Holiday
Cheer
For All
Free DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | DECEMBER 2017
THE ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS PLAYLIST THE PENSACOLA YULE BALL LOCAL SHOPPING CHECKLIST MY JIMMY, MY JIMBO AND ME HOLI-DAZE HAPPENINGS CLUTCH Q + A
Downtown Crowd | December 2017
Editor’s Letter
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contents 7 The Ultimate Christmas Playlist 9 Harry Potter and the Pensacola Yule Ball 10 Holi-Daze Happenings 13 Clutch Q + A 15 Local Shopping Checklist 17 Jimmy, my Jimbo and Me 18 Music + Film 22 Entertainment Calendar
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Our December issue is centered around some of those very things we hold dear this month, and aims to bring holiday cheer to the masses of downtown—whether it’s holiday music or Krampus festivities that bring you cheer. Kicking the issue off is our staffcurated Christmas Playlist. We picked a few classics like Elvis’s “Blue Christmas,” and peppered in some Quad City Dj’s and Ramones. Nothing says Christmastime like DMX’s long awaited cover of “Rudolph the Red Nosed Raindeer,” so we included that one for you too. Log on to Spotify to stream the playlist in it’s entirity. For those who like their holiday season with a little bit of wizardry, we have a story on the Harry Potter Yule Ball at Vinyl Music Hall. Not only does the party offer attendess the chance to dress up in their favorite
Owners Malcolm & Glenys Ballinger Executive Editor Kelly Oden Editor Hana Frenette Art Director Guy Stevens Graphic Design and Ad Coordination Carly Stone
Hana Frenette editor love December for many reasons—it’s one of the few months I’m able to break out the stash of thrift store coats I hoard year-round; thousands of bright and twinkling lights adorn the trees lining the median and sidewalks of Palafox Street; it gives me the chance to slow down a little and focus on things I love—spending time with my people, eating good food, and looking for special Christmas presents at our local flea markets, record shops and bookstores.
Publisher Malcolm Ballinger
Editorial Assistant Tanner Yea
HP garb, it allows them to give back to charity by purchasing artwork, posters and t-shirts at the event, with profits going straight to our local food pantry, MANNA Food Bank. If you’re looking to do something a little out of the ordinary for the holidays, look no further than our Holi-Daze Happenings roundup. We have all the information on the haunted Krampus Christmas House known as the Purgatorium, a lighted boat parade, an evening with the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra and a local music showcase, Bars > Bullsh!t.
Contributing Writer Haley Weaver Editorial Intern Taylor Purvee Advertising Account Executives Paula Rode paula@ballingerpublishing.com Geneva Strange geneva@ballingerpublishing.com Deadline for space and information is the 15th of the month prior to publication. For advertising rates or news tips contact Phone: 433-1166 · Fax: 435-9174 DOWNTOWN CROWD is published by Ballinger Publishing. Offices located at 314 N Spring St., Ste. A, Pensacola Florida 32501 Published by Ballinger Publishing
Our writer Tanner Yea caught up with two bands stopping through town this month- stoner metal band Clutch, and local newcomers, Jimmy and the Jimbos. Take a look at how each band got their start and what to expect from their local live perfomances. If you’re a procrastinator like I am, we’ve also got your last minute Christmas shopping covered with a quick and easy list of our favorite places to find a unique and thoughtful gift, no matter the time crunch. Cheers to you and the upcoming new year!
Downtown Crowd is locally owned and operated. It is published monthly for distribution in Pensacola, Florida. All Right Reserved. Reproduction or use of the contents herein is prohibited without written permission from the publisher. Comments and opinions expressed in this magazine represent the personal views of the individuals to whom they are attributed and/ or the person identified as the author of the article, and they are not necessarily those of the publisher. This magazine accepts no responsibility for these opinions. The publisher reserves the right to edit all manuscripts. All advertising information is the responsibility of the individual advertiser. Appearance in this magazine does not necessarily reflect endorsement of any products or services by Ballinger Publishing. © 2017
Cover design by Carly Stone
b a l l e t p e n s a c o l a ’s
A R C C K T ER U N
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Shop UWF Historic Trust museum stores for unique Pensacola and mission-specific gifts including apparel, artwork, books, jewelry, children’s games and activity books, home accessories and more. T. T. Wentworth, Jr. Museum Pensacola Children’s Museum Tivoli High House Pensacola Museum of Art
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Holiday Lantern Tours Join us for an enchanting evening tour through Historic Pensacola and the historic Lavalle, Dorr and Lear/Rocheblave houses, each period-appropriately decorated. Guides dressed in Victorian finery will share holiday traditions of the past.
O N D 1 (includes hospitality room) •T: $50 per person
D 2, 8, 9, 15 & 16 •T: adults $15, children age 12 & younger $8
*All tours depart from the Tivoli High House, 205 E. Zaragoza St., at 6:30, 7:00 & 7:30 p.m.
L . T . 850.595.5985 . 111.
A word from Curt Morse, Executive Director of the Downtown Improvement Board This is the biggest shopping time of the year, and to make it that much more exciting, there are half a million lights to brighten and delight all those shoppers walking our downtown streets. We wanted a punctuation mark on this year’s First City Lights Festival and we achieved that with our new brightly lit, 30-foot tall Christmas tree at the end of Palafox Street, right near Plaza de Luna adjacent to Jaco’s.
ambassadors are out every morning at 6 am, picking up cups, beer bottles, cigarette butts and gum. They work hard so when our central entertainment district awakens each day, the streets and sidewalks are restored, cleaned and inviting for everyone—and that’s the intent of the ambassador program. We’re only in our second month and we’re already seeing a huge impact—and it will only get better from here.
We’re encouraging people to stop by, take their family Christmas picture there in the park—use that tree as a backdrop if they want—and post their pictures to social media to spread that downtown holiday cheer.
