Creative Loafing Tampa — July 13, 2023

PUBLISHER James Howard

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ray Roa

DIGITAL EDITOR Colin Wolf

MANAGING EDITOR Kyla Fields

FOOD and THEATER CRITIC

Jon Palmer Claridge

FILM & TV CRITIC John W. Allman

IN-HOUSE WITCH Caroline DeBruhl

CONTRIBUTORS Josh Bradley, Gabe

Echazabal, Annalise Mabe, Aditya Sudhakaran

PHOTOGRAPHERS Phil DeSimone, Marlo Miller

SUMMER INTERN Gracey Davis

Apply for fall via rroa@cltampa.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jack Spatafora

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Joe Frontel

ILLUSTRATORS Dan Perkins, Cory Robinson, Bob Whitmore

.................

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Anthony Carbone, Scott Zepeda

MARKETING, PROMOTIONS AND EVENTS DIRECTOR

SeaWorld in February, animal rights claiming the practice of keeping wild dangerous. But even though public many don’t see a parallel between the kind and the practice of displaying animals asking for too much? Or is it time for a “entertainment” animals?

Leigh Wilson

MARKETING, PROMOTIONS AND EVENTS COORDINATOR Lauren Caplinger

EUCLID MEDIA GROUP

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Andrew Zelman

Music: Tampa Bay Blues Fest 40 Music Week ...................................................42

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICERS

Music: Tampa Bay Blues Fest 40

Chris Keating, Michael Wagner

Concert review: Artic Monkeys 42 The List ..........................................................46

Week ...................................................42 Concert

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Sarah Fenske

VP OF DIGITAL SERVICES Stacy Volhein

REGIONAL OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

Hollie Mahadeo

DIGITAL OPERATIONS COORDINATOR

Jaime Monzon

euclidmediagroup.com

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EDITORIAL POLICY — Creative Loafing Tampa is a publication covering public issues, the arts and entertainment. In our pages appear views from across the political and social spectrum. They do not necessarily represent the views

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The physical edition is available free of charge at locations throughout Tampa Bay and online at cltampa.com. Copyright 2023, Tampa

I just want to be making art and sharing it. Dawn Konofaos brings cake to Ybor City pop-up, p. 39

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Tampa Bay's best things to do from July 13 - 19

Makes sense when you think about the amount of McDonald’s Americans eat, but the U.S. is the shark attack capital of the world, with the Sunshine State clocking in with the most unprovoked, tasty, non-lethal bites in 2022 (just 15, with 44% of them happening in Volusia County). The famed predators are friends, not food, however, and this weekend the Bay area gets to celebrate the animal when SharkCon takes a bite out of Tampa. Presented by National Geographic’s Sharkfest, the festival includes screenings of “Jaws 3-D” and a meet-and-greet with the stars of the film, Lea Thompson (also: “Back To the Future”) and Louis Gossett Jr. Titanic expert Dr. David Gallo will also be there (which could be awkward) along with more than 150 vendors, plus exhibitions from SharkCon’s science and conservation Partners Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Mote Marine Aquarium and Laboratory, ZooTampa, GatorLand and Ocearch. SharkCon 2023. Saturday-Sunday, July 15-16, 9 a.m. $4.95-$26.95. Florida State Fairgrounds, 4800 U.S.-Hwy 301 N, Tampa. sharkcon.com—Ray Roa

Asian Libation

Every brunch pop-up that Loko Cuisine hosts always features a variety of different foods from around the world—and this Eggs & Kegs is a spread of Asianfusion fare. Filipino rice porridge arroz caldo–typically topped with shredded chicken, hard boiled eggs, fish sauce and scallions—will be served alongside a Vietnamese-style shrimp salad and coconut Thai tea-flavored French toast. These hearty fusion eats are joined by a spread of Deviant Libation’s sour ales loaded with refreshing flavors like cucumber, pink peppercorn, ginger, tangerine and lemon. Tickets include one beer, wine or cider as well. Chef John LoScalzo and his business Loko Cuisine has been hosting its Eggs & Kegs brunches at breweries across Tampa Bay for an entire decade, often popping up at local businesses like Green Bench Brewing and Common Dialect, in addition to this weekend’s host—the newly-opened Ybor Heights taproom Deviant Libation. Eggs & Kegs. Sunday, July 16. 11 a.m. $43. Deviant Libation, 3800 N Nebraska Ave., Tampa. lokocuisine.com—Kyla Fields

UNIVERSAL

Take

It’s hot as a motherfucker out there, so no one’s going to blink if you feel like stripping down. Just don’t stare though, if you end up at the “Skin!” art show where the theme for 2023 is “come as you art.” Fine art, sculpture, photography, fashion and more will all gaze at the human form, during this twoday “no judgment” exhibition. Skin!: The ‘Sexy’ Art Show. Friday-Saturday, July 14-15, 6 p.m.midnight. $30-$50. The Art Institute of Tampa, 4401 N Himes Ave. Suite 150., Tampa. skinartshow. com—Ray Roa

Ock yea

Even off-the-grid folks that steer clear of TikTok have probably heard of the social media company’s viral “Ocky Way” videos, where a New York-based bodega owner creates wild sandwiches with everyday snacks at his customer’s request. The man behind these viral videos, Rahim Mohamed or “General Ock,” is hitting the road and bringing his “Ocky Way”style eats all the way to Tampa Bay so local foodies can get a taste of his viral chopped cheese. There are no tickets or attendance fees for Mohamed’s pop-up, but the viral sandwich maker and chef will dish out his beloved bodega fare on a first come, first serve basis. Mohamed—who has a loyal Tik Tok following of 4.4 million fans—will be dishing out wild sandwiches, since he often utilizes popular bodega snacks like Pop Tarts, potato chips and pancakes in his whacky culinary creations. We’re not exactly sure what he’ll be cooking this weekend, but can only hope that a bacon, egg and cheese on a Honey Bun is on the menu.

Tampa’s “Ocky Way”pop-up. Saturday, July 15. Noon-7 p.m. Free to attend. Ology Brewing, 6401 N Florida Ave., Tampa. @ology_tampa on Instagram—Kyla Fields

Soap, meet hope

Good deeds are not just about what someone does, but also about how they do it. For the last 15 years, Current Initiative’s Laundry Project has been dealing soap—to help neighbors with the chore of doing laundry—and hope via its volunteers and hands-on community outreach. The concept is simple. Folks show up to a local laundromat, use the free soap, and take quarters from volunteers who help keep that day’s project going. This weekend, Laundry Project will be in two locations— Clothesline in St. Pete, Super Matt in Sarasota—to do the damn thing. To mark the anniversary, founder Jason Sowell (pictured, center) is asking folks to get out and volunteer at an Engage project and also consider joining the 15-year challenge where community members commit to donating $15 month (or $15,000 a month if you got it, amirite) so that Current can continue to do the simple work it’s done. Read more about Laundry Project via cltampa.com/slideshows. Laundry Project, Saturday, July 15, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Clothesline Laundromat, 840 49th St. N., St. Petersburg. laundrybycurrent. org —Ray Roa

Get soul

Tampa’s changing faster than many are comfortable with, but as a consolation, the city has unveiled a bunch of new historical markers as of late (read about another on p. 45). The latest is one near downtown Tampa’s Soul Walk, an African-American heritage art trail that brings the story of the city’s Black residents to the public. Two new markers set to meet the world on Thursday will recognize the historic Jackson boarding house (pictured, above, in disrepair, currently, and more or less begging the Acardi parking conglomerate for a little space to renovate and restore), plus The Scrub, which was once Tampa’s largest Black neighborhood. Soulwalk Historical Marker Dedication for The Scrub and Jackson House. Thursday, July 13, 11 a.m. Free. Robert W. Saunders, Sr. Public Library, 1505 N. Nebraska Ave. tampa.gov—Ray Roa

Deal with it

Profits from boldly-queer t-shirt will go to trans community.

By Kyla Fields

You may be walking down the street one day soon and come across a person wearing a blue and white shirt that simply says: “transsexual in the Sunshine State.” And if you squint your eyes a bit and read the fine print, you’re hit with the matter-of-fact statement of “you’re just going to have to deal with it.”

The shirt’s design boasts a tongue-in-cheek depiction of a woman in a short skirt with the state of Florida precariously positioned between her legs. If you’re transphobic of course, this t-shirt will probably drive you into a state of snowflake-induced rage, but for one Tampabased artist, her design is one of the simplest ways to declare one’s existence in a bold, yet ridiculously playful way.

