JACKSONVILLE

fall (visual)

art preview

moon river pizza | tnt dance troupe at cafe eleven | keep a breast | steel magnolias at alhambra

free weekly guide to entertainment and more | september 13-19, 2007 | www.eujacksonville.com

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2 september 13-19, 2007 | entertaining u newspaper

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table of contents

feature

Fall Visual Arts Preview ......................................................................................... PAGES 16-21

Artist Interviews ............................................................................................ PAGES 16-20

Cummer Openings ................................................................................................PAGE 18

MOCA Openings ...................................................................................................PAGE 19

Other Art Openings ....................................................................................... PAGES 18-20

Gallery Listings .....................................................................................................PAGE 21

movies

Movies in Theaters this Week .................................................................................. PAGES 6-10

The Brave One (movie review) .........................................................................................PAGE 6

Mr. Woodcock (movie review) .........................................................................................PAGE 7

Brothers Solomon (movie review) ....................................................................................PAGE 8

3:10 to Yuma (movie review) ...........................................................................................PAGE 9

King of Kong (movie review) ...........................................................................................PAGE 9

Boss of It All (movie review) ..........................................................................................PAGE 10

at home

Burn Notice (TV review) ................................................................................................PAGE 12

Video Games ................................................................................................................PAGE 13

dish

Moon River Pizza (restaurant review) ..................................................................... PAGES 14-15

Caring Chefs Profi le (Roys) ...........................................................................................PAGE 15

music

Music Calendar ..................................................................................................... PAGES 22-26

Cliff Worrell & the Restless Kind (River City Brewing) .....................................................PAGE 22

Lennon (Freebird Live) ..................................................................................................PAGE 23

New Life Coffeehouse ...................................................................................................PAGE 24

Dance Off at Cafe Eleven ..............................................................................................PAGE 25

arts / theatre / on stage

Breast Defense (St. Augustine art show) .......................................................................PAGE 26

Steel Magnolias (Alhambra Dinner Theatre) ...................................................................PAGE 27

Criminal Hearts (Limelight Theatre) ...............................................................................PAGE 28

Cinderella (Orange Park Community Theatre) .................................................................PAGE 28

Typewriter (JU Theatre) .................................................................................................PAGE 29

columns and stuff

Native Foreigner ...........................................................................................................PAGE 30

The Jock .......................................................................................................................PAGE 30

NASCAR News & Notes ................................................................................................PAGE 31

cover art by mark george

eujacksonville.com | september 13-19, 2007 3

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thisweek

thursday SEPTEMBER 13

RobinElla

RobinElla was born and lives in the foothills of the Great Smoky

Mountains. She founded ‘RobinElla and the CC String Band’ in

1999 with husband and musician Cruz Contreras. Together they

fused their broad tastes in music to create a sound that was, and

still is, offi cially indefi nable. RobinElla will bring her unique blend

of bluegrass, pop, jazz and blues to the European Street Listening

Room this Thursday. Tell your friends. European Street Café

Listening Room- 8:30 pm Info: (904) 399-1740

MOCA Jacksonville Members’ Exhibition Preview

and Reception

Jacksonville’s Museum of Contemporary Art will be previewing

fi ve new exhibitions in a variety of mediums. As our resident art

expert, Donald Dusinberre, says in his story on page 18, it is not a

good idea to try to see all of these different types of art at one time.

However, you should still come to the party to take a peek, and

then come back at another time for a more in-depth study of these

artists’ work. Admission: Free/members, $30/non-members (may

be applied toward membership) MOCA Jacksonville- 6-10 pm

Info: (904) 366-6911

SEPTEMBER 13 - 15

Trunk Show with Third and Wall Art Group

Fogle Fine Art & Accessories will present a trunk show September

13-15 featuring the art of Third and Wall Art Group of Seattle,

Washington. Come out to view contemporary canvas original pieces

by artists Liz Jardine, Sara Stockstill, Simon Addyman, William

Kuttner and others. Fogle Fine Art & Accessories, 3312 Beach

Blvd, Jacksonville

SEPTEMBER 13 - 16

Shout! The Mod Musical

Shout! The Mod Musical fl ips through the years like a musical

magazine and takes you back to the music, the fashion and the

freedom of the 60s! This smashing revue tracks fi ve groovy gals as

they come of age during those liberating days that made England

swing! Join this non-stop journey with terrifi c new arrangements

of such chart-topping hits as ‘To Sir with Love,’ ‘Downtown,’ ‘You

Don’t Have to Say You Love Me,’ ‘Son of a Preacher Man,’ and

‘Goldfi nger.’ Be sure to check out this unique musical experience

running through Sunday! Tickets: $35-$40 Wilson Center for the

Arts, FCCJ South Info: (904) 632-3373 or artistseries.fccj.org

friday SEPTEMBER 14

Brew at the Zoo

Join the Zoo’s Wild Things young professionals committee for an

evening of entertainment, South American food, beers and wines

from around the world, animal encounters, behind-the-scene tours

and more. Attendees will be invited to join the committee to provide

fundraising, advocacy and volunteer support for the Zoo. Tickets:

$25/advance, $30/day of event Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens- 6

pm to 10 pm Info: (904) 757-4463

4 september 13-19, 2007 | entertaining u newspaper

Celebrity Chef Series

Mory Thomas has been a recipe

developer for Martha Stewart

Living, Food & Wine and most

recently the Food Network. He

brings his philosophy that food

is one of life’s most rewarding

and communal experiences to

Publix Apron’s Cooking School

this Friday. Tickets: $50 Publix,

10500 San Jose Blvd- 6:30 pm

Info: (904) 262-4187

X Benefi t

The X Benefi t will feature an

eXciting evening at MOSH’s

Prehistoric Casino! What is a

Prehistoric Casino, you ask? It’s

a gaming area within MOSH’s

blockbuster eXhibition, Dinosaurs

& Ice Age Mammals, of course!

Guests will travel back in time to “Viva MOSH Vegas” to try

their luck at the Sabertooth Slots, Jurassic Blackjack, and T.

Rex Texas Hold ‘Em. Relic (turtle) Races and a Spear Toss

contest will also be part of this gaming gala! Tickets: $70 to

$250 Museum of Science and History- 7 pm Info: (904)

396-7062, ext 223 or themosh.org

David Lee Murphy

99.9 Gator Country FREE Fall Concert Series at the Jacksonville

Landing features David Lee Murphy and Whiskey Falls this

Friday. Singer/Songwriter, David Lee Murphy will be bringing a

fi ddle and mandolin player from his regular band for a jammin’

good time. Show starts at 8 pm. Arrive early for the best view

of the show. Listen to 99.9 FM Gator Country for your chance

to win VIP passes.

Subhumans UK

John Vanderslice

Subhumans UK

Subhumans were one of the most prolifi c and original bands

of the evolving UK punk scene. After seven years of changing

the face of punk rock, Subhumans split up in 1987 to form

other bands. The godfathers of anachro-punk reformed almost

a decade ago and are still going strong, recording and touring

the US and the UK. They’re back on our side of the pond this

month and will make a stop at Fuel to remind kids that punk is

not dead. Tickets: $12 Fuel Coffeehouse- 7 pm

Info: (904) 425-FUEL

SEPTEMBER 14 - 16

3rd Annual Southern Monster Truck Showdown

There’s nothing like a good old fashioned Monster Truck

Showdown! Head to the Clay County Fairgrounds this weekend

to see 8 professional TV monster trucks, plus local-entry mud

bogging, the return of the Racing Lawnmowers, Monster Truck

Rides, huge Truck Show ‘n Shine contest and much more!!

Tickets: $10/advance, $12/at the gate, Free/3 and under

Clay County Fairgrounds, Green Cove Springs

Info: (352) 484-3413 or southernmonstertruckshowdown.com

saturday SEPTEMBER 15

2007 Heart Walk

More than 8,000 First Coast residents will take giant steps for

their heart health this Saturday at Met Park in the American Heart

Association’s annual Start! Heart Walk. The non-competitive, threemile

walk raises funds to support heart disease and stroke research

and educational programs in the First Coast community. Teams are

made up of employees from local companies, along with friends

and family members of all ages. Metropolitan Park - 8 am

Info: (904) 739-0197

Typewriter, Altered Dance & Music

Jacksonville University is proud to present Typewriter, an evening

of original dance and music by Altered Dance and Music. The

concert will use the development of the typewriter in the 20th

century to explore the psychology of a woman’s place in home

and society. The original work includes choreography by Cari

Coble, professor of dance, and music by Tony Steve, assistant

professor of contemporary/world music and percussion, along

with videography by Jacksonville artist and printmaking teacher at

DASOTA, Barry Wilson. Read the story on page 29. Tickets: $10/

adults, $7/seniors, $5/students and military, Free/JU students with

ID Jacksonville University, Swisher Theatre- 7:30 pm Info: (904)

256-7345

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The Bridges

The Bridges were born July, 2002 with a disposition to blend lyric and harmony with haunting melodies

and the poetry of reality. With an acoustic style reminiscent of the sixties and seventies, the band

perfectly mixes pop, folk and indie rock to carry the listener through a wonderful range of sound and

emotion. The Bridges will perform with Among Your Brothers, Spoken Groove and A Slight Breeze.

Tickets: $8 Murray Hill Theatre- 8 pm Info: (904)

388-7807

Dropsonic

Valencia

The Alternative Pop-Punk band from

Philadelphia got their name from

Valencia, Spain because it is known for

its progress and evolution. Valencia felt

the same way about their music. From

looking at their MySpace it appears

they are very popular with the middle

school set – hope they don’t take the

name of the current tour too seriously:

“School’s for Fools” Tour, which will be

at Fuel Coffeehouse w/ Just Surrender,

We the Kings, and Metro Station.

Valencia

sunday SEPTEMBER 16

tuesday SEPTEMBER 18

wednesday SEPTEMBER 19

Dropsonic

Our own Christina Wagner says: “It’s hard to

imagine such a full sound protruding from only three

members, but this rock outfi t hailing from Atlanta

pulls it off nicely. Prepare to have your face melted

off with their unique blend of traditional and indie rock

paired with some impressive lyricism and enchanting

vocals.” Read the interview at eujacksonville.

com. Check them out this weekend with Lackawanna

Carriage Works. Tickets: $6 Jack Rabbits- 8 pm

Info: (904) 398-7496

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Atlanta Falcons

Last weekend’s narrow defeat won’t keep us down! Our Jacksonville Jaguars will take on the Atlanta

Falcons this Sunday in the second home game of the season. Tickets: $42-$95/single game, $360-

$930/season passes (includes 10 games) Jacksonville Municipal Stadium- 1 pm

Info: (904) 633-2000 or jaguars.com

Uncle John’s Band

This group of talented musicians who love to play the music of the Grateful Dead formed in 1990 in

Clearwater, Florida with the purpose of recreating the atmosphere and musical adventure of a live Dead

show. Truck on down to Freebird Live and join the adventure. Info: 246-2473

John Vanderslice and the Café Eleven 5 th Anniversary Dance Party

It’s a concert, it’s a dance off, it’s an anniversary celebration and it’s quite possibly the most fun you will

ever have on a Tuesday night. Celebrate Café Eleven’s 5 th birthday with what is sure to be a heck of a

party! Singer/songwriter John Vanderslice will judge this unique dance party where TNT Dance will face

off against other dance troupes to fi nd out whose the best in the world… or at least in the North Florida

area. Read the story on page 25. Tickets: $10 Café Eleven, St. Augustine Beach

8:30 pm Info: (904) 469-9311

Helios Eye Birthday Party Show

A glorious combination of acoustic guitars, stripped-down vocals and thought-provoking lyrics, Helios

Eye in one of Jacksonville’s most promising and unique local bands. Check ‘em out live next Wednesday

with Grabbag and be sure to wish Kevin, the Eye’s frontman, a very happy birthday. Stick around after

the show for a screening of Stop Making Sense, the critically acclaimed fi lm by Jonathan Demme and

Talking Heads. Yesterdays Social Club- 8 pm Info: (904) 387-0502

eujacksonville.com | september 13-19, 2007 5

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MOVIES OPENING

11TH HOUR The documentary fi lm explores

how we’ve arrived at this moment- how we

live, impact the earth’s ecosystems, and what

we can do to change. Featuring dialogues of

experts. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

DRAGON WARS A beautiful young woman possesses

the power to transform a legendary giant

serpent into an almighty dragon who can only

ascend into heaven with the woman’s ultimate

sacrifi ce. Rated PG-13

GOYA’S GHOSTS A sweeping historical epic

told through the eyes of celebrated Spanish

painter Francisco Goya (Stellan Skarsgard). Set

against the backdrop of political turmoil at the

end of the Spanish Inquisition and the start of

the invasion of Spain by Napoleon’s army, the

fi lm captures the essence and beauty of Goya’s

work. Javier Bardem is Brother Lorenzo, an

enigmatic, cunning member of the Inquisition’s

inner circle who becomes infatuated with

Goya’s teenage muse, Ines (Natalie Portman),

when she is falsely accused of heresy and sent

to prison. Rated R

KING OF KONG: FISTFUL OF QUARTERS A

middle-school science teacher and a hot sauce

mogul vie for the Guinness World Record on the

arcade classic, Donkey Kong. Rated PG-13

THE BRAVE ONE Jodie Foster stars as a happy

woman whose life changes irrevocably after

a brutal assault leaves her partner (Naveen

Andrews) dead. Feeling that the police investigation

will be unable to catch the perpetrators,

she begins to live in constant fear. This outlook

results in her eventually dispatching vigilante

justice. Terrence Howard co-stars as the offi cer

in charge of the investigation. Rated R

MR. WOODCOCK John Farley, author of a bestselling

self-help book, returns to his hometown

to receive the community’s highest honor. While

there, John learns that his widowed mother,

Beverly, is engaged to Mr. Woodcock, the gym

teacher whose sadistic exploits were the bane

of John’s youth. Starring: Billy Bob Thornton,

Seann William Scott, Susan Sarandon, Kurt

Fuller, and Amy Poehler. Rated PG-13

NO END IN SIGHT The fi rst fi lm of its kind to

chronicle the reasons behind Iraq’s descent

into guerilla war, warlord rule, criminality and

anarchy, ‘No End in Sight’ is a jaw-dropping,

insider’s tale of wholesale incompetence, recklessness

and venality.

NOW SHOWING

3:10 TO YUMA A rancher struggles to support

his ranch and family during a long drought. He

takes an assignment to transport a notorious

felon in the hands of authorities to Yuma for imprisonment.

But, once the two meet, the criminal

tries to tempt him with cash in exchange for

6 september 13-19, 2007 | entertaining u newspaper

the accused meets death wish

The Brave One

BY RICK GRANT rickgrant01@comcast.net

A- Rated R 122 min

In the spirit of vigilante justice, as portrayed

by Charles Bronson in the 1974 fi lm Death Wish,

fi lmmaker Neil Jordan went beyond an eye-for-aneye

sensibility, into the dark, paranoid, post-9/11

consciousness. He framed his mosaic in dark tones

as his protagonist was forever changed by senseless

violence.

In Death Wish, Bronson played architect Paul

Kersey, who lost his wife when thugs murdered her.

In The Brave One, Jodie Foster plays Erica, a talk

show host who is similarly traumatized when she

and her fi ancé David (Naveen Andrews) are attacked

in Central Park by a trio of punks. They are viciously

beaten and terrorized, leaving David dead and Erica

seriously injured, physically and mentally.

Jodie Foster characterizes Erica with a combination

of her trademark post-traumatic stress rigidity,

similar to the rape victim she portrayed in The

Accused, and a vigilante justice-turned-to-bloodlust

that is unique to Erica. Once she kills, she can never

go back to the person she was before the incident.

Something inside her snapped and now she is a

dangerous loose cannon.

Erica continues her talk show, keeping her

vigilante acts secret, and callers pose the question:

Is the killer a vigilante, a hero, or a villain? Is it

justice or revenge? She forms a shaky relationship

with the cynical detective, Sean Mercer (Terrence

Howard), over David’s murder. Mercer also happens

to be investigating Erica’s vigilante episode. This odd

relationship is brilliantly acted by Foster and Howard.

On one hand, they’re kindred spirits, but in the harsh

reality of Mercer’s world, they are on opposite sides

of the law. Ultimately, Mercer must make a fateful

decision.

Like Bronson’s Paul Kersey, Erica goes looking

for trouble. Foster portrays Erica’s bloodlust like

a twisted sexual libido. Her low raspy on-air voice

sends shivers down viewers’ spines as she revels in

her new power. She would never again be a victim.

She would go on a preemptive strike against the

punks with black hearts. But where would it end?

She couldn’t possibly kill all the lowlifes who needed

killing. She was on a one-way mission to hell’s

battlefi eld.

Despite Erica’s trip into insanity, Foster’s subtle

acting doesn’t alienate the viewers who still identify

with her rage and need for vigilante justice. As the

subway vigilante Bernard Getz found out, there is

a price to pay for placing yourself in a vulnerable

position and luring the bad guys to your violent form

of justice. Once the vigilante starts shooting, bullets

fi nd the innocent as well as the guilty. In this instant,

mistakes are made and the vigilante is no different

than any other murderer.

Neil Jordan’s direction and Roderick Taylor’s

script ask what you would do? Is vigilante justice

ever justifi ed? Foster never loses the viewer’s vicarious

identifi cation. You will sympathize with her

throughout the movie and feel her new power. Foster

shows us how extreme trauma can cause a person

to take the law into their own hands, but she also

shows us the cost to her mental well-being. There is

a fi ne line between justice and revenge, and this fi lm

leaves Erica’s judgment to you.

Although this vigilante genre has all but exhausted

its ability to surprise us, it’s still a potent

dramatic platform to display a range of human emotions.

The horror of what Erica went through could

never be erased by her vigilante campaign. In fact,

she was becoming more like the thugs who beat

her. Her rage was tuning into evil. Yet, Foster made

Erica a hero to the frustrated victims of crime who

couldn’t strike back. It’s better to let Jodie Foster

take us on that vengeful trip than to attempt it in the

real world.

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crotch shot

Mr. Woodcock

BY ERIN THURSBY scopes1925@msn.com

C+ 87 min PG-13

The name of the movie is Mr. Woodcock and

the poster depicts a gym coach holding a pair of

basketballs in front of his crotch. Would it be a surprise

if I said that the movie was rife with ball and

stick jokes? And, of course, what comedy would

be complete without the requisite whack to the cojones?

Not this one certainly.

I’ll say one thing about the movie (ok, two

things), it is precisely what it’s advertised to be,

and not all of the funny parts were mercilessly laid

bare in the previews. The plot is so predictable that

I could have spent the entire movie playing Tetris

on my cell phone, and I still would have been able

to cobble together a review. (A little etiquette tip- always

turn the volume off when playing Tetris during

a movie). But, as with many comedies, it’s not the

plot points that make it great, but the one-liners and

the physical comedy. People won’t be talking about

the plot; they’ll be talking about what’s funny.

But heck, if you’re reading this review you’re

probably in it for the plot synopsis right? Ok. Chubby

kid John Farley gets tormented by his mean, mean

gym teacher Mr. Woodcock, leading him to lose

weight as an adult and write a runaway bestselling

self-help book. He comes back to his small town

to receive a remarkably phallic key to the city, only

to discover that his mom, Beverly Farley, played by

the ever-hot Susan Sarandon, is now boinking, er,

dating the cruel Mr. Woodcock (Billy Bob Thornton).

If you’ve been following Thornton’s career, it won’t

come as a surprise that he’s revisiting the role of a

stoically sadistic dick, hence the name Mr. Woodcock.

Speaking of dicks, the movie seems to be one

giant phallic symbol. Just counting the penis references

will leave you dizzy, if you, like me, have a

suffi ciently dirty mind to catch them.

John Farley (Seann William Scott) even has an

almost Freudian attachment to his mother. He and

Mr. Woodcock get into what is essentially a giant

pissing contest, ending with John Farley doing a kind

of baboon victory dance. The humor does work,

mostly, but there are scenes that are excruciatingly

painful to watch.

Farley’s agent, Maggie (Amy Poehler), was

perhaps my favorite part of the movie. Unfortunately,

I’ve heard most of her best lines in the preview trailers,

which ran for an insane amount of time because

the release date got pushed back. Her lines have

great pizzazz in delivery, but, like most chewing

gums, they tend to lose their fl avor when overchewed.

At one point in the movie, Farley accidentally

gets a small portion of his head shaved, so he’s got

a bald patch in the back. He looks perfectly normal

from the side, front and most angles. Just when

you’ve forgotten about it—BAM—they show a shot

of him from behind. They milk the joke until the cow

runs dry, and it’s timed perfectly so the joke never

quite wears out (though I’m sure that cow was in

pain towards the end) and it’s freshly funny.

There’s a well timed bit of dialogue in the fl ick

that should be called “50 ways to screw your mother,”

in which Farley’s friends at the pizza parlor fi nd

new and exciting ways to say “Dude! Woodcock’s

doing your mother!”

