Local Band/Art Updates 12/2/08

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Local artists and bands are always looking to create new shows and to display their work for your enjoyment.  Supporting local art and events helps the community, gives the Tampa Bay area a good reputation for supporting the arts and in most cases, it is 10 times cheaper than going to see a professional.  Did you know most local bands can be seen for about $5.00 and most local art shows are around $5.00 to $10.00?  What an affordable, family fun afternoon!

Here are some of the updates for local Tampa artists and bands:

16 Second Stare

Angry Tim and the rest of 16 Second Stare donated 10,000 CDs to the troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and other war ridden countries to bring a taste of home, show their appreciation for their work and give them something to relax to and enjoy!  The CDs have been distributed and they are receiving lots of great compliments on them.

The day before Thanksgiving, the Top 40 Indicator was released showing 16 Second Stare’s, “Red Carpet Material” title track ranked #34 on the debut.  They ranked higher than Beyonce, Daughtry and Little Wayne.  They are accompanied on the chart by names like Pink, Britney Spears, Nickelback, Akon, Taylor Swift, David Cook and Rihanna.

• Pegasus Lounge - 12/5/08  at 11:00 PM, 16 Second Stare headlines the night.  10008 N.30th St.  Tampa, FL
• Uptown Bar- 12/6/08 at 11:30 PM, 16 Second Stare headlines the night.   658 Central Ave.  St.Petersburg, FL

You can purchase their CDs at www.16secondstare.com/store or download their songs on iTunes or any major download distributor.

Still Life

This past week, Still Life had a minor set back.  They lost their bass player.  This lady duo now is looking for a replacement.  If you are into alternative music and want to rock with this band, give them a hit on MySpace www.myspace.com/stillliferockmusic

Holes and Hearts

This band of brothers has been working tirelessly to get more songs written, perform, and start touring around the United States.  They didn’t care if it was a paid gig or a charity and they got their wish.  They will be touring to states like California, Ohio, and of course Tampa Bay.  Here are some show dates and more will be posting soon.  Check out their MySpace page for all the shows and info. Congratulations, HOLES AND HEARTS!

• June 19, 2009     Rock The Socks Benefit Show - Hollywood, CA
• June 21, 2009     Venice Beach Board Walk - Venice Beach, CA
• August 8, 2009   North Coast Music Festival - Cleveland, OH
• August 9, 2009   North Coast Music Festival - Cleveland, OH
• August 10, 2009 North Coast Music Festival - Cleveland, OH

PineHill

PineHill will be releasing their new DVD/CD album in January.  The exact date and place will be announced soon.  They hope everyone will show up and support the band, get a CD and enjoy the night.  We’ll keep you posted once we have any updates.

Classic Christmas Movies - Tampa Theatre

WHITE CHRISTMAS
SATURDAY DECEMBER 6 ~ 3:00PM
SUNDAY DECEMBER 7 ~ 3:00PM

Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, an all-Irving Berlin song score, classy direction by Hollywood vet Michael Curtiz (Casablanca, The Adventures of Robin Hood), VistaVision (the very first feature ever shot in that widescreen format), and ultrafestive Technicolor! Crosby and Kaye are song-and-dance men who hook up, romantically and professionally, with a “sister” act to put on a Big Show to benefit the struggling ski-resort lodge run by the beloved old retired general of their WWII Army outfit. Crosby is cool, Clooney is warm, Kaye is goofy, and Vera-Ellen is leggy. Songs include: “Sisters” (Crosby and Kaye do their own drag version, too), “Snow,” “Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep,” and more. Christmas would be unthinkable without White Christmas.

1954/2:00/musical comedy

 ———————-

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE

TWO SHOWS!!!

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20 ~ 3:00PM

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21 ~ 3:00PM

Perhaps the most beloved American film, Frank Capra’s masterwork deserves its status as a feel-good communal event, but it is also one of the most fascinating films in the American cinema, a multilayered work of Dickensian density. Earnest do-gooder George Bailey (James Stewart) recognizes his life as wonderful and truly rich, even in its humdrum and bleak nature, only after suffering many hardships, mishaps and fateful trials. He is given encouragement through a fateful meeting with a whimsical, endearing, trainee-angel named Clarence (Henry Travers), who shows him just how bleak the world would be without him. Get out your hankies and listen for ringing bells: this is one family Christmas tradition you don’t want to miss.

1946/2:10/family

E.T. Comes to Tampa

One of Steven Spielberg’s all time classic movies E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, will be coming to Tampa’s own Al Lopez Park November 1st for a free screening.

