Joysticks Arcade Lounge and Retro Bar in Downtown Orlando

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ODD 26 (Orlando Drink and Draw) was held at Joysticks Arcade Lounge and Retro Bar (69 E Pine St, Orlando, Florida 32801). Orlando Drink and Draw ventures to a new bar or restaurant each month to sample beers and sketch. There is no model fee and no instruction. This is just a chance to get out, meet fellow artists and draw. I’m hoping to sketch in Central Florida’s best and most unique dive bars, so suggestions are always welcome.

Joysticks is a gaming bar with retro video arcade machines as well as a full bar. I like the references to Little Shop of Horrors, Star Wars, Jaws, Ghost Busters and there is a Game of Thrones sword throne that is great for photo opportunities. Retro arcade games are scattered throughout and there are themes nooks for friends to gather. The place is a visual fest for the eyes and working digitally allowed me to push the extreme colored lighting in the sketch. Four or five artists stopped out and we sat at the round tables to sketch this unique space. Joysticks is the self proclaimed most popular arcade bar in Orlando, Florida. They have a wide selection of specialize drinks, craft beers, and retro
arcade games.

The joy of ODD is that I always get to meet several new artists and flip through their sketchbooks. Most people feel the eyes are a window to the soul, but for artists it is their sketchbooks.

The Orlando Concert Band.

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I sketched a rehearsal of the Orlando Concert Band at Saint Luke’s Lutheran Church (2021 West SR 426 Oviedo FL.) Pam Schwartz and I arrived just as the band began to play the Star Spangled Banner. Everyone in the audience was standing so we stood in the back row waiting to scope out a seat. The concert celebrated the music of John Williams and even the Star Spangled Banner was arranged by him. After the usual musical refrain you would hear at a football game the arrangement then expanded as if scoring an important scene in a movie.

The Music Director, Jon Territo, clearly loves the John Willams musical scores and the evening highlighted music from films such as Jurassic Park, Jaws, 1941, Saving Private Ryan, Schindler’s List, Catch Me if You Can, Superman and Star Wars. Between arrangements the conductor spoke to the audience about each piece. This was a working rehearsal although the audience was packed. On occasion the music stopped so that a passage could be reworked. The evening was an eclectic mix of scores that have become iconic over the years to scores that supported the drama of less known films.

The Orlando Concert Band was founded in 1989. If is composed of both professional and amateur musicians. The band’s mission is to celebrate and preserve America’s musical heritage through professional level performances of music for concert band, including major symphonic works and a wide variety of traditional contemporary and popular selections.

Mark Your Calendar

The remaining concert this season include:

Saturday February 17, 2018 at 6 PM. UCF Symphony Orchestra. Rising Star a Local Legend – Chung Park Director with guest composer Stella Young.

Sunday March 18, 2018 at 3 PM.  Lutheran Cantata Choir and Chamber Ensamble. A Voice from Heaven – Claire Hodge, Director. Reception for the audience after the concert.

Saturday April 14, 2018 at 7 PM. Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. Mozart and Dvorak – Benjamin Hochman, Pianist and guest Conductor.

Free admission to all concerts. For more information.

Star Wars A New Hope theme night

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I went to a Star Wars theme night at The Woods, (49 N Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801) in the hopes of sketching a true to life intergalactic cantina scene. I assumed there would be aliens of every shape and form along with Wookies and the occasional Jedi knight. I arrived early and found a spot with a good view of the bar. Then I went downstairs to grab a burger for dinner.

Justin Levaughn created a specialty cocktail menu that was indeed out of this world. I ordered a Darth Vader and I watched as they ignited the creation and snuffed it out just before searching. This sinister drink had a kick and a subtle hint of cinnamon which might have been a hint that deep inside there might be a touch of good. The Princess Lea was pink and fruity. Of course I had to taste as many as possible to round out my experience.

