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JACKSONVILLE
festival
season
Listing of Upcoming Festivals and Interviews
with Marty Raybon · Built to Spill · Minus the
Bear · Pelican · Umphrey’s McGee
Internet Revolution: Keeping up with Technology | Cantina Laredo | New Exhibits at the Zoo | Stop-Loss Interview
free monthly guide to entertainment and more | march 2008 | www.eujacksonville.com

2 march 2008 | eu jacksonville newspaper

eu staff
publisher
W.C. Henley
managing editor
Jon Bosworth
creative director
Rachel Best Henley
business manager
Shelley Henley
advertising
sales@entertainingu.com
editorial
food editor
Erin Thursby
senior writer
Rick Grant
contributing writers
Kellie Abrahamson
Brenton Crozier
Donald Dusinberre
Hilary Johnson
Dick Kerekes
Troy Spurlin
Norman Stovall
Richard Teague
Tom Weppel
Christina Wagner
press releases, calendar information,
photos, or details about upcoming events
must be submitted a month in advance. send to
info@entertainingu.com
send comments or suggestions to
feedback@entertainingu.com
webmaster
webmaster@entertainingu.com
Erik Wagner
Published by EU Jacksonville Newspaper. P.O. Box 11959, Jacksonville,
FL 32239. Copyright 2008. Reproduction of any artwork or copy prepared
by N2U Publishing, Inc. is strictly prohibited without written consent of
the publisher. We will not be responsible for errors and/or omissions, the
Publisher’s liability for error will not exceed the cost of space occupied
by the error. Articles for publication are welcome and may be sent to
info@entertainingu.com. We cannot assume responsibility for unsolicited
manuscripts and photographs. For information concerning advertising
phone 904-730-3003 or email sales@entertainingu.com.
ON THE COVER:
Photo taken at the 2007 George’s Music Springing the
Blues Music Festival by David Groover.
eujacksonville.com | march 2008 3

4 march 2008 | eu jacksonville newspaper
a letter from eu
“There’s only one corner of the
universe you can be certain of improving,
and that’s your own self.” -Aldous Huxley
EU Jacksonville is improving and we welcome our faithful and newest readers
alike to enjoy our new presentation of the entertainment news we have long
provided.
You will notice many improvements in Entertaining U Newspaper as we
change to a monthly printed publication starting with this March 2008 issue.
You will fi nd our advances will bring more in-depth editorial and feature section
designs that will make each element unique, including stories about local music,
theater, movies and art. We will be expanding our coverage of community events,
improving lifestyles and many other exciting new features.
We feel a responsibility toward becoming a more ecological and less wasteful
business. Printing EU Jacksonville once a month will reduce the resources we use
as well as the waste we create.
We are also fi rm believers that the future is on the Internet, and therefore we
will make our online presence much more interactive with features you won’t fi nd
in the print version of our publication or anywhere else online. As eujacksonville.
com continues rapidly growing in readership, it has become a valued resource.
It will continue to be updated weekly to provide the reviews and interviews you
count on us for in a timely fashion.
So if the print version doesn’t have the critic’s reviews of all the new movies,
live theater, local rock shows and the hilarious interviews that you have grown to
love from our publication, then you need to check out our website, because those
features will certainly continue there along with the full monthly online version.
There will also be movie preview promotions and other giveaways only available
through eujacksonville.com. Sign up to have EU Now delivered to your desktop
every week with the latest website updates.
Maybe we can’t improve the universe, but we can welcome the new horizons
of inevitable change and help Jacksonville improve at the same time.
the management & staff
of EU Jacksonville Newspaper

the march issue
Festing in 08 The Internet Revolution
Letter from EU page 4
at home
Notes from the Bachelor Pad page 7
The Return of the TV page 8
Dexter (television review) page 8
Keeping up with Technology Page 9
Online Safety Tips page 9
Netscapades (internet revolution) page 10
dish
Food Blogs page 11
Wi-Fi Dining Guide page 11
Food Events page 12
Cantina Laredo (restaurant review) page 13
PAGE 41
PAGE 19
photo by anthony hodge
music
Music Events pages14 - 16
Helios Eye (album review) page 17
Willie Evans Jr. (album review) page 17
Built to Spill (interview) page 18
Festival Season 08 pages 19 - 23
Langerado pages 23 - 26
Minus the Bear (interview) page 24
Umphrey’s McGee (interview) pages 24 - 26
Pelican (interview) page 26
Gamble Rogers Folk Festival (interview) page 27
Seafood Fest - Marty Raybon (interview) pages 28-29
family
Family Events page 30
New at the Zoo (stingrays and amphibians) page 31
art
Art Events page 32
Art After Dark (FL Theatre) page 33
MegaCon (interview) page 39
theatre & culture
Theater Events page 34
Twelve Bar Blues (interview) page 35
Evita (interview) page 36
a better u
A Better U: The Science of Touch page 37
A Better U: Athletic Injuries page 38
movies
Movies in March page 40
Semi-Pro (movie review) page 41
Stop-Loss (interview) page 42
PAGE 36
eujacksonville.com | march 2008 5

6 march 2008 | eu jacksonville newspaper
at home
television, internet and your enviornment at home.
The “at home” section of EU has always been a part of the paper we were interested in expanding. This
part of the paper has always had videogame, television and DVD reviews, which admittedly are the things that
many of us actually do at home. And the Netscapades column is a hilarious complement to those features.
But there is something else, something incredibly important, that we also do at home. We live there.
Because we spend a great deal of time in our homes, it is one of our most important environments. Our
homes fi gure into our daily lives from sunup to sundown. If the environment of our homes doesn’t make us
feel comfortable and secure, we will likely not feel comfort or security anywhere in our lives.
So in the new monthly EU you can count on us to focus more attention to design ideas, decorating tips,
cleaning advice and a number of other articles that help you make your home a more inviting place. To kick
off this new initiative, we have moved Troy Spurlin’s always entertaining Notes from the Bachelor Pad column
into this part of the paper. Similar to the great ideas that Troy provides for crafting the perfect bachelor pad,
we hope to feed you all sorts of tips for decorating your space, be it a family home, a bachelorette pad or just
you and your roommate’s place.
Watch as this part of our paper helps you turn your home into a place that truly refl ects who you are. A
place that fells more like… home!

notes from the
bachelor pad by troy spurlin
So, whether you sip gin n’ juice, a tall boy or a martini, you need a place to set it down. We aren’t
going to continue cleaning up kicked-over drinks—that’s just prehistoric. What we need is an awesome
coffee table! I could easily direct you to Design Within Reach, BoConcept, or our new West Elm at the
Town Center, but in this recession (Republican economy – is that better?), who can afford one? So
instead, we are going to create one. And it’s easy!
Find a box you like that is about 30” x 30” square (no rectangles, man – it’s gotta’ be a square) and
no higher than 14” high (we want it low, it’s the perfect height for sitting on the fl oor to eat). If you can
make one, that’s even better. If your old man didn’t bother to teach you, teach yourself! Not being my own
best student, I bought mine.
My box is made with 1 x 4 framing that is covered in plywood and fi nished with sheets of chrome
laminate (cost: 30 bucks at the Salvation Army on Beach) and it is beggin’ for a dancer (yeah – she’s
sturdy). But you can cover your box in whatever you like. Could be paint, could be rubber, or it could be
sheet metal. You get the idea, get creative (c’mon man, Bush is only in offi ce 8 more months) and apply
whatever your budget can afford. Hell, the wood itself (with 4 coats of Polyurethane) would be really cool.
For a “right now” look, just do a box frame with no overlay, it’s sooo very minimal.
But wait, we aren’t done, that box is not our coffee table. We need a piece of glass. A long, thick,
big-ass piece of glass that is approximately 4-feet wide by 6-feet in length. “I can’t afford a custom cut
piece of glass that big!,” you say. Well, we ain’t buying “custom”, we are buying a glass table top from
the thrift store (every single thrift store around town has a glass table top that you can fi nd for about $50
– we don’t care what the table looks like). That is what I paid for mine at the Hubbard House Thrift Store
on Beach Boulevard in St. Nicholas (it’s a little dirty in there but they get cool stuff). Oh, and I left the table
base there. There’s no shame in my game. Besides, another customer may be looking for just a base
– it’ll be their lucky day. So see, everything works out. As my ole Italian buddy would have said, “That’s
nice-nice.”
Now lay the glass on top of the box and you have an awesome coffee table. It’s big. You can lay
out 3 Domino’s XL Boxes and not have to relocate all the other party favors. But you know what the real
secret is? The real beauty of this piece? Why this piece is so perfectly right for our pad? Because if you
have chosen a proper box and a proper piece of glass, it will withstand the weight of two partygoers
enjoying the party.
“Wooly Bully” has fi nally gotten some box.
And now it’s your turn. But wait, before you head out the door, did you trim your nose hair? Ear hair?
How ‘bout those bushy-ass ‘brows? And since you got the clippers goin’, you might wanna’ head south.
Seriously brother, “manscaping” is a neccessity in 2008.
Now... go get that box!
eujacksonville.com | march 2008 7

the return of tv
the strike is over - now what?
BY KELLIE ABRAHAMSON KAbrahamson1@aol.com
Finally, the TV gods are smiling on us once
more. The WGA and AMPTA have come to an
agreement after three months of bitter negotiations.
The end of the strike came just in time too.
We got a chance to see No Country for Old Men
take home some well-deserved Oscars live instead
of having to sit through a lame, over-blown “press
conference.” Network upfronts will, for the most
part, still happen in May, which means we’ll have
a 2008-2009 television season after all. Last and
most importantly for any TV fan, many of our favorite
shows are back in production. The question
now is when those shows will be gracing our living
rooms once more.
ABC’s near-future schedule is
looking pretty bright. Pre-strike
episodes of October Road and
Lost are currently airing and Men
in Trees began its abbreviated
11-episode season on February
27 th . But April is where the magic really happens.
Samantha Who? comes back on April 7 th and
Boston Legal is right behind her on the 8 th . Those
wacky Desperate Housewives will be back on April
13 th and the Walkers put the “fun” in “dysfunction”
on April 20 th with 4 new episodes of Brothers
& Sisters. Finally, April 24 th will bring both Ugly
Betty and the hot docs of Grey’s Anatomy back to
primetime.
Pushing Daisies, Dirty Sexy Money and
Private Practice have all proven to be huge hits in
ABC’s ratings, so they’ve all been renewed for second
seasons. The bad news is we won’t get to see
any new episodes, even those that were completed
pre-strike, until fall.
Finally, the Alphabet Net is cutting freshman
“Men and the City” series Big Shots for performing
below expectations, Cavemen for being just as bad
as we thought it would be and Carpoolers for its
glaring mediocrity. Women’s Murder Club will most
likely fi nish up its fi rst season in April or May, but
the future is looking grim for these investigators.
There’s plenty going on over at
CBS this spring. Sitcoms The
Big Bang Theory, How I Met
Your Mother, and Two and a
Half Men will be back on March
17 th to fi nish up their seasons, joining the already
airing The New Adventures of Old Christine. Also
returning is couples comedy Rules of Engagement
on April 14 th . Jericho is already showing off its
second season. More dramas will join it on CBS’s
airwaves beginning March 30 th with Cold Case.
Criminal Minds (April 2), Without a Trace (April 3),
NUMB3RS (April 4), Ghost Whisperer (April 4),
NCIS (April 8) and Moonlight (April 11) will also
come back. The CSIs are also set to air new episodes
this spring.
The Eye is cutting two of its 2007-2008
season shows for good- Cuban soap Cane and the
downright dreadful Viva Laughlin, which couldn’t
survive past two episodes last fall.
CW sitcoms Aliens in America
and Everybody Hates Chris
will begin airing new episodes
8 march 2008 | eu jacksonville newspaper
in March and The Game will also come back for
more at some point this spring. Teen angst will
continue as well, with new chapters of Gossip Girl
set to air on April 21 st . One Tree Hill has a handful
of episodes slated to air through March 18 th .
More new episodes of the soap will be shot and
will begin airing on April 14 th . March and April will
also bring some otherworldly fl avor back to The
CW with the returns of Smallville, Supernatural and
Reaper.
The C-Dub has already shaved some fat from
their roster by signaling the end of the long-running
sitcom Girlfriends. They’re also canning the cringeworthy
Life is Wild due to predictable lack of interest.
Aside from a handful of
episodes remaining for Terminator:
The Sarah Connor
Chronicles, Fox is unveiling
most of their returning
series’ in April. Sitcoms ‘Til Death and Back to You
will see new chapters on March 25 th and April 14 th ,
respectively. Forensics drama Bones comes back
with 6 consecutive episodes beginning on April
14 th . Finally, everyone’s favorite drug-addicted
doctor House begins his rounds in a new Monday
timeslot on April 28 th .
On a side note, Poor Jack Bauer has yet to
fi ght any terrorists this year and it looks like it’s
gonna stay that way. Fox’s hit series 24 is being
postponed until January ’09.
After a very long, almost
torturous break, NBC’s comedies
are all coming back this
spring with new episodes. My
Name is Earl kicks things off
on April 3 rd while 30 Rock and
The Offi ce bring the funny on
April 10 th . Also appearing on the 10 th is ER. All of
the Law & Orders are expected to shoot some new
episodes that will begin airing this spring, and Medium,
which has fi ve pre-strike episodes already
in the can, will continue to shoot to give us a full
season by summer.
NBC has given the second season green light
to newbies Chuck and Life. New episodes of those
shows will air in the fall. In a similar situation is
Heroes, which will leave us high and dry until the
start of the 2008-2009 season. To make it up to
us, the network is promising a super-sized third
season, with more than 22 episodes slated to air.
The bad news is several of the Peacock’s
shows are on the chopping block since the strike
ended. Bionic Woman proved to be a bust, as did
the time-jumping Journeyman. Las Vegas is signing-off
after four seasons. Then there’s the most
disappointing of all- critical darling and cult sensation
(code for rabid fans but poor ratings) Friday
Night Lights. Start campaigning now if you don’t
want to see the lights go out. Last and certainly not
least, Scrubs is set to wrap up its seven-year run
this spring. There are fi ve pre-strike episodes ready
to air and up to four episodes will be shot to give
JD and the gang a proper send off.
You’ll have to check listings on a regular basis
to know when these shows will be shown.
killer cop show
Dexter on CBS
BY KELLIE ABRAHAMSON KAbrahamson1@aol.com
Many shows have made the jump from cable
TV to broadcast television thanks to syndication. Rife
with content edits, shows like Sex and the City and
The Sopranos lose much of their appeal when they
make the switch, leaving audiences just tuning in
wondering what the initial buzz was all about. Showtime’s
original series, Dexter, arrived on network TV
for the fi rst time last month. Thankfully, even with
the necessary edits to make the series suitable for
primetime, the retooled version of the hit show is still
better than just about everything on television right
now.
Orphaned at age three, Dexter (Michael C. Hall)
was adopted by Harry Morgan (James Remar), a
cop who discovers over the years that the young
boy he’s taken into his home has sociopathic tendencies.
Instead of sending him away or taking him
to a shrink, Harry teaches young Dexter to turn his
murderous compulsions on those who deserve it
– criminals who slip through the justice system.
Thanks to the “Code of Harry,” Dexter feeds the
monster within him while making his corner of the
world a little safer for the rest of us. Dex meets many
of his victims through his day job as a blood spatter
analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department, and
many of his friends are the cops who are essentially
charged with catching people like him. One of those
police is Debra (Jennifer Carpenter), Dexter’s adoptive
sister. The only person Dexter hasn’t charmed
is Sergeant James Doakes (Erik King), a gruff Homicide
detective who fi nds the seemingly innocent
blood spatter analyst exceedingly creepy. Away from
the offi ce, Dexter has a semi-romantic relationship
with Rita Bennett (Julie Benz), a divorced mother of
two who is recovering from her ex-husband’s abuse.
Season one of Dexter centers on the hunt for
the “Ice Truck Killer,” a meticulous monster who
drains his victims’ blood before dismembering them
and dumping the body parts in various locations
around Miami. The murders fascinate Dexter from
the beginning, but when the killer begins communicating
with him through the crime scenes, Dex
makes it his mission to fi nd the Ice Truck Killer before
the cops do.
Dexter premiered on Showtime in 2006 and got
rave reviews from critics. Since then, the show has
won several awards, including 2 Emmys for Outstanding
Main Title Design and Outstanding Single-
Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series, and has
been nominated for many others, including a Golden
Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television
Series- Drama. Dexter can also boast that it’s
the highest-rated series in Showtime’s history, with
its second season averaging 2.4 million viewers on
a weekly basis. A third season is currently in the
works and is expected to air this fall.
Meanwhile on broadcast television, Showtime’s
parent company, CBS, was looking to fi ll some
programming void after the WGA went on strike
and decided to put America’s favorite serial killer on
primetime. The decision ruffl ed the feathers of the
Parents Television Council, a nonprofi t advocacy
group who has since called for affi liates to preempt
the show when it airs. Thankfully, our local affi liate
has ignored the PTC, allowing those who don’t subscribe
to Showtime a chance to get to know Dexter
and his twisted world.
As much as I respect what the PTC stands for
(I am a parent with two small children, after all), I’ve
seen the fi rst two seasons of Dexter in their uncut
glory and two of the edited CBS episodes and, while
I agree this isn’t “family programming,” the controversy
is hardly warranted. First, for a show about the
life and times of a serial killer, much of Dexter’s violence
is inferred and the gore is pretty minimal, even
the unedited episodes. That which remains should
be taken care of by my second point- Dexter airs at
10 pm on Sundays. Little ones should long be snug
in their beds by then, giving the adults the show was
made for a chance to unwind in front of the TV and
watch Dex deliver some vigilante justice.
Unlike the bastardized versions of Sex and the
City currently airing on network TV, Dexter doesn’t
require nearly as much editing, so the show holds
up extremely well to censor tinkering. The only big
difference is the dialogue dubbing. Characters like
Deb and Doakes, who curse nearly every other word,
are given new, primetime-friendly lines, some of
which are pretty funny, especially if you’re familiar
with the uncut versions. Hearing Doakes tell Dexter,
“I’m watching you, mother lover,” made me giggle
profusely. Another downside to the show being on
CBS is the commercial breaks. The series fl ows a
lot better when viewed without them. Still, if you’ve
never seen Dexter before and can’t afford to get your
hands on the DVDs, watching the show on network
TV, edits, commercials and all, is still better than not
experiencing this one-of a-kind series.

