“Air Supply” will be in JAX

For one night only, the Florida Theatre is thrilled to announce that world-renowned rock duo “Air Supply” will perform at the Florida Theatre on Saturday, January 30, 2022.

Air Supply is the Australian soft rock duo of Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock. The duo formed in 1975 after meeting during the first day of rehearsals for Jesus Christ Superstar in Sydney, Australia; they became instant friends with their common love for The Beatles and, of course, singing.

American music industry executive Clive Davis heard their first record, Life Support, and immediately signed Air Supply to Arista Records in 1980. "Lost in Love" became the fastest selling single in the world, leaping to the top of all of the charts. The second single was "All Out of Love," and that went up the charts even quicker.

Seven top-five singles later, Air Supply at that time had equaled The Beatles' run of consecutive top five singles. The albums Lost in Love, The One That You Love, Now & Forever, and The Greatest Hits sold in excess of 20 million copies. "Lost in Love" was named Song of the Year in 1980, and, with the other singles, sold more than 10 million copies.

The trademark sound of Russell Hitchcock's soaring tenor voice and Graham Russell's simple yet majestic songs created a unique sound that would forever be known as Air Supply. "Lost in Love," "All Out of Love," "The One That You Love,” "Sweet Dreams," and "Making Love Out of Nothing at All" have each achieved multi-million plays on the radio.

In 2013, the duo was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association’s Hall of Fame. Air Supply celebrated their 40^th anniversary in 2015 and continue to delight audiences all over the world.

The historic, nonprofit Florida Theatre is sponsored by Community First Credit Union. For a complete list of upcoming events or to buy tickets visit the Theatre’s official website.

“Air Supply”

DATE: Sun., Jan. 30, 2022

TIME: 7 p.m.

TICKETS: start at $39.50

LOCATION: The Florida Theatre
       128 East Forsyth Street.
       Jacksonville, FL 32202
       (904) 355 - ARTS (2787)

‘Mike Albert’ brings the ‘Elvis Birthday Bash’ to JAX

The Florida Theatre is pleased to announce the return of The Elvis Birthday Bash Starring Mike Albert, Scot Bruce and The Big E Band on Friday, January 7, 2022.

World-class Elvis impersonators Mike Albert and Scot Bruce along with the Big E Band return to the Florida Theatre to celebrate Elvis' 87th Birthday Bash.

From his sexy sneer to his gyrating guitar playing, Scot Bruce is one of the world’s finest “Young Elvis” impersonators, while Mike Albert presents a stunningly accurate and respectful portrayal of the latter-day “Vegas” Elvis. Backed by the Big E Band, the two performers will trace Elvis from his rockabilly days to some of his final recordings.

This celebration hits close to home as the most famous live performances in the Florida Theatre’s past or modern history occurred on August 10 and 11, 195, when Elvis Presley, then riding high on the hit singles “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Hound Dog” and “Don’t Be Cruel,” played six shows over two days (read more about these famous shows here). If you love the King of Rock & Roll, you won’t want to miss this experience!

The historic, nonprofit Florida Theatre is sponsored by Community First Credit Union. For a complete list of upcoming events or to buy tickets visit the Theatre’s official website, floridatheatre.com.

“The Elvis Birthday Bash”

DATE: Friday Jan. 7, 2022
TIME: 7 p.m.
TICKETS: $29.50 – $39.50

LOCATION: The Florida Theatre
       128 East Forsyth Street.
       Jacksonville, FL 32202
       (904) 355 - ARTS (2787)

‘Black Violin’ returns to The Florida Theatre

The Florida Theatre is pleased to announce the return of "Black Violin - Give Thanks Tour" on Tuesday, November 30, 2021.

For 16 years, Black Violin members Kev Marcus and Wil Baptiste have been merging string arrangements with modern beats and vocals. The two met in orchestra class at Dillard High School in Ft. Lauderdale, becoming classically trained on the violin and viola through their high school and college careers. Post-college, they reconvened to produce beats for South Florida rappers, and began building an audience in local clubs. They later went on to win Showtime at the Apollo in 2005, and eventually sold-out headline performances at venues across the country, including a sold out two-night headline run at The Kennedy Center in 2018. Their unique brand of merging the genre they were listening to (hip hop) with the world they were studying (classical) was celebrated with collaborations with Alicia Keys, Wu Tang Clan, 2 Chainz and others. NPR took note and declared “their music will keep classical music alive for the next generation.” UPROXX also featured Black Violin in a mini-documentary as part of their “Uncharted” series, watch the video HERE.

The duo plays over 200 shows a year (many of these are performances for young low-income students in urban communities - with the goal of challenging stereotypes and preconceived notions of what a “classical musician” looks and sounds like. “The stereotypes are always there, embedded so deep in our culture,” says Wil. “Just by nature of our existence we challenge those ideas. It’s a unique thing that brings people together who aren’t usually in the same room, and in the current climate, it’s good to bring people together.”

Recently, the group launched the Black Violin Foundation Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering youth by providing access to quality music programs in their community. BVF believes that music and access to music programs should not be determined by race, gender, or socio-economic status. Black Violin Foundation’s inaugural program the Musical Innovation Grant for Continuing Education will provide scholarships to young music students to attend a program of their liking that fosters musical creativity and innovation. Programs can range from private lessons, to summer music camps, to college courses. Scholarships will be awarded bi-annually to up to 20 applicants per scholarship cycle. For more information click HERE!

The historic, nonprofit Florida Theatre is sponsored by Community First Credit Union. For a complete list of upcoming events or to buy tickets visit the Theatre’s official website, floridatheatre.com.

