Creative Loafing Tampa — April 11, 2024

Wild rides

Photos by Dave Decker

Tampa Pro 2024 wrapped last Sunday afternoon after four jam-packed days of competition and just as many nights of partying. Japan’s Yuto Horigome, an Olympic gold medalist, came out on top of the heap in the street finals, but boards were also flying through the air on Friday night when pros (including women’s vert champ Hasegawa Mizuho) rode for thousands of spectators. Check out all the skating and nightlife photos via cltampa.com/slideshows.—Ray Roa

CLOSES APR 28

AT THE DALÍ

Explore renowned French Impressionist paintings from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, alongside the early Salvador Dalí works they inspired.

An Interior Design Trend We’re Loving This Year

Bring the Indoors Out and the Outdoors In

When you live in South Florida, you take outdoor living for granted; it’s just the way things are supposed to be. When the pandemic came, gathering outdoors became a necessity. People all over the world rediscovered how much they enjoyed being in their own backyards.

Of the millions invested in home décor during the pandemic, much went to patio and outdoor design. This pattern set a kind of home design fusion in motion: indoor luxuries came outdoors, and outdoor elements made their way indoors. In 2024, interior designers have found themselves rewriting the rule book and blurring the lines between indoors and out. The classic Adirondack chair still has a place on the patio, if that’s what appeals to you—or you can pop it into your indoor reading nook.

Whenever Ethan Allen has designed a patio, porch, or other outdoor space, we’ve always thought

about the space in the same way we’d conceptualize an indoor room. We’ve included lounging and dining furniture, arranged in layouts that encourage conversation and good traffic flow. We’ve also considered lighting, working with sun and shade, and adding outdoor lanterns for both illumination and ambience. We’ve even suggested indoor comforts—pillows, throw blankets, décor, and more—that can come inside when you’re done for the day.

What’s changed are the number and quality of tools we can work with when furnishing outdoor rooms. Just as outdoor upholstery fabrics have become more functional, easy to care for, and plentiful—making them beautifully suited for that aforementioned outdoor sectional—the fashion threshold of typical patio furniture has

significantly increased. These days, it’s easy to fi nd outdoor pieces crafted from weatherresistant elements like teak, all-weather wicker, and powder-coated aluminum, but in profi les inspired by midcentury or modern design— farewell, plastic picnic bench.

Texture is a huge element of any interior design, and it’s what makes bringing outdoor furniture inside so appealing. Moving a modern, cord-wrapped teak chair from your patio to your living room gives your indoor space a fresh shot of islandinspired texture. At the same time, when you want to read a book and sip a drink on your patio, you’re not stuck in a folding lawn chaise. You can stretch out on a fully upholstered sofa padded with custommade pillows—plush textures that make outdoor spaces feel livable and luxurious.

Many of today’s performance fabrics are weather resistant, fade resistant, and bleach cleanable, although it’s still a good idea to store outdoor cushions indoors or to use furniture covers that protect outdoor upholstery. You can fi nd the outdoor patterns we’re all used to, like splashy botanicals or cabana stripes, but you can also fi nd sophisticated neutrals that look like something you’d have on your indoor sofa or bed.

Want a comfy sectional out on your patio and a wicker lounge chair in your primary bedroom? We’ll make it happen. At Ethan Allen, we’re all about tossing out the rule book and designing spaces that work for you.

Ready to redesign your interior and exterior rooms? Visit eatampabay.com to try Ethan Allen’s complimentary design service, or call us at 813.621.7585 in Brandon or at 813.920.9696 in Citrus Park.

do this

By design

The Tampa Theatre is one of those buildings that’ll make you fall in love with a city, and this week it’s just one of nearly a dozen venues for Tampa Bay Design Week (TBDW). The 98-year-old movie palace once faced the wrecking ball, but on Monday it hosts a free screening of the documentary, “Flexible Buildings: The Future of Architecture” which features individuals and organizations working to fight the plight of under-designed cities. A panel discussion follows the film, but TBDW offers many more opportunities on both sides of the Bay to surround yourself with people who’re curious about placemaking via architecture. From West Tampa (that’s the Centro Espanol West Tampa, pictured) to Water Street, and even from the water by boat, TBDW has events in Tampa and closes this year’s edition with a behind the scenes tour of the St. Pete Pier, plus a self-guided driving tour of the Sunshine City’s mid century modern marvels. See this post on cltampa.com to peep the full schedule. Tampa Bay Design Week: April 12-21. Various venues and cover charges. tam pabaydesignweek.com —Ray Roa

Rope ‘em in

Garden party

Spanning more than 16 acres, the University of South Florida’s Botanical Gardens is a gem of the city that prominently features native Floridian plants, alongside special and extensive collections of orchids, fruit trees and other exotic plants from across the globe. To help serve its mission of promoting environmental conservation and education, the garden hosts seasonal plant sales, and this one features more than four dozen vendors (from commercial growers to small clubs), plus experts, food trucks and more. Admission gets attendees (thousands over the weekend) access to all of it, plus the half-mile trail, and access to demonstrations of the nearly two dozen Apis mellifera (European-derived honeybee) hives in the apiary. Park at lot 39A, 39B, or on floors three-eight in the Beard Parking Garage, which will be a stop for the BullRunner shutting attendees to and from the festival grounds.

Spring Plant Festival:

Saturday-Sunday, April 13-14. 9 p.m.-3 p.m. $10 (free for members and students with a USF ID). USF Botanical Gardens, 12210 USF Dr., Tampa. usf.edu —Ray Roa

Perhaps a few Beyoncé fans can really delve into their newly-acquired Cowboy Carter aesthetic this weekend at the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds. Acclaimed as “Florida’s hottest show on dirt,” the two-day Tampa Bay Rodeo and Family Festival features a variety of rodeo competitions—from bull riding, bronco busting and barrel racing to calf roping, team roping and bull dogging—plus familyfriendly activities, beloved carnival food (think corn dogs and funnel cake), “toe tappin’” live music from Emmet Stevens Jr., ax throwing, exotic animals, monster truck rides, a petting zoo and mechanical bull rides. Children under the age of three can attend the festival for free, while ages four-12 cost $20. Gates open at 5 p.m., with rodeo festivities kicking off at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. And yes, there will be beer.

2024 Tampa Bay Rodeo and Family Festival: Friday-Saturday, April 12-13. 5 p.m. $35. Hillsborough County Fairgrounds, 215 Sydney Washer Rd., Tampa. hillsboroughcountyfair.com —

Kyla Fields

TYLER OLSON/ADOBE

COREY LEPAK

Shore thing

There’s still a few days to enjoy Clearwater’s two week-long Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival, where 16 professional sand sculptors transform thousands of square feet of sugar sand into massive pieces of art. A 21,000-square foot tent envelops this year’s Sugar Sand Walk Exhibit, featuring dozens of larger-than-life sculptures that explore themes of pop culture (keep an eye out for Barbie or Yoda), mythical creatures, historical monuments and real-life events, like 2024’s solar eclipse. Entrance into the “#1 sand sculpting festival in Florida” also gives folks the chance to attend a sand sculpting class, as well as enjoy live music, fireworks, and a variety of local vendors. This year marks the 10th annual Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival, an annual event that now boasts a reputation as “the largest destination event on Clearwater Beach attracting over 200,000 visitors over 17 days,” according to its website.

Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival: Thursday-Sunday, April 11-14. Gates open at 10 a.m. $14. sugarsandfestival.com —Kyla Fields

Byrd is the word

Even before Blue Chair, Three Birds and Cafe Creole, Ybor City has always been an arts destination (it was an artists and writers group that pretty much started Guavaween after all). This week the neighborhood shows off what the scene looks like these days via the 20 venues and 14 artists featured on next week’s art tour on Thursday, April 18. Across the bridge, St. Petersburg looks to the future of art with the eighth edition of the Morean Arts Center’s “Freshly Squeezed” emerging Florida artists exhibition, which holds an opening reception on Saturday, April 13. The galleries will be split into six spaces, giving each artist—including painter Camilla Byrd, whose work is pictured—a solo show of their own. Get more information on both these events via cltampa.com/arts. —Ray Roa

Painfully delicious

Each spring for the past 17 years, lovers of spice (and heartburn) take over England Brothers Park for the annual Pinellas Pepper Fest, a two-day celebration of fiery eating competitions, local hot sauce vendors, food trucks, live music and more. Spicy competitions include its Lolli Lick-A-Thon, where heat-seekers take on the “world’s hottest lollipop,” and a jalepeño pepper eating contest, while folks can take some of their own spice home via locally-made hot sauces, seasonings, spice rubs and salsas. Organizers describe the Pinellas Pepper Fest as a “painfully delicious, hot n’ spicy food show that’s big on flavor and cooked up to be one of the hottest events of the season.” And if your spice tolerance caps at black pepper, don’t fret, because this foodie fest has a wide variety of non-spicy eats, from tacos and smoothies to ice cream, sandwiches and boba teas. This annual event is both kid and pet-friendly, but just make sure they’re not eating any stray jalapeños that may have fallen on the ground.

17th Annual Pinellas Pepper Fest: Saturday-Sunday, April 13-14. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. No cover. England Brothers Park, 5010 81st Ave. N, Pinellas Park. @ PinellasPepperFest on Facebook —Kyla Fields

PINELLASPEPPERFEST/FACEBOOK

JENNIFER RING

JIMMY FASHNER/VISIT ST. PETE-CLEARWATER

Learn Euphoria: Pioneering Psychedelics School Revolutionizes Education in Tampa Bay

Florida’s first Psychedelics School Opens in St Petersburg

St. Petersburg, Florida – Learn Euphoria, a groundbreaking institution dedicated to the responsible and legal exploration of psychedelics, is has opened its doors in St. Pete this past January. Positioned as the first of its kind in the state of Florida, Learn Euphoria provides a unique and transformative educational experience.

Nestled within downtown’s Chillum Mushroom and Hemp Dispensary at 1916 Central Ave, Learn Euphoria distinguishes itself by fostering an atmosphere of education

and community engagement. The school’s inperson classes, covering a diverse array of subjects including “How to Grow Mushrooms,” “How to Microdose,” “How to Trip Sit,” and “Intro to Psychedelics,” offer participants an in-depth understanding of the historical, legal, and pharmacological aspects of psychedelics.

Founder and educator Carlos Hermida emphasizes that Learn Euphoria strictly adheres to a safe, responsible, and legal approach, with absolutely no illegal substances allowed or used on the premises. The courses

focus on history, usage, FAQs, and legal mushroom cultivation – such as Lions Mane and Cordyceps – reflecting a commitment to harm reduction, legal considerations, and ethical practices.

Hermida states, “We believe that education could lead to legalization,” underscoring the school’s mission to contribute to the broader understanding of psychedelics. Priced at $50 per class, Learn Euphoria aims to make valuable information accessible while ensuring a commitment to legality and safety.

Expressing optimism about the potential for change, Learn Euphoria references Rep. Michael Grieco’s 2021 proposal to legalize psilocybin therapy in Florida. As Learn Euphoria looks ahead, plans are already underway to expand accessibility through online courses this month, making invaluable psychedelic knowledge available to a broader audience.