confessions of
a technophobe
reaching for technology by a.m. stewart
Behind-the-times doesn’t even begin to describe my relationship with technology (or better yet – lack
thereof). My contempt for computers began early in life. Memorizing stupid MS-DOS commands in order to
play a game of jeopardy wasn’t exactly my kind of fun. My hatred sprang into full bloom when I was required
to take a keyboarding class in high school with the most despised teacher on campus. The one thing I learned
from Keyboarding 101: If you don’t want to sit through class, have a friend call in a bomb threat. (My school
had lots of bomb threats.)
So as you can imagine, I’m iPod-defi cient. Yep, I still buy CDs. And I am proud of my resistance to
becoming tech-savvy. I do have a cell phone, but even that venture is only two years old. To me, cell phones
are the equivalent of being tied to a leash.
Why does everyone need to be connected
at every moment? I may never
understand it, but my job requires that I
stay in touch. So now it’s a necessity.
No matter how much I wish for simpler
times, it’s clear they have passed.
My challenge is to get my learn on, to
become inspired by technology and jump
on the techno-bandwagon (not likely),
and who better to guide me than Joey
Marchy, creator of the Urban Jacksonville
blog (urbanjacksonville.info). He’s an
8-year veteran in the web industry and
serves as the Master Technician at nGen
Works, a web development company.
Recently, I found out that I will be
forced to buy a box for digital frequencies
for the television within the next year because our government wants to be greedy with their precious analog
signals. I still use the antenna-only method (that’s right – no cable TV either). I suppose I’ll have to apply for
government coupons to purchase a discounted converter box, and still, I may not get all the channels I do
now.
Sadly, society doesn’t care about the people who
don’t want to change with the times. We should be respected
and revered for preserving the ‘old ways of life,’
like a museum or a historical reference.
Someone will say, “The girl down the street still
uses analog TV signals. The screen is completely black
and she can’t get any channels. I gotta see this.”
Joey, our tech guru, agrees that we are moving at
a faster technological rate than ever before. And he says
if you want to keep up, you need thick skin.
“Timelines for everything are getting shorter, because
people’s attention spans are getting shorter,” Joey
says.
Once a new product is developed, not all bugs may
be worked out until its second or third version, he says.
So if you’re an “early adopter,” accept that there will be
something better and cheaper on the market at some
point.
I have trouble maintaining my own life on a daily
basis, so keeping up with a detailed summary of my life
on a social networking site, like MySpace, is an arduous
task. I joined MySpace about a year ago, but only from
my boyfriend’s persistent urging. My account is pretty
basic, no bells and whistles here. I am not sure where people fi nd the time to ‘pimp out’ their MySpace page.
I only use it when I can’t get in touch with people the good ‘ol conventional way, by telephone.
Our tech guru says social networking sites allow you to simplify personal interaction and focus on building
the relationship. These sites let you, “remove the barrier of having to manage all your relationships’ meta
information, like e-mail addresses and birthdays, etc.”
Even when these sites claim to provide security, I can’t help but think it’s a bizarre social climate ripe
with opportunities to steal your identity. Or, even scarier, to become a cyber-stalked victim. Facebook has
recently been under criticism for the way its program, Beacon, tracks your every move on the Web, then reports
it to everyone you know and don’t know. Sounds like Big Brother is looming closer than ever.
Sites like these also make you more disconnected with the world. They only offer virtual experiences,
keeping you attached to your personal circle. What happened to meeting people face to face or enjoying life
the organic way? We are creating a generation of anti-social people concerned only with themselves and their
virtual lives. And that, my friend, is a scary phenomenon.
Joey admits that the drawback to social networks can be “social network overload.” This is where you
end up spending all your time managing, “things like compatibility quizzes, vampire bites and friend requests,
so you never accomplish anything.”
But he’s quick to reassure us that social networking is not going anywhere anytime soon. Joey says
these sites will benefi t people in the future as these networks evolve.
Aren’t Americans stressed out enough with their non-stop, workaholic behavior? Someone please tell
me why we need the Internet on our cell phones. Doesn’t constantly checking e-mail, keeping plugged into
work and staying informed about the latest news add to everyone’s stress level? I have a hard enough time
responding to text messages, much less, trying to check my e-mail on a tiny phone.
Joey says all this Internet-on-phone business depends on each person’s own temperament. He’s the
type of person who enjoys being connected.
“It gives me a feeling of empowerment to know I can access any information I want at any time,” he
says.
But you can’t deny the prevalence of stress in our lives. Last year, the American Psychological Association
conducted a survey on stress. The survey found that work-related stress has increased 15 percent
within the last year. Seventy-four percent of respondents said work was a signifi cant cause to their stress
levels. Even more, almost half of Americans said their stress level had increased over the past fi ve years. This
couldn’t have to do with blurring the boundaries between work and at home, relax-time, could it?
I’m beginning to wonder if all this technology just makes one’s life harder than it has to be. Corporations
want to make you think all this connectivity is fabulous, so they can make billions. It’ll offer so many new and
interesting dimensions to your life, not to mention a ton of stress. Soon computer chips will be implanted into
our forearms to keep track of us like cattle. Oh wait, that’s already happening, brought to us by VeriChip.
I’ve decided that I could simply move to New Zealand. They’re accepting anyone from the US who
claims political asylum as citizens. I’m sure I could fi nd a job herding sheep or something that involves limited
technology use.
On the other hand, the Pope started sending text messages as early as 2003. I didn’t start texting until
2007. If the Pope can get with the times, maybe there’s hope for me.
protect your net
With all sorts of wireless transactions taking place these days, I wanted to know how I could
protect my sensitive info. Joey Marchy was pleased to provide me with some simple tips.
Upgrade your web browser. You should not be using Internet Explorer 6. Upgrade Internet Explorer
version to 7, or better yet download and install Firefox (mozilla.com/fi refox) or Safari (apple.com/
safari). Each of these browsers include enhanced security features older browsers don’t have.
Don’t buy things online with your debit/check card. Some companies like Visa will insure your
debit card for online theft, but not all banks will. Use a major credit card when making online
purchases.
If you have a wireless network at home, use a strong password. Seven to 10 characters with
upper and lowercase letters and numbers, like h6ygTK3. Not your dog’s name. I know it’s hard to
remember, but you want to protect your information right?
If you’re nervous about using your credit card to make an online purchase at Starbucks (using
wifi ), wait till you get home.
eujacksonville.com | march 2008 9

10 march 2008 | eu jacksonville newspaper
netscapades
by brenton crozier
my internet revolution
The Internet is getting along quite well these days. People take classes and even earn degrees online.
The web is a massive home of commerce, where you can purchase jeans, airplane tickets, organic food,
homes, cars and an exhaust pipe fl amethrower for your car (seriously— http://www.fl amethrowers.com.
au/). Now, the Internet is even a gigantic social forum, people meeting people, experts reaching out to each
other and talking shop, people landing dates and even spouses, and people communicating with each other
globally with the ease of a click or two.
Where I used to reach for a dictionary or encyclopedia, I now default to my computer. The Internet is
truly revolutionary and is changing the way we talk to each other, do business and approach our respective
social stratospheres. It has truly redefi ned our society. You can’t even see or hear a commercial without a
website being plugged. It is in this spirit, the spirit of advancement and revolution that I bring you the following
sites.
www.menwholooklikekennyrogers.com
In what other day and age could such a comprehensive
gallery and information bank be kept on men who look like
Kenny Rogers? The photo galleries are enough to feast your
eyes on for a solid twenty minutes. It’s unintentional (I hope)
Kenny look-a-likes for as long as you can stand it. You’ll see
Disneyland Kenny, Moonlight Beach Kenny and, of course, Papa
Smurf Kenny (did you ever realize how much Papa Smurf looks
like Kenny Rogers?).
A How to Look Like Kenny section and Kenny Spotting Tips
section are among the highlights. You can purchase a MWLLKR
T-shirt or check out the delicious corn muffi n recipe!
www.mypce.com
www.moderndrunkardmagazine.com
Another modern marvel of the Internet, Modern Drunkard Magazine. They
are “Standing up for your right to get falling down drunk since 1996.” These
may be some of the funniest articles I’ve read since reading The Onion this
morning. It could be because I’m a lush and the alcohol eases my pain . . . is
that bad? Try Joints of No Return—”Bars you won’t be going back to anytime
soon.” It profi les a number of bars that sounded like they would be good
for some reason or another, but turned into a bad choice. For example, The
Smirking Moose Brew House sounded like a good idea because they heard
that they have “Like a gazillion beers on tap.” And the only good thing about
the place? “You’ll never have to wonder what a Pumpkin Ass Stout tastes like
again.”
Be sure to catch one of the regular columns like Wino Wisdom and Booze
News. Man, this is my kind of scene . . . and the kind of scene for anyone
else trying to “drink away the part of the day they cannot sleep away.”
You need a cozy place to enjoy Men Who Look Like
Kenny Rogers and Modern Drunkard Magazine. It’s all about
good ergonomics! The PCE is all about your Personal Computing
Environment. Oh how sweet surfi ng and gaming could
be in one of these bad boys. This is like a school desk and
computer desk on steroids. It does eerily resemble a dentist’s
chair however.
As you can clearly see, the Internet has come a long
way. I can’t even imagine the types of cool advances that
I’ll be discussing with you in 10 years. Anything is possible.
There may be a People That Look Like Christopher Walken
website, the drunkards from Modern Drunkard Magazine may
sober up or the PCE station may even go mobile. Instead of
merely socializing screen-to-screen, we could get together
and then talk to each other in acronyms and smiley faces.

the local foodie blog
interview with tastememory.com by erin thursby
I’ve had a tough time fi nding very many local blogs that are dedicated to food. When it comes to local
food and dining, you’ll mostly fi nd content on sites that support lots of other subjects and have a small section
dedicated to dining or eating in the area. The most valuable info will come from locals who post on the
boards. (A good example is metrojacksonville.com)
Ingar Brunnett is a local who maintains a blog wholly dedicated to food. She posts her thoughts about
the restaurants she adores, recipes she’s tried, and local places to get exotic groceries. She also talks about
national food trends and blogs about some of the places she’s tried while vacationing in other parts of the
country. You can fi nd her blog at tastememory.com
EU had the chance to ask Brunnett about her past and future blogings.
EU: What made you decide to start your food blog?
Ingar Brunnett: I found a void in the local community as far as things that were happening in the food industry
and restaurants. I grew up in the restaurant industry back in San Francisco and I just couldn’t fi nd it here.
EU: What direction has your blog been going in and what direction will it be going in the future?
IB: I originally started by profi ling restaurants…I do look at things that are happening regionally and globally
in food. It’s always good to hear about hot new ways of cooking, approaches to restaurant development,
things like that. That’s what I originally started doing. What I found happening here was that a lot of times
when I would visit restaurants, when someone kind of gave me a heads up that ‘this is really good, you
should check this out,’ it was kind of a hit or miss…One restaurant that I profi led that I loved, it was a fantastic
sushi place, I…went back six months later and they were changing ownership. There would be such a
shift in ownership or I would go back and it wouldn’t be there anymore…I get so many local readers coming
to my site to get insight on where to eat sushi or Chinese, or this that and the other. It’s kind of hard for me to
upkeep if they’re going to be going out of business… it was hard to gauge what might happen…[In the future]
I’ll be still staying within the food realm, but it will be in the direction of what’s happening in other parts
of the country and how it might effect dining in Jacksonville and North East Florida. Just bringing in other
news and bringing it to the local readers.
EU: And you also profi le restaurants in New York or other cities that you visit…
IB: I just love what’s happening in New York, because there’s just a lot of experimentation, with a lot of
meats, produce. I just love reading the New York Times. If I don’t have time for anything else, I’ll go to their
dining section and there will be something about the newest trend in, like, pork knuckles. I mean who would
have thought…there’s a specifi c restaurant that just focuses on working with…different parts of pork…Just
to step outside of what you would normally look at when you’re eating pork.
EU: You seem to really love Indian food. It seems to be one of your favorite things to review.
IB: You know what it is? Why it’s always ended up in my blog? It’s because I’m used to going out and getting
takeout Chinese or Japanese…and I can’t fi nd anything here that I can really stomach, so I found that Indian
food is like my back-up Asian take out.
EU: They don’t go very spicy around here except for Indian, that’s the tendency in this area.
IB: So I think that’s why I kind of opted…[for] Indian because that’s…my busy week take-out.
EU: Your bastion of spiciness
IB: Actually, Flavors Indian Restaurant really goes heavy on that spice, they’re good to sit there and sweat it
out.
EU: Will you be covering more places to pick up produce in your blog?
IB: I thought that the produce selection has been absolutely horrifying…There are so many fantastic local
farmers. [When I lived in California] there were a lot of these farm stands and markets…but if I wasn’t going
there the same stuff would have been found in the mega supermarkets because there was such a connection
and sensibility with the farmers…All that local produce was inside supermarkets but I don’t know what’s
happening here. I just feel like, if it is then it’s off in that little bitty organic section, which is like a graveyard
of decaying matter. I fi nd that the produce is just absolutely horrifying with the selection here. With that said, I
would like to highlight more on these little farms….There’s a couple of them…
EU: What else do you plan to do?
IB: Something that I’ve been trying to do, and I just haven’t had time, is to really connect with more food
bloggers in Florida. Because, aside from you, I don’t really know anyone else who has a blog that’s more than
seventy-fi ve percent food…Tampa maybe has a dozen…
wi-fi dining guide by erin thursby
Wi-Fi has massively increased in availability all over Jacksonville over the past two years. You can surf
the net at the Landing, at the St. Johns Town Center, at most of the coffee shops in town and at a surprising
number of fast food joints. So, if you want a little Internet interaction as you dine, take a look at this
listing of some of the places where you can grab a bite to eat and surf the net.
Local Restaurants with Wi-Fi
Biscotti’s (3556 St. Johns Avenue, Avondale, 904-
387-2060) You can feel comfortable at Biscotti’s
and still feel like you’re having a fabulous meal. You
can enjoy wine and cheese, indulge in their decadent
desserts or have one of their gourmet pizzas.
The place is well loved by locals for a reason. $$$
Chai House Tea Co. (1034 Hendricks Avenue, San
Marco, 904-399-4848) It’s not just a place to get
tea and breakfast; they’ve got a decent lunch menu
besides. Lunch items range in cost from about $7 -
$10. We’ve heard a lot of positive talk around town
about their homemade quiche, which is one of the
items that bring people back again and again. They
serve a quiche of the day, so you never know what
you’re going to get! $$
Cool Moose Café (2708 Park Street, Riverside,
904-381-4242) If you’ve got a hankering for a
breakfast with incredible fl avor, then try the HELLO
bagel with smoked salmon, or the three egg spicy
sausage. Breakfasters with a sweet tooth can nosh
on their fl uffy pancakes (excellent with added blueberries),
French toast or homemade muffi ns. If you
enjoy sweet potatoes don’t miss the sweet potato
fries. For dessert, Cool Moose has a cookie that
legends are built upon, which is why the legend is
printed on a sidebar of the menu. They taste even
better once you read the story about how the chef
“stole” the award-winning recipe from his mother.
$$
Mudville Grille (3105 Beach Boulevard, St.
Nicholaus, 904-398-4326) The menu at Mudville
Grille promises bar food, in all its fried glory. On
the appetizer menu, amidst classics like Buffalo
chicken fi ngers, Mudville’s red chile poppers are
a standout. But bar food isn’t all you’ll fi nd on the
menu at Mudville. Live it up with fresh seafood-
oysters steamed or raw, peel and eat shrimp or
crab legs. Dinner selections, which are served with
a salad and your choice of French fries or baked
potato, include a monster 16-ounce New York strip,
a butterfl y shrimp platter or a marinated chicken
breast. $$
Casbah (3628 Saint Johns Avenue, Avondale,
904-981-9966) At the Casbah, there’s inevitably
some guy at the end of the bar playing Internet
poker. We love their kibbie, a deep-fried footballshaped
snack stuffed with beef, onions and pine
nuts. The Casbah has items on their menu for
those less attracted to exotic selections (like their
Casbah “pizza”). That means if you like to try different
types of food, but all your friends are more
apt to hit up Bennigan’s, then the Casbah is actually
an apt compromise, with belly dancing entertainment.
$$
Ragland’s (1023 Park Street, 5 Points, 904-598-
5271) If you’re looking for an eatery where you can
surf the web in Five Points, try Ragland’s. They
have all the key ingredients: the beers, the lounge,
the food and the art. Their dining room walls are
dedicated to canvas and their food is dedicated to
fl avor. Ragland’s features “food without a map,”
which means fusion dishes prepared with perfect
taste in mind. Beer & Wine. $$
River City Brewing Company (835 Museum
Circle, Southbank, 904-398-2299). Known for a
river view and Microbrewery is River City Brewing
Company. Serving upscale food like steaks, they’re
often a stop for business lunches and dinners. For
their popular Sunday buffet, they serve snow crab
legs, have carving stations and a made-to-order
omelet station. There’s just nothing like putting a
freshly made waffl e on a plate next to crab legs and
shrimp, if only for the novelty. Full Bar. $$$
Shelby’s Coffee Shop (303 North Laura Street,
Downtown, 904-301-1065) Located inside the
Downtown Main library. They keep library hours, so
you’ll always be able to grab a quick bite between
hitting the books. Besides Batdorf-Bronson Coffee,
organic decaf gourmet coffees, teas and the usual
morning beverages, they also serve gourmet sandwiches
and salads. Have a club sandwich or go a
little exotic with Shelby’s “The Strand Sandwich,” a
mix of chicken salad, fresh sprouts, pecans, grapes
and tomatoes on 8-grain bread. $
Any of the Restaurants at these Locations:
The Landing
The Landing downtown is blanketed by Wi-Fi coverage.
That means that all the eateries in the center
should have Wi-Fi.
The St. Johns Town Center
Besides the individual Wi-Fi networks at places like
Panera and Barnes & Noble, there’s also a general
Wi-Fi network for the whole St. Johns Town Center.
That means that you can email stuff from whatever
table you’re occupying, whether it’s from the
Cheesecake Factory, Mimi’s or the Healthy Way.
eujacksonville.com |march 2008 11

12 march 2008 | eu jacksonville newspaper
dish
where to eat, drink and be merry.
Inside the old Heartworks in 5 Points is the new Scribes Café (820
Lomax Street 904-738-7999). It’s run by the parent company of Heartworks.
Scribes serves sandwiches and coffee, has high speed Internet
access and is open till midnight. According to their website: “Each table
provides a private setting where a writing pad and pen are available for
your thoughts and notes.” They now serve a variety of non-vegetarian
stuff, such as their corned beef Rueben.
Anyone can walk in and nosh on their usual offerings as they surf
the net, but you can also get a full-scale dinner there, cooked just for
you (and a few of your friends), by reserving their private rear dining
room. You can have up to a dozen people and you’ll need to arrange
the meal in advance. They ask that you reserve at least three weeks in
advance, because they get booked quickly. A deposit of 20% is required
at the time of reservation confi rmation.
While you can fi nd wine tastings and wine dinners all over the
First Coast area, you won’t often fi nd a tequila tasting. Cantina Laredo
(10282 Bistro St. 904-997-6110) will be holding a tequila dinner on
March 20th . Expect a four course meal, each paired with a tequila beverage.
You’ll get an education in the history of tequila and what to look for
as you taste it. - Food Editor, Erin Thursby
march foodcentric events
This month, seafood and barbecue seem to be thing. Add a little
entertainment and you’ve got yourself a party! Or a festival, as the
case may be.
ST. AUGUSTINE LIONS SEAFOOD FESTIVAL Great seafood, live
bluegrass, folk and country music, and over 100 arts and
march crafts exhibitors are just a few of the highlights of the 27th
7-9
Annual Lions Club Seafood Festival. The three-day event is
a traditional favorite throughout northeast Florida and features
tons of delicious seafood. The event has fun for all
ages, so bring the kids. Francis Field, St Augustine, Info:
(904) 825-0850 or lionsfestival.com
RHYTHM & RIBS FESTIVAL Smack your lips and
stomp your feet at this annual festival
march featuring championship BBQ dishes
from around the country. A variety of
14 -16 outstanding entertainment throughout
the weekend will be presented. Sponsored
by St. Augustine Sunrise Rotary. Performances by
James Cotton and Conrad Oberg. Francis Field, St. Augustine,
Info: (904) 540-1834 or rhythmandribs.net
THE GREAT ATLANTIC SEAFOOD FESTIVAL (12
noon - 10pm) If you like fried, boiled,
march
15
grilled, or blackened seafood, you’ll
love it at this year’s festival. Come
out and enjoy some of Florida’s fi nest
seafood as well as music, rides,
arts & crafts, and games for the
whole family.Sea Walk Pavillion, Jacksonville Beach, Info:
(904) 249-3972
Cantina Laredo Margarita
VIP’S 25TH ANNUAL BBQ & COUNTRY WESTERN DANCE Vision
Is Priceless Council, a local, independent, 501(c)3 non-prof-
march
15
it organization, dedicated to keeping First Coast eyes healthy
through early detection and treatment of eye problems, is
having a Bar-B-Q! The evening will include delicious grub,
dancing, silent auction, games and much more. Live entertainment
will be provided. St. Augustine Rod & Gun Club-
U.S. 1, St. Augustine, (904) 308-2020 or visionispriceless.org.
3RD ANNUAL PHINS GUMBO COOK-OFF (12 pm to 4 pm) Enjoy
home-made gumbo and live entertainment. Free admis-
march sion! Jimmy Parrish and the Ocean Waves will perform,
22
and PHINS (Parrot Heads In Natural Settings) will be there
to compete, keep the party going and have a Margarita
with their gumbo. The Landing, Info: phinsjax.org/page8.
html
notable cooking classes and
demos for march
Upcoming classes at your local Williams-Sonoma (St. Johns Town Center
904-998-4303):
Sunday, March 2nd. Get a head start on Easter at the Williams-Sonoma free
technique class for Easter Baking and Cupcake Decorating.
Sunday, March 9th. Take the mystery and intimidation out of making souffl és
with the Williams-Sonoma Souffl és class. They’ll teach you how to make a basic
souffl é base, incorporate sweet or savory fl avors and
even how to make a frozen dessert souffl é.
Sunday, March 16th. They’ll also be holding an
Easter Egg Decorating free technique class. You’ll
learn the best practices for correctly boiling eggs and
great decorating ideas, including beautiful patterns
that can be mastered in one sitting. Kids are welcome
with an adult.
Even though these Williams-Sonoma demos are
free, you will need to call for more details and to sign
up.
Among other cooking classes and demos,
Apron’s Cooking School will be holding two wine
classes next month. The fi rst is on Thursday, March
13th at 6:30 pm. Join this class to have the opportunity
to have dinner and taste some Ravenswood
Zinfandels. The second is on Friday, March 14th at
6:30 pm. Eric Lee, Simi Winery Chef, graduated with
honors from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde
Park and will be teaching this wine class.