“Black Violin”

DATE: Tuesday, November 30, 2021
TIME: 8 p.m.
TICKETS: $39.50 – $49.50

LOCATION: The Florida Theatre
       128 East Forsyth Street.
       Jacksonville, FL 32202
       (904) 355 - ARTS (2787)

‘ZZ TOP’ will be in JAX before Christmas

WOW! It's ZZ Top in JAX

Can you believe that this iconic group will be in Jacksonville, Florida for one fun loving memorable night? The Florida Theatre is pleased to announce that rock legends “ZZ Top” will perform at the Florida Theatre on Sunday, November 14, 2021.

ZZ Top a/k/a “That Little Ol’ Band From Texas,” lay undisputed claim to being the longest running major rock band with original personnel intact and, in 2004, the Texas trio was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Of course, there are only three of them – Billy F Gibbons, Dusty Hill, Frank Beard -- but it’s still a remarkable achievement that they’re still very much together after almost 50 years of rock, blues, and boogie on the road and in the studio. “Yeah,” says Billy, guitarist extraordinaire, “we’re the same three guys, bashing out the same three chords.” With the release of each of their albums the band has explored new ground in terms of both their sonic approach and the material they’ve recorded. ZZ Top is the same but always changing.

It was in Houston in the waning days of 1969 that ZZ Top coalesced from the core of two rival bands, Billy’s Moving Sidewalks and Frank and Dusty’s American Blues. The new group went on to record the appropriately titled ZZ Top’s First Album and Rio Grande Mud that reflected their strong blues roots. Their third, 1973’s Tres Hombres, catapulted them to national attention with the hit “La Grange,” still one of the band’s signature pieces today. The song is unabashed elemental boogie, celebrating the institution that came to be known as “the best little whorehouse in Texas.” Their next hit was “Tush,” a song about, well, let’s just say the pursuit of “the good life” that was featured on their Fandango! album, released in 1975. The band’s momentum and success built during its first decade, culminating in the legendary “World Wide Texas Tour,” a production that included a longhorn steer, a buffalo, buzzards, rattlesnakes and a Texas-shaped stage.  As a touring unit, they’ve been without peer over the years, having performed before millions of fans through North America on numerous epochal tours as well as overseas where they’ve enthralled audiences from Slovenia to Argentina, from Australia to Sweden, from Russia to Japan and most points in between.  Their iconography – beards, cars, girls and that magic keychain – seems to transcend all bounds of geography and language.

ZZ Top’s music is always instantly recognizable, eminently powerful, profoundly soulful and 100% Texas American in derivation. The band’s support for the blues is unwavering both as interpreters of the music and preservers of its legacy. It was ZZ Top that celebrated “founding father” Muddy Waters by turning a piece of scrap timber than had fallen from his sharecropper’s shack into a beautiful guitar, dubbed the “Muddywood.” This totem was sent on tour as a fundraising focus for The Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale, Mississippi, site of Robert Johnson’s famed “Crossroads” encounter with the devil. ZZ Top’s support and link to the blues remains as rock solid as the music they continue to play. They have sold millions of records over the course of their career, have been officially designated as Heroes of The State of Texas, have been referenced in countless cartoons and sitcoms and are true rock icons but, against all odds, they’re really just doing what they’ve always done. They’re real and they’re surreal and they’re ZZ Top.

The historic, nonprofit Florida Theatre is sponsored by Community First Credit Union. For a complete list of upcoming events or to buy tickets visit the Theatre’s official website, floridatheatre.com.

“ZZ Top”

DATE: Sun., Nov. 14, 2021
TIME: 8 p.m.
TICKETS: $49.50 – $125

LOCATION: The Florida Theatre
       128 East Forsyth Street.
       Jacksonville, FL 32202
       (904) 355 - ARTS (2787)

‘Marty Stuart’ coming to The Florida Theatre

The Florida Theatre is pleased to announce that Grammy-winning country singer “Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives” will perform on Thursday, November 11, 2021

With legends like George Jones, Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard all passed on, country music purists often echo the question Jones himself asked: “Who’s going to fill their shoes?” The answer, in part, is Marty Stuart.

While he’s too gracious to admit it himself, the Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and musician is living, breathing country-music history. He’s played alongside the masters, from Cash to Lester Flatt, who discovered him; been a worldwide ambassador for Nashville, Bakersfield and points in between; and safeguarded country’s most valuable traditions and physical artifacts. Including its literal shoes: Stuart counts the brogan of Carter Family patriarch A.P. Carter and an assortment of Cash’s black boots among his vast collection of memorabilia.

But most importantly, Stuart continues to record and release keenly relevant music, records that honor country’s rich legacy while advancing it into the future. Way Out West, his 18th studio album, hits both of those marks. Produced by Mike Campbell (of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), the album is a cinematic tour-de-force, an exhilarating musical journey through the California desert that solidifies Stuart as a truly visionary artist.

When it comes to transforming country songs into tangible experience, Stuart has a secret weapon: the Fabulous Superlatives. Made up of guitarist Kenny Vaughan, drummer Harry Stinson and new member, bassist Chris Scruggs, the Superlatives are an extension of Stuart himself.

“The Superlatives are missionaries, they’re fighting partners. They’re my Buckaroos, my Tennessee Three, my Strangers. They’re my legacy band and have been since Day One,” says Stuart.

Along with the playing of Mike Campbell, who contributed guitar, B-3 organ and piano, the Fabulous Superlatives are all over Way Out West and ensure that the mystical detours Stuart explores always remain of the moment.

As Stuart himself will tell you, he often ventures off the reservation – in a way, his entire career has been “way out west.” While other artists chased popular trends in the name of radio play, he formed complete bodies of work, not unlike the greats he idolized. Way Out West is just the latest embodiment of that creative mission.