To enroll in classes or learn more about Learn Euphoria, visit LearnEuphoria.com. Join the journey of unlocking the future with psychedelics, taking euphoria into your own hands.

“I think this bill was just put through too quickly.”

Shortsighted

Tampa Bay leaders say encampment law fails to address homelessness.

By Suzanne Townsend

Florida has seen a 17% increase in homelessness in the past year alone and local leaders say a new bill prohibiting municipalities from allowing homeless individuals to camp or sleep on public property will likely do very little to address the issue.

As he signed HB 1365 on March 20, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said the law serves the best interests of “law abiding citizens.”

“Too often people in other states, other cities, they’re not doing well. It’s like they let the inmates run the asylum,” he said, from a podium which read, “Don’t Allow Florida to become San Francisco.”

But the measure doesn’t include any specific penalties for those sleeping on the street. It does, however, allow residents and business-owners to sue local governments for not enforcing the law.

And that is a problematic approach, according to some Tampa Bay leaders.

Aaron Swift, a lawyer and the Vice Chair of the Homeless Leadership Alliance of Pinellas, says one of the legal consequences of HB 1365 includes something called an attorney’s fee provision. This means that anyone who sues the municipality for not enforcing the bill and wins gets their attorney fees paid by the municipality.

“Private attorneys now are going to basically be stepping in the shoes of the government and suing to enforce the government regulation,” Swift told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. “If this happens a lot and the county isn’t able to enforce public sleeping very well, it could be faced with tens of hundreds of lawsuits…those costs and attorneys fees can rack up.”

The county would be forced to pay these fees with money that could instead go towards affordable housing and other services for homeless people.

The bill allocates $30 million in preparation to enforce the new law, but for the most part local officials in Tampa Bay aren’t sure how HB 1365 is going to be enforced.

A spokesperson for the St. Petersburg Police Department told CL that she’s confident that existing laws around sleeping in public won’t impact her officers, but the City of Tampa and Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) are still reviewing enforcement.

Amanda Sinni, Sergeant at PCSO’s Public Information Office, told CL, “There are many nuances with the law that have to be worked through and there seems to be some confusion about the designation process that needs to be cleared up. We look forward to meeting with the county and the cities in the near future to come up with a plan that ensures the law is followed in Pinellas County.”

Swift added that the funds from the state are not nearly enough to provide permanent housing or wraparound services like mental health and addiction aid. “It’s just so woefully shortsighted,” Swift said.

Data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) showed that in 2023, Pinellas County was in the top 10 regions across the country when it comes to people experiencing homelessness (including individuals and families), plus veterans and the chronically unhoused. Individuals alone accounted for 2,144 people in the HUD data, taken from a January 2023

point-in-time-survey. According to the Homeless Leadership Alliance there are currently 1,986 total shelter beds in Pinellas County.

“As we sit here today, and once the bill goes into effect, at that exact moment, there will not be enough beds,” Swift said. And even some shelters that do have available beds can’t afford to staff them.

“If you add another 100 people and beds… you’re going to need more food, more cooks, all the things that go with it. That’s another reason why I think the money is so short. Its properties, its land, its housing, its staffing, its salaries, its insurance. It’s so much more and I think this bill was just put through too quickly, without full analysis of all the consequential things that are going to happen,” Swift told CL.

treated like animals. The government even uses words like infestation. And these are people,” he told CL.

Of the new law Oliver said, “To sleep is to exist, in order to exist as humans we have to sleep. And so this bill is basically criminalizing the existence of a group of people. And it’s immoral and it’s wrong.”

LOCAL NEWS

And he’s not the only local leader thinking about Pinellas’ homeless population.

Reverend Andy Oliver of Allendale United Methodist Church is well known in the community for his progressive sermons and activism, as well as his work with unhoused people.

“We live in a culture where the lives of the unhoused are devalued. It’s just the day to day horrific ways they’re treated. They are

Former Republican Senator Jeff Brandes said on the WEDU program “Florida This Week,” “I think when you get to the end of that, you realize people are still going to be living on the streets. Either the cities are not going to be able to do that or the jails are going to be full. And you’re going to hear from the sheriffs that you’re going to need to expand the jails.”

On April 22 the U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case regarding the legal treatment of unhoused people as well. In City of Grants Pass v. Johnson the court will decide whether it is considered cruel and unusual punishment to imprison homeless people for sleeping outside, even when shelters are unavailable. If the court’s decision is that you cannot punish people for sleeping outside, Swift says that portions of the new Florida law will have to be rewritten.

FELIX MIZIOZNIKOV/ADOBE

DON'T JUDGE: A SCOTUS decision could render Florida's new law null

SPONSORED CONTENT PRESENTED BY SUNCOAST NORML

Brothers Broadleaf, 4th Generation Tampa Cigar Legacy,

to Judge the “Best Blunt of the Bay”

Suncoast NORML and Brothers Broadleaf are Looking for the “Best Blunt of the Bay”

TAMPA, FL - March 20, 2024 - Suncoast NORML, the local Tampa Bay chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, is proud to announce its upcoming 3rd annual event, “Best Blunt in the Bay,” set to be held on Saturday, April 13th, at the iconic Chillum Mushroom and Hemp Dispensary located in Historic Ybor City.

This exciting event, sponsored by historic Tampa-based companies Chillum Mushroom and Hemp Dispensary and the Brothers Broadleaf, aims to raise funds to support the legalization of adultuse marijuana in the state of Florida. Both sponsors carry rich legacies within the Tampa Bay area, with Chillum Mushroom and Hemp Dispensary being the first hemp dispensary in the region and the first mushroom dispensary in the United States. Brothers Broadleaf, a premium local blunt company, proudly carries on the tradition of cigar making in Tampa as 4th generation manufactures with 129 years of experience.

judges in the Blunt Rolling contest. Ensuring the winner will be rightfully crowned as Best Blunt in the Bay!

The 3rd annual “Best Blunt in the Bay” promises an exhilarating experience for cannabis enthusiasts and advocates alike. The event will feature a rolling competition akin to competitive eating contests, where participants will showcase their rolling skills in categories such as Best Joint, Best Blunt, and the Freestyle competition, allowing contestants to unleash their creativity. Contestants will be judged on various criteria including speed, style, and the quality of their creations, with judges having the arduous yet enjoyable task of sampling each submission.

Attendees can expect a lively atmosphere filled with music, blunts, and camaraderie, all in support of a noble cause. Judge tickets are limited, so interested individuals are encouraged to secure their spots early.

All proceeds from the event will go directly to Suncoast NORML to support their ongoing efforts to legalize adult-use cannabis in Florida, advocating for sensible and compassionate marijuana policies.

For more information about “Best Blunt in the Bay” and to purchase tickets, please visit the event page: Best Blunt in the BayRolling Competition.

Join us on April 13th for an unforgettable event, where rolling meets advocacy, and together, we strive towards a more equitable and progressive future.

tirelessly to promote sensible marijuana policies that prioritize social justice, public health, and individual freedoms.

About Chillum Mushroom and Hemp Dispensary:

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“We’re thrilled to host ‘Best Blunt in the Bay’ in support of cannabis legalization efforts in Florida,” said Christopher Cano Executive Director for Suncoast NORML. “This event not only provides a platform for individuals to showcase their rolling talents but also underscores the importance of advocacy and community involvement in driving positive change.”

About Suncoast NORML:

Suncoast NORML is the local chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) serving the Tampa Bay area. Committed to advancing cannabis reform through education, advocacy, and community engagement, Suncoast NORML works

Brothers Broadleaf is a local premium blunt company based in Tampa. Founded by two 4th generation cigar manufacturers, Brothers Broadleaf carries on the rich tradition of Tampa cigar-making excellence since 1895. Committed to quality and craftsmanship, Brothers Broadleaf offers a range of premium blunt products for discerning enthusiasts.

Woke no mo’

Republicans return to terrorizing the underclass.

By Jeb Lund

What a difference a primary makes. Just a few months ago, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was a loser looking for a vote in Keene, New Hampshire, and now he’s a loser looking for a future at home. At least there isn’t another family living there.

In the waning months of DeSantis’s relevance, the Florida legislature has taken decisive action against the scourge of squatting—the living-illegally-on-someone’s-property thing, not the posture that’s supposed to make pooping easier. Though I understand your confusion. Yes, there’s a squatting crisis in America, as real as The Knockout Game and as deadly as that wave of Ebola-infected Muslim terrorists who were going to illegally enter the U.S. through Mexico in 2014 any second.

You can tell it’s real because there’s a TikTok about it that Fox News considers scary. Joe Rogan—a man who thinks that parents who’ve covered their faces with their hands have disappeared—is certain there’s one. There’s even a study from a lobbying group, the National Rental Home Council, which surveyed its own members. If that’s not as convincing as the National Retail Federation’s claims about a $45 billion annual gang-shoplifting epidemic that also doesn’t exist, I don’t know what is.

Obviously, this isn’t about squatting. This is an empty exercise in image management. The dead giveaway is the decisive legislative intervention. Like a supremely confident man in a one-night stand, the higher the rate of performative hands-on certitude, the further it strays from the hot button, and the likelier it is that nothing good happens.

The Florida GOP has been scalded by going all-in on DeSantis’ War on Woke and discovering that the average voter properly considers banning the book “Treasure Island” from schools because it has the words “chest” and “booty” in it to be the work of freaks. Moms For Liberty’s current slogan, “My husband and I noticed you from across the bar and really dig your vibe,” might be bad, but at least it’s better than, “Come to the school board meeting and act like a neofascist shut-in from Lee County who’s flagged 450 books for banning and considers bidet usage a form of sodomy.”

So it’s back to normal for Florida conservatism, which means, to borrow the phrasing of a Trump voter in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, helping no one while hurting the right people. Or non-people, in this case.

The trouble with the War on Woke is that the enemy can sometimes be a voter who drives

a BMW or owns a small business. Or, as the Florida GOP conceives of them, people. Hence, this legislative session took on more characteristics of Terminal Cop Brain and focused on areas of law featuring NPI: No People Involved.

Consider HB 1365, which bans sleeping outside on public property and allows citizens to sue cities that tolerate it. As ever, the conservative principle of local control gets thrown out the window as soon as the locals aren’t trying to prevent the wrong people from attending public school with their children or putting masks on them. But the important idea remains: You can tell we’re a functional government because we’re punishing people in your name, and the great news is almost none of them will vote.

because those affected stopped being people when they stopped having their own mailbox.

There’s a bitter irony here. Not just that DeSantis spent his entire law-and-order, bloodand-soil campaign sounding like a tape loop of “Florida is NOT San Francisco or New York City” and that Jacksonville, Miami and Tampa are each deadlier, but that he has returned to Tallahassee to preside over Florida slowly becoming both in every sense but public safety.

COLUMN

Ideally, that’s all it takes. The GOP hopes you will be complicit in terrorizing the underclass by allowing occasional feelings of discomfort or a “we’re all in this together!” attitude about private property to seduce you into approving the imposition of state violence on the most vulnerable, at the same time as it empowers cranks to use lawfare to shrink conceptions of the common weal to something small enough to fit in their tiny minds.