The wildly successful Umbrella Sky Project from last month’s Foo Foo Festival will stay up through the holidays and into the New Year, providing those beautiful and colorful photo opportunities for another month or so.
It’s great to see people driving up and down Palafox, looking at all the lights, and now as they drive all the way south on Palafox, they’ll be able to see a beautifully lit Christmas tree as they make the loop and head back up the street. We always want the downtown shopping experience to be great for everyone, and this year is especially exciting because we’ve welcomed several new boutiques, shops and bakeries to Palafox Street. To make it that much better, we are wrapping up the surface cleaning of all the sidewalks on Palafox Street between Garden and Main Streets, so the sidewalks and streets will be very clean and perfect for strolling. This is really one of those big efforts we’ll do biannually—once in the spring and once in the fall, so tourists and residents alike will get a beautiful downtown experience all year long, Our Ambassador Program launched last month and our three
As we look toward the end of the month and the end of the year, there are lots of great downtown entertainment opportunities planned for Christmas and New Year’s Eve. The great Christmas parade brings thousands of people downtown and lets them experience our shops, restaurants and boutiques; Winterfest with their amazingly festive activities will take place every weekend until Christmas; and Gallery Night will fill the streets with color, art and entertainment on the third Friday of December, providing an opportunity to pick up a local handmade gift for someone special on your Christmas list. December is a great month to experience the brightly lit streets, shops and events taking place in our wonderful city. Cheers to all this holiday season! —Curt Morse DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 5
The Only Christmas Playlist You’ll Ever Need The holidays are always full of music, but every department store and restaurant seems to play the same boring, tried-and-true playlist. Downtown Crowd offers our solution: The Ultimate Holiday Playlist. Full of classics, hidden gems and left-field picks, it’ll be sure to make your holidays merry and bright. —Dowtown Crowd editorial staff 1. Blue Christmas – Elvis Presley 2. Merry Christmas (I Don’t Wanna Fight Tonight) – The Ramones 3. Please Come Home for Christmas – Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings 4. Everything Is One Big Christmas Tree – The Magnetic Fields 5. Christmas Time Is Here – Vince Guaraldi Trio 6. Santa Baby – Eartha Kitt, Henri Rene & His Orchestra 7. Player’s Ball – OutKast 8. Last Christmas – Wham! 9. Little Saint Nick – The Beach Boys 10. What You Want For Christmas – Quad City DJ’s, The 69 Boyz and K-Nock 11. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – Cat Power 12. Another Rock and Roll Christmas – Gary Glitter 13. Santa Baby – Rev Run & the Christmas All-Stars 14. Christmas In The City – Mary J. Blige 15. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Bing Crosby 16. Christmas In Prison – John Prine
17. Children Go Where I Send Thee – Natalie Merchant 18. All I Want for Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey 19. Christmas In Hollis – Run-D.M.C 20. Happy Xmas (War Is Over) – John Lennon and Yoko Ono 21. Christmas Wrapping – The Waitresses 22. Oi To The World – No Doubt 23. Cool Yule – Louis Armstrong and The Commanders 24. Father Christmas – The Kinks 25. Merry Christmas Baby – Otis Redding 26. Step Into Christmas – Elton John 27. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) – Darlene Love 28. Christmas Is Going To The Dogs – Eels 29. Wonderful Christmastime – Paul McCartney 30. Darlin’ (Christmas is Coming) – Over the Rhine Bonus track: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer – DMX
Scan the Spotify barcode to hear our playlist! DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 7
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Polonza Bistro www.polonza.com | (850)912-6454 corner of palafox and wright Street
and I love music...and I have access to a concert hall... so the real question is why didn’t I do it sooner?” he said. The ball will consist of a Potter cosplay/costume contest, wizarding world inspired drink specials, photo ops and a video DJ, Mike Ensley, who Wilkes says does a stellar job and has some fantastic playlists. Wilkes also noted there will be a live band, Dumbledore’s Army. “I can’t say enough great things about our live band,” he said. “They’re fun, energetic and always rock a ton of great 80’s and 90’s Muggle Rock favorites.” There is no dress code for the Yule Ball, but something Potter-inspired is encouraged by the folks at Vinyl.
Harry Potter and the Pensacola Yule Ball by Taylor Purvee
W
itches, wizards, and muggles: Vinyl Music Hall and Pensacon are celebrating the world of Harry Potter this holiday season with the 2017 Harry Potter Yule Ball.
On Dec. 16, Hogwarts fanatics can head to Vinyl for a night of magical fun and—even better—support for MANNA Food Bank. Chris Wilkes, talent buyer for Vinyl, explained that
this is their third year doing the ball, and even though it’s on the weekend the new Stars Wars movie opens, they have never seen that affect ticket sales at all (which shows the outstanding dedication of Harry Potter fanboys and fangirls). Wilkes said he’d heard of people having Yule Ball themed parties at their houses and he assumed that someone, somewhere had done it on a bigger scale, but no one in Pensacola was doing it. “I love Harry Potter, I love Christmas
“We anticipate people in full formalwear, other standard Hogwart’s school uniforms and robes, some folks in full on character-specific cosplay, some others just sporting their House Colors, many just wearing Harry Potter or Potter-centric t-shirts and also plenty just wearing regular street clothes,” Wilkes said. There will be two very talented live painters at the event as well: Marcy Moon, who designed the Yule Ball poster, and tattoo artist and largescale mural painter, Gabe Smith. “Our live painters always add so much to the event,” Wilkes said. “Watching them go from a blank canvas to a fully realized, completed Potter-inspired piece of original artjust over the course of an hour or two, is really amazing. And the fact that they both let us auction off those paintings at the end of the night to raise money for Manna Food Bank— even more amazing.” Wilkes said he and Mike Ensley always try to find a way to benefit Manna in every event they do. Luckily the artists at the Harry Potter Yule Ball are on board to do anything they can do to help Manna as well. When it comes to decorations, Wilkes
says they go as far as they possibly and realistically can. He said he doesn’t want to give too much away, but they add a little more each year and great things can be expected by event goers.