Multi-faceted artist June Morning recently launched these irreverently queer, hand-printed t-shirts not only as a symbolic pushback against Florida’s increasingly anti-LGBTQ legislature, but also as a means of fundraising for local trans folks.

While Morning is most commonly known as her late-night alter-ego Jubilee, who plays high-energy tunes at various parties across Tampa Bay, this recent t-shirt launch is just another rung on her perpetually-creative ladder. Where the ladder is climbing to exactly, she doesn’t particularly know.

and because of its ‘datedness’ in the official politically correct lexicon, still feels uncomfortable in the mouths of people who are uncomfortable with us,” she explains. More shirts are in the process of being produced, and $25 pre-orders can be placed through a link on her @spanglebaby Instagram page. And for trans folks who may not be able to afford its suggested price, Morning is offering these shirts at a sliding scale.

“What it means to wear this shirt reflects our ability to simply exist as a trans person, in a way that’s playfully bold and irreverent.” June explains. “It gives us the feeling of being able to walk down the street in this kind of untouchable way—whatever someone might say to insult you, the shirt jumps the gun on it. And I want that feeling to be accessible.”

LOCAL NEWS

She says that it’s understandable if cisgender people want to wear this shirt, too, although the possibility of it never crossed her mind when she first started printing them. Ultimately, they are still supporting mutual aid for trans folks in a way that Morning describes as “intentionally ambiguous solidarity.”

“I’ve been doing design in various capacities since I was a kid but for many years it hasn’t really been where most of my creative energy has been going,” 27 year-old Morning tells Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. “So it’s kind of been a fun surprise to see people really loving these shirts.”

She was a studio art major at the University of South Florida and always interested in printmaking, but only recently delved into the process with her recent merch launch.

Her first “transsexual in the Sunshine State” t-shirt drop launched in late-May and quickly sold out, appealing to both local queers and Florida expats living in other states.

Morning tells CL that her decision to use the word “transsexual” instead of the generally more acceptable word “transgender” is a one based on the reclamation of the antiquated term that has its roots in early 20th century medical research.

“In my own identification, ‘transsexual’ carries a flair, a certain je ne sais quoi, a little spice,

Money made from her shirts are donated directly to trans people in need of basic survival funds, whether they’re local to Tampa Bay or beyond. June explains that she’ll be supporting trans people on an individual basis instead of donating t-shirt funds to local nonprofits or charities. Besides helping her trans siblings with buying groceries or paying rent, she says that re-distributed funds can particularly help trans and gender non-comforming individuals move out of Florida entirely—a direct result of the state’s hostile political atmosphere, she says.

“The impetus that makes these shirts something that people like so much, is just how dire things are getting for trans people in Florida right now,” Morning explains. “And it really was this recent series of bills (SB 254 which limits gender-affirming care for both minors and adults and HB 1521 which has been dubbed the “antitrans bathroom bill”) that really solidified that this was going to be a prioritized project of Ron DeSantis. He’s proving to his voters that he’s doing something about what the conservative media deems as a ‘problem to be solved.’”

Morning’s recent t-shirt launch is just the latest facet of her efforts to create safe, gender-affirming spaces for Tampa Bay’s queer community. She’s been hosting intimate dance parties at her house for the past few years, and also collects donations from party-goers to be redistributed back into the local LGBTQ community.

“I want to be able to contribute because outside of the local community supporting my creative output, I’m usually not able to donate,” she says.

And perhaps these shirts are a tangible and prolific way for someone to feel the palpable energy that she typically creates in a strobe-lit party setting, describing her overall creative work as a “holistically whole practice”—with the “participatory art form” of her highly-curated events at the center of her artistry.

“I try to instill in people the feelings of love and power—or just the experience of being in touch with the wider, cosmic experience of being human,” June says. “As general as that is, everything I’m trying to do is always aimed towards helping my queer and trans siblings collectively access these feelings in ways that are actively denied to us in other facets of our lives.”

While some queer people are making the justifiable exodus from Florida, distancing themselves away from a state that makes it hard for them to exist, June has a stubborn determination to stay in her home state—the same determination that her recent t-shirt design expresses in such a playfully emphatic way.

A similar sentiment was expressed by MCC Tampa pastor and trans Florida native Jakob Hero-Shaw in a recent column for CL. “I hope that others will also choose to stay, to be visible, to be present, to keep living our lives, loving each other, and being ourselves,” Hero-Shaw writes. “I hate to think of all the joy and inspiration that might pack up and get out. It hurts my heart to think about all those folks who are going to be left behind.”

In light of all of the Sunshine State’s political hostility, June has found an absurd sense of pride buried within this sense of sheer resilience.

“For the first time in my life, I kind of cruelly and ironically am truly feeling in love with and desiring to claim being from Florida,” June says with a stifled giggle. “If you’re going to rock a shirt about being trans, now is really the time.”

TRANS-CENDANT: This Tampa artist is paving her own safe spaces.

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Hostile actions

Education group is the latest to pull its convention from Florida.

By Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix

Noting the “escalating waves of hostile actions and legislation coming out of Florida,” the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) is ditching its scheduled annual conference at the Hyatt Regency Miami later this year and instead will hold it in Chicago.

In a letter sent to ACSP educators, researchers, and students posted on the organization’s website last Friday, Laxmi Ramasubramanian, the ACSP president, said the group had made “this difficult decision” to move their convention to stay in alignment with the ACSP’s values statement.

“Despite myriad assurances from the Florida hospitality industry, members of all ACSP interest groups expressed significant concerns regarding travel to Florida,” Ramasubramanian wrote.

FLORIDA NEWS

“While no place can be 100% safe, Florida this fall did not feel like the best place to gather for our annual conference. As with the state of Florida, other states curtail what can and cannot be taught in high school and college classrooms. Planning educators have a lot of issues we should be concerned about, including how we prepare future planners to work in environments hostile to the ideals and principles of planning.”

“open hostility” to those groups manifested in laws passed during the recent legislative session, as noted by Ramasubramanian in a message sent out to members last month.

In another letter dated May 26, Ramasubramanian wrote that, “Like you, I have been following the escalating waves of hostile actions and legislation coming out of Florida but also other states that are following a political playbook. It is disheartening, painful and it makes me angry. As president of ACSP, I write today to acknowledge the anxieties, hurt, and anger that you may be feeling and experiencing.”

‘Anti-humanitarian legislation’

No such cancellations have happened yet in the Tampa Bay area, according to officials.

“The Tampa Convention Center is fortunate to have not experienced any contracted client cancellations due to political climate,” says Kirstin Albert, communications coordinator for the facility. “Tampa is a welcoming and diverse city, and we are proud to be a part of that atmosphere.”

A spokesperson for Visit Tampa Bay, the tourism marketing organization for Tampa and Hillsborough County, told the Phoenix that it has not experienced any conventions pulling out of the area, either.

The organization is a consortium of more than 100 university departments and programs offering planning degrees.

Organizations representing Black, Hispanic, and LGBTQ+ communities in Florida have issued travel advisories in recent months, citing

The Orlando Sentinel reported last week that a number of conferences slated to be held later this year or in future years in Orange County have been moved or cancelled due to the political environment in Florida, including a convention for Game of Thrones fans, with “Con of Thrones” organizers citing the “increasingly anti-humanitarian legislation in the state.”

A spokesperson for ACSP anticipated about 1,200 conference attendees who will now make the trip to the Palmer House Hotel in Chicago in October.

Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Diane Rado for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com. Follow Florida Phoenix on Facebook and Twitter.

NOT OUT CHEA: The ACSP said ‘Florida this fall did not feel like the best place to gather…’

This guy

Florida Republican women say they will switch parties after DeSantis approves alimony law.

By Dara Kam/News Service

of

Florida

Gov. Ron DeSantis this month signed a measure that will overhaul the state’s alimony laws, after three vetoes of similar bills and a decade of emotional clashes over the issue. The measure (SB 1416) includes doing away with what is known as permanent alimony. DeSantis’ approval came a year after he nixed a similar bill that sought to eliminate permanent alimony and set up a formula for alimony amounts based on the length of marriage.