It’s hard to fault the poetry of it. Amid a home insurance crisis and soaring housing prices, the Florida GOP has brought all its power to bear on their symptoms. They’ve spent nearly 30 years Effing Around, so to be safe they’ve criminalized Finding Out. They’re counting on the fact that no people will mind,

These are the wages of a governing philosophy that amounts to little more than, “No services, only cops.” There will be no new homes, and there will be no public transit, but you can have destination cities unaffordable to anyone who cleans offices, pulls pints or slings hash in them. You will have pro sports, foodie paradise and cultural vibrance all a convenient hour’s commute away. Tampa Bay’s future’s so bright, you’re going to love your two-bedroom in Brooksville.

Tomorrow, you can return home safe in the knowledge that there will not be another family living there, just as you did yesterday, and in fact every other day of your life and in the living memory of anyone you’ve ever met. What a relief. It might’ve taken you 90 minutes to get there from work because you can’t live here, but look on the bright side: neither can homeless people.

Jeb Lund is a former national political columnist for Rolling Stone and The Guardian and hosts the Hallmark movies podcast “It’s Christmastown.” You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky @Mobute.

“We’re punishing people in your name, and the great news is almost none of them will vote.”

OLD BOY: It’s back to normal for Florida conservatism.

Heating up

Dunedin First Presbyterian among organizations asking DeSantis to veto workers heat protection bill.

By McKenna Schueler

Pressure is building for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to veto a controversial bill that would prevent city and county governments from establishing workplace heat protection requirements for employers. A letter signed by 44 faith and labor organizations—including the Farmworkers Association of Florida, the First Presbyterian Church in Dunedin (the governor’s hometown), and labor unions representing thousands of working Floridians—was sent to DeSantis’ office last week, following up on an earlier letter sent by another 43 environmental and labor groups the week prior.

“The bill harms Florida’s families of hardworking men and women whose labor is integral to our everyday lives,” reads the letter sent to the governor Tuesday, April 2.

“The bill also harms businesses that provide protections for their workers, risking their competitiveness in the marketplace,” adding that it “leaves hundreds of thousands of workers across the state with less oversight and protection, just as the state faces a labor shortage and significant losses to the state’s labor force.”

The groups’ call for a veto comes just days after the bill (HB 433) reached the desk of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, where it now awaits either his signature, or his veto. Under state law, Florida’s governor has the final say on whether legislation that’s approved by state lawmakers makes it into state statutes.

Florida’s state legislature, where Republicans outnumber Democrats more than two to one, passed the contentious bill on the last day of the state’s 2024 legislative session. The bill was passed largely along party lines, with just a handful of Republicans joining Democrats in opposition.

Sponsored by first-term State Rep. Tiffany Esposito, a Fort Myers-area Republican, the preemption bill would prevent Florida cities and counties from passing local laws that require businesses to provide any protections for employees against heat—including basic policies such as water breaks or education on heat illness prevention.

No city or county currently has such a law in place. However, the bill was filed for consideration by lawmakers less than a week after Miami-Dade County, facing industry pressure, delayed a vote on a local ordinance that would have established stronger heat protections for outdoor workers in the agricultural and construction industries, both of which carry high risks for heat illness and fatal heat exhaustion.

The vote was delayed to mid-March, conveniently scheduled after the end of the legislative session. According to WLRN, Miami-Dade commissioners officially withdrew the local

ordinance from consideration last month, citing the state bill as the reason.

“The industry argument against local worker protection ordinances is that employers are already protecting their workers,” opponents wrote in their veto letter to DeSantis. “If this is the case, then, why are industry leaders concerned about a bill that can protect those workers whose employers may not be providing those protections? What is business afraid of if they are already doing the right thing?”

LOCAL NEWS

Johana Lopez, an outdoor worker in Apopka, called the bill an “injustice.” The 40-year-old works in a greenhouse most of the day, for a

Heat-related deaths in Florida shot up 88% from 2019 to 2022, a report by the National Conference on Citizenship found, and are rising across the South amid record heat. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has recorded hundreds of heat-related workplace deaths over the last two decades. The federal agency has admitted even their numbers “are likely vast underestimates.”

Over 2 million people in Florida’s workforce— or roughly 23%—work outdoors fixing roads, climbing power lines, gathering produce, building homes, and performing many other jobs essential for communities. While the federal government

nursery. But even in the greenhouse, she and her co-workers are exposed to Florida’s heat.

She works anywhere from nine to 11 hours per day, picking and pruning plants that are shipped to Canada, North Carolina and local Home Depot, Publix and Lowe’s stores. She gets two 10-minute breaks per shift—one in the morning, another in the afternoon— plus a 30-minute lunch break. She hasn’t experienced any health problems from heat herself, and has worked the job for seven years. But it’s a concern for her on the job, and she’s seen others around her faint from heat exhaustion. “It takes a toll on the body,” Lopez told Orlando Weekly through a translator with the Farmworkers Association of Florida.

has guidelines for employers on keeping workers safe, there’s no federal or state standard in Florida on protecting them from heat.

“The bill also harms businesses that provide protections for their workers.”

Lopez’s employer offers them water, she said, and has first-aid kits onsite. But many of her co-workers are scared to visit a doctor or medical clinic for health issues, concerned about the potential cost. She also thinks workshops or training on preventing heat exhaustion—they currently get an annual training on pesticides—would be helpful.

The preemption bill, she said, is unfair and unjust. People who work in agriculture, in these fields, they’re exposed to harsher labor conditions, she shared. The work itself is very demanding and exhausting.

But Florida’s business lobbying groups that backed the bill have significant pull with politicians in both major political parties, and they wanted this bill passed. Records obtained by Seeking Rents, a Florida-based investigative newsletter, show the legislation was at least in part drafted by lobbyists for the business-friendly Florida Chamber of Commerce, a massive, deep-pocketed network of businesses across the state with political influence over both major parties.

The Foundation for Government Accountability, a conservative think-tank that’s historically lobbied for bills targeting the social safety net and child labor laws, is also implicated. Draft legislation emailed to Rep. Esposito by a Chamber lobbyist in November (shared with Orlando Weekly) contained metadata identifying the author of the Word document as Chase Martin, a visiting fellow for the FGA. Republican state lawmakers in support of the bill argued that state and federal law already set guidelines for protecting workers from heat dangers on the job, and that employers won’t unnecessarily put their employees in harms’ way. Problem is, there is no mandatory standard to protect workers from extreme heat exposure, and a process currently underway to establish such a standard on the federal level could take years.

It could also be disrupted if President Joe Biden—who directed OSHA to come up with a federal standard in 2021—is voted out of office and his predecessor Donald Trump secures a second term. Trump rolled back worker safety rules during his time in the Oval Office, and has an extensive legacy of fighting for business lobbies at the expense of working people.

OSHA, the federal agency in charge of overseeing worker safety, can fine businesses that fail to provide a heat-safe work environment under its “general duty” rule, which requires employers to provide workplaces that are “free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm.”

But, without a federal standard, what counts as a hazard is somewhat open to interpretation and the rule is rarely enforced, worker advocates say.

There’s a capacity issue. According to OSHA, the agency has just about one compliance officer for every 70,000 workers in the country, and state and local government employees in Florida aren’t even covered by their rules. Unlike a number of other states, Florida does not have a comparable state agency.

continued on page 24

CAN’T YOU SEE: The bill is sponsored by Fort Myers-area Republican Rep. Tiffany Esposito.

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Some Republicans saw Esposito’s bill as protection from overregulation. “I don’t think we need a nanny government standing over any person who might get too hot today,” said Central Florida Republican Sen. Dennis Baxley, who’s term-limited from seeking reelection this fall. “It’s over-regulating,” he added during debate on the bill.

Opponents also warn that failing to take action on workplace heat exposure could be costly — landing a sucker-punch to employers where it really hurts. Lost productivity, driven by heat-related illness and injury, is estimated to cost more than $4 trillion annually by 2030.

Legislation filed by state Democrats in recent years to establish stronger protections from heat exposure for outdoor workers has languished, despite action from the state legislature to do so for student athletes.

In 2020, Florida enacted a law meant to help protect student athletes from heat-related illness, following the death of high school football

player Zachary Martin, who collapsed on the practice field and died due to heat stroke.

Florida’s House Bill 433, preempting local governments from establishing stronger heat protection policies for workers, also undercuts working people in other ways, too. It also prevents local governments from passing what are known as “fair work-week laws”—requiring employers to give their employees their schedules a week or two in advance—and preempts local “living wage” ordinances, effective Sept. 30, 2026.

The bill’s preemption means that, effective Sept. 30, 2026, those ordinances are no longer enforceable. Thousands of contracted workers – from airport baggage handlers, to janitorial and sanitation workers — could see their wages cut as a result.

LOCAL NEWS

Living wage ordinances are local laws approved in some communities across the state that help to ensure employees of government contractors are paid enough to afford the area’s cost of living. These ordinances essentially establish a wage mandate for employers that enter into contracts with local governments. Some policies also award preference in the process of choosing a contractor for contractors that offer better wages or benefits for their employees.

Florida Rep. Esposito, herself the president of a regional chamber of commerce Southwest Florida Inc, didn’t bother denying this. “Could wages go down? Maybe,” she said during the bill’s first committee hearing, where public comment on the bill was cut. “It’s up to the prerogative of the employer.” She said the goal of the preemption was to “protect taxpayer dollars.”

“When we artificially inflate wages by putting mandates on private employers … all it does is make things more expensive,” she said during a committee hearing for the bill.

The Chamber of Commerce and other business lobbyists have been lobbying lawmakers to do this for years.

The ban on local policies establishing workplace heat protection policies was something of a twist this year. Although, not one without precedent.

The state of Texas last year passed its own bill—dubbed the “Death Star Law”—that, among other things, similarly blocked city governments from requiring employers to adopt mandatory worker safety policies, like water breaks. That bill went into effect Sept. 1, 2023 despite being declared unconstitutional by a state district judge.

If signed into Florida law, the preemption of workplace heat exposure requirements and predictive scheduling under Florida’s House Bill 433 would go into effect July 1, 2024.

The preemption of local living wage laws—or other policies that require local governments to give preference to contractors that offer higher wages, benefits, or heat protection policies—is effective Sept. 30, 2026.

This post first appeared at our sibling publication Orlando Weekly.

“HB 433 undercuts working people in other ways, too.”

HOT BOY: Sen. Dennis Baxley said, ‘I don’t think we need a nanny government standing over any person who might get too hot today.’

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Join us for an engaging discussion between exhibiting artists Christian Sampson (American, b. 1974) and Claudia Peña Salinas (Mexican American, b. 1975), who have known each since their student years at Hunter College in New York City and whose works on view at the MFA each address the astronomical calendar.

Visit mfastpete.org for tickets, RSVPs, event information, and additional programs. Events are subject to change.

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Star power

Tampa hosts its first Michelin ceremony, and the guide’s expansion across Florida is inevitable.

By Kyla Fields

It’s been 100 or so years since the Michelin guide started recommending restaurants to newly-mobile travelers across France, and its evolution from small tire company to worldwide dining authority has steadily spread across the globe since. While the prestigious guide has taken a century and some change to arrive in the Sunshine State, its beloved ranking system doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. Only in its third year in Florida, the Michelin guide’s relationship with our restaurant industry appears to be in its infancy.