“I would play this record for Hank Williams, Merle Haggard or Ernest Hemingway and never bat an eye,” says Stuart. “There’s something in there that would entertain each of them.”

But Stuart also made Way Out West for those who come after. As he sees it, there is no greater responsibility in music than to share what you’ve learned.

“Lester Flatt saw something in me and gave me his wisdom, wit and music. Johnny Cash was my best friend. But all of that doesn’t come for free. The job is to pass it along,” says Stuart, stretching out his arms. “That’s the way it’s supposed to be in country music.”

  “Marty Stuart &
His Fabulous Superlatives”

DATE: Thurs., Nov. 11, 2021
TIME: 8 p.m.
TICKETS: $39.50 - $55

LOCATION: The Florida Theatre
       128 East Forsyth Street.
       Jacksonville, FL 32202
       (904) 355 - ARTS (2787)

‘Bono’s Pit Bar-B-Q’ continues corporate sponsorship

“Bono’s Pit Bar-B-Q”, a Corporate Partner of the Florida Theatre since 2019, has announced its renewed support of the Theatre.

“The arts play such a pivotal role in the direction Jacksonville is headed,” said Josh Martino, President of Bono’s Pit Bar-B-Q. “Anything from music and concerts to the arts, Florida Theatre keeps giving to this community year after year.”

"The historic Florida Theatre is pleased to play its part in providing Northeast Florida with the music, dance and theatre programs that are part of what gives Jacksonville the unique character that we have all come to appreciate, and expect, as residents of a great city,” said Florida Theatre President, Numa Saisselin. “The Theatre earns 85% of its annual budget from its business activities, and support from the business community, like our returning Corporate Partner Bono’s Pit Bar-B-Q, helps to close that small budget gap every year and keep the Florida Theatre and its programs something special for our community.”

The historic, nonprofit Florida Theatre is sponsored by Community First Credit Union. For a complete list of upcoming events or to buy tickets visit the Theatre's official web site floridatheatre.com.

About Florida Theatre: Located in downtown Jacksonville, Florida, the historic Florida Theatre first opened its doors in 1926, and is famous for a series of six Elvis Presley performances in 1956 covered by Life magazine. Restored and reopened in 1983 as a nonprofit performing arts center, today the Florida Theatre is recognized as one of the Top 10 most attended theatres in the US under 2,000 seats according to Pollstar magazine, and the #1 most attended sports and entertainment venue in the State of Florida under 2,000 seats according to VenuesNow magazine. The theatre is managed by The Florida Theatre Performing Arts Center, Inc., a nonprofit corporation, and is an active promoter of its own programing. 175-200 music, dance, theatre, comedy and arts education performances take the Florida Theatre stage every year. In recent years the theatre has been seen on Showtime (Larry Wilmore), AXS TV (Lynyrd Skynyrd) and Netflix (Katt Williams), and heard on NPR (Whad’ya Know?).

‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ is back in JAX

The Florida Theatre is pleased to announce the return of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” with New Digital Picture and Sound on October 30, 2021.

The ultimate Halloween movie, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is now a cult classic, preserved by the Library of Congress! This 1975 musical is a tribute to the science fiction “B Movies” of the 40’s and 50’s. Its amazing cast included then-young actors Tim Curry as mad scientist Dr. Frank N. Furter, Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick as our heroine and hero, Meat Loaf, Jonathan Adams, and Charles Gray.

Back by popular demand, this annual event is hosted by Karissa Wade and features live music by 4Play. Bring your costumes, bring your props (no meat, please), and come early for the live music!

The historic, nonprofit Florida Theatre is sponsored by Community First Credit Union. For a complete list of upcoming events or to buy tickets visit the Theatre’s official website, floridatheatre.com.

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show”
 (New Digital Picture and Sound)
DATE: Sat., Oct. 30, 2021
TIME: 8 p.m.
TICKETS: $15

LOCATION: The Florida Theatre
       128 East Forsyth Street.
       Jacksonville, FL 32202
       (904) 355 - ARTS (2787)

Comedian ‘Bert Kreischer’ announces ‘The Berty Boy Relapse Tour’

Coming off of his hugely successful outdoor run, the Hot Summer Nights Tour 2020, as the first-ever stand-up comedian to embark on a drive-in comedy tour, renowned comedian, podcast host, and author Bert Kreischer announced today The Berty Boy Relapse Tour which kicks off in Atlantic City, NJ and stops at the Florida Theatre on Thursday, October 28, 2021. In addition to his rescheduled shows from 2020 that were moved due to the pandemic, Kreischer has added 18 new markets plus 10 added shows to his tour itinerary.

Kreischer is known for his unique brand of comedy, which interweaves party-boy antics with humorous anecdotes about family and fatherhood. Currently, Kreischer is filming Legendary Entertainment’s movie, The Machine, alongside Star Wars actor, Mark Hamill - an adaptation of the viral story Bert told onstage about getting involved with the Russian mob while studying abroad in College, which has been viewed more than 85 million times online. Most recently, he hosted the Go-Big Show on TBS Network, an extreme talent show with celebrity judges Snoop Dogg, Rosario Dawson, Jennifer Nettles, and Cody Rhodes, which premiered this past January. In October 2020, Bert released his hit 5-episode Netflix mini series, The Cabin with Bert Kreischer, which featured cameos from a star-studded cast of: Anthony Anderson, Caitlyn Jenner, Tom Segura, Joey Diaz, Nikki Glaser, Fortune Feimster, Bobby Lee, Donnell Rawlings, Kaley Cuoco, Joel McHale, Ms. Pat, Deon Cole, Big Jay Oakerson, and LeeAnn Kreischer. He also released his second Netflix Original stand-up comedy special Bert Kreischer: Hey Big Boy in March 2020. The special earned rave reviews from critics and fans alike.