“We anticipate people in full formal-wear, other standard Hogwart’s school uniforms and robes, some folks in full on characterspecific cosplay, some others just sporting their House Colors, many just wearing Harry Potter or Pottercentric t-shirts” “Just know that it is highly decorated and we really do pull out all the stops in that regard,” said Wilkes. This is truly the perfect event for Potter fans looking to live out their Hogwarts dream, even if it’s just for one night. Head to Vinyl, grab yourself a Butterbeer and enjoy a night filled with amazing music, talented artists and fellow HP fanatics. The Yule Ball will be held at Vinyl Music Hall on Dec. 16 at 7 pm and is for Potter fans 18 years and older. For information on how to purchase tickets, go to vinylmusichall.com.
DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 9
Holi-Daze
Happenings
T
he holidays are always a special time of year, but the traditions we hold dear can sometimes lose the childhood wonder they used to have. Rankin-Bass specials and Thanksgiving Day parades are all well and good, but why not form some new traditions this season? That’s why we’ve listed some of the cooler and more unique happenings around Pensacola during the holiday season. Don’t worry though—we’ve thrown in a few classics, too.
Lighted Boat Parade
Dec. 2 Parades have always been a staple of the holiday season, but Pensacola gets to enjoy a unique type of parade not often found elsewhere—a lighted boat parade! Starting at Sabine Marina and ending at the Pensacola Beach Boardwalk, the Lighted Boat Parade will feature dozens of boats decked out in holiday lights, with the lead boat led by Santa Claus himself. After the parade wraps up, families can meet with Santa and also enjoy the fireworks off of Soundside. The parade
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starts at 6:30 pm, and the fireworks start at 8 pm. Admission is free to all.
Bars > Bullsh!t: War on Christmas
Dec. 9 When you get tired of hearing Bing Crosby or Mariah Carey on the radio this holiday season, head to Pensacola’s premiere hip hop showcase, Bars > Bullsh!t. Held monthly at chizuko, Bars > Bullsh!t will feature local and regional acts like Silas, Artisan P, DJHEDTHVSLOTH, Big Lo, Raspy Rapz, Cyborganics and Ty Delpra. Come wearing your favorite ugly sweater for a chance to win some cash for showing the most holiday cheer! Doors open at 8 pm, and costs $5 ($8 if you’re under 21). Christmas in Hollis just got a little closer to Pensacola.
Krampus at The Purgatorium
Dec. 2 In some parts of the world, holiday traditions take on a much darker turn—the most popular being Krampus, the Germanic halfgoat demon who kidnaps misbehaving children. The Purgatorium, Pensacola’s most well-known haunted attraction located at 6615 West Jackson Street, will be hosting a special Krampus event as visitors wander through a Christmas dream turned nightmare, all thanks to the goatcreature himself. The attraction is open from 7 to 11 pm, with $10 for general admission and $20 for the front of the line. Make sure you’ve been nice, or Krampus will make your Christmas a little darker.
O’Riley’s Santa Pub Crawl
Dec. 2 Pensacola’s biggest pub crawl returns for its fifth year, as the Santa Pub Crawl kicks off for a good cause and a good time. Last year, the event featured over 600 crawlers, who collectively donated 336 toys for Toys for Tots and $4,000 for Shriner’s International. The crawl starts with registration at O’Riley’s from 4 to 5:30 pm, and while registration has no fee, a donation to Shriners International or Toys for Tots is appreciated. From there, the crawl begins throughout the best bars in town, eventually landing at O’Riley’s Irish Pub at 10 pm for a raffle. The only requirement of the event is that you must dress like Santa, though you are free to get creative!
Showcasing Pensacola boutiques, shops and organizations, the Merry Marketplace is the perfect place to buy personalized gifts and learn about local organizations. You can also meet Santa and relax for a bit at the Gingerbread Café. Admission is free with the donation of a non-perishable food item.
fireworks show. For Pensacola, not much beats the Pensacola Beach fireworks, put on by the Pensacola Beach Chamber of Commerce. Launched from Casino Beach and starting at 8 pm, the awesome light show can be seen as far away as downtown Pensacola. Whether you are watching from a blanket on the beach or out from across Palafox Pier, the show will be sure to dazzle. For more information on the fireworks, visit pensacolabeachchamber.com.
Pensacola Symphony Orchestra Presents: Celebrate the New Year 2017 Cox Pensacola Dec. 31 Christmas Parade Swing into 2018 with the Pensacola Pensacola Children’s Chorus: Christmas on the Coast
Dec. 8-10 Sometimes you just need a little bit of classic merriment in the season. A Pensacola tradition for over 25 years, this holiday extravaganza held at the Saenger Theatre includes seasonal music, explosive dancing and dazzling costumes. The performers include some of Pensacola’s most talented young performers, raging in age from 8 to 18. Tickets start at $25, but make sure to get your tickets while you can, as this spectacle is sure to sell out. For more information on show times and ticket prices, visit pensacolasaenger.com.
Symphony Orchestra as they perform “Celebrate the New Year” on New Year’s Eve. Legendary vocalist Dee Daniels will be accompanying the orchestra as they perform some of the hits from greats like Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Ray Charles. The early showing not only allows you to experience the grandeur and excitement of the orchestra, but still gives you time to ring in the New Year and raise a toast at midnight. The show starts at 7 pm at the Saenger Theatre, with tickets starting at $23. For more information and to buy tickets, visit pensacolasymphony.com.
