If you hang out in the bars and restaurants of downtown Sarasota and Siesta Key, chances are you’ve heard Andres Colin. This Friday, Colin, his songs and a backup band of his favorite fellow musicians will take center stage during a special concert at The Cottage Restaurant to celebrate the release of Colin’s second album, Universal Universe.

“Find a need and fill it.” That is the entrepreneurial motto of WhereWillWeGoTonight.com founder Don McKeon, who in 2009 turned his love of local music into a website designed to answer the age-old question of “where should we go” that arises when folks contemplate a night on the town.

Before the crowds and before the sun broke out, we were at the stage, ready for Meredith Garofalo to sing the National Anthem, which kicked off this year’s Giving Hunger the Blues. But it was the young songbirds on center stage who stole the show and the attention of passers-by, including mine.

After his first visit to Ocean Blues, Jack Littman-Quinn was a tad confused. Was it a bar, restaurant, or music venue? Find out what he concluded after a few more trips to this multifaceted hangout.

This Week In Sarasota has been a leading source for community news, entertainment, events and opinion for seven years now—and we think it’s high time to celebrate how far we’ve come. That’s why we’re inviting you to the first-ever TWISFest, a meet-the-team bash and community showcase!

I’m appreciating the classics and some of the finer things in life this weekend—still looking for a classic dress for Saturday night’s “Prom” and cleansing my palate for a weekend of local chef creations and international wines at Forks & Corks!