FLORIDA NEWS

The approval drew an outcry from members of the “First Wives Advocacy Group,” a coalition of mostly older women who receive permanent alimony and who assert that their lives will be upended without the payments. “On behalf of the thousands of women who our group represents, we are very disappointed in the governor’s decision to sign the alimony-reform bill. We believe by signing it, he has put older women in a situation which will cause financial devastation. The so-called party of ‘family values’ has just contributed to erosion of the institution of marriage in Florida,” Jan Killilea, a 63-year-old Boca Raton woman who founded the group a decade ago, told The News Service of Florida in a text message Friday.

The years-long effort to do away with permanent alimony has been a highly contentious issue. It elicited tearful testimony from members of the First Wives group. But it also spurred impassioned pleas from ex-spouses who said they had been forced to work long past the age they wanted to retire because they were on the hook for alimony payments.

Michael Buhler, chairman of Florida Family Fairness, a group that has pushed for doing away with permanent alimony, praised the approval of the bill.

“Florida Family Fairness is pleased that the Florida Legislature and Gov. DeSantis have passed a bill that ends permanent alimony and codifies in statute the right to retire for existing alimony payers,” Buhler said in a statement “Anything that adds clarity and ends permanent alimony is a win for Florida families.”

Along with DeSantis’ veto of the 2022 version, former Gov. Rick Scott twice vetoed similar bills. The issue spurred a near-fracas outside Scott’s office in 2016. This year, however, the proposal received relatively little public pushback and got the blessing of Florida Family Fairness and The Florida Bar’s Family Law Section, which fiercely clashed over the issue in the past.

Along with eliminating permanent alimony, the measure will set up a process for ex-spouses who make alimony payments to seek modifications to alimony agreements when they want to retire.

It will allow judges to reduce or terminate alimony, support or maintenance payments after considering a number of factors, such as “the age and health” of the person who makes payments; the customary retirement age of that person’s occupation; “the economic impact” a reduction in alimony would have on the recipient of the payments; and the “motivation for retirement and likelihood of returning to work” for the person making the payments.

Supporters said it will codify into law a court decision in a 1992 divorce case that judges use as a guidepost when making decisions about retirement. But, as with previous versions, opponents remained concerned that the bill would apply to existing permanent alimony agreements, which many ex-spouses accept in exchange for giving up other assets as part of divorce settlements.

“He (DeSantis) has just impoverished all the older women of Florida, and I know at least 3,000 women across the state of Florida are switching to Democrat and we will campaign against him, all the way, forever,” Camille Fiveash, a Milton Republican who receives permanent alimony, said in a phone interview Friday.

In vetoing the 2022 version, DeSantis pointed to concerns about the bill allowing exspouses to have existing alimony agreements amended. In a June 24, 2022, veto letter, he wrote that if the bill “were to become law and be given retroactive effect as the Legislature intends, it would unconstitutionally impair vested rights under certain pre-existing marital settlement agreements.”

But Senate bill sponsor Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, tried to assure lawmakers that the 2023 version would not unconstitutionally affect existing alimony settlements. This year’s proposal “went to what is currently case law,” Gruters told a Senate committee in April, pointing to the court ruling.

“So what you can do right now, under case law, we now codify all those laws and make that the rule of law. So we basically just solidify that. So from a retroactivity standpoint, no, because if anything could be modifiable before, it’s still modifiable. If it’s a non-modifiable agreement, you still can’t modify that agreement,” he said.

The bill also sets a five-year limit on what is known as rehabilitative alimony. Under the

plan, people married for less than three years will not be eligible for alimony payments, and those who have been married 20 years or longer will be eligible to receive payments for up to 75 percent of the term of the marriage.

The new law will also allow alimony payers to seek modifications if “a supportive relationship exists or has existed” involving their ex-spouses in the previous year. Critics argued the provision is vague and could apply to temporary roommates who help alimony recipients cover living expenses for short periods of time.

Fiveash, a 63-year-old with serious medical conditions, said she can’t afford another legal fight over alimony. “My fears are that they can take you back to court, and I don’t have the money for an attorney. I literally live off a little bit I get for alimony. I work part-time, because I have all kinds of ailments. And now I’m going to be left without anything, absolutely anything,” she said.

Health insurance, Fiveash added, will “probably be the first thing to go” if her payments are reduced or eliminated.

“This is a death sentence for me,” she said.

“This is a death sentence for me.”

SPICY MEATBALL: Legal fights over alimony are expensive.

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FinallyAfter years of inequality, Florida’s Black farmers may finally get a license for medical marijuana.

By Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed legislation that may finally allow Black farmers to get involved in the medical marijuana industry, despite years of disrespect and frustration in the Black farmers community. The bill (HB 387) was originally crafted to allow physicians to use telehealth methods to renew medical marijuana certifications for qualified patients.

But in the last week of the legislative session, the measure was amended and language was added from St. Petersburg Democrat Darryl Rouson and Jacksonville Democrat Tracie Davis to address the lingering issues surrounding the issuance of Medical Marijuana Treatment Center (MMTC) licenses to Black farmers who had been litigants in the federal Pigford v. Glickman class action lawsuit, according to a press release from the two senators.

The new state law, which stemmed from a constitutional measure on medical marijuana in 2016, addresses the issue by granting licenses to all Black farmer applicants who either received a notice from the state Department of Health of its intent to deny or approve the application and the application has no deficiencies; received a final determination from

Department of Health in an administrative challenge that applicant met all requirements for licensure, even if the applicant died during the challenge process; or had deficiencies in the application but cure such deficiencies, according the legislative language.

“It’s time,” Sen. Rouson told the Phoenix. “The voters passed this in 2016. It called for the awarding (of a license to a Pigford farmer). I think they gave out seven licenses but didn’t award the Pigford. And now six years later, we’re just making right which should have been done long ago. I’m thankful for the governor signing it and very grateful to President Kathleen Passidomo for putting up with our persistence and advocacy for this group that has felt shut out.”

and a victory for farmers, their families, and for civil rights.”

In addition, the bill now allows, for the first time in Florida, medical marijuana patients will have access to telehealth services.

FLORIDA NEWS

“This bill represents the best side of the legislative process – working together across the aisle to solve a problem,” said Sen. Davis in a written statement. “Today, we have accomplished a major step in a years-long effort to give Black farmers entry into Florida’s flourishing medical marijuana industry. This bill is a solution from a number of stakeholders

Republican Rep. Spencer Roach, of Southwest Florida, was the original sponsor of the medical marijuana telehealth bill in the House. He said: “Governor DeSantis continues to demonstrate his commitment to expanding patient access to medicine, in alignment with the overwhelming majority of Florida voters. I am proud to have played a small part in moving this towards the finish line and am grateful to Speaker Renner and President Passidomo for keeping an open mind and for truly allowing the process to work. This is truly a bipartisan victory.”

As the Phoenix reported earlier this year, applicants for the Black farmer license had to pay a $146,000 nonrefundable application fee, twice more than the amount required from the initial applicants.

After more than 71% of Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment

legalizing medical marijuana in Florida, the 2017 law implementing the measure included a provision that one MMTC must go to a farmer who received a settlement in the Pigford case. That was the class action lawsuit filed by Black farmers alleging discrimination by the U.S. Department of Agriculture when it came to distributing loans and assistance.

However, no Pigford farmer received a license in 2017, and the Department of Health did not get around to granting such a license to a Black farmer until last September. That’s when it was awarded to Terry Donnell Gwinn of Gwinn Brother Farms, but nearly all of the 11 other applicants who lost out filed legal challenges, according to Marijuana Business Daily. While that litigation continues, a Black farmer still hasn’t been awarded a license.

Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Diane Rado for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com. Follow Florida Phoenix via @Florida.Phoenix.News on Facebook and @FLPhoenixNews on Twitter.

GREEN WAY: HB 387 was originally crafted to allow physicians to use telehealth methods to renew medical marijuana certifications.

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Going Live

Solventless, live concentrates are taking over the cannabis scene.

We asked Isaac Klaus, VP of Extractions at Surterra, to set things straight about cannabis concentrates. Let’s see what this real-life mad scientist with nearly a decade of experience in the cannabis industry has to say.

What is a cannabis concentrate? Explain it to us like we’re 5.

A cannabis concentrate is a highly potent product made by extracting key elements – like terpenes, cannabinoids and flavonoids – from the rest of the plant materials, usually under high temperatures and pressure. The resulting products are typically thick and rich with these extracted elements, which is what makes concentrates so, well, concentrated.

What’s the difference between “live” and “cured” concentrates?