New Year’s Eve Fireworks
Dec. 9 Sometimes you just have to see Santa riding down the street in his sleigh to get in the holiday spirit, and the Cox Pensacola Christmas Parade is sure to deliver. Drawing nearly 50,000 people each year, the parade is a great way to kick off the holiday season. With nearly 90 entries and eight bands in the parade, it will be an event you will not want to miss. The parade will also feature the world-renowned Blue Angels flight team and a host of other organizations from around the region. All profits for the parade go towards local high school band booster organizations. The parade begins at 5:15 pm at Spring and Garden Streets, so make sure to get a good spot!
Dec. 31 Holiday celebrations would not be complete without the traditional New Years Eve
Merry Marketplace Retail and Business Expo
Dec. 2 When shopping for friends and loved ones during the holidays, why not shop locally to help cut down on the hassle of Black Friday and the uncertainty of online shopping? The Pensacola Chamber of Commerce will hold the Merry Marketplace Retail and Business Expo at the Versailles Event Center. DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 11
tArot, PSyChICS, heALerS, ANIMAL CoMMuNICAtorS, hyPNotherAPIStS, ShAMANS
The New Horizon’s Navarre’s Annual Psychic and Healing Arts Fair
January 13, 2018 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM Days Inn & Suites Navarre Conference Center 8700 Navarre Pkwy Navarre, FL 32566
An event for experiencing real intuitive guidance, alternative healing therapies, great information and the wonderfully diverse spiritual community in the Pensacola, Florida. We will have life-changing guests, services, and more!
www.newhorizonsexpo.com 850.941.4321 jeWeLry, CryStALS, heALth, yogA, eSSeNtIAL oILS, AND More!
Planets Align, A King Is Born: Interview with Tim Sult of
Clutch
Across 26 years and 11 studio albums, stoner metal band Clutch has been a mainstay in the rock and metal scene. Composed of Dan Maines (bass), Jean-Paul Gaster (drums) Neil Fallon (vocals) and Tim Sult (guitar), Clutch will be performing at Vinyl Music Hall on December 6 for their Psychic Warfare world tour. Downtown by tanner yea Crowd had the opportunity to sit down with Tim Sult to talk about the origins of the band, their long, but I feel like the whole template of what Clutch is Warfare came out. A lot of smaller labels don’t make DIY attitude, and their upcoming album. DTC: How long did you all know each other before you formed Clutch? Sult: Well there were a couple different incarnations of the band before Clutch actually started. But before I started jamming with the guys, they started playing together when they were in 12th grade of high school and I started playing with them the year after that. So I’ve been playing with JP, Dan and Neil since 1989. DTC: What was the reason behind naming the band Clutch? Sult: Well, we had a very hard time coming up with a name, and we had a show and it was just a last minute name. There wasn’t really any meaning behind it. We used to tell people it meant “City-state Liberation Union To Cleanse Humanity,” but I think that scared a few people, so we stopped doing that. DTC: Since you’ve been playing since 1991, the Clutch sound changed. How do you think your sound has evolved from Transnational Speedway League all the way up to Psychic Warfare? Sult: When we get into a room and start playing together, I really feel like there’s not a huge difference between our older stuff and our newer stuff. I feel like we still have the hardcore influence up to this day, but maybe it was a little more apparent back then. I guess I see it a different way since I’ve been doing it for so
and what we became was set with our second album, Clutch.
DTC: Was hardcore your main influence before you started playing? What kind of sounds influenced you early on? Sult: Well for me personally, I was into rock and metal. Then one day I heard Minor Threat, The Circle Jerks and Suicidal Tendencies all in one day and it pointed me in a little bit of a different direction. I think the whole punk and hardcore scene made playing music a little more realistic and doable to the average person. We learned early on that if we want to do this and continue to tour and continue to write music and continue to play shows, we have to depend on ourselves and not any kind of record label or other people. DTC: Is that DIY attitude part of why you formed Weathermaker Music? Sult: Yeah, we kind of just got sick of being on labels and it seemed like the easiest thing to do was to start doing it ourselves and find our own distributor, and that seems to have worked out pretty well. We’ve been doing that for coming up on 10 years now. DTC: Since you’ve been in the music industry for so long, how would you say the music industry has evolved since you started playing? Sult: Honestly it’s changed a lot, even since Psychic
a lot of money these days; when back in the 90s and even well into the 2000s, people were still pretty dependent on CD sales. These days we’re mostly dependent on playing shows and selling merchandise as opposed to selling the music itself. Luckily with the whole vinyl resurgence, and the fact that a lot of our fans do want to own our physical product, that has really helped us out quite a bit. DTC: Who are some people you’ve worked with on the production side that you love working with? I’ve seen a couple production credits for Machine on a few of your albums. Sult: Machine has produced three of our albums: Psychic Warfare, Earth Rocker and Blast Tyrant. Machine is great to work with – he’s a machine, you know? He’s a computer master. It’s like you don’t even have to play – you just show up with a guitar and next thing you know, he’s got an album. But we have decided to do a little something different for the next album, so we’ll be going down to Nashville and using a different producer. DTC: I read that there were new songs in the works. Is there anything you can reveal about the new album? Sult: We are pretty much 90 percent done with the songwriting process for the next album. We’ll be going on tour coming up in a few weeks, we’ll be playing as much of our new stuff as possible, and we’ll be going into the studio on January 3rd. It’ll be out later 2018.
DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 13
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Please send us the photos by January 22, 2018.
Quick and Easy Local Christmas Shopping Checklist By Hana Frenette
Between cooking, cleaning, and mentally preparing for the holiday season, many of us put off those yuletide shopping trips until the eve before presents are given. Take a look through our quick and painless Christmas shopping checklist for stores that will provide a unique and thoughtful gift that feels anything but last minute. Music + Books
Revolver Records, 9 E Gregory St., Pensacola. Revolver easily has the best selection of old and new records, cassettes and cds in town. Shop owner Eric Jones is always quick to respond to a request for something specific and he updates the shop’s Facebook almost daily with new trade-ins and recent releases so you get a sneak peak before heading down to rifle through the milk crates.