On Thursday, April 18, for the first time in the city’s history, Tampa will host Florida’s Michelin ceremony, where the newest wave of restaurants will earn one of the most sought after—and sometimes controversial—accolades of their industry and join the exclusive club of about 200 Michelin-starred concepts in the U.S.

The guide says it’s deployed the same unique and careful methodology since 1900 and considers five categories when assessing a restaurant: “the quality of the ingredients used, the mastery of cooking and culinary techniques, the harmony of flavours, the personalities of the cuisine as expressed through the dishes, and consistency, both across the entire menu and between visits.”

destinations in the state because there are great restaurants in Pinellas County, the Palm Beach area, Fort Lauderdale and so on,” Harrison told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay, adding that he saw Tampa, Orlando and Miami as the best jumping off points. “I think as time moves forward we’ll see the guide starting to branch out.”

A representative of the prestigious ranking system went further, and told CL, “once the Michelin Guide arrives at a destination, the intent is for it to remain there.”

FOOD NEWS

While details of the contracts between Florida’s DMOs—which include Visit Tampa Bay alongside Visit Orlando and Visit Miami— are kept under wraps due to “competitive reasons,” there’s no denying that Michelin’s presence in Florida directly translates into beaucoup tourist dollars. In 2022, the Miami Herald reported that these tourism boards will collectively pay more than $1.5 million over three years to bring Michelin’s anonymous inspectors to Florida. Visit Florida reportedly paid $150,000 of that sum, following in the steps of Visit California (which paid $600,000 to launch the guide in Los Angeles).

In 2022, Michelin’s first ever Sunshine State guide saw Tampa restaurants earn zero stars, three Bib Gourmands and a handful of “recommended” designations. Three Tampa restaurants—Koya, Rocca and Lilac—received the Tampa Bay area’s very first stars last year. With the ceremony arriving next week, and the whole Michelin thing starting to feel normal, local food scene watchers may all be wondering: what’s next?

While the continuation of Michelin’s relationship with the state of Florida is contingent on various destination marketing organizations (aka DMOs) or tourism boards—which partially fund the guide’s establishment in newly-acquired areas—Chief Marketing Officer of Visit Tampa Bay, Patrick Harrison, says as far as he knows, the Michelin guide will have an indefinite presence here in Tampa and beyond.

“I think what we’re going to see over the next few years is the Michelin guide going to other

But when the guide first expanded to the U.S. in places like New York and Chicago in the mid-2000s, there didn’t seem to be any working relationships between Michelin and tourism institutions in those cities. In 2018, when Eater published “The High Price of the Michelin Guide,” it reported that “no U.S. cities have ever paid a ‘commission’ to Michelin.” Six years and a global, industry-gutting pandemic later, it’s clear that times have changed.

Despite the somewhat recent trend of Michelin working with various DMOs in the U.S. and beyond to bolster food-related tourism in their respective cities, the guide still maintains that its star designation process remains 100% independent and anonymous.

In addition to boosting local tourism and attracting more food-lovers to Tampa Bay, the arrival of Michelin has absolutely affected the few restaurants that gained a star in 2023.

Bryce Bonsack, owner and Executive Chef of Tampa Heights’ Rocca, worked at

Michelin-affiliated restaurants in New York long before his Italian eatery gained its first star. Since last spring, he’s noticed an uptick of customers spending more money per person at Rocca, leaning into luxury experiences that a Michelin-starred restaurant can offer (a couple can have a great meal there for under $100, but others splurge on items like caviar or dry-aged duck and strip steak).

“On one hand, getting a star is a huge ego boost and a dream come true, but on the other hand it has the ability to kind of drive you a little crazy. I think that it’s worse to gain a star and lose it versus never getting one in the first place,” Bonsack told CL.

And one former inspector thinks it’s harder than ever to earn and keep stars.

“Standards have elevated across the globe and dining spectrum,” Chris Watson, an exMichelin inspector who covered Europe for nearly five years, tells CL, adding that a starred restaurant from 20 years ago might not earn a star today. “They cannot stand still and need to continually reinvent their offerings, just to stay relevant and appealing to today’s diners, who are arguably more demanding.”

“Some people’s expectations can run wild,” Bonsack added, referring to some customers’ unattainable standards.

The guide is not infallible either. In the past, it’s been criticized for not including female-led restaurants and its general lack of racial and ethnic diversity when it comes to awarding stars. Then there are others like the late Anthony Bourdain who saw the Michelin system as “utterly useless,” pointing to the guide’s “Old World” sensibilities, Eurocentric leanings, the insane pressure to retain stars, and obsession with the traditions of fine dining. While Bourdain has a point, Michelin probably isn’t going to exit Florida.

“The Michelin Guide inspection team is always evaluating new destinations for the Guide, around the world,” the guide rep tells CL. “Once all the conditions are present to highlight the quality of the culinary scene in a given city, region or country, the Michelin Guide begins its process. The coverage area often expands in future editions of the Guide.”

The guide’s presence has had a positive impact on the Bay area hospitality scene, according to Bonsack, who noted that Michelin’s arrival has helped keep talent in town.

“Tampa has always had a lot of good cooks leave to go work in cities like Chicago or New York, and most of them don’t come back,” he says. “And now I’m starting to see that trend shift a little, where people are moving here to work at Rocca and other places.”

ROCCA AND ROLL: Chef Bryce Bonsack says he’s seen spending per cover go up since Rocca earned its star.

MELISSA SANTELL

New heights

Tampa hotspot is on the market for $1.9 million, plus more local food news.

By Kyla Fields

Roughly three years after its Seminole Heights debut, Korean fried chicken concept Gangchu Chicken and Beer is now for sale. Located at 6618 N Nebraska Ave., the 1,792-square-foot, full-service restaurant is being sold turnkey, according to the recent listing. The completely renovated space comes with a 14-car parking lot, a bar, patio, and a large walk-in freezer. The current asking price is $1.9 million, and the listing agent is Scott Hileman of Goal Commercial Inc.

longer involved with Ganchu or 3 Corners. SunBiz connects Gangchu to Chris Clamp, who also owns 3 Corners as well as Cement Tile Shop, which keeps an office in Seminole Heights.

FOOD NEWS

Built out of a former service station, thenowner and chef Noel Cruz first opened the concept back in 2021 with a focus on twicefried chicken, shareable platters, and a robust cocktail menu, along with late-night eats and karaoke room. A few months after its debut, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay food critic Jon Palmer Claridge celebrated the Best of the Baywinning concept, saying Cruz “hit the bullseye.”

“Everything we sample at Gangchu Chicken and Beer in Seminole Heights puts a smile on our faces,” wrote Palmer Claridge in his review. Ostensibly, they celebrate Korean style chicken and beer, but the menu is so much more.”

The sale also comes about a year after the closure of Cruz’s other Seminole Heights ramen restaurant Ichicoro, which was a Michelin Bib Gourmand winner. Cruz had also been connected with 3 Corners Pizza in Water Street, but last December a rep for Tampa Hospitality Group told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that Cruz was no

Cruz has not commented, and Clamp told CL that while the property is for sale, he’s basically looking for a buyer to invest in the property and let the Ganchu team keep doing its thing. He lauded recent new additions to the menu, and encouraged everyone to take advantage of karaoke, the large patio and happy hour. “Gangchu plans to continue serving the neighborhood,” he added.—Colin Wolf & Ray Roa

Fo’Cheezy chef announces new Tampa-based food truck o ering ‘Korean-Mexican’ confusion Local restaurateur, chef, and St. Pete native Robert Hesse just announced his newest culinary venture, and its unique menu features way more than grilled cheeses. Hesse’s latest food truck dubbed Grillaking will offer “Korean-Mexican confusion” food with a rock and roll-themed twist, with tongue-in cheekdishes like the “Judas Beef Gogi Hoagie” and “Deadhead Dawg.” Hesse had two concepts in mind for his next business: a Korean-Mexican fusion spot or a rock and metal-themed burger joint that looked more like a traveling venue than a food truck. Unable to choose between the two, he decided to merge both ideas into one, eclectic business with fare that may be a bit “confusing” for some. But Hesse says that Grillaking’s

unique menu and atmosphere is a playful way to showcase his latest creative musings.

“I understand that we’re doing fusion, but it may be confusing, too. But I think we’re paying tribute to the techniques, traditions and chefs that came before us in order to get the flavors right,” Hesse, who recently survived two heart attacks, tells Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. “This new concept is all about having fun and creating food that we love to eat. With all of the health issues I had last year, I really want to focus on creativity and doing what I enjoy.”

Since the new 31 foot-long food truck is still getting its finishing touches, Hesse says that Grillaking is slated to serve its first customers sometime in May.The new food truck will be Tampa-based for the most part, but will also travel to St. Petersburg, Clearwater and other areas in Central Florida.A quick scroll through Grillaking’s new social media pages teases dishes like bulgogi-filled burritos, Korean fried chicken sandwiches, bacon-wrapped hot dogs with Kewpie slaw and queso blanco and homemade kimchi, plus a variety of tacos, quesadillas and sandwiches. Hesse has partnered with his longtime friend and former Fo’Cheezy employee Matt Crowley and 717 South owner Michael Stewart for his latest venture. He tells CL that he plans to return to the South Tampa fine dining restaurant when renovations are completed later this year, and will split time between his new food truck and 717 South. And for the future of Fo’Cheezy Twisted Meltz, the grilled cheese concept’s many food trucks and locations on St. Pete Beach and inside of Tropicana Field will remain open, despite its downtown St. Pete restaurant closing last month.

In addition to serving the greater Tampa Bay area his “Korean-Mexican confusion” food, Hesse also plans to incorporate some sort of musicrelated philanthropy into his newest venture.

“I want to continue my outreach work—maybe we can create a charity or partner with other nonprofits to help give kids instruments or a music education,” Hesse explains.For the latest news on Chef Hesse’s latest venture and next month’s grand opening, head to Grillaking’s Facebook page or @grillaking on Instagram. And if you’d like Grillaking to cater your next event or party, head to grillaking.com to book the up-and-coming food truck.

ICYMI

“Gangchu plans to continue serving the neighborhood.”

• If you’re a Robert Irvine fan but don’t have the dough to attend the Tampa Bay Wine & Food Festival this, the popular chef and entrepreneur—known for appearances on Food Network’s “Dinner: Impossible” and “Worst Cooks in America”—will be at local liquor store Luekens Midtown (236 N Dale Mabry Hwy, ) on Friday, April 12 at 4 p.m. for a meet and greet. But if you want an autograph, you may have to purchase a bottle of his brand’s Dry American Gin and or Precision Distilled Vodka for him to sign.

• Ybor City’s Hotel Haya just launched the 2024 rendition of its Haya Swim Club, which welcomes guests into its outdoor area for themed parties and DJs without having to book a room. Starting at $25, its Swim Club includes a day pass to Hotel Haya’s pool, a complimentary drink and admission to that night’s party. Head to hotelhaya.com for more information on the hotel’s spring and summer event calendar.

