FOLIO VOICES story by GREG SAMPSON I admit it. I’m the weird one. Long before Parkland, long before Sandy Hook, long ago, I began the practice of keeping my classroom door closed and locked at all times. What makes me weird is that I do not allow anyone except me to open the door. You read that correctly. I answer the door, not the students, not any teenagers, not any children. ME. Only me. Teens see a classmate or friend through the window and throw the door open, not stopping to realize that someone they cannot see may be right …

FOLIO COMMUNITY story by JULIE DELEGAL Big waves emanate from a small classroom at Robert E. Lee High School on Jacksonville’s Westside, as teacher Amy Donofrio guides the students toward positive changes. The kids are part of the EVAC movement, a project rooted in self-empowerment, which, in turn, is rooted in students claiming, owning and transcending their life stories. Together, she and her students have found a way to cut through the emotional walls that too often rise between “at-risk” students and adults in high school. Empowerment, Donofrio insists, begins when we share our histories, forging deep bonds with others …

FOLIO A&EFoibles, Fables and Other Imaskinations 11 a.m. & 1 p.m. June 21 The Florida Theatre Downtownfree theatreworksjax.com The Florida Theatre128 E. Forsyth St.Jacksonville, FL View larger map story by KEITH MARKS The eyes of a child spark the flames of imagination; exposure being the ultimate denominator in determining a child’s passion for the arts. An arts community is only as strong as the population that supports, advocates and champions for it to be the essential bedrock of its community. It is our investment in that exposure that guarantees the return of dividends: An engaged community of arts advocates enabling …

FOLIO A&E

FOLIO VOICES story by A.G. GANCARSKI Writing about politics and politicians for as long as I have, I’ve long since stopped being shocked by anything. However, people who do not spend 60-80 hours a week marinating in the toxic sludge of political discourse still have that capacity for shock. A good illustration of that currently exists in the so-called “tent cities” debate. President Donald Trump and his administration have, as of this writing, separated 2,000 migrant children from their parents at border crossings. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and White House spox Sarah Huckabee Sanders have defended the policy as being …

FOLIO A&E .

FOLIO A&E

FOLIO A&E

FOLIO A&E

FOLIO A&E

6-9 p.m. June 23 Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens Riversideb>$20-$25 cummermuseum.org Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens829 Riverside AvenueJacksonville, FL View larger map Once upon a time, local boy Bass was a hell-raiser, of that upper echelon caliber of the spit-in-your-eye and shout-you-down kind. Back then, the founder and flat-picking frontman of Grandpa’s Cough Medicine would just as soon play for an empty room as perform for an inattentive or unappreciative audience. We’ve heard he’s mellowed since those fiery days (a few years in the mountains can do that)-but judge for yourself in an intimate Americana concert.

FOLIO DINING story by MARC WISDOM Last week, the world went wild when Gabby DiMarco unexpectedly caught a foul ball in her beer and then chugged it while the Padres played the Braves at San Diego’s Petco Field. YouTube videos quickly popped up, honoring DiMarco and commemorating the event. Sure, it was just one of those crazy, one-in-a-million moments the media loves to air over and over, but it’s also one of many happy accidents destined to go down as a great moment in beer history. Let’s look at a few more-some are fascinating, one is tragic. In the tiny …

  Three simple words define how Jim Alabiso greets a new day. “To the Sea” is a spiritual roadmap that leads him to the sandy shores at sunrise and a metaphor for his relationship to the water. A distance swimmer, author, water conservationist and professional strategist, Alabiso rises before dawn several times a week for a mile swim up the coast just as the day breaks on the horizon. It’s a transformative experience that he shares with his tribe of co-swimmers in the Duval Ocean Swimmers. Any number of swimmers may appear at daybreak; as little as two or three …

From shows at the and the , to lively productions at the or , the First Coast is a vibrant metropolis that never sleeps. Whether you’re into country western or comedy, rock-and-roll or jazz, Broadway musicals or pop, Jacksonville offers something for everyone. How many times have you asked yourself after a show, where can we get something good to eat late in the evening? We’re starved! And no matter your tastes, there are many late night hangouts offering inspired dishes and cocktails to keep the festivities going after the show. Here are a few late night favorites in and …

