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Back for its fourth year, the enchanting Dazzling Nights at Harry P. Leu Gardens in Downtown Orlando is back bigger and more interactive than ever before! Orlando’s gorgeous 50-acre Harry P. Leu Gardens will once again be transform into a stunning winter wonderland featuring a million dazzling lights, shining forests, magical displays, with music and beautiful sculptures. Creative City Project's much loved Dazzling Nights, will be shining bright throughout the holidays from November 24, 2023 - January 6, 2024. This year, will see the return of some of your favorite light displays and holiday celebrations from years past. Plus, a brand new, large-scale light show. The event at Leu Gardens is a family-friendly adventure giving guests the opportunity to embark on an unforgettable, three-quarter mile, interactive holiday experience that takes visitors into a stunning, winter wonderland. Don't forget your phone as there will be hundreds of opportunities to capture the perfect insta shot, and TikTok video! This year’s highlights… Some of your returning favorites!! Beautiful, Moroccan Lanterns hanging from the trees overhead Fun, interactive lights that light up when you jump on them A beautiful, bright, 70’ long light tunnel A play area of giant, 8’ tall, rollable ornaments A walk of thousands of laser lights And snow all night long Plus brand new experiences : A stunning nighttime show with 100, 10’ tall beacons of light A dazzling, 30’ tall tree of thousands of shimmering, gold sequins A fun, Wintery Florida display created by the Leu Gardens Horticulture Team And more, including sweet treats and holiday (and adult) beverages. For more info and to purchase tickets here is the official website. Tickets must be purchased for a specific time and date, and are not available at the door. $25 per adult, $22 for children. Children 2 and under enter free. For the latest news and information from throughout Central Florida, here at Gotta Go Orlando we keep you informed throughout the day, every day. You can also keep up to date with us on X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Plus, subscribe to the Gotta Go Orlando YouTube Channel, for the best of Orlando.

Professional volleyball takes center stage in Central Florida with games slated for UCF Campus. Addition Financial Arena has been announced as the home venue for Orlando’s new Pro Volleyball Team, The Orlando Valkyries. The Valkyries will begin play during the inaugural Pro Volleyball Federation season in January. Situated on the main campus of the University of Central Florida (UCF), Addition Financial Arena is widely regarded as a top-notch, multi-purpose facility in a prime location. The arena is home to the UCF Knights men’s and women’s basketball teams, along with an ongoing slate of concerts, family shows, and community events. The arena is 252,000 square feet and will have a capacity of over 10,000 for volleyball. "We're excited to welcome the Pro Volleyball Federation to Addition Financial Arena," says OVG360's Joe Imbriaco, General Manager of Addition Financial Arena. "Volleyball is among the sports where the in-person experience is unique with its fast pace and action, and we can't wait to welcome fans to watch our Orlando team." The collaboration between the Orlando Valkyries and Addition Financial Arena marks a significant step forward for the sport of volleyball in the region. As the team prepares for its inaugural season, fans can anticipate an affordable family environment, a competitive team, an engaging fan experience, and a first-class venue to host the matches. “The Valkyries are honored to have the opportunity to showcase our team and play our matches out of Addition Financial Arena,” said George Manias, Orlando Valkyries President, and Chief Operating Officer. “The venue has proven to be first class, fan-friendly, and understands what it takes to operate high-caliber events, such as what we plan on bringing to the area. I couldn’t be happier with this venue and all we are able to do within it.” The Valkyries’ inaugural season schedule is anticipated to be released in the coming weeks. Sign up for the Addition Financial Arena Cyber Club to get all the information needed for this event and others at www.AdditionFiArena.com. Season tickets for the inaugural 2024 season are on sale now and fans can place a deposit now to be added to the Valkyries priority list. Contact the Orlando Valkyries sales department at (321) 244-4600 ext. 113, via email at Tickets@OrlandoValkyries.com or visit OrlandoValkyries.com. For the latest news and events from throughout Orlando and Central Florida, check back often here at Gotta Go Orlando as we keep you updated throughout the day, every day. You can also stay updated with the latest news and events on X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Plus, you should subscribe to the Gotta Go Orlando YouTube Channel!