E.T. captured a generation and has been quoted as “one of the best movies ever.”  It’s one of those movies you can watch over and over again with your family and never get tired of.  I doubt there is anyone that hasn’t seen it, but if you haven’t, its a must see.

The movie is about an alien who crashes to Earth, and desperately tries to get back to his home.  Throughout the way, he finds a family and befriends their young boy (Elliott) who wants to help him get back to his family where ever he came from.  The bond is so strong that they forever are intertwined, which almost kills them both as the Alien Task Force tries to probe the ailing E.T.  Finally, Elliott gets E.T. home by breaking away from the captivity.

The movie defined the 80s, and was the spring board to Drew Barrymore’s successful career.  She was 8, I believe, when she appeared as the sister to Elliott (Henry Thomas), who helps him take care of E.T.

If you want to take your family to this event the information is as follows:

Date:  November 1, 2008
When:  Gates open at 5:00 PM, Film starts at 7:00 PM
Where:  Al Lopez Park - 4810 N. Himes Ave.
Cost:   Free

The Floridan Hotels Artful Comeback

In 1987 the historic Floridan Hotel, located in downtown Tampa, closed its doors forever.   That final turn of the lock tumblers, sealed the spot where Eckerd and Publix formed their corporations,  and where many great actors would stay when visiting the area.  The Floridan stood tall and proud since its birthday back in 1927.  The 400 room hotel and once tallest building in Tampa was monumental to Tampa’s historic past.  Some of its guests included Elvis Presley, and Gary Cooper even courted Lupe Velez here in 1955.

Since then we watched this once beautiful building,  renowned for having one of the best ballrooms,  fall to vandalism and neglect.  A building that once put Tampa on the map with it’s famous  cliental was crying for help yet nobody listened… until 2005 when Antonios Markopoulous bought the distraught hotel for 6 million dollars.  Mr Markopoulos’s vision is to restore the decaying building back into a luxury hotel that will stand apart from the rest of the skyscrapers in town.

The last time I was downtown Tampa , the sign at the top of the hotel had missing letters, the windows were cracked,  some were missing and had been replaced with graffiti covered wood, and the smell of mold and decay seeped through the cracks in the doors.  This past week, I saw a brand new sign sitting on top of this historic hotel, windows replaced and the old marquee looking better.  The construction has begun and soon, hopefully by 2010 the historic hotel will be back to its glory days.  The hotel will not only add to the redevelopment of downtown  but it will also add to the preservation of Tampa’s history, and help keep an artistic building alive.

ROCKTOBER FEST - FOR THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY

Tampa Fire Museum - “Saving” History

Nestled on the corner of Zack and Pierce Street in downtown Tampa stands a building that is the testament to saving lives.  That building was the original Tampa Fire Department, erected sometime in the early 1900s.  The title “Saving History” was chosen for two reasons: one was the fact the people there dedicated their lives to save lives while risking their own; while on the other hand once the fire department moved to another building it also needed saving from a recking ball.

It would have been a shame for this wonderful piece of Tampa’s history to be leveled to a pile of rubble. For instance when it opened they didn’t even use trucks, they had horse drawn carriages that they rode to the fire. Something we would never know had this building been destroyed.  It took a few concerned citizens and the help of the county government to make sure this landmark stayed a part of the downtown heritage. Now its run as a non-profit 501c3 organization.

With five years of work, timeless restoration and running on donated funds the Tampa Fire Museum opened its doors to the public.  Today, you can walk around and see some of the tools the firemen would use, the clothing they wore in the 20s to 60s compared to today.  Go further inside and you can see the “watch out booth”  where a worker would sit inside and listen for dispatches, currently its hooked up to the real 911 call center to replicate what those working the booth would hear.  When you come to the old engine room where the fire engines were stored, you will see one of those classic fire poles the men would frantically slide down upon the call of duty, but also look down at the ground to see the scratch marks of the old horse drawn fire carriages.  The real observer will look at the doors and realize, they are not garage doors at all, they slide open, similar to a stall would for a horse, and in the rear of the engine room you will see a sink, dirty and full of soot, the men used to wash up with after their fire fighting day was over.  It still works and you can wash in the same basin those heroes of yesterday did.

Wander on upstairs to the second floor and see the old bunkers where the men lived waiting for the call of duty; the wood floors were painstakingly restored, but all original, which is now a banquet hall. Downstairs to the back, they have a memorial room to those heroes who died to save the lives and structures of their fellow citizens.