At 7pm Star Wars A New Hope lit up the large screen TV at the end of the bar. Bar tenders and patrons alike were transfixed as John Williams fan fair announced the beginning of the drama. Droid scattered and lasers flashed as the peaceful cruiser was engulfed by a huge Star cruiser. I didn’t stay to watch the full film. I’ve seen it more times than I can count but it never looses its luster. The truly strange intergalactic crown was staggering around on Orange Avenue. One belligerent drunk was being escorted down the street by his buddies. I steered clear, because he was itching for a fight with any alien or droid in his path.

Doug Rhodehamel builds the Star Wars Universe.

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Doug Rhodehamel is a big fan of Star Wars. He also makes things from junk. He is combining these two passions of his into one big galactic sized project. He has begun building 15 Star Wars vehicles from trash and surplus at 1/10 scale. That’s big. Bigger than any toys you grew up with, but what’s better, they will light up, have sound effects and play music and sound bites… LOUD! But to do so I need to hire electronics nerds and well as machinists. That cost some cash.

To finish this collection I will need your help.

Doug talked about growing up on Star Wars. He is an avid collector, of Star Wars Action figures and models, but they tended to lack quality construction and any sense of a grand scale. He first imagined one of the Imperial Walkers being six feet tall, so that a viewer would be eye to eye with the cockpit. This hasn’t been built yet. Instead he is focusing his efforts on completing the first of three X-Wing Fighters. The photon torpedo tubes will illuminate with sound effects, and the re are lasers at the ends of the wings. Large speakers will be mounted inside the fuselage of the model and the wings will animate open using an actuator.  All of this is being constructed out of plastic corrugated political sighs. Eventually the ships will be painted to hide the politicians names. Finally, here is a great as to up-cycle all these abandon political signs after each election.

Tonight, Friday February 26th at Stardust Video and Coffee (1842 Winter Park Rd, Orlando, FL) Doug will be showing off the progress on the X-Wing Fighter and the Tai-Fighter with lots of buttons for
you to press. This is a Fundraiser. Any funds you can donate will help finish this project. It
will be more than amazing and well worth it!

See you there and May The Force Be With You!

Nerd Nite Orlando XXXIV fact versus fiction of the Star Wars saga.

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I went to the Star Wars themed Nerd Nite at The Geek Easy 114 S Semoran Boulevard, Winter Park, Florida in hopes that I might sketch a Cantina full of aliens and Sith Lords. Unfortunately there was only one cape in the whole crowd. Nerd Nite is an evening of entertaining yet thought-provoking presentations, all while the audience drinks along in a casual bar atmosphere. Speakers present for 15-20 minutes each on a fascinating subject of their choice, often in an uncanny and unconventional way. Following each presentation there was a brief question and answer session with the audience.

Ricardo Williams as the MC started the evening off with Star wars trivia. He had the gave to wear a Star Trek uniform which is an affront to any true Star Wars nerd. One of the most interesting facts was that Harrison Ford was not originally cast as Hans Solo. He got the part because he was also an air conditioning repairman. Ford repaired George Lucas‘ air conditioner and the two of them hit it off. After that encounter, Lucas suggested that Ford come into the studio for an audition. Several questions revolved around the simple idea that warp drive does not exist in the Star Wars Universe. Most questions were far over my head. Apparently Yoda was first named Buffy in the first draft o the Star War Script. Ricardo also gave a short talk about how the last two last Star Trek films by J.J. Abrams are very much steeped in Star Wars themes. Both Captain Kirk and Luke Skywalker are kids from barren farm country who dreamed of the stars. J.J. Abrams sited Star Wars as a film that molded his desire to become a film maker. Now that he is directing The Force Awakens he will hopefully shine and held resurrect a franchise that lost the power of story and replaced it with mindless computer effects. My one complaint about the last two Star Trek films is that Captain Kirk was constantly being beaten up. It was disheartening to watch as he was repeatedly kicked and beaten, while drooling on the floor. I hope the hero’s fate is better in The Force Awakens.

