Arts Talk

By GINA VIVINETTO, JOHN FLEMING and MARY ANN MARGER

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 4, 2001

Local bands face off

Five bands from local high schools compete for a $1,000 cash prize in the FLARO 5 Florida Rock Off today at 2 p.m. at Gasoline Alley, 17928 U.S. 19 N, Clearwater. The finalist bands are Empty Tomb (Manatee High School), Last Chance (Seminole High School), Lickety Split (Land O'Lakes High School), Omni-Desideratum (Booker High School) and Pen XV (Ridgewood High School).

Reindeer Records, an independent label based in Portland, Maine, created the FLARO events and based them on a similar event the label has produced for 17 years in its home state. The label has also worked with bands from the Tampa Bay area on recent compilation releases.

"There's an incredible amount of new, young talent coming out of this area," said Louis Philippe, the label's driving force and FLARO's producer.

Last year's winners, the Dogs, from Seminole High School, will be present at today's competition, which will conclude with the announcement of the winning band and an awards presentation.

From Baywatch to Broadway

TV's former Baywatch hunk David Hasselhoff stars in Jekyll & Hyde, the second musical on the fledgling Broadway Television Network, to be aired on pay-per-view at 8 p.m. Saturday. The $19.95 cost is $5 less than BTN's first production, Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Leiber & Stoller, which drew an anemic audience in September, according to Variety. Hasselhoff was in the Frank Wildhorn musical when its final seven performances were taped in January. For information: http://www.BroadwayOnline.com.

Art beyond Tampa Bay

"The Majesty of Spain," Mississippi Arts Pavilion, Jackson, March 1-Sept. 3. Objects and artworks from the Prado Museum and Royal Palaces make a one-stop visit in the United States. (601) 960-9900; http://www.majestyofspain.com

Fame game

Crystal River artist James Langston delivered a lecture at Troy State University (Ala.) in February about his art and winning a medal at the Florence International Biennale of Contemporary Art, Italy, in 1999.

Competition for artists

Uncharted Water Juried Exhibition, Arts Center, 719 Central Ave., St. Petersburg 33701; (727) 822-7872. July 13-August 24. Open to Southeastern visual artists. Deadline: May 1.

Compiled by pop music critic Gina Vivinetto, performing arts critic John Fleming and art critic Mary Ann Marger

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