This museum is free to visit but donations are welcome.  They are open Tuesday to Thursday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.  They have more artifacts to fill the museum  but they will come as more donations roll in to help offset the costs.  The museum does host birthday parties, banquets and other social events. Its the proud home to the second largest Gasparilla party in Tampa each year too.

This is a great place for the young child dreaming of being a fire-fighter, or someone who may have worked in this building to come remember the good ole days. Its located next door to the current fire rescue station so you can still see the trucks and hear the sirens as they race to save lives. Come experience the history saved to honor those who saved our lives.

720 E. Zack Street
Tampa, FL

Trans-Siberian Orchestra - St.Pete Times Forum

On November 14th, just in time for the holidays, the legendary sound of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra comes to Tampa, playing at the St.Pete Times Forum.  We’ve all heard their enchanting and electrifying renditions of some of the best Christmas carols; to some it wouldn’t be the Christmas season without hearing their songs. Now they are playing live for us to hear and see the magic unfold on stage.

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) has not been through Tampa since 1999.  When they come, they bring the magic of their Rock, Jazz  and Classical Orchestra sound; mixed with unmatched staging and pyrotechnics to put on the show of shows to kick off the 2008 holiday season here in Tampa.  If you miss out on this event, it may be quite a while before they return.  Bring the magic of this great show to your children and family making a memory to last a life time.

Tickets go on sale September 13th at the McDonald’s Box Office at the Forum, or at any Ticket Master Outlet.  Tickets are $35.00 and $45.00, and prices do not include service charges.

The Wiggles at St. Pete Times Forum

[PRESS RELEASE - ST. PETE TIMES FORUM]

Get ready for “Pop Go The Wiggles Live!” - presented by Toys“R”Us. The most successful family entertainment band in history, The Wiggles, are setting out on their most rhythmic adventure to date as they invite fans to “Romp Bomp A Stomp,” do “The Monkey Dance,” and “Move like an Emu.” Join The Wiggles, Captain Feathersword, Dorothy the Dinosaur, Henry the Octopus, Wags the Dog and all the Wiggly Dancers as part of the All-New live concert tour coming to Tampa.

Come and wiggle in the aisles as the Pop Go The Wiggles Live! Tour brings The Wiggles highly interactive, fun and educational message to Tampa. Audience participation features include:

- Having fun with your favorite wiggly pal as they sing and dance through the audience
- Start the fun at home by creating a Wiggles sign and/or dressing up as your favorite character
- Yelling “Wake up, Jeff!” whenever the loveable Purple Wiggle falls asleep onstage.
- Bringing roses, for dancing pal Dorothy the Dinosaur, and bones, for canine comedian Wags the Dog, that The Wiggles and Wiggly Dancers collect during the show

About The Wiggles
The Wiggles, the world’s #1 preschool band, performed 300 shows to more than 1.5 million fans since 2005 in the United States alone. The Wiggles perform over 200 shows annually across four continents. Fans can catch The Wiggles twice daily on Disney Channel’s Playhouse Disney™ block. The Wiggles have sold more than 22.5 million videos in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

November 22nd, 2008 shows at 1:30 and 5:00 PM

Tickets are on sale at all Ticket Master outlets or at the St. Pete Times Forum Box Office.  Prices are $18, $24, $28 and $38

Sing-A-Long Little Mermaid

Here is a great event for parents with children, Disney’s timeless “Little Mermaid” is coming to Tampa Theatre for a three day sing-a-long event.

Fri., Sept. 12 at 7:30 *
Sat., Sept. 13 at 2:00 & 7:30
Sun., Sept. 14 at 2:00
Doors open 1 hour before showtime

 * Opening Night Special Guest

Sing-A-Long Grease Comes To Tampa Theatre

If you are a die hard Grease fan, then this is a must see event as Danny and the Ridell High School gang take the silver screen for this sing-a-long event with their classic songs like “Grease Lightning, Summer Lovin’ and You’re The One That I want.” Best part is, you get to sing-a-long with them at Tampa Theatre.

Friday, August 22 at 7:30
Saturday, Aug 23 at 2:00 & 7:30
Sunday, Aug 24 at 2:00 & 7:30
Doors open 1 hour before showtime
TICKETS:
$11.50  Adult
$10.50  Student (with ID)
$9.50   Senior, Military

*tickets available at the box office in advance or day of show John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing, Jeff Conaway.

This interactive presentation of the 1978 film has been customized with on-screen lyrics for all the songs so that audiences can sing along!  1978/1:50/musical/35mm.

You’re the star in the Audience Costume Parade!  Come dressed as your favorite characteror in a costume inspired by the movie.

PG - Parental Guidance Suggested Some material may be inappropriate for younger
children.

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