The Downtown Orlando Sports and Entertainment District and the Orlando Magic has chosen two development partners for the proposed Sports and Entertainment District next to Amway Center. A long time planned sports and entertainment district in downtown Orlando, that was first announced back in 2011, finally appears to be inching closer to reality with the Downtown Orlando Sports and Entertainment District and the Orlando Magic announcing JMA Ventures, LLC and Machete Group, Inc. as the development team for the massive project. Located on W. Church Street and S. Hughey Avenue, this exciting mixed-use development project adjacent to the Amway Center on 8.43 acres will include several structures, a festival plaza space, approximately 200,000 sq. ft. of office space, 100,000 sq. ft. of retail space, a 250-room luxury hotel with expo center, 300 residential units, 80,000 sq. ft. for event space, and 2,300 integrated smart parking spaces. Alex Martins, CEO of the Orlando Magic commented on the news, “JMA Ventures and Machete Group are simply the best of the best. We are thrilled to have them take the reins and guide the sports and entertainment district into something Orlando will be proud to have in the heart of downtown.” While JMA Ventures CEO Todd Chapman. said, “Central Florida is a fantastic market for this type of mixed-use development, and this project will further energize downtown Orlando. We look forward to working with the Orlando community to bring the sports and entertainment district to life.” The ambitious project, which is expected to exceed $500 million, has no projected timeline or completion date. but is expected to break ground next year. For the latest news and events from throughout Orlando and Central Florida, check back often here at Gotta Go Orlando as we keep you updated throughout the day, every day. You can also stay updated with the latest news and events on X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Plus, you should subscribe to the Gotta Go Orlando YouTube Channel!

Visitors to Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World can snap a new limited time Magic Shot in celebration of Disney100! ChEARS to 100 magical years of Disney, and many more! Guests to Walt Disney World can celebrate now though December 31 with a special Disney100 Magic Shots from Disney Photo Pass. The new Disney100 Magic Shot is available in front of the iconic Train Station in Main Street USA. at the entrance to Magic Kingdom. This Magic Shot plus many other Disney100 Magic Shots are available through December 31, 2023! These new Magic Shots at EPCOT and Magic Kingdom Park honor YOU — and all the storytellers who have carried on the Disney legacy over the last century that will continue to grow into the future, all are available now through December 31! For the latest news and events from throughout Orlando and Central Florida, check back often here at Gotta Go Orlando as we keep you updated throughout the day, every day. You can also stay updated with the latest news and events on X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Plus, you should subscribe to the Gotta Go Orlando YouTube Channel!

PlayFest is an annual festival that provides a place for writers, theatre professionals, and audiences to connect and share ideas that promote thought-provoking stories. Central Florida's largest professional theater company, Orlando Shakes, and The Arts Bridge Charity presents PlayFest 2023, a play-reading festival that helps to develop the works of six dynamic playwrights and their groundbreaking new plays. PlayFest 2023 which takes place at Orlando Shakes, will consist of six new play readings presented over two weekends, October 27 - 29 and November 3 - 4, 2023. During each reading, patrons will experience groundbreaking new works while participating in the creative process by sharing their reactions directly with the playwright and creative team at a post-show talkback. Since it first began 20 years ago, PlayFest has introduced over 163 new works to regional and nationwide audiences, including Karen Zacarías’ Native Gardens, Lauren Gunderson’s I and You, Mark Brown’s Around the World in 80 Days, Kathleen Cahill’s Charm, John Biguenet’s Shotgun, Jennifer Hoppe-House’s Bad Dog, William Missouri Downs’ The Exit Interview, Steve Yockey’s Blackberry Winter, and Steven Dietz’ Yankee Tavern. Out of those readings, Orlando Shakes have produced 18 new plays in their mainstage season. Many PlayFest plays have also received productions in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Dallas, and Washington, D.C. Single tickets are just $15 each per play reading. Plus, for just $20 more, join Orlando Shakes on Saturday, November 4 for a buffet-style dinner (catered by Pig Floyds) with select available playwrights and directors in-between readings that day! It's all