Additionally, Kreischer is one of the most prominent comedians in the podcasting landscape. He is the producer and host of Bertcast, a weekly comedy podcast on the All Things Comedy Network. He also co-hosts the 2 Bears 1 Cave podcast with Tom Segura, and the Bill and Bert podcast with Bill Burr.

About the man: Bert Kreischer is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer and host who performs to sold-out crowds across the country. His brand-new stand up special “Hey Big Boy”, as well as “Secret Time” and “The Machine” are currently streaming globally on NETFLIX. Bert recently debuted his new Netflix docu-series “The Cabin,” which shot straight to the top 10 within 24 hours and was the most-watched unscripted series on the platform the week it premiered. Bert Kreischer hosts Go-Big Show (picked up for Season 2 by TBS) with celebrity judges Snoop Dogg, Rosario Dawson, Jennifer Nettles and Cody Rhodes.

Described as having a “rare and incredible talent” (Interrobang), Bert has evolved from being named Rolling Stone’s 1997 "Number One Partier in the Nation" to one of the top names in comedy. Between his four stand-up specials, his three podcasts: “Bertcast,” “2 Bears 1 Cave,” and “BillBert,” his YouTube cooking show: “Something’s Burning,” his book Life of the Party: Stories of a Perpetual Man-Child (2014), Bert has succeeded in finding the elusive blend of “being a cringe comedian with real insight” (Interrobang).  Lauded as one of the best storytellers of his generation, Bert seamlessly and sincerely shares anecdotes about his family and fatherhood while showing his ability to prove “that there’s a way to take his [party-boy] antics into middle-age,” (Forbes). His infamous story about robbing a train with the Russian Mafia was recently optioned by Legendary (the studio behind The Hangover Series, Jurassic World, and Straight Outta Compton) to be turned into a movie. After the successful debut of The Body Shots World Tour in 2019, where he quickly sold out theaters and added shows in almost every market, Bert performed 59 shows of his “Hot Summer Nights” a socially-distanced outdoor tour spanning 35+ cities across 18 states and reaching 80,000+ individuals. He then launched a brand-new tour in 2020, The Berty Boy Tour -- now, The Berty Boy Relapse Tour -- which includes shows in even larger venues across the country. Tickets can be found at BertBertBert.com.

The historic, nonprofit Florida Theatre is sponsored by Community First Credit Union. For a complete list of upcoming events or to buy tickets visit the Theatre’s official website, floridatheatre.com.

   “Bert Kreischer”
The Berty Boy Relapse Tour
DATE: Thurs., Oct., 28, 2021
TIME: 7 p.m.
TICKETS: $39.75 - $59.75

LOCATION: The Florida Theatre
       128 East Forsyth Street.
       Jacksonville, FL 32202
       (904) 355 - ARTS (2787)

Comedian ‘Taylor Tomlinson’ coming to The Florida Theatre

The Florida Theatre is pleased to welcome comedian "Taylor Tomlinson" whose perspective possesses a degree of wisdom that’s typically earned with age. Named to Forbes’ 2021 class of 30 Under 30, fans got a healthy dose of that wisdom when her first-ever, hour-long special, “Quarter-Life Crisis,” debuted on Netflix last March just as the world entered into a once-in-a-century pandemic. The special went on to earn unanimous critical praise with the Washington Post calling her “your favorite quarantine-watch” and Newsweek opining she is “undeniably hilarious” and “wise beyond her years.”

Focusing exclusively on Taylor’s old-soul clarity is tempting, but what makes the woman Mashable calls "whip-smart and spectacularly cynical," stand out isn’t just that she seems too young to understand youth so well. It’s that she combines that vision with on-the-nose immediacy that can only come with still living in the moments being lampooned.

“I think that’s what comedians do: We’re funny in the moment,” Taylor says. “We’re just so self-reflective and narcissistic.” She laughs, then adds, “But I’ve always felt older than I am. That virus joke is similar to a lot of material in my first Netflix special. It’s me being frustrated that I’m in a period of my life that everybody talks about like—"Ooof, yeah, that was hard. It was fun! But I wouldn’t go back for anything.”

Performances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, CONAN, Comedy Central's Adam Devine's House Party, and Netflix’s The Comedy Lineup, as well as a top-ten finish in season 9 of NBC’s Last Comic Standing, have all endeared Taylor to a national audience. Variety Magazine named her one of the Top 10 Comics to Watch at the Just for Laughs Festival, and she’s a regular on What Just Happened??! with Fred Savage.

Taylor spent much of 2019 filling clubs across the country on her own headlining tour and in 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic continued to grow her fan base with the seven-city, 19 show The Codependent Tour, her first co-headlining tour with fellow comedian Whitney Cummings. The socially distanced, outdoor performances kicked off in Philadelphia in Sept. with 5 shows and that initial success led to the addition of 14 more shows in six different cities.

Taylor is in her mid-twenties, but she’s honed her craft for more than a decade. The California native began doing standup at 16 after taking a class with her dad––and she never stopped. Churches, schools, and fundraisers were her first stages. When Taylor turned 18, she played every club in San Diego that she could. “When I started doing standup, it was the first time I felt comfortable with myself,” Taylor says. “I think people I went to school with were surprised––I was kind of quiet and introverted.”

Dating, friendships, our evolving relationship with technology and reality––Taylor skewers modern twenty-something life with self-deprecating precision. Raised in a conservative home, Taylor also prods Christianity and privilege with that same blend of distanced awareness and personal familiarity that defines her jokes about her age. “I’m a perfectionist. I’m not really a risk-taker––being a standup comic to me is already risky enough,” she says. “I don’t drink. I don’t party, and I never have. My mom died pretty young. I think when that happens when you’re a kid, you realize sooner than other people that you aren’t in a bubble. You lose that self-perceived invincibility a lot of young people have.”

