high tech gift ideas guide to local malls JACKSONVILLE holiday events golden symphony compass musicians book and film review speak out free weekly guide to entertainment and more | december 6 - 12, 2007 | www.eujacksonville.com 2 december 6-12, 2007 | entertaining u newspaper cover photo from sleeping beauty on ice (see page 32 for story) table of contents feature Hi-Tech Shopping ...........................................................................................PAGES 13-16 Tech Shopping Advice ....................................................................................... PAGE 14 Game Systems ................................................................................................. PAGE 16 Local Shopping Staples ..................................................................................PAGES 17-18 Holiday Events ...............................................................................................PAGES 20-21 movies Movies in Theaters this Week ...........................................................................PAGES 6-11 The Golden Compass (movie review) ...................................................................... PAGE 6 Awake (movie review) ............................................................................................. PAGE 8 Control (movie review) ............................................................................................ PAGE 9 International Film Festival (9th & Main) .............................................................PAGE 10-11 home His Dark Materials (book review) ............................................................................. PAGE 7 Netscapades ......................................................................................................... PAGE 12 Video Games ....................................................................................................... PAGE 12 dish Dish Update .......................................................................................................... PAGE 22 Matthews Market (restaurant review) ..............................................................PAGES 22-23 Prepared Meals ..................................................................................................... PAGE 23 Mandarin Pub Crawl .............................................................................................. PAGE 24 music Music Calendar ..............................................................................................PAGES 26-30 Nick Drake Box Set (album review) ........................................................................ PAGE 25 Nirvana Unplugged (DVD review) ........................................................................... PAGE 25 Louie LeClaire (Starlite) ......................................................................................... PAGE 26 Luna Halo (French Quarter) .................................................................................. PAGE 27 Jacksonville Symphony Players (interview) ........................................................... PAGE 28 Ritz Chamber Players (interview) ........................................................................... PAGE 29 arts / theatre / on stage Sesame Street Live (interview) .............................................................................. PAGE 30 Frank Matthews & Gail Taylor (Bogda) ................................................................... PAGE 31 Sleeping Beauty on Ice (interview) ......................................................................... PAGE 32 It’s A Wonderful Life (Players By The Sea) ...........................................................PAGES 33 columns and stuff Native Foreigner .................................................................................................... PAGE 34 The Jock ............................................................................................................... PAGE 34 NASCAR News & Notes ........................................................................................ PAGE 35 eujacksonville.com | december 6-12, 2007 3 thisweek KEITH URBAN Keith Urban’s “Love, Pain & the thursday DECEMBER 6 Whole Crazy World Tour” Frantic crowds have followed Keith Urban’s International Fest of Cinema and Technology “Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy World Tour” The International Fest of Cinema and Technology will present a se- from Germany to the United Kingdom, Aus- lection of independent films from across the globe from December tralia, Canada and parts of the United States. 