at Orlando Shakes! For more information or to order your tickets to PlayFest 2023, please call 407-447-1700 or visit here. Full line-up: “The Facts are as Follows:“ Sponsored by Rick Schell BY CHRISTOPHER WASHINGTON DIRECTED BY SHONN MCCLOUD Performance: October 27, 2023 Time: 8pm With a perfect memory and perfect LSAT score, James Ezekial Williams has just arrived on the East coast for his very first day of law school. Navigating a seductive, insidious curriculum designed by the genius Professor, James attempts to juggle microaggressions, critical race theory, and love. The Facts are as Follows:is about the consumption of whiteness, the folly of exceptionalism, and the creation of one’s own personal apocalypse. “Who Hurt You?“ Sponsored by Grant Gribble BY KATIE DO DIRECTED BY FELICHIA CHIVAUGHN Performance: October 28, 2023 Time: 8pm Ellie and Kira are two Vietnamese-American actors who always find themselves in the same audition rooms. As their lives become more intertwined with the same lovers, friends, and opportunities, Ellie’s jealousy spirals into a battle with insecurity, mental health and an epic heartbreak. When fear and coincidence bring Ellie to a life and death situation, her loved ones come together to ask, who hurt you?; how have we hurt ourselves?; and, most importantly, who hurt Ellie? “Hundreds and Hundreds of Stars“ Sponsored by Rita Lowndes BY SANDRA DELGADO DIRECTED BY CLARE LOPEZ Performance: October 29, 2023 Time: 4:30pm Like millions of Americans, Clara’s days are consumed with juggling work and family. Recently divorced, she’s taking care of her tween-age daughter, her aging father – and paying alimony to her under-employed ex-husband. But in the midst of all that stress, she’s got something to look forward to: a long planned for trip to Europe with her daughter Stella. In preparation, Clara, who immigrated to the US with her family as a child, decides to apply for full citizenship. She wants to be able to stand in the same customs line as Stella. But when her citizenship application is flagged, it sets off an unfathomable series of events that threaten to force her out of the only home she’s ever known. Timely and provocative, Hundreds and Hundreds of Stars asks challenging questions about our country’s most fundamental values. “Only Some of God’s Children or Mississippi Magnolias“ Sponsored by Jason Dion BY PARIS CRAYTON III DIRECTED BY ANGEL BATES CREEKS Performance: November 3, 2023 Time: 8pm Set two days after the 1963 March on Washington, John Malachi Curtis, and his best friend, William Cochise Brown, return home to Mississippi to unpack all of the emotions left over from the March, only to find, John’s son, Ezekiel, has been attacked during a sit-in protest. Betty, John’s wife, wants to leave Mississippi for good but the promise of land and remnants of love makes John unwilling to do so. Only Some of God’s Children or Mississippi Magnolias is a story of five different flowers just waiting to bloom. “Beheading Columbus“ Sponsored by The Mills Family Foundation BY DIANA BURBANO DIRECTED BY EDMARIE MONTES Performance: November 4, 2023 Time: 5pm Beheading Columbus follows two sisters down a trail of DNA deception and makes them face race and colorism in the Latinx community and in their own family. Lana looks white, Susi doesn’t and that’s been a point of conflict their whole life. Through DNA testing they discover that Lana has a white father. The DNA test also reveals that Susi, who is mixed race, has genes for the Alzheimers that are destroying their mother. Add to that, they discover that the previously unknown other father is a fertility doctor who has sired at least 40 mixed race children. Through love and a massive sense of humor, the sisters work at decolonizing themselves from the inside out. “Agathe“ Sponsored by Jason Dion BY ANGELA J. DAVIS DIRECTED BY JOSHIAN MORALES Performance: November 4, 2023 Time: 8pm In the spring of 1994, a plane crash will take the life of an African president and ignite a raging killing spree that the world will later recognize as the Rwandan genocide. The person who is next in line for the presidency is a university professor by training and an advocate for women and girls’ education. Agathe is inspired by the overlooked story of Agathe Uwilingiyimana, who served as Rwanda’s president for just fourteen hours and whose bravery and foresight are a beacon for all time. Fusing poetry and elements of magic realism with gripping docudrama, Agathe is a full-length play. For the latest news and events from throughout Orlando and Central Florida, check back often here at Gotta Go Orlando as we keep you updated throughout the day, every day. You can also stay updated with the latest news and events on X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Plus, you should subscribe to the Gotta Go Orlando YouTube Channel!

