-Birkenau. Her father and brothers were killed but Ella and her mother survived thanks to Ella's artistic ability (she painted portraits for the Germans). The exhibit continues through Feb. 24. Fragments is an exhibit of 120 16-by-20-inch photographs of Florida Holocaust survivors by Jason Schwartz. The commissioned collection is on display through March 10. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $6 for general, $5 for seniors and college students, $2 for ages 18 and under and members get in free.
Florida International Museum, 100 Second St. N., St. Petersburg (727-822-3693). The following shows continue indefinitely: The Cuban Missile Crisis ($6.95 for adults); The Kennedy Collection ($9.95); Countdown to Destiny, an exhibition of photos of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ($3.95); and Habana Esperando: Photographs by Margaux Ravis (free). Summer hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. All-inclusive day passes cost $11.95, and annual passes go for $15.95.
Gulf Coast Museum of Art, 12211 Walsingham Road, Largo (727-518-6833). Maria Emilia Castagliola exhibits In Praise of Federico Garcia Lorca, a body of work inspired by and devoted to the great Spanish writer, and Randy Batista exhibits American Eyes – Cuban Heart, a photo-documentary of his visits to Cuban relatives. Both exhibits continue through Nov. 11. The museum has recently installed A Bestiary, an environmental artwork by Canadian artist Jocelyne Belcourt Salem. The work is an installation of eight bronze markers bearing the images of eight critically endangered species native to the Gulf coast of Florida. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday (extended to 7 p.m. on Thursday), noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission costs $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $3 for students (free on Thursday). Visit www.gulfcoastmuseum.org.
Lowry Park Zoo, 1101 W. Sligh Ave., Tampa (813-935-8552). Spend the day visiting the zoo's 1,500 exotic animals. The zoo's interactive exhibits include Stingray Bay, Lorikeet Landing and the Petting Zoo. General admission is $7 for adults and $5 for kids 3-11.
Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI), 4801 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa (813-987-6300 or 813-987-6100). Museum highlights include BioWorks Butterfly Garden, an engineered ecosystem that emulates natural wetlands; the Back Woods, 40 acres of special water conservation elements and outdoor exhibits; and the Saunders Planetarium. The IMAX Dome Theatre features an 82-foot hemispherical movie screen (see Movie Marquee for schedule). The Museum's combo admission is $13 for adults, $11 for seniors and $9 for ages 2 to 13. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Call the info line at 813-987-6100 for IMAX show times.
Pier Aquarium, 800 Second Ave. N.E., St. Petersburg (727-895-7437). The Aquarium, a nonprofit marine education resource center, is home to fabulous exhibits that include California sharks, invertebrates and coral reefs. Tours are offered from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. Admission is $1. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Teachers, call about special field trip rates and tours.
Safety Harbor Museum of Regional History, 329 S. Bayshore Blvd., Safety Harbor (727-726-1668). Longrifles, an exhibit of early American weapons that have evolved into a unique art form, is on display through Dec. 31. The weapons on display are modeled after those used by settlers, soldiers and militia in the United States from the 1770s to about 1820. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday. Admission costs $2 for adults and $1 for ages 12 and under.
Salvador Dali Museum, 1000 Third St. S., St. Pete. (727-823-3767). Lose yourself in the surrealist works of Dali. The museum features one of the best collections of the Spanish painter's works in the world, including several masterworks. Admission costs $10 for adults. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, noon to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. Hours extend to 8 p.m. on Thursdays, when admission is half off. Visit www.salvadordalimuseum.org.
St. Petersburg Museum of History, 335 Second Ave. N.E. (on The Pier approach), St. Pete (727-894-1052). On permanent display is the Walk through Time and Try History on For Size galleries, where visitors can see themselves in vintage costumes through mirrors creating the illusion of wearing period clothing. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $2 for ages 7-17, and free for kids 6 and under. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Tampa Bay History Center, in the Tampa Convention Center Annex, 225 S. Franklin St., Tampa (813-228-0097). The center highlights Tampa Bay's rich heritage and diverse culture by highlighting the area's milestones. Exhibits feature artifacts and photographs from the early Timucuan Indians and European explorers through the Civil War and both World Wars. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
Visit www.tampabayhistorycenter.org.
Tampa Gallery of Photographic Arts, in Old Hyde Park Village, 746 S. Village Circle, Tampa (813-251-1800). TGPA exhibits a one-man show by Herb Snitzer entitled Faces and Places: New York, Paris, London 1958-1962. Snitzer's career spans 40 years, during which he worked for such publications as Life, The Saturday Evening Post and Metronome. The author of five books, he maintains a studio in St. Petersburg. The exhibit runs through Oct. 28. Hours are 5-9 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free and open to the public.