mexican goes
uptown
Cantina Laredo at the St. Johns Town Center
BY ERIN THURSBY scopes1925@msn.com
One of the culinary trends that really seems to be strong in Jacksonville is elevating foods that formerly
belonged to the realm of cheap, easy and fast. Thai food, for example, used to be consigned to take out and
family owned hole-in-the-wall places. But we have a number of higher end restaurants (Pom’s, Galangal and
Lemongrass among others) which cater to a more upscale price and atmosphere. Following in that tradition is
Cantina Laredo, which serves gourmet Mexican cuisine.
You might be asking yourself why you would spend from $12-24 or more for a Mexican meal when you
can get one for much less at some of the family-style favorites here in Jacksonville. It’s all about quality, presentation
and theater. Half of dining is the experience and atmosphere a restaurant can give you. It’s all about
what you want. If you want a place that makes your guacamole table-side with the freshest of ingredients,
then Cantina Laredo is for you. I’ve always been fascinated by food preparation, so watching someone make
my guac before my eyes is a plus. Because they are competing with other, lower cost places that also serve
Mexican, they’ve gotta have a gimmick (as Gypsy Rose Lee might say).
The Cantina Laredo’s décor is done on a larger scale, because they have a large restaurant. There’s
an expansive bar decorated with large bowls of lemons and limes. Unsurprisingly, they serve excellent margaritas,
which you can upgrade with high-end tequilas such as Patron. Large earthenware vases add interest
and colorful dishes fi lled with avocados decorate each table instead of fl owers. There’s a private seating area
tucked away in the back, which can be reserved for small parties of twenty-fi ve or less.
As a heat seeker, I love spicy. There wasn’t really anything that took my breath away in the spice department,
but most people don’t look for the level of heat that I do. When spice heat was present, it was subtle
and it worked with the other fl avors. On the botanas platter, the stuffed jalapeños were fairly mild with a spicy
fi nish. The spice present in some of the dishes tended to sneak up on me, and it was only at the end of the
bite that I would experience the fullness of it. That can be good, because it means that I got to taste all of the
fl avors before the zing commandeered my taste buds. It came on slow and disappeared quickly, leaving me
ready for the next bite and hungry for more.
The salsas did bring the heat I was craving.
I enjoyed their standard salsa, but it was the
smoky fl avor of the tomatillo sauce that really
engaged my palate. Each morning they roast the
fresh peppers that go into this fl avor fest.
I did long for more seasoning in the tacos
al pastor, but the tender chicken fajitas and the
beef, shrimp and vegetable skewers made up the
difference.
Don’t be afraid to order carne asada or
the rib eye, because steak is one of the areas
at which they excel. For a dish that will give its
all, try the carmaron poblano asada. It’s their
skirt steak wrapped around a large, mild poblano
pepper fi lled with their savory sautéed shrimp,
mushrooms, onions and Monterey jack cheese
served on a chimichurri sauce (a freshly wrought
sauce of cilantro, garlic and lemon juice). The
cararon poblano asada came with a charming
veggie medley of sliced zucchini, toasted almonds
and lively, fresh green beans.
The Mexican apple pie also came with a
little bit of theatre. In front of you, they set the pie on your own personal hot skillet, top it with ice cream and
bath it in Mexican brandy butter, which sizzled merrily as it cascaded down the ice cream and over the pie.
The wafting smell of cinnamon and apple was almost as intoxicating as their tequilas are.
But does Cantina Laredo really give you an authentic gourmet Mexican experience? I’d say it’s a very
Americanized version of Mexican, but they make up for it by using fresh, excellent ingredients and offering a
bit of culinary theater. Order the items in red for the best possible dining experience, since these are the items
they’re known for.
Cantina Laredo 10282 Bistro Drive (in the St. Johns Town Center) (904) 997-6110
eujacksonville.com | march 2008 13

14 march 2008 | eu jacksonville newspaper
music
concerts, live music and shows in march
Jacksonville Symphony, Masterworks:
American in Paris Times-Union Center,
353-3900
BackRive / The Healing Process The
Pit, 223-9850
Brother Mountain / Oh! Frontier / Always Autumn /
Tim Serdynski Murray Hill Theatre, 388-7807
People Noise, Kingsbury, Mel Washington & More
Fuel Coffeehouse, 425-FUEL
Doesitmatter / Deathface / It Starts Today / The
Uprise / What About Me Twisted Sisters 241-6453
12 Stones, Jack Rabbits, 398-7496
Bloodkin / Backyard Tire Fire / Fifth South Freebird
Live, 246-2473
Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra
presents Scott Mongomery Times-Union
Center, 353-3900
Ayako Yonetani Thrasher-Horne Center,
276-6750
The Apathy Eulogy / Chasing Yesterday 9th 1
2
& Main,
353-6002
Joseph Israel Freebird Live, 246-2473
3
Jacksonville University presents Hedda
Gabler JU Philips Fine Arts Building,
256-7000
Aiden Fuel Coffeehouse, 425-FUEL
The Lonely H Jack Rabbits, 398-7496
Aiden Aiden’s heavy clash of hardcore punk with
melodic moments of intensity and energetic love for
the true meaning of creating music is reaching more
and more music lovers through touring, word of
mouth and the internet. The band is currently on tour
and will be at Fuel on March 3rd. Tickets: $12-$15.
Fuel Coffeehouse, 425-FUEL
4Dark Star Orchestra Freebird Live, 246-
2473
Bloodlined Calligraphy / xDeathstarx / A
Plea for Purging / Impending Doom The
Pit, 223-9850
Kris Roe of the Ataris Fuel Coffeehouse, 425-FUEL
5Within Chaos Jack Rabbits, 398-7496
Celtic Women A smash hit around the
globe, the 19-member group featuring
four gorgeous sopranos and one breathtaking
fi ddle player is capturing the hearts of fans
across the country on a whirlwind tour of America.
Celtic Woman will perform their unique renditions of
Irish standards, classical favorite and contemporary
hits. Tickets: $52.00 - $102.00 Jacksonville Arena,
353-3309
6Freda Payne - Tribute to Ella Fitzger-
9
ald Florida Theatre, 355-2787
The Wailers Freebird Live, 246-2473
Stetson University Concert Choir
Church of the Good Shepherd, 387-5691
State Radio Jack Rabbits, 398-7496
Matt Pond PA Café Eleven, 469-9311
7Blue Man Group Jacksonville Arena,
353-3309
70s Soul Jam w/The Stylistics, The
Emotions & more Times-Union Center,
353-3900
Great American Jazz Series w/Mike Stern Trio with
Dave Weckl UNF-Robinson Theater, 620-2878
Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra presents Bach &
Son Times-Union Center, 353-3900
Morning Concert- Bach’s ‘Coffee Cantata’ staged
by Jim Goodell Friday Musicale, 355-7584
Harloe / Battle! / Captain Kid / JoEveritt / Words In
Red Fuel Coffeehouse, 425-FUEL
Jonny on the Rocks / Joey Chop Rebar
As Daylight Burns / Hybrid L / Five Star Failure /
Hollow Point Militia 9 th & Main, 353-6002
Merzah / Perdiem The Pit, 223-9850
The Legendary JC’s Mojo Kitchen, 247-6636
Hoots & Hellmouth Jack Rabbits, 398-7496
Girls on Film / Indigovox TSI, 424-3531
Susan Werner Café Eleven, 469-9311
Bennevento Russo Duo / Grace Potter Freebird
Live, 246-2473
8Itzhak Perlman UNF Fine Arts Center,
620-2878
Built to Spill Freebird Live, 246-2473
Read interview on page 18.
Beneath the Massacre / See You Next
Tuesday The Pit, 223-9850
Demorior / Sonset Down / Abetting Royetta /
Mouths of Lions Murray Hill Theatre, 388-7807
Damon Fowler Mojo Kitchen, 247-6636
Zach Deputy Jack Rabbits, 398-7496
Ocean Blvd / Amber Rose / Hollowpoint Militia
Ocean Club, 242-8884
The Walkmen, Vampire Weekend On their way
back toward civilization from Langerado, these two
outstanding buzz bands are going to swing through
town and throw an indie disco dance party at Café
Eleven. Rumor has it this show is sold out, but you
can call 469-9311 to fi nd out for sure.
Anne Murray Times-Union Center, 632-
3373
Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestra
Spring Concert Times-Union Center,
353-3900
Knifes / Abbey Graves The Pit, 223-9850
T13C! / The Prospect / Parade the City / Too Little
Too Late Fuel Coffeehouse, 425-FUEL
Matt Pond PA Jack Rabbits, 398-7496
RX Bandits Freebird Live, 246-2473
March 9 & 10
Man Man Man Man are an astonishingly original
quintet with a gypsy-swamp-rock-carny-soul sound.
Known for their literally non-stop kinetic live shows,
which utilize a variety of more traditional musical
instruments like the accordion, the Moog keyboard

They Might Be Giants (MARCH 14) Combining a knack for infectious melodies with a quirky, bizarre sense
of humor and a vaguely avant-garde aesthetic borrowed from the New York post-punk underground, They
Might Be Giants became one of the most unlikely alternative success stories of the late ‘80s and early
‘90s. Over the years the group has found success on the modern rock and CMJ charts, in the children’s
music genre, and in theme music for several television programs and fi lms. See why at the Freebird on
March 14 th . Tickets: $20/advance, $25/day of show. Freebird Live, 246-2473
and the xylophone, as well as incorporating often
overlooked noisemakers like soup pots, shoes, a
fi re extinguisher and squeaky toys, Man Man have
fl oored crowds around the world on tour with indie
darlings such as Cat Power, Arcade Fire and Modest
Mouse. Café Eleven, 469-9311
10
Blue Skies for Dead Eyes / Forever
in Terror The Pit, 223-9850
Suicide Silence / The Faceless /
Warbringer / Unexpect Fuel Coffeehouse,
425-FUEL
Mayday Parade / Pierce the Veil / Crash Boom
Bang Jack Rabbits, 398-7496
11
Pelican / Black Cobra / Unearthly
Trance Jack Rabbits, 398-7496.
(Read the interview with Pelican on
page 24.)
Beneath the Massacre / See You Next Tuesday The
Pit, 223-9850
Dane Varese Band Raglands, 598-5271
Strike Anywhere Fuel Coffeehouse, 425-FUEL
12
Lucy & The Popsonics TSI, 424-
3531
The Stationary Set Jack Rabbits,
398-7496
Ani DiFranco DiFranco’s innovative guitar style,
signature percussive fi ngerpicking, expressive vocals
and incisive lyrics have earned her a loyal, dedicated
fan base and ongoing critical acclaim. See her live
at the Freebird on March 12th. Tickets: $30. Freebird
Live, 246-2473
13
Burden of a Day / Once Nothing /
Human Flight Committee / Until
the Day Murray Hill Theatre 388-
7807
Dane Varese Band Fuel Coffeehouse,
425-FUEL
Hot Vegas Jack Rabbits, 398-7496
Kingston Trio (with Jacksonville
Symphony) Times-Union Center,
353-3900
Morning Concert- Flamenco to
Tango Friday Musicale, 355-7584
Xaphan / Queefhuffer / Amputation / Acrolein /
Manbearpig / Bloodcraft 9th 14
& Main, 353-6002
The Guillintine / Dawn of Plague / Against the Sky
The Pit, 223-9850
Red Letter Bullet / Hollowpoint Militia Rebar
Hoods Fuel Coffeehouse, 425-FUEL
Jason Isbell Mojo Kitchen, 247-6636
Need to Breath / I-Nine / Absence Star Jack Rabbits,
398-7496
The Emotron / Mose Giganticus TSI, 424-3531
15
The Last Waltz Ensemble The
group is an amalgam of the best
players in the nation presenting the
music OF 70’s supergroup, THE
BAND, whose infl uence is still felt
in music nearly 30 years after its last performance.
Kris Gloer is a music afi cionado and player - and
founder of The Last Waltz Ensemble. Gloer grew up
in the glow of musical friends and its these relationships
that bring The Last Waltz its most unique and
special trait; each night Gloer presents a musical
guest or two from his plethora of music pals. Anyone
from Colonel Bruce Hampton to Efrem Townes (The
Dirty Dozen Brass Band) may be asked to join The
Last Waltz for a few songs. Mojo Kitchen, 247-6636
Kingston Trio (with Jacksonville Symphony) Times-
Union Center, 353-3900
Wings of Victory / A Nightmare in Daylight The Pit,
223-9850
First Hit / Sangria / Dub-T / Deal Deal Williams
Ocean Club, 242-8884
Evergreen Terrace / Seventh Star Fuel Coffeehouse,
425-FUEL
Matt White Jack Rabbits, 398-7496
Ben Robinson Freebird Live, 246-2473
16
Liza Minnelli Yes, children, Liza
Minnelli is more than just tabloid
fodder. The Oscar, three Tonys,
two Golden Globes, Grammy and
Emmy winning singer and actress
has released numerous albums and proves she’s still
(continued on page 16)
eujacksonville.com | march 2008 15

Kimya Dawson (MARCH 27) Made famous thanks
to her contributions on the Academy Award winning
fi lm Juno, Kimya Dawson of The Moldy
Peaches makes syrupy sweet acoustic rock
known to give toothaches to those within a 20 mile
radius of her shows. Make an appointment with
your dentist in advance and then go check her out
at Jack Rabbits on March 27 th . Tickets: $12/advance,
$14/day of show. Jack Rabbits, 398-7496
got the right stuff on her latest tour, “The Godmother
and the Goddaughter.” Catch the tour when it comes to
town on March 16 th . Tickets: $59-$199. Times-Union
Center, 632-3373
Classic Albums Live - Sgt. Pepper Florida Theatre,
355-2787
Burnin’ Smyrnans CD Release Party Freebird Live,
246-2473
17
18
19
20
The Dreaming Jack Rabbits, 398-
7496
Moltov Solution / Rose Funeral The
Pit, 223-9850
Badfi sh Freebird Live, 246-2473
Sons of Azrael / The Classic
Struggle / As Eden Burns The Pit,
223-9850
Acoustic show: Occam’s Razor /
Jessica Pounds Fuel Coffeehouse,
425-FUEL
Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra
presents Rachel and the Red Violin
Times-Union Center, 353-3900
Kutless / Esterlyn / Chris Taylor
Murray Hill Theatre 388-7807
A Skylite Drive / Memphis May Fire The Pit, 223-
9850
The Unseen Fuel Coffeehouse, 425-FUEL
21
Donna Jean & the Tricksters
American jam band Donna Jean &
the Tricksters boasts something not
many bands can- the worthy and
familiar vocal/songwriting talents
of Donna Jean Godchaux MacKay, a member of the
Grateful Dead from 1971-’79. The band’s incendiary
live shows are generating rave reviews and continue
to build their rabid fan base while reaching out to a
whole new, younger demographic. They come to Mojo
Kitchen on March 21st. Tickets: $15. Mojo Kitchen,
247-6636
16 march 2008 | eu jacksonville newspaper
Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra presents
Rachel and the Red Violin Times-Union Center,
353-3900
Furious Styles Fuel Coffeehouse, 425-FUEL
Helios Eye / Finn Riggins / Zeke / Elevators Making
Analog Shantytown, 798-8222
Crypteria / Amputation The Pit, 223-9850
Blow It Up / The Picture Show / Madison Fadeout
/ Baker Act Rebar
Suburban Camoufl age / Element 55 / Hidden
Element 9 th & Main, 353-6002
Authority Zero / Whole Wheat Bread Freebird
Live, 246-2473
Envy on the Coast Landshark Café, 246-6024
22
George Thorogood & The
Destroyers St. Augustine Amphitheatre,
353-3309
Casting Crowns Veterans Memorial
Arena, 353-3309
Murray Hill Theatre Art and Music Show benefi ting
Invisible Children Murray Hill Theatre 388-
7807
Bury Your Dead CD release Fuel Coffeehouse,
425-FUEL
The Audition / Hit the Lights / Every Avenue /
Morning Light / Kiros Jack Rabbits, 398-7496
Explore & Rebuild / Florence / Joey Chop Ocean
Club, 242-8884
23
630-3900
24
25
Synapse Defect The Pit,
223-9850
Tye Tribbett and Greater
Anointing Jacksonville
Veterans Memorial Arena,
Get Your Guns / Sonset
Down The Pit, 223-9850
Spectrum Concert- Florida
Ballet Florida Theatre, 355-
2787
George Winston Wilson
Center for the Arts, 632-
3373
Jackson Browne (MARCH 22) Jackson Browne
has written and performed some of the most
literate and moving songs in popular music and
has defi ned a genre of songwriting charged
with honesty, emotion and personal politics.
He’s been honored with inductions into both
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriter’s
Hall of Fame. See him perform live at
the Florida Theatre on March 22nd. Tickets:
$39-$58. Florida Theatre, 355-2787
N.E.R.D. (MARCH 28)
Pharrell Williams, Chad
Hugo and Shay Haley, also
known as N.E.R.D., mix
everything from hard hiphop
beats to black psychedelic
pop to classic rock
to new wave to create their
intensely popular sound.
Their third album is expected
to drop sometime this
spring. Hear some of the
tracks when they perform
live at the Freebird on the
28th.Tickets: $20/advance,
$25/day of show. Freebird
Live, 246-2473
26
The Following Announcement
The Pit, 223-9850
Dark Castle / Zoraster / Minsk
Jack Rabbits, 398-7496
Sick Puppies/ Dropping Daylight
Freebird Live, 246-2473
March 27-30
Suwannee Springfest The annual Suwannee
Springfest is back and bigger than ever. This
year’s line up includes Donna The Buffalo, Railroad
Earth, Guy Clark, Commander Cody & The Lost
Planet Airmen, Verlon Thompson, Jim Lauderdale
Acoustic Syndicate, Claire Lynch Band, The Greencards,
The Waybacks, The Infamous Stringdusters,
The Lee Boys and many, many more. Spirit of the
Suwannee Music Park, Live Oak, 249-7990
Great American Jazz Series
w/Tim Hagans UNF-Robinson
Theater, 620-2878
The Beach Boys Times-Union
Center, 353-3900
David Crowder Band Metropolitan Park, 630-3900
JoEveritt / Captain Kid / Amaru
9th 27
28
& Main, 353-6002
A Different Breed of Killer The
Pit, 223-9850
Bitch & The Exciting Conclusion
Jack Rabbits, 398-7496
Britt Nicole / Disciple / KJ-52 / Starlit Platoon /
Superchick Orange Park United Methodist Church,
264-2241
29
Sanctioned / Scorned The Pit,
223-9850
FCCJ Jazz Festival Wilson
Center for the Arts, 632-3373
EOTO Freebird Live, 246-2473
Handsome Furs Café Eleven, 469-9311
Piolo Pascual & Guests Times-Union Center, 353-
3900
Jacksonville Symphony
Orchestra presents Nathan
Laube Times-Union Center,
353-3900
30
Jigu! Thunder Drums of China
Florida Theatre, 355-2787
Junior Revolution / Stages & Stereos Jack Rabbits,
398-7496
Time Again Landshark Café, 246-6024
3 Doors Down St. Augustine Amphitheatre, 353-3309
31
David Dondero Jack Rabbits,
398-7496
upcoming shows
Red April 3, Jack Rabbits, 398-7496
Jacksonville Symphony - Ritz Chamber Players April 3,
Times Union Center, 633-6110
George Strait April 6, Veterans Memorial Arena, 353-
3309
Simply Ballroom April 6, Times Union Center, 632-3373
Joan Baez April 7, Florida Theatre, 355-2787
Appetite For Destruction April 10, Freebird Live, 246-
2473
Disney On Ice: Princess Wishes April 10-13, Veterans
Memorial Arena, 353-3309
Tab Benoit April 11, Mojos Blues Bar, 247-6636
Great American Jazz Competition April 11, The Florida
Theatre, 355-2787
Bill Cosby April 12, Times Union Center, 632-3373
Buddy Guy & Robert Cray April 12, St. Augustine
Amphitheatre, 471-1965
Jet Lag Gemini, Zolof The Rock N Roll Destroyer April
13, Jack Rabbits, 398-7496
Iron & Wine April 13, Freebird Live, 246-2473
Arthur LIVE! April 13, St. Augustine Amphitheatre, 471-
1965
Lifehouse/Matt Nathanson/Honey Honey April 14,
Freebird Live, 246-2473
Moody Blues April 15, Florida Theatre, 355-2787
Weekapaug Orchestra April 17, Freebird Live, 246-2473
Jake Shimabukuro and Futureman Apr 17, Florida
Theatre, 355-2787
Rush April 17, Veterans Memorial Arena, 353-3309
Tristan Prettyman April 18, Jack Rabbits, 398-7496
Martina McBride and Jack Ingram April 19,
Jacksonville Arena, 353-3309
British Sea Power April 19, Jack Rabbits, 398-7496
Latin Kings of Comedy April 20, Florida Theatre, 355-
2787
We The Kings/Valencia April 20, Jack Rabbits, 398-
7496
General TSO’s Fury/Sophomore Attempt April 22, Jack
Rabbits, 398-7496
Charlie Musselwhite April 23, Cafe Eleven, 460-9311
Russian American Kids Circus April 24, The Florida
Theatre, 355-2787
Andre Rieu April 25, Veterans Memorial Arena, 353-
3309
Tapes N Tapes, White Denim April 26, Cafe Eleven,
460-9311
Sheryl Crow April 27, Times Union Center
B.B. King April 30, Florida Theatre, 355-2787
Little Feat with Hot Tuna May 1, The Florida Theatre,
355-2787
Joe Bonamassa May 2, Florida Theatre, 355-2787
Steve Harvey May 10, Jacksonville Arena, 630-3900
Peter Mulvey May 16, Cafe Eleven, 460-9311
Rowdy Frynds Tour w/Hank Williams Jr. and Lynyrd
Skynyrd June 14, Jacksonville Arena, 353-3309
ZoSo “The Led Zeppelin Experience” June 27, Freebird
Live, 246-2473