Get ready to take a bite out of the18h annual Central Florida Veg Fest, one of the LARGEST and LONGEST-RUNNING vegan festivals in the WORLD! Central Florida Veg Fest is an exciting day of colorful and educational exhibits and activities! It will take place at beautiful Orlando Festival Park near downtown Orlando on October 28, 2023 from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Admission is FREE! Veg Fest is a family-friendly, dog-friendly, alcohol-free, and smoke-free event. Veg Fest, now in its 18th year, is one of the biggest and best vegan festivals in the country! Central Florida Veg Fest will draw both committed vegans and those who want to learn more about how veg-living enhances our health, the planet, and its inhabitants. Enjoy a diverse cross-section of vegan cuisines and lifestyles. Discover new products and ideas from over 200 vendors and 100 contributors and enjoy a wide variety of presentations and food preparation demos. Not a vegetarian? Whether you're looking for new ideas to add color and variety to your meals or you're a "seasoned" vegetarian interested in expanding your knowledge of nutritious and ethical foods, this is the place for you. RSVP on the Veg Fest event page. Enjoy speakers,food preparation demonstrations, a veggie kids zone, an animal haven, an artist corner, music on an acoustic stage, lots of other activities, and many veg-friendly vendors. There are so many fun and interesting things happening at Veg Fest you will want to stay all day. And so much delicious vegan food that you can have breakfast, lunch, and dinner with plenty of snacks in between! For the latest news and events from throughout Orlando and Central Florida, check back often here at Gotta Go Orlando as we keep you updated throughout the day, every day. You can also stay updated with the latest news and events on X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Plus, you should subscribe to the Gotta Go Orlando YouTube Channel!

If you are heading to Walt Disney World today, you need to be aware that Disney's Hollywood Studios is closing early today... and so is Magic Kingdom! Today, Tuesday, October 17 could be a bad day to visit Walt Disney World , especially if you want to enjoy as much time in the parks as possible... Disney's Hollywood Studios will close early today at 5 pm, due to a private takeover of the park, with a welcome reception for the multi-day Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo 2023 event at Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort. In addition to Hollywood Studios closing at 5 pm, Magic Kingdom is closing early today also at 6 pm, due to Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Disney's Animal Kingdom will remain open until 7 pm tonight, with EPCOT open unitl 9 pm. Park hopping begins at 2 pm, and with EPCOT the only park open late, expect it to be busy! For the latest news and events from throughout Orlando and Central Florida, check back often here at Gotta Go Orlando as we keep you updated throughout the day, every day. You can also stay updated with the latest news and events on X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Plus, you should subscribe to the Gotta Go Orlando YouTube Channel!

Magic fans are encouraged to wear pink to tonight's Oct. 17 game. As part of Orlando Magic Tip-Off presented by AdventHealth, the Magic and AdventHealth are teaming up for the fifth time to raise breast cancer awareness hosting Pink in the Paint Night on October 17 at the Magic vs. Pelicans matchup, tip-off set for 7:00 p.m. The Magic are donating game tickets to local breast cancer survivors and funds raised throughout the night will benefit AdventHealth Foundation’s Breast Care Fund. In addition, as a supporting partner of the night, the revolutionary hair tie company, TELETIES, will donate breast cancer awareness TELETIES packs to the first 4,000 fans upon entry. TELETIES recently joined the Magic partnership family with a strong ‘tie’ to the community and a passion for philanthropy, focusing on the fight against breast cancer. During the evening, TELETIES will donate $250 for every point scored in the fourth quarter of the game to the nonprofit, Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered (FORCE). The Magic will also match the donation. FORCE works to improves the lives of millions of individuals and families facing hereditary breast, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, colorectal and endometrial cancers. FORCE advocates for awareness, access to care and better treatment and prevention options. Additional highlights for Pink in the Paint Night include Central Florida breast cancer survivors at the game to be honored along with AdventHealth physicians. Several locations will also be set up throughout the arena for fans to make donations to AdventHealth’s Breast Care Fund, which assists women who cannot afford clinical breast exams and annual mammograms – the most effective tool in the fight against breast cancer. The locations for donations include select concession and retail locations in the arena. The Magic are also encouraging fans to wear pink to the game. More than three million women in the United States have a history of breast cancer, and one in eight women are diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. With it being estimated that nearly 300,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year – almost 15 times the capacity of Amway Center, the Magic’s Pink in the Paint Night presented by AdventHealth provides a way to continue the team’s health and wellness efforts and provide prevention education to fans. For the latest news and events from throughout Orlando and Central Florida, check back often here at Gotta Go Orlando as we keep you updated throughout the day, every day. You can also stay updated with the latest news and events on X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Plus, you should subscribe to the Gotta Go Orlando YouTube Channel!