Have I mentioned that this isn’t a family fi lm? It

somehow received a PG-13 rating, because no one

actually says the dreaded F-Word and Susan Sarandon

never fl ashes her tits.

Did I say tits? Boobies, I meant. This movie

was a bad infl uence on me.

allowing him to escape- an offer of much more

money than the rancher ever expected. Starring:

Russell Crowe, Christian Bale, Alan Tudyk, Peter

Fonda, Gretchen Mol. Rating: R

BALLS OF FURY In the unsanctioned, underground,

and unhinged world of extreme Ping-

Pong, the competition is brutal and the stakes are

deadly. Starring: Dan Fogler, Christopher Walken,

George Lopez, Maggie Q, Thomas Lennon. Rating:

PG-13

BECOMING JANE It’s 1795 and young Jane Austen

is a feisty 20-year old emerging writer who

already sees a world beyond pride and prejudice.

Sparks soon fl y when Jane meets the roguish and

decidedly non-aristocratic Tom Lefroy. Starring:

Anne Hathaway, Julie Walters, James McAvoy,

Maggie Smith, Jessica Ashworth. Rating: PG

DEATH AT A FUNERAL ‘Death at a Funeral’ follows

the comic twists and turns of a dysfunctional

British family as they gather to mourn the passing

of their patriarch. Rated R

DADDY DAY CAMP Dads Charlie Hinton and Phil

Ryerson take over running a summer day camp.

Armed with no knowledge of the great outdoors,

a dilapidated facility and a motley group of campers,

it doesn’t take long before things get out

of control. Starring: Cuba Gooding Jr., Lochlyn

Munro, Paul Rae, Richard Gant, Spencir Bridges.

Rating: PG

DEATH SENTENCE Nick Hume is a mild-mannered

executive with a perfect life, until one night

he witnesses something that changes him forever.

Transformed by grief, Hume eventually comes

to the disturbing conclusion that no length is too

great when protecting his family. Starring: Kevin

Bacon, Aisha Tyler, Kelly Preston, Stuart Lafferty

and John Goodman. Rated R

HALLOWEEN Under the direction of Rob Zombie,

there is a new take on the legend and a new

chapter in the Michael Myers “Halloween” saga.

Starring: Daeg Faerch, Danielle Harris, Malcolm

McDowell, Danny Trejo, and Sheri Moon. Rated R

HAIRSPRAY A plump but vivacious teenager

joins a popular teen-scene TV show in the early

60s and teaches the show about integration by

bringing back “negro day.” He-Mom, Edna (John

Travolta), who takes in laundry to supplement her

husband’s meager income from a joke store, joins

in the movement to restore “negro day.” Rated PG

HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOE-

NIX Rumors of Lord Voldmort’s return have been

dismissed. Harry and Dumbledore are targeted by

the Wizard Authorities. And, an authoritarian bureaucrat

gradually seizes power at Hogwarts. It’s

a jungle of wizards out there with special effects

galore. Rated PG-13

I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU CHUCK AND LARRY

Two single Brooklyn fi refi ghters, Chuck (Adam

Sandler) and Larry (Kevin James) are best friends.

Larry saves Chuck’s life and he is willing to do

anything to even the score, even masquerading as

a gay couple to receive benefi ts for Larry’s kids.

Rated PG-13

MR. BEAN’S HOLIDAY In his latest misadventure,

Mr. Bean- the nearly wordless misfi t who

seems to be followed by a trail of pratfalls and

hijinks- goes on holiday to the French Riviera and

eujacksonville.com | september 13-19, 2007 7

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ecomes ensnared in a European adventure of

cinematic proportions. Starring: Rowan Atkinson,

Willem Dafoe, Emma De Caunes, Jean Rochefort,

Karel Roden. Rating: G

ONCE ‘Once’ is just a simple love story about a

Guy with a guitar, a Girl with a borrowed piano,

and the music they make together...and it’s one of

the most heartbreakingly perfect fi lms you’ll see

this year. Starring: Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová,

Bill Hodnett, Danuse Ktrestova. Rating: R

RUSH HOUR 3 The unlikely duo is headed to the

City of Lights to stop a global criminal conspiracy

and save the life of an old friend, Ambassador

Han’s now-grown daughter, Soo Yung. Starring:

Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, Max von Sydow, Noemie

Lenoir, Hiroyuki Sanada. Rating: PG-13

SHOOT ‘EM UP Clive Owen stars as Mr. Smith,

a gun-toting badass with a hair trigger and an

unknown past. He discovers a woman delivering

a baby right in the middle of a gunfi ght and enters

the fray to save her. The woman expires and he is

the one left in care of the orphaned child. Smith

takes the child to a sultry prostitute known as

Dairy Queen, played by Monica Bellucci. Rated R

STARDUST A young man named Tristan (Charlie

Cox) tries to win the heart of Victoria (Sienna

Miller), the beautiful but cold object of his desire,

by going on a quest to retrieve a fallen star. His

journey takes him to a mysterious and forbidden

land beyond the walls of his village. On his odyssey,

Tristan fi nds the star, which has transformed

into a striking girl named Yvaine (Claire Danes).

Also starring Peter O’Toole, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert

De Niro and Ricky Gervais. Rating: PG-13

SUPERBAD Two co-dependent high school guys

want to hook up with girls before they graduate

and go off to different colleges. Starring: Seth

Rogen, Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Christopher

Mintz-Plasse, and Bill Hader. Rated R

THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM Jason Bourne is

hunted by the people who made him what he is-a

legendary assassin. Having lost his memory and

the one person he loved, he is undeterred by the

barrage of bullets and a new generation of highlytrained

killers. Starring: Matt Damon, Joan Allen,

Julia Stiles, David Strathairn, Paddy Considine.

Rated PG-13

THE BROTHERS SOLOMON Good-hearted and

well-meaning but socially inept and clueless about

the ways of women, the brothers Solomon would

like to grant their dad his dying wish and provide

him with a grandchild. Starring Saturday Night

Live actors Will Forte and Will Arnett. Rating: R

THE LAST LEGION As the Roman empire

crumbles, a young emperor embarks on a perilous

voyage to track down the one legion still loyal

to Rome and the origins of the famed Excalibur

unfold. Starring: Colin Firth, Ben Kingsley, Aishwarya

Rai, Thomas Sangster, Peter Mullan. Rated

PG-13

THE INVASION The mysterious crash of the

space shuttle leads to the terrifying discovery

that there is something alien within the wreckage.

Those who come in contact with it are changing

in ominous and inexplicable ways. Starring: Nicole

Kidman, Daniel Craig, Jeremy Northam, Jeffrey

Wright, and Jackson Bond. Rated PG-13

B+ 91 min. R

8 september 13-19, 2007 | entertaining u newspaper

an unexpected hit

Brothers Solomon

BY HILARY JOHNSON hilary_a_johnson@yahoo.com

It’s not often, when going to the movies, that

I find myself sitting in the best seat in the house.

You know, that one seat in the very dead center of

the theatre, with no one blocking my view and no

close elbows to fight with for the arm rest. I could

have even laid down had I wanted to. I could also

take calls, didn’t even need to turn off my ringtone,

and I could talk as loud as I wanted to. But why,

you might ask? Well, it was a Monday matinee

viewing of the new movie The Brothers Solomon.

Not that I expected many people to show up, but I

at least expected a few.

I was already a little wary coming to

this movie. A movie about two socially and

romantically deluded brothers (Will Arnett and Will

Forte) who wanted to have a baby to save their

comatose father (Lee Majors)? Kind of a stretch

into the world of weird, but I was up for it. The

empty theater started to raise some questions

though. Was there a reason for the lackluster

crowd?

Turns out, there really could be no good

reason for someone to miss this movie. That

is, unless you’re under the age of seventeen or

don’t have a stomach for graphic sexual humor.

This movie had me laughing so loud, all by my

lonesome, that I was the one distracting myself.

“Was that really that funny?” I would think after

a bout of giggles brought on by the clever humor

that always bordered on awkward or inappropriate.

Yep, it really was that funny.

There was never a dull moment. Stemming

from the same line of humor as The Forty Year

Old Virgin, sexuality, or the lack thereof, was at

the core of this film, which was directed by Mr.

Show’s Bob Odenkirk and written by SNL’s Will

Forte. However, it pushed past the coarse humor

of Virgin and into something even more potentially

depraved. Two adult brothers living alone with their

comatose father, openly discussing their sex life on

a regular basis? A naked shower scene that ends

in a hug exemplifies the inappropriate ambiguity of

the brother’s close relationship. They sleep next to

one another in sleeping bags, and even discuss the

content of their dreams…moist as they may be.

The theme song of the movie is John Parr’s

‘St. Elmo’s Fire.’ Throughout the film, the song

is rendered to fit the mood of the scene, be it the

enthusiastic original to match the cheesy grins

and goofy dances of the optimistic brothers, or a

downtrodden instrumental to enhance their trials

and tribulations. The pop-tastic song is the perfect

compliment to the tone of the movie, which is

light, airy and ridiculous, but oh-so-endearing. The

kind of thing you just can’t get out of your head.

An unexpected hit.

From the baby-proofing of the house (think

blow up bounce machine as the living room floor)

to the endless chase for any girl’s attention (and

the sly advances that make any girl cringe), this

movie has enough juice to keep you cracking the

whole time. It never takes it all the way to weird,

but it stays right on the edge throughout the film. It

leaves you laughing and allows you to really troop

behind the characters. Instead of being freaked

out, you find them affable and root for them the

entire way.

The tongue-in-cheek grins that epitomized

the naivety of the two main characters, John and

Dean Solomon, allowed the movie to border on

the absurd, almost the uncomfortable, but never

crossed that line. Just when you thought their

awkward humor had gone too far, suddenly they

would throw out some normal dialogue, setting

the movie back on track. There are moments of

surreal intelligence that seem impossible coming

from these bumbling brothers, but they’re real.

Although not for the faint, this movie is rounded

out, impossibly funny, and easy to get behind,

figuratively speaking.

Next time around, I am positive the theater

will be packed with eager viewers. The laughter

will fill the theatre instead of echoing off the walls

the way mine had. If this is your thing, go in with

good expectations. You will not be disappointed.

---

the wild west rides again

3:10 to Yuma

BY RICK GRANT rickgrant01@comcast.net

A Rated R 117 min

This is filmmaker James Mangold’s exciting

remake of a 1957 film based on an Elmore Leonard

short story. The original starred Glenn Ford as Ben

Wade and Van Heflin as Dan Evans. The complex

paradigm shifts in morality between the outlaw

Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) and Rancher Dan Evans

(Christian Bale) is what makes this western really

special.

An underlying subplot involves the advancing

railroad across rancher Dan Evans’ land. Heavily

in debt, Evans is in danger of losing his ranch to

a ruthless land speculator who lent Evans money.

Motivated by a large payday, Evans agrees to

help guard Wade on a trip to catch a prison train

to Yuma. The thing is–Wade’s gang of killers is

shadowing the group and plans to attack them to

free their boss. Wade has committed numerous

stagecoach heists, murders and bank robberies, so

he has a date with the hangman in Yuma.

At first meeting, Wade takes a liking to Evans

because he sees part of himself in Evans’ morality.

But Wade has long ago strayed from conventional

morality by his murderous deeds and criminal

ways. Similarly, Evans sees the good in Wade but

needs the money for helping to bring Wade to justice.

The two have a grudging mutual respect for

one another, blurring the lines between good and

evil. In other words, Wade is not all bad, Evans is

not all good and both men are smart and cunning,

so they meet each other on a common ground between

good and evil.

Wisely, Mangold did not tamper with the

well-written script, but updated the special effects,

stunts, and gun gags to be much more realistic.

Mangold’s western mosaic is properly gritty and

dusty, as grungy, gun-toting men live by the frontier

justice of the Colt six-shooter and shotgun. Logan

Lerman portrays Evan’s fourteen year-old son with

scene-stealing verve. The boy has had to grow up

fast, and against his father’s wishes, he shadows

the group as it moves closer to trouble.

Although Wade is the prisoner wearing

handcuffs, he wields the power over the men. The

Pinkerton guards give him space and his above-average

intelligence and leadership ability rules their

wills. In this ad hoc platoon, Evans is second in

command. Thus, the trip to the train station to put

Wade on the 3:10 to Yuma is a clash of wills, with

Wade winning out. When they are attacked by Indians,

Wade takes command and helps them defend

the group with a gun. Of course, this exemplifies

the old adage that “the enemy of my enemy is my

friend.”

The prisoner contingent pull off a successful

ruse by sending a fake Wade off in a stage coach,

knowing Wade’s gang would attack it, thus buying

them time in the process. But, when the gang

realized they’ve been had, they quickly regroup and

head back to the train station, which is the scene of

the inevitable showdown.

There are many times during the fateful trip to

the train station when Wade and Evans join forces.

By now, they could be allies, but Evans’ strong

sense of morality is his anchor. His integrity and

moral compass guide him in his decisions. When

Wade offers him a thousand dollars (like a hundred

grand in today’s world) to let him go, Evans knows

that he could not explain the windfall and people

would know he betrayed the rule of law.

The truth is, Evans only took this job to help

pull himself out of debt. He has a pretty wife and

younger boy at home. Evans is satisfied with making

an honest living and providing for his family.

On the other hand, Wade is ruled by greed and

murders people who get in his way. Yet, the story

suggests that Wade still has a spark of morality in

his soul that allows him to admire Evans.

When the dust clears, the two men are still

on opposite sides of the law, but they are willing

to live and let live without killing each other. But

circumstances change when the gang arrives at the

train station. All hell breaks loose, and all the men’s

loyalties to job, God, and family are severely tested.

gamers get screen

King of Kong - A Fistful of Quarters movie review

BY NORM STOVALL normstovall@gmail.com

As a fan of modern-day competitive video

gaming, I was pretty anxious to see this movie.

With its limited showings in cities around the

country, I had feared that I would either have to

wait for it to come to DVD or just read about it

and miss out on it altogether. On many gaming

websites there has already been lots of hype and

hoopla over the fi lm, ranging from wild and exaggerated

praises to irate gaming fans who feel that

the fi lm’s antagonist was portrayed in an unfair

way. Well, whatever. I had to see it for myself to

form an opinion, and lucky for

Jacksonville, we can now see

King of Kong in theatres starting

this Friday.

King of Kong is a documentary

fi lm that follows the

casual but dedicated gamer

Steve Wiebe (pronounced

“Wee-Bee”) on his mission to

get the top score in the age-old

classic game known as Donkey

Kong. Steve, who judging by

the movie, seems to be a pretty

regular guy aside from the fact

that he plays so much Donkey

Kong, really goes the distance

to show his worth. As the fi lm

starts, you fi nd that Wiebe had

recently achieved the accomplishment

of getting the world

record high score in not only Donkey Kong, but

also the sequel to the game, Donkey Kong Jr. In

doing so, he knocked out video game legend and

hot sauce mogul Billy Mitchell, who eventually

becomes the antagonist of the fi lm.

Billy Mitchell plays a good bad guy in the

fi lm, and he is probably the most quotable guy in

the history of all champions, with the exception of

Muhammad Ali. Take this little gem, for example:

“No matter what I say, it draws controversy. It’s

sort of like the abortion issue. If you’re for it,

you’re a son of a gun. If you’re against it, you’re a

son of a gun.” (Note: Mitchell never ever curses)

Wiebe, on the other hand, seems to be the

polar opposite. Calm and friendly, all he wants to

do is play some Donkey Kong in head-to-head

fashion with Billy Mitchell in a friendly match. He

comes across as the nicest guy ever and doesn’t

seem boastful or rude to anyone in any way, and

though he strives for the high score, his family

seems to keep him grounded. When discussing

the Guinness Book of World Records and the

importance of gaming scores, a little girl, who I’m

sure was Wiebe’s daughter, made a good point.

While Wiebe noted that some people take them

very seriously, she responded back: “Yeah, but

some people ruin their lives with that stuff.”

The ups and downs of Steve Wiebe’s adventures

are well documented and edited in a

dramatic way that stays interesting throughout

the movie. Along the way

you meet plenty of colorful,

real-life people who really

show some personality, such

as the Twin Galaxies arcade

referee who also happens to

be a musician and something

of a hippie, if you go by his

appearance in the fi lm. And

I can’t leave out a mention

of mustachioed men who

wear specialty gaming gloves

molded from weightlifting

gear, or the greasy hair and

awkward clothing that seems

to have come from an 80s

movie. Yes, there are nerds

aplenty, but not only are they

real and authentic, they also

wear the clothing that nerds

from the era of their favorite game would have

worn. I’m talking golden Phil Donahue eyeglasses,

greasy hair and fanny packs, a look only upgraded

with cell phone holsters on the hip. Terrifi c!

Overall, I feel that the movie in itself is worth

the ticket price, if not more. Like most documentaries,

much of the subject matter has been

edited for dramatic effect and certain nuances

are left out that may give some insight into the

relationship between Steve Wiebe and his rival

Billy Mitchell, but as it is, it’s a great watch. If

you want to read up on the current high scores

and see opinions from fans of the players and

from some top players themselves, you can read

all about that and more at billyvssteve.com. But

even if you aren’t THAT interested in the subject

matter of this fi lm, it’s a great watch nonetheless,

because it’s not just geared toward video heads

from the 80s.

eujacksonville.com | september 13-19, 2007 9

---

THE NANNY DIARIES A 21-year old New York

University student becomes a nanny to a family on

the Upper East Side who turns out to be the family

from hell. Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Laura

Linney, Paul Giamatti, Chris Evans, Donna Murphy.

Rating: PG-13

THE SIMPSONS MOVIE The Simpsons fi nally

make it to the big screen. In this adventure, Homer

mistakenly pollutes Lake Springfi eld and sets into

motion a government plot to destroy their city.

D’oh! He must somehow manage to save Springfi

eld and restore his family’s faith in him. Rated

PG-13

TRANSFORMERS The earth is caught in the

middle of an intergalactic war between two races

of robots– the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons.

Both are able to change into a variety of

objects, including cars, trucks, planes, and other

machines. Rated PG-13

UNDERDOG A bumbling watchdog gets exposed

to a substance that gives him the powers of a

superhero. Starring: Alex Neuberger, Jason Lee,

Diz White (II), Peter Dinklage, James Belushi.

Rated PG

WAR An infamous assassin named Rogue sets

off a crime war between rival Asian mobs. An FBI

agent is determined to bring down the killer after

his partner is murdered. Starring: Jet Li, Jason

Statham, Devon Aoki, Nicholas Elia, Luis Guzman.

Rating: R

SPECIAL SHOWINGS

Night Owl Cinema Series

The St. Augustine Amphitheatre will be hosting a

Night Owl Cinema Series Friday, Sept. 14th. See

E.T. THE EXTRA TERRESTRIAL, Rated PG. Food

will be provided by various local restaurants, so

come early and hungry. Doors open at 6:30 pm

and the movie starts 8 pm. The Amphitheatre is

located 1340 A1A South in St. Augustine. Info:

904-471-1965 or staugamphitheatre.com.

Midnight Movie

The San Marco Theatre will be screening THIS IS

SPINAL TAP on Sept. 14th and 15th. Before the

feature, San Marco Theatre will host their fi rst

Guitar Hero 2 Competition. Info: 396-4845 or sanmarcotheatre.com.

On Sept. 28th and 29th BUFFY

THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Sing-a-Long!

Friends of the Fest (Formerly Reel People)

Jacksonville Film Events’ new year-round series

“Friends of the Fest” presents THE BOSS OF

IT ALL on Sept. 16th at 1 pm at the San Marco

Theatre. Info: 396-4845 jacksonvillefi lmevents.

com/events_reel.htm.

NEW ON DVD

BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE

AWAY FROM HER

BLUE SMOKE

CAROLINA MOON

SNOW CAKE

GRIFFIN & PHEONIX

A 99 min.

10 september 13-19, 2007 | entertaining u newspaper

slaying faceless corporate windmills

The Boss of It All

BY JON BOSWORTH jaxvillain@yahoo.com

In a world of giant, board-directed corporations,

it is all too often that you never know the person you

are working for, and it is even more frequent that the

offi ce has an overriding policy of passive aggressivism

(which I think they also call “professionalism”). In

fact it is exactly these attributes of the modern workplace

that has lead to the success of satires such as

The Offi ce, fi rst on BBC and now on American television.

If you dig the awkward comedy of The Offi ce,

The Boss of It All is a fi lm that is right up your cubicle.

This Danish fi lm was brought to international

theatres by Lars von Trier, the same writer/director

that made the heart-wrenching musical Dancer in the

Dark, starring Icelandic singer/songwriter Bjork. The

Boss of It All is Trier’s foray into comedy, and this fi lm

nails the laughs.

Ravn (Peter Gantzler) runs a moderately successful

IT company, but his employees don’t know it.