lilian driver
album review
Artist: Helios Eye
Title: Lilian Driver
Release Date: 02.08
Label: None
Lo-fi locals Helios Eye nearly broke my heart last month when they announced via their MySpace that
they were calling it quits. Thankfully they came to their senses a couple days later and reunited. The guys
wasted no time getting the band back on track and less than a week after their sudden departure and swift
resurrection, they revealed they had some new material to share.
Their latest DIY release, Lillian Driver, is a three-track single that is something of a departure for the
band, who until now have relied heavily on acoustic guitars to drive their psychedelic Americana sound. The
boys go (somewhat) electric this time around and it works incredibly well. Each song is completely original
and has something special to offer, both musically and lyrically. The title track stands out as possibly the best
Helios Eye tune to date. The song is infectious; its chorus has been playing in a constant loop in my head
since I fi rst heard it.
If this release is just a taste of what’s to come from Helios Eye, expect to be hearing a lot more about
them in the near future. The guys really seem to be coming into their own and it won’t be long before people
will start to take notice. The Lillian Driver single will be available on CD and 7 inch at the end of February. In
the meantime, you can currently hear the entire release on their MySpace at www.myspace.com/eyehelios,
which also has some of their older songs and a listing of their upcoming shows.
communication
album review
- BY KELLIE ABRAHAMSON
Artist: Willie Evans Jr.
Title: Communication
Release Date: 12.07
Label: Hip Hop Hell Records, Rawkus and Brainchild Music
Although I don’t really know the cat too well, I really like Willie Evans Jr. I guess it’s strange to preface
a hip-hop album review with personal affections. I mean, I like Wu Tang Clan but I’ve never even been in the
same room as Method Man or the RZA. But I have met Willie Evans Jr. several times, and each time I fi nd a
new reason to like him more than the previous time. But I won’t get into all that.
I don’t know if it’s been decided yet, what to call this new breed of indie hip-hop. Some have been
calling it backpack hip-hop, and it is true that you will see backpacks at a Hip Hop Hell show, but you would
never see one of those on the fl oor at “the clubs.” (I would say Kartouche instead of “the clubs,” but where
is the rap club these days?) Some call it underground, some call it indie, but whatever you call it, Willie Evans
Jr. is playing a breed of hip-hop that is genuinely informed by great old school sounds but feels all kinds of
new.
Hip Hop Hell Records has put out more great albums in the last year than any other single entity in
Jacksonville. The N Word was the fi rst release, and those songs are making my playlists left and right, but
Willie Ev is bringing Hip Hop Hell Records to a whole new level.
‘Slow Adrenaline’ drops in like an organic, Digable Planets sort of bass line with beat boxing as the only
stable rhythm in the song. Tracked over that are chimes and some abstract instrumentation fading in to provide
texture, but the song’s real continuity comes from Willie Ev’s fl ow. He skips over the mouth-made beats
and pulls the listener through the song with his candor and cadence. For a relative unknown to the hip-hop
community at large (he is known in Jax as part of the ABs), starting off the new album with beats and instrumentation
done by mouth is gutsy, but he and collaborator Therapy pull it off like the pros they are.
‘Jacksonville pt. 2’ features some soulful old school samples alongside Willie Ev’s beats, giving an urban
southern vibe under his smart lyrics. Like a Mos Def with a little more blues and a smile on his face. Even
jams like ‘Rock Widdit’ and ‘It’s Alright,’ with their psychadelic and rock and roll approaches to hip-hop, still
have this underlying crackle like they came off a thrift store record and the smoothed out overlay that must
have been provided by the mastering at VisionSound Recording Studio, as well as Willie Ev’s style. He has a
sound that is distinctively his. Not just by how frank and conversational his lyrics are, but how the bass and
the beat works together with the scratchy smile in his voice.
The album’s title track, ‘Communication,’ which features Massachusetts’ Mr. Lif and the song ‘Move Em
Out’ with J One are easily the party tracks of the album, but each number is quality. Even his shout out song
is dope.
Find this album at Royal Treatment Record Shop in Springfi eld, on Main Street next to Shanty Town Pub.
Jacksonville’s hip-hop scene is getting too good and too big to stay under the radar much longer, catch these
acts while they are still around town.
- BY JON BOSWORTH
eujacksonville.com | march 2008 17

18 march 2008 | eu jacksonville newspaper
getting for reals with
built to spill
interview with Doug Martsch
BY JON BOSWORTH jaxvillain@yahoo.com
WHAT: Built to Spill and Meat Puppets
Live
WHERE: Freebird Live Jacksonville
Beach
WHEN: Saturday March 6, 2008 at 8 pm
Doug Martsch doesn’t mean to be a
harsh critic.
“I don’t listen to much new music.
Part of what is great about music is that
you learn the world through music. Like
books, and movies and television, and as
you get older it’s hard to be inspired by
young new bands. Because you feel like:
what do these young people have to offer
me that’s new to my life? I listen to old
things because even though they were
younger than I am when they were making
it, they are kind of older to me,” said
Built to Spill’s mild-mannered and candid
founder and front man Doug Martsch.
If you haven’t heard the faint and
sometimes faltering chime of Martsch’s
voice as his sing-songy melodies dance
across the dense layers of the guitar rock
force that is Built to Spill, you need to
make a point of going to builttospill.com
and giving their music a listen. Even before
they released their Warner Brothers debut,
Perfect from Now On in 1997, Built to Spill
was the hottest indie band rising out of the
Northwest. And this bearded songsmith wasn’t coming
from Seattle, Built to Spill is from Boise. That’s
even stranger than Omaha.
By the time 1999s Keep It Like a Secret came
out, every indie rocker in the continental US was
required to purchase the album. After their 2001 release,
Ancient Melodies of the Future, Martsch took
a year off. At that precise moment his old friend Isaac
Brock, founder and frontman of Modest Mouse (arguably
Built to Spill’s indie rock nemesis), helmed his
band into mainstream pop success. At the crossroads
of that occasion Modest Mouse and Built to Spill performed
together for two nights in Atlanta. Built to Spill
performed the extended version of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s
‘Freebird’ and it was dazzling. Skynyrd didn’t play it
that well in 1976.
“Freebird isn’t really that great of a song. Some
people think it really sucks. But you have to be moved
by that guitar playing. We played the live version too,
which keeps going on and on.”
I fi rst met Martsch after that performance. He
graciously hung out with fans behind the venue where
the busses were and he said that he was going to take
some time away from Built to Spill. In 2002 Martsch
released a solo album that was more stripped down,
blues-infl uenced acoustic music.
“It was sort of a fl uke. I didn’t mean to make a
record, it was an anomaly and I doubt I’ll do anything
like that again.”
Built to Spill got back to work quickly in spite of
inordinately rough times. They were forced to cancel
many of their performances, including their South
by Southwest (SXSW) show due to Martsch’s retina
coming unattached while on tour. He toured his eye
out.
In 2006 Built to Spill released You in Reverse, a
return to Built to Spill’s cheery melodies and catchy
guitar pop woven through occasionally dense guitar
interludes. So when EU heard Built to Spill was playing
at the Freebird Live again on his way back up north
after a performance in South Florida’s Langerado
Music Festival, we simply had to call him and catch
up. I was impressed with his affi nity for the phrase
“for reals.”
EU: How is the name Built to Spill perfect for your
brand of music?
DM: All too human. I don’t know if it was our intention
or nature’s intention. The name was just a silly thing
and the defi nition came much later.
EU: Will you be covering a Lynyrd Skynyrd song at
Freebird Live?
DM: I don’t think so. Originally we were going to do
that because Bob Odenkirk and David Cross were
doing the Run Ronnie Run movie and they were going
to do a soundtrack with indie rock bands doing classic
Southern songs, but that fell through. We learned
it note for note. The solos in that song are what is
amazing about it. For me it was rad listening to it and
seeing the crowd react to it in Atlanta.
EU: You recently took a year off, was that helpful?
What did you do?
DM: It was. I was just burnt out on Built to Spill. I got
into the studio with some friends here and just took

my mind off of Built to Spill itself. It was a year-long
break, but it was really fun to get back together. It had
to do with my musical tastes at the time and being
more into simple music than the stuff we were doing.
After a year I got my equilibrium back and found my
happy medium between my new interests and the
older style.
EU: How did you hook up with the Meat Puppets?
DM: We recorded some stuff last fall in Austin and
they were working at the same studio. On our last
day we met them briefl y, but when we were going to
do this tour I called the studio and they hooked us
up with the management. It was a long shot and it
just worked out. They were one of my favorite bands
growing up. We just did some shows with Camper
Van Beethoven, and those shows made me realize
that those things happen. It is ridiculous to have these
bands opening for us, but that’s just how it is now.
Maybe someday we’ll be doing that for some as-yetunheard-of
band.
To fi nd out what Martsch has on his iPod and how the
market economy affects the music you are exposed
to, read the entire interview at eujacksonville.com.
eujacksonville.com | march 2008 19

a fest for the senses
festival season 08 kicks off
Festival Season is here again. This is the time of year when those that love to get out of doors start to get excited. Nothing beats the weather in February and March in North Florida and as the mercury rises,
those of us that love to go festing start to smell draft beer in plastic cups and nights fi lled with campfi res. Late spring and early summer is when we get to let our inner hippie out. Although Coachella may be a
little far off (geographically and seasonally) there are some truly kick ass festivals that call Florida home!
The Gamble Rogers Folk Festival is a St. Augustine tradition that is unparalleled for people that love folk music. St. Augustine also has a seafood festival coming up as soon as March 7 with live music, arts
and crafts, and all sorts of food. Langerado is considerably further south, but it is also one of the country’s larger festivals, quickly gaining traction on enormous events such as Bonaroo, Tennesee’s annual
weekend rock festival, often referred to as the Coachella of the East.
Whether you are heading to the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park, getting your tip bucket shined up for Springing the Blues, or waiting for the next Talleyrand, festival season is here and it is time to start saving
up some cash for road trips and sunblock. Fest on! (above photo: Flaming Lips performing at last year’s Langerado Festival, by Jonathan Purvis)
jacksonville
festivals
the great atlantic seafood festival
- March 22, SeaWalk Pavilion jacksonvillebeach.org
Florida’s fi nest seafood, fried, boiled, grilled or
blackened. Arts & crafts, rides, games and music
for the whole family. The music starts at noon with
FlatBlack, Jimmy Parrish & The Ocean Waves Band,
Beautiful Bobby Blackmon, Fifth South, Conrad
Oberg, Geoff Achison & The Souldiggers, and ends
at 8:45 pm with The Nighthawks.
mandarin art festival - March 22nd & 23 rd
( Easter weekend). Club grounds at 12447 Mandarin
Road, nvo.com/mandarincomclub/stowesociety/
Artists from Florida and all over the country will
be showing and selling their wares at this festival.
From glass sculpture to photography, you’ll fi nd
all kinds of art in different mediums. Don’t forget
to bring the kids for the annual Egg Hunt on Easter
Sunday at 1:30 pm. A nominal voluntary donation for
the Festival will be requested at the gate.
20 march 2008 | eu jacksonville newspaper
17th annual springing the blues festival
- April 4th – 6th, SeaWalk Pavilion, springingtheblues.com.
Springing The Blues is a free
outdoor blues music festival designed to celebrate
America’s indigenous musical form and promote
support of the arts. The three-day oceanfront event
features a number of renowned blues performers
as well as numerous displays and activities geared
for the entire family. There will be great barbecue
by Mojos, kids activities, arts & crafts and all of the
blues music you could ever want. Featured performers
include Tinsley Ellis and Ed Cotton on Friday,
Michael Burks, Jason Ricci and Cephas and Wiggins
on Saturday, and Eric Lindell, The Legendary JCs
and Smokin’ Joe Kubek Band on Sunday.
jacksonville jazz festival - April 11th-April
13 th, coj.net . The fest features a bunch of events
all over the city, starting with The Jacksonville Jazz
Piano Competition at the Florida Theatre on Friday,
the annual Art at the Met sale in Metropolitan Park
and a Jazz Brunch, also at Metropolitan Park on Sunday.
Art at the Met is a popular area during the festival
where patrons are able to enjoy both the sounds
of fi rst-rate jazz performers and browse through the
work of talented artists from around the nation. Entry
to Art at the Met is included in the Jacksonville Jazz
Festival ticket price.
12 th annual san marco spring art
festival - April 19th -20th (904) 541-1340. Featuring
the works of more than 100 award-winning
photographers, sculptors, potters, painters and jewelry
artists, this event at San Marco Square will bring
out the art collector in you.
butterfl y festival - April 26th Tree Hill Nature
Center treehill.org. Over 4,000 nature enthusiasts
enjoyed last year’s butterfl y festival, so don’t miss
this perfect welcome to spring. The festival features
a butterfl y exhibit, games and activities for children,
live entertainment, special lecturers, food and much
more. The event runs from noon to 5 pm and culminates
with nature’s fi reworks – a live native butterfl y
release. This is a sight guaranteed to delight young
and old. Admission: $5 Adults, $2 Children
jax irish fest - April 25th-26th jaxirishfest.com.
Are you Irish? Would you like to pretend to be? Or
do you just like to knock back your Guinness? This
fest is sponsored by three Irish drinking companies.
There will be the usual assortment of Irish Arts and
crafts, kids dancing Irish-style entertaiment from
various Celtic and Celtic wanna-be’s. Listen to the
Tossers, Black 47, Spade McQuade or Michael
Funge. From Celtic rock to the gentler stuff, you’ll be
entertained. Tickets online are $15, and $20 at the
gate. Children under 10 are FREE.
st. johns town center art festival - May
17th - 18th , St. Johns Town Center, (904) 541-
1340 simon.com. Shop the stores at the immense
Town Center while perusing art at this free event.
The Art Show will feature over 100 fi ne artisans exhibiting
and selling their artwork along with a child’s
art area and live entertainment.
jacksonville fi lm festival - May 15th-21st jacksonvillefi lmfestival.com. Held in various locations
around Jacksonville, including the historic Florida
Theatre and San Marco Theatre, this fest brings Independent
Films from around the world to Jacksonville.
Their Friends of the Fest events bring interesting fare
(continued on page 21)

to the screen in town regularly, but there is nothing
like the Jacksonville Film Festival when you want
to spend a weekend partying and watching cuttingedge
cinema before it hits national theaters or disappears
forever.
riverfront festival & fi reworks - July 4 th,
Northbank & Southbank, Downtown Jacksonville,
coj.net. Celebrate America’s birthday with a patriotic
festival along the downtown riverfront including:
Children’s Water Fun at Friendship Fountain, Live
Music at the Hogan Street Stage, street acrobatics,
stunt comedy, interactive games, face painting, great
food and more! End the night with a bang, as Skyblast
lights up the sky over the river at 9pm.
st. johns county
fests
16th annual lighthouse festival &
michelob ultra 5k run - Saturday, March
15 th staugustinelighthouse.com. Admission to the
tower, museum and grounds is free from 11 am to 6
pm. The Victorian-era Light Station will be fi lled with
children’s games and crafts, pony rides, live entertainment
and refreshments. As is part of the annual
tradition, the 5K Run/Walk and Fun Run will be held
during the Festival courtesy of the Junior Service
League of St. Augustine.
rhythm and ribs festival - March 14th-
16th Francis Field on Castillo Drive rhythmandribs.
net. Smack your lips and stomp your feet at this
annual festival featuring championship barbecue
dishes from around the country. A variety of outstanding
entertainment throughout the weekend will
be presented.
st. augustine lions seafood festival
- March 7th-9th Francis Field on Castillo Drive lionsfestival.com.
Great seafood, live bluegrass, folk
and country music, and over 100 arts and crafts
exhibitors are just a few of the highlights of the 27th
Annual Lions Club Seafood Festival to be held in St.
Augustine on March 7-9. The three-day event is a
traditional favorite throughout northeast Florida and
features tons of delicious seafood. The outstanding
music grows in popularity each year, while the arts
& crafts show is an affordable and enjoyable crowd
pleaser. The event has fun for all ages, so bring the
kids. Tethered hot air balloon rides, business showcase,
contests and prizes add to the fun.
spring art & craft festival - March 29 &
30 th Francis Field on Castillo Drive staaa.org. Look
for something new to please your tastes when artists
display their creations at Francis Field on Castillo
Drive during this free two-day festival. All work included
in the Festival will have passed a strict jury
review, resulting in 125 artists exhibiting to sell in a
variety of media, including oil painting, watercolor,
pottery, leather, photography, sculpture, jewelry,
wood, textiles and more.
fl orida’s birding & fotofest - April 10th
-April 13th GTM Research Reserve Environmental
Education Center of Northeast Florida Getaway4Nature.com.
Includes 150 events over a four day period
for birders, photographers, and anyone who loves
the outdoors. Discover the region’s phenomenal bird
life and the abundant natural habitats that sustain
them. Features photography workshops, fi eld trips,
boat trips, nature seminars and much more.
23nd annual cathedral festival - April
18th – April 20th Mission of Nombre de Dios
Grounds cathedralfestival.com. Entertain the whole
family with games, rides, ponies, food and live
performances all day long at the Mission of Nombre
de Dios Grounds. Includes a fl ea market, fi reworks,
shrimp dinner, raffl e silent auction and more.
epic celebration of spring: fl ower
and garden expo - April 19th-20th epiccommunityservices.org/spring.html.
Celebrate the arrival
of spring in the Nation’s oldest city with two days
of fl owers, friends and fun. Growers, nurseries and
artisans from around the state offer gardeners everything
they need to make spring bloom. There is also
a horticulture and quilt show. Admission is $5 but
parking is free. St. Johns County Agricultural Center
at I-95 and SR-16.
a taste of st. augustine - April 25th-26 th
epiccommunityservices.org/spring. Enjoy the tasty
delights as St. Augustine showcases the unique
fl avors available in the area. More than 30 area
restaurants sell signature “tastes” throughout the
festival. Taste tickets are $1 each with restaurants
charging between 1 and 5 tickets per taste. Plus
there will also be a small charge for admission. (Last
year was $2).
gamble rogers folk festival - May 2nd
-4th St. Johns County Fairgrounds gamblefest.com.
Those attending this year’s festival on Saturday, May
3, will be treated to special recorded live performances
by Gamble on the Baby Grand Theater stage
via DVD and big screen projection. The goal this year
is to re-create the mythical Oklawaha County whose
residents were the characters for much of Gamble’s
storytelling. (See the story on page 27.)
ponte vedra spring art festival - May
17 th -18 th Sawgrass Village Shopping Center jandcoevents.com/events.php.
This 2 day Art Festival
that runs from 10 am – 5 pm each day. Sawgrass
Village will host over 150 artists for the 12th Annual
Ponte Vedra Beach Art Festival. The two-day event
will feature fi ne art from every end of the spectrum,
including sculpture, photography, ceramics, painting,
digital art, jewelry and more. The festival will run
from 10 am to 5 pm and admission is free.
every woman’s arts and crafts festival
- June 22nd St. Augustine Pier Beach Pavilion
everywomansart.moonfruit.com. The 10th annual
Every Woman’s Arts and Crafts Summer 2008 Festival
features local and regional artists displaying a
variety of fi ne art and hand-crafted items, including
original paintings, beaded and semi-precious stone
jewelry, hand-poured scented candles and more!
Rain or shine.
other area festivals
langerado music festival - March 6 – 9
Big Cypress Indian Reservation in the South Florida
Everglades langerado.com. Featuring four days of
camping and music deep in the Everglades. How
many intoxicated rock-fans have wandered off into
the gator-infested swamps is as yet unreported from
last year. Enjoy bands such as The Beastie Boys and
REM as well as Of Montreal and Matisyahu. (Read
the interviews on pages 22 - 26.)
wizard of oz festival - March 8 th - 9 th Orange
Park Mall. Featuring live local entertainment,
an Oz cake decorating contest, an Oz-Idol contest,
raffl e, auction and parade – seven munchkins, Judy
Garland’s stand-in, and a Wizard of Oz expert will all
be on hand to celebrate! In front of JCPenney.
celebrate st. patrick’s day in savannah
- March 14 th savannahvisit.com/events/
?ms=631. The 184th St. Patrick’s Day Celebration
will be held on Friday, March 14, instead of the
nationally recognized date of March 17. The Feast of
St. Patrick’s, which normally occurs on March 17,
will fall on the fi rst day of Holy Week, prompting the
date change for Savannah’s most popular festival.
There will be many events in the city such as parades,
a Celtic Cross Ceremony, Irish music, a family
oriented festival and more.
barberville spring frolic - April 26th and
27th Pierson, FL (368)749-2959 folkfi ddle.com/barber.htm.
You’ll fi nd this fest in Pierson, FL, about an
hour and 40 minutes South of Jacksonville. With 5
stages featuring bluegrass, Celtic, folk and old time
music, it’s an event people will travel for. You’ll fi nd
music workshops, 2 jam tents, a barn dance, food,
antique cars and activities for the little ones. Admission
is $6 per day, or you can get a two day pass
for $10.
the great southern bluegrass festival
- March 21st -22nd Thomasville, GA myspace.
com/greatsouthernbluegrass. Pickers Paradise Park
in Ochlocknee, GA (Thomasville) has been chosen
the offi cial site for The Great Southern Bluegrass
Festival. Visit the website above for a link to directions.
fi rst show will be headlined by national touring
group, Grasstowne, chosen because they have the
most diverse performance offering it all in vocals
and instrumentation. Also appearing will be emerging
artist The Wilson Family, Dothan, Alabama’s own
Pure and Simple, Southern Lite from Jacksonville
and local favorite Kenny Hill Band. FREE workshops
will be held by Mandolin Master Alan Bibey and
IBMA award-winning Dobro Player of the Year, Phil
Leadbetter.
suwannee springfest - March 27 – 30
Spirit of Suwannee Music Park, Live Oak, FL magmusic.com/suwannee.htm.
Primitive camping is fi rst
come, fi rst serve. Or you can stay at one of the lodgings
there. Most of the folks who go to this fest like
to rough it, so the full festival and Sat/Sun festival
ticket price includes park access, parking & primitive
camping fees. Headliners: David Grisman Quintet,
Peter Rowan & The Free Mexican AirForce, Donna
the Buffalo, Railroad Earth, Guy Clark, Commander
Cody & The Lost Planet Airmen, The Lee Boys, Blueground
Undergrass, Steep Canyon Rangers, Tammerlin,
The Waco Ramblers and many more.
rock & wheels biker bash - April 3-5
Spirit of Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL musicliveshere.com.
Bikers, rock bands and strippers
on motorcycles. Hmmm. Headliners: Blackfoot, Pat
Travers Band, Michael Buffalo Smith, Dru Lombar &
Grinderswitch, The Rhythm Pigs, The Josh Kirkland
Band, Keith Caton & the Accelerators, Roger “Hurricane”
Wilson, Kathy Jo & The Bluzifi cation Band,
Beautiful Bobby Blackmon, Southern Outlaw Band,
Big Engine & many more.
santa fe spring arts festival - April 5th
-6 th Gainesville, FL sfcc.edu/springarts. The Santa Fe
Spring Arts Festival, one of the three largest annual
events in Gainesville is known for its high quality
artwork and unique setting. The festival is held in
the downtown historic district, nestled amid restored
turn-of-the century homes, stately palms and abundant
azaleas.
wanee music festival - April 11th-12th Spirit
of Suwannee Music Park, Live Oak, FL waneefestival.
com. Featuring The Allman Brothers Band, JJ Grey
& Mofro. Special saturday midnight set with Derek
Trucks & Susan Tedeschi. This fest is held in the
Spirit of Suwannee Park, which is actually a natural
700 acre resort, with 3 miles of Suwannee River
bankside. There’s a swimming pool, on site res-
(continued on page 23)
eujacksonville.com | march 2008 21