Condé Nast Traveler readers have rated their top hotels in the Sunshine State, outside of Miami, and two Orlando area hotels have made the top 10 list. Condé Nast Traveler has revealed the winners in its 2023 Readers Choice Awards, and in the Top 10 Hotels in Florida, outside of Miami category, to popular local hotels have made the list. Coming in at number 5 is the Lake Nona Wave Hotel, a luxury lifestyle hotel featuring technology, art, design and culinary experiences unlike any other area hotel. With a striking façade of curved glass inspired by a wavelength of energy, the hotel features 216 guest rooms, 16 one-bedroom suites and two penthouse suites. Located just minutes from Orlando International Airport in Lake Nona, Wave Hotel offers guests the chance to enjoy chic restaurants, experience live events and entertainment, delight in wellness experiences, all made easily accessible with the tech-forward autonomous shuttles and charming landscaped walking and biking trails. The second Orlando area hotel on the Top 10 Hotels in Florida: Readers’ Choice Awards 2023 is The Alfond Inn, a stylish boutique hotel in Winter Park which came in number nine on the list. Enjoy the boutique hotel Florida atmosphere at The Alfond Inn, with amenities to rival even the most luxurious hotels. With a stunning conservatory, lush courtyard, elevated pool & fitness center. The Alfond Inn at Rollins, the award-winning boutique hotel in the heart of historic Winter Park, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month. Upon opening in 2013, the hotel quickly became the focal point of the Winter Park community, the go-to destination for lodging, dining, socializing, meetings, and weddings. Owned by neighboring Rollins College, the private, coeducational liberal arts college in Winter Park, Florida, the hotel is distinguished by its philanthropic mission, directing all net operating income to scholarships, and its affiliation with the Rollins Museum of Art. For the latest news and events from throughout Orlando and Central Florida, check back often here at Gotta Go Orlando as we keep you updated throughout the day, every day. You can also stay updated with the latest news and events on X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Plus, you should subscribe to the Gotta Go Orlando YouTube Channel!

The Orlando Fringe has announce that their recurring 4-day winter festival has a new look and a new name. Winter Mini-Fest is now FESTN4! Orlando Fringe is excited to announce that the organization's recurring 4-day winter festival taking place JAN 11 -14, 2024, has a new look and a new name. Introducing FESTN4! “Over the past year, our organization has undergone much change and growth. Being in a new annual space, with new-to-Fringe programming and offerings, the timing was right to revamp and rebrand in a way that clearly articulates what the event is, while simultaneously bridging cohesion between the two annual festivals we offer.” said Executive Director, Alauna Friskics. “Though this particular festival will enter its eighth year, FESTN4 will usher Orlando Fringe into a new, exciting era.” FESTN4, short for Festival in 4 days, bridges the gap for Orlando Fringe’s annual May festival’s patrons, offering a reduced, more-contained Fringe experience in one centralized location, Fringe ArtSpace. Its reduction in size also makes it the perfect introduction to many first-time Fringe-goers. Unlike the May Festival, FESTN4 is curated, featuring works from past festivals, new works from well-received Fringe artists, and brand new creatives scouted from the international and national Fringe circuit. Orlando Fringe has arranged for more than twenty shows to be available for patrons over the course of four consecutive days, with many offering two to three performances. International shows include; Caught (Raise the Stakes Theatre), Malunderstood (KS Presents), Rat Academy (Bat Rabbit Productions), and The Family Crow: A Murder Mystery (The Pucking Fuppet Co.). ESTN4's National shows include; Bent Compass (Dirt Hills Productions), Grabbing the Hammer Lane: A Trucker Narrative (Harbour Workshop LLC), Men of Motown (Independent Artists’ Playhouse), My Grandmother’s Eyepatch (Clowns Can Dance) and The Chair on The Door (Travis Abels). FESTN4's Local shows include; A One Woman Titanic Parody In 59 Minutes Or Less (Bikini Katie Productions), Becoming Grandma Kat (Florida Deaf Theatre Project), Jenny Lind Presents P.T. Barnum (Shelley Cooper), Rat Man Happy Place (Bruce Ryan Costella), SAK Comedy Lab Presents! Lights Up: The Improvised Rock Opera (SAK), Shifted (FAV Productions), Stroke of Genius: Pantomime Masturbation Throughout Performing Arts History (Boiled Horse), The City Beautiful, an Original Live Band Burlesque Musical (Cheesy Pizza