Toni Rachal – Folio 2.0 / EU Jacksonville

The Elbow, Jacksonville, FL, Downtown Vision, DVI

The Anatomy of a District: The Elbow and Downtown Vision, Inc.

Toni Rachal September 7, 2015 Downtown, Drink, Feature, Food + Drink, Music, Music Venues, Restaurants, The Elbow

The inaugural year of featured a Creator called “,” helmed by a marketing team intent on designating and branding an entertainment district Downtown. The idea may be foreign to Jacksonville, but it’s not a unique concept. The French Quarter in New Orleans, the Gaslamp District in San Diego, and the closer-to-home Ybor City in Tampa have all branded themselves as a downtown destination for happy hours and late nights out. However, our own Jacksonville’s urban center only had what may have been vaguely described as “around Bay Street.” The Elbow saw moderate success at One Spark in 2013, and subsequently …

One Big Dance Party: My Morning Jacket at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre

Toni Rachal August 12, 2015 Music, Music News, St. Augustine

The sun sets late these days, and a bright, naturally-lit St. Augustine Amphitheatre welcomed a crowd of all-ages fans to see , accompanied by . The headliner is something of a household name, but Mini Mansions cruises under the radar despite a member of note: Queens of the Stone Age bassist , who rocked a floral-print suit. MM recently released their second album, The Great Pretenders, which leans noticeably toward pop-rock. MMJ took the stage as twilight fell and the lights went up. As a rule, their presentation and sound is perhaps notoriously aimed at the stoner crowd, and there was …

Never Go Back: A Conversation with Local Filmmaker David Petlansky

Toni Rachal August 7, 2015 Feature, Movies, On Screen

The name may sound familiar if you’ve had any connection to the local film community in the past, oh, 15 years or so. His extensive resume includes titles like Turn, Everything Means Nothing, Tomorrow Mourning, and Black Matter Tomithy, all shot and produced locally on the First Coast under the pseudonym of . Petlansky considers Jacksonville his hometown, being raised here from a young age. He and his wife moved to Missouri briefly before returning to Florida upon learning they were expecting their first child, due in September. Eschewing film school in favor of a “stumbling” learning experience, Petlansky’s path could …

Keiko Matsui at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall

Toni Rachal August 7, 2015 Music, Music News, Ponte Vedra, The Beaches

When arrives onstage, it may not even be noticed until she takes command of her instrument and becomes a force to be reckoned with. Small in stature, and with a voice that barely surpasses a whisper, it’s no wonder she prefers expression via thundering grand piano. The pianist and composer performed at the two days before her 54th birthday, with the energy and stamina of someone 30 years her junior. Originally from Tokyo, Matsui has been recording and touring actively since the age of 19. She is the definition of prolific, having released over 20 albums in a career …

Hot Nite at Jack Rabbits: Vinyl Theatre

Toni Rachal July 21, 2015 Music, Music News, Music Venues, Photos + Video, San Marco, Videos

It may be possible to estimate a band’s true popularity entirely on how many fans willingly cram into tight, un-air-conditioned spaces this time of year. Any local concert-goer is familiar with the perils of attending a standing-only show in July, especially at a venue as compact as . A few vents pumped a derisory amount of warm air into the hall as girls clutched their hair off their necks. Performers onstage literally rained sweat onto their instruments and the audience, who willingly thrust their phones into the deluge to capture every moment for the Internet. A young crowd assembled to …

Hot Nite at Jack Rabbits: Vinyl Theatre

Toni Rachal July 21, 2015 Uncategorized

It may be possible to estimate a band’s true popularity entirely on how many fans willingly cram into tight, un-air-conditioned spaces this time of year. Any local concert-goer is familiar with the perils of attending a standing-only show in July, especially at a venue as compact as . A few vents pumped a derisory amount of warm air into the hall as girls clutched their hair off their necks. Performers onstage literally rained sweat onto their instruments and the audience, who willingly thrust their phones into the deluge to capture every moment for the Internet. A young crowd assembled to …

Hominid: Jacksonville Native’s Short Film is Not About Bigfoot

Toni Rachal July 4, 2015 Movie Reviews, Movies, On Screen

Like many aspiring filmmakers, Jacksonville native has been behind a camera since childhood. A recent graduate of the film program at , his senior thesis project is , a short film based on the legend of Bigfoot—but don’t say that out loud. “When I tell people it’s about Bigfoot they kind of say, ‘Oh. Interesting.’” Suttles says. “But in the movie, the characters don’t refer to it as that, no one ever says ‘We’re goin’ Squatchin’!’ It’s more about the practical ramifications of that possibility.” He settled on the topic because he found it to be just pithy enough to …

Palm Trees and Power Lines: A Bright Song for Your Breakup

Toni Rachal May 23, 2015 Feature, Local Musicians, Music, Music News

EVENT: Palm Trees & Power Lines at Rock on the River 6 DATE: Monday, May 25 (Memorial Day) VENUE: The Jacksonville Landing TICKETS: FREE CONTACT: www.jacksonvillelanding.com, www.x1029.com Florida’s wink of a spring is almost gone, and that means it’s finally time to make a break for the beach and find a perfect summer playlist. We’ve got you covered with on-the-rise , who are currently killing it with high-profile gigs like , and 6. The band, which started playing together in 2012, is comprised of Jacksonville natives , , and . They debuted their High Hopes EP back in November 2013, …

A blend of pop, rock, folk, blues and jazz – Joan Armatrading at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall

Toni Rachal May 5, 2015 Music, Music News, Ponte Vedra

This past Thursday evening, for an attentive and relatively quiet crowd at the , performed show #156 of an extensive world tour. There was no yelling, no moshing, no pushing; just a few hundred enraptured fans collectively, courteously enjoying the performance of a legend. Armatrading, the aforementioned legend, belted, crooned and whispered a sublime 90-minute set with a stamina that most 64-year-olds have long forgotten. Born on in the Caribbean, Armatrading was raised in the UK and started recording music in 1972 before playing shows that boasted renowned headliners like and . She’s released a staggering 18 albums and been …