Once upon a time, a single musician dominated the streets of Key West, and his name was Jimmy Buffett. But nowadays, when you head to the southernmost point, you watch the freaks in Mallory Square balance refrigerators on their heads, and then you meander down Duval Street to Irish Kevin's. Here, an overgrown frat boy named Jared Michael Hobgood plays an acoustic guitar, chugs Guinness on-stage, sings songs about Britney Spears, and heckles audience members. People from cities with real colleges (sorry, FAU) might not be impressed by the shtick, but to us, Hobgood is an exotic, mesmerizing creature. And what power! Homeboy can make even the world's most jaded indie-rock girl wave her bra, scream "You want me!," and sing along to "Sweet Caroline." Amazing, no? Hobgood treks up here for Tarpon Bend's sixth-anniversary party tonight (200 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale). Admission is free, and the first hundred customers get free T-shirts. Call 954-523-3233. (DF)
Or you can go to the Town Center Mall (6000 Glades Rd., Boca Raton), where for once, horseplay is encouraged. Use your favorite spy tactics and move from store to store collecting clues during a James Bond-themed scavenger hunt that benefits the Haven, a therapeutic group home for kids. It costs $40 to enter, but you could win a $500 gift certificate from Office Depot, a weekend stay at the Boca Marriott, and other fabulous prizes. The hunt lasts from 6 to 8 p.m. Call 561-483-0962. (DF)
FRI 12
Uh oh -- Lake Worth bicyclists are blocking off Lake Avenue at "L" Street. But it's not some kind of antideveloper protest; it's the Bike Madness Film Fest. The event features several short films, many of which tout the benefits of bicycling, both in terms of physical health and environmental health (which, of course, are largely related). The feature film for the evening is The King of K-Town, a tale of a neighborhood beef between the king racer and the new guy (and the girl they're both fighting over). Also showing are Return of the Scorcher; Red Light Go!; Amsterdam: The Bicycling Capital of Europe; We Are Traffic!; and Wolf, the Film. Though admission is free, all proceeds raised from food and drink sales go to the Lance Armstrong Foundation. The screenings begin at 8 p.m. Call 561-276-6075. (JB)
SAT 13
The drama grrrls are at it again. The Women's Theatre Project presents only works that were written by women and uses strictly female casts. This time, it's presenting If We Are Women -- "an intelligent, funny, and heartfelt look at the lives and loves of three generations of women." Performances take place Thursdays through Sundays, now through August 28, at the Studio (640 N. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale). Tickets costs $20, $10 for students. Call 954-462-2334. (DF)
SUN 14
Just one short year ago, you were saying "reggae what?" when somebody told you that reggaeton was the next big thing. But then you heard Daddy Yankee shout "Ella gusta la gasolina, dame la gasolina!" about a hundred billion times; radio station 94.9 abandoned its classic-rock format for reggaeton; and you started feeling awfully Latino and proud. Give it another year and the entire population of South Florida will be bilingual. We can already say "Take off your clothes" ("Quítate la ropa") and "Drink!" (Toma!"), thanks to Pitbull, who is performing at the Libertad Music Festival at Bayfront Park (301 N. Biscayne Blvd., Miami). Puerto Rican/Cuban hip-hopper Fat Joe is co-producing the tour, which is hitting just four privileged cities: New York, Miami, Dallas, and L.A. In addition to Mr. Joe and Pitbull, artists Volio, Wisin & Yandel, and Zion & Lennox perform. The show starts at 3 p.m. Tickets cost $20. Visit www.libertadlive.com. (DF)
MON 15
Making the leap from acoustic to electric can be trying for a folk group, and it's not just a personnel issue (e.g., more egos, more problems). The greater danger is that the band's songwriting will fall victim to excessive instrumentation (a.k.a., wanking). Fortunately, folk-duo-turned-full-band Pyrohypnotik has resisted the temptation to layer its songs to death. Fronted by Ron "Pyro" Coursal and Jessie Colombe, the Lake Worth-based band plays stripped-down, straight-up alt-rock. Imagine if Nirvana re-formed with X's John Doe and Exene Cervenka taking over vocal duties, penning a new batch of tunes with rich melodies, lush choruses, and socially conscious lyrics. Jesus, that could actually happen, couldn't it? Pyrohypnotik performs tonight at the South Shores Tavern and Patio Bar (502 Lucerne Ave., Lake Worth). The free show starts at 6 p.m. Call 561-547-7656. (JB)
TUE 16
You probably knew that the Jupiter Hammerheads is the farm team of the Florida Marlins. But did you know that it's also a Pepperidge Farm team? The company makes the buns for all those Ball Park franks you love so much. For tonight's game against the Brevard County Manatees, bring two empty Pepperidge Farm bun bags to the box office at Roger Dean Stadium (4751 Main St., Jupiter). In turn, you get two tickets for the price of one ($7). The Hammerheads may not be doing too well (they're in last place as of this writing), but where else can you find such a cheap date? The game begins at 6:35 p.m. Call 561-966-3309, or visit www.jupiterhammerheads.com. (JB)
WED 17
With all these multi-CD box sets and quadruple DVDs popping up left and right, too many bands are eager to blow their creative loads in a single release. But just as it seems the notion of leave the fans wanting more has gone by the wayside, along comes System of a Down, which like any good prog band, has released a conceptual album -- in two parts. The first part, Mezmerize, came out in May, while the second, Hypnotize, is scheduled for a November release. Though it was born of the '90s n-metal boom, System's creative, outside-the-box thinking and complex song structures put it above the more dunderheaded bands of that genre -- and boy, are there plenty of those. System joins the Mars Volta and Bad Acid Trip tonight at the Office Depot Center (1 Panthers Pkwy., Sunrise). Show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $32.50 to $45. Visit www.ticketmaster.com, or call 954-523-3309. (JB)