“Live” means it was made using plant material that was flash-frozen immediately after harvest. This process helps preserve the complete cannabinoid and terpene profile of the strain, resulting in an experience akin to consuming flower. Cured concentrates are produced using dried (or “cured”) plant material. If you’ve tried concentrates before,

there’s a good chance you were consuming a cured product. Curing consists of drying the harvested flower until it reaches a moisture content that is ideal for extraction (usually less than 10%).

Is one better than the other?

In my opinion, you’re going to get a much cleaner, more functional experience with live products. The flash-freezing process preserves the extremely fragile terpene profile of the plant material, which enhances the unique flavors & effects of the strain.

What is a solventless concentrate?

It’s exactly what it sounds like, a concentrate produced without the use of chemical solvents. Most concentrates on the market are made using chemical solvents such as hydrocarbon or ethanol. These solvents are perfectly safe and commonly found in a variety of industries, not just cannabis. However, if you’re looking for a flavorful experience that’s similar to the traditional way of smoking flower, solventless concentrates are the way to go.

Solventless concentrates are made using extensive mechanical extraction processes. The frozen plant material is sent through a series of

ice baths that allow the trichomes to physically separate from the buds. The extracted material can be consumed as-is (in the form of bubble hash) or pressed into rosin and other forms. Solventless concentrates can also be made using a series of screens and filters that collect the trichomes in a dry, almost dusty form known as kief or dry sift.

Tell us about the different forms of solventless, live concentrates.

There’s a lot of well-deserved excitement around these products. Our labs at Surterra use the most innovative technology available to create our line of live concentrates. We’re constantly working to create the cleanest, purest, most potent products for our patients – and it shows.

Live Bubble Hash is essentially the foundation of all live concentrates. It starts with sending fresh, undried cannabis flower through an ice water bath to collect the trichomes, then freezedrying it to preserve the unique terpenes and potent cannabinoids of the strain. The result is a natural concentrate that’s soft, powdery, and easy to use along your favorite flower. It’s also incredibly versatile and can be further manipulated into other products.

Live Rosin is one of the purest cannabis concentrates, containing only natural trichomes, terpene profiles and cannabinoid ratios. It’s made by applying heat and pressure to Live Bubble Hash, resulting in a soft & pliable product that’s perfect for dabbing or vaping.

Speaking of vaping, Live Rosin Vapes are a great place to start if you’re new to the world of live concentrates. They’re similar to distillate vapes in appearance and consumption method, but the difference lies within. Live Rosin Vapes are made by placing extracted live rosin in a gastight, sealed vessel for decarboxylation, resulting in preservation of all terpenes and making it perfect for vape oil. Anything else we should know?

I’m always excited to see what the solventless lab at Surterra is rolling out. Our new line of premium concentrates – Galileo – just hit the shelves, bringing live, solventless products like Live Bubble Hash and Live Rosin to people across the state. I *highly* recommend checking it out.

Visit surterra.info/CLgalileo to discover new dimensions of live cannabis concentrates.

Live Bubble Hash Pressing Live Rosin

Live THCA Powder

Live Rosin

Alèvri & Co. cake slice pop-up Saturday, July 15, noon-3 p.m. No cover, while supplies last. Black Radish Grocer. 2923 N 12th St., Tampa. @alevri.co on Instagram

RESTAURANTS RECIPES DINING GUIDES

Flour child

Dawn Konofaos makes stunning sweets, and shares her secrets, too.

By Annalise Mabe

When people think of the work of Dawn Konofaos, the fine sweets artist and baker behind local baking company Alèvri & Co., they may think of the commonly seen descriptors in the comments section of her Instagram: “Stunnnning!!!,” “GORGEOUS!!,” “Dreamy.”

These are pretty accurate, and newbies to her work may be shocked to find that everything she makes is vegan, the flowers are edible, and she’s been featured in the New York Times (twice). Locals have a chance to experience it when Konofaos does a special cake-by-the-slice pop-up this weekend in Ybor City.

But where did she start? Konofaos’ origin story can be traced back to Baltimore, Maryland where she was born, and Columbia, respectively, where she was raised, helping her Aunt Angie (who she says is one of her greatest baking inspirations) in the kitchen, where all the kids were invited to join in. Then, it was off to Florida for fashion design school where Konofaos added more skills to her toolbox and continued baking as a hobby for her college roommates, for fun, and as a way to relax.

But before three-tiered cakes, delicate macarons, and national outlet mentions, Konofaos’ prior lives saw her as a photo stylist and a millner where she crafted ornate bridal veils, hats, and flower fasteners. Those flowers seemed to stick, though, as she moved more into baking, learning, practicing, and ultimately perfecting the art of hand making realistic-looking, edible flowers, sometimes made from sugar, or sometimes made from wafer papers.

The transition from milliner to renowned baker didn’t happen overnight. It was actually her husband who nudged her to transform her baking hobby into a business, and who is partially responsible for its name as Alèvri which means “flour” in Greek.

“I started Alèvri with doughnuts,” Konofaos tells Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. “First it was just small orders for friends, for parties and such. Then I made some doughnuts for my friend Mara’s birthday, and through that made some more connections.”

One of those connections got her an invitation to a local event called Crowned, specifically for Black creatives and makers, which marked a pivotal moment for her.

“This was around 2016,” she says. “It’s really hard, in the South especially, to make

connections with other Black people. So I pretty much hit the jackpot saying yes to doing that event. It’s where I met some of the most important people in my life.”

From there, Konofaos focused on pop-ups and selling at the Indie Flea where she offered her fresh-baked donuts and her most popular item, doughsants. As a self-described nerd, Konofaos loved studying dough lamination and perfecting her recipe.

“Doughsants are laminated donuts,” Konofaos says. “They’re basically a hybrid between a donut and croissant and are sometimes filled with a custard in the middle.”

Focusing on small events and wholesaling for a few shops was great for a while, she said, but ultimately led to her getting burned out. Then, she moved onto her “macaron journey,” and diving into wedding cakes by 2019. “People kind of assume that if you make cake then you also make wedding cakes, so that’s how I started making them and practicing a lot after I got an inquiry,” she adds.

And now, after many, many one-of-a-kind wedding or special order cakes, Konofaos continues to offer unique designs and brand new flavors like Citrus Golden Honey, Strawberry Milk, Coco Banana Dream, Ode to Stone Fruit, Red Wine Velvet Cake, and Lychee Dreams.

These days, she’s also balancing being a new mom and tending to herself and her small family with her business, but importantly, she never lets the latter override her capacity. After becoming a mother, she’s had to adapt in her work as she’s navigating this balancing act which has led to a slower-moving season by nature of re-prioritizing everyone’s needs.

“It’s been difficult,” she says of this era where she is now a working mom, mothering her now two-year-old who hops around her legs. This two-year-old who she says is actually thee most beautiful flower she has ever made. And what’s incredibly real and special about Konofaos is how she invites her Instagram followers, her community, into her home via her stories on the daily, letting us all know what she’s up to, what she may be working on, or if she’s taking a much needed break, and why.

It’s this bit of transparency, this bit of relationship building she does with her community, along with her unwillingness to compromise—herself, her art—that speaks to Konofaos’ ethic and the type of magic she makes and transfers into each bake she sends out into the world. Because when she creates, she seems to do it with and from her whole self—not a compartmentalized component.

These days, though she may feel like she’s moving more slowly, she still finds a way to wake up in the earliest light, hours before toddler, to start on a bake, or stay up late while he sleeps, adding the last touches to a special order. Somehow, she has been finding time to create learning tools, her first-ever asynchronous course, and a newsletter to boot.

“The newsletter is pretty awesome, actually,” Konofaos says. “I’ve always wanted to create a learning community, so this has been a perfect platform for skill sharing, community, and storytelling.”

As for what’s next for Alévri, she says that’s harder to say. As for herself?

“I just want to be making art and sharing it. Not sure if Alévri will always be a part of that, but I hope she will be.”

HANDS DOWN: Alèvri & Co.’s vegan, edible, flowers are some of the most breathtaking sweets in Tampa Bay.

ALEVRICO/FACEBOOK

“I’ve always wanted to create a learning community.”