Taylor’s Netflix special was the culmination of years of writing and performing, and it showed. The set was a masterful display of deft timing, crowd connection, physicality, and smarts. The material changed over the months that passed from pitch to performance, reflecting shifts in Taylor’s own life. “A lot happened over the summer of 2019,” Taylor says. “I ended up breaking off my engagement. It was a lot of growth in a very short period of time. It changed the hour a lot from what I had submitted back in February––and I think made it better.” For filming the special, Taylor chose the Aladdin in Portland, Oregon.

“I found out I got the special and enjoyed it for about 20 minutes, then I got really stressed and was pretty laser focused,” Taylor says, laughing a little. “You think you’ll take a break after you film it, but then you realize, ‘Oh shoot. I need a whole new hour of material––I can’t take a break!”

The special went on to be named “Best of 2020” by New York Times, Decider, Paste and more. And Vulture’s “comedian you should and will know” is just getting started! She has already developed a whole new hour of material and can’t wait to get back on the road later this year when safe to do so and share her observations and self-discovery from quarantine with the world. “I just don’t think there’s anything better than having a room full of people laugh at something you said. All I really want to do is be really good at standup––and continue to get better at it,” she says. “Saying ‘that’s all I really want’ feels insane because it’s so much to want.”

The historic, nonprofit Florida Theatre is sponsored by Community First Credit Union. For a complete list of upcoming events or to buy tickets visit the Theatre’s official website, floridatheatre.com.

“Taylor Tomlinson”
DATE: Friday, October 22, 2021
TIME: 7 p.m.
TICKETS: $29.75 - $39.75

LOCATION: The Florida Theatre
       128 East Forsyth Street.
       Jacksonville, FL 32202
       (904) 355 - ARTS (2787)

'Clay Walker’ will be in JAX for one night

The Florida Theatre is pleased to announce Multi-Platinum country music artist Clay Walker for one evening only! Can Clay Walker deliver? That's the question, and he's not afraid of it. In fact, he's positioned himself to answer it squarely – one way or another – this year. With new creative and business teams and a deep well of hard-earned wisdom, Walker relishes the challenge. "I've prepared myself for this moment in my career – mentally, physically and artistically," he says. "I've never been more ready."

In a sense, the question is absurd for a recording artist, songwriter and entertainer with 31 charted singles, a dozen No. 1s, four platinum albums and decades of performances to his credit. Titles spanning 15 years and still receiving strong airplay include: “Live Until I Die,” "Dreaming With My Eyes Open," “This Woman And This Man,” "Hypnotize The Moon," "Rumor Has It," “Then What,” “The Chain Of Love," "I Can't Sleep" and "She Won't Be Lonely Long."

Can Clay Walker deliver? Is he afraid of the question? Hardly. "If I had to lay out my ambition, it's to become a master at what I do," he says. "I'm a long ways from it, but that's exciting as well because there's a lot of road left."

The historic, nonprofit Florida Theatre is sponsored by Community First Credit Union. For a complete list of upcoming events or to buy tickets visit the Theatre’s official website, floridatheatre.com.

“Clay Walker”
DATE: Thurs., Oct.,14, 2021
TIME: 8 p.m.
TICKETS: Start at $35

LOCATION: The Florida Theatre
       128 East Forsyth Street.
       Jacksonville, FL 32202
       (904) 355 - ARTS (2787)

Comedian ‘Jim Jefferies’ comes to JAX and near you

“Jim Jefferies” (Legit, FX; The Jim Jefferies Show, Comedy Central) announces his new The Moist Tour and he will be appearing at the Florida Theatre in downtown Jacksonville, Florida for one hilarious evening.

This Sydney native is one of the most popular and respected comedians of his generation, entertaining audiences across the globe with his provocative, belief-challenging, and thought-provoking comedy. Jim was honored as Stand-Up Comedian of the Year at the Just for Laughs Festival in summer 2019. At the end of 2019, he started his Oblivious Tour and toured all around Europe and North America. Jim’s ninth stand up special Intolerant came out on Netflix last year. He currently hosts his own podcast I Don’t Know About That with Jim Jefferies and releases new episodes on Tuesdays with video available on Jim's YouTube channel and audio available everywhere you get podcasts.

JIM JEFFERIES: THE MOIST TOUR:
Fri., Oct. 8, 2021    Fort Myers, FL   Barbara B. Mann Ctr.
Sat., Oct. 9, 2021    Fort Lauderdale, FL    Broward Center
Sun., Oct. 10, 2021   Jacksonville, FL    Florida Theatre
Thurs., Oct. 21, 2021 New Orleans, LA   Saenger Theatre
Fri., Oct. 22, 2021   Austin, TXººº Bass Concert Hall
Sat., Oct. 23, 2021ºººDallas, TX Majestic Theatre
Sun., Oct. 24, 2021   Oklahoma City, OK  The Criterion
Sat., Nov. 6, 2021   Los Angeles, CA The Theatre at Ace Hotel
Thurs., Nov. 18, 2021   Omaha, NEººOrheum Theater
Fri., Nov. 19, 2021   Milwaukee, WI   Riverside Theater
Sat., Nov. 20, 2021   Minneapolis, MN   State Theatre
Thurs., Dec, 2, 2021   Buffalo, NYºººKleinhans Music Hall
Fri., Dec. 3, 2021   Philadelphia, PA   The Met
Sat., Dec. 4, 2021  ºNorfolk, VAºººChrysler Hall
Fri., Dec. 17, 2021   Phoenix, AZ   Celebrity Theatre
Sat., Dec. 18, 2021   San Francisco, CA   The Warfield

The historic, nonprofit Florida Theatre is sponsored by Community First Credit Union. For a complete list of upcoming events or to buy tickets visit the Theatre’s official website, floridatheatre.com.