Ravn’s eccentrically passive/aggressive nature leads

him to tell his employees that he is, in fact, an associate

or partner and that there is a “boss of it all” who

currently lives in America. But now that he wants to

sell the company, he must produce this mythological

boss in order to negotiate the deal with some eccentric

Icelandic businessman who refuses to deal with

the cowardly Danish Ravn.

So Ravn hires an actor (Jens Albinus) to play the

mysterious “boss of it all,” Svend, at the table during

the sale of the company. The actor is not able to

adequately portray a knowing businessman, so Ravn

brings him to the offi ce to spend a week getting into

character. Of course, none of the employees know

that he is a fake and many have been eagerly waiting

to meet him for years. This is because Ravn has

been sending all of the primary people in the company

emails as Svend. The actor only learns of these emails

as he encounters the employees affected by them.

From strange sexual advances that Svend apparently

solicited from several of the employees to

marriage proposals to bizarre insults, he is walking

into a hostile environment. In fact, during his fi rst staff

meeting he is punched in the mouth. What follows is a

comedy of errors as the actor tries to perfect his craft

through improvisation. He is an idiot and he knows

it, so he explains the scenario to his ex-wife, the only

person he can be honest with, other than Ravn who

is enjoying his reprieve from being the secret boss

while waiting to sell the company. As it turns out, the

actor’s ex-wife is also the Icelandic buyer’s attorney

and she is a master of drawing up contracts.

In the course of playing the boss of it all, the

actor comes to like many of the people around the

offi ce. So when Svend learns that Ravn is going to

sell the company and all of those employees will be

fi red, he takes it upon himself to act as though he

really were the boss of it all and this hilarious premise

unfolds into a series of hysterical outcomes.

The humor of this fi lm is dry and uncomfortable,

but wrought with smart wit and clever subplots that

lead to hearty laughs and scenarios that are just too

true in any culture.

This fi lm is being brought to the San Marco

Theatre by the Friends of the Fest, a year-round extension

of the Jacksonville Film Festival that used to be

known as Reel People. A foreign fi lm of this caliber

would likely never come to Jacksonville if it were not

for the good people who program our fi lm festival and

the connections that they foster the rest of the year.

So if you spend the Film Festival off-season wishing

movies like that came through on a regular basis, this

is your chance. See this fi lm on September 16th at

1pm in the historic San Marco Theatre.

---

eujacksonville.com | september 13-19, 2007 11

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12 september 13-19, 2007 | entertaining u newspaper

burn notice

USA’s clever spy dramedy

BY RICK GRANT rickgrant01@comcast.net

Reviving the witty repartee between male and

female leads ala the old Moonlighting series was

Matt Nix’s concept when he pitched Burn Notice to

the USA decision makers. But his protagonist was

an ex-CIA agent, Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan)

who was “burned,” which in spy jargon means fi red.

He was stripped of his security clearance, his bank

account was frozen, and he was stranded in Miami

with no fi nancial resources.

As Michael struggles to scrape-up private

investigative work, his ex-girlfriend Fiona (Gabrille

Anwar) surfaces. She was an ex-IRA operative who

helped Michael in his fi eld work. Feisty Fiona has

special spy skills but is a pain in Michael’s neck.

Together, they have a shaky personal relationship

but work well together professionally. Michael’s only

friend is Sam, a washed-up military intelligence contact

who is informing on Michael to the FBI.

Against the backdrop of bikini-clad babes and

colorful art-deco South Beach locations, Michael

takes PI jobs under the police’s radar to make ends

meet. Michael’s brash, chain-smoking mother, Madeline

(Sharon Gless), lives in Miami. She continually

pisses-off Michael with her raunchy social life and

her incessant criticism of Michael’s free-wheeling

lifestyle.

Meanwhile, Michael is looking for the CIA suit

that burned him and had him blacklisted, limiting his

options. The hook of the premise is Michael’s use of

his spy craft to deal with some dangerous bad guys

and relying on Fiona and Sam to help him pull off his

cons and stings. He has even made deals with the

Armenian Mafi a to help him complete his missions.

Amid the foot chases and gun gags, Michael

and Fiona bicker and utter witty barbs at one another.

This sexual tension culminates in Michael and Fiona

resuming their sex life. Michael thinks it’s a mistake,

yet, he needs Fiona. She can go places that he can’t

and use her femme fatale charms to gain access to

high security sites. Although Sam is informing on

Michael, he also helps him on certain operations.

In this shadowy world of ex-secret agents, trust no

one.

When Michael was working for the CIA, his

career took him to Eastern Europe and the OPEC

countries as a covert operative. Now, he faces a

new reality in Miami. On the positive side, Miami is

seething with shady characters who need his services

for cash money up front. Avoiding the FBI is

easy, it’s the Armenian mob that is a problem. These

gangsters make Mafi a goons look like boy scouts.

Fiona is stunningly beautiful but deadly. She is trigger

happy and a problem for Michael. But her fi ery

personality complements Michael’s need for a continuous

adrenaline high. They make a volatile team,

but get the job done.

A former Navy Seal and military intelligence

offi cer, Sam looks good in either a suit or in Bermuda

shorts with a Hawaiian shirt holding a drink in his

hand. He plays various roles for Michael’s complex

stings. Michael can always fi nd Sam at his favorite

hotel bar next to the swimming pool sipping cocktails

while trying to pick up chicks.

Michael’s cantankerous mom is widowed and

looking for a new man. Michael would rather she

move to a foreign country, but since she’s living in

the same city, he humors her. She’s good for a place

to stay and a small loan when things get tough.

Jeffrey Donovan, who is a familiar face from

innumerable television shows and movies, has created

a likeable character that looks sharp in a light

blazer while he kicks butt. His suave witty persona

endears him to TV viewers like James Garner did in

The Rockford Files. His advanced spy craft comes

in handy when dealing with a legion of bad guys and

giving the FBI the slip.

The show is a certifi ed hit and has already

been renewed for next season. It runs on Thursdays

on USA at 10 pm ET

---

video games

BY NORM STOVALL normstovall@gmail.com

The month of September is well underway, which means video game release season is upon us. There

are a number of high-profi le games to be released this month, including Sony’s often ill-reviewed Lair,

Nintendo’s Metroid Prime 3, Sony’s Warhawk and Bungie’s highly anticipated Halo 3. To most people

familiar with gaming, these titles are well known, so I won’t spend too much time with you telling you

how Lair is impossible to play and frustrating, that Metroid Prime 3 is surprisingly great, or that you

are probably going to have to buy Halo 3, no matter what. Instead, I’d rather talk about the great games

that you would probably enjoy, but may have overlooked.

Skate

For PS3 and Xbox 360

I’ll have a full-sized review of this next week, as it got delayed till Friday (The PS3 version comes later

this month or possibly early next month). The demo, however, is currently available on Xbox live. It

is wildly addictive and has garnered nothing but respect from skateboard enthusiasts. If you can,

download the demo on Xbox Live to see for yourself. If you love skateboarding, I’d say head down to

the game shop and buy it right away.

Dynasty Wars Gundam

PS3, Xbox 360

If you are not familiar with the Dynasty Warriors series, basically the games center around former

military leaders from China and Japan, who will hack and slash their way through armies of millions

of soldiers on their way to greatness. Basically, playing a Dynasty Warriors game is like watching one

of those Greek/Roman war movies where you have a few guys going against an army of thousands.

So what is new with this Gundam version of Dynasty Warriors? Well, take out the Asian military guys,

and replace them with Giant Robots of Japanese origin. Replace the bad guy armies with Gundam

bad guys, and there you have it. Dynasty Warriors Gundam is a great way to kill time, and though the

action can be repetitive, the game does wonders for relieving stress. And fi ghting robots are always

awesome. Fans of the Gundam series will be impressed, especially after playing the last Next Gen

Gundam game.

John Woo’s Stranglehold

For PS3, Xbox 360

Well, maybe you do already know about this game. It isn’t exactly underground, but I think it is a fun

game nonetheless. If you are familiar with the movie Hard Boiled, you should recognize the characters

in this story, which functions as a sequel to that movie. Using gameplay mechanics much like those

found in games like Max Payne, you will duck, shoot, slide across tables and dive through the air

in slow motion while shooting bad guys. With fully destructible environments and a high dosage of

action, Stranglehold is a great example of Hong Kong action translated into video game form. As far as

movie games are concerned, this one is one of the best, up there with Chronicles of Riddick. (Although

I thought the movie that was based on it was kinda whatever.)

eujacksonville.com | september 13-19, 2007 13

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14

dish.

where to eat, drink and be merry.

Tomato goat cheese and pesto

Napoleon served with organic olive

oil and balsamic from The Row.

page 14 - 15 moon river pizza restautrant review

page 15 caring chef profi le: chris faurie

september 13-19, 2007 | entertaining u newspaper

punks, pizza and art

Moon River Pizza

BY ERIN THURSBY scopes1925@msn.com

For gourmet, punk-art pizza, take a trip to Moon River Pizza. If you’re lucky enough to live near the Murray

Hill locale, it’s likely you know this pizza joint well. If not, you’re missing out on some of the best slices in

town.

Around dinner on any given evening, the place is generally slammed with customers, and for good reason.

Plenty of folks get take-out, but eating-in is an enjoyable experience as well.

Start by waiting in line to order your pizza. If you’re there with friends, get them to stake out a table

while you order. Once you place your order, you’ll get a plastic display picture. This tells the servers where

the specifi c orders will go and is a much more fun way than the traditional number system. Customers look

forward to getting the Beatles, Elvis or other pop-art icons as their table markers. I know I do. Last time I

went, I got a Cheech & Chong postcard-size movie poster. You can also get an old black and white picture of

Godzilla (or T-Rex), an old picture of a pin-up girl or a postcard of a classic movie poster.

Hung on the walls at Moon River is a rotating gallery of artists. The works can range from funky pop art

and abstracts to more traditional oils. Most of the art, though, leans towards the funky. Grant Thornton has

a few pieces of colorful art, like a strange bumble bee piece and one of multiple hot-air balloons with a brick

background. Other artists up on the walls include Eric Gillyard and Ryan Jon Adams. Often the art on these

walls includes some of the best in the area that rarely shows anywhere else in town. Eric Gillyard’s work is

a perfect example. This Douglas Anderson graduate recently returned to Jacksonville from Atlanta, so Moon

Grant Thornton

---

River is the fi rst place his art has been viewable in town since his return.

If you want something to nibble on while waiting for your pizza, a salad is the way to go. They come

out fairly quickly. There are just three salad selections at Moon River: the house, Greek and gorgonzola salad.

Many great pizza joints will skimp on their salads, offering a sub-standard iceberg lettuce salad with sad

tomatoes and a solitary olive. Not so at Moon River. Each salad is made from Romaine lettuce and features

fresh ingredients. My favorite happens to be the gorgonzola.

The busy workers behind the counter can be seen bustling about, preparing food, tossing dough and

getting pizzas out of the oven. The crust is a delicious hand-tossed, freshly mixed bread that cooks up soft

and perfectly compliments everything they put on top. These slices come out foldable and scrumptious.

Besides a lovely crust and stellar pizza sauces, Moon River gives their customers a myriad of options

when it comes to building their pie. The same is true of their calzones, which can be stuffed with any of

the topping items available for their pizza. Looking at the topping options, you can, as they say “enjoy the

exquisite misery of choice.” Besides the usual toppings (pepperoni, mushrooms, ham, olives, etc.) you’ll

also fi nd options of breaded eggplant, broccoli, various cheeses (such as feta, gorgonzola, mozzarella, and

cheddar), spinach and artichokes, as well as many other things. If you like pizza but you can’t handle tomato

sauce, you can always go with their pesto sauce or their white pizza, which uses an olive oil and garlic sauce

instead.

While building your own weird pie can

be a fun adventure, there are about six pizza

specials with pre-selected toppings that you

can order. Each has their own avid fans, and

for good reason. There’s “The Special,” a

classic everything pie, which contains all the

classic toppings: pepperoni, Italian sausage,

sliced meatballs, fresh mushrooms. onions,

green peppers, black olives and extra cheese.

They’ve also got a vegetarian pie, which,

among other things, is loaded with fresh,

Roma tomatoes.

Their white pie, a favorite of mine,

comes with three different cheeses (mozzarella,

feta and parmesan), extra virgin olive oil,

oregano, black pepper and fresh garlic. Meat

lovers will want to sink those canines into a

slice of their T-Rex, which is topped with all

the meats and an extra helping of cheese.

I’m partial to their “The Pizza” topped with

spinach, delectable fresh mushrooms, white

cheddar and fresh garlic. I’m also in love with

their Maui Wowee pie with ham, pineapple

(well-drained and fi rm, not soggy) and cheddar

cheese. You also get your choice of sliced

jalapeño peppers or banana peppers.

As you can probably tell, it’s diffi cult for

me to decide on which pie I’m going to get,

since several of their specialty pies are special

to me. I’ve noticed that the more you try at

Moon River, the harder it gets to decide what

to order.

Moon River Pizza locales: 925 S 14th St Fernandina Beach, FL (904) 321-3400 & 1176 Edgewood Ave

S, Murray Hill Area (904) 389-4442

caring chefs profi le

Chris Faurie from Roy’s by erin thursby

WHAT: Caring Chefs

WHEN: Sunday, Oct. 21 st @ 7-9:30 pm

WHERE: The Avenues Mall

Caring Chefs is certainly the premier food event

of the year here in Jacksonville. All proceeds go to

the Children’s Home Society, so ticket holders can

have both the satisfaction of helping those less fortunate

and of being able to sample food from some of

the First Coast’s fi nest restaurants. For the next few

weeks we’ll be profi ling some of the chefs involved.

This week, we’re profi ling Chris Faurie of Roy’s at

Jacksonville Beach.

Why do you participate in Caring Chefs? How many years have you done the event?

Caring Chefs is for a great cause. It is by far one of our biggest charity events of the year that gets

Roy’s a ton of coverage with the amount of people that attend this event. Plus, it is one of the most

fun events to participate in.

What are the three ingredients you can’t live without?

Andouille Sausage, Crystal Hot Sauce and Hawaiian Ahi Tuna

Appetizer, entree or dessert? Why?

Appetizer—Roy’s blackened Ahi dish is one that is craved by many people worldwide

What’s the strangest dish you’ve ever prepared?

Saimen Noodle dish with fi sh cake and salted duck egg.

What’s your favorite dish to eat? Prepare?

Andouille Crusted Red Snapper served with Crystal Hot Sauce Beurre Blanc.

Can you let us in on what you’ll be serving at the event?

Roy’s Blackened Ahi—It speaks for itself. Every year we do this dish and every year we bring

more and seem to run out quicker and quicker.

Tickets for the event are $60, but it’s best to buy them in advance, since they are generally

sold out by the night of the event. Go to chsfl .org/buckner to register for tickets or call (904)

493-7739 for more info.

eujacksonville.com | september 13-19, 2007 15

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fall (visual)

art preview

comparing the words

of the artists

who’s on their high horse and who’s

behind one? by donald dusinberre

Initially, I had a hard time convincing myself that our average reader might be interested

in so much art-related content. Being an artist and working in the art world, I automatically

assume that people aren’t that interested. But, after I thought about it, I decided that the best

approach to this week’s issue would be to assume that some EU readers aren’t experts but

want to know more about art and the artists who proliferate it. Even if you’re not someone

16

september 13-19, 2007 | entertaining u newspaper

like that, you may still appreciate this feature as a social experiment. You can compare and

contrast the responses to learn who seems genuine and who shovels the manure.

I sent an email to eleven artists in the Jacksonville area who together might represent

an approximate cross-section of our local art scene. Many of them are painters, some

photographers. Many of them abstract their work signifi cantly, but some don’t. You get the

idea.

I gave no indication as to who the other participants might be. I simply stated that I had

chosen a few artists to be a part of this feature and they were included. Attached to each

email was a questionnaire consisting of fi ve questions, along with a request for images

of their work to be printed alongside their responses. Each artist was asked the same fi ve

questions, and I asked those questions in the voice of an aspiring art appreciator.

Five of the eleven artists responded, which speaks volumes all by itself. Compare the

responses yourself and feel free to let me know what you think.

brittni wood

Brittni Wood is an emerging contemporary artist

who is very involved with the young Jacksonville

art scene. You can catch Brittni Wood’s work

at her solo show at the Jane Gray Gallery. The

opening reception will be on Friday, November

2 nd . Learn more at janegraygallery.com. She is

also currently showing her work in a group show

at Pedestrian Projects in San Marco.

EU: Why do you make art? In other words, what

is your inspiration or most prominent subject?

Wood: I imagine this answer would be the same

for most any artist. I create because it is where

my interest lies; because there is nothing else

I would rather do. Inspired by artists from the

past and present, such as Eva Hesse and Ellen

Gallagher, my work is heavily infl uenced by social

issues of today, with an emphasis on ideas of

fame, fortune, religion, sexuality, and gender

roles.

EU: What is it about your chosen mode of artistic expression that conveys your ideas better than, say,

writing or music?

Wood: I suppose I am able to convey ideas visually better than I would be able to through music or writing

simply because I am not a writer, nor a musician. I am a visual thinker. That’s what makes sense to me.

EU: Do you have a specifi c audience in mind when you create?

Wood: I wouldn’t say that I necessarily have a specifi c audience in mind when I am painting. I’d like to think

that my work has no boundaries of that sort. However, I suppose if I had to choose, I would say my work is

most relatable to a younger generation of twenty and thirty-somethings.

EU: What do you hope viewers will see when looking at your work?

Wood: I use a lot of symbols. My hope is that anyone viewing my work would be able to pick up on that, and

relate it to his/ her own life, good or bad.

EU: What do you think would further improve the art scene in Jacksonville?

Wood: I have spoken in depth with several artists in the community about the arts and its role in Jacksonville,

and they are all on the same page in regards to this. This kind of thing has happened in Jacksonville before.

A buzz starts because a couple of galleries open up and things seem like they are starting to happen.

Eventually, it fades away, and Jacksonville looses the momentum that started building.

In knowing this, my suggestion would be to just keep going– pushing forward until we all get what we

---

want. Big steps are being made, with more to come; and I hope that Jacksonville doesn’t lose steam on this

again.

Galleries seem to be popping up more frequently over this last year (Opaq, Bogda, and Pedestrian

Projects to name a few), all with visions of supporting young artists in hopes of bettering the community.

Magazines and blogs promoting arts in Jacksonville are plentiful now, with new ones entering the picture

each week. More choices mean more opportunities for artists in Jacksonville.

The next step is working towards building a stronger sense of community within the arts, not just for

artists, but for everyone. Artists need to engage the general population through community-building events,

such as outreach programs, free workshops, artist and curator lectures, etc. Now is the time.

ian chase

One of the more innovative visual artists in the Jacksonville art scene, Ian Chase has achieved critical

success where most artists only achieve simple mention. His work has been shown all over, including

the Jane Gray Gallery and MOCA Jacksonville. He is capable of producing a wide array of artwork, such

as paintings and assemblages. Before his foray into visual art, Ian was known for being an accomplished

musician and later a successful entrepreneur, so when he took the art scene by storm it was a surprise, but

his work has clearly proven that he is equally as talented at this endeavor. Look for Chase’s work to be on

display in December at the Opaq Gallery at TSI with Eric Gillyard.

EU: Why do you make art? In other words, what is your inspiration or most prominent subject?

Chase: One of the reasons that keeps me producing art is a desire to understand myself and, in the process,

it helps to keep my mind clear and moving. It makes me happy when someone enjoys the work, but is not the

reason I created the piece.

EU: What is it about your chosen mode of artistic expression that conveys your ideas better than, say,

writing or music?

Chase: I’m not necessarily trying to convey my ideas, but rather to understand myself and develop new

techniques for future work.

EU: Do you have a specifi c audience in mind when you create?

Chase: I don’t have a specifi c audience, but I realize that the “art world” itself is a specifi c audience.

EU: What do you hope viewers will see when looking at your work?

Chase: Hopefully the viewer can fi nd something in the work that they can relate to.

EU: What do you think would further improve the art scene in Jacksonville?

Chase: The art scene in Jax seems to be continually evolving and taking shape with more artists, galleries,

art walks, education programs and press coverage.

Jacksonville is a great place to produce work, it’s affordable and medium-paced. Everyone has, or

should have, a different set of values and expectations in regards to their work. It is important to have

independent thoughts and ideas from which to draw, these things are solemn and personal.

Showing work at a gallery or museum involves many people, so understanding on both sides is needed.

Some galleries give you their space and say, “go nuts,” while others have a specifi c vision for their gallery.

Sometimes the “go nuts” artists are frustrated by the “specifi c vision” curator; sometimes the other way

around. So I think understanding is needed.

I was blown away earlier this year when George Kinghorn, the curator at MOCA, took such a beating on

several blog sites over his/the museum’s lack of involvement/interest in the “local art scene,” when George

has worked hard to support “local artists.”