Tampa Museum of Art, 600 N. Ashley Drive, Tampa (813-274-8130). On Paper is a visually compelling exhibit of works focused on paper as a medium. The exhibit features six large-scale works from the museum's contemporary collection and is on display through Oct. 21. Arte Contemporanea di Vetri (Contemporary Art in Glass) continues through October. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday (extended to 8 p.m. on Thursday) and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission ranges from $3 to $5; free 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays and 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday.
USF Contemporary Art Museum, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Cam 101, Tampa (813-974-4133). Never Never Land presents pieces by 25 artists whose work reflects the Walt Disney Company's influence on popular culture. The exhibit continues through Oct. 8. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Veterans Memorial Museum and Park, 3602 U.S. 301 N., at the Tampa Bypass Canal, Tampa (813-744-5502). Permanent exhibits include Florida Soldiers Walk Through Time: 1590s-1990s, featuring Florida soldiers and American history from the 1590s through Desert Storm, and a Spanish-American War exhibit. Hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated.
Ybor City State Museum, 1818 Ninth Ave., Ybor City (813-247-6323). As We Heard It: Three Generations of Ybor City News continues through Sept. 30. This show pays tribute to the Manteiga family, founders of La Gaceta, the nation's only trilingual newspaper. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Visitors may see the Museum and the Casita (worker's home) for $2 per person.
Theater/Performance(See Classifieds for auditions.)
About the Author, an Alley Cats premiere of a comedy written and performed by Ned Snell, takes place at the Silver Meteor Gallery. A full-length, one-actor comedy, it explores how writers create an image of themselves for the reader (Snell himself is a published author). Performances take place at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28-30, Oct. 5-7 and 12-14. Tickets cost $7, $5 for students and seniors, and are available only at the door. The gallery's at 2213 E. Sixth Ave., Ybor City. Call 813-417-4555.
Crimes of the Heart, a play by Beth Henley, opens the West Coast Players' season. Nancy Stauffer directs the play, which runs at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 28 and 29, and Oct. 5 and 6; at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 30; and at 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7. Tickets cost $9 in advance and $10 at the door, and performances take place at the Dunedin Community Center, 1141 Michigan Blvd., Dunedin (727-785-0221).
Damn Yankees, a musical by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, is performed by Masque of Temple Terrace. The story is set in Hannibal, Mo., where old Joe Hardy is hoping for a victory by the Washington Senators over the New York Yankees. Performances take place at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, and at 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29. Tickets cost $14 for adults, and $12 for seniors and students. Performances take place at the Omar K. Lightfoot Center, 10901 N. 56th St., Temple Terrace (813-980-3321).
Klezmer Music, a juxtaposition of different traditional Jewish music, comes to the Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center in the form of the 24th Street KLEZMER! Band. The band's combination of hot clarinet, jazzy trumpet and imaginative fiddle take the lead in creating their Klezmer sound. The performance takes place at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29. Tickets cost $10, $8 for students. The Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center is at 324 Pine St., Tarpon Springs (727-942-5605).
Spunk, the Obie Award-winning work by Zora Neale Hurston, re-conceived by George C. Wolfe, runs though Oct. 14 at American Stage. Hurston is remembered as a famed author of the Harlem Renaissance who died in obscurity. Wolfe has adapted three of her most passionate tales for the stage: Sweat, Story in Harlem Slang and The Gilded Six Bits. Performances take place Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets cost $20-$30, depending on performance and time. American Stage is at 211 Third St. S., St. Petersburg (727-823-7529).
The Teahouse of the August Moon, by John Patrick, is the story of an Army captain whose mission to bring American culture to Okinawa is complicated by the machinations of his interpreter. Performances take place through Sept. 30, at the Francis Wilson Playhouse. Show times are at 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets cost $12 for adults, $8 for students. The playhouse is at 302 Seminole St., Clearwater (813-446-1360).
Ten Little Indians, an Agatha Christie thriller, is the first production of the Carrollwood Players' 21st season. In true Christie fashion, guests attending a weekend party on a private English island begin to die mysteriously, and the evidence points to murder. Performances take place through Sept. 29, at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 3 p.m. Sundays. Tickets cost $12 for adults and $10 for seniors and students. Performances are at the Carrollwood Playhouse, in Plantation Plaza, 4333 Gunn Highway, Tampa (813-265-4000).
A Tribute to the Music of Frank Sinatra, the Florida Orchestra's kick-off concert of its 2001-02 Raymond James Super Pops Season, takes place Friday, Sept. 28, through Sept. 30. The tribute features guest conductor Matt Catingub and Hawaiian vocalist Jimmy Borges. Times and locations are as follows: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center's Carol Morsani Hall; 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, at Mahaffey Theater; and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 30, at Ruth Eckerd Hall. Tickets cost $20-$38. TBPAC is at 1010 N. MacInnes Place, Tampa (813-229-7827). Mahaffey is at 400 First St. S., St. Petersburg (727-822-7872). REH is at 1111 McMullen-Booth Road, Clearwater (727-791-7400).Comedy
Brewmasters, 401 E. Second St., Indian Rocks Beach (727-515-8059). G. David Howard performs every Friday and Saturday at 9:30 p.m. Cover varies and there's a two-beverage minimum.
