Published October 27, 2010
It’s been 10 months since our in-depth report on Sarasota County’s harsh noise and entertainment laws(printed Jan. 27), and not much has changed — except for all the musicians who have left town.
Under Sarasota County’s entertainment ordinance, local establishments are not permitted to have live (human) entertainment past 10 p.m. unless they are granted a special exception. There are currently nine businesses in commercial zoning areas of the County that hold exceptions: The Hub Baja Grill, Daiquiri Deck Raw Bar, Siesta Key Oyster Bar and Captain Curt’s on Siesta Key,Pastimes and Boar’s Head in Gulf Gate, Nightlife Center on the South Trail, Kirby’s on Stickney Point, and as of two months ago,The Hoosier Bar in Osprey, with The Beach Club exempted by a grandfather clause. No other place is allowed so much as a mime after 10 — no complaint required. Aren’t arts and entertainment supposed to go hand in hand? We asked the candidates vying for County Commission seats — District 2 incumbent Joe Barbetta and challenger Cathy Antunes, and District 4 incumbent Nora Patterson and challenger Mark Hawkins — what they think. (more…)
Category: Creative Loafing
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Industry standard: A Ringling photography student is working to realize Sarasota’s fashion potential
Published October 20, 2010
Industry w/designs from E Marie by Eliza Torres and music by DJ RusDeep
8 p.m.-midnight Sat., Oct. 23, The HuB, 1421 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota, 586-0681 or matthewholler.com,matthewholler.blogspot.com, $5.
The coveted label of “arts destination†is something that Sarasota has boasted for quite some time. But there are a few artistic avenues our fair coastal city has yet to venture down — at least far enough to merit a reputation. One creative arena that has long lagged behind the more popular visual and performing arts, yet could provide a huge economic boost to the area, is the fashion world, with it’s clique of affluent, young, uber-chic entrepreneurs.
Thankfully, there are still a few students in this kinda-quasi-college town that are passionate about seeing the Suncoast truly live up to its “art-infused community†claim, and become a fully developed beacon of creativity. One such student is senior Ringlingphotography major Matthew Holler.
To complete his senior year requirements, Holler had the choice of doing an internship or creating a “professional project,†an event where students work with members of the community in an effort to forward the city’s artistic vision. Holler chose the latter, making the fashion industry his primary focus. “There’s not much of an industry here yet,†says Holler, “but I think that there’s a possibility for it. We pride ourselves on being an art community, but how many beach photos and paintings of birds can we have? I think it really needs that other element in order to grow into a larger industry.†(more…) -
The Local Original: An overview of the Suncoast music scene reveals progress and change
Published October 13, 2010 In trying to improve the Suncoast music scene it’s important to examine where it came from, how it developed, and where it stands today. Therefore, I felt it was necessary to use this week’s column as a State of the Scene Address of sorts. When looking back at what’s taken place over the past year, I figured the best point of comparison would be to examine where the scene was back in February. That’s when 38 bands from the 941 area code joined together in collaborative musical harmony to produce theNoise Ordinance CD compilation, culminating in the momentous CD release celebration that united Suncoast musicians like never before. But a lot has changed in eight months. Some of the standout bands in the area — Villanova Junction, Youth, The Silent Film Exhibitionists Club — have disbanded. Other popular artists like Sam Robertson and Reggie Williams bid farewell and headed off to college, or in Devin Robinson’s case, Nashville. Thankfully, there’s a silver lining in many of those developments. SFEC’s former keyboardist Aimee Guerin found a home in the lineup for Cassolette, who just cut a deal with Miami’s Cloud Berry Records to release a 7†vinyl. Former SFEC guitarist Adam Marret took over bass duties for Fancy Rat, although the band is now scouting replacements for their recently departed drummer and French horn player, only months after the release of their first album. Villanova’s ex-frontman Ryan O’Neill stepped in as bassist for Sons of Hippies, who after releasing their second album A-morph in August, embarked on a six-week tour that ends with a homecoming show at Pastimes this Thursday. As for the Devin Robinson Band, word on the street is Jack White’s Nashville-based label, Third Man Records, has shown interest in signing them. Nice job, boys! (more…) -
Arty pARTée: Organizations all over the Suncoast are joining forces to launch Festival sARTée in an effort to brand Sarasota-Manatee as a premier arts destination
