august 29
Steve Gunderson: Among the many, many fascinating headlines and sound bites that came out of this month's Republican National Convention were interviews with Congressman Steve Gunderson, the only openly gay Republican congressman in U.S. history. His partner, architect Rob Morris, not only shares his life but has also helped Gunderson shape his political views. The two have collaborated on House and Home, a book that recounts Gunderson's Wisconsin upbringing, his long-time refusal to accept his sexual orientation, his reluctance to come out until several years into his successful political career, and the ups and downs of his relationship with Morris. Tonight at 8:00, Books & Books (933 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach) hosts an evening with Gunderson and Morris. Admission is free. Call 532-3222. (GC)
South Beach After Dark: Every night is a benefit this weekend as South Beach After Dark (SBAD) hosts a Labor Day weekend bash at eight dance clubs to raise funds for various AIDS organizations. Tonight the Kremlin (727 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach; 673-3150) presents "House of Heat" to benefit the People with AIDS Coalition (PWAC). Tomorrow, Twist (1057 Washington Ave.; 538-9478), Swirl (1049 Washington Ave.; 534-2060), and Hombre (925 Washington Ave.; 538-7883) offer a night of no-cover bar hopping. On Saturday the Twelfth Street Beach Club (Ocean Drive and Twelfth Street; 532-5051) hosts "Beach Ball '96," a benefit for the South Beach AIDS Project, from noon to 9:00; admission is ten dollars. The same night from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., Salvation (1771 West Ave.; 673-6508) hosts "Hard Labor," a Food for Life Network benefit. Then on Sunday SBAD presents "Men at Work 2," a benefit for PWAC and the Shelbourne hospice, from 6:00 to midnight at the parking lot on Collins Avenue and Thirteenth Street. Later, head over to Liquid (1439 Washington Ave.; 532-9154) for "Manwich," also a PWAC benefit, from 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.; admission is $20. Prices for admission vary for some club events; call ahead for details. (GC)
Kyra Belan: Local artist, mythologist, and author Kyra Belan explores spirituality, beauty, and nature from a matriarchal world view in her book Earth, Spirit, and Gender: Visual Language for the New Reality. Colorful, hyperreal images of flowers, serpents, and goddesses wrought in acrylic and colored pencil, as well as a series of "magic circles" built from rocks and other materials, are among the archetypal images Belan uses to examine the transformative powers of Mother Earth; the artist proposes an optimistic future based on an understanding of nature from a feminine and maternal viewpoint. Tonight at 8:00 at Borders Books & Music (19925 Biscayne Blvd., Aventura), Belan discusses her book and her artwork. Admission is free. Call 935-0027. (GC)
friday
august 30
The Cure: Robert Smith has had a reputation for black-clad wistfulness for nearly two decades. But he and his band actually have a lot of fun, a fact evident in the band's sixteenth album in seventeen years, Wild Mood Swings. While still pining for lost loves and lost time and ruminating over existential dilemmas, Smith finally gives free rein to his more entertainingly over-the-top fantasies -- layering loopy lyrics over decadent new wave, dwelling eternally in the Eighties while incorporating timeless touches of pschyedelia and mariachi. The Cure isn't exactly the most lively live band, but their fans are sure to flock to the Miami Arena tonight (721 NW First Ave.) when the band takes the stage at 8:00. Tickets cost $22.75 and $33. Call 530-4444. (GC)
SoBe Stomp: Get all the fun of club hopping for a fraction of the price as the Creative Alliance of Florida hosts the SoBe Stomp tonight at 7:00. Nightclub goers will meet at the Clevelander Hotel (1020 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach) for a pre-Stomp party; the group will then roam through the area visiting 25 night spots. An admission price of $25 gets you in to all clubs, plus a T-shirt and a free drink. Call 377-8008. (GC)
Rezurrect Fest: The Florida Music Association and F.A.S.T. (Florida Artists Showcasing Talent) kick off the holiday weekend with an evening of hot live music on two stages at Rezurrection Hall at Club Nu (245 22nd St., Miami Beach). Puerto Rican rock band Sol d'Menta headlines the fest; their Latin-flavored blend of funk, rap, ska, reggae, and thrash can be heard to good effect on their Polygram debut album. Also on the bill are local talents Nation of Fear, Reckless Lester and the Tumbleweeds, Hermit, Maria, Y, Mindflower, the Honeysticks (see "Music," page 81), Rene Alvarez, Doug Walker, Kelley Dolan, Shandra Renee, and Lisa "Noodles" Hayden. Showtime is 9:00; admission is seven dollars. Call 535-9016. (GC)
Fort Lauderdale Home Show: Everything you need to turn your house or apartment into a beautiful, efficient home is under one roof at the 25th annual Fort Lauderdale Home Show, taking place through Monday at the Broward County Convention Center (1950 Eisenhower Blvd., Fort Lauderdale). Displays include the automated CyberHome, a showcase of the very latest home utility, educational, and entertainment technology; a pet expo featuring Dominique LeFort and the Flying House Cats (acrobatic kitties); model rooms; and more than 600 exhibitors offering new products, services, and professional advice for remodeling, renovating, and redecorating your home. Admission is seven dollars. Show hours are 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. today through Sunday, and 11:00 to 7:00 on Monday. Call 666-5944. (GC)
American Indian Powwow: Celebrate the long weekend with a dose of Native American culture at the American Indian Powwow, taking place at C.B. Smith Park (900 N. Flamingo Rd., Pembroke Pines). The fest features tribal dancing, live music, tepee displays, arts and crafts, traditional Native American foods, and games for kids. Admission is two dollars (plus park admission of one dollar per passenger). Festival hours are 6:00 to 10:00 tonight, 10:00 to 10:00 tomorrow and Sunday, and 10:00 to 6:00 on Monday. Call 437-2650. (GC)
South Beach After Dark: See Thursday.