I was seated next to the last presenter, Robin Cowie, who announced the inaugural Orlando Story Club event coming up on January 6th at The Abbey 100 S Eola Dr, Orlando, Florida. Admission is $5 and all proceeds support The Boys And Girls Clubs of Orlando. The theme for the evening will be Resolution. The word “resolution” has two great meanings for stories:

1. a firm decision to do or not to do something.

2. the action of solving a problem, dispute, or contentious matter

I was surprised to find out that Cowie was president of Haxan Films, which financed, produced and helped market one of the most successful independent films of all time, The Blair Witch Project. He has just return to Orlando to be near family after producing and directing many films in Los Angeles. The Central Florida Story Telling Group will present monthly events in the New Year for everyone tohare their stories with proceeds supporting different local philanthropic organizations each month. Cowie told a story in a thick Scottish brogue. There is no way that a written account can recreate the hilarious story. Hearing him tell the story in person is a once in a lifetime experience.

Legend bloodies up the Regal Winter Park movie screens.

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I went to a free screening of Legend at the Regal Winter Park 20, 510 N Orlando Ave, Winter Park, FL. Gladys West from Elite Animation Academy somehow always gets me hooked up with these advanced screenings. I got there several  hours early so I could complete a sketch before standing in line. Terry didn’t want to see a gangster movie. She was going to see a co-worker’s baby. The ticket taker didn’t want to let me in the theater, since the line for the movie would form outside. I had to talk to the manager to let him know that I needed to finish a sketch for my report. Inside I sat at one of fire empty tables to sketch the concessions stand. 

Star Wars, The Legend Returns banners announced that movie’s opening in December. Recent Star Wars films have been rich in digital effects and short on story. With Harrison Ford back in the franchise, I’m hoping some of the original magic might return. A dark robotic villain is barely visible behind his high saber. I hope the film lives up to the hype.

A huge candy machine kept coming alive, belting out its sickly sweet song. It’s hard to ignore concessions when they keep shouting for your attention. Terry showed up since she was denied access to the baby. The mom had simply forgot. She still didn’t want to see the movie, so I was confused as to why she came. She spent some time on her phone as I finished up the sketch. Then she announced that she was leaving. She realized that she was in a fowl mood after not getting to see the baby, and she didn’t want project it on me. Maybe ten minutes after she left, the sketch was done. I went outside to see how long the line was for Legend. There was no line. With time to kill, I decided to get Mexican food at Lime next door. As I ordered my surfer tacos, Terry said hello. She had also stopped for a taco salad, so we got to have dinner together. we talked about trolls, Nazis and gun control. My tacos were fantastic. I will definitely be returning to Lime.

After dinner,  I went back to the movie theater and went straight inside. The theater was 3/4 full. Perhaps because of Thanksgiving most people were home. The security lady told us all to turn off our phones. The lady two seats from me kept texting, clueless. The security lady shouted that is is very easy to spot an illumined phone in a dark theater. She marched over to the texter and stood in from of her saying that if she needed to text she could text in the lobby. When the texter stopped the audience clapped and hooted its approval. 

So, the movie, Legend had the Suave, charming and volatile, Reggie Kray (Tom Hardy) and his
unstable twin brother Ronnie (also played by Tom Hardy) leaving their mark on the London
underworld in the 1960s. Using violence to get what they want, the
siblings orchestrate robberies and murders while running nightclubs and
protection rackets. With police
Detective Leonard “Nipper” Read hot on their heels, the brothers
continue their rapid rise to power and achieve tabloid notoriety. The film was better than I expected. It was narrated by Reggie Kray’s girlfriend an then wife, played by Emily Browning. Just like in the Godfather, Reggie dreams of going straight as a club owner, but he can’t give up his East End London criminal past, he is just too good at it. The violence is graphic and insane, so don’t bring your kids. It is a story of brotherly love and the pain that comes from loving a gangster. I gave the film 7 out of 10 hammers.