DANG-CHU: Gangchu is known for its Korean fare, unique cocktails and private karaoke room.

Roll out

Burrito eating contest tops fun list of Bay area 4/20 events.

By Ray Roa and Kyla Fields

Not everyone spends 4/20 getting stoned at home and sitting on the couch, and that’s obvious when you consider the seasonal events happening in April. We’ve been compiling 4/40 events around Tampa Bay and have a few to share below. From casinos to art shows and concerts, we’re betting that more of these will pop up over the next few weeks. Don’t see yours? Submit it to the events calendar at cltampa.com and email rroa@ cltampa.com and kyla@cltampa.com to let us know.

30th annual Pesto Festo Sweetwater Organic Farm celebrates a different type of green at its annual springtime fundraiser this month. In addition to drinks and good eats like pesto pasta, zoodles and pesto pizza, Pesto Festo 2024 also features live music, kids activities, a silent auction, raffles, a drum circle and other basilthemed festivities. Locally-brewed kombucha, beer and wine will be on tap, too. Funds raised help continue the community-ran organic farm’s mission of “exploring ecological interconnections, practicing appropriate land stewardship and mastering sustainable agriculture techniques.” Saturday, April 20. 5 p.m.-8 p.m. $50-$60.Sweetwater Organic Farm, 6942 West Comanche Ave.,Tampa. sweetwater-organic.org

into a Mad Hatter casino (for entertainment only) complete with hold ‘em, blackjack, roulette, plus raffles, munchies, samples, live music, tarot and more. blisswellnessmarket. com. Saturday, April 20. 2 p.m.-7 p.m. No cover with RSVP. Bliss Wellness Market. 13721 N Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa.

Ecofest Earth Day Learning Gate Community School and Tampa’s Museum of Science and Industry have teamed up for a full-day of family-friendly earth-centric events including tree giveaways from the City of Tampa, STEM booths, green workshops, food trucks and more. Saturday, April 20. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. No cover. Museum of Science and Industry. 4801 E Fowler Ave., Tampa. learninggate.org

Harmony & High Spirits Artisanal vendors, spiritual artifacts and more are part of the agenda in Largo along with an open mic and live music, community bonding, and a kava ceremony. “Rest assured that our event prioritizes a safe and inclusive space for all attendees, fostering respect, acceptance, and unity among diverse individuals,” organizers told CL. Saturday, April 20. 8 p.m. No cover. All 5 Elements Kava Lounge and Metaphysical Shop, 12682 Starkey Rd, Largo. all5elements.net

the Bay area’s Slugged Sounds rap and producer collective. Saturday, April 20. 4:20 p.m. Shuffle, 2612 Tampa St., Tampa. @tampashuffle on Facebook

Sesh St. Pete It’s no surprise that a restaurant and brewery literally named after a smoke session would offer 4/20-themed food and drink specials all month-long. A few of its “sesh”themed offerings include a peanut butter and jelly cocktail, a “Reefer’s Cups” stout, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos mozzarella sticks and the massive “spliff” burrito. Specials offered throughout the end of April. Sesh St. Pete, 2221 4th St. N, St. Petersburg. @seshstpete on Instagram

Shaner’s Smoke Sesh Smoke before and then get smoked when you show up to Foodie Labs where Mikey Shaner of Shaner’s Surf & Turf is running a smoker filled with wings, pork, mac and cheese, and smoked bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers. A stoner’s delight for sure, but there’ll be beer for all the neanderthals out there. Saturday, April 20. 2 p.m.-6 p.m. No cover (register for special offers). Foodie Labs. 515 22nd St. S. Suite 130., St. Petersburg. @ thefoodielabs on Facebook

St. Pete French Fry Festival

4-20 Smoke & Mirrors Fundraiser

The Mad Monk art collective is working to become a nonprofit, it’s hosting a daytime 4-20 market with bands, munchies, vendors, artists, an art raffe and scavenger hunt. The party turns up after the sun does down with DJs and lasers from a company that’s done lights at Epcot Italy, Bonnaroo and more. Saturday, April 20, 3 p.m. $40 & up. The Graffiti Gallery. 2634 Emerson Ave. S, St. Petersburg. themadmonk.art

4/20 Warehouse party at The Factory

4/20 EVENTS

The Factory turns into an enchanted forest (thing elves, fairies, mushrooms) while the Unicorn Tears Sound System pumps out house and techno for a party that also features full bars, vendors, visuals, performers and the Bliss Lounge. Yoga starts at 7:30 p.m. if you’re an earlybird. Saturday, April 20. 7:30 p.m. $25 & up. The Factory St. Pete. 2622 Fairfield Ave. S., St. Petersburg. @thefactorystpete on Facebook

420 Wonderland+Canna Casino I’ve been working on my “Rockstar” 250 mg THC gummy ring from Bliss for a full week. The wellness market is always popping up at festivals across Tampa Bay, and for the holiday it turns the Dale Mabry Highway location

Motherland Music Festival Williams Park can pack people in, and for their first outing, organizers of Motherland Music Festival hope folks come out “to celebrate the desired human value of Unified Diversity.” So no angry stoners when artists from the Ancestral Funk family (which includes songwriter Siobhan Monique, The Negro Ninjaz Band, choreographer Charles Smith and more) take over. Saturday, April 20. 5 p.m.-10 p.m. $40 & up. Williams Park, St. Petersburg

Record Store Day 2024 Every day can be 4/20 when you have a go-to record store, and local shops across the country celebrate their independence this month, and especially on Record Store Day (RSD). In St. Petersburg, Planet Retro Records (226 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N) is rolling out loads of used vinyl to go along with RSD exclusives, and just a five-minute drive away, Daddy Kool is pulling out all the stops. Now in the warehouse arts district, DK has a full on concert lineup of four bands—including soulful songwriter Kristopher James, Billy Summer’s rock and roll project Florida, plus harp-and-drum based jazz outfit Katara—along with cannabis pop up shops, food and drink, and more. More information is available via @daddykoolrecords on Instagram and @planetretrostpete on Facebook.

Secret Stash Party w/DJ Donnie Luv

There are a lot of things not allowed at Shuffle, including dogs and smoking weed. Still, the six-year-old Tampa Heights neighborhood bar and sports emporium is hosting an homage to everyone’s “secret stash.” Soundtracking the festivities is DJ Donnie Luv (pictured), founder of St. Pete’s Official 7/27 Day and member of

Keep your buzz going downtown with dozens of local food trucks throwing down their best and greasiest eats, plus a variety of desserts and craft beer to choose from. Just a handful of Tampa Bay-based food trucks that will be there include: Ubuntu, Divinos Tacos, Salt’s Hot Chicken, Fo’Cheezy, Funnel Vision, Charm City Eats and Westchase BBQ. Saturday, April 20. 5 p.m.-10 p.m. No cover. Albert Whitted Park, 480 Bayshore Dr. SE, St. Petersburg. @gulftobayfta on Facebook

St. Pete Opera: Bella Voce Party Like It’s the 1960s St. Pete Opera’s biggest fundraiser of the year, Bella Voce, happens on 4/20 this year, and while there are no guarantees on whether or not you’ll be ejected to sparking one up at the Morean Center for Clay, the company is putting on what it calls its “Grooviest Gala Ever” featuring “a kaleidoscopic mix of 60s memories.” Tickets include appetizers, two entrees, full bar and a goodie bag (VIP gets even more). Saturday, April 20. 6 p.m. $150 & up. Morean Center for Clay, 420 22nd Ave. S, St. Petersburg. stpeteopera.org

Xtreme Tacos Stoner Burrito Eating Contest

Take your munchie skills to the next level at this annual burrito eating contest, where folks attempt to tackle its foot-and-ahalf-long burrito stuffed with eater’s choice of carnitas, al pastor, pork belly or barbacoa (or fried cauliflower and mushrooms for the vegans). The reward? A $100 gift card and free beer. Competitors must purchase their stoner burritos by April 19 to secure their spot in the contest. And if you’re not interested in participating, there will still be a 4/20 party happening at the taqueria where you can cheer on your favorite burrito-eater. Saturday, April 20. 7:30 p.m. No cover. Xtreme Tacos, 5609 N Nebraska Ave., Tampa. @xtremetacosinc on Facebook

HOLE YEAH: Test the limits of the munchies with a 1.5-foot long burrito.

XHICO/ADOBE

By Josh Bradley & Ray Roa

THU 11

C Fastball w/FayRoy Thirty years following the band’s formation, Fastball guitarist Miles Zuniga recently stated that in the ‘90s, he used to be able to cover his $150/month rent by playing three gigs. He feels bad for young, up-and-coming musicians that are struggling, but says that he undoubtedly still has fun doing what he does and that he doesn’t feel his city’s music scene is on life support, in terms of quantity. The Austin-based rock band hits downtown St. Pete with a career retrospective, and possibly even a few Patreon-exclusive tracks. A young and handsome staple of the Bay area surf-rock scene, Fayroy, opens the show. (Floridian Social, St. Petersburg)

Melissa Etheridge The All-American Girl is already slated to return to town later this year, for a co-headlining gig with Jewel at downtown Clearwater’s BayCare Sound. But first, Etheridge—who has been playing a different setlist most every night—starts to wind down her “I’m Not Broken” tour at the Tampa Hard Rock, following a 2023 full of touring and even a limited, one-woman engagement on Broadway last fall. (Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa)

FRI 12

C Billy Strings The Michigander’s virtuoustic, dynamic brand of bluegrass made him a head-turning sensation among the genre’s hardcore followers and has since attracted more of a crossover audience drawn to Strings’ epic live performances that regularly run almost three hours across two sets. Strings, who kicks off a two-night stand on Friday, has a long history in Tampa Bay. He played the tiny Safety Harbor Art and Music Center in 2017 and Gasparilla Music Festival soon after that, and his connections to our neck of the woods include Strings’ sound guy, Andy Lytle, a St. Pete resident, and bandmate Jarrod Walker who calls Florida home, too. (Yuengling Center, Tampa)

Satsang w/Tim Snider If Bruce Springsteen made a folk album while heavily focusing on including more chorus-based three-part harmonies, you’d have the Montana-based ensemble’s latest album, Flowers From The Fray. The record’s initial demos were recorded around a campfire in southwest Montana, and it has even been said that if you listen carefully, you can hear the sounds of nature in the final recordings. You probably won’t hear nature at the Floridian Social this weekend, but violinist Tim Snider opens. (Floridian Social, St. Petersburg)

Sealskin & Zitrovision If you saw any drones at Gasparilla Music Festival earlier this year, it was probably courtesy of Javier

Ortiz. But cinematography isn’t his only bag. He and his musical partner-in-crime Margo (aka Sealskin) are about to debut a visual companion to their new track “Love Temple,” a six-minute, handpan-anchored track that includes soothing vocals from Sealskin; the track would make for a perfect meditation session, assuming you can clear your mind when someone’s singing lyrics. Before heading to Europe for some summer gigs, Sealskin and Zitrovision play their first-ever U.S. gig together this weekend, which is scheduled to be done by midnight, so don’t work yourself too hard during the day, OK? (Hooch and Hive, Tampa)

