5 Can’t Miss Fall Shows - Becky's Picks

What do I love about fall? Pumpkin everything (especially beeeeer), wearing layers (although that might not be well into November) and Halloween. And the best time of year in the Sunshine State brings a cornucopia of shows to our fair city. So grab an Octoberfest brew, grab a (light) jacket and head to one of these five. (And be sure to check out Amy’s picks too!)

Friendly Fires, The Social, October 8
Ask most people about Pala, the latest album from this British trio, and they’ll annoyingly say they like the first album better. I am curious if these people have ears. Sure, the first self-titled release was good, but boy am I obsessed with the intricate layers of their second endeavor. (“Blue Cassette?” Goosebumps. “Hurting?” Gut-wrenchingly awesome. “Helpless?” Ohmygod, yes.) Eh, maybe it’s because I’m getting over a breakup and my emo side is shining through. But if you’re as stoked as I am to see how they’ll perform the complex studio work live, check them out this Saturday.



Eat to the Beat Concert Series, Epcot, Dates Vary
Ok, so most of the bands performing during Epcot’s Food and Wine festival (Air Supply, Hanson) can only be enjoyed ironically. However, there are a few not-so-guilty pleasures in the mix (ok, maybe a little guilty) like Boyz II Men, kinda-sorta ELO and Billy Ocean, who I saw a few years ago and was totally dope. (He rocked long white dreads and a fresh blue suit, and opened with the song "Nights (Feel Like Getting Down"). Um, hells to the yeah.) Check the full cheesy band lineup and dates here, and if none of them strike your fancy, there’s always drinking around the world and Norway’s boat ride.



VHS or Beta, Will’s Pub, October 14
It’s been awhile since these guys have visited our town but they’re back to promote their new album, Diamonds and Death. Stream the whole thing over here, then catch them at Will’s along with Britt Daley and Yogurt Smoothness. Expect a dance party.



The Cool Kids, The Social, October 22
These dudes bring a hipster element to hip hop, while keeping it on the lighthearted tip, sans the bitches and bling (see also: De La Soul). Internet buzz helped spread the word of their first EP, Bake Sale, making the follow up, When Fish Ride Bicycles, their first official album release. But don’t dismiss it just because you can’t get a physical copy or because of the huge Mountain Dew logo on the cover (guys’ve gotta eat, right?). Instead, drop a few bucks to support their live show so they can keep doing their thing – making fun hip hop music the 90s would be proud of.



Who’s Bad, The Social, October 27
It’s no secret that I love me some Michael Jackson. And since I’ll never get to see him live, I’ll have to settle for the next best thing: an MJ tribute band! And really, what better way to get into the Halloween spirit than with a re-enactment of "Thriller?"

Will's Pub's Sweet 16th Anniversary Weekend

Holy crap – Will’s Pub is old enough to drive! They grow up so fast, don’t they? Watch yourself on the roads with these kids behind the wheel.


But seriously, it was a sad day when Will’s previous location was set to close its doors forever. Luckily the legacy has lived on thanks to the current spot (conveniently across from Wally’s in case you need a shot or two in between bands).

This weekend, come support Will Walker, a man who has always tried to better our fair city, at Will's Pub's Sweet 16th Anniversary Weekend. Here’s the lineup:

9/1 Ben Prestage
9/2 Thomas Wynn & the Believers w/ Six Time Losers, Jordan Wynn
9/3 Shak Nasti & Gargamel!
9/4 "Mommy's Little Monsters" Cover Show (Social D cover set with sets by Chopper Stepe w/ a full band, Weapons To Go, & Midtown Dave)

Happy birthday! Here’s to another 16 years. (God, we’ll be old by then.)

Magic Playoffs + Extended Drinking Hours = Extreme Work Hangovers

You may or may not have heard by now that you can get your drink on until 3 AM tonight and Thursday due to the Magic playoffs. This is a bittersweet victory for a few reasons: 1) Umm… don’t most people have to be at work early on Wednesday and Friday? and 2) Really, City of Orlando? All it took to extend drinking hours was the economy tanking and the Magic finally making the playoffs? If we ever hope to get back to the days of clubs actually staying open late, maybe we’ll just have to conjure some unicorns or teach pigs to fly. If the Magic can make the playoffs, anything is possible, right? Oh yeah, and fuck you for that parking ticket the other night. I was one minute late and on my way to refill your stupid meter!!!!

Wait, what was I saying? Oh, right… more time to drink tonight! If you want to get all up in the downtown chaos, Crooked Bayou is a great spot to watch the game. Not only do they have awesome food (try the Danimal with honey mustard and a side of tater tots), but they’ve also been featuring Magic-al drink specials throughout the playoffs.


Redlight Redlight will also be showing the game this evening, along with hosting a special beer-tasting event. The Left Hand Brewing Company will be serving up beer flights to try their southpaw-style beer and the first 48 people get to keep their pint glass.

(Note… Not sure if Redlight Redlight gets that extra-hour extension. According to the official press release of the City of Orlando, “alcohol can be sold until 3:00 a.m. (instead of 2:00 a.m.) and that closing of properly licensed establishments (within the City’s corporate limits) will be 4:00 a.m.” This fun little parentheses may very well screw over places like Redlight Redlight, Will's Pub and Peacock Room.)