22 march 2008 | eu jacksonville newspaper

taurant, family hair salon, horseback riding stables,
canoe livery and conference space. Other amenities
include: 32 additional lodging units with decks, cable
TV, coffee pots, linen & towels; some full kitchen
& meal preparation amenities; other units have a
microwave & micro-refrigerators. Plus over 800 RV
sites with water/electric and full hookups.
suwannee river jam - April 24 – 26 Spirit
of Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL musicliveshere.com.
Headliners: Brad Paisley, Gary Allan,
Joe Nichols, Lorrie Morgan, John Anderson, Eric
Church, The Kentucky Headhunters, James Otto and
many more.
the isle of eight fl ags shrimp festival
- May 2,3 and 4th. Historic downtown Centre Street
business district in Fernandina Beach on Amelia
Island, shrimpfestival.com. The Isle of Eight Flags
Shrimp Festival will celebrate its 45th anniversary,
with more than 300 juried fi ne arts & crafts exhibitors,
75+ antiques & collectible vendors, Fun
Zone with kid friendly activities, live entertainment
from three stages and Pirates! Includes dozens of
food booths featuring shrimp specialties. The Fine
Arts Show has been ranked 38th in the nation by
Sunshine Artist Magazine as part of their 200 Best
Shows in the United States.
20th annual blue crab festival - May
23 – 26. in downtown Palatka. bluecrabfestival.com.
Florida’s largest Memorial Day celebration will start
Friday, May 23rd with live entertainment and an early
peek at what’s happening throughout the weekend.
Spectacular entertainment performances, activities
for all ages, arts & crafts, antiques, family activities,
food, food and more food. Show your support on
Monday at the Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony,
honoring those who have served this great nation
in the past and who continue to serve in today’s
military.
suwannee river jubilee - June 12 – 14.
Spirit of Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL musicliveshere.com.
The premiere gospel camping and
concert event. Headliners: Dixie Echoes, The Kingsmen,
Chuck Wagon Gang, Primitive Quartet, Lesters,
Palmetto State, Greenes.
fall suwannee river jubilee - October 2
– 4. Spirit of Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL,
musicliveshere.com. Headliners: Dove Brothers,
Dixie Melody Boys, Blackwood Brothers and Dixie
Echoes.
magnoliafest - October 23 - 26, Suwannee
Music Park, Live Oak, FL, magmusic.com/magnolia.
htm. A festival of music, magic and fun, including
their Vending Village with an eclectic blend of
food and a wonderful selection of original arts &
crafts and fun, funky items. Also, there will be a New
Orlean’s style walking parade.
langerado music
festival march 6 – 9
Big Cypress Indian Reservation in the South Florida Everglades
headliners: beastie boys, rem, roots, matisyahu, ben folds, minus the bear, vampire
weekend, built to spill, pelican, umphrey’s mcgee, phil lesh, medeski, scofi eld,
martin & wood, of montreal and dozens more.
From the electrifying mystique of camping in the alligator-infested Everglades to the inebriating excitement
of seeing Pelican live in a muggy Florida swamp, Langerado has grown to a formidable stature in the national
festival scene. Fairly unheard of just two years ago when the fest billed more hippie jam bands, it has since
started including some the greatest names in indie rock without compromising their hippie tradition or making
The Roots feel uncomfortable on the bill.
There are a limited number of tickets still available at the $184.50 price, but when those sell out, tickets
will be priced at $199.50. Tickets include access to all four days of the Langerado Music Festival and on-site
camping for the duration of the event. If camping isn’t your thing (of Montreal fans need showers hourly), there
are hotels nearby. Go to langerado.com for more details or go to eujacksonville.com for the complete interviews.
(continued on page 24)
eujacksonville.com | march 2008 23

eversing the polarity of hip
interview with Minus the Bear by jon bosworth
WHAT: Minus the Bear
WHERE: The Chickee Hut stage of the Langerado Music Festival
WHEN: 5:30 pm on Sunday March 9 th
Minus the Bear is a Seattle rock band. In the late 90s, when Minus the Bear was starting out, being a
rock band from Seattle meant garage-style recordings, torn jeans, long ratty hair and a “corporate rock sucks”
sort of mythos. But while everyone was worrying about Y2K, another drastic change was afoot in the Pacifi c
Northwest. Bands that had nothing to do with the grunge mold were emerging from Seattle’s scene.
Minus the Bear is certainly fresh, new rock. This fact has been evident since their fi rst EP This Is What I
Know about Being Gigantic was released in 2001. By the time their fi rst full length, Highly Refi ned Pirates came
out on Suicide Squeeze Records in 2002, they were something of an understated buzz band on the edge of hip.
According to Wikipedia, many of the titles of the songs on Pirates were quotes from the movie Starship
Troopers. This move appears tragically un-hip. That is one of the hippest things about Minus the Bear, they are
24 march 2008 | eu jacksonville newspaper
perfectly content with the tragically un-hip. So much so, they just might reverse the polarity of hip and make the
tragically un-hip, super-hip.
For instance, ever since Seattle’s own Nirvana said so, a very produced album with compositions that
relied heavily on electronics has been tragically uncool. Minus the Bear simply doesn’t care about that.
“We wanted to put together a record that is polished. I don’t know if it’s more polished [than past
releases] or not. The keyboards are louder and there is a lot more vocal shit going on, so in that respect it
comes off that way. We always want to make a well-produced record. Hopefully the next one will be even more
produced. Super hyper-produced,” said guitarist and vocalist Jake Snider when EU spoke to him from his home
in Seattle.
Minus the Bear’s music, especially on their latest release, Planet of Ice, is still math rock, in that it utilizes
complex time-signatures, but it is less like Don Caballero or any of the math rock contemporaries than any of
their prior albums. It has electronic features that make the songs transcend the standard rock band modalities.
They incorporate the sound of a CD skip into the rhythmic texture of the song ‘Knights’.
“On this record, it was much more of us being in a room jamming parts out and all putting our heads
together to arrange it. Us all having different opinions might make it seem more thought out.”
They are incorporating electronic and new pedal technologies into the compositions of their songs to
keep that on-the-edge-of-something new vibe to their music, but the overwhelmingly digital production of the
new album makes their music almost reminiscent of Thievery Corporation. I’m interested to see how the two
compare at the upcoming Langerado Music Festival in the Everglades where both bands will be appearing live.
EU: What the hell makes you so special?
Jake Snider: I think that’s its just the synergy of these fi ve young men getting into a room together and
expressing themselves. We get in a room and go ahead and get at it.
EU: Planet of Ice is the fi rst album with new band member Alex Rose – any similarities between Alex and
Axel Rose?
JS: He’s a redhead. Axl has kind of red hair, doesn’t he? That’s about it. Alex is a musician and Axl is kind of like
a musician. They aren’t from the same town or actually related or anything weird like that.
EU: How much has changed with the addition of Alex?
JS: It’s been an overall vibe change. He has the opposite personality of Matt [Bales – former keyboardist and
producer for Minus the Bear] so it’s a different overall vibe when we all get together. He’s also more a singer and
songwriter, keyboard isn’t his fi rst act, so he’s getting into that. He’s more of a songwriter, whereas Matt was
more production, so it helps having someone else in the game writing more purposefully.
EU: Why should people make the effort to check out Minus the Bear when there are so many bands to
choose from at Langerado?
JS: Because the show is gonna’ be fucking awesome. Who else is playing? Maybe there are better options.
There will be a lot of choices, people should see us because we are going to be one of the more energetic
shows on the bill. We bring some funk and I’ll swear indiscriminately between songs.
getting jammed up
interview with Umphrey’s McGee by rick grant
WHAT: Umphrey’s McGee
WHERE: The Sunset stage of the Langerado Music Festival
WHEN: 12 am - 3 am on Saturday March 8 th
Formed in 1998, Umphrey’s McGee has traveled serious mileage across the land, performing its sonic
improvisational sound for the masses. The group moved to Chicago in 2003 and changed drummers. Since
then, it has been an intact sextet. UM has been compared to Frank Zappa meets Steely Dan with a dash of Little
Feat’s infl uence in its fusion of rock and improvisational music.
EU spoke with Ryan Stasik from his home in Chicago.
“We have charts, songs, grooves, and motifs from which we improvise. We love playing live and strive to
make each concert worthy of using it as a live recording. We have a guy who records every show and makes a
best-of CD so we can use it to get new ideas. Brendan Bayliss, our guitarist, and Jake Cinninger, our keyboardist
and synthesizer wizard, are our songwriters, but we all make contributions to the songs with new ideas that we
develop.”
However, UM emerged in the mid–2000s as a wildly popular live band that plays long memorable shows
to their fanatical fans, who have bought the group’s albums to the tune of platinum sales. UM accomplished an
unusual milestone by becoming commercially successful without compromising their sound. When the nouveau
punk movement hit in 2005, UM was still the same band it was in 2003. This proves that there is room in the
big time music biz for many genres. In fact, UM’s fans have been growing as the youth movement is exposed to
(continued on page 26)

eujacksonville.com | march 2008 25

26 march 2008 | eu jacksonville newspaper
quality music as opposed to screaming angst alt-rock, which may or may not have any credibility.
“Our live shows are an ever-changing musical experience, which is very liberating for us. We never play
the same song the same way twice, which makes it interesting for us. Sometimes songs turn into new songs
and so on. Our live music is constantly changing into new shapes and forms as we play. Of course, we feed off
each other’s live ESP when we are in the groove,” Ryan said.
UM’s latest album, Live at the Murat is a memorable live recording. In fact, I prefer live recordings as
opposed to studio works. UM’s fl ow of ideas and spontaneous compositions through improvisations are
inspired by the feedback they are receiving from their audience. I was blown away by the groups’ music.
Ryan went on to say that they are working on a new studio album built up from multi-tracking, which is
fi ne, but it will never be as inspired as the group’s live performances.
trance metal
interview with Pelican by donald dusinberre
WHAT: Pelican
WHERE: The Chickee Hut stage of the Langerado Music Festival
WHEN: 11:30 pm on Saturday, March 8th
Langerado is coming up soon, and we Floridians will get a chance to see dozens of bands we’ve never
seen perform here. Giddy as we are, EU writers have been working hard to speak with as many of them as
possible. I spoke recently with Trevor de Brauw, guitarist for the genre-muddying instrumental band Pelican.
Their music may frighten you at fi rst, but give them a try with an open mind. Though very heavy, their
music has a beauty that reveals another part of itself with each listen. Plus, they’re really nice people and they
like R.E.M., too.
EU: One of the hardest things for me is trying to explain to people what you sound like. I hear “metal” used
quite a bit, but I never really got that. I’ve always been sort of averse to that term. It just brings to mind too
much of the eighties.
Trevor: There are a whole lot of negative connotations to the term “metal,” and while I don’t feel that we’re
necessarily a metal band, we have a lot of interest invested in metal. Sometimes it can hurt us when people
write us off as a metal band, but it’s kind of lame because I feel like we’ve got a lot more to offer than just metal.
But in the same way, the rebellion, the angry attitude of metal is central to what we’re doing, you know?
EU: I can’t stand saying, “Oh, you have to give it a couple of listens. Give it another try,” but with you guys,
it’s sort of necessary. The sound evolves in your own ears.
Trevor: Yeah, well thank you. For me, that’s something central about good music. I feel like good music is
something that will stand up to several listens and will offer you more the more you listen to it. When someone
says that to us, I take it as a high compliment.
EU: What’s the funniest label you’ve been given? I saw your music described as “trance metal,” which I
thought was really funny.
Trevor: (Laughs.) That is kind of funny. I don’t know…I feel like a lot of the labels people give us are funny,
certainly when people add sub-categories to metal… It’s this weird thing that’s going on in modern music,
where people have this need to label things with sub-categories, and no matter what, they always sound awful,
like “post-metal.” I don’t know what that’s supposed to mean.
EU: Coming about as an instrumental group just sort of happened for you, so I wondered if you get a lot of
offers from people to sing?
Trevor: I feel like we did right at fi rst, when we fi rst started putting out full-lengths. People would write us and
send us mp3s of them singing. It was kind of funny, but it hasn’t really persisted. I think once you have a few
records under your belt and you’re established as an instrumental band, a lot of people don’t want to add vocals.
I think if we got someone to sing on our records, people would be kind of bummed or something.
EU: How do you feel about playing at Langerado with such divergent acts as R.E.M., Phil Lesh, and Ani
DiFranco?
Trevor: Uh, it’s totally surreal. (Laughs.) I don’t really know what else to say about that. Like I was saying
before, our music has given us the opportunity to do all these things that I never thought would happen, that
certainly wouldn’t have been on my radar. Playing on a stage with R.E.M. hasn’t really sunk in yet. Ask me again
after we do it.

ack to oklawaha county
Gamble Rogers to appear at this year’s Gamble Rogers Folk
Festival by rick grant
WHAT: Gamble Rogers Folk Festival
WHEN: May 2-4, 2008
WHERE: St. John’s County Fairgrounds
The last time I interviewed the late great Gamble Rogers was two weeks before his tragic death trying
to save two tourists from drowning in the ocean on October 10, 1991. At the time, he was about to ink a deal
with NPR for his own show similar to Mountain Stage, which he had been hosting.
Gamble had struggled many years for national recognition and his death was especially untimely because
he would have gone on to achieve the success he truly deserved. He was the patron saint of the Florida
folk scene as a humorist and singer/songwriter. Gamble is fondly remembered by all those whose lives he
touched with his storytelling, music and comedy. To know Gamble was to be his friend.
After 12 years of the Gamble Rogers Folk Festival (GRFF) at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre, the 13th
annual GRFF will take place at the St. Johns County Fairgrounds instead. On Saturday May 3, festival attendees
will be treated to a special recorded live performance by Gamble on the Baby Grand Theater stage via
DVD and big screen projection. These showings will run at regular intervals throughout the day on Saturday,
May 3. Gamble’s tales of Oklawaha County will once again be seen and remembered.
“We are especially thankful to the Gamble Rogers Memorial Foundation and its president, Charles Steadham,
for allowing us to bring Gamble’s fi ngerpicking guitar style and singing/storytelling talent to life in St.
Johns County for all those attending the festival this year,” said Festival president Paul Linser.
Many of today’s hottest folk artists will be performing live at the event, including Robin and Linda Williams,
Carolina Chocolate Drops, Mary Flower, Stevie Coyle (from the Waybacks), Debra Lee Smith & Carl
Jones, The Aaron O’Rouke Trio, and Gatorbone.
“Well, we simply outgrew the Amphitheater facility. This is our 13 th year, and The St. Johns County Fairgrounds
offers more room and plenty of camping sites with 50 RV hookups. Also, there were no restrictions
as to playing music late at night. So, now we can have campfi res and play music all night,” said Bob Patterson,
Entertainment Director of the festival.
The GRFF is dedicated to ensuring that the memory and music of Gamble Rogers will continue to be an
integral part of Florida’s folk music tradition. The fairgrounds will provide RV hookups and camping on County
Road 207, 6 miles west of I-95 in Elton. Log onto gamblefest.com for more information.
eujacksonville.com | march 2008 27

28 march 2008 | eu jacksonville newspaper
from the shenandoah
interview with Marty Raybon by rick grant
WHAT: The St. Augustine Lions Seafood & Music Festival
WHERE: Francis Field on Castillo Drive behind the Visitor Information Center in St. Augustine
WHEN: March 7 th – 9 th , 2008
Marty Raybon was the lead singer in the wildly popular country group Shenandoah. They had a string of
hits, such as ‘Two Dozen Roses,’ ‘Church on Cumberland Road,’ and ‘Somewhere in the Valley of the Heart.’
In 1997, Marty split from the group to pursue a solo career. Five successful albums later, Marty has distinguished
himself as a hitmaker with a growing fan base.
Marty’s vocal skills have been praised by colleagues such as Gary LeVox, lead vocalist of Rascal Flatts,
who said, “Marty is the greatest singer on the planet to this day.” John Turner lauded Marty by saying, “When
you listen to Marty sing, he makes every word sound important and like he is singing straight to you. I love
everything he has done. He’s a great singer, a great artist, and a great man.”
Marty’s handsome presence has also helped him sell his solo act to country fans. He’s blessed with the
whole package, hunky looks, great voice, and he knows how to work a crowd. His tenure with Shenandoah
gained Marty a massive following, but when he went solo, he touched many more folks with his passionate
vocal delivery and charisma.
Marty chatted with EU about his career as a respected country artist. His friendly Southern charm and
cordial manner made my job as interviewer a pleasure.
“I’m staying busy and working as much as I can stand. When I was with Shenandoah, we toured most
all year, around 310 dates a year. That was just too much and I decided I needed to balance my career with
quality time with my family.”
A Florida native, Marty currently lives in Alabama.
“Lately, I’ve been performing at bluegrass festivals and other outdoor events. I like the pace I’m touring
today.”
One such festival is the St. Augustine Lions Seafood & Music Festival. Marty is playing during the peak
of the festival on Saturday night. The event will also have an arts and crafts show, seafood of every possible
preparation, and plenty of other music. The weekend will be capped on Sunday night with a performance by
Valerie Smith of Liberty Pike. Other performers at the festival include Southern Lite featuring Ernie Evans,
Katherine Archer, The Time Travelers and Dynamic Country. These artists are sure to be a family-friendly
bunch.
“My faith keeps me going and I try to instill that faith in my children. At 48, I’ve come to terms with my
career and balancing it with my quality family time.”
Marty is proud of his new album, Country, which has been selling well.
“Audiences like the songs, so that stimulates CD sales,” he said.
I enjoyed the songs on his album tremendously. What they say is true, Marty delivers his songs with
emotionally charged voice that makes it seem like he is singing only to you.
See for yourself when he performs at the festival on Saturday March 8 th .