Directed by Tricia Williams Choreographed by Javier Fernandez Music Direction by Christine Phillips Monty Python’s Spamalot was entertaining and provided a lot of humorous moments intertwined with amazing choreography and musical numbers. I really enjoyed watching the actors as I tried to figure out the plot.  is loosely based on Camelot. I do not want to spoil it for others that have never watched it on screen before, but I will say it is a bit naughty with some interesting twists. The play was comprised of two Acts. Act I contained 15 songs and Act II 12 songs. I don’t …

Every city is defined by a number of contributing factors from the landscape to its residents and the history of the town itself. In Laramie, Wyoming, the place once recognized as a prominent railroading community where small-town, conservative views meshed in a comfortable contradiction with its panoramic scenery and heaven-meets-earth skies became the epicenter of hate following the death of a young, gay man named Matthew Shepard. Created by a collection of students at the Tectonic Theater Troupe, is the result of over 200 interviews conducted by members over a series of visits to Laramie to understand and explain how …

Joey Santiago is feeling contemplative. As the guitarist and original member of the Pixies, he is wrapping up a full day of press ahead of the band’s 2018 tour. The questions dredge through the triumphant years, the miserable breaks and the ugly truths about it all. But Santiago isn’t focused on the fall and rise of one of the best bands in the alternative music. He’s thinking about aluminum foil. The Pixies will perform to a sold-out crowd June 24 at the Florida Theatre. There will be no filler talk between songs, no interplay with the audience, no set list, …

“I should be wearing a Beverly Beach swimsuit and a straw hat.” It was a steamy July night in 2016 the last time Culture Club played in northeast Florida. Boy George made it through the sweaty show at the Morocco Shrine Auditorium without a hiccup and only a brief mention of Jacksonville feeling like the surface of the sun. So, when announced that a co-headlining tour with the would get underway at the end of June in St. Augustine, it seemed the band was heading from the frying pan into the fire. “I’ve had a lot of conversations about some …

FOLIO A&EJuneteenth 7-11 p.m. June 15Bohemian Lounge San Marco $15-$20eventbrite.com Bohemain Lounge1974 San Marco Blvd.Jacksonville, FL 32207 View larger map Juneteenth is the annual celebration of the freeing of enslaved people in Texas on June 19, 1865 … word traveled slowly of General Robert E. Lee’s April 9, 1865 surrender. Since the end of the Civil War, it’s been a day for jubilation throughout the nation. Here in Jax, it’s an opportunity to view works by some of our community’s exciting up-and-coming artists. Poetry, music, spoken word and historical narrations are also featured.

FOLIO DINING story by CHEF BILL THOMPSON You say potAAto, I say potaaahto, yet that’s not a reason to call the whole thing off. Get it? Probably not if you’re under 60 or not an old movie junkie. I’ll just accept that I’m better educated and more culturally aware than the rest of y’all. But have no fear. I’m a giver, here to help. Whether you say potAAto or potaaato matters not as long as you appreciate these delectable tubers half as much as I do. The best way to enjoy potatoes? Learn about the three basic types of the …

FOLIO A&EStacey Bennett 6 p.m. June 15Seachasers Lounge Jax Beachfreeseachaserslounge.com story by NICK McGREGOR Stacey Bennett is the busiest musician in Northeast Florida. It’s hard to objectively quantify such a statement, but consider the facts: In just the last 18 months, she and her band have toured the nation, played South By Southwest, sold out the Blue Jay Listening Room, secured airplay for the 2016 album on 140 college radio stations, said goodbye to two band members, added a retired Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra concertmaster to the lineup, and planned a (literal) marathon of a new songwriting experiment. And still, Bennett …