Player 1 Video Game Bar

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Once, when Amanda Chadwick returned to Orlando, she invited friends to the Player 1 Video Game Bar (8562 Palm Pkwy, Orlando, FL) for a night out. I became obsessed with the ancient Star Wars Vdeo Game. I flew down the trench of the Death Star multiple times until I was able to destroy it with a single proton torpedo blast down an exhaust port. I had played this game as a teen and getting back in the cockpit of an X-Wing Fighter was just like riding a bicycle. All the killer instincts come right back. Terry tried the game after me, but she just didn’t have a knack for dodging the Death Stars defenses. I shouted at her to watch out for the cannons firing from the gun turrets. Even with my coaching, she kept getting shot down. She had much better instincts for Pac Man.

I returned to the bar to sketch on another day.  Player 1 is billed as the ultimate video game lounge experience! After four decades of Video Gaming a few things are clear to the owners:

Arcade games must be played in their original format- joysticks, buttons, and a lo-rez TV screen in a big custom cabinet!
Playing online has it’s drawbacks, nothing beats playing against opponents sitting across the room.
Video Games deserve a place to celebrate the art and history of the #1 form of entertainment in the world.
Beer is king…ales to lagers and everything in between!

There was a cover to get in, but Disney employees get a discount. Luckily I was wearing my John Henry Disney Crew Jacket, so I scored the discount. I ordered a beer and got to work. It was early in the evening and the bar was deserted. The place is located in a strip mall just beyond Disney property, so it is a trek for most locals. I’m not certain tourists would know how to find it. One guy sat at the bar fingering a joy stick as he watched the game play above the bar. The beer taps were surrounded by video game themed action figures and memorabilia. Since I work in a University that is helping teach the next generation of game designers, I can understand the appeal of Player 1. I decided to leave the Death Star in peace and I left when the sketch was done.

UCF Book Festival

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On April 13th, Terry and I went to the UCF Book Festival in the UCF Arena. We actually had to take separate cars since I had to teach at Full Sail right afterwards. The central court area of the arenas was jammed full of booths full of authors selling their signed books. Terry actually knew one of the first authors, Elizabeth Allen, who wrote a book called, “Who Got Liz Gardner“. The book is about the sexual exploits of the young author. I haven’t read it, but Terry loved it. Liz sat at the table with her husband who was also an author. The table had a divider down the middle. Liz met her husband at an acting workshop where actors had to break up into teams. Liz wasn’t paired with anyone, and the instructor asked the class, “Who got Liz Garner? The title implies the question, “Who married Liz Gardner?”

We bumped into a lawyer who is also an author, He advised me to start putting large watermarks on my sketched to avoid people using my work online for free. I am experimenting with watermarks now but really want to avoid a rude symbol that dominates every drawing. The lawyer was saddened by some of the authors who self published books and had no distribution plans other than at small book festivals like this. Large areas of stadium seating were blocked off with black cloth drops. I took up the challenge to sketch the overall view of the cavernous space while Terry explored more authors talks. Several authors in my sketch were giving a talk to three or four people seated in the stands. The audience might have just been family.

Storm Troopers invaded the children’s reading area and then patrolled the show floor along with some Jedi and Sith Lords. I take Star Wars as a movie franchise not a classic novel, but I suppose the kids didn’t care. A UCF football uniform was set up as a photo opportunity where you could wedge your face above the shoulder pads to look like you were in uniform. I later discovered that authors, Bob Kealing and Jeff Kunerth were at the Book Fair and somehow I missed them.

On the Center stage a poetry slam began with a half full audience in 5 rows of folding seats. After the sketch was done, Terry and I got some free Slurpees. Terry had seen enough so we headed out. We grabbed some lunch a Logan’s Steakhouse and then I went off to work.