Additional great spots to check out for records: Remember Wynn, 7007 Lanier Dr. Pensacola.; Music Box, 3960 W Navy Blvd, Pensacola. Open Books, 1040 N Guillemard St. Small but mighty, this little shop is full of oneof-a-kind antique books, great deals on hard to find vintage paperback trade-ins, and classics, with a great cultural variety throughout the shelves. The shop is run solely by welcoming volunteers and puts all profit from book sales going toward sending books to inmates. Additional great book stores to pop into: Pensacola Pop Comics, 909 N 12th Ave, Pensacola; Hawksey’s Book Index, 803 N Navy Blvd, Pensacola.
Boutique items
Gray Boutique, 7 S Palafox St., Pensacola. One of the newest boutiques to open downtown, and one of the first to open inside the newly renovated One Palafox building, is
Gray. Gray has a wide selection of special and unique pieces for anyone on your shopping list who enjoys the finer things— delicious candle scents from Boy Smells, handmade leather purses and clutches, and soft pastel cashmere sweaters to keep you warm on those rare but welcome chilly Florida evenings. Additional boutiques to stop into: Sobo Boutique, 518 N. 9th Ave, Pensacola; Indigeaux Denim Bar & Boutique.
Home Décor
Duh! 501 N. 9th Ave., Pensacola Duh! provides the opportunity to browse the highest quality housewares, art pieces, plants, outdoor furnishings, clothing, perfumes, candles, and pet merchandise. It has just about everything and anything one could want for the home. While many of their items lean toward the expensive side, they also have a fair amount of less-expensive goods for those wishing to give the gift of luxury without
bouncing a check. Additional places to shop for home décor: Urban Objects, 128 Palafox Pl., Pensacola; Pensacola Hardware, 20E. Gregory St.
All things Vintage + Collectable
Mile’s Antique Mall, 5109 Bayou Blvd, Pensacola. Pensacola has no shortage of amazingly unique antique malls, but the newest and largest shop to grace the antiquing scene lately is Mile Antique Mall. It’s situated away from the west side grouping of great antique malls on W. Navy Boulevard, but it’s worth the drive north. The merchandise is constantly rotating, with more than 500 new and affordable vendors scattered throughout the entirety of the 65,000 square foot building. Additional antique malls to browse: 3721 W. Navy Blvd., Penascola; Oodles Antique Mall, 3733 W. Navy Blvd., Pensacola.
DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 15
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at the Pollak Training Center 1000 E Fairfield Dr, Pensacola, FL
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Discounts and delivery available. All proceeds from poinsettia sales benefit children and adults with intellectual & developmental disabilities.
Plant Nursery: (850)469-0849 1112 E. Fairfield Dr., Pensacola, FL 32503 www.arc-gateway.org
My Jimmy, My Jimbo and Me
By TANNER YEA
H
ere at Downtown Crowd, we love to cover big touring bands that come through the city. However, we’d be remiss if we did not cover our local music scene, with its wide array of genres and people. One of those bands is Jimmy and the Jimbos, and this month they are putting on a show to remember.
On Dec. 22, Jimmy and the Jimbos will be holding their EP release show at The Handlebar. The EP, titled The Jimbo ep(ic), is the band’s first official release of what they hope is many. “We’ve been writing together since sophomore year of high school,” said Ryan Post, who performs vocals and piano in the band. Post is in several other local bands such as Crystal Coast and previously Morn Mongata. Along with Post is AJ Atkins, the vocalist and guitarist for the band. “We actually played a set in Tallahassee as The Nobodies, and then we kinda dissolved, and then we got back together as Jimmy and the Jimbos two or three months ago,” said Atkins. Aside from Atkins and Post, Jimmy and the Jimbos is an ensemble band with 9 additional members: Samantha Stott on drums, Nate McManus on guitar and trumpet, Bridgette Kelly on bass, Ian O’Brien
on synth, Catherine Lambert on flute, Ally Post on violin, Amelia Valesco on viola, James Smith on percussion, and Grant Caillouet on samples. “We had a vision since starting the band to incorporate a lot of musical instruments,” said Post. “I
think it’s really good to just build the instruments to get a really big sound,” said Atkins. Atkins and Post said the band is mainly influenced by twee and baroque pop like Belle and Sebastian, but they also admire other ensemble
bands like Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene. “I’ve always thought it was cool how Arcade Fire would drag along a big squad. It’s also just kinda fun to have all these members, and it’s all people that we were friends with beforehand,” said Atkins.
Jimmy and the Jimbos’ EP release show will be held on December 22 at The Handlebar at 319 N Tarragona Street. Supporting Jimmy and the Jimbos are Kent Stanton, Satan and the Sunbeams, Feed Lemon and Hotel Capsule.
The band is currently in the process of recording The Jumbo ep(ic) in time for the release show. Post and Atkins said the EP would feature the first four songs the band started playing together and have had the most time to refine. Post said after the EP’s release, they are going to work on releasing the best debut album they possibly can. “The LP will come out—however long that takes. We’ll probably release another EP, maybe a split in the meantime,” Post said.
The show starts at 8 pm, and the $5 admission gives you a free download code for the EP. For more information, visit facebook.com/ pensacolahandlebar.
“Personally, I just like writing songs, playing them, getting everyone together. If we get famous, that’d be cool,” said Atkins. “We’re just doing it to do it, though.”