Creating the work is personal and independent, showing and selling art is business, not evil, greedy and

corrupt, but just plain ol’ “let’s communicate and have a shared vision” kind of business, and that is hard

to do. Perhaps this is where art education has fallen short. Instead of teaching how to draw a circle or an

eujacksonville.com | september 13-19, 2007 17

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art exhibits

cummer

Art Beyond Sight (October 1 through November 25,

2007) At the Art Connections Gallery. Art Beyond Sight

allows the blind to don thin gloves and feel their way

around 3-D art and sculpture. It allows them to experience

rare artwork in a way that’s accessible. For more information,

call (904) 355-0630

Joseph Jeffers Dodge: A Passion for Art (October 9,

2007 to February 2008) Joseph Jeffers (“Jerry”) Dodge

(1917-1997) was an important fi gure in the history of art

and culture in Jacksonville. His legacies within and outside

the community are multi-faceted. As Director of The Cummer

from 1962 to 1972, he made signifi cant acquisitions

for the museum’s collection, instituted a vibrant exhibition

program and established the institution as an educational

resource. This special exhibition drawn from the

museum’s collection focuses upon his achievement as a

painter. This exhibition will provide insights about Dodge’s

development as a painter and the passion that inspired

him – jazz (particularly the music of Duke Ellington and his

orchestra), the female fi gure, still life, landscape and travel.

In Stabiano: Exploring the Ancient Seaside Villas of the

Roman Elite (November 7, 2007 through February 3,

2008) On a bluff overlooking the Bay of Naples and the

modern city of Castellamare di Stabia, approximately 3

miles southeast of Pompeii, are the remains of the ancient

site of Stabia. For the fi rst time in the United States, this

exhibition brings to light art objects and archaeological

artifacts found in four ancient Roman villas built on that

bluff. Wealthy Romans built luxury summer resort villas

here. For a short time, these villas of extraordinary proportions,

innovative design and luxurious decoration were

a center of political power, wealth, culture and intrigue

during the hot summer months. This thriving microcosm

of privilege suffered destruction on August 24, 79 A.D.,

buried in ash by the same eruption that destroyed Pompeii.

This stunning exhibition in the Raymond K. and Minerva

Mason Gallery will be the last stop on an exclusive tour of

six American museums

A Kiowa’s Odyssey: A Sketchbook from Ft. Marion

(January 19, 2008 through March 9, 2008) This sketchbook

from the 1870s, chronicles the journey of a Kiowa

prisoner, a Native American named Etahdleuh, who was

removed to Fort Marion in St.Augustine. He attended the

Carlisle Indian School and kept this sketch book, now

valued ofr its historical signifi gance. For more info, call

(904) 356-6857.

Ernest Hemingway and Walker Evans: Three Weeks

in Cuba, 1933 (March 8, 2008 through June 1, 2008)

Gain new insight into Hemmingway, though newly recovered

photos and letters, particularly pertaining to the

friendship he formed in with Walker Evans, an American

photographer that Hemingway spent 3 weeks with in

Cuba. Letters and photos belonging to Evans points to the

profound impact both men had on each other’s lives. For

more info, call (904) 356-6857.

pedestrian projects

From the press release for their Portent, I Said Portent!

exhibition: “Pedestrian Projects was formed by a group of

artists with a common belief that the act of producing and

exhibiting contemporary art is vital to the intellectual and

creative nourishment of a sophisticated citizenry. It is this

group’s interest to foster the development of talented artists

18

compiled by donald dusinberre and erin thursby

september 13-19, 2007 | entertaining u newspaper

from multiple disciplines, through exhibition, education and

providing venue.”

Currently on display is Portent, I Said Portent! “The

title of the exhibit suggests a positive sign of things to

come for the visual arts in Jacksonville. The unique work

on display foreshadows a new, contemporary direction for

the local cultural scene, indicating we are on the cusp of

something exciting and progressive.” The show includes

the art of Byron King, James Greene, Brittni Wood, Mark

Creegan, and Kurt Polkey.

Located at 1535 San Marco Boulevard in Jacksonville,

Pedestrian Projects Gallery is a newly reopened gallery. For

more information, call (904) 859-8281.

cultural center at ponte

vedra beach

Hidden in southern Ponte Vedra lies the Cultural

Center at Ponte Vedra Beach. An excellent resource for art

and art education, they offer classes and events as well as

display the work of many quality artists in their gallery.

Currently on display are the Sculptures of David

Ponsler: Bronze, Steel, Copper and Iron. His magnifi cent

work will be on display through October 14 th . Coming in

October is Citi Smith Barney & Citi present Arts Alive 2007.

That event will take place on Saturday, October 6 at 7 pm.

The Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach is located

at 50 Executive Way in Ponte Vedra Beach. Contact them

at (904) 280-0614, or check their website at ccpvb.org for

more information on upcoming events and exhibitions.

university gallery at unf

Although parking will always present a challenge at

UNF, it’s still worth the trouble to visit the University Gallery

at UNF. They often showcase the work of professors,

instructors and students. Currently on display is the work of

one of their (and my former) professors, Louise Freshman

Brown. Her work will be on display until October 5 th .

The University of North Florida is located at 1 UNF

Drive, off St. Johns Bluff Road in Jacksonville. Call (904)

620-2534 for more information or visit the UNF website at

unf.edu.

thrasher-horne center for

the arts

According to their website, thcenter.org, “The

Thrasher-Horne Center for the Arts is dedicated to

developing and nurturing the artistic potential and growth

of the students, residents and visitors of the community by

offering the very best of professional theater, dance, and

music performances and visual art exhibits.”

Located at 283 College Drive in Orange Park, the THC

will be hosting two new exhibitions, opening on September

17 th . The fi rst is called My Florida: John Wilton Exhibit. “Dr.

John Wilton is an educator and artist who has taught visual

art at Daytona Beach Community College for over 20 years,

along with stints at Stetson University and Embry-Riddle

Aeronautical University. His own artwork draws heavily from

Pop Art roots.”

The second exhibition is Our World: Photographs by

John Reed, on display until September 30 th . “In this unique

exhibit, photographer John Reed examines the beauty

and wonder that surrounds us each and every day in all

subjects, from the most ordinary to most intricate or fl eeting

moments.”

(continued on page 20)

eyeball, maybe teach a little marketing and business, both will serve the artist no matter what the individual

expectations are. There are no magic bullets in the art world. Art school, moving out of town or spending a lot

of time checking the barometer of the art scene can be counter-productive, I think time can be better spent in

the studio making art.

mark george

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve no doubt seen the work of Mark George somewhere. His

work is a premier example of Pop Art – a colorful and simple display. His work has been exhibited at

countless galleries and is always hanging in the popular Avondale Breakfast joint, the Fox Restaurant. It can

be easily distinguished by its middle-century, Kandinsky-esque, cartoon-like characters. Unlike Kandinsky,

his paintings appear strokeless, as though they were printed onto the corrugated poly-vinyl. in a strokeless

fashion that looks more like printing onto a corrugated plastic roofi ng material. When you see a Mark George,

you know it. No one else has work quite like his.

EU: Why do you make art? In other words, what is your inspiration or most prominent subject?

George: Art is a great form of release. It’s also my contribution to society, a responsibility of sorts. In the pop

genre I work with, it’s a refl ection of a very temporary society based around shallow issues like vanity and

greed, while at the same time addressing more primal urges like love, anguish and pain.

EU: What is it about your chosen mode of artistic expression that conveys your ideas better than, say,

writing or music?

George: There is no hidden meaning behind my work, it’s presented at face value and is all fairly specifi c

about their topics, usually centered around human emotions. The viewer will always have their own take on

what the painting means to them, however, the work should be pleasantly easy to grasp.

EU: Do you have a specifi c audience in mind when you create?

George: At this point, I would love to be viewed by all audiences, publicly. I love the idea of presenting an

unconventional format to people who are not even familiar with art or have no appreciation for it at all. That

way, you really tap into the human psyche with work that focuses on factors of everyday life, by people who

are not jaded to an acceptance of what art is supposed to be or look like.

EU: What do you hope viewers will see when looking at your work?

George: Themselves. It’s the beautiful simple things in life we all take for granted and often forget all about

in hot pursuit of instant gratifi cation– fast food, disposable razors, temporary jobs, apartments for rent and

one-night stands. Human emotion will be the last thing we will always have. After all is said and done and the

earth takes back what is rightfully hers, we will once again be faced with the fact that love and compassion

really is the most important part of our existence.

EU: What do you think would further improve the art scene in Jacksonville?

George: Breaking down walls that hold stifl ed ideas of what a preconceived notion of art is supposed to

be. Why do we continue to want the same thing over and over again? Artists who appeal to the masses

regurgitate congested boringness for shallow people who are trapped in their own confl ictions of keeping

up with the Joneses. Mail-order catalogs that are considered to be art periodicals refl ect this dull nature that

hangs over Jacksonville like a dark cloud and keeps the beautifully refreshing light of newness out.

---

joanelle mulrain

EU: Why do you make art? In other words, what is your inspiration

or most prominent subject?

Mulrain: I enjoy expressing myself as an artist and author. I have

been blessed to be able to take a brush once again in hand and

put onto canvas some of the beautiful natural beauty of Northeast

Florida and, on watercolor paper, some of my photographs, which

inspire my paintings. I choose cattails for a number of reasons. One,

it could become somewhat of a signature for me, an iconographic

image. Two, cattails are beautiful, willowy, wispy, and in many

places throughout the world. They are used for many things,

including food and weaving material for baskets. Third, nature is

the ultimate inspiration for us all- its symmetry, colors, and smells

are a connection to the earth and sky above us. It is something to

celebrate, preserve and protect. Light, air and water are the primary

elements, and we must be more responsible for ourselves and

our environment. It is an ultimate expression of my concern of what we are doing to our land, our water and our

air- we must come together so we can give our children part of what we have enjoyed during our lifetime.

EU: What is it about your chosen mode of artistic expression that conveys your ideas better than, say,

writing or music?

Mulrain: I write. I can read music, play the piano and guitar. I do not write music, but perhaps one day I will. I

have chosen acrylic to paint my canvases. I often use large canvases, 3’x6’ or larger. I guess I see the world

with a large perspective. It gives me a larger voice, perhaps. I want my work to “stop” people and make them

think about the images they see. I want them to respond to the vibrancy of the colors I choose and the scenes I

paint. I like to use large brushes and large brushstrokes to show meaning and give clarity to my subjects. I hope

to please the eye and open eyes wide to my world. I want to engage the viewer and start a conversation. I want

to receive a smile from the viewer and smile back, knowing they “get” what I’m trying to say. I speak on multiple

levels- color and space- with hidden meanings through images only I know are within the lines, and vibrancy to

open eyes wide.

EU: Do you have a specifi c audience in mind when you create?

Mulrain: I have the family in mind. The individual. The corporation. The neighbor. I create for those who

would like to come along with me on this particular journey in my life. I painted decades ago, and I have just

reconnected with what I loved to do before I took the corporate train and worked hard to make it possible for me

to have this time to do my creative work. It takes me to many places. When I paint, I have no minutes or time,

no night or day. Sometimes I paint for a dozen hours or so, or even through the night. I go with the paint and into

the levels of the work. It has been a great healer and a place I can share with others. If I have a specifi c audience

in mind, it is a commission that is specifi c to a subject matter. People buy my work because they connect

directly with the image and/or with me on the level I bring them to visually.

EU: What do you hope viewers will see when looking at your work?

Mulrain: I hope they will see me as I am today, not as I was in the past, but as an artist. I am working hard and

setting new goals. I have enjoyed reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones who enjoy my work. First,

I paint for me. Then I paint for those who fi nd my work interesting and hope they fi nd a connection to it, so that

they want to own a piece and be a patron. I balance my home fi rst, then my consulting work, then my art. It’s

a balance; all of life is a balance. If someone enjoys and sees what I see in my photography or paintings, then

great. It’s all about the experience of art.

EU: What do you think would further improve the art scene in Jacksonville?

Mulrain: Conversation. It’s all about networking and connecting the different parts of the community-

museums, sponsors (banks, etc.), corporations, non-profi ts, galleries, Downtown Vision, Jax Beach Art Walk,

cultural councils and cultural centers- with the artists. It’s about making sure that when someone asks for

an artist to “donate” a work, they understand that we cannot take off the retail price of the painting on our IRS

statements- we can only take off the canvas, the brush, and the paint - not our time or the retail value thereof!

There needs to be more understanding regarding the role of the artist in a vital community. When a signifi cant

piece is given for a cause, the artist should be thanked and made part of the event, not just given a letter in

the mail thanking him or her for a major piece. Sometimes the value of the piece of art is higher than the cost

of a VIP ticket, or even more than what most donors even give to the organization in a year. The artist IS a

donor. Non-profi ts should understand that we are asked dozens and dozens of times to “give” and many of us

do give, and give, and give thousands of dollars every year. We must work together, not separately, in order

for us to reach a threshold in the community where artists are respected for their work and dedication to their

craft. We depend on our patrons, and our patrons depend on us. It’s symbiotic, and it takes balance and mutual

understanding. You have to work hard to make this relationship work in a community. Museums should have a

special “artist” level of membership- just show your business license, and become part of the artists supporting

our museums. If a museum is an art museum, then talk to, have a conversation with, plan with, and be sure to

moca jacksonville by donald dusinberre

Every few months, MOCA unleashes a barrage of new exhibitions and if you’re reckless about seeing

them, you can check them all out in one visit. Although it’s tempting, try to restrain yourself from doing

that. Your eyes will get overloaded but your brain will starve.

Think of it as a buffet. You can see everything right in front of you, but you can only fi t so much onto

your plate. If you try to put some of everything onto that tiny plate, you won’t really enjoy anything. In fact,

you’ll only come to realize that cantaloupe and Salisbury steak don’t mix too well in the stomach.

At MOCA, You have to make a choice to see one or two exhibits and save the rest for later. Trust me,

it’s the best way. Installation art and photography don’t mix well in the brain.

There are fi ve new exhibitions opening on September 14 th and running through January 6, 2008. To help

you decide which exhibitions you’ll want to see fi rst, I’ve raided artists’ websites and MOCA’s press

releases to give you a straight-up idea of what you may encounter.

coherent structures: recent silverpoint paintings by carol

prusa

(From MOCA Jacksonville’s press release) Carol Prusa’s paintings are inspired by her ongoing

fascination with science, alchemy, organizational systems, and botany. Highly fi nished elliptical and

round wooded panels serve as supports for an ethereal arena where Prusa’s depictions of ambiguous

microscopic cellular structures, fl ora and cosmological symbols take on monumental presence. The works

are meditative in the repetitive and meticulously drawn organic forms that hover weightless amidst the

fl uidity of the artist’s layered washes of suspended pigment. Prusa’s obsessively rendered drawings are

created in silverpoint, a medium that was utilized by Renaissance masters Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli,

and Albrecht Durer. The artist’s skillful blending of materials ranging from powdered sulfur, titanium

white, graphite and acrylic media, produce works that are subtle and complex in the same instance. The

silverpoint drawing that is later heightened with titanium is somewhat faint and partially obscured by the

transparent graphite veils. This exhibition features more than twenty works including a new installation

that consists of more than a dozen various sized circular disks that are arranged on the gallery walls in a

constellation-like confi guration.

essence and materials: sculptures by minoru ohira

(From MOCA Jacksonville’s press release) Minoru Ohira’s simplistic and elegant sculptures are

inspired by forms observed in nature. The artist transforms raw materials, primarily wood salvaged from

construction sites and roadside discards, into a dynamic assortment of meticulously crafted seductive

forms. The rounded and curvilinear sculptural forms, some over eight feet in length, exhibit a range of

highly polished to jagged, scale-like textured surfaces. Central to the understanding of these works is the

artist’s steadfast commitment to traditional woodworking techniques and a deep respect for the inherent

nature of materials. Many of Minoru’s sculptures are created not by the use of power tools, but by his

painstaking use of handsaws and hatchets. This exhibition features over a dozen large-scale sculptures that

survey the varied artistic approaches of this important Japanese born sculptor.

sculptures by duncan johnson

(From marciawoodgallery.com) Jerry Cullum states in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, March

2001, “The uneven, stairstep effect of many of the pieces is a little reminiscent of parallel contour lines on

topographical maps, but even that is a misleading comparison. These are, quite simply, abstract forms with

their own internal logic, and they give pleasure for that very reason.”

Catherine Fox writes in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, 1997, “This ambiguity of scale infuses the

work with a cosmic quality. It’s hard to decide which to admire fi rst - that almost spiritual aura or the

physical beauty of the surface patterns created by these little wood pieces and their tree rings and grains.”

raddle cross & dowsing: installations by martha whittington

(From creativeloafi ng.com) Martha Whittington’s “Raddle Cross” is like a persistent toddler lugging

on your shirtsleeves to get your attention. The piece puts out a sound like ping-pong paddles sending a ball

across a table that resonates through the gallery space. Wooden circles of varying sizes are suspended

from the gallery ceiling on long strands of yarn and hooked to metal gears that send the discs pinging off

the concrete fl oors at metronomic intervals. This quirky piece, both addled and soothing, comments on

the repetitive labors of weaving, though here the gestures are the opposite of productive, the necessary

intersections between the threads never occurring.

valuistics: the making of an installation by james greene

(From ewing-gallery.org) This printed installation is both a display of James Greene’s valuistics as well

as a printed history of the word itself. With “The Making Of,” Greene - a former grocery store clerk and

retail employee - reveals his own consumer politics (contradictions and all) by symbolizing and accounting

for each of his consumer decisions. The installation is a scale re-creation of Greene’s home, family, and

friends printed on pink insulation board.

eujacksonville.com | september 13-19, 2007 19

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To learn more about The Thrasher-Horne Center for

the Arts, visit their website at thcenter.org or call (904) 276-

6815.

alexander brest museum

Although I have not yet been, the Brest Gallery at JU

works in a similar capacity to the University Gallery at UNF.

Currently on display are two related exhibitions revolving

around the work of Brad Silverstein. Both exhibitions will

be concluding on September 26 th . One show is the work of

Allison Steadman & Brad Silverstein, while the other show is

a tribute to the art of Silverstein.

The Alexander Brest Museum and Gallery is located

at 2800 University Boulevard North, in Jacksonville. Gallery

hours are Monday – Friday, 9 am – 4 pm. Contact them at

(904) 256-7374.

open gallery

The October 3 rd ArtWalk will feature Shea Slemmer and

Anna Mambrino. Jacksonville artist Shea A. Slemmer

paints contemporary works in oils on large canvases. She

highlights the similarities between various shapes and

structures. The portraits that develop attempt to combine

the fl owing curves and poetic form we have come to know

as the female form with the symmetry found in nature:

a teetering balance of responsibility and yearning. Anna

Membrino is an art student at the University of North Florida.

Anna works from old black and white photographs to create

large scale, colorful acrylic paintings. She is intrigued by the

styles and motifs of mid century and looks to explore these

times through portraiture of relatives who experienced them.

The artwork will be accompanied by a musical performance

by the Badlands Trio. The Haydon Burns Building is located

at 122 N Ocean Street.

other openings

Trunk Show with Third and Wall Art Group (September

13 – September 15) Original works by Liz Jardine, Sara

Stockstill, Simon Addyman, William Kuttner and others

Fogle Fine Art & Accessories, 3312 Beach Boulevard, St.