FOLIO A&E La Luz with Las Rosas, Timothy Eerie, The Mother Gooses 7 p.m. June 14Root Down 5 Points$10-$20winterlandpresents.com Root Down1034 Park StJacksonville, FL 32204 View larger map story by NICK McGREGOR Underneath the effervescence of La Luz’s effervescent surf-rock lies an electrical charge-a roiling undercurrent of global pop and psychedelia that’s both haunting and heartbreaking. On the band’s 2018 album Floating Features, that ominous feeling rises to the surface, as guitarist/lead vocalist Shana Cleveland’s rough-hewn riffs and echo-drenched words recalling the recurring dreams she had when she was writing the record. “That element isn’t just in the lyrics,” Cleveland …

FOLIO FILM story by PAT McLEOD For those who enjoy horror films executed with style and originality, I’ll discuss three fairly recent efforts you may have missed. Two are foreign (Spanish and French); the third is an unexpected spectacle by a distinguished American filmmaker whose previous films-none remotely connected with science-fiction, fantasy or horror-include six Oscar nominations. Penumbra (2011), written and directed by Spanish brothers Adrián and Ramiro García Bogliano, is set in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Some odd people want to rent a rundown apartment from leasing agent Marga (Cristina Brondo), an ambitious Spanish businesswoman. Marga is classy, svelte and …

FOLIO A&EThe Great Atlantic Country Music Fest noon-10 p.m. June 16Sea Walk Pavilion Jax Beach free, VIP $20greatatlanticfestival.com SeaWalk Pavilion75 N. First St.Jacksonville Beach, FL View larger map A-pickin’ and a-grinnin’, as well as singin’, strummin’, dancin’-country music non-pareil in NEFLa, this outdoor festival by the sea is an all-day event that’ll get your boots stompin’ or your flips floppin’ either way, we bet you can’t help doing a little two-stepping. Musicians are Justin Lee Partin, Patrick Gibson, Cale Dodds, Krystal Keith and Lance Carpenter, Tobacco Rd. Band, Saloonatix, and local boy done good Brett Bass & Melted Plectrum.

FOLIO A&EMarineland Beach Walk opens 8:3-10 a.m. June 20 Guana Tolomato Matanzas Research Reserve’s Marineland field office, 9741 Ocean Shore Blvd. FLagler free, reservation requiredeventbrite.com There’s lots to know about NEFLa’s beaches’ special environment. A ranger guides the walk, discussing “restless sand,” coquina, dune flowers, seabirds and shells-you may even see one of nature’s most humble yet industrious creatures (as long as it’s not foundation they’re steadily digging under): gopher tortoises.

FOLIO A&EMind the Path, a reading opens 6:30-10:30 p.m. June 19Yellow House Riverside freeyellowhouseart.org Yellow House577 King St.Jacksonville, FL 32204 View larger map For poets, there’s space between performance and printing. Mainly, one imagines, because the ineffability of a poem, when tied to the page can, at times, feel too solid, like something that’s been rendered inert. Poet Keri Foster has taken the plunge, launching her first chapbook Mind the Path. Proceeds benefit Girls Rock Camp. The Backdoor Stompers and DJ Geexella perform and Johnny Masiulewicz debuts Happy Tapir #4.

COMMUNITY NEWS story by SCOTT GAILLARD On Nov. 6, voters will decide the fate of the U.S. Congress and state legislatures across the country. Democrats are hoping a “Blue Wave” will crest and wash the Republicans out of control of Congress and state governments around the nation. The Blue Wave refers to the rising tide of activism on the left and the increasing success of Democratic candidates in special elections since the inauguration of President Donald Trump. (See “A Progressive Counterrevolution in Northeast Florida?” Folio Weekly, January 2017) Asked about the Blue Wave, local Democratic activist Luis Zaldivar says, “I …

FOLIO DINING story by MARC WISDOM By now, your air conditioner has had a healthy workout altering the heat and humidity drenching Northeast Florida. While some revel in the sticky sizzle, others scramble toward any place with the AC less than 75°F and refreshing lighter brews on tap. Fortunately, a slew of area breweries keep their taprooms cool and their beer cold. For several years, Bold City Brewery has released Big John’s Apricot Wheat Ale at summer’s start; owners Brian and Susan Miller honored the family patriarch John with this signature brew. Big John’s pours a cloudy light gold, sending …