Productions LLC), The Complete Works of Stephen Sondheim (Abridged) (Orlando Artist Guild), and The Vast of Darkness (Whiskey Theatre Factory). Two shows will be child-focused as part of the also newly named, FESTN4 KIDS, Orlando Fringe for kids and families and will be performed on Saturday, January 13, 2024. These shows include; Standley the Lemonade Stand (Vendor Productions) which offers free admission, and El Mago Astronauta (Play and Art Studio) which offers tickets for just $5. For visual arts lovers, an Arts Market, presented by Visual Fringe, will be where patrons can meet the artists themselves, witness them create, and purchase items (of which 100% of the sales are returned to the artist). Additionally the Fringe ArtSpace bar and concessions will be open and available, so patrons can fill their tummies while mingling between shows. "FESTN4 is a perfect way to experience the arts from artists of all walks and perspectives, to support and uplift our artistic community, local and beyond, and to take a chance on works audiences may not be familiar with, all under the roof of one venue.” states Artistic and Marketing Director, Desiree Montes. “FESTN4 is not just another Orlando Fringe Festival; it's a dynamic and curated celebration of the arts. We're absolutely thrilled to reintroduce fan favorites, highlight award-winning performances scouted from other Fringe Festivals, and welcome new voices that embody the true spirit of Fringe. With a diverse lineup ranging from musicals to physical clowning and thought-provoking narratives, FESTN4 is designed to take the guesswork out of show selection. Each performance is a precious gem waiting to be discovered. This event is a vibrant celebration that breathes life into the magic of Fringe, and we can't wait to share it with you!” adds Festival Producer, Tempestt Halstead. All FESTN4 shows are 70 mins or less, and are $15 with the exception of our FESTN4 KIDS shows that are free admission - $5, with the one-time purchase of a $3 button. The TEASER SHOW, where patrons have the opportunity to hear and see the artists pitch their shows in 3 mins or less, will take place on JAN 10, 2024 at 7:30pm. Make sure you also join us as we wrap FESTN4 2024 with our Award ceremony, a time to unwind, recount the festival with others, and celebrate the incredible artists involved! Tickets for FESTN4 will be available to Club Fringe members on NOV 3, 2023. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on NOV 17, 2023. For more on FESTN4, and to purchase tickets, visit orlandofringe.org. For the latest news and events from throughout Orlando and Central Florida, check back often here at Gotta Go Orlando as we keep you updated throughout the day, every day. You can also stay updated with the latest news and events on X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Plus, you should subscribe to the Gotta Go Orlando YouTube Channel!

Josh Abbott Band, Somewhere Down The Road Tour kicks off in January, with a new song “What Were You Thinking” coming out Friday. Texas country band, Josh Abbott Band have announced the Somewhere Down The Road Tour which kicks off in January 2024. The tour announcement comes as the band release a new single, "What Were You Thinking” this Friday, October 20, The band will stop off at House of Blues Orlando on February 1, 2024. Tickets on sale Friday, October 20 at 10 am, with a Live Nation presale, Tuesday, October 17. (Code: VOCALS) Get tickets here. A staple in the Texas music scene forming in 2006 at Lubbock’s Texas Tech University. Josh Abbott Band has weathered many storms together including divorces, burying their fathers, the Route 91 Harvest shooting and a pandemic. Country fans have been singing JAB songs for more than a decade already. The seven-piece group’s relentless on-stage attitude quickly made it a successful touring act, building out from a Texas band to a regional act to a national crew with a devout following from coast to coast. Concurrently, JAB developed its own label, Pretty Damn Tough Records, before that was an accepted practice in country circles. Two of their projects, Small Town Family Dream and Front Row Seat, scored top 10 debuts on the Billboard country albums chart, while five titles cracked the Billboard country singles lists, including a pair- “Oh, Tonight” with Kacey Musgraves; and “Wasn’t That Drunk,” with Carly Pearce—that represented their first chart appearances. For the latest news and events from throughout Orlando and Central Florida, check back often here at Gotta Go Orlando as we keep you updated throughout the day, every day. You can also stay updated with the latest news and events on X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Plus, you should subscribe to the Gotta Go Orlando YouTube Channel!

