Our newest Palladium sensation, The Florida Bjorkestra, is returning after a string of killer shows featuring the music of Bjork, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Tori Amos and more. These concerts, featuring 18 instruments and voices, are not boring tribute shows, but present music by these edgy artists performed by some of our best Tampa Bay talent.
Jeremy Douglass is the guy behind the Bjorkestra and he’s come up with his best idea yet – Buffyfest, a show featuring musical numbers from Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes, including the show’s one-of-a-kind musical episode.
Instead of me rattling on, let me share the story by TB Times music writer Jay Cridlin. Last spring, Jay did a full length profile of the band in advance of the Bowie show. Here’s a link to that story.
And you can follow this link for the Buffy story or read on below:
By Jay Cridlin
Tampa Bay Times
Sunnydale is coming to the Sunshine City.
Jeremy Douglass
Buffyfest, a mini-convention for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, featuring a live Buffy-themed concert by St. Petersburg’s own Florida Bjorkestra, is coming to the Palladium on Sept. 23. Cast members and cosplayers are expected to attend. Local artists and makers will sell creations based on Buffy and the works of Joss Whedon.
The centerpiece of it all: A live performance of Buffy’s famed musical episode, “Once More With Feeling,” courtesy of the Florida Bjorkestra, a unique collective of local musicians who stage orchestra-sized tributes to artistst like Bjork and David Bowie. They’ll perform the episode’s soundtrack in full, along with other songs from the Buffy universe, including songs by Aimee Mann, Sarah McLachlan, the Sundays and Cibo Matto.
Florida Bjorkestra founder Jeremy Douglass said the idea of a Buffy-themed show has been a dream for a while. He told the Times as much in March, prior to their last show at the Palladium. One thing led to another, and Douglass connected with the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Film Commission, which convinced him to turn the concert into a mini-convention during the city’s SPFestival, a monthlong celebration of murals, music, performing arts and more.
“The show as planned is much, much bigger than any previous shows we’ve done,” Douglass said. “We have a stage manager and a production designer now. We’re almost like our own theater company.”
Part of that is by necessity. Performing “Once More With Feeling” live will require eight vocalists, 12 musicians and a narrator, Jobsite Theater’s David Jenkins, to keep the plot moving between songs. Local comic artist J. Briscoe Allison will create illustrations to be projected on screen above the artists.
And because this is Tampa Bay, Buffyfest is getting its own craft beer: Slayer Ale, a “blood-red brew” from 3 Daughters Brewing, which will host a ’90s trivia night — including a whole section devoted to Buffy — at 7 p.m. Sept. 13.
So the big question: Will anyone from the Buffy cast actually show up? Don’t hold your breath for Sarah Michelle Gellar, but with the help of the film commission, Douglass is optimistic someone will show.
“The list of actors we invited is long, all the major players and many more minor parts,” Douglass said. “I’m sure we’ll hear something, but not yet.”
Tickets to Buffyfest start at $28, with discounts available for students. Click here for tickets and all the details.
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