Nicholas (904) 296-1310 or foglefi neart.com

An Exploration of the Nature of Place by Sarah Crooks

Flaire (September 13 – October 6) Opening Reception

Thursday, September 13th, 6 pm- 8 pm Douglas Anderson

School of the Arts, 2445 San Diego Road, Jacksonville

904-346-5620

Kathy Stark (September 13) Regions Bank, 4297

Roosevelt Boulevard, Jacksonville (904) 281-2660

Our World: Photographs by John Reed (September 17

- 30) Thrasher-Horne Center, 283 College Drive, Orange

Park (904) 276-6815

Allison Steadman & Brad Silverstein (September 14 – 26

Opening Reception: September 14, 5 – 7 pm) JU Brest

Gallery (904) 256-7371

Ron Burns: The Road to Recovery Benefi ting the

Jacksonville Humane Society and their rebuilding efforts

(September 14 – 30 Meet the artist at the reception,

September 14, 6 – 9 pm. Attend a book signing by the

artist on Saturday, September 15, 1 – 4 pm) R. Roberts

Gallery, 3606 St. Johns Avenue, Avondale (904) 388-1188

Minoru Ohira Sculpture Exhibit (September 14 – January

6) MOCA Jacksonville, 333 North Laura Street, Downtown

(904) 366-6911 x210 or mocajacksonville.org

20

september 13-19, 2007 | entertaining u newspaper

Mikhail Baryshnikov Exhibit (September 15 – November

2) J. Johnson Gallery, 177 4 th Avenue North, Jacksonville

Beach

current and ongoing shows

For the Glory of Hymn (Mixed media on Display through

September 16) Bethel Gallery, Ponte Vedra Presbyterian

Church

(904) 285-8225

Lost & Found (Through September 17) Women’s Center

of Jacksonville, 5644 Colcord Avenue, Arlington 11 am - 3

pm, Monday - Friday

Art at the Airport: Beginnings: Work by David and Kay

Olson

(Through September 28) Haskell Gallery at Jacksonville

International Airport, 2400 Yankee Clipper Drive (904)

741-3546 jiaarts.org

Southern Sunday Arts Revival Featuring Atlanta artists

George Long, Jesse Cregar, Mario Schambon, Scott Pethia

and Tindel-Michi (Through September 30) The Gallery At

Screen Arts, 228 W. King Street, St. Augustine (904) 829-

2838 or (800) 826-4649 or screenartsfl orida.com

Elemental Atmospheres: Paintings by Princess Simpson

Rashid (Through September 30) The Museum of Science

& History (904) 396-7062

Bogda September Show (Through September 30)

Bogda, 1253 McDuff Avenue South, Riverside (904) 387-

0852

David Ponsler Sculpture: Bronze, Steel, Copper and Iron

(Runs through October 14) Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra

Beach, 50 Executive Way, Ponte Vedra Beach (904) 280-

0614

Fabulous Fiber (September 4 – October 14) Barbara

Wroten, Pat Livesay, Cheryl Wencel, Nancy Devereux, Leni

Mittelacher, Betty Francis, Sara Barnhill, Diane Hamburg,

Melinda Bradshaw, Margot Miller , Katie Schwartz, Lynette

Holmes and Caroline Daley - First Street Gallery, 216 First

Street, Neptune Beach 904-241-6928

The Works of Mary St. Germain & Joyce Gabiou

(Through October 31) Reddi Arts Gallery, 1037 Hendricks

Avenue, San Marco (904) 398-3161

Fogle Fine Art Gallery Presents: Regions Bank Artist

Celebration of Jeanne Pelligreno (Through November

2007)

Regions Bank, 1461 Kingsley Avenue, Orange Park

Jim Draper: Produce Stellers Gallery Annex, 200 1 st Street,

Neptune Beach (904) 247-7200

Horizons (On display indefi nitely) Jewish Community

Alliance and Vandroff Gallery, 8505 San Jose Boulevard,

Mandarin

Audrey M. Stultz: I’m Alive Energy Lab Art Gallery, 137

King Street, St. Augustine (904) 808-8455

Michael Baum: Olive Forever Ocean 60 Restaurant &

Martini Room, 60 Ocean Boulevard, Atlantic Beach (904)

247-0060

Kyle Cannon Where Ya Bean Coffee Shop, 235 8th Avenue

South, Beaches

look for our fall performing arts preview on

september 27th.

connect with regional artists for a variety of purposes, including education. An art museum can only benefi t from

a direct connection with the artists in its region. It’s all interconnected. How art is positioned in a community

is a barometer for values and quality of life. It’s hard to fi nd a single seed of listing for art happenings- they are

exploding, like in the 70s. We have so many outlets, including YouTube.com, for getting our work “out there,”

and artists have made a valuable impact downtown by building up Art Walk to where it is today. They should be

thanked for creating synergy in buildings for lease, because otherwise, nothing would be there. Now, nearly 4k

people are expected for September Art Walk. Artists are part of the fabric of a city, part of its voice, and that’s

why it’s important to connect with the art community and listen to their needs and work together, all adding to

our quality of life.

At the end of the day, it’s about telling the truth. Telling the truth about what our city and our people want

from artists, and what the artists want and expect from our city and its people with regard to support and

patronage. We should celebrate those who have worked so hard for so many years, from teachers in all areas

of education to professional artists who depend on patrons to make a living. Artists are CEOs of their own

business, and they should duly be given the respect owed of such a position. There’s not a new building going

up that does not call an artist directly or work through one of Jacksonville’s many fi ne galleries to fi ll a wall. Our

work is a company’s or individual’s visual signature.

People can learn more about the basics of art by becoming a member of our cultural institutions. Artists

who want a voice should become members of our cultural institutions. It’s all about conversation- learning from

one another and building interpersonal relationships.

stephanie shieldhouse

Stephanie Shieldhouse is a local artist and part-time drawing instructor at the University of North Florida. Her

work is continuously on display at the Butterfi eld Garage Gallery in St. Augustine.

EU: Why do you make art? In other words, what is your inspiration or most prominent subject?

Shieldhouse: I have an idea that can only take shape on canvas. The idea rises to the surface, grows and

changes as the painting develops. It becomes a conversation, back and forth, between me and the canvas

and the demands and rejections of my inner critic.

EU: What is it about your chosen mode of artistic expression that conveys your ideas better than, say,

writing or music?

Shieldhouse: I’m unable to express my ideas in music or writing. I’m most comfortable with visual language.

EU: Do you have a specifi c audience in mind when you create?

Shieldhouse: I struggle – like most artists - between creating art as a personal exploration and creating art

that will match somebody’s Rooms to Go sofa. Right now, I’m following my own siren call.

EU: What do you hope viewers will see when looking at your work?

Shieldhouse: I suppose I really have no expectations– and that may be a defense mechanism. But when I sell

a canvas, I’m surprised and gratifi ed that someone responds to my vision– because often their interpretation

of my work is unexpected.

EU: What do you think would further improve the art scene in Jacksonville?

Shieldhouse: Well…I have a complaint about the Art Walk. It has become a venue for radio stations, real

estate agents, sandwich shops, etc. to peddle their wares. The art is there only in the service of these other

enterprises. The Art Walk should be dedicated the art and artists in our city.

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galleries

130 King Street Fine Art & World Treasures 130 King

Street, St. Augustine (904) 829-8280 Original art from

locals and different types of glass and woodwork from

all over the world can be found at this gallery. They also

carry architectural stained glass from local and not-solocal

artists.

Art Center Gallery 31 West Adams Street (904) 614-

5986 The Art Center is one of the newer focal points of

the Jacksonville ArtWalk. Those artists who belong to

the co-op can display their work in the spacious gallery.

There’s also art upstairs, so make sure you ask to see

the upstairs studio. Art work on the walls varies widely in

style and medium. Most of the art work there is 2-D, but

the occasional sculpture fi nds its way into the gallery.

Aviles Street Gallery 11 C Aviles Street, St. Augustine

(904) 823-8608 Featuring local artists, they only hang

originals. Mediums include pottery, photography, colored

pencil, acrylic, oils and water colors. Make sure you

check out the African masks made from silver. There’s

also a limited art supply for artists looking to stock up.

Avondale Gallery 3545 St. Johns Avenue (904) 389-

6712 Fine art and custom frames can be found at his

gallery. All the work is original, done in impressionist

and modern styles of art. It’s a mix of local and national

artists. You’ll fi nd landscapes, still life and abstract. They

also specialize in portraiture, representing three regional

portrait artists.

Beaches Art & Frame Gallerie 1834 Third Street

South, Jacksonville Beach (904) 247-0596 They might

specialize in conservation framing, but they often show

work from local artists, especially of vivacious, local

nature scenes.

Bungalow Artworks 2782 Park Street (904) 981-9493

This Riverside gallery features an eclectic collection of

fi ne art and fi ne crafts from local and regional artists.

Jewelry, sculpture, oil paintings and interesting crafts can

all be found at this gallery. Make sure you visit the large

courtyard in the back, which is fi lled with garden statuary

and outdoor sculpture.

Bogda 1253 McDuff Avenue South (904) 387-0852

Jacksonville art with a punk edge is the main component

of the Bogda and they sell some really fantastic pieces

at a reasonable rate. If you’re looking for art and you

haven’t got a mint to spend, this gallery is the place to

go. Exhibits change every month and they often feature

up-and-coming artists that you won’t fi nd anywhere else.

Butterfi eld Garage Art Gallery 137 King Street, St.

Augustine (904) 825-4577 It’s a contemporary art coop.

They mostly feature landscapes with plenty of local

fl avor and sunsets. Those starved for the Big Apple can

also stock up on New York City scenes. All twelve of the

artists featured are locals.

Chao Framing 1514 Third Street North, Jacksonville

Beach (904) 249-4053 Custom framing and fi ne art

often go hand in hand, as in the case of Chao Framing.

This gallery and framing studio is featured as part of the

Beaches Gallery Tour.

Classic Blends 201 West King Street, St. Augustine

compiled by erin thursby

(904) 377-3198 They mostly feature art by the young

and hip, pulling a lot of artists from the of pool of Flagler

students. The collection can only be described as

esoteric. They’ve done shows on graphic art, graffi ti art,

screen art, comic style as well as realism and traditional

landscapes.

Crooked Palm Gallery 75 King Street, St. Augustine

(904) 825-0010 This collection of international art

features Koi fi sh, tropical seascapes, and women in

sensual poses as well as 3-D art, such as their bronzes

and glass from Italy.

Eclectic Galleries 2405 Third Street South, Jacksonville

Beach (904) 247-3750 This gallery is one of the area’s

best sources for 3-D art, be it ceramic, metal, glass or

wood. They’ve also got some interesting textile art. Work

from more than 180 different artist is available, so there’s

a style for everybody.

The Energy Lab 137 King Street, St. Augustine (904)

808-8455 This artist’s co-op gives the viewer a little

bit of everything: mixed media, watercolor, acrylic, oil,

abstracts and everything from landscapes pop art, fi ne

art to traditional art. They also stock jewelry.

First Street Gallery 216-B First Street, Neptune Beach

(904) 241-6928 Although you’ll fi nd tons of beach, sea

turtle and fi sh themed art in this gallery, you’ll fi nd even

more if you look, from clay art and metal sculpture to

fi ber and mixed media art. It’s also a terrifi c place to pick

up jewelry art for the woman who has everything.

Fogle Fine Art & Accessories 3312 Beach Boulevard,

Jacksonville (904) 296-1414 Looking for a special piece

to really make your décor pop? Fogle is the place to

go for art work that can serve as a focal point for your

design. Abstracts, landscapes, fl oral art and dramatic

photography are just part of this gallery. You can also fi nd

the perfect frame, or a pottery piece.

Gallery 1037 at Reddi Arts 1037 Hendricks Avenue

(904) 398-3161 While the Reddi Arts gallery is a small

one; it’s notable because nearly every artist, at one point

or another, will go there for art supplies they can’t get

anywhere else. They change the art regularly and you

never know what style or medium you’re going to see.

Hampton Gallery 2411 Third Street South, Jacksonville

Beach (904) 247-1050 Shows rotate monthly and

they sell art ranging from original oils to open edition

decorative prints. They also provide a full service custom

framing department to ensure that your valuable art is

well cared for by professionals.

James Coleman Gallery 65 King Street, St. Augustine.

(904) 829-1925 Sea scenes, woodlands, the tropics

and lush gardens all make their way to canvas at this

landscape oriented gallery. You’ll also fi nd glass, bronze

and other sculpture work. Located inside the Casa

Monica Hotel.

Jane Gray Gallery at Daryl Bunn Studios 643 Edison

Avenue (904) 338-5790 The principals of the gallery are

Missy and Thomas Hager, both of which have a stolid

pedigree in the art world. Missy is known on a local

level as the director of the House Gallery, and Thomas

is known for his photographic works on an international

level. The duo has partnered in this venture with Daryl

Bunn, who has helped to build support for the artistic

community in Jacksonville. Their main focus is to bring

fi ne, sophisticated art to Jacksonville—and so they have.

Much of their art features locals, but they also bring

National and International artists to the gallery.

J. Johnson Gallery 117 Fourth Avenue North,

Jacksonville Beach (904) 435-3200 Showing work by

renowned masters of sculpture, oils, printmaking and

photography, this gallery often changes their exhibitions.

To support the connoisseurship of new young talent, the

Gallery also hosts experimental works and project pieces

by artists in varying mediums, in addition to its quarterly

exhibits. The renowned sculptor Javier Marin is just one

of the artists they’ve featured.

Opaq Gallery 333 East Bay Street, Downtown (904)

305-1525 This tiny gallery is located in Downtown

Jacksonville, upstairs from the club TSI. They revel in

doing contemporary, innovative shows, sometimes using

multimedia. They’re one of the latest galleries to spice up

the scene here in J-ville.

P.A.St.A. Fine Arts Gallery 214 Charlotte Street, St.

Augustine (904) 824-0251

Those who run across this gallery don’t soon forget its

quirky name, which stands for Professional Artists of St.

Augustine. The gallery displays works from more than a

dozen St. Augustine artists. Even though they are local,

many of artists are nationally and internationally known.

They specialize in paintings and pottery. All artwork

hanging on the walls are originals, though prints are

available on request.

R. Roberts Gallery 3606 St. Johns Avenue, Avondale

(904) 388-1188 Located in the historic shops of

Avondale, this gallery is known for their free in-home

and offi ce art consultation. They represent artists from

all walks of life, from internationally known artists to

important emerging local artists and everything in

between. Bronzes, oils, acrylic, mixed media and limited

edition prints are just some of the things you’ll fi nd there.

San Marco Gallery 78B San Marco Avenue, St.

Augustine (904) 826-4434 Shell art, homemade soaps,

lotions, handmade jewelry, oils and acrylics by local

artists are all part of this gallery with a craft spin. Ocean

birds, the occasional abstract, historical buildings,

landscapes and pet portraits are all part of the art mix.

San Sebastian River Artists Studio & Holborn Gallery

134 Riberia Street suites 4&5, St. Augustine (904) 827-

9355 There’s a print making studio at the Holborn, so

artists can come in and get giclées of their work done.

Fourteen area artists are featured in the San Sebastian

next door, specializing in local scenes and color. They

also feature a number of nationally known artists.

Simple Gestures 4 White Street, East St. Augustine

(904) 827-9997 It’s a gift shop and art gallery in one,

with the work of 40 local and international artists on

display. Besides lots of jewelry, art lamps and books,

you’ll be able to buy some funky, colorful art for your

walls and metal/wood found object sculptures for your

shelves.

Stellers Gallery 115 Bartram Oaks Walk, Suite 101

Julington Creek (904) 230-4700, 1409 Atlantic

Boulevard, San Marco (904) 396-9492, 200 1st

Street, Neptune Beach (904) 247-7200, 240 A1A

North Ponte Vedra (904) 273-6065 You’ll fi nd a Stellers

scattered across the area. The galleries house a variety

of styles ranging from conservative and traditional, to

expressionist, abstract and whimsical. If you belong to

private club, it’s very likely that the art on the walls came

from a Stellers. The galleries have certainly left their

stamp on plenty of local places, both public and private.

eujacksonville.com | september 13-19, 2007 21

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live music

shows calendar

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

Pianist Tim Nold Seawalk Hotel, Jax Beach (249-9981)

Open Mic w/Colleen Murphy Trade Winds Lounge,

St. Augustine (829-8646)

Gutterboy Roadhouse, Orange Park (264-0611)

Chuck Nash My Place, Jax (737-5299)

Big Engine Box Seats, Jax (908-7328)

Open Mic w/Krank Shaft Overtime Sports Bar, Jax (786-5466)

Mike Sweet & Friends Kingshead Pub, St. Augustine

Lift Mercury Moon, Orange Park (215-8999)

Park Street Band Ragusa, Jax (443-7888)

Sweet Little Ditty Spare Time, Jax Beach (246-8099)

Mariachi Guadalajara Jimadores, Jax (739-5828)

Boogie Freaks Square One, Jax (306-9004)

David Milam Shannon’s Irish Pub, Green Cove

Springs (230-9670)

Cloud 9 Twisted Martini, Ponte Vedra

Wes Cobb Fly’s Tie Irish Pub, Atlantic Beach (246-4293)

Rookie of the Year Jack Rabbits, Jax (398-7496)

L.E.G.A.C.Y TSI, Jax (635-3024)

Cornerstone The Mill Top, St. Augustine (829-2329)

Ron Rodriguez Mellow Mushroom, Jax (997-1955)

3 Eddie Bahamas, Jax Beach (241-3138)

Little Green Men West Inn Cantina, Jax (389-1131)

Freeze Frame Fionn Maccool’s, Jax Beach (242-9499)

Mr. Natural Whitey’s Fish Camp, Orange Park (269-4198)

Flashback Creekside Dinery, St. Augustine (829-6113)

Crematorium Thee Imperial, Jax (475-0488)

Those Guys The Oasis, St. Augustine (471-3424)

Von Barlow’s Jazz Journey Springfi eld Station, Jax

Jimmy Parrish & Ocean Waves Ragtime Tavern,

Neptune Beach (241-7877)

Stu Weaver Coffee Roasters, Jax

Matt Still Urban Flats, Ponte Vedra Beach (280-5515)

De Lions of Jah Twisted Sisters, Jax Beach (241-6453)

Deron Baker Trio Kingfi sh Grill, St. Augustine (824-2111)

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

Nate Holley Mellow Mushroom, Jax (997-1955)

Gator Country Concert-David Lee Murphy The

Landing, Jax

Anybody’s Fault Freebird Live, Jax Beach (246-2473)

Rodageezer Creekside Dinery, St. Augustine (829-6113)

Oscar Barnett Urban Flats, Ponte Vedra Beach (280-5515)

Mike Gottuso Seven Bridges, Jax (997-1999)

Fidelity Crisis Jack Rabbits, Jax (398-7496)

Southern Lights Thee Imperial, Jax (475-0488)

Freeze Frame Aroma’s, Ponte Vedra (280-2525)

Handgun Honeybun Country Club Lounge, Macclenny

McKenna Michelle’s, Jax (353-0002)

Wes Cobb Band Twisted Sisters, Jax Beach (241-6453)

Subhumans UK Fuel, Jax (425-3835)

Dial 9 Fionn Maccool’s, Jax Beach (242-9499)

22

september 13-19, 2007 | entertaining u newspaper

fi ddlin’ around

Restless Kind wins Gator Country’s Battle of the Bands

BY RICK GRANT rickgrant01@comcast.net

The River City Brewing Company’s covered outdoor

deck was the scene of 99.9 FM Gator Country’s

Battle of the Bands semifi nals last Saturday night. On

stage was the St. Augustine band Cliff Worrell and the

Restless Kind. This group is an assemblage of seven

veteran professional musicians who got together

because they all love country music and enjoy the

compatible chemistry in the group.

The seven piece group presents a big bold

sound with fi ddle, guitar, pedal steel, keyboards,

bass, drums and Cliff Worrell singing lead vocals.

The group came together from various popular

bands, including Southbound, Matanzas, Divorce

This, Fully Loaded, Lisa Lisa & the Toy Boys, and

even the Southeast Georgia Symphony Orchestra.

Individually, Restless Kind is comprised of well

known regional musicians including Doug Dennis

on guitar and vocals, Lisa Mack on keyboards and

vocals, the legendary Phil Jones on pedal steel and

guitar, Doug Kohl on bass, Robert Zielinski on fi ddle

and mandoline, Kim Zielinski on fi ddle and vocals and

Lisa Locke on drums. Together, this band kicks butt

with a tight country groove. Having two fi ddles and

pedal steel gives the group top-tier credentials as a

country band. However, the group can rock out if the

situation presents itself.

The packed deck of enthusiastic fans were

dancing and shouting their approval as Restless Kind

plowed through a repertoire of mostly crowd-pleasing

songs and a few originals. The band is slowly integrating

its well-written originals into the cover mix as

it gets more exposure in the country venues around

the Southeast. Frankly, it’s fun to hear the good old

country songs like Before He Cheats, Boot Scootin’

Boogie, Brick House, Brokenheartsville, Foggy Mountain

Breakdown, Folsom Prison Blues, Good Hearted

Woman, et al. And yes, Restless Kind throws in some

Skynyrd tunes for good measure and to appease to

locals, which illustrates the deep Skynyrd roots that

bred the countrifi ed southern rock sound.

I especially enjoyed Restless Kind’s Johnny

Cash tribute and the two fi ddle players–those wild

and crazy Zielinskis. And yes, I love the pedal steel

too because it cuts through the mix with penetrating

authority. Phil Jones is a legend on the instrument

and he also plays a mean lead guitar. Clearly, the

members of Restless Kind love interacting with their

audience. Cliff hops off the stage and wanders into

the crowd to sing to each person present.

Undeniably, Restless Kind is a show band of

high-ranking, fl awless, uncompromising musicianship.

Since four of the band members are related, and

it produces such a taut sound, this could verify the

genetic inheritance theory of musical excellence.

In today’s economic crunch, staging a sevenpiece

band is a challenge, but the group stays busy

playing festivals, fairs and places like the Jax Landing.

They even bite the fi nancial bullet and play some

smaller clubs for exposure.

Restless Kind has much to offer in terms of its

“bold as love” sound that draws the audience into

their groove and inspires people to dance and have

fun. The secret is–since the band is having fun, they

pass that on to the audience through osmosis. And,

everyone goes home happy. Crank it up!