Something in the Water

New Mexican restaurant Lona debuts next week, and more local foodie news

By Kyla Fields

Another day, another new concept heading to Tampa’s ever-booming Water Street neighborhood. Its newest Mexican restaurant Lona—located at 505 Water St. inside of Tampa Marriott Water Street—celebrates a grand opening on Tuesday, July 18. A press release describes the new eatery’s menu as an “elevated but approachable expression of Mexican fare. You can soon take your Taco Tuesday to the next level with Lona’s spread of expected favorites like guacamole, street corn, tuna tostadas, quesadillas and fish tacos, in addition to entrees like roasted red pepper fajitas and grilled skirt steak with refried beans,

corn enmolada (tortillas smothered in mole), and sautéed poblano peppers.

Lona’s extended weekend brunch menu is expected to launch within the next few months as well. Its bar program will also offer a selection of over 200 mezcal and tequila options, and lucky guests might be able to take a visit to Lona’s private spirits lockers, too.

OPENINGS & CLOSINGS

This new restaurant offers a menu full of high-end Mexican dishes from Chef Richard Sandoval in collaboration with fellow South Florida chef Pablo Salas. The only other location of Lona resides in Fort Lauderdale and offers a food and drink menu similar to Tampa’s upcoming location.

His hospitality group also owned the concept that previously occupied the restaurant space that Lona will open out of, an American restaurant called Garrison’s Tavern. It opened back in 2019, but has remained closed since the beginning of June in preparation for Lona’s grand opening.

Lona’s interior matches its approachable Mexican cuisine, with the dining room is covered in various tapestries, intricately-weaved patterns, and colorful pottery.

Sandoval’s hospitality group owns and operates 60 restaurants across 11 different countries— including Anchor and Brine, Tampa Marriott Water Street’s waterfront restaurant and Lona’s more casual sibling.

From Monday-Friday, the new restaurant will serve lunch from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and dinner from 4 p.m.-11 p.m, and will be open from 10 a.m.-11 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Lona will host happy hour every day from 4 p.m.-6 p.m., and offer up to three hours of complimentary valet service for all of its patrons. For the continued on page 43

SUB-LIME: Mexican restaurant Lona dishes out a menu of high end tacos, quesadillas and more.

continued from page 41

latest information on Water Street’s newest restaurant, head to its Instagram at @lonatampa.

New St. Pete Latin American restaurant Parasol opens at The Vinoy Resort & Golf Club

St. Pete’s historic Vinoy Resort & Golf Club has undergone multiple renovations over the past two years, and one of its most exciting additions recently opened its doors. Latin American restaurant Parasol—with beautiful views of both Tampa Bay and the hotel’s pool—made its debut at 501 5th Ave. NE last week. A press release says the newly-opened restaurant offers an “island-like atmosphere” and a menu inspired by Latin-American flavors.

Parasol’s seafood-focused menu features small plates of tuna tartare, grouper ceviche, jicama ensalada and lobster quesadillas, in addition to tropical-inspired cocktails like the Chilcano—a blend of the high-proof fermented grape juice spirit pisco, ginger, strawberry and lime. A variety of salads, sandwiches and refreshing desserts are also offered alongside an expected spread of beer, wine, seltzers and frozen cocktails.

The restaurant is adjacent to The Vinoy’s massive pool, located between the hotel’s two main towers, and offers outdoor open-air seating. The debut of The Vinoy’s newest dining concept has no effect on its other restaurant Paul’s Landing, which has been open since 2018— the same year that the hotel was purchased by Bryan Glazer-led SCG Hospitality LLC for a whopping $188.5 million. In addition to American restaurant Paul’s Landing and the newly-opened Parasol, The Vinoy also sells coffee and pastries from recently-opened cafe Lottie, lush cocktails from its bar Veranda and casual eats from the Vinoy Club Grill, located on its Snell Isle golf course.

The Parasol is one of the many facets of the historic hotel’s multi-million dollar renovations, which finished its first phase a few months ago. One big change that folks can expect in the future includes an expansion of its fine dining restaurant Marchand’s Bar & Grill, which has been closed since 2020. The Vinoy Resort & Golf Club, a true St. Pete landmark, will celebrate its 100th birthday in 2025.

There are no social media pages for Parasol just yet, so head to thevinoy.com for the latest information on St. Pete’s newest restaurant. Parasol is open daily from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and reservations can be made via opentable.com or by calling its host stand directly at 813-618-4044.

Rene’s Mexican Kitchen will open first brick and mortar location in Ybor City this summer

One of Tampa’s favorite food trucks will soon open its debut storefront. About three weeks ago, a Rene’s Mexican Kitchen sign popped up on the building at 2802 N 16th St. on the outskirts of Ybor City, and Chef Rene Valenzuela himself recently told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that

his brand’s first brick and mortar is currently in the works. The building was formerly occupied by local catering business Gaston’s Culinary Services, which recently relocated to 301 S 22nd St. in South Tampa.

Although this small, North Ybor building is the food truck’s first official brick and mortar, Chef Rene tells CL that his upcoming location will be an ultra-casual pick-up window and not a full-service restaurant. “This location is a small step forward—but an important one,” Chef Rene says. “It’s going to be a bodega-style space with a walk-up window, similar to something you’d see in Miami or New York.”

This new brick and mortar will offer no indoor or outdoor seating—just take-out orders and delivery via companies like Uber, DoorDash, etc. Since Chef Rene’s team is only making slight renovations to the Ybor City space, he’s confident that his upcoming location will debut later this summer—hopefully sometime in August.

has multiple locations throughout the greater Tampa Bay area. Even after he sold his stake in the company in 2015, he continued to dish out his beloved Mexican fare through other ventures. During a six month stint in the hospital after surviving a horrific fire in 2018, Rene says he finally realized what his lifelong dream was. “I had this epiphany of wanting to open a Mexican steakhouse, where I could bring the absolute best that Mexico has to offer to our customers” Rene says. “I’m still in the long process of introducing more interesting ingredients and cooking techniques to our audience. I want my food to honor the evolution of Mexican cuisine.”

Taste of Bern’s” menu loaded with appetizers, entrees and desserts inspired by Bern’s Steak House. Both restaurants share an executive chef, Chad Johnson, who crafted this exclusive menu to help satisfy the palette of Bern’s regulars while the steakhouse remains closed for the next few weeks.

OPENINGS & CLOSINGS

In 2019, the chef from Monterrey, Mexico launched the first Rene’s Mexican Kitchen food truck, creating a go-to spot for unique tacos and regional Mexican cuisine in Seminole Heights.

Appetizers include French onion risotto, steak tartare and shrimp cocktail, while featured entrees include a variety of Bern’s signature meats like filet mignon, dry-aged porterhouses and racks of lamb. A selection of classic steakhouse sides like creamed spinach and lobster mashed potatoes joins a small menu of desserts from the Harry Waugh Room pastry team and wines from Bern’s world-famous cellar.

Alongside these exclusive Bern’s-inspired offerings, Haven also dishes out its regular menu of roasted red snapper, foie gras dumplings, peri peri chicken thighs, charred lamb hearts and grilled octopus.

According to its website, Bern’s has been closed since July 2. The restaurant expects the remodeling to take about two weeks, but it’s unsure exactly when it will reopen its doors. Its summer renovations include changes to its lounge, kitchen and staff break area. To get a “A Taste of Bern’s,” make reservations at haventampa.com.

Rock Brothers Brewing and its music venue

The Attic have closed in Ybor

City

The music just died on another corner of Ybor City. Last week, Rock Brothers Brewing and its second story music venue The Attic announced their closure via social media. The last day of operation was last Sunday, July 2, and phone calls to the brewery and its general manager have not been returned. It’s unclear if there will be any farewell events or festivities.

In addition to slinging its own tacos and burritos, its Ybor City location will help its Seminole Heights food truck pump out more food, since it has considerably more refrigeration and storage space. The soon-to-open brick and mortar will also help Chef Rene fulfill massive catering orders throughout the week. It will boast the exact same menu as its food truck, with the addition of tortas, a Mexican sandwich served on a soft roll.

When Rene’s Mexican Kitchen’s second location opens this summer, it will sling tacos loaded with proteins like al pastor, barbacoa, chorizo and cheese, picadillo-stuffed peppers and spicy shrimp, in addition to vegetarian options like oyster mushrooms and butternut squash. Various burritos, house specialties and expected sides will join its taco-heavy menu, too.

Chef Rene has deep culinary roots in Tampa as the founder of Taco Bus, which now

The new Ybor City space won’t affect his flagship food truck at 4414 N Nebraska Ave., which will continue to boast the same menu and hours after its sibling location opens.