DECEMBER 22, 2017 WHAT: Jimbos’ ep release WHERE: the handlebar 319 n tarragona street WHEN: 8 pm How much: $5* *$5 admission gives you a free download code for the ep DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 17
Albums: What we’re listening to this month Red mountain slow wander
tennis We can die happy
by tanner yea – Most of the time I find myself listening to the same records and artists over and over, recycling the same playlists over and over again. However, its bands like Red Mountains that make me realize that shuffling for new artists can reveal some modern classics. Slow Wander is the second album by Red Mountains, a stoner metal and psychedelia band from Trondheim, Norway. Probably one of the best ways to describe their sound is driving, deep and wide. Sludgy and fuzzed out riffs straddle the line between grooving and grinding, while most songs are punctuated by psychedelic and sprawling solos; drums pound in churning, deep bass booms while the bass rattles but leads a clean through line. The singer has a haunting and distinct voice and the lyrics are very pagan—images of overgrown forests, collapsed sewers and foundation-cracked shacks are all evoked, like a specter of decay and nature’s immensity. The album is slow and smooth like a fine whiskey, but it rattles and never causes me to lose interest. The only disappointing thing is that it
by Carly Stone – The first time that I heard Tennis, I fell in love. My best friend had included the song “Origins” from 2013’s Young & Old on a mix CD and I listened to that song on repeat for days after (even though the rest of the mix CD was amazing). I would now consider them one of my favorite artists and was ecstatic to see that they recently released a new EP. We Can Die Happy might only be five tracks, but each is so good it almost makes up for the fact that it’s not an entire album’s worth. The band is made up of husband-and-wife duo Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley, who met in philosophy class while students at the University of Colorado. Shortly after they sailed the Eastern Atlantic Seaboard together, Tennis was born. Their first album, Cape Dory, was based on this experience. We Can Die Happy reminds me a lot of Cape Dory. It’s dreamy, bright and filled with harmonic choruses that continuously evolve from beginning to end. It’s especially on songs like “I Miss That Feeling” and “Born to be Needed” that Moore’s vocals really shine. Luckily for us, we don’t have to guess what
MUTUALLY DETRIMENTAL
All good clean records
will probably be quite a while before they head stateside, but I’m waiting for that day on pins and needles.
STANDOUT TRACKS: Rat King Endless Ocean Cellar Door
serves as inspiration for the pair as one click on their Spotify reveals a playlist called “The Entertainment,” which offers a closer look into the songs and artists that inspired this latest EP. With any luck, we’ll be hearing a lot more of Tennis and about who and what inspires them for years to come.
STANDOUT TRACKS: I Miss That Feeling Born to be Needed Diamond Rings
Movie reviews (based solely on the trailer) BY TANNER YEA
THe Disaster Artist
bright
A movie based on a book about a movie, The Disaster Artist is a dramedy biography that chronicles the making of the cult film, The Room. Starring James and Dave Franco as the leads, the movie is both a mockumentary and a project of admiration. Even 14 years later, The Room and its creator Tommy Wiseau remain an enigma—even on rewatch the movie is like a weird fever dream that only operates off of dream logic and a loose interpretation of the rules of filmmaking. However, if anyone were to do justice to the story, it’d be the Francos and their friend Seth Rogen. The movie looks to both be a send-up and a fond remembrance, and I look forward to seeing the chaos behind the classic.
If you’ve ever heard of the Shadowrun series, Bright basically looks like they took those concepts and condensed them into a movie. Bright is a Netflix exclusive that takes place in an alternate Earth where magic is real, and Daryl Ward (Will Smith) teams up with the first orc (a kind of goblin creature) cop to stop an elf from using a powerful magical artifact – a wand. Sure, the orcs are basically a lazy stand-in for disenfranchised black people and I’m sure the movie will be full of Smith’s one-liners, but the concept of a big-budget urban fantasy movie excites me more than it probably should. The idea is solid, the movie is star-studded, and this will finally show if Netflix has the capability to put out a big budget movie.
December 1
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december 22
taylor swift reputation
Lany Self-titled
big machine
polydor records
BY HALEY WEAVER – Like many young women my age, Taylor Swift was my coming of age soundtrack. She’s older than me; I was crying to “Fifteen” in middle school and pretending to find “22” annoying in junior year. Even so, ever since I can remember music mattering to me, she’s just been around. That being said, I had low expectations for reputation and was surprised by its quality. If 1989 was Swift stepping into pop, reputation is a full dive. All the villainy Swift denied as part of her has been embraced, and it’s refreshing; in equal representation is the obvious contentment Swift has found in life and love since her last album, perhaps more present here than previously in her discography. “I Did Something Bad” showcases that villainy the most and is easily “Blank Space’”s older, edgier sister. Where “Bad Blood” still held onto the sting of betrayal, the obnoxiously titled “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” discusses the topic with cheeky bitterness; she’s not so much hurt as she is perturbed, because being the helpless victim is so three years ago. She lyrically shines on “Getaway Car,” essentially a Bleachers cover with now obvious producer Jack Antonoff’s influence bleeding through, and “New Year’s Day,”
the emotional closer and only ballad that sounds ripped from Speak Now or Red’s bsides. This album is different than the prior five, but it has a place. While 1989 shared a clear narrative that may or may not have been fictional, reputation shares Taylor’s story in making the album: the first half is tentative, focused on Swift’s grappling with her image and what that means in her personal life, while the second shows Swift freer and more open—both to love and accepting that you can still live in the universe you can’t control.
STANDOUT TRACKS:
This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things Delicate Getaway Car New Year’s Day
by taylor purvee – LANY has had my heart since I heard their first EP, Acronyms, at some point in 2015. The ‘dream pop’ trio released their self-titled album this summer and for awhile, I couldn’t decide how I felt about it. They had been a fairly small band for a couple of years and all of a sudden they were growing so fast— it was like being a mother watching her kid go off to college. However, LANY proves growth is a good thing. I’ve never really been in to music so heavy with synth and electronic sound, so with songs like “Pancakes” on the album, I had a bit of difficulty adjusting to their new direction. The record mixes electronic hums with John-Mayer-influenced-guitar-flairs and a drum beat to make the ‘dream’ part of ‘dream pop’ more accessible to people wary of synth like I am. However, behind the synth there are some rather raw lyrics. The majority of the album is so obviously written about a rough break-up, but songs like “Hericane,” “Tampa,” and “Flowers on the Floor” make you hate whomever the album is about without even knowing her. In contrast to that, there is another side of the album that’s
like ‘I love you, we have this perfect relationship, let’s grow old together’ with songs like “ILYSB” and “Dumb Stuff.” It’s all very confusing and, after months of listening, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s an awesome work of art and I love it.