You can see Cliff Worrell & The Restless Kind

on September 21 at the Jacksonville Landing opening

for Crossin Dixon and Chris Cagle as part of the Gator

Country Concert Series.

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a nu-metal

goddess

Lennon concert review

BY KELLIE ABRAHAMSON KAbrahamson1@aol.com

At 9:15 last Friday night I was speeding down

JTB trying to make it to the Freebird and praying that

none of Jacksonville’s Finest were sneakily hiding

in the bushes ready to issue me ticketus maximus.

After an already ridiculously long, terrible day, I had

ushered my two kids out the door an hour later than

I’d planned (mostly due to two missing shoes, a

“she hit me!!!” and a potty emergency that ended

in disaster) and it was one of those days where

all I really wanted to do was crawl into bed and

sleep until Sunday. Instead, I had to cover nu-metal

songstress Lennon’s concert; hence my mad dash

down JTB.

I hate being late to anything, but given the day

I’d had, I was almost relieved. My assignment was

to cover Lennon’s performance, not the opening

acts, so I thought my tardiness would spare me one

or two bands and then I would be that much closer

to Lennon and subsequently my bed. Once I fi nally

arrived at Freebird Live, my hopes for a relatively

early night were dashed- the fi rst band was just

about to begin their set. At the time, I kicked myself

for being in such a rush, but it actually ended up

being a good thing because these opening acts

explained a lot about the audience and what was to

come.

You see, Lennon is Lennon Murphy, a singer/

songwriter from Tennessee who is also an alt pinup

model on SuicideGirls.com. At 19, she released her

fi rst album, 5:30 Saturday Morning, and has since

come out with four more records and two DVDs,

all on John Galt Entertainment, the label she cofounded.

She’s headed back to the studio in a couple

of weeks to make yet another record, promising this

one will be her heaviest yet.

After touring with the Warped Tour and

opening for Aerosmith and Mötley Crüe, Lennon has

developed a sizable following. Apparently no one has

sent Jacksonville that memo. Most of the people that

were at the show on Friday were there for Manna

Zen, AWOL or Mindslip, the local bands opening for

the nu-metal goddess. If you’re familiar with these

bands, you know that they’re, generally speaking,

melodic hard rock which would,

under normal circumstances, be

a perfect match for Lennon.

This particular evening,

though, she was without her

band, so audience members,

many of whom had no idea

who Lennon even was, were

surprised to see a pretty 20something

get on stage and

sing accompanied only by her

keyboard a la Tori Amos after all

the metal acts. Lennon informed

the audience that she writes all

of her songs on piano fi rst and

then gets together with the band

to transform the tunes into the

heavier stuff you hear on her records. Those familiar

with her work (all 6 in attendance) got to hear her

songs in a whole new way, while those who were

not had to just trust that the soulful piano ballads

sound completely different on her CDs and when the

band’s around.

With only about 50 people in the club during

her set, Lennon seemed to just have fun with her

time on stage. She spoke with her fans and manager

freely between songs, taking requests and joking

about her anonymity in the River City. Lennon also

told stories about the tunes she played, explaining

the origins of certain songs and why they’re

important to her life and career. At one point she

nervously performed a song she had written the

words to earlier that day, having a public moment of

insecurity before diving into a beautiful song with a

complex piano arrangement.

Given her SuicideGirls fame, I expected pervy

guys and catcalls, and there were a few. In fact, the

fi rst reaction to Lennon’s presence on stage was

“You’re hot!” yelled by a drunken frat boy. Members

of the male persuasion spent the fi rst half of the

show on the second fl oor of the building, presumably

so they could get a clear view of Lennon’s cleavage.

Still, the veteran singer/songwriter held her own

against the heckling oglers, throwing out comical

retorts, calling them out on their immaturity and even

demanding that they buy her drinks. By the end of

her set she had 18 bottled waters and 5 six packs of

Newcastle on stage waiting for her.

Even though most of the audience were

there to see someone else and ended up hearing

Lennon’s songs at their most basic level, by the

end of her hour-long set the songstress had won

over the crowd and many new fans lined up with

existing fans at the merch table to snag a CD and an

autograph, including the rude drunken frat boy. As

for me, I fi nally hit my pillow at 2:30 in the morning

but I didn’t really mind. At some point during one of

Lennon’s spellbinding songs, my ridiculously long,

terrible day turned into a ridiculously long, alright

night. What a difference a good show makes!

Charlie Hall Murray Hill Theatre, Jax (388-7807)

Silver Lake Drive Kingfi sh Grill, St. Augustine (824-2111)

LeMonde Ocean 60, Jax Beach (247-0060)

Jenna Metro Backstreets, St. Augustine (827-0990)

Kenhe The Homestead, Jax Beach

Little Green Men Brewsters Pub, Jax (223-9850)

Mike Sweet & Friends Mi Casa Café, St. Augustine

(824-9317)

Jager Dave On the Rocks, Jax (685-5268)

Retro Kats Culhane’s Irish Pub, Atlantic Beach

(249-9595)

Blue Collar Addict Brewsters Pit, Jax (223-9850)

Crystal Bessels Kickback’s, Jax (388-9551)

Matt Collins Pauly’s Pizza, Jax (727-9101)

Will Pearsall A1A Aleworks, St. Augustine (829-2977)

Yancy Clegg Sneakers, Jax

Phathom, Ampleforth Yesterdays, Jax (387-0502)

Brian Turner & Rip Tide Cliff’s, Atlantic Beach (249-2777)

Sidewalk 65 Tom & Betty’s, Jax (387-3311)

FRIDAY-SATURDAY, SEPT. 14-15

Cheshire Cats Trade Winds Lounge, St. Augustine

(829-9336)

A1A The Roadhouse, Orange Park (264-0611)

Pili Pili Caribbee Key, Neptune Beach (270-8940)

Something Distant Scarlett’s, St. Augustine (824-6535)

Dueling Pianos Dick’s Wings/Tinseltown, Jax

The Outcasts The Oasis, St. Augustine (471-3424)

Blistur Mercury Moon, Orange Park (215-8999)

Mr. Natural Tailgaters, Green Cove Springs (529-1976)

Boxrockers Lynch’s, Jax Beach (249-5181)

Out of Hand Palace Saloon, Fernandina

Livid Overtime Bar, Jax

Lisa & the Madhatters Cheers, Mandarin (262-4337)

Dot Wilder Jazz Casablanca Inn, St. Augustine

John Michael Rose Wicked Davey’s, Fernandina

Ron Perry Ragtime Tavern, Neptune Beach (241-7877)

Big Al & the Kaholics Monkey’s Uncle, Mandarin

(260-1349)

Those Guys A1A Aleworks, St. Augustine (829-2977)

Yankee Slickers Whitey’s Fish Camp, Orange Park

(269-4198)

Boogie Freaks Square One, Jax (306-9004)

Ryan Hamner The Grape, Jax (642-7111)

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

Robby Schenck Kickback’s, Jax (388-9551)

Magnolia Possums Creekside Dinery, St. Augustine

(829-6113)

Lauren Fincham Frisky Mermaid, Fernandina (261-3300)

Chelsea Saddler European Street/Beach, Jax (725-3929)

JW Gilmore Blues Pizza Garden, St. Augustine (471-9455)

7 Tides of Royal Blood Thee Imperial, Jax (475-0488)

Don’t Tell Anne Fionn Maccool’s, Jax Beach (242-9499)

The Bridges, Spoken Groove Murray Hill Theatre,

Jax (388-7807)

Bush Doctors Kingfi sh Grill, St. Augustine (824-2111)

Brian Turner w/Rip Tide Conch House, St. Augustine

(829-8646)

eujacksonville.com | september 13-19, 2007 23

---

Grabbag, Poncho Villa Doozer’s Pub, Jax

Falling At Will Brewsters Pit, Jax (223-9850)

Spacebar Jack Rabbits, Jax (398-7496)

Strings of Fire Jimadores, Jax (739-5828)

Louder Than Eleven Brewsters, Jax (223-9850)

Mike Sweet & Friends Mi Casa Café, St. Augustine

(824-9317)

Payton Page Mellow Mushroom, Jax (997-1955)

Nightfi re Freebird Live, Jax Beach (246-2473)

Sonoma Fuel, Jax (425-3835)

Tony Steve JU Swisher Theatre, Jax

NH3 Band GQ’s, Jax

Battle of the Bands River City Brewing Company,

Jax (398-2299)

Jackal & Hyde Endo Exo, Jax (396-7733)

E Down Club 2000, Jax

Madison Fadeout Ocean Club, Jax Beach (242-8884)

Stu Weaver Harry’s, Jax Beach (247-8855)

Derick House of Jam, Mandarin (262-3377)

Open Mic w/Larry Broussard St. Johns Pizza Grill,

Jax (287-9900)

Nimencia Yesterday’s, Jax (387-0502)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

Those Guys Sunset Grill, St. Augustine (471-5555)

Dan Shepherd Harpoon Louie’s, Jax (389-5631)

Normal Town Ragtime Tavern, Atlantic Beach

Isaac Byrd Jr. De Real Ting Café, Jax

Michael Funge Culhane’s Irish Pub, Atlantic Beach

(249-9595)

JW Gilmore Blues Gypsy Cab Company, St. Augustine

Tarik Hassan Sahara Café, Jax

David Milam Mellow Mushroom, Jax (997-1955)

Pili Pili Ocean Club, Jax Beach (242-8884)

Jimmy Parrish Carib Key, Jax Beach (270-8940)

Eyes Set To Kill Thee Imperial, Jax (475-0488)

Double Down Band Michelle’s, Jax (353-0002)

Nervous Breakdown Brewsters Pit, Jax (223-9850)

Matanzas Trade Winds Lounge, St. Augustine (829-8646)

Battle for Planetfest Jack Rabbits, Jax (398-7496)

Don David Trio Creekside Dinery, St. Augustine

(829-6113)

Soulo Kingfi sh Grill, St. Augustine (824-2111)

Spade McQuade Fionn Maccool’s, Jax Beach (242-9499)

Big Engine Whitey’s Fish Camp, Orange Park (269-4198)

3rd Bass The Casbah, Jax (981-9966)

El Toro Loco Square One, Jax (306-9004)

Jan Crawford & Friends Cortesses, St. Augustine

(825-6775)

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

Joey Cortesses, St. Augustine (825-6775)

Charlie Walker Mellow Mushroom, Jax (997-1955)

Sam Pacetti The Mill Top, St. Augustine (829-2329)

Lary Smith Harmonious Monks, Jax (886-3040)

Steve Wheeler Band Tastings, Jax

Band of Destiny Square One, Jax (306-9004)

Nolan Neal Fly’s Tie Irish Pub, Atlantic Beach (246-4293)

Chris C-4 Mann The Oasis, St. Augustine (471-3424)

24

september 13-19, 2007 | entertaining u newspaper

a christian music

gathering

New Life Coffeehouse

BY BRENTON CROZIER

WHAT: New Life Coffeehouse

WHERE: Park Street Church (West Side)

WHEN: Every Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

EXPLANATION: Coffeehouse with Contemporary

Christian Performers Representing All Genres and

Free Coffee and Snacks

The New Life Coffeehouse takes place every

Saturday night at 6:30 in the recreation hall of the

Park Street Church. George Arvin, a musician in the

praise band at the church, started the coffeehouse in

June to give other Christian artists a venue to perform.

The concept of the coffeehouse was spurred

from George’s childhood experience of being thrown

out of church for playing rock-n-roll. He explained

to me that things have really come a long way since

then and that Christians should be a powerful arm of

the popular culture.

“Christian music is continually growing and

adopting all genres of popular music, it is a great

medium to spread to word of God,” George said.

Crowd and performer turnout has been unpredictable

in both numbers and styles. The assortment

of artists is part of the event’s charm. Despite a lack

of continuity in atmosphere, artists, and even audience

members, the coffeehouse works. I attended

this past Saturday and quickly realized that it wasn’t

about creating a scene, but instead providing a welcoming

spot for artists of all stripes to perform and

enjoy fellowship.

“It’s open to everyone, but I’m mainly targeting

an age group of 18 and older with contemporary

Christian music that touches all genres,” George

told me. He is not trying to compete with Murray Hill

Theater, although he is hoping for some of the acts

that regularly appear

there to play at the New

Life Coffeehouse. There

is even a hope that

Christian comedy and

more hip-hop acts will

be part of the mix.

The coffeehouse

takes place inside of

Park Street Church to limit the amount of overhead.

You won’t fi nd any dilapidated sofas, weather-worn

books, bins of sweet-smelling coffee beans, or

even an espresso machine surrounded with clouds

of steam, but rather a corner of your grandparent’s

living room, large white tables with slightly uncomfortable

chairs, and a single coffee maker. Despite

the unconventional touches that makes it scream

“church,” the atmosphere is relaxed and laid back.

There is low lighting, a decent sound system, and

plenty of room for musicians to perform.

I wouldn’t say that the ambiance is what it

should be, but it is another part of the progression

that New Life is hoping for. Like many other aspects

of the coffeehouse, it will be formed by the people

who participate in it. There is nothing particularly

hip about the coffeehouse’s presentation or overall

aim, but upon talking to those who participated and

simply were spectators, it makes you kind of glad

that they don’t care. The crowd embraced all of the

performers, but they especially enjoyed TB1 (theblessed1.com),

The Blessed 1. In so many words,

it was a rather white bread audience, but they got

down from the start and waved their hands in the air,

waved them like they just didn’t care.

TB1 and his hype man Steve read about New

Life Coffeehouse online. They performed with prerecorded

tracks, and were able to involve the audience

and make it work. I wouldn’t say the crowd participated

charismatically, but there were a number of

positive verbal responses to TB1’s songs. TB1 (Stephen)

has been at the Christian rap game for more

than 7 years. He has spent 4 years on Jacksonville-based

Christian label No Compromise records

(nocompromiserecords.com). Although only playing

for 12 of us tonight, TB1 has had the opportunity to

perform at the TD Jakes MegaFest, open for Vickie

Winans, perform at the Convoy of Hope during the

Super Bowl, and open for Bow Wow. His new album

was released in August and he is performing as

much as he can to promote it. George told me that

TB1 is exactly the type of act he has been hoping to

bring to the New Life Coffeehouse.

George takes video of all the performers that

have played at the coffeehouse and posts it on the

coffeehouse’s MySpace account at myspace.com/

newlifecoffeehouse. His long term vision for the coffeehouse

is to provide all of Jacksonville’s rich pool

of diverse Christian musicians a place to play. Additionally,

he would like to be able to build a pool of

talent to be able to send artists as guest musicians

to area churches on a donation basis. He explained

that a lot of churches don’t have the funds to bring

musicians in, and he wants to be able to provide

the service while fulfi lling performer’s wishes for a

venue to get their inspired music out.

Next Saturday (September 15 th ), Brian Jones

from Tampa, who has opened for Sonic Flood, will

be performing and the following Saturday (September

22 nd ) local band Terrill and Company will be

kicking off their nationwide tour at New Life. Stop

by for these great acts and to enjoy free coffee, tea,

lemonade, cookies and muffi ns. There are no cover

charges and all food is free, but donations are never

turned down.

There is no trap, you won’t leave with tacky

tracts, and it is not a ploy for money for the church.

If you’re interested in contemporary Christian music

and culture, you can be a part of cultivating it in

Jacksonville by participating in New Life Coffeehouse.

---

you can dance if you

want to

Café Eleven’s Anniversary Dance Off

BY HILARY JOHNSON hilary_a_johnson@yahoo.com

WHAT: Café Eleven’s Anniversary Dance Off

WHERE: Café Eleven, St. Augustine Beach

WHEN: Tuesday, September 18, 8:30 pm

There is a tangible tang of excitement in the

air at Café Eleven, St. Augustine’s premier concert

venue for independent artists. John Vanderslice and

Bishop Allen, two great musical treats, are coming

to Florida’s historic town. But, as if their musical

airwaves weren’t enough to stir some vibrations

amongst St. Augustine’s residents, Café Eleven is

pulling out all the stops on their 5 th Anniversary celebration

with a full fl edged, no holds barred, coming

right at you with balloons, champagne and celebrity

judges Dance Off.

The only thing you really need to know is that

this Dance Off is going to be amazing. It features

three dance troupes, the TNT Dance Team of eleven,

Fire Hazard with their four guys and four girls, and

Sasparilla Sanchez bringing in the rear with three, the

minimum number of team members allowed. Each

troupe is set to “bring it” to the competition through

original choreography, fl amboyant costume and musical

selection.

“Last year TNT Dance performed at Marathon

Dance on Halloween. I was blown away!” says Dettra,

owner of Café Eleven and mastermind behind

the competition. “I thought, where did these people

TNT Dance Team Willie Heath Neal Jack Rabbits, Jax (398-7496)

Stu Weaver Harry’s, St. Augustine (824-7765)

come from? And are there other troupes like this?”

It seems there are, and that people are willing to pull

together the ranks at the opportunity to show some

personal creativity and have a ton of fun.

TNT Dance Team, a troupe that formed over a

bottle of tequila and made their debut on Halloween

a year ago, were the fi rst team to sign on. Originally

thought to be a simple invitation to dance at the Anniversary

party, Dettra soon posted an open casting

call to any and all who wanted to take on TNT Dance

in an all out Dance Off. Suddenly, what would have

been just another fun night for the troupe to show

their skills became a bid to combat.

“We had to amp up the practice shed, nail the

song, and get a costume designer that goes beyond

the sequined headband and wristbands,” says Jenai

Master, TNT’s troupe leader. “It’s getting really serious

lately. People are getting nervous.” Master said

the song selection became their secret weapon this

year, a tough decision that had to pull in the crowd

one hundred percent, as well as bridge the age gap

between the various judges. The judges range from

Ed George, the mayor of St. Augustine Beach, to

Vanderslice himself.

Secrecy has run rampant amongst the competing

teams. Fire Hazard’s troupe leader, Justin Krol,

didn’t even want the other troupes to know about his

extensive, world-renowned background in professional

dancing, not wanting to add any more fuel to

the fi re. And when asked how Fire Hazard planned to

bring it to the competition he responded by saying,

“I’m not at liberty to reveal too much information...”

What we can expect is an original and obscure song

selection with attitude and costumes as fi ery as their

team name.

Anyone was allowed to enter the competition

and rumor has it that there might be a special solo

ribbon dance that includes a black spandex costume.

At the end, the winner of the competition will receive

a special trophy. Although this year’s event is the

fi rst of its kind, Café Eleven plans on making it a

tradition, rotating the judges year to year.

“I’ve been dreaming about this event for a long

time,” says Ryan Dettra. “Dancing is an art form. I

love to see this kind of creativity.”