“Jim Jefferies” – The Moist Tour
DATE: Sun., Oct. 10, 2021
TIME: 7 p.m.
TICKETS: $59.75 – $79.75. For more information and tickets for your area, visit jimjefferies.com.

LOCATION: The Florida Theatre
       128 East Forsyth Street.
       Jacksonville, FL 32202
       (904) 355 - ARTS (2787)

‘Benise’ will be in JAX for one night only!

“Benise”, The Prince of Spanish Guitar brings his 20th. Anniversary, Emmy Award Winning Production of Guitar and Dance to The Florida Theatre on Thursday on October 7, 2021.

It’s one hot night as Benise, “The Prince of Spanish Guitar,” and his Emmy Award winning production come to town. Benise unveils his 5th Special Strings of Hope on PBS and celebrates 20 years of taking audiences on a musical journey through Spanish Flamenco, Cuban Salsa, Brazilian Samba, Parisian Waltz, exotic drumming, and more!

For Benise, music has always been a journey. From his humble beginnings as a street performer, to being featured on the #1 rated show in the USA – Dancing With The Stars, and performing around the world. “I wanted to push the boundaries of Nuevo Flamenco/Spanish guitar while combining the elements of dance and theater. This show is a celebration of all the shows we’ve done over the last 20 years,” comments guitarist and creative force behind the event, Benise.

The Emmy Award-winning composer along with an international cast of musicians and dancers will entertain audiences with a two-hour show that “is an escape from all their problems,” Benise says. “Much like the recent PBS special Strings of Hope, with this show I want to take the audience on an escape…to a beautiful Spanish courtyard filled with Flamenco dancers, stunning costumes, and fiery Spanish guitars.  Beyond the new material, BENISE says “the live show will incorporate some fan favorites from my street performing days and rock classics like Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir” and AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck.”

The Theatrical World Music and Dance spectacle that has been called “The Latin Riverdance”.

This will be a socially-distanced event with health and safety protocols in place. Patrons can visit floridatheatre.com/home/breaking-news for the most up to date information on The Florida Theatre’s safety protocols and general updates. Additionally, ticket purchasers will be notified by email of specific safety requirements prior to the event.

    “BENISE”
20th. Anniversary Spectacular
DATE: Thurs., Oct.,7, 2021
TIME: 8 p.m.
TICKETS: $35 – $95

LOCATION: The Florida Theatre
       128 East Forsyth Street.
       Jacksonville, FL 32202
       (904) 355 - ARTS (2787)

‘Tom Segura’ set for JAX appearance

Due to the popularity of the artist, this show is being posted early on “Around Town With Ms. “V” so that patrons may purchase tickets and guarantee their seats. COVID protocol may change by the time that this event is scheduled to take place. The Florida Theatre is pleased to announce the return of actor, comedian and writer “Tom Segura” with two shows.

Tom Segura is one of the biggest names in the comedy business. He recently performed to sold-out audiences on his 100+ city TAKE IT DOWN TOUR. He is best known for his Netflix specials, Ball Hog (2020), Disgraceful (2018), Mostly Stories (2016), and Completely Normal (2014). Paste Magazine described him as, “...having a natural and capable storytelling ability, one that lifts his narratives out of average anecdote fare and plants them firmly in hilarious ground.” Your Mom’s House Studios is home to his hit podcasts Your Mom’s House which he co-hosts with his wife, comedian Christina Pazsitzky, 2 Bears 1 Cave which he co-hosts with Bert Kreischer, and many more. Additionally, YMH Studios was one of the first networks to create wildly successful Livestream Podcast Events as an outcome of the pandemic.

Segura can be seen in the STX FILM COUNTDOWN opposite Elizabeth Lail, INSTANT FAMILY opposite Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne, OPENING ACT, and FLINCH. Segura’s television credits include The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Conan, Workaholics, Happy Endings, The Late Late Show, Comedy Central Presents: Tom Segura, Mash Up, How To Be A Grown Up.

Segura has an increasing social media following (@seguratom on IG, @tomsegura on Twitter). When he isn’t performing on stage or recording a podcast, he’s watching College Football or waiting for College Football to come back.

The historic, nonprofit Florida Theatre is sponsored by Community First Credit Union. For a complete list of upcoming events or to buy tickets visit the Theatre’s official website, floridatheatre.com.

COVID-19 Protocols as of May 15, 2021: Temperature checks will be discontinued. Masks will be strongly recommended, but not required. Intermissions will return when appropriate to the show. Their bars will return to normal operations (closing after intermission or about three-quarters of the way through a show).

“Tom Segura”
DATE: Thurs., Sept. 30, 2021
TIMES: 7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.
TICKETS: $49 – $79

LOCATION: The Florida Theatre
      128 East Forsyth Street.
      Jacksonville, FL 32202
      (904) 355-2787

'Corey Smith' returns to The Florida Theatre

Singer-songwriter “Corey Smith” will perform a solo acoustic show at the Florida Theatre on Saturday, July 17, 2021 at 8 p.m. Corey Smith, the fan-made man, has sold over 1 million concert tickets, 1.5 million digital singles and over 220,000 albums. Corey’s Spotify channel has amassed over 5.76 million listeners with more than 73 million streams and is currently averaging over 1.13 million streams each month.