STANDOUT TRACKS: Super Far ILYSB Hericane Tampa Purple Teeth
BY HALEY WEAVER
the greatest showman december 20
I have been waiting for Zac Efron to return to musicals since I was in middle school. Now he’s finally back with Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, and Zendaya to tell the origin story of Barnum and Bailey’s Circus. All four headlining names have musical talent, so there is a chance that this will turn out to be more La La Land and less Les Mis, in regards to celebrities who can carry a tune being hired for their names. Its music is also by the lyricists of La La Land, so there’s that. We can just overlook the romance between Efron and Zendaya, who is like 10 years his junior in real life and starred on Disney Channel a generation behind him. It looks sweet, if nothing else, and I’m hopeful.
molly’s game december 25
I had to watch this trailer a couple times because, embarrassingly, it confused the hell out of me. However, Aaron Sorkin is, to me, a god in Hollywood and the only reason I’ve ever wanted to write anything. So my hopes are reasonably high. Based on a true story and memoir of the same name, Molly’s Game depicts the journey and eventual fallout of Olympic-class skier Molly Bloom in the world of underground poker. Sorkin’s directorial debut features the cast of Idris Elba, Jessica Chastain, Kevin Costner, and Michael Cera and has already received excellent pre-release reviews. Even with movies like Moneyball and The Social Network, where the subject matter leaned toward boring, he’s never let me down in creating a legitimate film; I have a feeling that this time, it won’t be boring. DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 19
Date line D ow n t own Vinyl Music Hall
Vinyl Music Hall hosts a variety of events, and December features original artists, events and once-in-a-lifetime entertainment. For more information and to purchase tickets for any of these events, visit vinylmusichall.com. Dec. 1: Chris Thomas King - King of 21st Century Blues Dec. 2: Squirrel Nut Zippers First Annual Christmas Caravan Tour Dec. 3: Poptone – Featuring Bauhaus/Love and Rockers/ Tones on Tail Founding Members Daniel Ash & Kevin Haskins Dec. 6: CLUTCH – Psychic Warfare World Tour 2017 Dec. 9: Eagles Tribute – The Long Run Dec.14: of Montreal Dec. 15: The Pure Zeppelin Experience Dec. 16: Harry Potter Yule Ball Dec. 22: Rumours – A Fleetwood Mac Tribute Dec. 29: Dumpstaphunk Dec. 30: Tom Petty Tribute – The Wildflowers
Saenger Theatre
The Saenger Theatre is one of the oldest performance halls in Pensacola, and every season they offer the best in music, comedy, theatre and performance. For more information and to purchase tickets for any of these events, visit pensacolasaenger.com. Dec. 2: Choral Society of Pensacola Presents: Handel’s Messiah Dec. 8-10: Pensacola Children’s Chorus Presents: Christmas on the Coast Dec. 15-17: Ballet Pensacola’s The Nutcracker Dec. 20: Sister’s Christmas Catechism Dec. 21: White Tie Rock Ensemble Presents: Trans-Siberian Orchestra
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Dec. 31: Pensacola Symphony Orchestra Presents: Celebrate the New Year!
Pensacola Ice Flyers
Throughout December Come and cheer for our local team as the Pensacola Ice Flyers gear up for their 2017-2018 season. With a new coach and new energy, they are determined to continue their dominance in the Southern Professional Hockey League. All games listed below are home games. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit pensacolaiceflyers.com. Dec. 1: vs. Macon Mayhem Dec. 8: vs. Knoxville Ice Bears Dec. 9: vs. Knoxville Ice Bears Dec. 15: vs. Evansville Thunderbolts Dec. 26: vs. Mississippi RiverKings Dec. 30: vs. Macon Mayhem
Fear and Folly: The Visionary Prints of Francisco Goya and Federico Castelo at Pensacola Museum of Art
September 1 – December 31 Despite living in different centuries, Francisco Goya’s ( 174 6 -18 2 8 ) and Federico Castellon’s (1914-1971) body of work often draws sharper relationships to one another than to their contemporaries in their attention to the darker and complex side of the human condition. Many artists have been drawn to the dark and the fantastic, but few have probed the human condition with the insight and truthfulness found
Catch of Montreal at Vinyl Music Hall on Dec. 14 in these images. For more information, visit pensacolamuseum.org
Rebels With a Cause: American Impressionist Women at Pensacola Museum of Art
September 8 – December 31 Women. Rebels. Artists. Rebels With a Cause presents a selection of works by female artists active between the mid19th and mid-20th centuries who rebelled against the conventions of their day by exhibiting alongside their male counterparts, receiving awards, and clearing a path for future artists. The collection of paintings embody the early influence of French impressionism and its precursor, the Barbizon Style. For more information, visit pensacolamuseum.org.
Chamber Music Recital
Dec. 6 The University of West Florida Department of Music will present an afternoon of chamber music on Dec. 6 at noon at Old Christ Church in Historic Pensacola, located at 405 South Adams St. December’s performance is “Celebrate the Season”, which celebrates the holiday season with merry melodies from the works of Bach, Handel, Mozart, Grieg and more. Every performance is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the CFPA Music Office at 850-474-2147.