Despite the heavy competitive nature of this

dance off, all teams are agreed on one thing. The

competition is strong, it’s bound to be a great showdown

and everyone is in it to have a good time. This

will be no ordinary, run-of-the-mill Dance Off. This

one is going to be fi erce.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

Billy & Vinnie Sun Dog Steak & Seafood, Neptune

Beach (241-8221)

Matanzas Trade Winds Lounge, St. Augustine (829-8646)

Christina Wagner & Friends Mark’s Downtown, Jax

(355-5099)

Will Pearsall The Mill Top, St. Augustine (829-2329)

Dave Massey Kickback’s, Jax (388-9551)

Those Guys Hurricane Patty’s, St. Augustine (827-1822)

Shawn Lightfoot London Bridge, Jax (359-0001)

Scenic Void Cortesses, St. Augustine (825-6775)

Ron Perry Fionn MacCool’s, Jax Beach (242-9499)

Matt Still Caribbee Key, Neptune Beach (270-8940)

John Waters The Oasis, St. Augustine (471-3424)

Out of Hand Palace Saloon, Fernandina Beach

Café 11 Anniversary-John Vanderslice Café Eleven,

St. Augustine (460-9311)

Bill Rice Mellow Mushroom, Jax (997-1955)

Mystic Dino Lynch’s, Jax Beach (249-5181)

Mike Miller Band St. Nick’s Lounge, Jax

Blues w/Jim Brady Creekside Dinery, St. Augustine

(829-6113)

Jimmy Solari My Place, Jax (737-5299)

Seth Ramsdill Fly’s Tie Irish Pub, Atlantic Beach

(246-4293)

Ron Perry Harry’s, St. Augustine (824-7765)

El Toro Loco Square One, Jax (306-9004)

TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY,

SEPTEMBER 18-19

Gene Nordan Mackenzie’s, Ponte Vedra (543-9143)

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

Mr. Beam Casa Marina, Jax Beach (270-0025)

Dave Massey My Place, Jax (737-5299)

Rip Tide w/Brian Turner Eddie Bahamas, Jax Beach

(241-3138)

FunKtion Brix, Jax Beach

Wes Cobb Band Square One, Jax (306-9004)

Bob & Joline Creekside Dinery, St. Augustine (829-6113)

Those Guys The Pier, St. Augustine

Billy Bowers The Oasis, St. Augustine (471-3424)

Eric Dawkins Mellow Mushroom, Jax (997-1955)

War of Ages Thee Imperial, Jax (475-0488)

Jesse & Leaa Cortesses, St. Augustine (825-6775)

Jodies Fiasco Castillo de Mexico, Jax

Billy Bowers The Oasis, St. Augustine (471-3424)

Soulo Urban Flats, Ponte Vedra Beach (280-5515)

The Mike Miller Band St. Nick’s Lounge, Jax (396-3396)

El Toro Loco Aromas, Ponte Vedra (280-2525)

Chuck Nash Sun Dog Steak & Seafood, Neptune

Beach (241-8221)

Sidewalk 65 Latitudes, Jax Beach (247-6606)

Pili Pili Fly’s Tie Irish Pub, Atlantic Beach (246-4293)

Dave Massey My Place Bar & Grill, Jax (737-5299)

eujacksonville.com | september 13-19, 2007 25

---

upcoming shows

Chris Cagle Sept. 21, Jacksonville Landing

Bruce Bruce Sept. 21, Florida Theatre, 355-2787

Queens of the Stone Age Sept. 21, Plush, 743-1845

Culture Sept. 21, Freebird Live, 246-2473

The Courtneys Sept. 21, Club TSI

Burning Brides Sept. 22, Jack Rabbits, 398-7496

Do Make Say Think Sept. 23, Jack Rabbits, 398-7496

Atreyu Sept. 28, Plush, 743-1845

Strung Out Sept. 29, Freebird Live, 246-2473

Ken Andrews And Charlotte Martin Sept. 29, Jack Rabbits, 398-7496

Unearth, Darkest Hour, August Burns Red Sept. 30, Freebird Live,

246-2473

Fusebox Funk Oct. 5, Freebird Live, 246-2473

Angie Stone Oct. 6, Florida Theatre, 355-2787

Boys Like Girls Oct. 6, Freebird Live, 246-2473

David Dondero Oct.7, Cafe Eleven, 469-9311

Bonde Do Role Oct. 10, TSI, 424-3531

Sinbad October 12, Florida Theatre, 355-2787

Thee Crucials Oct. 12, Club TSI, 424-3531

Clint Black October 13, Florida Theatre, 355-2787

Michael Franti & Spearhead Oct. 13, Freebird Live, 246-2473

John Gorka October 13, Cafe Eleven, 469-9311

Gregg Allman Oct. 14, Florida Theatre, 355-2787

Dennis DeYoung Oct. 19, Florida Theatre, 355-2787

Medeski Martin & Wood Oct. 19, Freebird Live, 246-2473

The Hives Oct. 19, Jack Rabbits, 398-7496

Acoustic Alchemy Oct. 23, Florida Theatre, 355-2787

The Samples Oct. 23, Freebird Live, 246-2473

MagnoliaFest with Toots & The Maytals, Donna the Buffalo, Railroad

Earth, The Duhks, Bobby Lee Rodgers Band and more October 25–28,

Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park, Live Oak, Florida, www.magmusic.

com

Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas and Edgar Meyer Oct. 25, Florida Theatre,

355-2787

Corey Smith Oct. 26, Florida Theatre, 355-2787

Nada Surf, Sea Wolf October 27, Cafe Eleven, 469-9311

Monotonix Oct. 28, Club TSI, 424-3531

Kings of Leon Oct. 30, Florida Theatre, 355-2787

Fall Out Boy, Gym Class Heroes, Plain White T’s, Cute Is What We Aim

For Oct. 30, Jacksonville Arena, 353-3309

Dr. Dog, Delta Spirit, Emily Lacy October 30, Cafe Eleven, 469-9311

Ben Harper Nov. 1, Florida Theatre, 355-2787

Reverend Horton Heat/Hank Williams III Nov. 1, Freebird Live, 246-2473

D.L. Hughley Nov. 2, Florida Theatre, 355-2787

David Bazan Nov. 6, Cafe Eleven, 469-9311

Badfi sh Nov. 6, Freebird Live, 246-2473

Classic Albums Live - Pink Floyd’s The Wall Nov. 7, Florida Theatre,

355-2787

Tallyrand Music Festival W/Spoon, Keller Williams, The Bravery,

Pepper, Against Me!, The Polyphonic Spress, Rooney and more Nov.

10, Metro Park

Dan Zanes Nov. 10, Florida Theatre, 355-2787

Nickel Creek Nov. 12, Florida Theatre, 355-2787

Bob Weir and Ratdog Nov. 14, Florida Theatre, 355-2787

Slightly Stoopid Nov. 15, Freebird Live, 246-2473

Spill Canvas Nov. 17, Jack Rabbits, 398-7496

Jucifer Nov. 23, Jack Rabbits, 398-7496

Zoso Nov. 24, Freebird Live, 246-2473

Lalah Hathaway Nov. 24, Florida Theatre, 355-2787

The Electric Six Nov. 24, Jack Rabbits, 398-7496

Wynonna Nov. 30, Florida Theatre, 355-2787

David Wilcox Dec. 8, Cafe Eleven, 469-9311

Rev. Billy Wirtz Dec. 9, Cafe Eleven, 469-9311

Jethro Tull Dec.11, Florida Theatre, 355-2787

Johnny Winter Dec. 14, Freebird Live, 246-2473

Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi Dec. 27, Florida Theatre, 355-2787

Kathy Griffi n Jan. 17, Florida Theatre, 355-2787

JUST ANNOUNCED

Evanescence Oct. 25, Jacksonville Arena, Tickets on Sale Fri.9/14,

353-3303

Widespread Panic November 4, Times Union Center, Tickets On Sale

Fri.9/14, $38, 353-3309

Keith Urban December 7, Jacksonville Arena, Tickets On Sale Sat.9/15,

$38.50-$58.50, 353-3309

26

september 13-19, 2007 | entertaining u newspaper

breast defense at screen arts

interview with Rob DePiazza by donald dusinberre

WHAT: Keep a Breast Art Show

WHERE: Gallery at Screen Arts

WHEN: October 5th

In case you haven’t heard, there’s a big

buzz about busts in St. Augustine, so EU decided

to talk with Rob DePiazza, the guy in charge

of the Gallery at Screen Arts, my favorite gallery

in St. Augustine. He gave me the scoop on

Breast Defense, a project developed to enhance

breast cancer awareness.

In addition to a number of local artists

who will be participating, there are rumors of

many celebrity participants as well, including

Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth), Derek Hess (album

cover artist for R.L. Burnside and hundreds of

rock bands), and Mark Mothersbaugh (Devo,

Rugrats). Moreover, I’ve gotten confi rmation that

two of the Burlesque dancers involved are planning

to attend the opening.

Let’s all do our part for our favorite parts

and head on down to St. Augustine on October 5 th .

EU: Who originally came up with the titillating idea

for a Breast Defense exhibition? How did the Gallery

at Screen Arts become involved?

DePiazza: I was approached by the Art Walk for

Breast Cancer people here in St. Augustine to produce

the main event. Having been aware for a number

of years of the Keep a Breast Foundation (KAB)

and their involvement in the arts, I immediately

thought a KAB exhibition would be an ideal cornerstone

for the Art Walk taking place in October.

EU: There will be many notable artists decorating

the beautiful burlesque busts. Which artists will be

attending the opening at Screen Arts?

DePiazza: We have not received confi rmation from

all of the artists at this time, however, I do know that

local artists Mark George, David Cutter, Ian Chase,

Tonya Lee and Tony Rodrigues will be in attendance.

EU: Were the burlesque dancers eager to participate

in the project? Will any of them be present at

the exhibition’s opening?

DePiazza: The Burlesque Hall of Fame was very

eager to co-sponsor this event. As you know,

breasts are a big part of Burlesque, and maintaining

their health is paramount to their profession.

Unfortunately, I cannot confi rm if any of the dancers

will be at the opening since many of them have other

professions and live all across the country.

EU: Will the exhibition be a family event?

DePiazza: Certainly. This is by no means an R-rated

event. Although the casts are made from real live

women they are not ‘detailed’ in any way. Besides,

we were all nursed by our mothers and most likely

have fond memories of their mammaries.

EU: Where and when will the busts be auctioned

off? Can anyone attempt to purchase one? I bet

they’d make great wedding gifts or stocking

stuffers.

DePiazza: The casts will be auctioned in June 2008.

The auction will be conducted online and is open to

the public. Visit KAB’s website for details: keep-abreast.org/home.htm

---

tissue worthy

Steel Magnolias theatre review

BY ERIN THURSBY scopes1925@msn.com

WHAT: Steel Magnolias

WHEN: September 5 th - October 7 th

WHERE: Alhambra Dinner Theatre

If a movie or stage production is the slightest

bit sad, I’m bound to cry big fat tears. I’ve seen Steel

Magnolias a number of different times, staged by different

theatres, so I really should’ve brought a supply

of tissues. There’s no shame in sobbing at the heartwrenching

parts, as long as you’re quiet about it. It

wasn’t just me. At the next table, tears fl owed freely,

and, when I managed to wipe away my tears so I

could see, most of the audience was in much the

same state.

When I’ve gone to see this show on other stag-

es, I generally have a favorite out of the six women

on the stage. This time, I couldn’t pick a favorite.

These ladies worked as a true ensemble. I thought

they could have worked the humor aspect a little

more than they did, but I think they were still feeling

out how the comedy would play to an audience, and

it will be tighter by their second night. It’s a diffi cult

line to tread, this “laughter through tears.”

Steel Magnolias was written by Robert Harling,

who based it on his own life, and his sister’s death.

He later adapted the play into the 1989 movie, starring

Sally Fields and Julia Roberts.

The plot, for the unfamiliar, centers around

M’lynn and her grown daughter Shelby. The action

opens at Truvy Jones’ home beauty salon, where

Shelby is getting her hair done for her wedding. We

follow the lives of all the women over about two

years, using the cathartic setting of the beauty salon

to magnify the women’s relationships and lives. Despite

medical problems relating to diabetes, Shelby

ultimately decides to have a child, even though it

puts her own life in danger. Truvy, the hairdresser,

takes in Annelle as a junior hairdresser, just when

Annelle’s life is on the rocks. Clairee is dealing with

her husband’s death and what to do afterwards.

Emily Tello plays the spunky and cheerful Shelby

with verve and believability. Tello fi lls the role with

a bighearted Southern sassiness. Those who are a

fan of Emily’s, or those who frequent the Alhambra,

will recognize her from her last major role as Sandy

in Grease!

With an every-mom sensibility, Lisa Valdini

takes on the role of M’lynn. M’lynn has trouble accepting

her daughter’s decision to have a child. The

relationship between M’lynn and Shelby is one that

most women can relate to.

The play opens with Truvy Jones, played by

Patti Eyler, a local favorite on stage. Truvy is auditioning

Annelle (Evelyn Gaynor) played with a brilliant

nerdy idiocy in the fi rst few scenes. Annelle is a favorite

character of mine to watch when the dialogue

is focusing on other characters, and Gaynor made it

worth my while.

Lisa Clarson plays Ousier with a cantankerous

warmth, as befi ts the part. Mostly, Ousier complains

about her neighbors, tourists and whatever else she

can fi nd, but she’s a solid part of the group, fi rmly

friends with all the other women.

Candace Cooke takes on the role of Clairee, the

widow of the mayor. She tosses off her best lines

with relish, and appears to enjoy her own life as well,

even as she faces the reality of growing old without

her husband by her side.

Steel Magnolias will be running from September

5 th - October 7 th at the Alhambra. If you haven’t

been before, know that you should come hungry, as

it’s an Equity Actor’s dinner theatre. Call 641-1212

or 1-800-688-7469 for tickets.

My advice to the ladies: don’t wear mascara

and bring tissues.

eujacksonville.com | september 13-19, 2007 27

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criminal hearts

Limelight Theatre review

BY DICK KEREKES dickkerekes@yahoo.com

St. Augustine’s Limelight Theatre’s

motto for the 2007-2008 should be:

Double your pleasure, double your fun, we

now have two theaters instead of just one.

Last weekend Limelight Theatre

opened its Black Box Theatre, located in an

addition in the rear of their original building.

This new space will allow Artistic Director

Beth Lambert and General Manager Emma

Lee Carpenter to offer a 2 nd stage with

cutting edge plays and other shows that

might not be fi t for the main stage.

The choice of Criminal Hearts from

the pen of the anonymous playwright Jane

Martin, who debuted all her scripts at the

Humana Festival at the Actors Theatre of

Louisville, is excellent. Martin is known to North Florida audiences from her plays Keely and Du, Vital

Signs and Talking With. The play debuted in l992, so are you wondering why it has not been done in this

area? This little gem is a comedy/drama, with very earthy language and subject matter. The three black

box theaters we now have in North Florida (Players, Limelight and FCCJ), allow groups to choose plays

that might not appeal to their main audience. In the past this was not the case.

Limelight’s choice of Neptune Beach resident Barbara Evans as Director could not have been any

better. Give Ms. Evans some good actors and a challenging script, and she will create award-winning

theatre magic every time. If you saw her Coyote on a Fence, Last Train to Nibroc or Six Dance Lessons

in Six Weeks, just to name three, you know what I mean.

This is the story of criminal minds with criminal hearts, so there is a lot of larceny going on. Set in

Chicago, the play opens with female burglar, Bo, breaking into a darkened apartment to steal anything of

value, including furniture and appliances. Unfortunately for her, Ata’s estranged husband, who lives here,

has stolen everything. All that is left is a mattress, empty Dr. Pepper cans, empty pizza boxes and a very

unhappy wife.

Kristin Pidcock is absolutely marvelous as Ata, a true neurotic who refuses to leave the apartment

due to a fear of practically everything and everybody. Ms. Pidcock adds this performance to her

impressive Limelight resume, which includes Claire in Proof, Effy in Spitfi re Grill and Mae in Cat on a

Hot Tin Roof.

Amy Royster is Bo, an attractive professional liar. As the play develops, the chemistry between Bo

and Ata reminded me of the movie Thelma and Louise. Ms. Royster is a recent theatre major graduate

from Jacksonville University and I saw her in many memorable performances in dramatic and musical

theatre.

Bo’s sidekick and accomplice, Robbie, enters in the middle of act one, wondering what has

happened to his criminal partner. If you’ve ever seen George Carlin’s bit on the Hippy Dippy Weather

man, than you will recognize Ashley Carter as what I calling the Hippy Dippy Burglar. Robbie is a

devoted Cubs fan and listens to the games on headphones as he steals. As played by Mr. Carter, Robbie

bounced and bopped around like he had a colony of ants in his underwear. This guy is a very funny

dude.

As the play developed, Bo, Robbie and Ata fi gured out a way to go to her husband’s residence and

steal back what he had stolen.

Enter the very angry, silver-tongued, estranged husband Wib. He is a lawyer with little regard for

his wife, who discovered he was carrying on six affairs at the same time (three of them each lunch hour;

now that is what I call a power lunch). Award-winning actor Mark Lambert is excellent as Wib, who, in

true lawyer fashion, absolves himself of all responsibility or blame. I overheard one of the women in the

audience describe Mark as Robert Redford-handsome. I would go along with that assessment.

I will not reveal the unique ending, but if good acting turns you on, you can’t do better than

Criminal Hearts.

Set Designer/Technical Director Scott Ashley has created the windows and doors necessary to

make this play work in a simple but effective setting. I can’t wait to see what masterpiece he will come

up with for Frankenstein on the main stage, which opens on October 5 th .

Limelight is conducting a naming campaign as part of a fundraiser, and almost every area of the

theatre is for sale. I found a small broom closet that might fi t my bidding pocket book and, if I win, I will

call it Dick’s Dungeon.

Limelight Theatre has become a true success story in the world of local theatre. There are many

reasons, but among them are having a great staff and an active President and Board of Directors.

Limelight would also not be where it is today were it not for The Limelight Guild, which is 150 members

who donate many volunteer hours throughout the year.

Don’t miss Criminal Hearts. The theatre only seats 60, so reserve early. Performances

are Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 pm, with matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm. All

performances are at the Joukowsky Family Center for the Performing Arts, 11 Old Mission Avenue, St.

Augustine. Call 825-1164 for reservations.

28 september 13-19, 2007 | entertaining u newspaper

cinderella

Orange Park Community Theatre review

BY DICK KEREKES dickkerekes@yahoo.com

Orange Park Community Theatre opened

its 37 th season last week with the Rodgers and

Hammerstein musical Cinderella. This bright, family

entertainment will run through September 29 th and is

one you don’t want to miss.

Cinderella is an unusual musical for several

reasons. It is the only musical that Rodgers and

Hammerstein wrote for television. It aired in 1957

and starred Julie Andrews. It is a musical that has

been very successful and popular but has never

played on Broadway.

The story is universally known, but here is

a short recap to refresh your memory. It is the

fairytale of a slighted beauty who outshines her evil

stepsisters at a royal ball, and then returns to her

grim existence before the handsome prince fi nds her

again.

Under the guidance of Director Robert M.

Wilson and Musical Director Michelle Nugent

Munley, OPTC has topped itself once again. In June

this theater did the musical State Fair that had a cast

of 34. Cinderella has 39 cast members and is even

more elaborate than the very excellently produced

State Fair.

The costumes are gorgeous, plentiful and as

attractive and well selected as any I have seen in

professional productions of this show. I especially

liked Cinderella’s wedding gown (Thanks for the

loan, Alhambra Dinner Theatre) and I loved the

color co-ordinated attire worn by the King (Scott

Broughton) and Queen (Erin Barnes) at the Royal

Ball. These lovely creations would not have

been possible without the funds provided by The

Community Foundation Inc and The Tom Nehl Fund.

Director Wilson also designed the set and with

a large staff of volunteers to build it and very capable

stage crew to move it around, it was truly amazing.

Revolving fl ats were used so that the front and back

could be used for different locations. There were

many scene changes and, at one point, Cinderella’s

house reappears for only two minutes of lines. I was

very impressed by the palace ballroom which was

gorgeous.

The four piece orchestra under Ms. Munley’s

direction was located in the auditorium, taking up

most of the right corner. They handled the entire

musical very professionally and right on cue.

In every production I have seen of this

show, Cinderella’s Stepmother and her stepsisters

provide many comic moments. Kirstin M. Jewell

plays the stepmother and Erin Gawera and Yolanda

Olmstead are the stepsisters. They all gave campy

performances and were crowd favorites.

It was good to see Trish Stain back on stage.

She makes the Fairy Godmother a very funny and

memorable character. She has been an outstanding

performer in more than 50 musicals in the North

Florida area.

Joseph Walz is picture-perfect as the Prince.

Walz, who just fi nished law school at Florida, has

been a solid musical theatre performer for the past

ten years. He has the ability to establish rapport with

audiences, and you can feel that mutual warmth

moving across the footlights. Joe is hoping for a

career in theatre and is heading to California after he

passes the bar exam. (Just sing your way through it

Joe).

Erin Nicole Long is a Douglas Anderson School

of the Arts graduate, and currently a student at

the University of Florida. She drove to and from

Gainesville daily to do this role and I am glad she

did. Ms. Long certainly was the vocal equal to Julie

Andrews, and with her good looks and charm, she

is just the most delightful Cinderella you have ever

seen anywhere.

Did I mention there are some wonderful songs

in this show? ‘In My Own Corner,’ ‘l0 Minutes Ago’

and ‘Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful?’ have

become classics and you will leave the theatre

humming them.

Choreographer Meme Broadfoot’s dance

creations made the stage seem much larger than

it was. I especially liked the antics of the various

rodents who later became horses for the coach.

(Yes, this play has it all.)

Special kudos to Stage Managers Pat Gorman

and Cecilia Emmert. Without your efforts in

coordinating everything, the show would not have

been such a success and so smoothly run. Thanks

as well to Barbara Well, Production Manager, who

also created the program insert that includes a

biography on every member of the cast.

I urge you not to miss this show. OPTC has

assembled an outstanding cast, with many fi ne

voices to this superbly produced production. It is a

fast paced show with lots of fun for young and old.

There is a song in this musical entitled ‘Impossible.’

Orange Park does not know the meaning of the word.

Call 276-2599 for reservations or visit their website

at opct.org.

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women and the machine

Typewriter by Altered Dance and Music

BY ERIN THURSBY scopes1925@msn.com

What: Typewriter

When: September 15 th @ 7:30 pm

Where: Jacksonville University’s Swisher Theatre

For an evening of original dance, music and

art by Altered Dance and Music, come out to see

Typewriter, held at Jacksonville University’s Swisher

Theatre.

The typewriter is much more than a dinosaur

of the printing era. It is a machine that had its place

in history, playing it admirably. For women of the

late19th century through the 1970s, the typewriter

was one of the few means of independence. Three

professors at Jacksonville University—Barry Wilson,

Cari Coble and Tony Steve, began discussing the role

of women from the 1950s to today. After reading an

article on the typewriter as a means of economic

freedom in the early 20 th century, they decided that

both the typewriter and women needed to be represented

on stage.

