Millions move to Nashville every year with the dream of becoming a country music star. Only a handful succeed. Rob Langdon isn’t a country music star—yet—but over the past year, he’s proved that he just might have what it takes to be one of those select few. Langdon, who hails from West Palm Beach, has spent the year opening for the increasingly popular Southern rock-country group Ole 60. On May 3, Langdon played his first ever headline show at the Taste and Toast Gulf Coast event at the Palmetto Marriott.

Langdon’s foray into country music, however, is a more recent endeavor. While Langdon has always been musically inclined, he dreamed of becoming a professional baseball player, playing four years at Appalachian State University, all the while picking away at the guitar he brought from back home. Although professional baseball didn’t work out, his desire to forge a career in music grew from playing the local bars in Boone, North Carolina to the decision to move to Nashville after working as a carpenter during the pandemic after college.

“It’s like this inexplicable itch that you just have to scratch,” says Rob Langdon. “It’s hard to explain, because I knew that I wanted to do this and I couldn’t tell anybody why I wanted to do it, but I just felt a calling to at least see it out.”

Langdon spent his first year in Nashville acclimating himself to the industry, learning how to write songs and improving his craft. In March of 2024, Langdon released debut single, Shine. “I didn’t know if anybody was going to listen to it, because you’re just throwing something out there into the sphere,” says Langdon. “Then people started listening to it and people in town started talking to you and giving you more opportunities, which led me to opening for Ole 60.” Since its release, Shine has remained the most popular of Langdon’s five singles, with over a million streams across platforms.

Although Langdon’s career is beginning to pick up steam, he tries not to look too far ahead. “Being on the road with Ole 60, fans are screaming every word to every song, so you’re excited to get to that point,” says Langdon. “I’m just enjoying where I am right now though—I’m touring in a van and not a bus—I’m happy with wherever the future takes me.” 

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The Venice Theatre Concert Series is excited to introduce Can't Get Next to You, a Tribute to the Temptations and welcome back Sharon Owens' Tribute to Barbra Streisand. The final two concerts of the '24-'25 season will take place at the Venice Performing Arts Center on May 18 and May 19 at 7:30 p.m. with ticket prices ranging from $56 to $66. A $6 restoration fee is included with each ticket at checkout to help rebuild the Jervey Theatre. Can't Get Next to You is a group dedicated to recreating the true essence and spirit of the Motown super group The Temptations. Five specially chosen artists united by their passion for the unique Temptation sound perform the early classics such as “My Girl” and “The Way You Do The Things You Do” right through the later gems like “Cloud Nine” and “Just My Imagination.” The group is set to perform on Sunday. May 18 at 7:30 p.m. 

Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College (SAM) presents “Lillian Blades: Through the Veil,” running June 1-October 26, 2025. “Through the Veil” marks the artist’s first solo museum show and her most ambitious exhibition to date. At the center of this monumental, site-specific installation is an immersive labyrinth of mixed-media veils. Suspended and lit by the central gallery skylight tower, these floating tapestries invite visitors to step inside, wander through and lose themselves within the veils of translucency and reflection. Constructed from acrylic, wood, fabric, found materials and shimmering reflective surfaces, these wired structures evoke lace-like patterns and bounce color and light throughout the space. On the walls, mounted assemblages further envelop visitors inside Blades’ mesmeric mixed-media installation. 

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The Venice Symphony proudly announces the return of its annual Patriotic Pops Concert, taking place on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at CoolToday Park in the Wellen Park community of south Sarasota County. This year's event, Salute to the Greatest Generation: A WWII Tribute, commemorates the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and will feature beloved WWII-era music, a tribute to U.S. Armed Forces veterans, and a dazzling fireworks display to conclude the evening. The Community Foundation of Sarasota County returns as the presenting sponsor for this beloved tradition. “All of us at The Venice Symphony feel honored to continue to bring this amazing event to the community,” said Chris Kasten, President and CEO of The Venice Symphony. “We are extremely grateful for the ongoing support of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and its investment in our mission to transform lives through exceptional musical experiences.”

Saturday, May 24, CoolToday Park, Wellen Park, Sarasota County, Gates Open: 5:30pm, Concert Start: 7:30pm, Fireworks Display: Following the concert, Tickets: $23–$43, available atTicketmaster.com or by calling the CoolToday Park Box Office at 941-413-5004. 

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Sarah Wertheimer, the CEO and president of Embracing Our Differences (EOD), announced that the organization has appointed Stella Misantone as a STAR student board member. Misantone, a junior in the International Baccalaureate program at Riverview High School, is a graduate of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties’ STAR (Students Take Active Roles) Leadership Training program. After completion of the program, students are eligible to give back to a cause they care about by serving as a voting board member for one of STAR’s 90 partner agencies. 

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The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art (The Ringling) presents Wonder: Art + Healing Symposium. The 2025 symposium will dive into wonder as the connective tissue between the arts and healing. Through thought-provoking presentations and inspiring activities and experiences, this symposium will explore the arts as agents of wonder and the role that wonder can play in emotional, mental, and physical healing. The inaugural Wonder Symposium was held in 2024 at The Ringling.  Tickets to the full symposium individual keynote sessions and WONDERGround are available, along with a full schedule of events at ringling.org.   

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Join us for the final Exhibition Evening of the Season with a Beatles-inspired performance by Jade Strings Duo! Exhibition Evenings include an after-hours viewing of our Spring Exhibition, George Harrison: A Gardener's Life, plus a performance in the Events Center with beverages and hors d'oeuvres provided by Michael's On East! 

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The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall has made the difficult decision to pause the Friday Fest summer concert series held on the back lawn of the Hall due to damage from Hurricane Milton. While many repairs have been made to the Van Wezel to ensure the remainder of the show season could take place, there is still extensive work to be done, including repairs to the outside lighting and the back lawn. The Van Wezel still has repairs to complete in the production level of the Hall as well.  In keeping with the spirit of Friday Fest, the Van Wezel Education and Community Engagement Department will host a Fall Family Festival in September. The event will include sensory-friendly performances of the Asolo Rep on Tour’s Alice in Wonderland and a mindfulness workshop with Mr. Stevey. There will be games and activities the whole family can enjoy. More information on Fall Family Festival will be released over the summer.