Published in Creative Loafing Sarasota, October 6, 2010 The Ringling International Arts Festival was originally slated to be an every-other-year event. But after the success of last year’s kick-off, the movers and shakers of Sarasota’s governmental, arts and tourism organizations felt they had to find a way to capitalize on the event again this year and started figuring out how to pay for it. Sarasota County had already committed $250,000 to RIAF, but after the city of Sarasota came up with $100,000 and Manatee County threw in another $250,000, organizers started thinking bigger. The final result is Festival sARTée, an arts extravaganza running Oct. 8-24 and stretching to every corner of Sarasota and Manatee counties, with events represented by nearly every arts organization on the Suncoast. The original concept behind Festival sARTée came from Charleston’s Spoleto Festival, which has grown into one of the biggest arts festivals in the world. “Spelato Fest started as a fringe festival,†says Sarasota County Arts Council Executive Director Jim Shirley. “Our arts organizations aren’t crazy about the word ‘fringe,’ so [the Sarasota Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Arts Councils of both counties] got together to talk about doing anything we can to come up with a Spoleto-type festival. We went out to all the arts organizations and encouraged them to do events during that time to create a lot of cultural activity, and start building what’s going to be a bigger festival down the road. We’re up to 60 events now. Some were on the schedule anyway and got souped up to be part of the festival, but many of them are built from scratch.†(more…) -
The Local Original: CL debuts its new weekly column covering all aspects of the Suncoast original music scene
Published September 29, 2010 Since we announced the launch of our “new and improved†Soundboard section in August, it’s been very encouraging to see groups all over the Suncoast rising up to do their part in support of the local original music scene. While there’s been significant movement in the camaraderie department, I haven’t seen an influx of great press photos and bios from artists, and loaded booking schedules from venues, pouring into my inbox every week like I expected. This brought me to the realization that while bands and venues would like to promote themselves and their establishments to the fullest potential, they haven’t necessarily been exposed to the best ways of making that happen. So, in the spirit of musical community, I’ve decided to start this weekly column to provide readers with an insider’s view of what’s happening in the scene and how they can contribute to its improvement, and to give local artists and venue owners some tips on how to get the word out. I won’t be telling people what to do, but rather explaining what I and other local musicians are doing to further their careers, and also giving incite into the interactions and conversations I have with those involved in the local scene. (more…) -
Come original: Out of all the live music venues on the Suncoast, three have stood firm in their long-time support for original music, thanks to their owners
Published September 22, 2010 Howie and Dawn Hochberg of Cock & Bull Cock & Bull Pub, 975 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota, the-cock-n-bull.com. There’s no one in the area who has been in the original music game longer than the Cock & Bull. Owner Howie Hochberg started booking local bands seeking an outlet for their creativity way back in 1994 when he opened a coffee shop on Central Avenue in the Rosemary District, and soon found an accomplice in his future wife Dawn. The two upgraded to a bar on Main Street in 1997 and continued to book original acts, although the crack down on live music during that period often made it difficult, as they were frequently ticketed for violating the city’s newly instated noise ordinance laws. Fed up with the red tape, the Hochbergs moved operations to their current location on Cattlemen Road in 2001, and the industrial zoning location meant they were finally free from the sound restrictions that had been limiting them. Thus, the rustic beer hall we have all come to know and love was born. Over the years, the Hochbergs have become far more than just a venue willing to hire original musicians, they have actually developed deep personal relationships with many local artists, as well as many of the touring acts just swinging through town. “We love the Sarasota music,†says Dawn. “Some of them are old enough to be our peers, but we call them our kids.†She says her “kids†are too numerous to list, but mentions Cassolette, the Equines, Elysian Sex Drive and Sons of Hippies off the top of her head. “We’ve been doing this for about 15 years now and it’s definitely personal relationships,†she says. “That’s why this community works. You look around and all the people in the bands are pretty supportive of each other and they’re friends.†Howie chimes in: “Like Pete from Cassolette, his dad was coming and singing at my coffee shop just on a whim. It’s a family affair.†(more…)
