RSVP

Looking for something to do? Here's a super calendar, ranging from Lindy in the Park to Tales from the Easel.

PRINCE: The artist currently known as ...

Few musicians have created such a rich, varied body of work as Prince, the artist formerly known as the artist formerly known as Prince.

Prince emerged during the 1980s by seamlessly tying together pop, funk, folk and rock. Not only has he released a series of groundbreaking albums throughout his career, he has toured frequently and written songs for other artists.

Prince's first two albums were solid, if unremarkable, late-1970s funk-pop. With 1980's Dirty Mind, he recorded a one-man tour de force of sex and music, which encompassed hard funk, catchy Beatlesque melodies and sweet soul ballads.

The followup album, Controversy, was more of the same; 1999 was a monster hit, selling more than 3-million copies. Nothing compared with 1984's Purple Rain, which made Prince a superstar. It sold more than 10-million copies in the United States and spent 24 weeks at No. 1.

Fastforwarding to 1991, Prince formed the New Power Generation and released Diamonds and Pearls, an album peppered with contemporary R&B.

Things got a little strange in 1993 when Prince legally changed his name to a symbol. (He returned to Prince in 2000.)

In 1994, after becoming embroiled in contract disagreements with Warner Bros., he independently released the single The Most Beautiful Girl in the World. It became his biggest hit in years.

As an end-of-the-millennium anthem, Prince issued the remix collection of 1999 (The New Master). Last month, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

After years of declining popularity and staying out of the public eye, Prince resumed touring and this week released his latest album, Musicology.

He will perform at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa. Tickets cost $49.50 to $76.75. Call 301-6500.

"POWER OF IMAGINATION': St. Petersburg-based artist Jack Barrett and his new exhibit, Power of Imagination, features 100 paintings, sketches and mixed media. Opening reception is from 6 to 9 p.m.; Matthews Art Gallery, 119 S Hyde Park Ave., downtown Tampa; $25. Call 259-0305.

JIM NORTON: Frequently a guest on Comedy Central's Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, comedian Jim Norton has a reputation for touching on every topic - even if that means abandoning political correctness. 8 and 10:30 p.m. today and Saturday; 7 p.m. Sunday; Improv Comedy Theater & Restaurant, Centro Ybor; $12-$16. Call 864-4000.

LIVESTOCK 14: Now in its 14th year, Livestock boasts a lineup of hard-core rockers, including Sevendust, Offspring and Puddle of Mudd. Conceived by Tampa Bay-area radio station WXTB-FM 97.9 98 Rock, the two-day festival has earned a reputation for drawing big acts and giving future stars their start. It all happens on a former cow pasture. Music runs from 7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. today and 11:35 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. Saturday; Zephyrhills Festival Park; $39.98 in advance, $65 at the gate; camping costs $50 per carload. Call 287-8844 or 782-0835 or go to www.livestock14.com

LINDY IN THE PARK: Named after aviator Charles Lindbergh, the lindy is an energetic American dance popularized in the 1930s. Old Hyde Park Village hosts Lindy in the Park, an event for local dancers to show off their swingin' and jivin'. People are welcome to participate or watch. 4 to 6 p.m.; Swann and Dakota avenues; free. Call 251-3500.

WILLIAM PACHNER: William Pachner's solo exhibition of his selected work from 1960 to 1970 includes paintings, drawings and pastels. The opening reception is 7 to 9 p.m. Regular gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, additional evening and weekend hours available on request. Through June 26. Brad Cooper Gallery, 1712 E Seventh Ave., Ybor City; free. Call 248-6098.

TAMBAY FILM FESTIVAL: The fourth annual TamBay Film and Video Festival returns to Channelside Cinemas in Tampa today through Sunday. The event showcases long and short feature films, documentaries, student works and animation. Feature films include Blame Binky, Grown Men and A Joyce Story. Admission is $7.50, with $2 discounts for seniors and students with valid ID. Day passes for Saturday or Sunday are $15. For a complete lineup, call 221-0700 or go to www.tambayfilmfest.com

HERMAN'S HERMITS: Classic rock music fans can relive the early days of the British Invasion with Herman's Hermits, known for hits such as I'm Into Something Good, Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter and the off-beat I'm Henry VIIIth I Am. Herman's Hermits, like the Beatles, Rolling Stones and the Who, are among the British musicians that became rock stars in the United States. 8 p.m.; Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater; $35.75-$75. Call 287-8844.

RED ELVISES: The evolution of Siberian Surf Rock goes like this: Three guys from Siberia come together in Santa Monica, Calif., because of their mutual weakness for Elvis. Don't even ask how to dance to their music. 8 p.m.; Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa; $12-$15. Call 971-0666.

TALES FROM THE EASEL: Tampa Museum of Art's new exhibit Tales from the Easel displays paintings by several American artists, including Winslow Homer, Thomas Hart Benton, Childe Hassam and Andrew Wyeth. Through July 11. Opening reception from 7 to 9 p.m.; Tampa Museum of Art, 600 N Ashley Drive, downtown Tampa; cash bar and hors d'oeuvres; free to members, $10 for others. Call 274-7365.

COLD: Post-alternative metal band Cold can be compared to Limp Bizkit, a fellow Jacksonville-based band. Cold, with its technically complex, bleak and brutal metal music, merges Jane's Addiction, Metallica and Too into a raw, grimy signature sound. 7 p.m.; Twilight, 1507 E Seventh Ave., Ybor City; $12. Call 287-8844.

SOUTH TAMPA SONGFEST: Five community choruses, including the Tampa Bay Children's Chorus, will take part in the South Tampa SongFest. Proceeds from the concert will benefit the TBCC Scholarship Program. 7 p.m.; Bayshore Baptist Church, 3111 W Morrison Ave.; $5. Call 977-5558.

RUBEN STUDDARD: With a Grammy nomination and an infectious single, Sorry 2004, under his belt, American Idol winner Ruben Studdard returns to the Tampa area after his March 17 concert was postponed. 8 p.m.; Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater; $27.50-$65. Call 287-8844.

SPEED DATING: How many dates can one person handle in a night? Depends on who you ask. Men (ages 35 to 45) and women (ages 30 to 40) go on several three-minute dates at MacDinton's Irish Pub, 405 S Howard Ave. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., dating starts at 8 p.m.; $35, drink specials included. Call 251-8999.

"AUNT DAN & LEMON': In coproduction with Gorilla Theater, Dog & Pony Productions presents a three-week, limited engagement of Aunt Dan & Lemon, a drama by Wallace Shawn about a young recluse, Lemon, who spends her nights reading chronicles of Nazi atrocities. Lemon tells the audience about the overwhelming influence in her life of her parents' friend Aunt Dan, an eccentric, passionate professor whose stories and seductive opinions enthrall Lemon from the time she was a young girl. Through May 16. 7 p.m. Thursdays; 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 3 p.m. Sundays; Gorilla Theater, 4419 N Hubert Ave., Tampa; $15-$25. Call 879-2914.

BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY: Concentrating on the swinging days of the 1940s and 1950s, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy revived big band music in the 1990s. Formed in Los Angeles in 1992, the group quickly built up a following by playing regularly on the local lounge circuit. This burgeoning lounge scene was captured in the 1996 indie comedy film Swingers, which featured a song by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy on the soundtrack. 8 p.m.; Masquerade, 1503 E Seventh Ave., Ybor City; $15. Call 287-8844.

BOOK SIGNING: Nina Sichel will discuss and sign Unrooted Childhoods: Memoirs of Growing Up Global, a collection of essays from diverse and distinguished writers, including Isabel Allende, Pat Conroy and Pico Iyer. The anthology chronicles children who move from place to place because their parents were missionaries, refugees, diplomats or in the military. Sichel will be joined by St. Petersburg poet Helen Wallace, who teaches writing at Eckerd College. 7 p.m.; Inkwood Books, 216 S Armenia Ave., Tampa; free. Call 253-2638.

NEW IN THEATERS:

13 Going on 30 Man on Fire Good Bye Lenin! Dogville Godsend COMING SOON:

Envy (April 30)

Mean Girls (April 30)

Bobby Jones, A Stroke of Genius (April 30)

"WEIRD AL' YANKOVIC: May 1, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater.

TROPICAL HEATWAVE: May 1, Cuban Club, Ybor City.

YES: May 1, St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa.

DAVID BOWIE: May 5, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Tampa. Sold out.

KENNY CHESNEY: May 6, St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa. Sold out.

City Times headlines

RSVP

Amy Scherzer's diary

Stars bloom in fundraiser

Everybody's business

New Crabby Bill's now at Radisson

Neighborhood notebook

Delays keep West Shore traffic on detours

Neighborhood report

Downtown: Buildings to breathe life into district

Oscawana: Babysitting co-op celebrates good idea

Davis Islands: Hospital donation to enhance crosswalk

Hyde Park North: Restaurant proprietor negotiates on new site

Lowry Park: Gallery's success inspires more art

People

Culture sculptor

School news

Carver City/Lincoln Gardens: At school, students take it to the bank

What's Brewing

Builders see order in court

What's in a name?

Bravery defined military man

Past 14 Days March 16, 2008 March 15, 2008 March 14, 2008 March 13, 2008 March 12, 2008 March 11, 2008 March 10, 2008 March 9, 2008 March 8, 2008 March 7, 2008 March 6, 2008 March 5, 2008 March 4, 2008 March 3, 2008 Search further back