eujacksonville.com | march 2008 29

30
march 2008 | eu jacksonville newspaper
family
events in march the whole family can enjoy.
march
1-2
GRAND OPENING OF
STINGRAY BAY Ever
wonder what it would be like
to pet a stingray? Well, visit
the Stingray Bay at the Zoo
and fi nd out! There is a ribbon
cutting ceremony at 10 am on
March 1 st . Enjoy live entertainment and informational
booths until 4 pm each day. Admission to Stingray
Bay: $3/children, adults and seniors, $2.50/members.
Jacksonville Zoo, Info: (904) 757-4463
march
3
march
6
BUFFALO SOLDIER 10 am
and 12 pm. In 1996, Buffalo Soldier
was one of twelve plays selected as
the Best American Plays for Young
American History Month. Tickets:
$7. Florida Theatre, Info: (904)
353-3500 or theatreworksjax.com
SERVING UP ACES: PETE
SAMPRAS VS. TODD
MARTIN 7:30 pm. Tennis legends
Pete Sampras and Todd Martin take
to the court right here in Jacksonville
to show off their skills. Tickets: $30-
$60. Jacksonville Veterans Memorial
Arena, Info: jaxevents.com or (904) 630-3900
march
8
“LIFT EV’RY VOICE AND
SING” 8 pm. The Jacksonville
Children’s Chorus and the African
Children’s Choir will come together
for a unique concert experience
called “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing.”
The visiting choir is composed of
21 children from Uganda who range in age from 9 to
12. Through their music, these talented kids show the
world that Africa’s most needy and vulnerable children
have beauty, dignity and unlimited ability. Ticket: $13-
$25. Times-Union Center, Info: jaxchildrenschorus.
com
31ST ANNUAL GATE RIVER RUN Take part in
this annual tradition! Thousands of runners take to the
streets of Jacksonville in what is now the largest 15K
in the United States. Jacksonville Fairgrounds, Info:
(904) 731-3676 or www.gate-riverrun.com
14
march
NRITYAGRAM DANCE
ENSEMBLE OF INDIA 7:30
pm. Embark on a journey to the
Middle East with this internationally
acclaimed dance company. Tickets:
$37.50/general admission, $27.50/
students, military and seniors.
Florida Theatre, Info: (904) 355-2787
march
15
EASTER EGG HUNT 9:30
am. MOSH is hosting a free Easter
Egg Hunt for all ages. After the
egg hunt, children can enjoy fi re
engine tours by Jacksonville Fire
& Rescue and meet the Easter
Bunny. MOSH, Info: 396-6674 or themosh.org
march
24TH ANNUAL BLESSING
16
OF THE FLEET 1:30 pm. Bring
the entire family to the downtown
riverfront to witness many of
the First Coast’s fi nest vessels
participate in this visually stunning
blessing ceremony. Northbank
Riverfront Park, Downtown, Info: (904) 630-3690
JSO: ZOORCHESTRA -- CARNIVAL OF THE
ANIMALS! 3 pm. Things get a little wild when the
Jacksonville Symphony marches out their impressive
collection of “animals” with the help of Charles
Camille Saint-Saëns’ musical suite, The Carnival of
Animals. Through humorous narration and the clever
use of orchestra instruments, kids of all ages will
be transported to the zoo without ever leaving their
seats. Arrive early (2 pm) to enjoy pre-concert “warm
up” activities that allow children to learn more about
instruments through fun projects and exercises.
Tickets: $7. Times-Union Center, Info: (904) 354-
5547 or jaxsymphony.org
17
march
ROYAL SCOTS DRAGOON
GUARDS & THE BAND
OF THE COLDSTREAM
GUARDS 7:30 pm. Experience
the sounds of Scotland, England,
Ireland, and Wales as the music
comes alive through the pipes,
drums and highland dancers of The Royal Scots
Dragoon Guards and the Band of the Coldstream
Guards. Tickets: $30.50-$50.50. Times-Union Center,
Info: (904) 632-3373
29
march
THE THIRD ANNUAL RIVER
CELEBRATION DAY 7:30 am
to 3 pm. Activities will begin with
the inaugural Mandarin Biathlon
to benefi t the Mandarin Museum
& Historical Society. Events will
also include live music by the
Ashley Gang Band and the Palm Valley String Band,
storytelling by historical re-enactors, free kayaking
by Black Creek Outfi tters, refreshments for sale by
Firehouse Subs, and nature programs by the St Johns
Riverkeeper and the Florida Native Plant Society.
Walter Jones Historical Park, Info: (904) 268-0784 or
www.mandarinmuseum.net
BITS ‘N PIECES PUPPET THEATRE:
CINDERELLA AND THE CHINESE SLIPPER
3 pm. The incredibly talented performers and
puppeteers at Bits ‘N Pieces Puppet Theatre are
bringing their larger-than-life version of Cinderella
back to the First Coast this year. In this original
retelling of the beloved children’s classic, nine-foot
tall puppets and costumed characters take the
audience to China to meet heroine Pandarella, a.k.a.
“Cinderella,” her family of pandas and her Fairy
Godmother (a magic goldfi sh). Tickets: $8. Thrasher-
Horne Theater, (904) 276-6750

new at the zoo
new amphibian and stingray exhibits
BY KELLIE ABRAHAMSON KAbrahamson1@aol.com
The commercials are right- there really is “more
to see, more to zoo” every time I go there. My family
and I just visited last October and since then two
incredibly fascinating new exhibits have been unveiled
at the Jacksonville Zoo. Here’s a peek at what you can
look forward to discovering on your next visit.
“save the frogs!” amphibian
conservation center
It may surprise you to know that about half of
the amphibian species on the planet are currently
endangered; hundreds seriously so. More shocking is
that since 1980 over 150 different species have gone
extinct.
“This is a huge issue,” Jacksonville Zoo spokeswoman
Gina Stiles stressed to me. “If we don’t all do
something soon they will all disappear.”
Zoos all over the world have committed themselves
to doing something to stop the amphibian
crisis and one of our own zoo’s efforts is the “Save
the Frogs!” amphibian conservation center. The facility,
located near the Australian exhibit in the old koala
building, is home to a number of different amphibians,
three of which are currently being bred to help save
them from extinction. What’s on display is unlike anything
you can currently see at our zoo- a strictly utilitarian
exhibit with rows of plastic tubs, each containing
an animal that, without conservation efforts like
this one, could disappear from the face of the planet
in our lifetime. Large graphics explain the situation at
hand and tell guests what they can do to help. The
building also has a listening station where you can
hear frog calls for three species that are now extinct.
Since the center opened on February 16 th , baby
Stripped Newts have already hatched. The tiny specks
can be seen swimming in a small tank in one of the
rooms. Nearby, the Gulf Coast Waterdog is being
bred in an attempt to help out its far more endangered
cousin, the Alabama Waterdog, which has never been
successfully bred in captivity. In the next room some
Puerto Rican Crested Frogs are waiting to head back
home. They will be on the next plane out of town once
they make some tadpoles. Each of the rooms are
separate and bio-secure and are kept at different temperatures
to keep the animals comfortable. A Dying
Poisoned Dart Frog, Golden Frog and Tomato Frog are
also on display to give people an idea of how diverse
these animals can be.
“People like the furry things and they pay a lot
less attention to reptiles and amphibians and even
fi sh,” said Steve Gott, an amphibian expert at the Zoo.
“[But] frogs are a major part of our food web… They
eat tons of insects, particularly mosquitoes, if you’re
looking for benefi ts to humans. Mosquitoes are not
only irritating but they carry diseases. With climate
change, we are eventually going to be seeing more
tropical diseases moving north, especially down here
in Florida. We could eventually be seeing malaria and
things like that coming this way as things get warmer
and without frogs eating the mosquitoes it’s going to
be a lot more widespread.”
The biggest problems facing amphibians right
now are habitat destruction, pollution, climate change
and a fungus called cytrid that comes though in
waves and wipes out up to 90% of a population at a
time.
The best part about “Save the Frogs!” is you’re
given ideas on how you can actually make a difference
in this global crisis. Simple things like cutting
back on the use of herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers
make a huge difference as does switching to body
care products that are non-toxic and biodegradable.
Head over to this fascinating new exhibit to see conservation
in action and learn more ways to do your
part.
stingray bay
March 1 st marks the grand opening of another
great new exhibit- Stingray Bay, an 11,000 gallon
touch pool that lets you and your family get up close
and personal with one of today’s most misunderstood
ocean creatures, the stingray. This totally interactive
exhibit will be on display from March to September for
the next two years, possibly longer depending on the
crowds.
“There’s not an exhibit like this in Jacksonville,”
Stiles said. “So this is the place to go for that once-ina-lifetime
experience.”
At Stingray Bay, visitors of all ages will get to
interact with 29 stingrays. Two separate species
are swimming around the large pool- Cownose and
Southern, both of which can be found right here on
the First Coast. And there’s no need to be worried
about getting stung. All of the rays have had their
barbs trimmed so they are completely harmless.
“This is one of the ways we’re educating people
to interact with wildlife,” Stiles explained. “Stingrays
have a really big stigma because they have the barbs
on them.”
“It’s a self-defense thing,” added Jamie, one of
Stingray Bay’s educators. “Most people that get stung
step on them because they don’t see them because
they bury [themselves] in the sand.”
There will be educators on hand to answer questions
and to soothe nervous guests, just in case.
In addition to just petting the rays, you can also
feed them. Stingray chow will be available for purchase
at the gift shop located in the tent, where you’ll
also be able to fi nd unique gifts for the stingray lover
in your family.
The Zoo had its members-only preview at the
end of February and the exhibit was a huge hit with all
of the guests.
“I think it went really well,” Jamie said. “Everyone
really seemed to enjoy it. Several kids that we
saw on Saturday when it was a little bit slower were
here every feeding time. We defi nitely saw people that
were coming back throughout the day to come touch
them and feed them.”
Admission to Sting Ray Bay is $2.50 for Zoo
members and $3.00 for everyone else. The extra fee
is well worth the experience. It’s not everyday you get
to feed a stingray so this is one exhibit you don’t want
to miss.
eujacksonville.com |march 2008 31

From A Kiowa’s Odyssey: A
Sketchbook from Fort Marion at
the Cummer
visual art
art event, exhibits and openings in march.
DOWNTOWN ART WALK First Wednesday of
each month from 5 pm – 9 pm, A map of the galleries
can be acquired at any of the venues, including
MOCA Jacksonville, the Jacksonville Landing, and
Art Walk Headquarters at 100 North Laura Street
ST. AUGUSTINE ART WALK First Friday of
every month from 5 pm – 9 pm, Tours begin at Rembrandtz
Fine Gifts for Fun People, 131 King Street, St.
Augustine, (904) 829-0065 or staugustinegalleries.
com
BEACHES ART WALK Second Tuesday of each
month from 5 pm – 8 pm, 9 varied venues, jaxbeachesartwalk.org
NORTH BEACHES ART WALK Every third
Thursday of each month, 5 pm – 9 pm, Atlantic/
Neptune Beach area. (904) 249-2222 or archwayframing@aol.com
THE OUT OF TOWNERS Jim Blanchard, John
Lytle Wilson, Tamir David, Jeremy Rabus, Nigel Sade,
Fumi Nakamura & Chris Crites, On display through
March 31, Opening Reception Saturday, March 1, 8
pm – 11 pm, Bogda, 1253 McDuff Avenue South,
(904) 387-0852
32
march 2008 | eu jacksonville newspaper
JOANELLE MULRAIN: SOULS & NATURE
Opening Tuesday, March 4, 6 – 8 pm, On display
through Thursday, March 27, Kent Gallery at FCCJ
Kent Campus, 3939 Roosevelt Boulevard, e112;
(904) 381-3674
MICHAEL CENCI: PHOTOGRAPHS FROM
WILD FLORIDA March 5 – March 30, Opening
Reception March 5, 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm, The
Art Center of Jacksonville, 31 West Adams Street,
Downtown; cenciphotography.com
JILL BORENSTEIN AND RACHAEL YAE-
GER March 7, Classic Blends, 201 A West King
Street, St. Augustine; (904) 377-3198 or info@classicblends.com
STEPHANIE SHIELDHOUSE March 7 – March
31, Opening Reception Friday, March 7, 6 pm – 9
pm, Butterfi eld Garage Art Gallery, 137 King Street,
St. Augustine; (904)825-4577 or butterfi eldgarage.
com
CORSE GALLERY AND ATELIER March 7,
Grand Opening of a new gallery featuring the works
of Carol Marine, Mary Louise O’Sullivan, Irene Salley,
Gary Borse, Eleanor Blair, Katie Dobson and Rachel
Thompson. 4144 Herschel Street, Avondale; (904)
388-8205
SENSAI: FRAGILE BEAUTY: BY JENNIFER
J.L. JONES March 14 – April 18, Opening reception
Friday, March 14, 6 pm – 9 pm, Stellers Gallery
Annex, 200 First Street, Neptune Beach; (904) 273-
6065 or stellersgallery.com
PEOPLE- ONE OR MORE ART SHOW
March 16 – April 13, Opening Reception, Sunday,
March 16, 2 pm – 5 pm St Augustine Art Association,
(904) 824-2310 or staaa.org
40TH ANNUAL MANDARIN ART FESTIVAL
March 22 – March 23, Mandarin Community Club,
12447 Mandarin Road, (904) 268-1622
TWELFTH ANNUAL ART AFTER DARK
Friday, March 28, 7 pm, Florida Theatre, Downtown,
(904) 355-5661
SPRING ART & CRAFT FESTIVAL Saturday,
March 29 – Sunday, March 30, 2008, St. Augustine,
(904) 824-2310
ST AUGUSTINE ART ASSOCIATION
SPRING FESTIVAL March 29 – 30, St Augustine
Art Association, (904) 824-2310 or staaa.org
CAROLYN ANN DAY: PHOTOGRAPHY Monday,
March 31, Thrasher-Horne Center, 283 College
Drive, Orange Park (904) 276-6815
NEW WORKS BY SABRE ESLER AND
JOYCE NORWOOD On display through March
7, Stellers Gallery Annex, 200 First Street, Neptune
Beach; (904) 273-6065 or stellersgallery.com
MARK MESSERSMITH EXHIBITION Runs
through March 14, J. Johnson Gallery, 177 Fourth
Avenue North, Jacksonville Beach; (904) 435-3200
or jjohnsongallery.com
FAIRWEATHER ARTISTS: DEREK DESIS-
LETS, TRACY MCEVILLY AND GARRY
DODDS II through March 15, The Gallery at
Broadfoot Design, 420 South A1A, Jacksonville
Beach
A KIOWA’S ODYSSEY: A SKETCHBOOK
FROM FORT MARION On display through
March 16, Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, 829
Riverside Avenue, Riverside, (904)899-6034 or cummer.org
ART & SOUL PRESENTS: FIGURE IT OUT
On display through March 18, The Women’s Center
of Jacksonville, 5644 Colcord Avenue, (904) 722-
3000 or womenscenterofjax.org
NEW PAINTINGS BY JENNA BISCHEL On
display through March 26, Photography Exhibition
in the Photography Gallery from 5 pm – 7 pm, Alexander
Brest Gallery and Museum at Jacksonville
University, (904) 256-7345
SEAN MAHAN & JULIO WILLIAMS On display
through March 28, Adele Grage Cultural Center,
716 Ocean Boulevard, (904) 247-5828 or ci.atlanticbeach.fl
.us
JASON WOODSIDE: MEMOIRS DU
FRANCE On display through March 31, The Gallery
@ Screen Arts, 228 West King Street, St. Augustine,
(904) 829-2838 or screenartsfl orida.com
CONTEMPORARY VISIONS: A FOCUS
ON JACKSONVILLE COLLECTIONS Runs
through April 6, MOCA, 333 North Laura Street,
Downtown, (904) 366-6911 or mocajacksonville.org
CONTINENTAL SHIFTS: THE ART OF ED-
OUARD DUVAL-CARRIE Runs through April 6,
MOCA, 333 North Laura Street, Downtown, (904)
366-6911 or mocajacksonville.org
RAMEN NOODLES 2008: INSTALLATION
BY SANG-WOOK LEE Runs through April 6,
MOCA, 333 North Laura Street, Downtown, (904)
366-6911 or mocajacksonville.org
FIRST COAST PORTFOLIO: THE WORKS
OF JACKSONVILLE AREA ART EDUCA-
TORS Runs through April 6, MOCA, 333 North
Laura Street, Downtown, (904) 366-6911 or mocajacksonville.org
JOHN BUNKER: A\QUADRANTS AND OTH-
ER ELEGANT ARRANGEMENTS On display
through April 4, Thrasher-Horne Center, 283 College
Drive, Orange Park; (904) 276-6815 or thcenter.org
PERSIAN VISIONS: CONTEMPORARY
PHOTOGRAPHY FROM IRAN Through April
20, Southeast Museum of Photography, 1200 International
Speedway Boulevard, Daytona Beach,
smponline.org
JIM VECCHI: WITNESS TO INFINITY
Through April 20, Southeast Museum of Photography,
1200 International Speedway Boulevard, Daytona
Beach, smponline.org
CARL DE KEYZER: ZONA On display through
May 23, Southeast Museum of Photography, 1200
International Speedway Boulevard, Daytona Beach,
smponline.org
JASON WRIGHT Runs through April 30, Burrito
Gallery, 21 East Adams Street, Downtown; (904)
598-2922 or burritogallery.com
THOMAS HAGER: CLOSER On display
through April 30, Jane Gray Gallery, 643 Edison Avenue;
(904) 338-5790 or janegraygallery.com

art after dark
a preview for 2008
BY DONALD DUSINBERRE imartsyfartsy@gmail.com
WHAT: Art After Dark
WHERE: Florida Theatre
WHEN: Friday, March 26
On Friday, March 28, the Friends of the Florida
Theatre are hosting a special fundraising event,
Art After Dark 2008. Featuring artwork from a
selection of promising Jacksonville artists, Art
After Dark (AAD) has become a highly anticipated
event each spring.
You know how wealthy folks on television
never have time for their kids because they’re
always rushing off to another fundraising social
event? Well, here’s your chance to do the same.
No, I don’t mean you should neglect your
kids and act like you’re better than everyone else.
Leave that to the professionals. I mean take your
spouse out for an interesting evening and support
a great Jacksonville Institution, the Florida Theatre.
Since 1927, the Florida Theatre in Jacksonville
has provided the area with an elegant setting
suitable for civic needs, private events and quality
entertainment. Located at 128 East Forsyth Street
and restored to grandeur, it continues to serve
the community. It’s not too much to ask for one
evening, where the community puts down a few
bucks and gets a lot more in return.
On that evening, AAD attendees will encounter
a multitude of treats sure to make their night,
but fi rst there’s the artwork. Displaying the work
of 12 professional artists and many student artists,
Art After Dark gives anyone the opportunity
to own a piece of Jacksonville culture. Most artwork
is for sale, and 90 percent of the proceeds
go directly to the artists.
This year’s artists are Monica Black, Michael
Cenci, Bobby Davidson, Clay Doran, Rebecca
Forster, Steve Forster, Beth Haizlip, Ali Isabelle,
Lynn Matyi, Susan Paolucci, Nicklos Richards and
Grant Thorton. It’s exciting to think that someone
may purchase a work of art from an artist who
will one day be famous. Why not contribute to a
worthy cause while taking a chance on one of our
area’s artists?
Even if art isn’t your thing, there are plenty
of other things to do. Take part in a live auction for
such luxurious items as a Toyota Prius or a Peterbrooke
Chocolate Fountain. Listen to the music of
Goliath, performing on the stage inside the Theatre,
or hang out at the carnival-style street party
until midnight. With catered food from Anthony’s
Catering, Peterbrooke Chocolatier, Tento Churrascaria
and Stover’s Custom Cakes, you’ll get your
fi ll.
General admission tickets are only $15, and
VIP tickets are only $50. The VIP party will include
such luxuries as champagne, Peterbrooke Chocolate,
and swag (gifts). To learn more about Art
After Dark, check out their website at artafterdarkjax.org.
eujacksonville.com |march 2008 33

