Your weekend arts forecast: Steely Dan, Keith Sweat
At press time, there were scattered tickets remaining for the Steely Dan concerts at the Mahaffey Theater Friday and Saturday. Although the theater website says tickets are “$76 and up,” you won’t find a seat anywhere near that price range, thanks to Ticketmaster’s so-called Verified Resale system, in which the cost skyrockets as demand dictates (these shows, postponed from last October, have been on sale for over a year). If you’re interested, the links are here.
The Steely Dan shows are “themed”; Friday’s concert will include of a full performance of the 1976 album ironically titled The Royal Scam.
R&B singing superstar Keith Sweat rolls into Amalie Arena Saturday for a “Birthday Concert” (indeed, he’s turning 61 Friday). Also on the bill with the six-times-platinum crooner: Monica, Tevin Campbell, Tamar Braxton, 112, Ginuwine and Silk. This show, too, has been selling quite well: Remaining tickets (upper levels only) are here.
The Nickelodeon TV boy band Big Time Rush appears tonight (Thursday, July 21) at the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheater. Tickets.
More one-nighters
Actor Jon Lovitz brings his standup comedy show to the Capitol Theatre tonight. Tickets.
Orleans, Firefall and Pure Prairie League deliver the ‘70s soft-rock goods at Ruth Eckerd Hall Saturday. Tickets.
Saturday at the Capitol Theatre, it’s the annual visit by British synthpop pioneer Howard “No One is to Blame” Jones. Tickets.
From Gainesville, Florida, the venerable ska band Less Than Jake returns to Jannus Live Saturday, with Bowling For Soup. Tickets.
Our pals at Reggae Rise Up have a show planned for Spa Beach (St. Pete Pier) Saturday (doors open at 5). The bands Iration, Atmosphere, the always-great Passafire and more. Tickets here.
On theater stages
“Dutchman” at American Stage. Photo provided.
The midsummer professional theater schedule, third weekend in July style, looks like this:
Dutchman (dramatic 1960s allegory about race relations in America) continues at American Stage;
Animals Out of Paper (poignant drama/comedy about a love triangle and origami) continues at the Shimberg Playhouse, in the David A. Straz Center (Jobsite Theater);
It Started With a Kiss (musical by Tampa Bay’s James Rayfield and Mike Deeson) is in its final weekend (ending Sunday) at LAB Theatre Project;
Nunsense: A-Men (musical comedy in which the “Little Sisters of Hoboken” are played by men) is out of commission this week and next (it’s a cast and crew Covid precaution). The Straz Center/Jaeb Theatre show will continue the week of Aug. 1, and the run has been extended through Aug. 14;
Saturday at 7 p.m., freeFall Sings brings that theater company’s musical director Michael Raabe together with a group of local musical theater vets for a program called “Here Comes the Sun.”
Something new at thestudio@620, Friday and Saturday (7 p.m. both days): Four one-act plays written and directed by Land O’ Lakes High School student Kennedy Engasser, an actor, poet, spoken word artist – and playwright. The titles are Over-Dramatic, Mr. Patterson’s Public Defense, The Depression Olympics and Eighteen. Read about each of the shows, and find ticket info, here:
On the art front
Approximately 60 Florida artisans (paint, wood, ceramics, photography, metal, glass, fiber, digital, mixed media and jewelry) will show and sell Saturday and Sunday at the St. Petersburg Coliseum. It’s the 33rd annual “Cool Art Show” from PAVA, the Professional Association of Visual Artists. There will also be artist demos and a children’s art-making area. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday; admission and parking are free.
The American photography exhibit Dawoud Bey & Carrie Mae Weems: In Dialogue opens today at the Tampa Museum of Art. Read all about this extraordinary collection in our story here.
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