While Fort Lauderdale has been called the New Age Capital of America by some, perhaps things have gone a bit too far. Gryffin's Loft (5957 S. University Dr., Davie) presents Dolphin Magic from 7 to 8:30 p.m. today for all those people who consider tarot cards and Ouija boards far too rational. Learn how the consciousness of dolphins and their magic is part of a mission to help humans reach the next level of enlightenment. A question-and-answer session follows the lecture and, hoo boy, do we have a question or two. Admission is a staggering $35. Call 954-252-6868.
Friday, April 11 The Dreyfoos School of the Arts presents dance, drama, and music students performing an interdisciplinary piece created in the school's crossover-dance course. Taking its name from an African word meaning community, Abataka Dance comes to the Armory Art Center (1703 Lake Ave., West Palm Beach) at 6 p.m. Additional performances are set for April 13 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. and April 23 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Call 561-832-1776.
Saturday, April 12
The early 1980s was a golden time for political drama, which facilitated the anarcho-punk scene. The Dead Kennedys' vitriolic and satirical Reagan ramblings and the anti-establishment rants of U.K. bands like Crass stirred up a wonderfully contagious brand of dissent. The anarcho-punk mayhem also spawned a band called simply Subhumans. When the whole scene went from being timely to downright comical in the mid-1980s, Subhumans split up. Now they're back on tour, just in time to drop some words of wisdom on South Florida. Subhumans, with the Enemies, Against All Authority, and Protagonist play at the Factory (2674 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Fort Lauderdale) at 6 p.m. $10, all ages.
Sunday, April 13
The folks at Yoga Warehouse (508 SW Flagler Ave., Fort Lauderdale), like many yoga practitioners, are all about peace and love. So much so, in fact, that they've set aside today as A Day of Peace and Music at their store. Festivities include two workshops, a percussion class with Randy Crafton of New York City's Juilliard School from 2 to 4 p.m., and an introduction to Nada Yoga with Jorge Alfano from 4 to 6 p.m. After that, Alfano, a Hollywood-based musician, and Crafton perform percussion-based tunes with several great musicians for the limbered up, vibrationally in-tune crowd at 7 p.m. Admission to each workshop is $25, while the concert is $20 and an all-day pass is $65. Call 954-525-7726.
Monday, April 14
Although we've only reached mid-April, the summertime yen for sending the kiddies off to camp has already begun. After all, a browbeaten parent has to have some way to get the kids out of the house for a few hours during spring break. Hence Fern Forest Nature Detectives 2003, which begins today and wraps up Friday, April 18. Kids ages 8 to 11 meet at 9 a.m. at the Fern Forest Nature Center (201 S. Lyons Rd., Coconut Creek) for three hours of eco-friendly fun. Kids who show up today explore hardwood hammocks and cypress swamps. Future excursions include delving into ponds, prairies, and forests. Admission is $9 per day and registration is required. Call 954-970-0150.
Tuesday, April 15
Despite its current antiwar stance, the Catholic church doesn't exactly have the best track record -- ignoring the Holocaust, starting the First Crusade, and endorsing the rest, and of course, waging the Spanish Inquisition. Nobody expects the Inquisition to be a big thing these days, but author Daniel Rosenfeld sees tie-ins to the modern world. His book, The Fall of the Spanish Inquisition, covers the atrocities of the age. Rosenfeld himself appears at Borders Books and Music (525 N. Congress Ave., Boynton Beach) at 1 p.m. today to discuss his book and how the 15th-century ideology of the Catholic church resembles that of al Qaeda. One can see some similarities -- aggression against other cultures, the view that one religion is far superior to others... OK, admittedly, that describes America's current leadership too, but you get the idea. Call 561-734-2021.
Wednesday, April 16
Ladies and gentlemen, get ready for poet and preacher Wesley Willis as he brings his rock 'n' roll ministry to the Soho Lounge (175 NE 36th St. Miami, 305-576-1988). When Wesley sings "You Better Find My Pistol," you listen. When he screams about rocking Saddam Hussein's ass and then deadpans, "Play the rock solo as hard as you can/Make the crowd roar like a tidal wave/ Rock the jam session on a good free will/Whip the hell out of that snow leopard's ass," the world starts to make sense, even if he does suffer from occasional psychotic episodes. Yes, Wesley makes sense of the nonsensical. That's why he's the object of our head-butting affections. And now, a tribute: Wesley, you take me on a war hell-bus/Rock the stage like a Big Mac and fries/When you want that ooh-aah feel, come to Mattress Giant. Show starts at 8 p.m. Call 305-576-1988.