After its debut, Rene’s Mexican Kitchen’s Ybor City location will be open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. For the latest news on Rene’s Mexican Kitchen’s grand opening this summer, head to its Facebook or Instagram, both at @renesmexicankitchenofficial.

While Bern’s Steak House undergoes renovations this month, sibling restaurant Haven offers ‘Taste of Bern’s’ specials

While Tampa’s iconic steak house undergoes renovations (for the first time in several years), its little sibling gives its loyal patrons a literal taste of Bern’s. Between July 11-15, South Tampa’s Haven–located at 2208 W Morrison Ave. just a couple blocks away—will offer an exclusive “A

“We give thanks to the many guests, artists, employees, and everyone else who made this little corner of Ybor City a special place,” Rock Brothers wrote. “We aren’t sure what the future holds, but for now we will say… See you soon! We will miss you all!! ”

Located at the corner of 8th Avenue and 15th Street, The Attic opened in 2016. Rock Brothers Brewing opened in 2017 and quickly gained a reputation for its music-themed beers and upstairs venue, which was hands down the best listening room in Hillsborough County.

It’s first concert featured Florida swamp-rock hero JJ Grey, and the corner was the epicenter for the Ybor City version of short-lived Bay area music festival Whigfest. Six shows were on The Attic’s live music calendar—including a July 13 show with Christian songwriter Cochren and Co.—but the venue said it was “issuing refunds which will be credited back through Eventbrite in the coming days and weeks depending on when the show was scheduled.”—Ray Roa

HARD ROCK LIFE: Ybor City's Rock Brothers Brewing and The Attic are closed.

ROCKBROTHERSBREWING/FACEBOOK

Now at The Dalí

Over 100 rarely displayed drawings from the hand of Salvador Dalí offer a glimpse into the artist’s most intimate and spontaneous creative process.

BOOKS

City of Tampa Archives Awareness Week

Friday (6:30 p.m.) & Saturday (10:30 a.m.), July 14-15.No cover. The Bricks, 1327 E 7th Ave., Ybor City. tampa.gov

MOVIES THEATER ART CULTURE

Marching on

Archives Awareness Week wraps with talks about the radicals and revolutionaries who changed Ybor City.

By Ray Roa

Some people associate Ybor City with roosters and hand-rolled cigars. Three women— Dolores Ibárruri, Luisa Moreno and Margot Falcón Blanco, immortalized in a mural on 7th Avenue—might add a layer to that point of view.

Ibárruri was an activist in Spain from where many of Ybor’s first immigrant families arrived. A fierce antifascist and orator, she once said, “The Spanish people would rather die on its feet than live on its knees.” While she did not live here, Ibárruri embodies the spirit of an antifascist movement that was prevalent in the streets of Tampa’s historic district in the late-1930s.

Moreno, for her part, left her home and husband in New York City in late-1935. She had her seven-year-old daughter by her side and sought to leave the Communist Party behind, too. A bus took her to Tampa where she worked for nearly two years as an organizer for the American Federation of Labor.

In 1937, less than a year after Francisco Franco’s fascist Nationalist Party started the Spanish Civil War, Blanco was one of about 5,000 Latinas who marched west on Seventh Avenue to downtown Tampa. The women delivered a petition to the mayor condemning what the Tampa Tribune called the “ruthless killing of women and children by Franco’s forces.”

Ybor City’s women planned that march; the Tribune says men made up the rear of the contingent. And this weekend two women will reintroduce Ibárruri, Moreno and Blanco to the community as part of the finale to the City of Tampa’s Archives Awareness Week.

On Friday, Sarah McNamara—a native Tampeña and author of a new book, “Ybor City: Crucible of the Latina South’’—leads an evening discussion about the district’s radicals and revolutionaries who stood up for themselves, led global movements, and fought against facism.

Moreno will be visited, but so will Luisa Capetillo, a Puerto Rican anarcho-syndicalist, feminist, and labor organizer who is the only known lectora to live and work in Ybor City.

Paulina Pedroso, Afro Cuban co-owner of the Pedroso Boarding House (José Martí Park sits on the land where this home and business once stood), is one of the characters of McNamara’s untold stories, and so are Tampeñas Dolores

Patiño Río and Blanca Vega—both survivors of the Great Depression, and everyday radicals and revolutionaries. The lives of a few other figures will teach attendees lessons about the importance of writing, inter-ethnic and interracial organizing, as well as queerness.

And the talk will be a party, too. Tampa artist Michelle Sawyer, who painted the mural commemorating Ybor City’s 1937 antifascist women’s march, also programs The Bricks and has taken the reins for the event, added a photo exhibit, planned themed cocktails with bar staff, made custom shirts and stickers, and even built a Tampa-themed selfie station.

Those still itching to get down and celebrate can even return on Saturday for a daytime Ybor City walking tour led by McNamara, who’s now a professor of history at Texas A&M. After the walk, The Bricks hosts a 136th birthday celebration for the City of Tampa, complete with cake.

Sawyer, whose large scale mural work is all over the city, told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay

that she was initially apprehensive when first approached to do the women’s march piece, her first solo commission mural in about a decade.

“This was an arena I wasn’t sure I wanted to step back into and from a health standpoint, I was a bit scared to do another mural,” she said about the work that is painted on the western wall of the Ybor City Community Redevelopment Area office. But the uniqueness and messaging made it an opportunity Sawyer could not pass up.

“The excitement over the mural has been refreshing,” Sawyer said, adding that she feels proud of the role she played. “Proud of my hometown, its history, my heritage and proud to have been selected for the project.”

And for McNamara, this weekend is a chance to take off the academia hat and bring the book— which represents a decade spent in cold rooms, surrounded by boxes, folders and old documents— to the neighborhood and people who are writing their own Ybor City history right now. “What researchers do really does have real life lessons and real life implications,” she said.

The book is not some alternative perspective on what happened in Ybor City, but real history and storytelling verified by records in the archives of the USF special collections, petitions in the City of Tampa archives and the city directories that are part of a treasure chest of artifacts at the

Tampa Bay History Center. “I followed specific families and explained where they lived, worked, and moved throughout Ybor,” she said.

McNamara also explored how those families reacted when authoritarian or fascist regimes, and those that dealt with white supremacy in a really overt way, took complete control and sought to fund a state through immigrant labor and immigrant work. She found that those families did not roll over.

“They said, ‘This is now my home, and I really care about this place, and you’re going to recognize me whether or not you like it or not,’” McNamara explained. “And they figure out a way to mobilize and how to claim space for themselves.”

The timing is not lost on her either.

“I didn’t anticipate that the book would become as precious or as in-the-moment-important as it has,” McNamara told CL. Activists have emailed her to say they discussed parts of the book in their labor union meetings to illustrate different moments of resistance. Because what’s also baked into “Ybor City: Crucible of the Latina South’’ is the stories of how individuals and communities changed as part of their activism.

“I find it interesting,” McNamara said. “What people are seeing in the lessons of the book, which may not have been prevalent during the last 10 years, have become very apparent now.”

HAT’S OFF: Sarah McNamara gets to bring her academic work to real people this weekend.

BUY LOCAL HALF OFF!

Reflection

‘Lynch/Oz’ explores one of America’s most idiosyncratic artists.

By Aditya Sudhakaran

The term “Lynchian” often gets thrown around in conversation surrounding the abstract or, in reference to, anything outside of linear, straightforward cinema. Considering David Lynch’s own skewed relationship to the mainstream, the term becomes comparably pervasive as a descriptor for media that lacks the kind of depth and sincerity found in Lynch’s work. These qualities are contextualized in Alexandre O. Philippe’s “Lynch/Oz,” a thoughtful collection of video essays that weaves together an exploration of the Hollywood classic as a throughline in Lynch’s work.

Philippe follows the yellow brick road, and, with his chosen ensemble consisting of both writers and filmmakers, the director aims to dissect the crossings between Lynch’s unique fusion of tones with his greatest influence, “The Wizard of Oz.” Each essayist delivers a 15-20 minute revelatory reflection on the subjects at hand: their adoration of both “The Wizard of Oz” and David Lynch, and how often Lynch observes similarities of himself in the Hollywood classic.

