TARPON SPRINGS — When Oscar Wilde wrote “Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life," he was commenting on the way art affects the way we look at the world around us: The real world and the imaginary world have a tendency to mirror each other.

Anyone who has known me for any length of time can attest to my lifelong love affair with classic monsters. Before George Lucas introduced audiences to his little science fiction franchise in 1977, the walls of my childhood room boasted posters featuring the likes of King Kong, Bela Lugosi’s…

CLEARWATER — The multi-platinum Marshall Tucker Band will be celebrating 50 years with a historic anniversary tour featuring special guests Firefall and Bertie Higgins. The tour will include a stop in Pinellas Friday, Jan. 21, 7:30 p.m., at Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater.

SAFETY HARBOR — Seth Walker will take the stage Saturday, Jan. 22, at the Safety Harbor Art & Music Center, 706 Second St. N., Safety Harbor.

CLEARWATER — The Little Feat by Request Tour will make a stop in the Tampa Bay area Tuesday, Jan. 25, 8 p.m., at Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater.

CLEARWATER — The Bronx Wanderers will perform Monday, Jan. 24, 7:30 p.m., at Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater.

TAMPA — Matt Nakoa will perform Monday, Jan. 24, 7:30 p.m., in Jaeb Theater at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts, 1010 N. W.C. MacInnes Place, Tampa.

CLEARWATER — Grammy winning artists Joss Stone and Corinne Bailey Rae will take the stage Wednesday, Jan. 26, 8 p.m., at Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater.

CLEARWATER — JD Simo and GA-20 will perform Friday, Jan. 21, 8 p.m., in the Murray Theatre at Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater.

DUNEDIN — John Dryden, in his poem “Annus Mirabilis,” wrote the line “mighty things from small beginnings grow.” In nature, this can be represented by an acorn growing into an oak or a caterpillar developing into butterfly. Applied to art, it is that creative spark that gradually takes shape…

ST. PETERSBURG — Pink Martini, featuring China Forbes, will perform Tuesday, Jan. 18, 7:30 p.m., at the Duke Energy Center for the Arts — Mahaffey Theater, 400 First St. S., St. Petersburg.

JFL to stage ‘Natalie Needs a Nightie’

CLEARWATER — The Righteous Brothers will perform Friday and Saturday, Jan. 21 and 22, 7:30 p.m., at the Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater.

SAFETY HARBOR — Dan Rodriguez will perform Friday, Jan. 21, at the Safety Harbor Art & Music Center, 706 Second St. N., Safety Harbor.

It’s only a short stroll from the classic damsel-in-distress trope to the 20th century helpless-girl-against-the-odds variation. The former dates back centuries to Medieval tales that reflect the chivalric code and its corollary regarding the knight’s duty to offer protection to women. The l…

A number of new movies will be released this week, including the following films opening in theaters or debuting via video on demand on various streaming platforms:

CLEARWATER — Multiple Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and humanitarian Michael Bolton will perform Tuesday, Jan. 25, 8 p.m., at the Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater.

CLEARWATER — The Big Band of Brothers touring ensemble — a celebration of the Allman Brothers Band songs done big band jazz style featuring original Allman Brother legend Jaimoe, Sammy Miller & The Congregation, Lamar Williams Jr., and Drew Smithers — will make their Clearwater debut Wed…

CLEARWATER — Folk icon Judy Collins will take the stage Sunday, Jan. 16, 8 p.m., at the Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater.

ST. PETE BEACH — The weather conditions in January in Florida really couldn’t be more conducive to outdoor activities. It’s the perfect time for a stroll on the beach, or shopping for unique and handcrafted fine art and crafts at an outdoor festival.

CLEARWATER — Grammy Award winners the Mavericks will take the stage Friday, Jan. 14, 8 p.m., at Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater.

CLEARWATER — “Jersey Boys” will be presented Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 12-13, 8 p.m., at Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater.

ST. PETERSBURG — With independent spirit and message-giving of the moment, Grammy Award-winner Ledisi will perform Wednesday, Jan. 12, 7:30 p.m., at the Duke Energy Center for the Arts — Mahaffey Theater, 400 First St. S., St. Petersburg.

ST. PETERSBURG — When Andy Bell of English synth-pop duo Erasure was growing up, he was fascinated with neon. That captivation is reflected in Erasure’s 18th studio album, “The Neon,” released in August 2020.