C Snow Strippers w/Dres To close out this month, Tatiana Schwaninger and Graham Perez head to Vegas’ Sick New World festival, where the lineup is packed with a who’s who of hard-rock and shoegaze bands (System Of A Down, Slipknot, Slowdive, Alice In Chains are just a few). Before that, their Florida-borne, Detroit-based, electro duo better known as Snow Strippers brings its latest EP of sweaty, bleary-eyed, and kick-heavy brand of club pop that’ll please fans of both Crystal Castles and 100 Gecs. (Crowbar, Ybor City)

C Tampa Bay Blues Festival: Tab Benoit w/Larkin Poe/Grace Potter/ Coco Montoya/Samantha Fish/Blood Brothers/more Now that Grace Potter and the Nocturnals has been history for almost a decade—due, in part, to her and band member Matt Burr divorcing—the now-40-year-old singer-songwriter continues to ride high with her latest album Mother Road , a soulful collection that features contributions from Nick Bockrath (Cage The Elephant) and Benmont Tench (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers). Potter once told CL Tampa that during a hiatus in the latter-half of last decade, she didn’t miss the music industry, but she did miss meeting people, so if you see Potter in the crowd at Samantha Fish or Tab Benoit’s set at the 29th annual Tampa Bay Blues Festival,

which runs through April 14, don’t hesitate to go up to her. (Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg)

The Stone City w/Barely Pink It’s been a few years, but The Stone City—a Tampabased blues-rock-soul outfit—finally has an update about what’s next. The band’s latest single “I’ll Never Stop Loving You” sounds like a ‘70s arena-rock love song, and the group promises to both get back into the live music game this year, and release more material. The Stone City’s official return to the stage for the first time since 2020 finally happens this weekend, with another semi-newly reunited band, legendary local power-pop outfit Barely Pink, opening. (Bayboro Brewing Co., St. Petersburg)

The Zombies Read our interview with Rod Argent, frontman of the British-invasion band, via cltampa.com/music. (Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater)

SAT 13

C Emo Night Tampa: Lychee Camp w/ Now In Color/The Don’t Belongs Two bands—Sarasota rock outfit Now In Color, and The Don’t Belongs from St. Pete—make their Emo Night Tampa debut alongside a special DJ set from Witch Hiatus’ Paul Colin. The show is headlined by ENT alum Lychee Camp and never ever has a cover. (American Legion Seminole Post 111, Tampa)

C Horsewhip w/Yield To None/Terror Management Band/Novely The Bay area has only had a couple opportunities to see homegrown hardcore band Horsewhip support its November 2023 album, the group’s first with guitarist Dave Teten. Consume and Burn makes for 19 of the heaviest music to come out of our neck of the woods last year, which is not surprising considering the fact that frontman

SATURDAY APRIL 13

SUNDAY APRIL 14

MONDAY APRIL 15 CLOSED

TUESDAY APRIL 9

RESTAURANT | BAR | MUSIC VENUE | PRIVATE EVENTS

810 SKAGWAY AVE | TAMPA

LOCATED NEAR BUSCH & NEBRASKA

813.304.0460 | newworldtampa.com | OPEN TUE-SUN

UPCOMING

Th 4.18

PAMELA JO

Tu 4.23 TAKING BACK TAMPA: SMASH BROS. TOURNAMENT

Th 4.25

F 4.26

F 4.26

Sa 4.27

Sa 4.27

Su 4.28

Th 5.2

Th 5.2

F 5.3

Sa 5.4

LAURA THURSTON

KEEP FLYING W/ NEVERLESS

SAM WILLIAMS

DAS ICH W/ ASTARI NITE + OBERER TOTOPUNKT

OLYA V MUSIC

TAMPA PAINT & SIP I BEE GNOME

#THEKNIGHTSHOW: ROUND 2

LAUGH LAB: COMEDY OPEN MIC

HOPE DARLING W/ HENLEYS

TEEN SUICIDE W/ AWAKEBUTSTILLINBED

BOLD shows are in the Music Hall

SAT 4/13 - LOW DOWN BRASS BAND

SUN 4/14 - TEDDY THOMPSON

THU 4/18 - BOBBY RUSH

FRI 4/19 - DAN RODRIGUEZ

SAT 4/20 - CURTIS SALGADO

SUN 4/21 - ELIOT BRONSON FRI 4/26 - LEON MAJCEN

SUN 4/28 - KRISTY LEE

UPCOMING: summer camps, open mics, storytelling

$3 YUENGLING & BUD LIGHT DRAFTS

$4 WELL DRINKS / $5 CALL DRINKS & HOUSE WINE

FRIDAY 4/12

LIVE MUSIC • 7-10PM 2AT SUNDAYS DAILY HAPPY HOUR! 11AM-6PM

SATURDAY 4/13 LIVE MUSIC • 7-10PM JERIKO TURNPIKe WEDNESDAY NIGHTS 4/17 CHRISTIAN GABRIEL + .99 CENT CHICKEN WINGS

continued from page 41

Shaun Drees and his bandmates were influenced by Union of Uranus, Rorschach, Bathory, His Hero is Gone, and Neurosis. Terror Management Band—a St. Augustine supergroup of sorts, featuring members of Palatka, Minimum Rage and Liquid Limbs—brings a special brand of krauty, art-rock to open the show. (Deviant Libation, Tampa)

Ian Munsick w/Meghan Patrick Munsick is just bro-country enough to have Cody Johnson collaborate with him on his first gold record “Long Live Cowgirls,” and also has diverse enough influences (The Beatles, Eminem, and Western culture as a whole) to have Marty Stuart and Vince Gill contribute to his latest album White Buffalo. The 30-year-old Nashvillebased singer-songwriter is also the creative force behind a new documentary of the same name, which focuses on bringing ranchers, cowboys, and Native Americans together, all of which he grew up around in Wyoming. You’ll probably hear him address that sort of unity and more during what looks like a 90-minute set. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)

SUN 14

The Crane Wives w/Rachel Bobbitt Billy Strings isn’t the only Michigander in town this week. The Crane Wives, from Grand Rapids, have been selling out shows across the U.S. on the back of a folk and rock sound that straddles the line between The Lumineers and Black Belt Eagle Scout. Rachel Bobbitt—whose vocal sounds a little like the love child of Adrianne Lenker and the late Dolores O’Riordan—opens in midst of what promises to be a breakout year after Exclaim! named the Canadian art-pop songwriter in its “Class Of 2024. (Crowbar, Ybor City)

C Des Rocs w/Jigsaw Youth Long Islanders are probably very familiar with Daniel Rocco, the kid who went from playing in punk bands at age 13 to opening for the Rolling Stones at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field just a four-hour train ride from his alma mater South Side High School. Rocco, better known as Des Rocs, lives up to his moniker in every way whether he’s plugged into a stack of amps or playing his raw brand of rock and roll on an acoustic

guitar (his juxtaposed takes on “I Am The Lightning” recall Zeppelin or Black Sabbath, and Elvis, respectively). Global stardom and headlining arena shows seem to be the only path for Mr. Rocs, and with just two full lengths under his belt—including last year’s Dream Machine , produced by Queens of the Stone Age’s Alain Johannes—this is a chance for fans to get in on the ground floor. (Music Hall at New World Brewery, Tampa)

Teddy Thompson It wouldn’t be too much of a shock if the warmth in Jake Wesley Rogers’ voice was inspired by that in the 48-year-old folk-rock singer-songwriter. Thompson’s latest album Once More —which was actually released on Sun Records—is a collection of classic country duets with Jenni Muldaur (the daughter of folk legend Maria Muldaur). The two tackle duets once performed by the likes of Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn, and Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton. There’s no opener for Thompson’s intimate Safety Harbor gig, but we can dream about a guest spot from Jenni. (Safety Harbor Art and Music Center, Safety Harbor)

MON 15

Hot Mulligan w/Free Throw/Just Friends/Charmer Hot Mulligan just got off the road with Fall Out Boy, and is on the heels of its third full-length album Why Would I Watch . Nathan Sanville and friends challenged themselves to play all of sophomore album You’ll Be Fine at a co-headlining gig with Knuckle Puck in 2022 at the since-shuttered Orpheum in Ybor City, so don’t be too surprised if you hear an excessive amount of album tracks from the emo band. Oh and, if Sanville starts pondering where the chickens are, please direct him to the other side of the Bay. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)

WED 17

C Benny The Butcher w/Boldy James Few rappers can pull off the same kind of “burn-this-motherfucking-city-down” energy in songs like Freeway’s “What We Do,” but Jeremie Pennick is one of them. The 39-yearold Buffalo rapper better known as Benny The Butcher does it over and over again on his 2023 album Everybody Can’t Go (especially on Pancho Barraza-sampling “Bron”), which cements his stature as a giant of modern-day East Coast hip-hop. Pennick, an alum of the rap collective Griselda (with connections to underground favorite Westside Gunn), may have just started releasing music on major labels, but we’ll be seeing him playing bigger and bigger rooms for years to come. (The Ritz, Ybor City)

C Jesus Piece w/Sanguisugabogg/Gag/ Peeling Flesh

Some bands just sound feral. The best ones are even wilder in the flesh. Philadelphia outfit Jesus Piece meshes hardcore and metal all behind the driving drums of Luis Aponte whose practice of Bhakti yoga and the Krishna Consciousness mindset juxtapose his band’s ground shaking sound (Aponte, dynamic as ever, also plays drums in Charli XCX’s band). Jesus Piece supports its 2023 album …So Unknown on this run and is joined on the bill by Ohio hardcore band Sanguisugabogg. (Orpheum, Tampa)

THU 18

Billy Prine w/Scarlett Egan Two weeks after the Bay area spent three days honoring the music and life of his late older brother John, Billy Prine is set to do the same. Billy, who was tour manager for his brother in the Pink Cadillac era, is joined by Nashville songwriter Scarlett Egan for this set dubbed “The Songs of John Prine!” (Murray Theatre at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)

Bobby Rush If the 90-year-old bluesman hits the stage for any purpose, you’re going to walk away humbled. Mr. “I Ain’t Studdin’ You” (who has been on the scene since Harry Truman was president) will often remember how hard it was to be a Black musician in the early 1950s, and how he was once rejected a record label deal because he knew how to read. But in between his harder tales are also innuendos and quips about what he’s currently up to, whether it’s working with Buddy Guy or being the second oldest person this year—behind John Williams—to win a Grammy. You may as well be a guest in his living room at this intimate gig. (Safety Harbor Art and Music Center, Safety Harbor)

The Brook & The Bluff w/Hotel Fiction

Are you lonesome? The Book & The Bluff is on the road supporting its latest album Bluebeard , and celebrating 10 years since frontman Joseph Settine and guitarist Alec Bolton first began rehearsing as students at Auburn University in 2014. According to a press release, Bluebeard has been said to be a possible “breakthrough album,” citing “a mix of indie folk, fused with touches of funk and deep groves” in every track. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)