FILM & TV

Lynch/Oz

Saturday (7 p.m.) & Sunday (3 p.m.), July 15-16, $8. Screen Door Microcinema. 1624 E 7th Ave., Ybor City. ybormicrocinema.org

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Motifs, such as the ruby slippers or the ominous presence of someone behind the curtain, are closely inspected in clips from various moments in Lynch’s career. Broader motifs like the overwhelming proximity to evil in Lynch’s villains

loom large, just as the Wicked Witch of the West looms over the land of Oz. Another compelling similarity between Oz and Lynch’s works involves the essays’ attention to the life of Judy Garland, aside from her illustrious career, as a reflection of the darkness of Hollywood’s systemic oppression. This topic resonates with Lynch who often develops his narratives to include depictions of naïve and oppressed young women. Philippe emphasizes cinema’s influence on the essayists, and the subjects’ interaction allows the audience to comprehend the writers’ responses to the juxtaposition of constantly being in between both fantastical and realistic worlds and cinema’s ability to transcend reality. After all, the central message of “The Wizard of Oz” always resonates with movie enthusiasts. When the film switches from black and white to color, its visual transition opens the audience to a different world outside of its own, suggesting that the experience of moviegoing becomes the spectacle of cinema itself. As the documentary puts it, the story of “The Wizard of Oz” is the story of David Lynch becoming a filmmaker. Phillipe is interested in celebrating Lynch’s career while attempting to echo the impact “The Wizard of Oz” sparks to encourage viewers to return to the cinema.

FRACTURED IDEA : Lynch’s has a skewed relationship to the mainstream.

Culture Club w/Berlin/Howard Jones Saturday, July 15. 7 p.m. $24.95 & up MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, 4802 U.S. Hwy-301, Tampa. livenation.com

REVIEWS PROFILES MUSIC WEEK

Tell me why

Berlin’s Terri Nunn talks Christmas album, Sisters of Mercy, and more.

By Gabe Echazabal

The rise of new wave and electronic music in the late-70s and early-’80s occurred in a precarious, fraught manner. The genres were perceived as appealing to a very niche audience and were marketed in the hopes of appealing to outsiders who’d maybe outgrown or become tired of punk-rock and those who continued to eschew the trappings of corporate, arena rock.

Surprisingly, some artists and bands managed to break through the stylistic division and compartmentalization record companies contributed to in their marketing strategies. While it’s obvious that the rise of MTV helped break the dam of exposure for many who might not have had a chance to become known to the average record buyer at that time, it’s still puzzling to figure out just how certain bands were able to strike a chord with teenage music fans, the core audience the industry was pandering to at the time.

One band that was able to break through and defy expectations and predictions is Berlin. The California-based, electro-new wave outfiit was heavily influenced by bands like Devo and Sparks and had more leanings towards the music that was being widely accepted throughout Europe but hadn’t quite caught on in the States yet. After a few years of existence with different lead singers (first a male singer, and then a different female singer), the band crossed paths with Terri Nunn in the late-‘70s and, by 1980, she was the permanent frontwoman for the all-male band.

A stint with an indie label and attention the band was garnering for their exciting live shows around California led to it signing to a major label and the re-release of a 1882 EP, Pleasure Victim. While the music video for one of the record’s singles, “The Metro” became a mainstay on MTV and led to brisk record sales, it was another track on the record, the racy and provocative new wave dance club hit, “Sex (I’m A…)” that was the dirty little secret within the grooves of that album.

As an early purveyor of femininity and girl power within the new wave scene, Terri Nunn, who’d also pursued an acting career earlier in her career (with a role in the 1978 disco era film, “Thank God It’s Friday”), stood as a beacon of encouragement, empowerment, and strength for millions of young females at very impressionable times of their lives. Berlin became a worldwide success with the release of “Take My Breath Away,” the ballad that

rose to the top of the charts in several countries around the globe as the unforgettable love theme from the 1986 blockbuster film, “Top Gun.”

Fast forward to the present day and Nunn is still fronting the band who has steadily gained enormous amounts of praise and accolades from younger bands they’ve influenced throughout the ensuing decades that have passed. Still out on the road, writing, recording, and touring, Nunn, now 62, is prepping for another tour, this summer’s ’80s throwback package tour headlined by Culture Club joined on the bill by solo synth-pop artist Howard Jones on the bill.

“I love these tours” Nunn gushed when asked about the multi-act bills she and Berlin are often asked to participate in. “They’re my favorite. I like playing with multiple bands because I’m a fan, too, and normally, I wouldn’t get to see these groups perform.” Nunn admits that she’s a fan of both the Boy George-led Culture Club and of Jones.

“We’ve played with them in the past. They are nice people” she told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.

One of Berlin’s most important and globally viewed performances occurred exactly 40 years ago, when it appeared on a bill alongside musical luminaries like U2, Stevie Nicks, and David Bowie in 1983. The scene was the second installment of the US Festival, a three-day affair held in Southern California, conceived by Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak. In a move to counter the 1970s, often referred to as the “Me” generation, the founder thought it timelier to conceive a music festival that focused on community, hence the inclusive title it was given. The timing was rich and ripe for the band who was making the leap from club stages to a national platform, playing to hundreds of thousands of fans and receiving worldwide attention in the process. “The vibe is still there,” Nunn said, reflecting on those days and comparing them to the present day.

“I love the concert experience” she adds. “A lot of our time is spent sitting in studios, which are like windowless man caves. I appreciate the tech aspect of them, but my connection is with people. That’s what I really love about music.”

On the date of our conversation, the lineup for this year’s gargantuan “Festival Corona Capital” music festival was revealed. Berlin was asked to be a part of the unbelievable lineup for this three-day affair that boasts huge acts like Blur, The Cure, Pet Shop Boys, and Arcade Fire on its

roster. Nunn’s elation was evident when discussing the event. “It’s our first time getting the invitation!” she gushed, which more than proved that her enthusiasm for the business she’s been a part of for 40 years is still a thrill.

Speaking of thrills, Nunn added some of her personal thoughts about her recent opportunity to share a stage with Andrew Eldritch and his band, goth kingpins and forerunners, Sisters of Mercy, which has taken to live performance again after a long time away from touring. In an almost sentimental tone, Nunn bubbled about the event. “I’d lost contact with Andrew [Eldritch] for 30 years. Staying in touch wasn’t easy. There were so many things I wanted to say to him. The show was as special as being alone with him and getting to share more of that magical, musical connection with him” she added, regarding her platonic friendship and her admiration for the singer and songwriter.

“We’d had a huge hit with ‘Under the Gun’ in the U.K. in 1993” she remembers, when talking about the Sisters of Mercy single on which she duetted with Eldritch, “…and being able to reconnect with him onstage was amazing.”

Shedding light on the lifestyles musicians tend to lead was also an eye-opening admission Nunn introduced to the conversation, especially after asking why she’d lost touch with her one time duet partner.

“Most musicians aren’t really social people. We have issues!” she laughed. “It helps when we get to connect with people though… Music is a shared love and it’s really great when you’re with those people who share that love, as a group.”

Looking ahead, Nunn hinted at what Berlin’s future holds. Besides the current tour, there’s a Christmas album in the works. She also spoke of a film adaptation of “World in My Eyes,” the 2017 memoir written by Richard Blade, a British DJ credited with helping to break in many new wave acts as a California-based radio personality, dating back to the 1980s. One portion of the book is devoted to Blade’s short lived romantic relationship with Nunn which is sometimes referred to as a “rock and roll nightmare.”

It’s clear Nunn is not one to sit still for long and that she’s always looking for ways to satisfy her lifelong thirst for music and for performing. Those who have seen her perform onstage with Berlin know of the charisma and the liveliness she brings to her performances; those who’ll be experiencing her and her band’s brand of high energy, electro-rock for the first time on the upcoming multi-act bill will no doubt become one of her many devoted fans instantly and will eagerly look forward to seeing Berlin again and again.

DOPE SHOW: Berlin plays Tampa alongside Culture Club and Howard Jones.

Dance again

David Brighton, perhaps the world’s greatest Bowie tribute act, plays Clearwater.

By Gabe Echazabal

For David Brighton, performing his “Space Oddity—The Ultimate David Bowie Experience” show is more than a job; it’s an act of reverence and respect for the man whose music he gets to play and perform every night with a full band backing him. A longtime musician and primarily a guitarist, Brighton has been the leading and most renowned David Bowie impersonator for a decade now. Scoring endless accolades from fans, audience members and Bowie colleagues as well, his performance skills and his dedication to mastering every finite detail are staggering. Brighton’s intent devotion to masterfully channelling Bowie’s moves, mannerisms, facial expressions, and affects, are downright jaw dropping.

