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<\/p>\nIt\u2019s somewhat surprising that more of today\u2019s contemporary singing stars don\u2019t come to toasty Florida in January, when it\u2019s f-f-freezing cold in most of America. The January concert calendar\u00a0 includes just one chart-topper \u2013 from the last three decades \u2013 in the band Kings of Leon, playing Benchmark Arena at the end of the month.<\/p>\n
Nor, in fact, is there anyone heading our way here who has a record in the current charts. Any of them.<\/p>\n
The other side of this coin, no doubt, is that the artists who\u2019ll be visiting the bay area in January most likely have strong and faithful fan bases here. That\u2019s got to be why Pat Benatar, Al DiMeola, Judy Collins, Kevin James, John Waite, Blue Man Group, Leo Kottke and Benise, among others, make the journey here to entertain on an annual basis, like clockwork.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s start with a quick quintet of January\u2019s most noteworthy scheduled concerts (as always, be advised that dates are subject to change):<\/p>\n
Rhett Miller at Safety Harbor Art & Music Center, Jan. 21. Solo performance by the enigmatic singer\/songwriter from Americana pioneers the Old \u201897s.<\/p>\n
Renee Fleming at Straz Center Ferguson Hall, Jan. 14. The acclaimed soprano in recital; the program, Voice of Nature \u2013 The Anthropocene, reflects the opera superstar\u2019s passion for the healing power of music.<\/p>\n
Gregory Alan Isakov at the Mahaffey Theater, Jan. 18. The indie singer\/songwriter lives (and works) a Colorado farm, and his music is rural, dusty, and surprisingly potent.<\/p>\n
Penn & Teller at the Mahaffey Theater, Jan. 29. Incredibly, the master illusionists have been doing what they do, together, for 50 years.<\/p>\n
Jerry Harrison at the Capitol Theatre, Jan. 21. Talking Heads\u2019 keyboard player screens the classic concert film Stop Making Sense, talks and takes questions. You may ask yourself \u2026 how did I get here?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Americana artist Gregory Alan Isakov plays the Mahaffey Theater Jan. 18. Publicity photo.<\/p>\n
The concert calendar<\/p>\n
Jan. 8 The Kingston Trio at Central Park Performing Arts Center<\/p>\n
Jan. 10 Brendan Nolan at the Side Door Cabaret<\/p>\n
Jan. 13 Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass at Ruth Eckerd Hall<\/p>\n
Jan. 14 Renee Fleming at the Straz Center Ferguson Hall<\/p>\n
Jan. 14 Leo Kottke at the Capitol Theatre<\/p>\n
Jan. 14 Chamber Music Series at the Palladium Theater<\/p>\n
Jan. 15 The Coral Reefer Band at the Mahaffey Theater<\/p>\n
Jan. 16 Benise & Pavolo at the Palladium Theater<\/p>\n
Jan. 16 St Paul & The Minneapolis Funk All Stars at Central Park Performing Arts Center<\/p>\n
Jan. 16 Tig Notaro at Tampa Theatre<\/p>\n
Jan. 16-18 Blue Man Group at Straz Center Ferguson Hall<\/p>\n
Jan. 16 Kevin James at Ruth Eckerd Hall<\/p>\n
Jan. 16 Jesse Cook at the Capitol Theatre<\/p>\n
Jan. 17 Bored Teachers Comedy at the Tampa Theatre<\/p>\n
Jan. 17 John Lamb\u2019s Birthday Concert at the Side Door Cabaret<\/p>\n
Jan. 17 Chuck Redd with La Lucha at New Tampa Performing Arts Center<\/p>\n
Jan. 17 Al DiMeola at the Capitol Theatre<\/p>\n
Jan. 18 Judy Collins at the Capitol Theatre<\/p>\n
Jan. 18 Gregory Alan Isokov at the Mahaffey Theater<\/p>\n
Jan. 21 Rhett Miller at Safety Harbor Art & Music Center<\/p>\n
Jan. 21 Jerry Harrison at the Capitol Theatre<\/p>\n
Jan. 22 Gaelic Storm at the Capitol Theatre<\/p>\n
Jan. 23 Diana Krall at Ruth Eckerd Hall<\/p>\n
Jan. 23 Close Enemies (with Aerosmith\u2019s Tom Hamilton) at Central Park Performing Arts Center<\/p>\n
Jan. 23 23 Great White & Slaughter at Ferg\u2019s Event Center<\/p>\n
Jan. 27 Aaron Lewis at Seminole Hard Rock Event Center<\/p>\n
Jan. 28 Forever Motown at the Mahaffey Theater<\/p>\n
Jan. 29 Penn & Teller at the Mahaffey Theater<\/p>\n
Jan. 29 Pat Benatar and Neil Geraldo at Seminole Hard Rock Event Center<\/p>\n
Jan. 30 Bert Kreischer at Benchmark Arena<\/p>\n
Jan. 30 Geoff Tate at Ruth Eckerd Hall<\/p>\n
Jan. 30 John Waite at the Capitol Theatre<\/p>\n
Jan. 31 Ronnie Baker Brooks at the Safety Harbor Art & Music Center<\/p>\n
Jan. 31 Kings of Leon at Benchmark Arena<\/p>\n
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\nOn theater stages<\/p>\n
The Tony-winning musical adaptation of the S.E. Hinton novel (and the movie from Francis Ford Coppola) The Outsiders is on the bill for the Straz Center\u2019s Broadway series, Jan. 1-4 in Morsani Hall.<\/p>\n