Smith has amassed an unfailingly devout fan base, not only in his native Southeast region, but all around the nation, simply by telling it the way it is. He has released 10 albums—including 2011’s Top 20 release The Broken Record.  Corey has written every word on every album and has produced 9 out of 10 of the records. In Summer 2015, Corey teamed up with producer Keith Stegall (Alan Jackson, Zac Brown Band) for his album, While the Gettin’ Is Good, released on Sugar Hill Records.

Smith’s concerts, which were documented on his last live record, Live in Chattanooga, regularly sell out, with audiences singing along to such fan favorites as the coming-of-age anthem “Twenty-One,” the nostalgic time warp “If I Could Do It Again” and the group hug “I Love Everyone”.  Corey has a consistent touring history, usually hitting around 120 dates per year, but recently has taken a pause form touring to undergo a risky eye surgery.

During his time at home, Corey has begun releasing solo acoustic tracks every week, directly to his devoted fan base via his YouTube series Songsmith Weekly and all music streaming platforms. These tracks, such as “Cellophane”, “Where I Wish I Was” and “Going Blind” have re-energized his fan base.  Corey is planning in compiling these releases in a more traditional album format later this year and is looking forward to hitting the road soon in support of all this new music.

The historic, nonprofit Florida Theatre is sponsored by Community First Credit Union. For a complete list of upcoming events or to buy tickets visit the Theatre’s official website, floridatheatre.com.

COVID-19 Protocols as of May 15, 2021:
Temperature checks will be discontinued.
Masks will be strongly recommended, but not required.
Intermissions will return when appropriate to the show.
Our bars will return to normal operations (closing after intermission or about three-quarters of the way through a show).

“Corey Smith –
Solo Acoustic”
DATE: Saturday, July 17, 2021
TIME: 8 p.m.
TICKETS: $39.50 – $49.50

LOCATION: The Florida Theatre
      128 East Forsyth Street.
      Jacksonville, FL 32202
      (904) 355-2787

WJCT public media expands with local talent

WJCT Public Media recently expanded the Jacksonville Music Experience with a new online platform dedicated to local music and curation. The refreshed platform includes new features and weekly updates, giving users a continuous range of music to discover and enjoy. JME’s team of featured contributors boasts decades of experience in the local music scene, and includes journalists, broadcasters, performers and impresarios.

The Jacksonville Music Experience launched in 2020 to connect listeners with a locally curated selection of programs that can be accessed on the air through WJCT Public Media’s HD radio stations (Classical 24, Anthology, and Electro Lounge), on demand through the WJCT app, online at jaxmusic.org, Music Thursday television programming on Jax PBS and even in person as concert programming returns to the First Coast. The expanded online platform now features new and improved features, including:

Main Features: Longform profiles of local musicians, feature stories and think pieces that provide context to broad, music-related topics and how they impact Jax's music ecosystem — from emerging hip-hop artists like L.O.V.E. Culture and Aalana, to established local favorites like producer Ryan Turk and Jonathan Grant Berlin of Sunbears! Fame.
The Local Spotlight: Short-form music reviews of new releases by local artists.
Local Music Calendar: Recommendations of concerts to see at local venues with useful and actionable information, like artist introductions, venue info and links to purchase tickets.
WJCT Soundstage Events: Information about upcoming concerts and opportunities to engage with local artists.
Today in Music History:  Significant musical moments, updated daily.
Electro Lounge Radio Playlist: The best in chill, downtempo and more from David Luckin.
JME DJ Sessions: Once a month on First Coast Connect with Melissa Ross, JME Contributors introduce listeners to the beautiful noise emanating from Northeast Florida with a selection of new releases from local artists.
Fresh Squeeze Playlist: Curated selections of new music from local, regional, national and global artists, including songs from First Coast Connect’s JME DJ Sessions — all hand-picked by JME contributors.
Crate Diggin': JME contributors will dig through their vinyl collections to discuss rare or significant albums based on a unique theme (Examples: Unsung Summer Albums, Guilty Pleasures, Pressed to Impress).
JME Twitter Feed: Follow @JMEJaxMusic for the latest  content from jaxmusic.org as well as topical and buzz-worthy music news from other sites.
JME Recommends: JME contributors will introduce readers to the most intriguing local artists in various genres.

“The Jacksonville Music Experience is specifically designed for fans of all genres to discover and enjoy the most in-depth, diverse and local selection possible,” says David Luckin, WJCT Public Media’s Music Director. “With these new features that are easy to access online, Northeast Florida listeners will be able to customize every aspect of their music experience, learn more about music history and broaden their everyday playlists.”

Please visit jaxmusic.org, to explore the site and sign up for future JME updates. In celebration of the launch, WJCT Public Media is also hosting an Amazon Echo giveaway campaign to encourage music lovers in Northeast Florida to sign up to receive future JME music updates (Contest runs from June 8 through June 22. See rules for details).

About WJCT: WJCT is the community-owned and operated public media organization serving Jacksonville and the First Coast since 1958, using television, radio, digital media, and live events to help community members learn, share, and grow.

 

Electric Light Orchestra comes to JAX this month

Electric Light Orchestra Experience 50th Anniversary tour features the brilliant arrangements and flawless musicianship and vocals of the 12 elite professional musicians, whose credits include an exhaustive list of the biggest names in the music industry, are the hallmarks of this new, first-class 50th Anniversary tribute to The Electric Light Orchestra.

Electric Light Orchestra's fusion of Beatlesque-pop with classical arrangements rocketed the group to massive commercial success, generating numerous instantly-recognizable chart-topping hits and album sales in excess of 50,000,000.

For information about the Safety Protocols at the Times-Union Center, please click this link.

“Electric Light Orchestra Experience”
DATE: Thurs. Mach 18, 2021
TIME: 7:30 p.m.