Metalcore/rock band Beartooth announce a North American tour with support from The Plot in You, Invent Animate and Sleep Theory. Beartooth have announced that they will be playing a show here in Orlando at House of Blues on Saturday, February 3, 2024. The band will be bringing along an impressive line-up of support with The Plot In You, Invent Animate and Sleep Theory . Tickets go on sale Friday, October 20 at 10 am, with a Live Nation presale tomorrow, Tuesday, October 17 at 10 am. (Code: VOCALS) Get tickets here. Like few rock bands today, BEARTOOTH harness the sacred and profane, and purge inner darkness with a dizzying light. Steadily, without pretension, the fearlessly determined and boundlessly creative Midwest powerhouse perfects a sound sought by a generation of bands, equal parts solitary musical confession and celebratory exorcism. Their marriage of colossally catchy choruses and post-hardcore- soaked-in-sweaty-metal is without rival. Its effect is evident by their deeply engaged audience; tours with Slipknot, Bring Me The Horizon, and A Day To Remember; and a RIAA-certified gold plaque. It’s all a testament to the purity of intention manifested by frontman Caleb Shomo from the start. A handful of bands play the “devastating riffs and catchy hooks” game, but for BEARTOOTH, this music is the difference between life and death. As easygoing, charming, and outgoing as these young men may appear, there’s an inner turmoil churning away, only satiated by the savage music they play. Suicidal ideation, emotional desolation, and desperate dark nights of the soul are chewed up and spat out in song after song; cathartic singalong anthems like “Body Bag,” “Sick of Me,” and “In Between.” BEARTOOTH’s blistering fourth album, Below, is a pure distillation of rage. A savage attack against mental illness and an outright refusal to suffer in silence, Below weaponizes its deceptively radio-ready bombast to deliver stone cold truth missives, each packed like a bomb with noisy rock chaos. Songs like “Fed Up,” “Dominate,” “Hell Of It,” and the expansive album closer “The Last Riff” are destined to stand beside the strongest of BEARTOOTH’s catalog and moreover, in metal’s pantheon. When Rolling Stone introduced BEARTOOTH as one of 10 New Artists You Need To Know, the sound was rightly described as “like a nervous breakdown, usually with enough optimism to push through.” As the band grows (grabbing trophies at genre events like the Golden Gods and Loudwire Awards), the raw nerve simply becomes more exposed, sounding crazier yet accessible all at once. Back in Black was the first album Shomo ever bought with his own money, and the straight-to-the-point stomp of AC/DC’s multi-platinum masterpiece remains entrenched in the BEARTOOTH backbone. Motörhead’s fast-paced groove and “let it rip” attitude is another part of the anatomy, central to what separates the Metallica/Slayer-worshipping crew from their Warped Tour comrades. Shomo delivers his confessional catchy-metal on the stage with guitarists Zach Huston and Will Deely, bassist Oshie Bichar, and drummer Connor Denis. The five friends converge as an explosive, formidable live unit. Their shared commitment to leave everything they have on the stage, each and every time, earned consistent accolades in tastemaker publications like Kerrang! and Revolver. Below was written, performed, produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered by Caleb. Like Nine Inch Nails, Tame Impala, and the first Foo Fighters album, BEARTOOTH is a one-man band in the studio. It began as musical exorcism, conceived and constructed in Shomo’s home recording sanctuary, a means to tame the demons of debilitating depression and anxiety he’s suffered since childhood. BEARTOOTH’s 2013 Sick EP was an emotionally-stranded Shomo’s “message in a bottle,” tossed into a figurative ocean. The message was received, and the throngs of likeminded people who responded became his lifeboat. Disgusting (2014), Aggressive (2016), Disease (2018), and Below (2021) expanded those themes of desperation, each sonically getting a step closer to the magical balance between the blood, sweat, and tears of classic recordings and the smooth gloss of modern production. Below revels in the darker underbelly of traditional metal, soaked in stoner rock tones and doomy dirge. BEARTOOTH offer no cure. The recovery comes in the process; the journey is the destination. As long as the dueling dichotomy of mental health anguish and cathartic creative expression remain bound together, Shomo and his mates will be here to oversee the show. So please, enjoy the ride. For the latest news and events from throughout Orlando and Central Florida, check back often here at Gotta Go Orlando as we keep you updated throughout the day, every day. You can also stay updated with the latest news and events on X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Plus, you should subscribe to the Gotta Go Orlando YouTube Channel!