Florida Americana Music Festival: Dr. Bacon w/Firewater Tent Revival/ The Currys/Have Gun, Will Travel/ Applebutter Express/Grant Peeples/ more Nearly four-dozen acts head to Brooksville’s Florida Sand Music Ranch, the former Sertoma Youth Ranch which also played home to Florida Winter Music Fest and the Foggy Longbritches Festival. There’s a lot of band crossover between those parties and the Florida Americana Music Festival lineup (The Currys, Grant Peeples), but this weekend’s getdown is certainly an all-star cast of Florida Americana makers. (Florida Sand Music Ranch, Brooksville)

C New Jazz Underground I was in a coffee shop the other day, and overheard someone tell their friend that, “jazz is all I listen to these days.” All strains of the genre are enjoying a resurgence, with young people driving the charge. The Bay area is home to many of those kids, and three Floridians now based in New York bring their band, New Jazz Underground, back home this week. Saxophonist Abdias Armenteros, bassist Sebastian Rios and drummer TJ Reddick won last year’s DCJazzPrix (the DC Jazz Festival’s annual international band competition which focuses on ensembles rather than band leaders), and do it all, from Monk, to Sonny Rollins, and even MF Doom. “These Juilliard-trained musicians clearly know the jazz tradition, but push at the corners of hard bop and hip-hop,” NPR recently wrote about the trio. “Classy and classic.” (Hooch and Hive, Tampa)

Also playing

Boney Fiend w/Fingerpuppet/51

Boneyard Friday, April 12. 7 p.m. $3. Groovehaven, St. Petersburg

DJ Minx Friday, April 12. 10 p.m. $20-$26. Hyde Park Cafe, Tampa

George Pennington & the Odyssey Friday, April 12. 7 p.m. Donations accepted. Shuffle, Tampa

Hymn For Her Friday, April 12. 7 p.m. No cover. Independent Bar and Cafe, Tampa

Peekaboo w/Lyny Friday, April 12. 8 p.m. $25. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg

Songbird Shella Friday, April 12. 9 p.m. No cover. Ella’s Americana Folk Art Cafe, Tampa

The Antidonts w/Slap Of Reality/Antacid Trip Saturday, April 13. 7 p.m. No cover. The Bends, St. Petersburg

Combichrist w/Dead Animal Assembly/ Plant Esoterik/Cultus Black Saturday, April 13. 7 p.m. $20. Crowbar, Ybor City

Johnny Dynamite and the Bloodsuckers w/Fjshwjfe/Mike Tony Saturday, April 13. $10. Hooch and Hive, Tampa

Josh Meloy Saturday, April 13. 8 p.m. $20. Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa

Los Lonely Boys Saturday, April 13. 8 p.m. $39 & up. Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater

Mitis Saturday, April 13. 10 p.m. $15. The Ritz, Ybor City

Arm’s Length w/Carly Cosgrove/Ben Quad/Saturdays at Your Place Sunday, April 14. 7:30 p.m. $20. Orpheum, Tampa

The Burke Bros. Sunday, April 14. 3 p.m. No cover. Ella’s Americana Folk Art Cafe, Tampa Hollowhouse w/Imaginary Colors Sunday, April 14. 6:30 p.m. $12-$15. Hooch and Hive, Tampa

Jazz Night: In the Pocket Sunday, April 14. 5 p.m. No cover. Corner Pocket, Tampa Pearl Jam ‘Dark Matter’ listening party Sunday, April 14. 1 p.m. No cover. Kingfish Records, Clearwater

Punk Rock Matinee & Market: Rath and the Wiseguys w/Zalongo/Off The Rails/ Weird Times/Earthgirl/Neon Guillotine Sunday, April 14. Noon-6 p.m. No cover. The Icehouse, Gulfport

Sarah Long & Scott Perez Sunday, April 14. 6:30 p.m. No cover. Independent Bar and Cafe, Tampa

Justin Hayward w/Mike Dawes Monday, April 15. 7:30 p.m. $49.50 & up. Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater

Julia Wolf w/Scro Tuesday, April 16. 8 p.m. $15. Crowbar, Ybor City

Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes Wednesday, April 17. 8 p.m. $25 & up. Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa

Alborosie w/F.Y.A.H./Jwadi Wednesday, April 17. 7:30 p.m. $25. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg

Sun Room w/Twin Suns Wednesday, April 17. 7 p.m. $20. Crowbar, Ybor City

Soft Cuff Thursday, April 18. No cover. Golden Isles Brewing Co., St. Petersburg

See an extended version of this listing via cltampa.com/music.

Des Rocs JAVI PEREZ

No comps: New concerts coming to Tampa Bay

Rapper Missy Elliott can certainly still put her thang down, flip it and reverse it, and so it make sense she’s headed out on her first-ever headlining tour this summer. Off the heels of her recent induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Elliot is hitting the road for the “Out of This World” tour, which comes to  Tampa’s Amalie Arena on Wednesday, July 24.

Known for massive hits like “Work It” and “Get Ur Freak On, Elliott’s new tour will include support from longtime collaborators Busta Rhymes, Ciara and special guest Timbaland.

“This is an incredible time in my life as I am experiencing so many milestone ‘firsts.’ Being the FIRST female Hip Hop artist to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and now going out on my FIRST headline tour,” said Elliott in a statement.

Tickets to see Missy Elliott play Tampa'a Amalie Arena on Wednesday, July 25 go on sale Friday, April 12 and start at $75.75.

The tour makes one other Florida stop on July 25 in Sunrise. See Josh Bradley’s weekly roundup of new concert announcements to the right.—Colin Wolf

The Venus w/Spoiled Rat/Radaghast/Lil

Jerry Springer Saturday, April 20. 6 p.m. No cover. Bandit, St. Petersburg

Gorgon City w/Azzecca Sunday, April 21. 11 a.m. $35 & up. Hard Rock Event Center Pool at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa

Keep Flying w/Bay Street Friday, April 26. 8 p.m. $15. Music Hall at New World Brewery, Tampa

Acme Jazz Garage Sunday, April 28. 3 p.m. No cover. Ella’s Americana Folk Art Cafe, Tampa

The Fixx Tuesday, April 30. 8 p.m. $39 & up. Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater

Hope Darling w/Henleys/American Souvenir Friday, May 3. 7 p.m. $10. Music Hall at New World Brewery, Tampa

Weedeater w/Telekinetic Yeti/Restless Spirit Friday, May 3. 7 p.m. $20. Crowbar, Ybor City

Toto Wednesday, May 8. 8 p.m. $48.25 & up. Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater

Woolbright w/Quail Hollow/The Easy Button/TV Breakup Scene Wednesday, May 15. 7 p.m. $15. Hooch and Hive, Tampa

Five For Fighting Wednesday, May 22. 8 p.m. $39.50 & up. Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater

Mic Masters: Skyzoo w/Khighness/Fuel Gang G8tez/Pusha Preme Friday, May 24. 9 p.m. $30 & up. Crowbar, Ybor City

Seranation w/Ichroniq/Brother Within/ The Hulagans Friday, May 31. 6 p.m. $15. The Floridian Social, St. Petersburg

Frankie and the Witch Fingers w/Kairos

Creature Club/TBA Thursday, June 6. 7 p.m. $20. Crowbar, Ybor City

Grupo Firme Thursday, June 6. 8 p.m. $55.75 & up. Amalie Arena, Tampa

Collie Buddz w/Kash’d Out/CLoud9 Vibes Saturday, June 8. 7 p.m. $30. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg

Megan Thee Stallion w/GloRilla Saturday, June 8. 7 p.m. $35 & up. Amalie Arena, Tampa

Woe Is Me w/TBA/Stoned Mary/Fiends Saturday, June 8. 7 p.m. $25. Orpheum, Tampa

Steve Earle Sunday, June 9. 8 p.m. $39.50 & up. Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater

Outline In Color w/Nightlife/Foxcult/ Spirit Leaves Tuesday, June 11. 7 p.m. $16. Orpheum, Tampa

Bryson Tiller w/DJ Nitrane/Slum Tiller Sunday, June 16. 8 p.m. $65.75 & up. Yuengling Center, Tampa

Little Big Sunday, June 23. 6:30 p.m. $19.50 & up. The Ritz, Ybor City

Ballyhoo! w/Bumpin Uglies/Joe Samba Saturday, July 13. 6:30 p.m. $25. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg

Evan Honer w/Leon Majcen Tuesday, July 23. 7 p.m. $20. The Floridian Social, St. Petersburg

Hot Freaks w/Dante Elephante Sunday, July 28. 7 p.m. $18. Orpheum, Tampa

Lindsey Stirling w/Walk Off The Earth Wednesday, July 31. 7 p.m. $45.50 & up. The BayCare Sound, Clearwater

Dirty Heads w/Slightly Stoopid/ Common Kings/The Elovators Saturday, Aug. 3. 6 p.m. $26 & up. The BayCare Sound, Clearwater

Aurelio Voltaire Friday, Aug. 9. 7 p.m. $20. Music Hall at New World Brewery, Tampa

Freestyle Explosion Throwback Jam: Stevie B w/Lisa Lisa/Exposé/TKA K7/ George Lamond/Lime/Will To Power/ more Saturday, Aug. 10. 7:30 p.m. $45 & up. Amalie Arena, Tampa

S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival: Slash w/ZZ Ward/Robert Randolph/more Saturday, Aug. 10. 6:30 p.m. $40 & up. The BayCare Sound, Clearwater

311 w/Awolnation/Neon Trees Sunday, Aug. 18. 8 p.m. $75 & up. Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa

Charley Crockett Tuesday, Aug. 27. 8 p.m. $40. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg

Stone Temple Pilots w/+Live+/Soul Asylum Wednesday, Aug. 28. 7 p.m. $41.30 & up. MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa

Zheani Saturday, Oct. 5. 7 p.m. $25. Crowbar, Ybor City

Barenaked Ladies w/Toad the Wet Sprocket Wednesday, Oct. 23. 7 p.m. $40.50 & up. The BayCare Sound, Clearwater

Greeicy Sunday, Nov. 3. 8 p.m. $60 & up. Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa

The Avett Brothers Saturday, Nov. 16. 7 p.m. $44.50 & up. The BayCare Sound, Clearwater

Chris Tomlin w/Tauren Wells Saturday, Nov. 23. 7 p.m. $20 & up. Yuengling Center, Tampa

Bret Michaels w/Night Ranger/Dee Snider Saturday, Dec. 14. 7:30 p.m. $35 & up. The BayCare Sound, Clearwater

Skipperhome

The home of late Skipper’s Smokehouse co-owner Vince McGilvra is for sale.

By Colin Wolf

Aunique piece of Tampa music and restaurant history is now for sale along the Hillsborough River. The longtime waterfront home of Skipper’s Smokehouse co-owner Vince McGilvra, and and his partner Bridget, is currently on the market.

Vince stepped down from day-to-day management of the restaurant and venue in 2008, and would go on to spend much of his retirement traveling and curating his backyard garden. However, in 2019 he died from an unspecified illness, and Bridget passed away last November.

Coincidently, the home was originally built in 1975 for another famed Tampa Bay restaurateur, Harry Buseman, who at the time owned the Southeast’s largest chain of Taco Bell locations.

HOMES

Located at 5406 Venetia Pl., the 2,748-square-foot home comes with four bedrooms and two bathrooms, as well as a wood fireplace, vaulted ceilings, a screened-in back porch, a pool and sauna, a little pink dock and 105-feet of waterfront access along the Hillsborough River.