The title of the piece has a double meaning.

Typewriter can mean the actual machine, but in the

earlier part of the 20 th century, it was used to refer to

the typists themselves, the type writers.

So the woman is, in effect, the typewriter and

so is the machine. At some point, women stopped

taking dictation, writing what they were told to write,

and they began using the power of words on their

own. With the death of the manual typewriter and the

advent of the Internet, words have become freer and

the power of the printed word now belongs to everybody.

As society changed, a woman’s accepted

role changed. As technology changed, so too did

the typewriter. You might argue that it disappeared,

but as I write this on a QWERTY keyboard, I can only

think that it hasn’t died, it’s just evolved to survive.

Barry Wilson, a Jacksonville artist who teaches

printmaking at the school, had his own private collection

of antique typewriters. He provides the videography

that plays behind the dancers.

Tony Steve, assistant professor of contemporary/world

music, wrote the score for the piece, putting

together live music that he says is “sometimes a

little sarcastic.”

Cari Coble, the last of the trio, choreographed

the dance, interpreting their vision through movement.

The jumping off point for their vision was

two-fold: an article on the role and extinction of the

type writer and a list called “The Good Wife’s Guide”

which has widely circulated the Internet. It’s purported

to come from a Ladies Home Journal article

or a home economics textbook from the 1950s,

but Snopes.com debunks it as a fraud. Even if the

exact text never existed, the attitudes and sentiments

within are certainly believable as part of 1950s

wifely ideals, if only because the ideas are found

throughout printed materials of that time.

Pieces of the text from this list are projected

as part of the videography, as the dancers act out

parts of the text. At one point, when the projected

text says: “Minimize all noise. At the time of his [the

husband’s] arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer,

dryer, or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to

be quiet.” In response, composer Tony Steve wrote a

cacophony of sound, instead of a soothing piece.

Typewriter is a multi-faceted production, designed

to do many things at once. It tells us where

we’ve been and how we’ve changed, how the idea

of what a wife should be has changed and how all

of that is tied to the history of a machine, inexorably

linked to the women that once used it as a ticket to

independence.

You can see Typewriter at Jacksonville

University’s Swisher Theatre on Saturday, September

15 th at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $10 for adults, $7

for seniors, $5 for general students and free to JU

students with the proper ID. For more info call (904)

256-7374 or visit arts.ju.edu.

art events

SEPTEMBER

13 Auditions: Amateur Night 5-6:15 Ritz Theatre, Jax

13 Governor’s Luncheon To Benefi t United Negro College

Fund Omni Hotel, Jax

13-15 Exhibit: Jim Draper – “Produce” Stellers Gallery,

Neptune Beach

13-16 “Shout! The Mod Musical” FCCJ Wilson Center, Jax

13-17 “Lost & Found” Exhibit Women’s Center of Jacksonville, Jax

13-21 Exhibit: “Made of Steel” Metalworker Photo Studies

FCCJ S. Campus, Jax

13-21 Exhibit-14 Artists-Printmaking, Tile, Photography The

Art Advocate, St. Augustine

13-23 “Criminal Hearts” Limelight Theatre, St. Augusitne

13-25 Exhibit George Phillips Pitlak FCCJ Kent Campus, Jax

13-26 Brad Silverstein Art Exhibition JU Alexander Brest Library, Jax

13-29 “Cinderella” Orange Park Community Theatre,

Orange Park

13-30 Elemental Atmospheres Paintings By Princess Simpson

Rashid MOSH, Jax

13-30 Exhibit: William Newby New Works in Oil Energy Lab

Art Gallery, St. Augustine

13-OCT. 7 Steel Magnolia’s Alhambra Dinner Theatre, Jax

13-OCT. 14 381 Days: The Montgomery Bus Boycott Story

Ritz Theatre, Jax

13-OCT. 14 Dinosaurs & Ice Age Mammals MOSH, Jax

13-OCT. 27 Mystery Dinner Theatre Dave & Buster’s, Jax

13-NOV. 4 The Cummer Is…Photographs By Ingrid Damiani

Cummer Museum, Jax

13-FEB. 28 Oh Say Can You See: American Art Cummer Museum, Jax

14 Opening Reception: Coherent Structures by Carol Prusa MOCA, Jax

14 Dark of the Moon Tour St. Augustine Lighthouse, St. Augustine

14 Nightowl Cinema-E.T. The Amphitheatre, St. Augustine

14 X Benefi t MOSH, Jax

14 Brew at the Zoo-entertainment, Food, Beer Zoo, Jax

14-16 Southern Monster Truck Showdown Clay County

Fairgrounds, Green Cove Springs

14-29 “Cabaret” Players by the Sea, Jax Beach

14-30 Exhibit-Artist Ron Burns To Benefi t Humane Society R.

Roberts Gallery, Jax

14-OCT. 6 “A Midnsummer Night’s Dream” Theatre Jax, Jax

15 Experimental Painting with Instructor Kim Barry MOCA, Jax

15 American Heart Association Heart Walk Metro Park, Jax

15 Typewriter – Altered Dance & Music JU, Jax

15 Barbie’s The Island Princess DVD Event The Zoo, Jax

15 Film Series “Boycott” Ritz Theatre, Jax

14-OCT. 6 A Midsummer Nights Dream Theatre Jax, Jax

14-JAN. 6 Sculptor: Minoru Ohira Exhibit MOCA, Jax

16 Craig Hall – Brahms Church of the Good Shepherd, Jax

16 Intermezzo Concerts Main Library, Jax

16 Auditions: Moon Over the Brewery Theatre Jax, Jacksonville

16 Concert Series-Robert Breault, Tenor Cummer Museum, Jax

16 Music From the Movement/Charles Cobb Lecture Ritz Theatre, Jax

18 Tale Tellers Theatre of the Mind Limelight Theatre, St. Augustine

19 Go Figure: Drawing Live Models With Jonathan Lux MOCA, Jax

20 Taste of the NFL Touchdown Club, Jax

21 Comedian Ron White Stephen C. O’Connell Center, Gainesville

22 Miracles in the Moonlight Gala Benefi t Hyatt Regency, Jax

22 Open Casting Call-HBO’s “Recount” 8am-6pm Ed Ball Building, Jax

22 Dance Alive National Ballet “Cleopatra” Philips Center, Gainesville

22 Race Revolution: Jax During the Civil Rights Era Ritz Theatre, Jax

22 21 st Annual Rollin on the River Car Show The Landing, Jax

24 Betty Griffi n House Annual Luncheon & Fashion Show

Marriott Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra

eujacksonville.com | september 13-19, 2007 29

---

This past weekend, I was in Tallahassee with my family celebrating the induction of my uncle,

Gary Pajcic, into the Florida State University Athletics Hall of Fame. Almost everyone from my

mom’s side of the family came together, from near or nearer or even far, to celebrate. We bought

new dresses for the banquet. My mom, my sister and I all wore outfi ts of black and tan animal print

in an accidental stand of unity. Uncles and aunts in their seventies came, as well as little toddlers

and even one baby still in the belly. We reserved clusters of hotel rooms and tickets to the game and

got my huge family of a thousand and one together in one place.

Everyone of importance, besides my grandma who is too old to travel now, came out for the

event. Everyone, that is, but my uncle. Last year, in a tragic moment that changed the rest of our

lives forever, my uncle was diagnosed with encephalitis and died within four days. A fi gurehead of

my family, of Jacksonville, and of the state of Florida, his death reached so many that it left everyone

who knew him with a hole inside of them that can never be fi lled.

It was a little over a year ago that my whole family was last gathered, to attend his funeral.

Newspapers all over the state remarked upon his death, all the news channels covered it for the

week surrounding his passing, and over a thousand people attended the funeral. But, despite knowing

his great contributions to his community, I will always remember him as the man who called

himself my “second daddy,” who always had a bag of change saved up for my little sister every

time we saw him, who gave more hugs than anyone else I know, who cherished family and made

certain everyone else in our expanding family did as well. He held us together.

I was excited for this weekend. I was excited to be able to celebrate his life with the people who

knew him best, to cherish what he was as a man, and to do it in his favorite kind of way, with his

family, his good friends, football and some good food.

The weekend started with the induction banquet. My aunt, my late uncle’s wife who has been

given the enormous task of carrying on his name and his convictions, gracefully introduced him to

the room and remembered him for all the amazing things he was. She even told one of his favorite

stories, because telling stories was one of the things my uncle did best. I cried, as did many others,

watching her stand before us, so strong and still so full of his presence. Sometimes it feels as if he

hasn’t really left us, and I hope that’s because we are able to keep him alive in our hearts.

The next day was the game. This was the part he really would have enjoyed. We all walked

from the hotel to the stadium and started the celebration in his special parking space, the same one

we tailgated in all through my college years, and my sisters before me, as long as I can remember.

Everyone was there, just as it had been in years past. I kept expecting to turn my head and see him

standing with his best friend, Ron Sellers, or chowing into some of his famous homemade boiled

peanuts. Florida State won the game, the family was together, and it was a beautiful warm summer

night. If he could have seen us, he would have been so proud.

I moved away to California two weeks after my uncle passed. It was the hardest thing I have

ever had to do. My family is my foundation, and that is something that I cherish and respect about

myself. It felt like a black cloud hung over all of our heads this past year as we tried to fi nd our way

through. I know I am back where I belong. If there is one thing I learned from him, it’s to be proud

of who you are and where you’re from. Hold up your community and your community will hold you.

My uncle knew that, and used the word “community” loosely to defi ne anything and everything in

his life that meant something to him.

This weekend, my pride in my family, in my team (go Noles!), and in my home could not have

been stronger. I spent fi ve years trying to fi nd the place that could fi ll my heart, not knowing that

it was right where I had left it. It had been here waiting for me all along. And although I regret not

having spent more time with him in his fi nal days, I can still feel him with us. He has taught me so

much, and the lessons keep on coming. I miss his hugs, I miss his stories, I miss the man, but his

spirit is still here. It’s inside us all.

30 september 13-19, 2007 | entertaining u newspaper

JAGUARS

After getting run over, around, and through by

the Titans last week, the Jaguars now try to gather

their collective ego and get ready to host the Atlanta

Falcons, a team that lost in Minnesota last weekend.

Without question, the Jags’ defense was not happy

about the way they were manhandled by the Titans

offense. Coming off last season, the Jaguars had

established a tough reputation for shutting down their

opponents. Then Tennessee came in and made some

nice plays, with RBs Chris Brown and LedDale White

and QB Vince Young gaining large chunks of real estate.

I’m sure Jack Del Rio was not happy with the

way he and his boys were treated. I’m sure he’ll do

a few things THIS week to get the team back in line

and ready to play a little better this weekend against

a Falcons team that is certainly not in the greatest

condition. Most perceive Atlanta as a squad that is not

very good without Michael Vick.

While the Jaguars defense got beat up last

week, the offense also wasn’t very effective, and it

had nothing to do with David Garrard. The running

game was essentially non-existent, with Fred Taylor

only gaining 16 yards on six carries. And a lot of people

didn’t know until after the fact that K Josh Scobee

had banged himself up during pre-game warm-ups

last week. We shall see if he is close to being in form

this Sunday.

There are a lot of tickets available for this game,

since Atlanta is not the sexiest draw in the NFL. This

game will most likely be blacked out, so if you want

to check it out, go downtown on Sunday, as seats are

available!

THE OTHER THIRTY-ONE

It seems the Patriots are loaded AGAIN this

season! Tom Brady and Randy Moss are going to be

in heaven, as long as they both stay healthy. We’ll

see what kind of test they get when San Diego travels

to New England Sunday night. Meanwhile, the Colts

have had plenty of time to relax and prepare to take

on the Titans in Nashville. That could get interesting.

After lighting up the scoreboard for 45 points against

the Giants, the Dallas Cowboys now head to Miami to

face a roughed-up Dolphins squad.

We will know more about who is good in the

NFL after three or four weeks. Until then, these games

are a chance for everyone to sort themselves out, so

to speak.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

After two solid weeks of games, we are seeing

that there is perhaps a bit of disparity in college

football. Things are atrocious in Michigan, where the

Wolverines are 0-2. They will now take on the 0-2

Notre Dame squad, and this should be an unbelievable

contest! Whoever ends up 0-3 might have their coach

THE

JOCK

by tom weppel

fi red! Michigan will play without their QB Chad Henne,

while the Irish will have Freshman Jimmy Clausen in

the driver’s seat.

I don’t think the Auburn Tigers had any inkling

whatsoever that South Florida would come in and beat

them. Tiger fans are aghast this week! I’m sure that

Georgia Bulldog fans are not happy, either, as Steve

Spurrier came into Athens and let his Gamecocks beat

the ‘Dogs.

Then we have the Seminoles, who are looking

very pedestrian after their win against UAB last week.

It seems Florida State is not a very good team, and

we’ll know a little more on Saturday as they travel out

West to take on Colorado.

The marquee match in this area, though, will be

in Gainesville, as the Gators get their fi rst stern test

when they host the Tennessee Volunteers. Florida is

a tad injured in some key areas and we’ll see if they

have those players available. Obviously, the key will

be the play of QB Tim Tebow, who has shown some

strong play in his fi rst two starts. It should defi nitely

be an entertaining contest!

NASCAR

And so the Chase is now on! It’s down to these

few drivers to race on for the Championship, led by

Jimmie Johnson, who is on a nice roll after winning

his second straight race last weekend in Richmond.

Meanwhile, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is out of the

Chase and should maybe just pack his bags and

move on, since he will be changing his status next

year anyway. If I were him, I’d start having some fun

and tailgate on the track, slow others down, or pull all

sorts of antics, just to piss off Teresa Earnhardt, his

stepmother.

Anyway, I believe the Chase will come down to

Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Tony Stewart, with

Kevin Harvick and a few others getting into the race. It

starts this weekend in New Hampshire.

LAST WORD

Folks, we are witnessing two individual dynasties

in sports in these times! Tiger Woods and Roger

Federer are unbelievable in their play at the present

time. Federer won his third Major this year last

weekend, taking the U.S. Open Championship. It was

his twelfth Major title, and he has many more years

ahead of him. Then, Tiger will, for all intents, pick up

the FedEx playoff Championship in Atlanta on the PGA

Tour this weekend. He will then add the $10 million

top prize to the roughly $75 million he has already

won in his career, at the age of 31. Without question,

both of these gentlemen are making history before our

very eyes.

Tom Weppel talks trash with Greg Larson, Lonnie

Marts, Eugene Chung, Artis Gilmore, and Ron Duguay

on SportsAvengers.com 24/7.

---

nascar news & notes

BY RICHARD TEAGUE tinynascars@yahoo.com

It’s that time again and, like I’ve done for the

past few years, I’ll speak out about how I do not

like the Chase format in NASCAR. I know there ain’t

nothing me or you can do about it, and honestly

we’ll just have to live with it, but gee whiz, I hate

it! Brian France likens it to the major sports such

as MLB and the NFL, but how in the world can he

do that? The other sports play a FULL season and

then come the playoffs and a championship series.

Where is the relationship? This year NASCAR raised

the number of chasers to twelve, only because certain

drivers who are popular didn’t make it in 2006,

so whatcha goin’ to do next year Brian? I know,

make it 15 spots in 2008, but I don’t think that

would help at all for you-know-who.

Now, I sat there Saturday night to watch

the Rock n Roll at Richmond, not because Junior

was trying to make the Chase but because I love

Richmond at night with all the shiny racecars. It is

even better than Bristol. So what if it was the last

shot that some guys had to make the playoff, it’s

just a great race track with tons of NASCAR history.

Y’all probably know by now that I put tracks

into three groups, but Richmond is the odd man out

when it comes to this grouping. Just to refresh your

memory, there are the big tracks that are 2 or more

miles (and not all are super speedways either, I save

that elite classifi cation for only high bankers). In the

second class are the milers, which are what I call

“bathtub tracks,” an obvious naming. Then, in the

third class of tracks are the toilet bowl tracks (another

easily recognizable name), which are the two

smallest.

Richmond falls into a group by itself because

of its three-quarter mile length, which can give fans

some of the best racing in NASCAR. Drivers get that

little bit of extra front and back stretch so the pedal

goes to the metal, even if only for a short time, to allow

those guys to make moves on other drivers that

you don’t get to see anywhere else. Not often does a

driver who started way back in the fi eld move up to

the top ten to fi nish, unless he’s a big-time guy. On

Saturday, not one, but two non-coms managed to do

it: Johnny Sauter and J.J. Yeley.

Sauter went from a 35 th place start to a FIFTH

place fi nish, while Yeley started one back further at

36 th and fi nished 10 th . These two guys also did it in

the Car of Tomorrow, which, by the way, I am beginning

to warm up to since I ain’t got no choice in the

matter. Anyway, only at RIR will there be racing like

we were treated to Saturday, and since ISC owns

the track, I bet it’s race dates will never be moved

or traded, just like Bristol’s won’t. When France can

put a hundred and twelve thousand fans in one place

selling out for so many races, it ain’t never cutting

back. He is probably thinking how he can add another

100,000 seats so the ISC coffers can get bigger.

Last week, I said that Dale Earnhardt Jr.

wouldn’t make the Chase, but that was pretty much

already known by all. It was just a hope and a prayer

for some fans, and I really think that Junior knew

it, too. It seems that fans are talking about how DEI

has given the #8 car nothing but second rate stuff

so that Junior would look bad, but I can’t see it that

way, and really, can anyone truly believe that? Hey

people, s**t happens and motors blow, as you can

see from Roush Racing some time back. Saying that

DEI is the bad guy here is like saying Junior isn’t

driving up to his ability, and that would be another

falsehood. Yes, the #8 team might be the black

sheep (or short timers, as a better term), but the

looking glass those people are under now would

keep them from treating each other in a negative

way.

Dale just had a weird season, and as I said,

he has done a great job with all the things pilling on

him. I saw in his interview after his motor blowed

(I know blew or blown would be a better word, but

I like to write so that my friends can understand,

ya’ know?). Now he can do like Tony did last year

and win some races, since the pressure is off. I will

make a prediction that Junior will win two out of the

next ten, just out of spite, and of course a couple of

bucks. I did wonder what Kevin Harvick was thinking

when he saw Earnhardt running way up front.

He’s sitting there watching that stream of steam

shoot out from under the hood of #29. Also, when

Kurt Busch got damaged, was he thinking about his

spot slipping away? There’s that dang word again,

and since it has to be used in every single blooming

article these days, I’ll say it once: drama.

Well it looks like Richard Childress’ “can’t we

just get along” routine came up good for him and

AT&T with the logo back on the #31 car. Man, I was

excited to see that for Jeff Burton, Childress and

RCR, but it cost them all. The big world is back on

the hood for the next ten races, but for every good

thing there seems to be a bad thing that comes

along with it. NASCAR isn’t any exception. The way I

understand it is that NASCAR and Sprint (since there

ain’t no Nextel anymore) let the logo back with a

condition that AT&T has to leave the Cup after 2008.

So Richard has got a reprieve and can fi nd a new

sponsor for Jeff, which is SO LAME of Sprint and

Brian France, but count your blessings RCR, it could

have been much worse. The real losers on this deal

are the lawyers that didn’t get the big bucks to go to

court!

So General Motors wants to get Tony Stewart

back in a Chevy just as soon as his contract is up

with Joe Gibbs Racing. Just how do they intend

to do that? You thought this thing with Junior was

something, you just wait until a manufacturer tries

to get a driver away from a team owner and signed

to different team. Has GM absolutely lost their

marbles on this one, or are we seeing the future with

contracts between drivers, owners and car makers?

How about the France family having race teams on

the track? Now, just where this will go is a tough

question that I don’t have an answer for...YET. I’m

still sick that Gibbs is going over, but I do hope they

will be happy and perform well enough so Toyota

will bump the ante to get other teams to do the

same.

What will be the acronym if Gillett Evernham

Motorsports and Petty Enterprises merge with the

#43 and #45 cars next year, or even this year?

How about a couple of suggestions? Don’t be

scared, email me a few y’all come up with. You need

to keep in mind that the G has to be fi rst since he is

the one with the money. GEEP, GPEEM, or perhaps

GEME but I think this would be more apropos:

GGSTTOREMARPEBHGTBB. Let me break that down

for y’all. George Gillett Subsidizing The Teams Of

Ray Evernham Motorsports And Richard Petty Enterprises

Because He’s Got The Big Bucks. Rolls right

off your tongue, don’t it? You talk about the end of

an era? Well Bubbas and Bubba-ettes, you are looking

right at it.

That’s enough from me this week, so let me

hear from y’all at tinynascars@yahoo.com, and you

really should know, If it ain’t NSACAR, It ain’t s**t!!

eujacksonville.com | september 13-19, 2007 31