The Vaudevillian performance art of burlesque has seen a resurgence in the past decade or so. Scantily clad, come-hither ladies donning nipple pasties and whirling feather boas — really, what’s not to love here? Every major city has its own burlesque troupe or two nowadays. And of all the world’s…
A play dealing with issues of faith, commitment, and neo-Nazis doesn’t sound like much of a comedy, but audiences have been raving about the laugh-out-loud hilarity found in James Sherman’s play The God of Isaac since it opened in Chicago’s Victory Gardens in 1985. This insightful stage production deals with…
South Florida’s nightlife scene can be fickle. What once was your favorite alterna-electro joint flipped to a merengue and bachata club overnight. Sure, the beats are still good, but you haven’t the slightest idea how to move your hips so fluidly. And you miss your favorite DJs. Where did they…
Thirty years plus and the Butler brothers are still going strong with their new-wave concoction, the Psychedelic Furs. Led by singer Richard, with his sibling Tim on bass, the group emerged from Britain’s late ’70s postpunk scene to become one of the genre’s founding troubadours. Thanks in large part to…
It should not come as a surprise that Green Day’s seminal 2004 rock opera American Idiot translated magnificently to the stage. The multiplatinum, Grammy Award-winning record was made by the hugely successful punk-rock trio with grand operatic intentions — in the vein of other rock operas like the Who’s Tommy…
South Florida’s nightlife scene can be fickle. What once was your favorite EDM/alterna-electro joint flipped to a merengue and bachata club overnight. Sure, the beats are still good, but you haven’t the slightest idea how to move your hips so fluidly. And you miss your favorite DJs. Where did they…
Hustling like raindrops is what Fort Lauderdale rapper Jacques Bruna — better-known by his stage name, Bleubird — does 24/7, 365 days a year. The comically inclined hip-hop troubadour has been a star on the local scene for more than a minute — more than ten years, to be exact…
Those mourning the closing of Fort Lauderdale nightclub Christopher’s have something to look forward to with the Chase. The locale of the former Broward County institution opened again under this new moniker last night. No relation to the banking organization, the Chase will occupy the same 10,000-square-foot location that Christopher’s…
Memphis’ sizzling, romping, roaring ’50s underground dance clubs come to life this week at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts’ Au-Rene Theater. Sultry 2010 Tony Award-winning Best Musical Memphis swings through Fort Lauderdale with its scintillating choreography and hip-swaying rock ‘n’ roll. Inspired by true events, Memphis tells the…
When it comes to his music, musician Julian Cires has some serious gravitas. Some would call it gusto or, even more bluntly, “big balls.” Why, you may ask? Not many artists could trudge along with their vision of a band after enduring three complete lineup changes. And fewer still could…
Expect a huge night of gay pride and rollicking laughs this weekend at the Parker Playhouse as nonprofit organization Pride South Florida brings Big & Tall to town. Sidesplitting comedy of all shapes and sizes, Big & Tall is a duo consisting of Emmy Award winner Bruce Vilanch and off-Broadway…
Good news, clubland folks. Miami’s former eclectic hot spot the Pawn Shop has announced a definitive opening date for an upgraded West Palm Beach locale. It’s all going down on March 6. Back in November, we reported that the former downtown Miami dance club and celebrity haunt was reopening and…
Begat by folksy American improvisation troubadours Grateful Dead, who subsequently passed the torch to the jazzier Phish and Southern-rock-inspired Widespread Panic, the jam-band concept has been going strong for more than 50 years now. It’s morphed to include elements of modern music too, including EDM, with bands such as the…
Black Fridays may be gone and Roxanne’s is a thing of the past, but the Fetish Factory hopes to keep dark alternative culture in Fort Lauderdale thriving with its newest night, Circle. Tonight is Circle’s kick-off party and although it’s brought to you by the folks over at the den…
Despite being in his mid-twenties, it seems musician Evan Mui has been a perennial member of Lake Worth’s music scene for ages. With stints in Palm Beach County favorites like Guy Harvey and the Dewars, Mui has more than cut his teeth. His newest project Wake Up has given Mui…
In an area like South Florida, so chock-full of talented musicians, it’s really hard to stick out. But Boca Raton’s Mike Mineo has made a name for himself, not only with his deft songwriting skills, but more importantly, with a drive and determination we don’t see too often in local…
With his role in 1998 stoner cult classic Half Baked and a permanently droopy, glazed look in his eye, New York-born standup comic Jim Breuer has earned a reputation as a true pothead’s comedian. Breuer hasn’t done much to steer away from that reputation either, considering his ’02 comedy album…
A couple of weeks ago, we chronicled the top pickup spots in Palm Beach County, locales where singles feeling frisky, risky, and perhaps a wee bit kinky can freely frolic. We highlighted some obvious choices — like Blue Martini (because, c’mon, it’s universal knowledge this higher-end martini bar is a…
This Saturday night, locals’ll get a rare opportunity to witness Hollywood’s own trebled-out surf rockers Beach Day in their own element. The trio will be performing in their hometown at the ArtsPark in Downtown Hollywood, the first time the band has taken the stage at this unique venue, according to…
It’s been a minute since County Grind caught up with Fort Lauderdale native and Limited Fanfare Records founder Brian Kurtz. The young record label has shown much promise in the few years of its existence by releasing stellar records from scuzzy Miami rockers Lil’ Daggers, Mike Marsh’s (former drummer for…
Rumor has it that notable children’s writer Michael Morpurgo thought producers were crazy attempting to make a stage adaptation of his best-selling 1982 novel, War Horse. Turns out the idea was insanely genius, because the 2011 play War Horse went on to become a Broadway hit and five-time Tony winner…
We all have a friend or two who still dress like it’s 1995 but with skinny jeans. They usually have on thick-rimmed glasses and wear T-shirts of bands you’ve never heard of. The dude or chick carries around all their synthy equipment in their trunk, just in case inspiration strikes…