Notably, the home also features an expansive nature-themed mural by local artist Caren Stevens of Art Inherited, whose art can be found at Skipper’s, as well as high-end homes across Tampa Bay and even Dave Bautista’s tattoo parlor DC Ink.

“We called him ‘Mr. Taco Bell’ because he owned quite a bit of Taco Bells,” said Bridget’s sister Joy Becker. “So they bought it from him, and it was quite a unique house. They used to have really big parties here, all the Skippers group would come here for holiday parties.”

Property records show that Buseman sold the home to McGilvra in 1990 for $175,000. The money for the down payment, according to Skipper’s owner/partner Cricket Larson, was lent to McGilvra from lifelong friend and co-owner Tom White.

“That place was a house of love ever since Bridget and Vince walked through those doors,” said Larson. “I would venture to say they had the best times of their lives at that home.”

“I would venture to say they had the best times of their lives at that home.”

“I did that mural right after I worked on the Skipper’s mural,” said Stevens to Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. “We hit it off, and they went with whatever I wanted. The river told a story in itself, and I wanted to incorporate the outside into the inside of the home.”

Over the last 44 years (minus a one-year pandemic-induced closure), Skipper’s has been home to generations of local music lovers. The stage—tucked under a canopy of oak trees that make up the “Skipperdome”—has hosted legendary acts like The Black Keys, Avett Brothers and Mofro, and has been featured on stations like the Travel Channel, Golf Network and CBS Sports.

The McGilvra house is currently asking $650,000, and the listing agent is Jennifer Messina of Keller Williams.

PHOTOS C/O KELLER WILLIAMS

Quickies

By Dan Savage

1. I’m a single cis gay man and I’ve been going back and forth between wanting an open relationship or a throuple/quad when I start dating again. Do you have any advice or recommendations for finding out more about gay throuple/ quad relationship structures? I’ve talked about open relationships and relationship anarchy with my peers and therapist, but no one seems to know a lot about throuples/quads.

I don’t think there’s a lot of research into gay throuples and quads. (Hell, there isn’t that much research into gay couples.) But most successful gay throuples and quads started out as couples—so instead of seeking a throuple or a quad, your best bet may be fucking with single men who are open to relationships and fucking with couples—as a single person or once you’re coupled—who are open to regular thirds and/or fourths.

2. Why is it hard to get a relationship partner to confirm you’re in a relationship or define the relationship?

Most likely because your partner benefits somehow from the relationship remaining undefined—they feel freed from certain obligations—and they sense you aren’t willing to call their bluff. Meaning, they sense you won’t break up with them if they refuse to define the relationship. You can’t call the question if you aren’t willing to call it off unless you get an answer.

3. My lover is in town for business, but he has an impossible work schedule. The only way I can probably see him is if I crash one of his work events. I’m tempted, but it probably means I’d just see him for a moment, say hi, and have to leave. How important is it for us to have inperson time? If we haven’t seen each other in months, shouldn’t I make the effort, even if it’s just for a moment together?

Being in the same room with your lover and having to play it cool and not being able to touch them sounds like torture. It also sounds incredibly hot. So, if you’re sure your

VLADORLOV/ADOBE

lover wants to see you under those circumstances and isn’t just telling you what you wanna hear—if seeing you and not being able to touch you would drive you both wild in a good way and make your next actual meeting even hotter—make the effort.

4. Do I play with cut [eggplant emoji] and uncut [eggplant emoji] the same way or do I treat them differently?

An uncut [eggplant emoji] essentially comes with its own built-in masturbation sleeve—you can roll the foreskin up and down the shaft and over the head. You can’t do that with most cut [eggplant emoji], as there’s not a lot of loose skin to work with/manipulate/roll up and over on most circumcised men. So, uncut [eggplant emoji] typically doesn’t need lube while cut [eggplant emoji] typically do need some sort of lube. But cut or uncut [eggplant emoji], don’t make assumptions. Ask for direction.

5. I met a gay couple in my building. One half of the couple—the not-that-hot half—told me they “only play together” while the other half of the couple—the hotter-than-fuck half—told me hooking up one-on-one was possible so long as his husband never found out. What should I do? You should move.

P.S. Look, some marriages need to end. So, if the worst happens and not-that-hot catches you with hotter-than-fuck, you could wind up putting a highly dysfunctional marriage out of its misery. Some marriages, on the other hand, thrive on chaos and drama [shrug emoji] and you could wind up bringing them closer together. But if they are chaos and drama types, they will blame you—both of them—for the chaos and drama.

6. My husband and I—an opposite-sex married couple—are talking about embracing a more monogamish lifestyle. We’ve written each other letters about what we are open to, what our limits are, and we feel good about where we’ve landed, which is out-of-town play for now. Do you have any suggestions on how we can gently start? A slower pace would work for us. Any advice would be lovely.

Find an out-of-town sex club, become members, and stick to soft swap for now—soft swap means only oral sex and non-penetrative sex play with others until you’re both ready to have PIV with other people. And there’s no rush and no requirement to do PIV with other people if it never feels right.

7. Familial love feels icky. Romantic love does not. Newest RAD AF girlfriend occasionally gives me feelings of ick. Why?

It’s too soon for this romantic relationship to have succumbed to the kind of siblingification that can de-eroticize a long-term relationship—you haven’t lived with each

other long enough (you presumably haven’t lived with your new girlfriend at all)—which has me wondering if your dad might’ve been a sperm donor back in the day. Just a thought.

8. Perving to an OnlyFans account that’s the spitting image of my sister-in-law. OK to do that if I tell no one?

I will allow it.

9. Why does everyone treat HSV2 like it’s worse than HIV?

Because most people aren’t that bright, first and foremost, and HSV2—sometimes referred to as genital herpes (which isn’t entirely accurate)—creates physical discomfort, can be seen, and takes a person out of the action until the sores heal. HIV, assuming someone has access to treatment (which is a huge assumption), is invisible to the eye and doesn’t take someone out of the action. So, some people may legitimately experience HSV2 as worse—again, if they have access to the treatments that have made being HIV+ a non-issue for some.

13. Is rendering a real kink? I can’t find anything about it anywhere.

I’m happy to report that boiling down sex partners and using their rendered fat as lube is not a real kink with its own play parties, munches, deep fried twinkies, etc.

14. I am suddenly reading a lot about saline douches. So, is anal douching with tap water considered unsafe now?

You keep showing up, you keep listening— unless the relationship is so chaotic you feel unsafe and/or you begin to feel like showing up is enabling your friend to stay the relationship. Then you tell your friend, “Look, I can’t be around you right now—but I will be there for you when you’re ready to get out of this. And I’ll show up with a moving van full of empty boxes, not ‘I told you sos.’”

SAVAGE LOVE

My first thought was… if douching with tap water was dangerous… bottoms would’ve gone extinct by now. But I went ahead and googled that for you and, according to the SF AIDS Foundation, douching with tap water on a daily basis—which some elite-level/always-prepared bottoms are doing these days—can result in a potentially dangerous electrolyte imbalance. “One of the safer liquids to put up your butt is called ‘normal saline,’” says a list of anal douching safety tips on the SF AIDS Foundation’s website. “You can get this stuff in a saline Fleet enema, or you can also make normal saline at home by combining a half teaspoon of salt with a cup of water.”

22. This is not a relationship question, but as a musical theater gay, I’m wondering if you’ve watched “Dicks: The Musical” yet? If not, please watch it and let the people know what you think. It is truly unlike anything else I’ve seen in my life.

Watched it, loved it, I’ve been singing “Don’t Give Up! (When People Tell You No)” to myself for weeks—a very problematic song!— and I’m crushing so hard on Aaron Jackson that he should probably take a preemptive restraining order out against me.

10. Any advice for a man who has a hard time getting out of his head during sex?

A little pot, a little wine, and maybe some CBT—CBT here referring to “cognitive behavioral therapy” and not “cock and ball torture.” Although… letting someone put your nuts in a bull crusher is a pretty effective way to get out of your head.

11. Arguing with queer friends about what’s worse: compulsory heterosexuality or compulsory homonormativity. Your thoughts?

Compulsory heterosexuality exists and is still enforced in many parts of the world with deadly violence. Compulsory homonormativity, on the other hand, only exists in the imaginations of queer people lucky enough to live where they’re free to make their own choices thanks to LGBT activists who fought real and not imaginary oppressions. And since bad things that exist are always worse than imaginary things that do not, compulsory heterosexuality is infinitely worse than compulsory homonormativity.

12. I can’t suck cock because I gag and will vomit. Sensitive to smells and I have a shit gag reflex. Any tips?

Don’t suck cock.

P.S. You can do a little oral without puking. Ask your sex partners to shower right before sex with heavily scented soap. Then instead of putting his cock in your mouth, put your mouth on his cock—lick the shaft, wrap your lips around the head without it going past your teeth, swirl your tongue around, work the shaft and head with your spit-covered hands, etc.

15. Can men orgasm if they are not hard? Yes.

16. SF or Seattle? Chicago.

17. City or suburb?

You can’t be serious.

18. Is it ever worth arguing with idiots online?

Only if you’re Dr. Jen Gunter and Mr. David Simon—and even then, remember you’re not arguing with the idiot. You’re arguing for the benefit of gullible people who might be following that idiot. The point of arguing with idiots online is peeling low-information non-idiots away from them, not bringing malevolent idiots to their senses.

19. Is having ongoing health issues (otherwise fit) a legitimate reason to remain solo or am I avoiding relationships because I don’t want to make myself vulnerable?

We all have health issues—ongoing or incoming—which is why every love story is a tragedy in disguise. The play doesn’t end until the lovers are dead.

20. Did you get the sense that Molly Roden Winter was pressured by her husband into polyamory?

I got that impression from reading the reviews of “More: A Memoir of Open Marriage,” but I didn’t get the impression when I read the actual book.

21. How do I help a friend who is in a dysfunctional relationship without isolating them?

24. On the verge of having a love affair, but the guy I’m involved with is having cold feet. He tells me all the time about how much he loves me, but when I try to get physical, he recoils from my touch. I’ve tried a lot of very innocent and gentle (G-rated) touching, to get him used to it—touch his hair, scratch his back, hold his hand—and he can tolerate that. How can I ease him into touching past the G-rated level? What can I do to put him at ease?

When someone recoils from your touch… you should stop touching them.

25. I could have sworn that I read somewhere that there are rules regarding the allowable number of consecutive spanks and the minimum time between sets of spanks in adult movies, but I can’t find any documentation about this online.

You can’t find anything about that because that is not a thing.

26. I am a woman dating a man. The sex is the best we’ve had in years—we’re both recently divorced—but we need you to settle this issue for us. I enjoy giving blowjobs, but my guy needs stimulation at a certain tempo. I told him that one or the other of us will have to do the work. I can’t stroke, cover my teeth, and breath while he thrusts at his preferred tempo. So, he’s either going have to sit still and allow me to do the work or allow me to get myself in the right position and let me sit still while he fucks my mouth. What say you?

I say any man who won’t take “go ahead and fuck my face” for an answer doesn’t deserve the blowjob you’re trying to give him.

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