6th to the 8th. Festival screenings include short comedies, dramas, Now his world tour arrives in Jacksonville! animated films, experimental films, music videos and documen- Gary Allan, who has quickly become one of taries. During the festival, 9th and Main will have a full bar open Country music’s brightest stars, will also which will be serving drinks during the screenings. Tickets: $6 per perform. Tickets: $19 to $58.50 Jacksonville screening session, ($3 for students) The Rusted Hinge at 9th and Veterans Memorial Arena- 8 pm, Info: (904) Main (1850 N Main St), Info: www.ifct.org or (904) 353-6002. 630-3998 Read the story on pages 10 and 11. Peter Pan Ritz Chamber Players Opening Concert with Mozart This is Peter Pan’s Only Northeast Florida The Ritz Chamber Players will kick off its seventh season this week. tour stop! Brooke Stone follows many famous The Jacksonville-based ensemble made its triumphant, sold-out women who have played Peter Pan since Carnegie Hall debut in June 2004, with critics proclaiming its per- the original production opened in London formances as “extraordinary” and “vital and fresh.” Read interview in December of 1904. Stone was hand picked to play Peter for Twas the Flight before Christmas- Featuring Aire with Artistic Director Terrence Patterson on page 29. Tickets: this touring production. She has appeared on Broadway in the Traffic $25/single show, $79/ online special for all 4 shows, $89/ Orches- musicals: Hairspray, Beauty and the Beast and Grease. This is Aire Traffic is a band made up entirely of air traffic controllers with tra Seating for all 4 shows. Jacoby Symphony Hall, Times-Union the first time Peter Pan: The Broadway Musical has toured in 10 a unique blend of original jazz, rock and contemporary music. This Center for the Performing Arts-7:30 pm, Info: ritzchamberplayers. years. Tickets: $48, $38, $28. Thrasher-Horne Center for the special Christmas concert under the stars benefits the Children’s org or (904) 354-5547 Arts - 7:30 pm. Info: (904) 276-6750 Miracle Network. In addition to the music, FCTI’s Culinary Arts School will be on hand with some delicious chow, Aerospace Col. Bruce & the Quark Alliance DECEMBER 7 - 8 Academy is bringing flight simulators and no holiday show would Over the years, Col. Bruce Hampton has fronted The Hampton The Community Nutcracker be complete without a visit from Santa! Tickets: $60/VIP reception Grease Band, The Late Bronze Age, and The Aquarium Rescue The Community Nutcracker, a beloved Jacksonville holiday (at 6 pm) and performance, $16/general admission, $11/Seniors, Unit. Now Col. Bruce is playing with guitarist/singer/songwriter tradition, will be performed this weekend. The ballet showcases military, students, children. St. Augustine Amphitheatre- 7:30 pm, Jeff Caldwell, drummer Mark Letalien, and bassist Kris Dale as the internationally renowned principal dancers, our area’s finest Info and tickets: airetraffic.com or (904) 202-2900 Quark Alliance. Jeff’s songs are a mixture of jazz, rock and R&B. young dance corps, and Tchaikovsky’s best-loved melodies, Together with Col. Bruce’s eclectic catalogue of songs and the oc- all while telling a timeless tale the entire family will enjoy. See David Wilcox casional blues standard, The Quark Alliance is worth joining. Tick- performances on Friday at 8 pm and Saturday at 2 pm and 8 David Wilcox’s voice is per- ets: $10 Freebird Live- 8 pm, Info: (904) 246-BIRD pm Tickets: $23-$33.50 Florida Theatre, Info: (904) 355-2787 haps most often compared with James Taylor, though a 1994 Acoustic Guitar cover story characterized it as Tay- DECEMBER 8 lor combined with a “husky DECEMBER 7 saturday friday breathiness more reminiscent Ancient City Kids Day of the late Nick Drake.” That article also called him the It was the (once) great Whitney Houston who said “I believe Rev. Billy Wirtz “best known of the brilliant that children of our future/Teach them well and let them lead the Reverend Billy C. Wirtz is a comic genius, gifted pianist and Ameri- crop of singer-songwriters to way.” It is with this wise sentiment in mind that we recommend DAVID WILCOX can musicologist who defies easy classification. “I like to think of emerge in the late ‘80s.” Cafe Ancient City Kids Day, a fun, family-friendly festival that will myself as the Victor Borge of the blues,” states the Reverend, but Eleven - 8:30 pm, Tickets: $18, Info: (904) 469-9311 Billy goes way beyond Borge both in scope of subject matter (from include over 40 youth service agencies offering carnival style politics to social commentary) and, of course, in taste. In fact, no games and activities, arts and crafts, and contests for the kids theme is too extreme, taboo, or undignified for the Reverend, so and live entertainment all day. Best of all, entry to the event is long as it garners a good laugh. Cafe Eleven - 8:30 pm, Tickets: free to the public! Francis Field- Castillo Drive, St. Augustine- $12, Info: (904) 469-9311 10 am to 2 pm