And the award for most creative way to rip off the Magic’s logo goes to Covert Skate Shop!

Even though I'm the opposite of a sports fan, I can't help but be stoked for my li'l ol' town of Orlando getting national recognition. Hopefully they won't get their asses handed to them again! Happy hangovers to all planning to celebrate (or drown sorrows) tonight and Thursday!

The Haps This Weekend

Here’s some stuff you just shouldn’t miss:

Tonight at Will's Pub: La Garage a Go-Go! with Los Knievels, The Empyres, The Mondellos


Over at Peacock: Latenight Society presents Disco Disco with Just Jason, Romano Arcaini, Gino Sutera and Nigel


Saturday at Orlando Brewing: The Grafitti Bus Tour featuring artists, DJs, BBQ and beer.


Saturday night at Hard Rock Live: comedian Jim Gaffigan



Have a good one :)

Orlando Music Festivals A-Go-Go

Knock, knock. Who’s there?

Banana. Banana who?

Knock, knock. Who’s there?

Banana. Banana who?

Knock, knock. Ugh, who’s there?

Orange. Orange who?

Orange You Glad (I didn’t say Banana, yuk yuk) musical festival kicks off tonight at Will's Pub and it's chock-full of local bands playing local venues for your supporting pleasure. Peep the full weekend schedule here.


And yet another music festival began last night – The Florida Music Festival. Two festivals in one weekend??? Seriously? We couldn’t have, like, spread it out between two weekends or something? It’s a good thing for Orlando but geez… what about those weekends where I don’t have a lot to write about? Anyways, enough about me. Check the FMF schedules by day:

Thursday schedule
Friday schedule
Saturday schedule

Also, don’t miss the Rock Walk, an art show in conjunction with the FMF at the City Arts Factory. I can’t find a lot of information about the show, but I do know that Andrew Spear has painted two dope murals on the wall, which are probably both worth seeing in person. This is one of them:



Finally, if music festivals aren't your thing, but overdramatic theater people are, then you won't want to miss Orlando Fringe Festival, which also kicks off tonight. This cover of Watermark pretty much sums it up:



Have a fun-filled festival weekend!

Tigercity @ Will's Pub

Any of you kids remember the band that opened for VHS or Beta last year? Well, you should. They’re called Tigercity, a Brooklyn-based band named as one of Rolling Stone’s Artists to Watch in 2007. This disco-fied foursome are guys after my own heart: they describe their influences "ranging from The Police, Daft Punk, and Roxy Music, to classic Prince and Off The Wall-era Michael Jackson." Um... yes, please! My favorite song on their Myspace player is Are You Sensation, hands down.



They’re playing tonight at Will's Pub with Spirit Bomb, Makeshift Gentleman and The Royal. Catch them in your own backyard while you still can! Not only are they headed off to SXSW and a European tour, I’m sure it's only a matter of time before they get signed to the DFA label or something similar.

$8, Doors at 9 PM

Jellyfish and Other Weekend Events

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, my apologies for less-than-frequent updates as of late. My home computer has finally died a nasty death, leaving only my work computer to access the internet. And in today’s hard economic times, my jobby job is very important to me. Ok, enough woe-is-me talk – let’s get some weekend action up in this piece.

First off, we have an art installment from Doug Rhodehamel. Remember when he was collecting all those plastic bottles a few months back? Turns out he wasn’t cashing them in to pay he rent, he was creating sea creatures. Night of a Thousand Jellyfish takes place at the City Arts Factory from 7 to 11 PM with music by DJ Nigel. It’s 2 bucks or you can opt to bring a cheap bottle of wine. I know which one I’m choosing!



And over at the place you never thought would open, Will's Pub, catch The Empyres – a band consisting of ex-members of The Hatebombs, Fantasie and View-finder. Or Dave Ewing, Jeff Orlando and Aaron Zacktan if you need names to go with the faces. Special guests: The Bell Towers. $5, 10 PM.



Continuing down the 17-92 pub crawl, we have The Future on Films in Space playing at the Peacock Room. $5, 10 PM.



Househeads should stop in at Crooked Bayou this evening, where DJ Chang (best known as resident DJ at the ecstasy-filled nights of club Simon’s in Gainseville) will be the special guest. No cover, 10 PM.



Kick your Saturday off with a group art show dedicated to life in Central Florida. Altered State features work by Johannah O’Donnell, Joseph Williams, Linda Hartmann, Morgan Steele, Pam Treadwell, Patricia Coyle, Peg Martin and Tom Hope. Each artist will be showing their perspective of life in our fair city – it should be interesting to see the outcome. It’s being held at my favorite bight-orange building, Say It Loud. $5, 7 PM, soundscape by Adriaan Mol.



Also on Saturday, The Spam Allstars will be heating up The Social. The 9-pice band blends “electronic elements and turntables with Latin rhythms, funk, hip-hop and dub to create an eclectic, original sound.” Special guest: The Gerry Williams Band. $10 in advance, $12 day of show.



And finally, the last Saturday of each month marks the Dublife party at Crooked Bayou. Hosted by Jungala, No cover, $10 PM.



Have fun :)