TICKETS: Start at $32.50 &can be purchased online 24/7 HERE

LOCATION: Times Union Center Performing Arts
      Moran Theater
      300 West Water St.
      Jacksonville, FL 32202

The Cummer Museum is ready to entertain you

Here are a few ideas to bring your family and friends to this month. Give them a call and make your reservation today. Make plans to have a Merry Christmas this year. 

Illuminating Nature | December 11, 15, 18 | 5 to 9 p.m. + Admission to the Museum and Gardens is FREE on Tuesday and Friday nights and includes this event. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Register Here. Play witness to the transformative power of light and color in the Cummer Gardens during this unique opportunity to view a familiar landscape in a whole new light!

After the sun goes down, come experience an installation of glowing fabric sculptures throughout the Cummer Gardens. Make an evening with them by dining in the Café (reservations are suggested), enjoying live music, and cozying up with a beverage from the garden bar.

Winter Art Camp (Virtual!) December 28, 29, 30 - During this online winter camp, young artists will explore the Museum to experience different perspectives and mediums across cultures, times, and locations and create their own unique artworks.
Ages 6 to 8 from 9 to 11:30 a.m.
Ages 9 to 12 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Register Here. Members | $25 per class; Non-Members | $30 per class. + Registration fee includes art kit to complete art-making activities during each class and a complimentary family admission pass.

Shop the Season – Shop Online: Just in time for the Holidays! Gifts from the Cummer Shop support our mission, and we know you will find unique finds they will adore. Free ground shipping on orders over $50. Offer expires Dec. 17. Use your member discount code, Member10, at checkout and save 10% off all purchases.

Meal Delivery

Let Chef's Garden cook for you! The Cummer Café is adapting to be more socially responsible in finding ways to best serve you, their valued community. Chef’s Garden, the Café’s catering team, is taking even more precautions to ensure they are working to the highest levels of health and safety standards. Chef’s Garden’s Meal Delivery Program offers socially responsible dining options with ready to eat meals for your family dinners. Available for same-day delivery when purchased before 12 p.m.

Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
   829 Riverside Avenue
   Jacksonville, Florida 32204
   (904) 356-6857
   Hours of Operation & Admission

Florida Theatre prepares to reopen with New Seating

The Florida Theatre is pleased to announce that the theatre’s famous “Ghost Seat” has returned safely home after being refurbished as part of the theatre’s current seating renovation. The Florida Theatre “Ghost Seat” was discovered in 2010 when the CW17 show Local Haunts conducted a paranormal investigation of the theatre, and captured images of a ghostly apparition of a man sitting in the balcony, in Section 500, Row E, Seat 2. Steve Christian, who led the team, called it, “The Holy Grail of paranormal investigation.”

This attracted the interest of the SyFy Channel show Fact or Faked, who conducted their own paranormal investigation. Using Infrared cameras, thermal imaging, and EVP recorders, they heard noises and discovered heat signatures in two places in the orchestra section, and in the very balcony seat where Steve Christian’s apparition appeared. Their conclusion? They found “zero proof” that the Local Haunts video was faked.

Psychics routinely report a presence in the balcony. Jill Cook-Richards, a psychic consultant to a 1997 WJCT Public Television production claimed that a male ghost spoke to her, and said he wanted to be called “J” for Joy, which is what he felt for the theatre. “He said he didn’t need a name from his past, that he wanted a name for his future,” said Cook-Richards. She also reported that J, or perhaps Jay, was there to protect Joe Collier, then the building’s maintenance manager. This has led some to speculate that Jay was a former building manager himself.

This fall, as the Theatre moved forward with plans to install brand new, historically-accurate seating, it was decided that the “Ghost Seat” and its companion seat (Section 500, Row E, Seat 1) would be the only seats in the Theatre to be restored, refurbished and reinstalled. “We did not want our ghost to be homeless if his or her seat went away permanently. They are the only two seats being restored. Every other seat is being replaced,” said Florida Theatre President Numa Saisselin.

The “Ghost Seat’ and its companion seat were refurbished in Grand Rapids, Michigan by Irwin Seating Company, a world leader in the design and manufacture of theatre seating. These special seats returned to the Theatre this week and will be reinstalled just in time for the Theatre’s long-awaited reopening this December.

The Florida Theatre’s first event in December is Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s Wild and Swingin’ Holiday Party on Wednesday, December 9 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by visiting floridatheatre.com or by calling the box office at 904-355-ARTS (2787). All of the December events at the Florida Theatre will be limited-capacity, with public health measures in place. Patrons can visit online for the most up to date information on The Florida Theatre’s safety protocols and general updates.

About the Florida Theatre: From ballet and opera to contemporary pop, jazz, rock, country and blues the nonprofit Florida Theatre offers 200 cultural and entertainment events annually for every taste and age. More than just an entertainment center, Florida Theatre is also home to graduations, awards ceremonies, lectures, business meetings and charity events that support the community's schools, churches, hospitals and civic groups. As an anchor to downtown development along the beautiful St. Johns River, Florida Theatre draws 250,000 people to Jacksonville's center each year. The magnificently restored Florida Theatre is recognized as one of the finest concert venues in the Southeast. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Florida Theatre holds special memories for four generations. From the Vaudeville acts and silent films of its earliest days to today's blend of performances of all kinds, the Florida Theatre has served as Jacksonville's premier entertainment center since 1927.

“Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s
Wild & Swingin’ Holiday Party”
DATE: Wed., Dec. 9, 2020
TIME: 8 p.m.
TICKETS: $49.50 - $59.50

LOCATION: The Florida Theatre
      128 East Forsyth Street.
      Jacksonville, FL 32202
      (904) 355-2787