Running Jan. 8-18 at the Off-Central, Gruesome Playground Injuries by Rajiv Joseph is an intense and darkly comic drama about two adult friends-since-childhood \u201cdrawn together through pain, accidents, and unseen wounds of the heart.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stageworks Theatre\u2019s Touching the Void (Jan. 16-Feb. 1) is playwright David Greig\u2019s adaptation of mountain climber Joe Simpson\u2019s real-life book about his perilous journey into the Peruvian Andes.<\/p>\n
For Jobsite Theater\u2019s annual Shakespeare production, artistic director David M. Jenkins has set The Comedy of Errors in the Swingin\u2019 \u201860s. Oh, behave! Dates are Jan. 14-Feb. 8.<\/p>\n
Nathaniel Hawthorne\u2019s classic morality story The Scarlet Letter gets what American Stage calls \u201ca contemporary treatment\u201d Jan. 21-Feb. 15. Adaptation by Kate Hamill.<\/p>\n
Onstage Jan. 21-25 at The Studio@620, Drilled! The Final Term? is an original musical comedy \u2013 of the dental and political variety \u2013 by St. Petersburg\u2019s Bill Leavengood and Constantine Grame.<\/p>\n
TheatreFor\u2019s co-founder Stephen Bell \u2013 well known for his years of acting and directing work with the Gulfport Community Players and others \u2013 passed away Sept. 7; in true \u201cthe show must go on\u201d spirit, the Clearwater theatrical startup has continued. TheaterFor is back for its first show of the new year, Truth Will Out: Unrehearsed Shakespeare Jan. 23-Feb 8.<\/p>\n
Himself and Nora, the hit off Broadway musical about the great Irish writer James Joyce and his wife and muse, opens the year at freeFall Theatre Jan. 30-March 8.<\/p>\n
Samantha Mart\u00ed-Parisi stars in the one-person show The Pink Unicorn Jan. 29 and 30, the first play from a new production company called Story Keepers. Written by Elise Forier Edie, The Pink Unicorn is about a conservative mother navigating the complexities of her queer child\u2019s identity.<\/p>\n
Yasmina Reza\u2019s tart drama God of Carnage is the next show from Tampa Repertory Theatre, Jan. 20-Feb. 15 at Hillsborough Community College Performing Arts Center.<\/p>\n
LAB Theatre Project\u2019s latest production is the musical The Trail to Oregon, directed by Zachary \u201cHippie\u201d Griswold. \u00a0It\u2019s Jan. 30-Feb. 15, and it\u2019s heralded by these words from LAB: \u201cThe show will change every night \u2013 not only does the audience get to name the family, but they will also decide the ultimate fate of one of our travelers!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
Flamenco dancer Irene Rodriguez will accompany The Florida Orchestra during Manuel de Falla\u2019s ballet \u201cEl Amor Brujo\u201d Jan. 30 and 31. Publicity photo.<\/p>\n
The orchestra and the opera<\/p>\n
The Florida Orchestra\u2019s month looks like this:<\/p>\n
Jan. 9-11: Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 21 (Evren Ozel, soloist), Shostakovich. Symphony No. 15, Wagner, Siegfried\u2019s Rhine Journey. Jan. 14 and 15 (morning concerts): Handel\u2019s Water Music, Richard Rodgers\u2019 Victory at Sea Medley, Mendelssohn\u2019s The Hebrides; Jan. 16 and 17: The Billy Joel Songbook; Jan. 23-25: Ravel\u2019s Daphnis and Chloe, Ravel Piano Concerto (soloist George Li), The Sorcerer\u2019s Apprentice (Dukas) and Griffes\u2019 The Pleasure Dome of Kubla Khan. Jan. 30 and 31: Soundwaves concert w\/ Manuel de Falla\u2019s ballet El Amor Brujo (with vocalists, narration and flamenco dancers), Danny Elfman\u2019s Suite for Chamber Orchestra and Piazzolla\u2019s\u00a0Libertango.<\/p>\n
And St. Pete Opera\u2019s latest full-scale production is Handel\u2019s dramatic Giulio Cesare, Jan. 30 and Feb. 1 and 3 at the Palladium Theater.<\/p>\n
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Dance<\/p>\n
Choreographer\/dancers from projectALCHEMY will create site-specific dance works at various St. Petersburg locations Jan. 1-4. The ambitious project is called Mixed Across St. Pete and it finishes up with a cumulative performance Jan. 10 at The Studio@620.<\/p>\n
Websites<\/p>\n
American Stage<\/a><\/p>\n Benchmark Arena<\/a><\/p>\n Capitol Theatre<\/a><\/p>\n Central Park Performing Arts Center<\/a><\/p>\n The Florida Orchestra<\/a><\/p>\n freeFall Theatre<\/a><\/p>\n Jobsite Theater<\/a><\/p>\n LAB Theater Project<\/a><\/p>\n Mahaffey Theater<\/a><\/p>\n Off-Central<\/a><\/p>\n Palladium Theater\/Side Door Cabaret<\/a><\/p>\n Ruth Eckerd Hall<\/a><\/p>\n Safety Harbor Art & Music Center<\/a><\/p>\n Seminole Hard Rock Event Center<\/a><\/p>\n The Studio@620<\/a><\/p>\n Stageworks Theatre<\/a><\/p>\n St. Pete Opera<\/a><\/p>\n Story Keepers<\/a><\/p>\n Straz Center<\/a><\/p>\n Tampa Repertory Theatre<\/a><\/p>\n Tampa Theatre<\/a><\/p>\n TheaterFor<\/a><\/p>\n Add us to your mailing list \u2013 send all press releases and event info to\u00a0bill@stpetecatalyst.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n