ST. PETERSBURG — Showcasing unparalleled authenticity of sound and vocal excellence, the Doo Wop Project will recreate some of the greatest music in American pop and rock history Thursday, Jan. 13, 8 p.m., at the Duke Energy Center for the Arts — Mahaffey Theater, 400 First St. S., St. Petersburg.

TAMPA — Keith Sweat will bring sounds of New Jack Swing, rhythm and blues to the Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa on Sunday, Jan. 16, at 8 p.m.

ST. PETERSBURG — Singer-songwriter David Wilcox will perform Saturday, Jan. 15, 6:30 p.m., at Craftsman House Gallery, 2955 Central Ave., St. Petersburg.

Early Bird Dinner Theatre to present ‘Boeing Boeing’

LARGO — Grammy-winning songwriter Jimmy Webb will perform Saturday, Jan. 15, 8 p.m., at Central Park Performing Arts Center, 105 Central Park Drive, Largo.

CLEARWATER — Nashville's hard-edged bluegrass band the SteelDrivers will perform Thursday, Jan. 13, 8 p.m., at the Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater.

CLEARWATER — Singer-songwriter Marc Broussard plays Tuesday, Jan. 11, 8 p.m., at the Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater.

Let’s be brutally honest: Most Americans can only name a handful of past presidents. One online survey found that one in 10 Americans can’t come up with the names of five former presidents. Not to brag, but I can name 10 just going over the presidents in my lifetime.

A number of new movies will be released this week, including the following films opening in theaters or debuting via video on demand on various streaming platforms:

DUNEDIN — It’s a time to walk the red carpet, Hollywood style. No, scratch that: Let’s make it even better and call it Dunedin style.

LARGO — The Martin Barre Band is on the road celebrating the 50th anniversary of Jethro Tull’s legendary “Aqualung” album release. The tour will include a stop in the Tampa Bay area on Thursday, Jan. 13, 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, Jan. 14, 8 p.m., at the Central Park Performing Arts Center, 105 …

CLEARWATER — “Puddles Pity Party: Unsequestered Tour” is heading out on the road and will visit the Tampa Bay area Saturday, Jan. 15, 8 p.m., at the Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater.

TAMPA — Winter Jam, one of Christian music’s biggest multi-artist tours, is back for 2022 with headliners Skillet and Tauren Wells and a solid lineup of acts, presented by NewSong Ministries with Premier Productions. Sponsored by Compassion International, Winter Jam’s “All Together Now Tour”…

TAMPA — American rock band 38 Special will perform Friday, Jan. 7, 8 p.m., in the Hard Rock Event Center at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 5223 Orient Road, Tampa.

Before COVID-19, the last normal year at the box office saw “Avengers: Endgame” earn nearly $2.8 billion worldwide. No film has crossed the billion-dollar barrier since the pandemic began — until now.

CLEARWATER — Gary Gulman will perform Saturday, Jan. 8, 8 p.m., at the Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater.

A number of new movies will be released this week, including the following films opening in theaters or debuting via video on demand on various streaming platforms:

CLEARWATER — The Fabulous Thunderbirds will perform Sunday, Jan. 9, 8 p.m., at the Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater.

Registration open for DFAC winter, spring art classes

According to Heraclitus of Ephesus, no one can step into the same river twice, for other waters are continually flowing on. It is a deceptively simple statement illustrating his acknowledgement of an impermanence — or flux — and the flow of time. According to Heraclitean philosophy, nothing …

CLEARWATER — Grammy Award-winner Al Di Meola will take the stage Friday, Jan. 7, 8 p.m., at the Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater.

A number of new movies will be released this week, including the following films opening in theaters or debuting via video on demand on various streaming platforms:

Black Pumas, Revivalists among first wave of GMF bands

CLEARWATER — The Salute to Vienna New Year’s Concert will take place Friday, Dec. 31, 6 p.m., at Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater.

TARPON SPRINGS — Instead of spending the entire weekend sinking deeper and deeper into the living room furniture while eating chicken wings and watching bowl games, ring in the new year with a brand new two-day outdoor festival.

CLEARWATER — Direct from Broadway, Adam Trent, brings his signature brand of magic and illusion to the Tampa Bay area with “Holiday Magic,” set for Thursday, Dec. 30, 7 p.m., at Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater.