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tbt* files Duran, Duran

Once the darlings in the early years of MTV, Duran, Duran has weathered the rough transition from its teen idol days as "The Fab Five" in the '80s to a more serious act. Now, after loads of personnel changes and thoughts of calling it quits, Duran Duran returned late last year with Astronaut. It was the band's first to feature all five original members -- Simon LeBon, keyboardist Nick Rhodes, guitarist Andy Taylor, bassist John Taylor and drummer Roger Taylor -- since 1986. Now the group is touring to support the album, making a stop Saturday (2/12) at 8 p.m. at the St. Pete Times Forum, 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa. Tickets are $46.75-$76.75. (813) 287-8844 or (727) 898-2100.

Pulitzer Prize-winning Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page will present a talk, "Getting the Diversity Story Right," at a Black History Month event Thursday (2/10) at Eckerd College. The free talk begins at 7:30 p.m. at Fox Hall, 4200 54th Ave S, St. Petersburg. (727) 864-7979.

Tampa continues to party this weekend with the Family Fiesta and Sant'Yago Illuminated Knight Parade. The fiesta, from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday (2/12), will have all the usual rides and games, plus visits by Spider-Man and other television and movie characters, street performers and entertainers. It's all on the corner of Kennedy Boulevard and Florida Avenue downtown. The Sant'Yago Knight Parade steps off at 6:30 p.m. at Florida Avenue and Whiting Street downtown and moves along Florida to Kennedy, then Kennedy to Nebraska Avenue, Nebraska to Nick Nuccio Parkway, and to Seventh Avenue through Ybor City. Reserved bleacher seats are $18 downtown and $20 in Ybor. (813) 353-8108.

Pioneer British music writer Sylvie Simmons (Mojo, The Guardian , Creem ) has mined her years of interviewing some of the kookiest rock stars on the planet and gone fictional with it in Too Weird for Ziggy , her first short story collection. Simmons will read from the book, with Tampa singer-songwriter extraordinaire Ronny Elliott as musical guest, at 8 p.m. Thursday (2/10) at the Globe Coffee Lounge, 532 First Ave. N, St. Petersburg. (727) 898-5282. On Sunday (2/13), if you're not glued to the Grammys, check out Mr. Elliott again performing at the CD release party for his new album with a timely title, Valentine Roadkill . Elliott's shindig begins at 7 p.m. at the Springs Theatre, 8029 N Nebraska Ave. at the Hillsborough River in Tampa. (813) 254-5388. $10.

They race motorcycles on an ice rink with studded tires and no brakes. Oh yeah, and to get maximum acceleration, they power the bikes with something similar to rocket fuel. "It's definitely dangerous," top-ranked Anthony "The British Bulldog" Barlow of Liverpool, England, said in 2002 in Tampa. "It's all about adrenaline." Barlow and other competitors in Xtreme International Ice Racing return at 3 p.m. Sunday 2/13 to the St. Pete Times Forum, 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa. $13.75-$21.75 adults, $9.25 children. (813) 301-2500 or www.stpetetimesforum.com

The Cash for Cash tribute to Johnny Cash on Saturday (2/12) features Squirrels Gone Wild, Sound Chemist, Can't Do It, Ronny Elliot and the Nationals and more. The event benefits area musicians and America's Second Harvest food bank. Get there early; the music starts at 6 p.m. at Skipper's Smokehouse, 910 Skipper Road, Tampa. $12. (813) 977-6474.

This is the Year of the Rooster and everyone is invited to a New Year's celebration Saturday (2/12) with Tampa's Asian Americans at the USF Special Event Center, Tampa campus, from 2-6 p.m. Guests will enjoy dragon and lion dances, Chinese music, professional Chinese acrobats, folk songs, riddle and raffle prizes, great Chinese food and much more. Tickets should be purchased in advance by calling Kirk Wang at (727) 864-8341.

The public is invited to an opening reception Friday (2/11) from 7-9 p.m. for four artists who are new to Tampa Bay at Brad Cooper Gallery, at 1712 E Seventh Ave. in Tampa. Guests have the chance to explore noteworthy directions in contemporary art as exhibited through the work of Igor Gorban from the Ukraine, Eric Montoya from Washington, Helena Rubinstein from Israel and Sandra Yagi from California. For information, visit www.bradcoopergallery.com.