Your weekend arts forecast: Betcha it’s the Stylistics
Anyone who reads this column with any regularity knows that yours truly has a slight bugaboo about musical groups performing without a single original member, and my contention that such things are no different from a tribute act.
Then there’s the “the songwriters are gone, and the distinctive voice you loved on the hit records is gone too” scenario, wherein the bass player, drummer or one of the horn players owns the rights to the name, and the logo, and hits the road playing said hits with a bunch of ringers. Is that really the band you loved? Or are you paying for the name?
Well, there are always exceptions. Take the Stylistics, the Philadelphia rhythm ‘n’ blues vocal group that put “You Make Me Feel Brand New,” “I’m Stone in Love With You,” “Betcha By Golly Wow” and a half dozen more on the pop and soul charts in the 1970s, produced by the legendary Thom Bell. To put this in context, Bell also crafted the Spinners’ and Delfonics’ hits.
The Stylistics perform Sunday at the Palladium Theatre, and although lead singer Russell Thompkins Jr., whose falsetto singing was a Stylistics trademark, left the group decades ago, there’s still enough legitimate connection to the glory days to say “Yes, this is the Stylistics.”
Airrion Love and Herb Murrell, both founding members of the quartet, are still on board (with two later other-guy arrivals) and will be part of the smooth-harmony festivities in the Palladium’s Hough Hall.
Tickets are here.
More concerts
A short list of famously funny Scotsmen includes Billy Connolly, Alan Cumming, Ivor Cutler, Groundskeeper Willie … and Craig Ferguson, who performs tonight (Thursday, Oct. 20) at the Straz Center, in the aptly-named Ferguson Hall. Here’s our interview with the former host of CBS’ Late Late Show. The ticket link is included.
On Wednesday, we published a conversation with Michael Francis, music director for The Florida Orchestra, about Stravinsky’s groundbreaking ballet suite The Rite of Spring, the centerpiece of this weekend’s concerts in Tampa, St. Pete and Clearwater. Find that story (plus ticket link) here.
Friday at the Seminole Hard Rock Event Center: Singer/songwriter Amos Lee. Tickets are here.
Saturday brings Dream Theater guitar great John Petrucci to the Capitol Theatre, with former Dream Theater bandmate Mike Portnoy on drums, and Dave LaRue on bass. Opening: The all-female thrash metal band Meanstreak. Tickets here.
Michelle Azar as Ruth Bader Ginsburg in “All Things Equal” at freeFall Theatre. The world premiere drama is in its final weekend. Photo: Dalton Hamilton.
Theater
In its inaugural weekend is The Abbey of the Holy Lonesome, a drama at LAB Theater Project in Ybor City. Although it’s being produced in time for the Halloween season, “it’s more like a fairy tale than a ghost story,” according to the play’s director, Katie Calahan of St. Petersburg. “Because it centers around a mountain witch.”
Andra Laine Hunter wrote The Abby of the Holy Lonesome, running Oct. 20 through Nov. 6 at LAB. “It’s kind of about ‘What would you pay to know your future?”’ Calahan continues. “Kind of a Macbeth thing. But it’s a young girl who wants to know what her life will be like. And then it turns out that the cost of that is enormous, and comes back on her three daughters.”
Info and tickets are here.
Sunday will be the absolute final show for the world premiere of Rupert Holmes’ All Things Equal: The Life and Trials of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, at freeFall Theatre. Find all show dates, times and tickets here.
Jobsite Theater is also in its first weekend of Dracula, a stage adaptation of Bram Stoker’s iconic work of fiction about … well, you know. Tickets are here. We’ll have more on the company’s vampiric adventures Friday in the Catalyst.
Recommended for ages 10 and older, the ThinkTank Theatre for Young Audiences production of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is onstage, at Stageworks Theatre, through Sunday. Locate info and tickets here.
Off-Central Players mainstay Anthony Gervais (soon to appear in the drama A Number) is one of the zombie brains behind this weekend’s Haunted Cabaret at Studio Grand Central. It’s an all-singing, all-dancing scare-a-thon (songs from The Rocky Horror Show and more) with a costume contest, treats and tricks, Sydney Reddish, Hannah Powell, Sabrina Hamilton, Dylan Barlowe and a live band. It’s at 8 p.m. Friday, 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are here.
End of SHINE
Food trucks, beer and wine this weekend!
Now that we’ve got your attention, the event is the Grand Finale of the 2022 SHINE Mural Festival – at the Morean Workshop Space, 202 3rd Avenue S. It happens from 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 23), and the real attractions are custom installations from Miami artist Baghead, live painting and performances from Tampa artist Emily Tan, digital installations from Brian Nichols, Stephen Palladino, Acute Perception and YUNGBLD, live screen printing with WOVE and more. Everything (except the food and bevs, of course) is free.
Tango Lovers at the Mahaffey. Photo by Todd Beatty.
Other stuff
The Argentina-based Tango Lovers returns to the Mahaffey Theater Friday. This is a performance by professional tango dancers and a swingin’ band featuring piano, violin, bass and drums. Info and tickets can be found here.
The cinematic-in-scope St. Pete jazz fusion/prog band Anthill Cinema plays the Palladium’s Hough Hall (big room) Friday. Tickets here.
North Straub Park (4th Ave. and 5th Ave. NE at Beach Drive) is the site of today’s edition of Movies in the Park. The free event begins at 6 p.m. with music from the Wandering Hours, and the 1985 kids’ adventure film The Goonies will screen after the sun goes down. Bring blankets and/or lawn chairs; food and bevs will be available for purchase.
Tonight at thestudio@620: Proximity, a live performance from six local storytellers, backed by live music. Read more and find tickets here.
And the Radio Theater Project returns to thestudio@620 with a Halloween-themed “broadcast” Monday at 7 p.m. Tickets.
Your weekend arts forecast appears every Thursday in the Catalyst.
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