34
march 2008 | eu jacksonville newspaper
theater
& culture
stage plays, broadway and cultural events in march.
ALHAMBRA DINNER THEATRE 12000 Beach
Blvd. (904) 641-1212 – Company, through April 6.
This musical is about men and women, love
and marriage and those have been popular themes
since the days of Shakespeare. Robert, a desirable
35-year old bachelor, is put off by the prospect of
marriage because of the fl aws in the relationships
of his fi ve friends. He is tall, handsome, successful,
charming and cosmopolitan. He also has a classy
apartment with a great view of the New York skyline.
Auditions: Aspiring children will want use March to
be preparing for the April l4th auditions for Sound of
Music.
THEATRE JACKSONVILLE - 2032 San Marco
Blvd. (904) 396 4425 - The Ruby Sunrise, through
March l5.
A 1920’s tomboy feverishly works to develop
her latest invention – a little something called
“television.” Twenty-fi ve years later, her daughter will
stop at nothing to bring her mother’s incredible story
to life during TV’s Golden Age. But will it get the truth
it deserves? Auditions for Absence of a Cello, March
9. Auditions for The Secret Garden, March 30.
ATLANTIC BEACH EXPERIMENTAL
THEATRE - Adele Grage Cultural Center in Atlantic
Beach. (904) 249-7177 - Ladies at the Alamo,
March l4-29.
The setting of this Paul Zindel play is the lavish
reception room of the new multi-million-dollar Alamo
Theatre, a regional theatre complex that has grown
from a small operation in a converted church to one
of the glories of Texas culture. A lady of great wealth
and lust for power, is scheming to replace Dede,
the theatre’s director, with a fading Hollywood star.
In the end no one is left unscathed; and while the
insurrection is put down, the scars of battle will, it is
clear, be long in healing. Auditions for To Gillian on
Her 37 th Birthday March l5 & 17.
5 POINTS THEATER – Park St. in Riverside -
The Vagina Monologues, March 21 &22
LORD OF THE DANCE
Made up of a varying number of monologues
read by a varying number of women, the recurring
theme throughout the piece is the vagina as a tool of
female empowerment, and the ultimate embodiment
of individuality. The Florida Coastal School of Law
is staging this cutting-edge play with all funds going
to Jacksonville’s Hubbard House. V-Day, the global
movement to end violence against women and girls,
will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2008 with
women and men from the U.S. and throughout the
world. For information visit www.vday.org.
DOUGLAS ANDERSON SCHOOL OF THE
ARTS - 2445 San Diego Rd. (904) 346-5620 Ext
122 - Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet),
March 25-28
This comedic play by Ann-Marie MacDonald
is the story of Constance Ledbelly, a young English
assistant professor from Queen’s University, who
goes on a subconscious journey of self-discovery.
FCCJ ARTIST SERIES - Times-Union Center for
the Performing Arts in downtown Jacksonville. (904)
632-3373 or www.artistseries.
fccj.org - 100 Years of Broadway,
March 1
Recreating the biggest
moments from the biggest shows
for the last hundred years, and
the singers are some of the
actual stars from musicals. Enjoy
songs from The Phantom of the
Opera, Les Miserables, CATS,
Jesus Christ Superstar, and
Jekyll & Hyde.
FCCJ ARTIST SERIES
- Times-Union Center, Moran
Theater, (904) 632-3373 or
THE MIKADO
www.artistseries.fccj.org. - Lord
of the Dance, March 8.
Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance is a
mesmerizing blend of traditional and modern Celtic
music and dance. The story is based up mythical
Irish folklore and Don Dorcha, Lord of the Darkness,
challenges the ethereal lord of light, the Lord of the
Dance. Battle lines are drawn, passions ignite and a
love story fueled by the dramatic leaps and turns of
dancers’ bodies begins to build against a backdrop
of Celtic rhythm. The action is played out over
21 scenes on a grand scale of precision dancing,
dramatic music, colorful costumes and state-of-theart
staging and lighting.
Presented by the.
FCCJ ARTIST SERIES -Times-Union Center for
the Performing Arts in downtown Jacksonville. (904)
632-3373 or www.artistseries.fccj.org – Evita, on
March l5
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical about Eva
Perone’s rise to power in Argentina. Read the
interview with a cast member on page 36.
LIMELIGHT THEATRE - 11 Mission Ave, St.
Augustine. (904) 825-1164 - A Raisin in the Sun,
through March 11
After moving to Chicago’s South Side in the
1950s, a poor black family struggles to deal with
poverty, racism, and inner confl ict as they strive for
a better life—and a substantial insurance payment
could mean either fi nancial salvation or personal
ruin.
LIMELIGHT THEATRE - 11 Mission Ave, St.
Augustine. (904) 825-1164 - And One for Yourself,
March l3 & l4
A one man show with Derek Coghlan.
MURDER MYSTERY PLAYERS at Dave and
Busters - 7025 Salisbury Rd. (904) 296-1525 -
Death by Decaf, March 16
Enjoy an interactive mystery where you
become part of the show.
ORANGE PARK COMMUNITY THEATRE
- 2900 Moody Ave, Orange Park. (904) 276-2599
- Play On, through March 29.
Have you ever wondered what actually goes
on back stage during the production of a play? This
show will answer those questions and a whole lot
more. Auditions for Brigadoon March 9 & 10
PLAYERS BY THE SEA - 106 N 6 TH St.
Jacksonville Beach. (904) 249-0289 - Night of the
Iguana, March 28 to April 12
Within the broken down environs of a cheap
Mexican Hotel, the human needs and confl icts of a
group of people thrown together by circumstance
become explicit. Alternately funny and heartbreaking,
this play takes us into the moving, tormented heart
of the human condition and proposes that the spirit
survives even beyond the limits of anguish.
THRASHER-HORNE CENTER FOR
THE ARTS - 283 College Dr. Orange Park.
(904) 276-6815 - Gilbert & Sullivan’s The
Mikado, April 4
London’s acclaimed Carl Rosa Opera
Company present one of the Gilbert &
Sullivan’s most popular comic pieces. The
Mikado is a satiric look at love triangles and
political hypocrisy in the fairy-tale setting of
ancient Japan. This production is guaranteed
to delight your eyes and ears - all while
tickling your funny bone. Tickets are $26
- $45
All of the community theatres listed
are looking for volunteers, so if you
want to get involved in a non-performing way,
call and you will be welcomed to become a
part of the thriving theater scene.

the rise of eva
FCCJ Artist Series presents Evita
BY ERIN THURSBY scopes1925@msn.com
WHAT: Evita
WHEN: March 15th, 8 pm
WHERE: Times-Union Center for the Performing
Arts, Moran Theatre
One of the most compelling musicals
that I’ve seen is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s
Evita. Jacksonville will get the chance to see it
as part of the FCCJ Artist Series for one night
only on March 15 th .
The musical traces the life Eva Perón
and her rise from a simple country girl and
illegitimate child to the politically ambitious
wife of Argentinean dictator Juan Perón. She
came to Buenos Aries with no connections
and soon became a popular radio actress.
She starred in a few fi lms, but was largely
known for her radio work. She was one of the
highest paid radio actresses in Argentina at
the time.
In 1944, when an earthquake struck San
Juan, Juan Perón (who at the time was the
Secretary of Labour) established a fund to aid
the victims of the disaster. Part of his efforts
was a massive fundraiser to which he invited
fi lm and radio stars. Eva was one of those
stars and met Juan Perón at this star-studded
gala. Soon they moved in together, scandalizing
the politicos of the day. Within a year they
married, and Eva was instrumental in winning
popular support for husband during her broadcasts.
She had tremendous infl uence with the people of
Argentina, who saw in her a refl ection of themselves,
as well as hope that they too could rise above their
circumstances. During this time it was unusual for a
woman to wield such political power. Many resented
her, but the poor loved her.
Cast member Lauren Sambataro says that her
story has appeal because she “rose to fame and
spoke for the people.”
“It’s a pretty vibrant and a very lively cast,”
says Sambataro, who’s just one of a young cast.
“People might expect to see someone older playing
Eva...and the cast in general, like they were on
Broadway.”
Sambataro is the female lead dancer for the
tango scene at the gala where the two met. The
dance tells the story as much as the songs do during
the scene.
“They intertwine the dancing with the meeting
of Eva and Perón, so it’s kind of a cool moment.
The material that they’re singing about their relationship
simultaneously with the dancing – the intimate,
almost sexual dancing of the tango – mirroring their
relationship.”
Like the rest of the cast, Sambataro is trained
in classical dance, so these Spanish-style dances
have expanded her repertoire.
The choreography for the show is the original
version, so Jacksonville will get the Broadway choreography
that made the show famous.
To order tickets by phone with Visa, Master-
Card, American Express or Discover call the FCCJ
Artist Series Box Offi ce at (904) 632-3373 (toll-free
outside of Jacksonville 1-888-860-BWAY.) Call for
a group discount. For online ticketing with instant
seat selection, visit the FCCJ Artist Series’ website,
artistseries.fccj.org.
eujacksonville.com |march 2008 35

36
march 2008 | eu jacksonville newspaper
he’s got the blues and that
ain’t bad
Jacksonville playwright Jay Huling’s Twelve Bar Blues opens at LA’s
Raven Playhouse
BY ALUN MONTGOMERY
It’s easy to think of a fi lmmaker transitioning
to playwriting for the stage as one would a rock
guitarist gravitating toward acoustic blues or even
classical guitar. But rather than fl irting with pseudopurist
gimmickry or engaging in a specious “backto-the-woodshed”
exercise, some earnest artists
take an unexpected turn when looking to fi nd their
real voice and gift.
But don’t tell that to playwright Jay Huling.
Whatever serious subtext or commentary on the
human condition his plays may contain, ultimately
it’s about the fun. From concept to synthesis to
execution, the process is one of discovery and
delight that has its own internal compass. Good
stories write themselves, he’ll tell you. Don’t believe
that either.
It’s appropriate that in describing the language
in Huling’s Twelve Bar Blues, it’s impossible
not to sound like a classic beer commercial: crisp,
refreshing—and yes, even “sparkling, fl avorful,
distinctive”. But that’s just what it is. The words
just crackle and jump off the page. It’s a very funny
read, and it’s not hard to imagine what an enjoyable
night of theater its performance would offer
in the hands of an accomplished troupe. It’s also
easy to see that a lot of folks writing for the screen
today could benefi t from taking a page from his
“playbook”.
A youthful fi lmmaking prodigy, Huling was
steeped in and greatly infl uenced by the sketch
comedy shows of the 1970s. While exploring fi lm
studies tracks at Florida State, Flagler College, and
Florida Southern University, Huling decided to audition
for Jacksonville University’s Theater program.
Though they had fi lm classes, they offered no
degree; but they did offer a playwriting program
that seemed to be an answer to an unspoken wish.
A scholarship offer cinched the deal, and so began
an enduring passion.
Graduating in 1989 with BFA in Theater, Huling
plied his craft while nurturing a parallel—and
successful—career in advertising. Now Creative
Director for Jacksonville’s Hoffman Agency, the
playwright is currently enjoying the buzz surrounding
the opening of his newest play, Twelve Bar
Blues, produced by the Vagabond Players at North
Hollywood’s Raven Playhouse.
Recently, Jay shared his thoughts with me on
where his ideas and inclinations spring from.
EU: Tell me about Twelve Bar Blues: what was its
genesis, where did it come from?
Jay Huling: I like to explore human behavior using
comedy to communicate with extremes. And again,
it’s a thing where I’m always having different ideas.
But I’m looking for a place that would be a funny
setting that I can keep my characters in one place
at one time. I thought in a bar, I could have a good
setting where all the action could take place right
there. And on top of that, I always loved the sketch
comedy shows from the ‘70s when I was growing
up, like The Carol Burnett Show or The Dean Martin
Show… the short comedy sketches that were
self-contained with a beginning, middle, and end
within themselves as opposed to a stand up routine
or a ten-minute play—I found that interesting and
I thought I could do this with a whole bunch of
comedy sketches happening within one play. And
then, the idea of somehow putting it in a bar and
then doing twelve of them and calling it Twelve Bar
Blues, it all came together, and I got excited about
it—because I kind of came up with that concept
before I wrote it, and I thought, “Ooh, that’d be
cool; let me do that!”
EU: Talk about taking on a life of its own. Is there
a common throughline through all your plays,
common themes, a commonality of character
development?
JH: I like issues of faith—I have a lot of plays that
somehow deal with people’s faith, whatever that
faith might be in—whether it’s a religious faith,
faith in another person, faith in oneself or something—it’s
kind of a theme I have in a lot of my
plays. Even in Twelve Bar Blues, it’s not so much
religious faith, but the things people lean on, and
crutches, and different types of human behavior
I fi nd funny… And in Twelve Bar Blues, a lot of it
is about social interaction and how we treat each
other, how we want others to perceive us, how
we perceive other people, and the masks that we
wear to convince somebody else that we are what
we want them to think we are…The comedy is
there for people to enjoy, but if somebody stopped
and thought about it, they might actually say, “you
know, we are really that way.”
I’ll give you an example: in one of the sketches,
a guy’s on a blind date, and he’s got a bag
with him, and throughout the date, he’s constantly
reaching into his bag to hand his date something,
asking her to change herself with it: like, “here’s a
blonde wig I want you to wear,” and the lipstick he
wants her to put on. And she’s actually putting up
with it. So the comedy’s pretty extreme: we don’t
really do that, but actually, we kind of do.
EU: What’s it like to see a theater company get a
hold of your scripts and go to work on them?
JH: It’s pretty exciting—there are lots of talented
people out there, and I always fi nd it best to try to
stay out of it. There are a lot of playwrights who try
to get involved and control everything, but I always
try to allow the directors to direct and the actors
to act, and the wardrobe people and the lighting
people to do their thing. They’re more talented at
what they do than I am.
Find out what Jay feels the difference between
writing a play and a screenplay is, revising a
play after seeing it staged and how Muncie Indiana
staged Twelve Bar Blues on their opening night
by reading the entire interview at eujacksonville.
com. If you happen to be in Los Angeles between
now and the end of March, check out Jay Huling’s
Twelve Bar Blues at the Raven Playhouse, 5233
Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, CA. Call
(818) 509-9519 for more information.

a better u
the science of the right touch by mark springett
People’s expectations when receiving a massage
are numerous and vary greatly. A few massage
therapists invest in the well-being of their clients
by going above and beyond the requirements of
the state. Some have chosen to concentrate more
on medical massage. Most people do not know the
difference between relaxation and medical massage.
Doctors who have stepped outside the box will attest
to the benefi ts of trying this type of treatment for soft
tissue injuries and pain management therapy. Many
times, it far outweighs the risk of more invasive
medical interventions, but only if in the hands of a
massage therapist with advanced training.
Properly trained and experienced therapists
have realized great results for their medical patients
and fi nd that their non-medical or wellness clients
also receive a higher level of service by gleaning
these advanced skills during their relaxation sessions.
“Wait a minute, did you say medical massage?”
That’s right, Medically Necessary Massage.
The differences between a full body therapeutic
massage and medical massage are numerous, but
fi rst and foremost, it requires a diagnosis from your
doctor, who determines if massage is an appropriate
treatment modality for your condition and then writes
a prescription for that specialized Medical Massage.
Massage Therapists are not licensed to diagnose
or prescribe treatment and it is illegal and unethical
for them to do so. Insurance sometimes pays
for these medically necessary services, so check
with your provider. The array of conditions that can
be treated are too numerous to mention in this article.
Medical Massage is an outcome-based clinical
setting. As the patient shows benefi cial progress, the
doctor will continue to give out prescriptions until an
MMI (Maximal Medical Improvement) is reached. At
this point, the patient can choose to become a cash
client and continue to receive the benefi ts of consistent
bodywork.
If Medical Massage is not possible for you,
Wellness or Therapeutic Massage are alternative
options for a localized area or a full body regiment.
Although not “medically necessary,” most people
benefi t from them in very positive ways, including
a calmer nervous system, lower blood pressure,
slower respiration, reduced chronic pain, improved
skin and muscle tone, increased blood and lymph
circulation, faster removal of metabolic waste and a
wide variety of other physical and emotional benefi ts.
In Florida, anyone with an active massage therapy
license and a doctor’s prescription can perform
medical massage and bill an insurance company, but
that doesn’t qualify someone to successfully carry
out medical treatments. Ask the therapist how long
they have been practicing medical massage and
what specifi c training they have had in medical massage.
Look for someone who has solid knowledge
of anatomy and physiology and how they apply this
knowledge to human structure and function. A good
medical massage therapist should also exhibit a
strong emphasis on postural symmetry/asymmetry.
As a person receives the appropriate massage,
they begin to improve and fi nd balance in their internal
environment and can therefore cope with external
stressors of daily living more effectively. Progressive
improvements are achieved over time as their body
responds and adapts to the stimuli of skilled touch.
Some people respond very effectively in short
order, but others may take more time to manage as
years of dysfunctions are peeled away layer by layer.
The human body is a complicated phychoneuroimmunological
entity, that is why the use of Medical
Massage as a science has been steadily increasing.
Sadly, enhancing these skills beyond the state
requirements is not high on the list of most Licensed
Massage Therapists. These enhanced skills, along
with an intuitive touch, are needed in order to help
patients and clients cope and stay strong and healthy
in these demanding times.
Mark Springett, LMT is a Licensed Massage Therapist
(#MA36512, MMMT #1227) who has been
practicing in the Jacksonville area for 8 years. He is
a Board Certifi ed Medical Massage Specialist and
an instructor. The Silent Touch Therapeutic/Clinical
Massage is located at 1704 Hendricks Ave. For
more information call (904) 864-1416.
eujacksonville.com |march 2008 37

38
march 2008 | eu jacksonville newspaper
a better u
keeping athletic injuries temporary by rodrick t. beaman. d.o.
You decided that this was the year you would begin an exercise program, get into shape and stay in
shape. So, you got your gym shorts and your Air Jordans or New Balances out, stuffed them into a duffl e
bag and joined your local gym. Then you started into a workout schedule and kept to it for fi ve days a week
through the cold early mornings of January. Then, after a few weeks, you started noticing some pain in your
shoulder, or a hip, elbow, knee, back, feet or neck. You’ve got one. An athletic injury, that is. So what should
you do about it?
The best treatment is prevention. For most fi tness athletes, a few simple things will prevent a majority
of potential injuries. One of the most typical injuries for the older fi tness athlete is the ‘pull’ or strain. Although
we all like to think of ourselves as supple and resilient as we ever were, the fact is that age catches up with all
of us. Face it baby, you ain’t 16-years old anymore. Both Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali found this out within
a few weeks of each other during their ill-advised comeback tries.
One of the best ways to prevent injuries to the aged body is through stretching. You should work the
shoulders, hips and back with a simple set of gentle stretches. Most gyms these days have trainers who can
help you in this regard. It is vital that you remember the crucial word in all of this – gentle. Whatever part of
the body you want to stretch, you bring it to the limits of its motion and then attempt your stretch gently. It’s
important that you not try to force it as that will only bring about the very injury you’re trying to prevent.
Another way to prevent injuries is to approach your exercise regimen very gradually. It is almost impossible
to overemphasize this. For your fi rst weeks of sessions, your limit should be perhaps as little as fi ve
minutes, ten at the most. While that may seem excessively cautious, it is not.
I am 63 and in January of 2007, I returned to swimming for fi tness after just an eighteen-month layoff.
I started at no more than about fi fteen minutes of swimming and weight training and I still suffered a strain
of my rotator cuff, one of the most frequently injured parts of the body for athletes. So my caution is from
personal experience. Gradually increase your sessions, at fi rst by single minutes and then, when you get up
to fi fteen or twenty, you can increase by three or even fi ve minute increments.
Another preventative is proper diet. Make sure you supplement your diet with good vitamins and other
nutrients. Glucosamine/chondroitin for bones and joints and aloe supplements for the soft tissues.
In spite of all the precautions, sometimes injuries still occur. A good rule of thumb is to decrease your
workload or back off for a few days. I favor the decrease rather than completely stopping, but sometimes
cessation is necessary. You have to gauge things yourself.
With almost any acute injury, you’re almost always better off with ice or cold applications. Again, proper
nutrition and supplements are very important. Try to keep up range of motion exercises to the involved part.
The rule of thumb is that if something worsens the symptoms, don’t do it, but always try to use the part
within the limitations of your pain.
I tend to shy away from anti-infl ammatories such as Motrin or Aleve, but sometimes they’re necessary.
Infl ammation is part of the body’s normal healing process and stopping it interferes with the healing. However,
infl ammation does cause a small amount of seepage into the area which can set up adhesions. Adhesions
can become a problem themselves. It’s a bit of a tightrope and sometimes an anti-infl ammatory can
forestall that result. You may want to talk to a personal trainer or even your physician fi rst. However, be sure
that your physician is attuned to the musculo-skeletal system. Physiatrists or rehabilitation specialists can be
especially helpful.
The goal is to return to activity and it’s best to continue activity, albeit at a reduced level. No matter
what, keep your eyes on the prize. Don’t give up. The injury is only a bump in the road. Persevere.
Dr. Roderick T. Beamen is a Board Certifi ed Family Physician certifi ed for suboxone therapy. Omega Pain
Care is located at 3101 University Blvd, Suite 203.