saturday
august 31
The Hunchback of Notre Dame: This isn't the beautifully designed yet somewhat twisted Disney bastardization. Cinema Vortex screens Wallace Worsley's 1923 silent adaption of Victor Hugo's literary masterpiece about a deformed bell ringer (played by the legendary, athletic Lon Chaney) who rescues a beautiful gypsy (Patsy Ruth Miller) from certain death. While several subsequent versions have been produced (including William Dieterie's magnificent 1939 version, starring Charles Laughton and Maureen O'Hara), none surpasses Worsley's in terms of sheer screen spectacle. The Hunchback of Notre Dame plays today at noon at the Alliance Cinema (927 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach). Admission to each film is four dollars. Call 531-8504. (GC)
South Beach After Dark: See Thursday.
Fort Lauderdale Home Show: See Friday.
American Indian Powwow: See Friday.
sunday
september 1
H.O.R.D.E. Festival: Blues Traveler frontman John Popper took a nod from Perry Farrell four years ago and created his own festival for rootsy rock and roll and environmentally inclined politics; since then H.O.R.D.E. (which stands for Horizons of Rock Developing Everywhere) has grown from a two-week-long jaunt to a 40-city extravaganza. BT joins Lenny Kravitz, Rusted Root, 311, Taj Mahal, Son Volt (see "Music," page 79), Nil Lara, Cycomotogoat, and the Agents of Good Roots for this six-hour concert today at 3:00 at the Coral Sky Amphitheatre (601 Sansbury's Way, West Palm Beach). In addition to all the music, festgoers can enjoy workshops and jam sessions featuring the artists, and can wend their way through a concourse of counterculture political offerings, food, and crafts. Tickets cost $27.50. Call 407-795-8883. (GC)
International Salsa Festival '96: Put on your dancing shoes and prepare to do some Latin moves during this full day of continuous live music, kicking off at 3:00 at the Bayfront Park Amphitheater (301 Biscayne Blvd.). Young salsa superstar Jerry Rivera headlines; also on the bill are Kinito Mendez, Grupo Mania, Macambila, Jose "El Canario" Alberto, and the Orquesta Palenque, plus the Latin Legends Band (featuring Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez, Johnny Pacheco, and other former members of the Fania All-Stars). Rounding out the fest are international foods and a fireworks display. Tickets cost ten dollars, with proceeds benefitting the Ronald McDonald House. Call 1-888-725-7296. (GC)
King Sunny Ade: Known as the one of the treasures of the Nigerian people and the king of juju, King Sunny Ade is not only a respected and prolific entertainer (over the past 30 years, Ade has released more than 100 albums), but he's also a multifaceted businessman, heading a film and video company, a record label, a nightclub, and chairing the board of an oil company. But he still has plenty of time for his soulful brand of world music: His highly energetic shows, featuring his ultra-rhythmic African Beats back-up band, have been known to go on for ten hours (but don't count on that tonight). At the Hialeah Race Track (2200 E. Fourth Ave., Hialeah), Ade and band perform tunes from his new release, E Dide (Get Up) (on Mesa Records). Tickets cost $28.50. Doors open at 9:00. Call 681-3900. (GC)
South Beach After Dark: See Thursday.
Fort Lauderdale Home Show: See Friday.
American Indian Powwow: See Friday.
monday
september 2
Miami Rock Festival: The Beast and Baker bring their monthlong musical extravaganza to an end with a Labor Day music marathon and barbecue at Churchill's Hideaway (5501 NE Second Ave.). Among the bands on the menu are the Goods, the Holy Terrors, Purple Mustard, Brian Franklin, Sense, Rene Alvarez, the Dan Whitley Band, the Rio Connection and Stephan Mikes, Y, Moss, the C-60s, the Weeds, and the Curious Hair. Reckless Lester and the Tumbleweeds, El Duende, Black Janet, Crease, the Miles, Mr. Entertainment, and Second Son complete the lineup for this finger-lickin' evening. Showtime is 4:00 p.m. Admission is three dollars. We say that's a good deal. Call 757-1807. (GC)
Fort Lauderdale Home Show: See Friday.
American Indian Powwow: See Friday.
tuesday
september 3
Irene Vilar: Puerto Rican-born writer Irene Vilar examines her family's history of self-destruction in the autobiographical account A Message from God in the Atomic Age: A Memoir. In 1988, at age nineteen, Vilar tried to kill herself and was committed to Hutchings Psychiatric Hospital in New York. Her mother, Gladys Mendez, flung herself from a moving car to her death when Vilar was eight years old. Vilar's grandmother, Lolita Lebron, a member of a group of terrorists who launched an attack on a meeting of Congress in 1954, also attempted suicide. Tonight at 8:00 Vilar reads from and discusses her book at Books & Books (296 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables). Admission is free. Call 442-4408. (GC)
wednesday
september 4
Leroy Aarons: Bobby Griffith was an all-American twenty-year-old when he took his own life -- his religious guilt had come in conflict with his homosexuality. And his mother, unswerving in her religious objection to Bobby's sexuality, saw the light too late. Journalist and award-winning playwright Leroy Aarons, founder and president of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists' Association, captures Griffith's emotional turmoil and the pain his family endured in the aftermath of his death in Prayers for Bobby: A Mother's Coming to Terms with the Suicide of Her Gay Son, now released in paperback. Tonight at 8:00 at Books & Books (933 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach), Aarons reads from and discusses his book. Admission is free. Call 532-3222.
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