Umbrella Sky Project
Through December As a continuing part of November’s Foo Foo Fest, the sky over historic Intendencia St. in Downtown Pensacola will be filled with colorful umbrellas as part of the Pensacola Umbrella Sky Project. Originally implemented in Portugal, this threemonth long project will light up the sky with dazzling colors and a whimsy that will last throughout its run. Every Saturday be-
tween 8 am and 6 pm until the New Year, this section of Intendencia will be closed off so you can fully enjoy the experience!
Wonderland of Lights
December 1-3 The Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds will come alive this season with Wonderland of Lights, a special drive-through light show open to all ages. Enjoy dazzling displays of holiday scenes, and make sure to stop by Santa’s Village to meet Kris Kringle himself and enjoy all kinds of holiday fun. Admission starts at $20 per vehicle, and the merriment starts at 6 pm. For more information, visit thewonderlandoflights.com
Pensacola Winterfest
Nov. 24 – Dec. 24 The holiday season is almost here, and Pensacola is set to get into full swing with Pensacola Winterfest. Throughout the month long celebration, experience downtown Pensacola lit by over 400,000 lights, watch the Elf Parade, meet Santa, play Reindeer Games and ride the
D a t el i n e D own t own Winterfest Trolley. Rated a Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism Society, get ready to jingle your bells and dash all the way downtown for memories you’ll never forget. For more information, visit pensacolawinterfest. org.
A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas
Dec. 1-2, Dec. 8-9 The University of West Florida Department of Theatre will celebrate its 11th annual production of “A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas,”- the classic play by Charles Dickens adapted by Michael Wilson. This adaptation pushes the fantastical elements of the story to the forefront, as magic and macabre help Ebenezer Scrooge on his journey of redemption
and hope. Tickets start at $18 for adults, $14 for seniors and service members, $12 for students and faculty, and $6 for high school students. For more information, showtimes and to purchase tickets, visit uwf.edu/ cfpa.
2017 Cox Pensacola Christmas Parade
Dec. 9 Drawing nearly 50,000 people each year, the Cox Pensacola Parade is a great way to kick off the holiday season. With nearly 90 entries and eight bands in the parade, it will be an event you will not want to miss. The RadioLive parade will also feature the Dec. 7 Back after a two-year hiatus, world-renowned Blue Angels RadioLive returns as WUWF’s flight team and a host of other popular acoustic concert se- organizations from around the ries, held every month at the region. All profits for the parade Museum of Commerce. Decem- go towards local high school ber’s artists include Jonathan band booster organizations. Byrd and The Pickup Cowboy, The parade begins at 5:15 pm at Corin Raymond and Rod Picott. Spring and Garden Streets, so Tickets are $10 per person, with make sure to get a good spot! seating being first-come-firstserve. Doors open at 5 pm and the show begins right at 6 pm. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit wuwf. org/radiolive.
Jackson’s Presents Deck the Halls: A Holiday Brunch Event
Dec. 9, 16, 23 In celebration of the holidays and back by popular demand, Jackson’s will present three special brunch events: “Deck the Halls,” on Saturday December 9; Saturday December 16; and Saturday December 23 at Jackson’s Steakhouse. Jackson’s has once again teamed up with the Pensacola Opera to present a brunch filled with holiday cheer featuring costumed carolers strolling from table to table singing all of the traditional carols. Two seatings are available each day at 11 am and 1 pm. To make your reservation, call 850-469-9898.
Zoo Lights
Dec. 15-30 Come see some dazzling lights as well as the beauty of nature at Gulf Breeze Zoo’s annual Zoo Lights. Thousands of lights line the park and the railway, allowing to get in the holiday spirit whole viewing exotic animals from around the world. Gulf Breeze Zoo is also accepting donations for Toys for Tots in order to give underprivileged children a happy holiday. The lights turn on at 5 pm and last until close. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit gulfbreezezoo.org. .
Catch a performance of A Christmas Carol at UWF on Dec1-2, and Dec. 8-9
DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 21
SlipS Olive DrOp Martini Bar
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Photo by Paul Brown
Quayside Art Gallery 17 E. Zaragoza Street, Pensacola, Florida 850-438-2363 www.quaysidegallery.com Hours: Mon—Sat 10am - 5pm, Sun 1pm - 5pm
1500 Barrancas Ave, Pensacola, FL 32502 850-432-1119
Slips Eatery Hours: 10:30-8:00 Mon-Sat
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OPEN SIX DAYS A WEEK - 5-7 HAPPY HOUR KARAOKE EVERY TUES. NIGHT HOSTED BY ROGER MARTINEZ • Best Martinis in Town - 36 Flavors to Choose From • Best Bartenders Risa and Dave • Live Music on Friday & Saturday • Open Mic Wednesday - Thursday • Traditional Fried Seafood Fresh Every Day • Best Place to Host Private Parties - Call Mary 850-982-4861
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Chris�m�s
One World, Many Voices
on the Co�st From toys to tinsel and snowflakes to Santa, the Pensacola Children’s Chorus knows how to celebrate the season. Your family won’t want to miss Christmas on the Coast, where we’ll transform sunny weather into a winter wonderland. You’ll experience all the sights and sounds of the holidays that will have you humming through the New Year! December 8, 9 & 10, 2017
A Celebration of Diversity Through Song
One World, Many Voices is a celebration of music’s rich cultures and how we can achieve oneness through song. Guest conductor and renowned composer Andrea Ramsey will take the podium to bring her own style and flavor to our eclectic program. Join us as we bring a global message to our small town home.
Show�ime Do you like Broadway? Get your ticket. Country, rock, or even disco? Then Showtime is right for you! Join us for a celebration from music across all genres, featuring our amazingly talented PCC singers. From lights to sound and costumes to choreography, you’ll leave dazed and amazed. Don’t miss this musical extravaganza!
February 18, 2018
May 4, 5, & 6, 2018
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