megacon
a celebration of graphic art and more
BY ERIN THURSBY scopes1925@msn.com
WHAT: MegaCon
WHEN: March 7 th - 9 th
WHERE: Orange County Convention Center Hall SB
9899 International Drive, Orlando
If the last time you checked out a comic book
store was longer than a couple of years ago, it
might be time to take another look, and MegaCon
is the place to get the clearest picture. Things have
changed in the comic world. More than ever, they
aren’t just about tights and spandex. It’s about telling
a story graphically, whether that story is about dating,
or gritty mystery noir or about explorers on another
planet. These days, there are as many genres
of comics or graphic novels as there are genres of
novels.
Locals are gearing up to attend the Orlando
MegaCon for various reasons. The independent
Alpha Cat Comics, started by a group of Jacksonvillians
with a love for comics, will have a booth at the
con, where they hope to promote their comics on a
regional basis.
Area comic book shops will also be sending
their representatives, whether it’s to attend a panel
discussion or just to keep a fi nger on the pulse of
what’s happening in the world of comics today.
“In particular, I enjoy seeing the young artists
and the independents that come, who are putting out
new works, not just the big mega companies,” says
Kimberly Johnson of Comics & Classics.
Johnson is eager to see some of the new
regional comics and she’s looking forward to experiencing
the culture of the Con.
“I attend because I think it’s a celebration of a
wonderful art medium, which is comic art. I like to
see everybody come together and honor that every
year. It’s a lot of fun. People dress up and they have
a good time…”
Max Michaels, Jacksonville’s King of Goth
will also be attending MegaCon with his Movement
Magazine crew.
“Actually,” says MegaCon Covention Director
Beth Widera, “he’s the one who turned us on to Voltaire.”
Voltaire, a tongue-in-cheek singer/songwriter
with a dark and absurd edge, also produces his own
comic books. He’s a perfect match for the Con,
providing offbeat but fashionable entertainment. He
performs on Friday from 9 pm – 10 pm, and will
be signing autographs after the show. If you want
to give him a listen before the Con, go to myspace.
com/voltairenyc.
Information for those who want to break into
the comics business will be offered, in the form of
panel discussions and even individual sessions with
pros.
Says Widera: “We do a lot of question and answer,
different how-to panels and portfolio reviews
for people trying to get into the
business.”
The anime genre will
have several rooms and
many events dedicated to it
during the Con. Widera tells
us that anime is a popular
draw, and “those rooms get
extremely packed.”
While comics are the
focus of the Con, it’s really
grown beyond that. From
card game tournaments
such as Pokemon, RPG test
sessions, panels on anime,
costume contests and celebrity
appearances to live
music concerts, parties and
fi lm festivals, there’s sure to
be something there that can
help you celebrate the geek in
you.
“We also have a big segment
of indie fi lms. On Friday night we have an indie
fi lm festival, which has become quite popular. It’s
generally standing room only.”
They will have a dunking booth this year. Joe
Quesada, editor-in-chief of Marvel, will be just one of
the celebs who can be dunked.
The proceeds from the dunking booth will go
to a non-profi t organization called the Hero Initiative,
which helps ex-comic book creators in their golden
years. Comic book companies in the past have
hardly ever provided pensions and retirement packages
for them.
Besides the various comic book celebrities who
will be at the Con, there will also be photo signings
from geektastic celebrities such as Neil Kaplan (the
voice of Optimus Prime), Peter
Mayhew (the man who played
Chewbacca) and Adrian
Pasdar (Nathan Petrelli of
Heroes), among others. Go to
megaconvention.com/mediaguest.asp
for a full list of all
the celebrity signings. There
will even be two actresses
who have both played Lois
Lane; Noel Neill, who was
Lois in the original Superman
TV series, and Erica Durance,
who plays her in Smallville.
For more information
on the specifi c events at
MegaCon (because there are
a ton of them) and to get your
admission tickets at a slightly
lower rate, visit megaconvention.com.
Admission prices at
the door are: $55 for all three
days (this price includes the
sales tax), $24 for one-day admission (this price
includes the sales tax), kids age 10 and under are
free with a paid adult.
A Local Comic Book Celebrity Event
On March 22 nd , Comics & Classics will be holding
a signing of the local Alpha Cat Comics. Dick
Giordano, former writer for DC and industry legend,
is also slated to be there, depending on his schedule.
eujacksonville.com | march, 2008 39

movies
what to watch on the big screen during march.
(current)
CHARLIE BARTLETT Charlie slyly positions
himself as his school’s resident “psychiatrist,” dishing
out both honest advice and powerful prescriptions, he
has no idea the ways in which he will transform his
classmates, the school principal and the potential of his
own life. Starring: Anton Yelchin, Robert Downey, Jr.,
Hope Davis, Kat Dennings. Rated R
BE KIND REWIND Jack
Black stars as Jerry, who gets
magnetized and accidentally
erases every tape at the
video store where his friend
Mike (Mos Def) works. But
their most loyal customer
– an elderly woman whose
mind is starting to slip
– still expects to see her
favorite movies, so Jerry
and Mike set out on the
near-impossible task of recreating
every movie in the
store. Starring: Jack Black,
Mos Def, Danny Glover, Mia
Farrow. Rated PG-13
VANTAGE POINT Forest Whitaker, Dennis Quaid,
William Hurt, and Matthew Fox star in this thriller in
which an assassination attempt on the President of the
United States is detailed from fi ve unique perspectives.
Rated PG-13
40
march 2008 | eu jacksonville newspaper
march
07
10,000 B.C. A young hunter
is forced to lead a small group
of hunters to pursue a band of
mysterious warlords to the end
of the world to save the girl he
loves and secure the future of
his tribe. Starring Steven Strait,
Camilla Belle, Cliff Curtis, Omar Shariff, Timothy Barlow.
Rated PG-13
THE ACCIDENTAL HUSBAND
Uma Thurman plays talk radio host
Emma Lloyd who advises one of her
listeners to break up with her boyfriend.
When the boyfriend gets the brush-off,
he’s furious and starts plotting his
revenge on Emma. Rated PG13
THE BANK JOB A car dealer with
a dodgy past and new family, Terry has
always avoided major-league scams.
But when Martine, a beautiful model
from his old neighborhood, offers him a
lead on a foolproof bank hit on London’s
Baker Street worth millions in cash
and jewelry and contains a treasure
trove of dirty secrets that span London’s
criminal underworld, the highest echelons of the British
government, and the Royal Family itself; it’s the true
story of a heist gone wrong in all the right ways. Rated
PG13
BE KIND REWIND
COLLEGE ROAD TRIP An over-achieving high
school student decides to travel around the country
to choose the perfect college. Her overprotective cop
father decides to accompany her in order to keep her on
the straight and narrow. She devises a plan divert her
dad’s attention while she parties. Rated G
march
14
DR. SEUSS’S HORTON
HEARS A WHO! The
imaginative elephant Horton
hears a cry for help coming from
a tiny speck of dust fl oating
through the air. Suspecting there may be life on that
speck and despite a surrounding community which
thinks he has lost his mind, Horton is determined to
help. Jim Carrey voices Horton and Steve Carell voices
The Mayor of Who-ville. Rated G
NEVER BACK DOWN Jake Tyler has recently
moved to Orlando where he learns about the sport
known as Mixed Marshall Arts (MMA). It is immediately
apparent to Jake that MMA is not street fi ghting, but
rather an art form he wants to master. Starring Sean
Faris, Amber Heard and Djimon Hounsou. Rated PG13
march TYLER PERRY’S MEET
21
THE BROWNS This is
another Tyler Perry vehicle. A
single mom takes her family to
the funeral of her father –a man
she never met. There, her clan is
introduced to the crass, fun-loving Brown family. Rated
PG-13
SHUTTER A young photographer and his girlfriend
(Rachel Taylor and Joshua Jackson )fi nd ghostly images
in his photographs as well as around them while on their
honeymoon in Tokyo. Rated PG13
DRILLBIT TAYLOR In this comedy, two kids seek
out some protection from the school bully by placing an
ad in Soldier of Fortune magazine and hire a low-budget
bodyguard to protect them from the playground bully.
Their best response - and the cheapest - comes from
Drillbit Taylor, a down-on-his luck soldier of fortune.
Starring Owen Wilson, Alex Frost and Matt Gallini Rated
PG
march
28
WANTED Wesley Gibson
(James McAvoy) is an apathetic
slacker who transforms into
an unparalleled enforcer of
justice. After his estranged
father is murdered, the sexy Fox
(Angelina Jolie) recruits him into the Fraternity, a secret
society that trains Wes to avenge his father’s death by
unlocking his dormant powers. Rated R
RUN, FATBOY, RUN A rotund guy leaves his
pregnant fi ancee on their wedding day only to discover,
fi ve years later, that she is his one true love. To win her
back, he must fi nish a marathon while making her realize
that her new handsome, wealthy fi ance is the wrong guy
for her. Starring Simon Pegg, Hank Azaria and Thandie
Newton. Rated PG13
DR. SEUSS’S HORTON HEARS A WHO!
21 Based on a real-life gambling scheme setup by MIT
students to outsmart the blackjack dealers in Vegas. Six
MIT students were trained to become experts in card
counting and took Vegas casinos for millions of dollars.
Starring Kevin Spacey, Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth and
Laurence Fishburne. Rated PG13
STOP LOSS Back home in Texas, after fi ghting in
Iraq, a soldier refuses to return to battle despite the
government mandate requiring him to return to his
unit. His legal battle becomes an unintentional anti-war
manifesto. Starring Abbie Cornish and Ryan Phillippe.
Rated R
special showings
MIDNIGHT MOVIES SOUTHLAND TALES (2007)
will be shown Fri, Feb.29 and Sat, March 1 at 11:55pm
and Sun, March 2 at 1:00pm. EVIL DEAD II (1987) on
March 7 and 8, GHOSTBUSTERS on March 14 and
15, and DEAD ALIVE (1993) on March 28 and 29 all at
11:55pm at the San Marco Theatre. Info: 396-4845
MOCA UNDERGROUND On March 5 see THE
DEVIL CAME ON HORSEBACK. Using the exclusive
photographs and fi rsthand testimony of former U.S.
Marine Captain Brian Steidle, this fi lm takes the viewer
on an emotionally charged journey into the heart of
Darfur, Sudan. March 12 will be a Special Double
Feature in honor of Women’s History Month with ENE-
MIES OF HAPPINESS. This fi lm follows the fi nal weeks
of a courageous, controversial 27-year-old woman’s
campaign amidst constant danger, pledging to “expose
the enemies of peace, women, and democracy in
Joya’s Farah Province.” Also see I WAS A TEENAGE
FEMINIST. Armed with a video camera and an irreverent
sense of humor, the director talks with feminist
superstars, rowdy frat boys, liberated Cosmo girls and
Radical Cheerleaders in her quest to fi nd out whether
feminism can still be a source of personal and political
power. On March 19 see THE LIVES OF OTHERS. This
fi lm is the seductive and suspenseful recreation of East
Berlin under heavy government surveillance, including
artists and intellectuals. Then on March 26 THE BODY
POLITIC, Experimental and Short Films from the International
Fest of Cinema & Technology, will be shown.
Films begin at 7pm. Tickets are $6 for members and
$8 for non-members. MOCA, 333 North Laura St.,
Info: (904) 366-6911 or mocajacksonville.org.
NOT JUST FOR BABY BOOMERS MOVIE
SERIES On the 2 nd and 4 th Thursday of the month,
the downtown Jacksonville Public Library, 303 North
Laura Street, presents a free movie. THE QUIET MAN
on Mar 13, 2008, 5:45pm - 7:45pm and CHARIOTS
OF FIRE on Mar 27, 2008, 5:45pm - 7:45pm. Info:
(904) 630-1741 or jpl.coj.net for more information.
NIGHT OWL CINEMA The St. Augustine Amphitheatre’s
Night Owl Cinema will show STAR WARS on
Friday, Mar. 14, and BIG on Friday, Mar. 28. The St.
Augustine Amphitheatre is located on A1A South in St.
Augustine. Food will be provided by various local restaurants.
Gates: 6:30, Movie starts: 8:00. Info: (904)
471-1965

disco basketball
Will Ferrell is Semi-Pro
BY JON BOSWORTH jaxvillain@yahoo.com
C+ Rated R 90 Minutes
The sneak preview of funnyman Will Ferrell’s
new movie, Semi-Pro, at the AMC Theater in Regency
was a bizaro sort of Jacksonville World Premiere. It
was like the Megabowl Championship of Jacksonville
sneak previews (more explanation on that term in a
minute).
At 6’ 2 and 240 pounds, I rarely feel small in a
room, much less a movie theater with stadium seating,
but Monday night’s premiere was an unusual
crowd. The average height in the fourth row was
probably 6’ 6, the tallest of whom was 7’2 retired
professional basketball player Artis Gilmore. This is
interesting for two reasons.
Artis Gilmore played basketball for Jacksonville
University and became a college star by leading the
JU Dolphins to the NCAA title game. From 1967 until
1976 there was another basketball league called
the American Basketball League (this may not be
new information to you, but it was to me). In 1976
Jacksonville’s Artis Gilmore played for the Kentucky
Colonels, an ABA team that wasn’t absorbed by the
NBA during the merger in 1976.
The reason all of this matters is because Semi-
Pro is about the Flint Michigan Tropics, a fi ctional ABA
team destined for doom when the NBA merges with
the ABA. Now I’m not saying that the fi lm is based on
a true story, because sometimes truth could never
be as strange as fi ction, especially when the fi ction
comes from the comedic tenure of Scot Armstrong
(Old School, Starsky & Hutch) and is then fi ltered
through the deranged stylings of Will Ferrell. But
Semi-Pro is about a Midwestern ABA team struggling
to not be dissolved, as the Kentucky Colonels were.
The thing about the Michigan Tropics that reality
could never provide is their team owner, Jackie Moon.
He is more than just the man with the hit disco song
‘Love Me Sexy,’ he is also the head coach and star
forward of the fl edgling team. From the jump to the
halftime show, Will Ferrell’s Jackie Moon is always
trying to please his fans.
Their team slogan:
“What’s ELE stand for? Everybody Love Everybody,
that’s right!” Jackie Moon screams at the team
in their groovy travel bus. They are bickering about
the addition of former NBA player Monix (Woody Harrelson)
who was traded from the NBA for a washing
machine.
Getting Monix is Jackie Moon’s last hope to
make the Flint Tropics get enough people in the stands
to win the Megabowl Championship and make their
team one of the four teams that the NBA absorbs. And
so the plot is set in motion. The Flint Tropics are the
underdogs but with the know-how of Monix, the fl ashy
halftime shows of Jackie Moon, and the fi erce talent
of Clarence “Coffee” Black (Andre Benjamin), whose
dream it is to play in the NBA (particularly the San
Antonio Spurs), they are the underdogs that will do
what it takes.
The other interesting thing about Artis Gilmore
and his row of extraordinarily tall people is that he was
actually in the fi lm, although his scene didn’t make the
fi nal cut. So for Artis, this was his Hollywood debut
and he was able to enjoy it with his former JU basketball
coach, family and friends, some of which I’m sure
were teammates.
“What amazed me was the tedious time it took
to shoot these scenes. It’s amazing the amount of
time and effort that go into these productions. They
work hard,” Artis said down to me as his enormous
hands engulfed mine in a friendly handshake.
And the tedium showed through in the fi nal
product. Elf executive producer Kent Alterman makes
his directorial debut with this fi lm, and it shows. Will
Ferrell does bring a degree of comedy to each and
every gesture he offers up on fi lm, but the character of
Jackie Moon was better delivered through Super Bowl
Old Spice and beer commercials than through the
clumsy pacing and awkward comedic timing featured
in this offering.
That’s not to say it’s without laughs. When Will
Ferrell puts on his gym socks it’s just as hilarious as
his NASCAR coveralls or fi gure skating tights. And the
disco element added plenty of places to giggle at the
era. The bar where they all hung out in Flint, Michigan
in 1976 was called The Kremlin, they passed time
in the locker room playing Pong, and sports commentator
Dick Pepperfi eld states fi rmly over a game of
poker, “I am not a porn machine!” So yes, the laughs
are defi nitely in there, but they weren’t as easy to get
to as in other Ferrell vehicles.
Semi-Pro also falls into the classic trap of getting
too bogged down with emotions in the middle.
Monix has to learn something about himself. Coffee
Black has to learn to play in a team, and they all have
to pull it together to win what Jackie Moon, the master
promoter, dubbed the Megabowl (winner of the Megabowl
is in fourth place in the ABA). And it all comes
down to Coffee Black. He can follow his dream and go
to the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs or he can stick it out
with the Flint Michigan Tropics, even if it means giving
up the NBA for good.
Of the hundreds of players in the ABA, only
25 became prominent players in the NBA, and Artis
Gilmore was the real-life fi rst pick of the Chicago Bulls
after the ABA dispersed. He then went on to play for
the San Antonio Spurs. I couldn’t help but wonder
how much of Artis’ own story the fi lmmakers knew.
“We got to spend some time with Will and
Andre. In the wardrobe room there were some funny
moments,” laughed Artis recollecting days on the set
of Semi-Pro, but not confessing to be the basis for
any of the characters.
Other funny actors in the fi lm are Andy Richter,
Will Arnett, Andrew Daly, Rob Cordry, Tim Meadows,
Kristen Wiig, Jason Sudeikis, Ed Helms and Patti Labelle.
This movie is a perfect time-killer on DVD during
a weekend rainstorm. Invite your friends over, crack
open some beers and you’re certain to laugh. But if
you’re going to see it in the theater, remember not to
be critical and bring the friends that laugh at anything.
eujacksonville.com |march 2008 41

42
march 2008 | eu jacksonville newspaper
uncle sam wants you-again!
interview with Stop-Loss writer and director Kimberly Peirce
BY DONALD DUSINBERRE imartsyfartsy@gmail.com
Stop-loss. These days, it’s a term that is often
used fl exibly as an adjective, noun, and even a verb.
With the upcoming release of Stop-Loss, a movie
written and directed by Kimberly Peirce, the term is
bound to become more common and much more
controversial.
Peirce, who also wrote and directed Boys
Don’t Cry, was inspired to create the Stop-Loss
movie after hearing the story of Brandon Leonard
King, who served his time and got stop-lossed.
Title 10, United States Code, Section 12301(d):
“The President may suspend any provision of
law relating to promotion, retirement, or separation
applicable to any member of the armed
forces who the President determines is essential
to the national security of the United States”
Paragraph 9(c) of DD Form 4/1 (The Armed
Forces Enlistment Contract): “In the event of war,
my enlistment in the Armed Forces continues
until six (6) months after the war ends, unless
the enlistment is ended sooner by the President
of the United States”.
These quotes are excepts of the stop-loss
policy present in our government’s law books and
in the contract signed by every American soldier
since its inception after the Vietnam confl ict. It’s a
real policy, and it’s getting more use lately as a tool
to keep soldiers engaged even after their contracts
expire.
At face value, there seems to be no basis for
folks to be outraged. Every soldier signs a contract
that warns him or her that being stop-lossed is a
possibility. Sure, it sucks, but you get what you pay
for, right?
Aside from the sneakiness of such a policy
and the havoc it wreaks on families, the biggest
legal complaint comes from the word “war.” You
see, the Iraq War is actually the Iraq Confl ict; we’ve
never offi cially declared war, and so the legality of
the stop-loss policy has been hotly debated.
We took the opportunity to speak with Kimberly
Peirce about her upcoming movie, even though
we haven’t seen it yet, either.
EU: For many of us, the stop-loss policy is a brand
new idea. What inspired you to tackle an issue so
diffi cult and timely?
Peirce: I was originally working on a movie about
soldiers, but I was in New York on 9/11 at the time
and I knew I had to make a movie with that in mind.
Then, my little brother signed up to serve, so I had a
more personal connection to the cause. The movie
is about the soldiers and their familes, but it’s more
about how the soldiers become more focused on
camaraderie and looking out for the guy on their
right and left.
EU: Do you think that the subject matter will allow
your movie to stay relevant far into the future,
well beyond our current military engagements?
Peirce: I do think it will stay relevant, because when
I looked at movies about World War II and Vietnam,
there’s something universal going on there that
never loses importance. The movie will show that
the stop-loss issue is emblematic of what we’re going
through at that time, because I think Americans
feel stop-lossed.
EU: I don’t really keep track of celebrity politics,
but was it something you had to deal with? Do
all the actors involved generally agree with each
other and the movie’s message?
Peirce: Well, the movie doesn’t have a political
message. I was just inspired by the soldiers and
their families, as well as my brother, who all have to
balance their responsibilities as soldiers with their
family lives. We all just worked together to portray
what’s going on right now.
EU: Do you think the movie will have an impact,
one way or another, on enlistment and/or morale?
Peirce: I don’t think it will have and impact on
enlistment, but I hope it will with morale. It brings
common stories to everyone involved. I’ve heard
from a lot of soldiers and families who say that the
movie is right on, and they’re pleased that the story
is being told.
Stop-Loss, the movie, opens on March 28 th , 2008.

eujacksonville.com |march 2008 43