Coconuts Comedy Club, at Howard Johnson, 6100 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach (727-360-JOKE). Jay Moore performs Thursday, Sept. 27, through Sept. 30. Open mic night, featuring Danny Bevins, takes place Wednesday, Oct. 3. Show time is 9:30 p.m. Cover charge varies (two-drink minimum). Reservations are suggested.
Coconuts Comedy Club, at the Cinema Cafe, 24095 U.S. 19 N., Clearwater (727-797-JOKE). Carl Rimi performs Friday and Saturday, Sept. 28 and 29. Show time is 9:30 p.m. Cover varies (two-drink minimum). Reservations suggested.
Improv Comedy Theater, at Centro Ybor, 1600 E. Eighth Ave., Ybor City (813-864-4000). Mark Cordes, a latecomer to comedy, performs through Sept. 25. Tickets cost $8-$14 depending on the night. All prices are advance purchase, and cost $2 more at the door. (Get a ticket recently? Call about the Improv's Driving School. No kidding.)
Laugh Out Loud, an evening of outrageous gay and lesbian comedy, kicks off the 12th annual Tampa International Gay & Lesbian Film festival (Oct. 4-14). The show takes place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 3, at the Tampa Theatre, and features The Daily Show mainstay Frank DeCaro, actor/comedian Georgia Ragsdale, Jason Stuart of The Drew Carey Show and Comedy Central darling Elvira Kurt. Tickets cost $35 in advance, $45 day of. Tampa Theatre is at 711 Franklin St., Tampa (813-274-8286).
Side Splitters, 12938 N. Dale Mabry, Tampa (813-960-1197). Rich Ceisler, billed as the Corporate Chameleon, performs through Sept. 30. Jim Carroll performs Tuesday, Oct. 2, through Oct. 7. Show times are 8:30 p.m. weekdays; 8 and 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Regular admission costs $8-$14 (depending on the night).
Wacky Weaver's, located inside the Brandon Brew House, 779 W. Lumsden Road, Brandon. (813-661-5527). Dan Ellison performs Friday and Saturday, Sept. 28 and 29. Show times are at 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. Admission is $10. Reservations are recommended.
Poetry & Prose
Inkwood Books, 216 Armenia Ave. S., Tampa (813-253-2638). Cooking teacher, syndicated food columnist and author Steve Raichlen signs his latest book, How to Grill: the Complete Illustrated Book of Barbecue Techniques, from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 2. His other titles include Miami Spice and The Barbecue Bible. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, extended to 9 p.m. on Thursday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Open Mic
Beaux Arts Gallery and Folk Coffeehouse, 2635 Central Ave., St. Pete (727-328-0702). Beaux Arts' open mic takes place from 8 to 11:30 p.m. every Saturday. Art films are shown at 8 p.m. Friday, and 2:30 and 8 p.m. Sunday. Hours are noon to 5 p.m. daily, extended from 7:30 to 11 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A donation of $2 to $5 is suggested at the door, but coffee, tea and cake are free.
Brass Mug, 1441 E. Fletcher Ave., Tampa (813-972-8152). The Mug offers an open jam night every Monday. Beginning at 9:30 p.m., the event allows musicians to take the stage and show off their chops. As extra incentive, all musicians can down 75-cent drafts throughout the evening. A full P.A., sound and drums are provided.
Center of Radical Empowerment, 1615 16th St. S., St. Petersburg (727-821-2673). C.O.R.E. hosts an open mic from 8 to 11 p.m. every Monday. Music, poetry, spoken word, performance art … whatever floats your boat is OK by the progressive folks at C.O.R.E. Admission's free but donations are accepted.
Computer Port Cafe, 432 Poinsettia Ave., Clearwater Beach (727-441-2667). This cafe offers Internet access in addition to exotic coffees, tea and an assortment of gourmet baked goods. Every Friday and Saturday night the venue plays host to an open mic from 7 to 11 p.m. for musicians, comedians, poets, etc. Hours are 8 a.m.-9 p.m. weekdays, extended to 3 a.m. on weekends.
Realm Coffeehouse, 937 Central Ave., St. Petersburg (727-821-5608). Realm's schedule of events features singer-guitarist Chucky Luv on Mondays, an open mic for music on Tuesday, an open mic for poetry on Thursday and a Friday drum circle. All events happen at about 9-11:30 p.m. Hours are 6:30 p.m.-1 a.m. Monday-Thursday, and 6:30 p.m.-3 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
This article appears in Sep 27 – Oct 3, 2001.