The Los Angeles-based performer was on a short break from his rigorous, in-demand touring schedule (which typically takes him all around the world) when he spoke to Creative Loafing Tampa Bay ahead of his eagerly awaited, repeat performance in Clearwater. Read an abridged Q&A below and see the full chat via cltampa.com/music.

So, what does preparation look like before you go out on the road regarding rehearsals and things of that nature?

I don’t want to mention any song titles but we’re bringing some different songs into the mix. He’s got such a vast catalog, of course, that you cannot possibly put a dent into it in a two-hour show. Of course, you have the obligatory pieces that you have to do, so we try to squeeze in as many of the interesting album cuts as possible. So, we’re working up some more of those.

Is bringing in new songs a way to keep it evolving to keep it sharp? How do you satisfy your personal choices or those you’d like to cover in the show?

Absolutely. I bring in new costumes or different costumes. So, if it were up to me, I would just do the whole Man Who Sold the World album maybe, and then the whole Hunky Dory album or something like that…or all of Aladdin Sane But again, you’ve got to do the hits and so forth and you really do have to cover all of the different eras as much as possible in a show because, as you know, he’s got so many fans, and many of his fans seem to focus on a particular decade. They might have grown up on him in the ‘80s or the ‘90s, maybe the ‘70s and some even in the ‘60s. So, that’s where they sort of linger. And so, he’s an interesting artist in that manner, because he did have such a long career. So, you’re juggling all of these different preferences and decades, so it makes it more interesting, of course.

A lot of people have their personal favorite eras of Bowie’s career. Do you think that that kind of lends itself to the time at which they became familiar with him or when they were introduced to him or? Do you think that’s the common denominator? Yeah, I think with most of us, we gravitate toward the music that we grew up on; when we were in school or particularly those years, we

What would you say is your personal favorite era of Bowie’s career? The Ziggy Stardust era?

Since I’m a rock guitar player and Mick Ronson is one of my all-time favorites, yes, it is. I love a lot of the other eras too; Station to Station and the experimental stuff he did and all sorts of things that he did. There’s always

knew every word to “Life on Mars.” Everyone knew every word to “Ashes to Ashes” as well as for other songs. “Life on Mars” was not a single at the time in the States. And then, in New Zealand, everyone knew “Sorrow.” When we did that, everyone went crazy. So yes, it’s, it’s very interesting how that works.

How long have you been doing the Bowie show? What’s the general feedback?

It’s been about 10 years. I remember when we started, I said I’ll probably do this for about five years and, years later, there’s a bigger demand for it than ever. So, we’re enjoying it.

Obviously, you felt like the demand was higher after he passed away, correct?

Yeah, it’s strange how we humans operate but, when something is gone, there’s more of a demand. On the day he died, the way I found out that he had passed is when the phone started ringing off the hook, very early in the morning and the emails were pouring in and, and texts are pouring in. And so, I was being inundated from all sides, and being asked “Can you play this day? Can you play here? Can you play?” And, and a lot of them didn’t say why, but it was just this massive flood and of course, eventually I saw an email that said that he’d passed and just like, ‘What?’ That just went on and on and on. It was very, very strange. And then the first week or so, in the audience, everyone’s crying and in costumes at the shows and it was a big catharsis. We just did a show in North Carolina and our agent came to the show and asked me, “David do they always wear costumes and makeup at the shows?” I said, “Yeah. Yeah, they do. Not everyone in the audience, but plenty.” I mean, that’s part of the fun.

Did you ever get any feedback from the man himself about your show?

Bowie was very supportive of what we did. He’d post about us on Facebook or on his official website and hired me to do a commercial with him. We work insanely hard to do what we do as we do. So, you have to be a little bit crazy to put in the amount of effort we’ve put in.

somehow never escape even after we’ve grown up, you know what I mean? What’s nostalgic to us is a certain era of our lives. So, let’s say you’re a person who grew up with Labyrinth or, or Let’s Dance, that’s going to be something that really sticks with you. And, I could go to each different era and say the same thing.

something great coming out of Bowie. I still talk about him like he’s still with us, forgive me.

Do you find that you change the show’s set list based on the region of the world you’re playing in? We do, because as you said, when we got to Europe the first time, I noticed that everyone

You leave no detail out. It blew my mind when I saw your performance how faithful you were to everything: every aspect, every move, and every note.

We try. Of course, you’re never going to be someone else. But you try to represent what you can, and we do it with respect, love, and honor because that’s how we feel about it.

C/O DAVID BRIGHTON

David Brighton’s ‘Space Oddity’ Saturday, July 15, 8 p.m. $35-$55 The Nancy and David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre. 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater rutheckerdhall.com

HUNKY DORY: Bowie himself even blessed Brighton’s show.

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By Josh Bradley & Ray Roa C CL Recommends

THU 13

Seals & Crofts 2 Jim Seals’ death last summer ended all hopes for one last Seals & Crofts reunion. Luckily, his cousin Brady Seals—a founding member of country outfit Little Texas—and Dash Crofts’ daughter Lua are keeping the family idea alive by taking their elders’ timeless soft rock anthems—as well as other folk standards to harmonize to— on the road. No telling if the senior Crofts will be back to make new music anytime soon, but in the meantime, how can you turn down hearing modern folk harmonies in a venue as glorious as Hough Hall? (Hough Hall at Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg)

Staind Proud Boys are about to have a temporary new meeting spot. Three days before Ted Nugent’s farewell tour rolls into the Hard Rock, self-described “legendary rock band” Staind—featuring everyone’s favorite ivermectin-poppin’, neck tattoo sportin’, Trump-lovin’ lead singer Aaron Lewis—will kick off a new run of shows in the same room, promoting a fairly cryptic, upcoming album set to release in the fall, entitled Confessions Of The Fallen . No one can say for sure, but if “the fallen” refers to incarcerated insurrectionists, would you be shocked? (Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa)

FRI 14

Chest Fever In honor of last week’s release of a live album documenting a tour that celebrated the 50th anniversary of The Band’s Rock Of Ages , the Robbie Robertsonapproved tribute ensemble is scheduled to take on a run of shows periodically running until the end of November. It isn’t often that Tampa Bay gets a revival of the, err, band that once backed a newly electric Bob Dylan, so this might be the closest we’re going to get to the real deal. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)

Dierks Bentley w/Jordan Davis/Caylee

Hammack When Mr. “Drunk on a Plane” performed at the ol’ Gary last summer, he had just one single from his at-the-time unannounced Gravel & Gold album. Less than a year after that sweltering shindig, the 47-year-old Nashville boy is bringing his new, yet same-old-story country jams to town yet again, this time with support from fellow Nashvillians Jordan Davis and Caylee Hammack, who’ve both been nominated for CMT Music Awards this decade. (Midflorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa)

Louis Tomlinson w/The Snuts/Andrew Cushin Harry Styles’ massive “Love On Tour” shows finally wrapped up at Wembley Stadium earlier in the summer, and Directioners will have to wait a year for Niall Horan’s solo tour to commence. But in the meantime, Louis Tomlinson is about to take the world by storm himself, promoting his sophomore album Faith in the Future , an

indie-rock collection described as far more hopeful and upbeat than his previous Walls album, and loaded with what sounds like Ed Sheeran influence. (Yuengling Center, Tampa)

Outta Pocket w/Stoneman/Seeing Red/ Plague Spitter/Vile Serpent/Jar It feels like hardcore bands from every corner of the country are taking summer road trips that stop at this gnarly biker bar in the shadow of the Sulphur Springs water tower. This time it’s Outta Pocket from that other Bay area in California, bringing with it an absolute beatdown of an EP, Purest Pain , where vocals can go from guttural to an almost Beastie Boys-ish shriek. Trash-leaning Ohio outfit Stoneman is on the bill along with a new Jacksonville, edge, antifascist powerviolence outfit (Seeing Red), plus support from Ocala’s Vile Serpent and newish Tampeño band Plague Spitter. (Born Free Pub & Grille, Tampa)

The Ries Brothers w/Ajeva/Matt Walden Closing out a headlining U.S. tour, Charlie and Kevin Ries—two of St. Pete’s favorite sons of reggae—will stage their third annual Hometown Throwdown, officially announced at Innings Festival back in March. Expect to be blown away by Kevin’s whimsical guitar work (and ability to simultaneously smoke a joint), Charlie taking on triple duty (vocals, keyboard-bass, and drums, that is), and their forces combining on their latest “Strange Times” single. (Floridian Social, St. Petersburg)

The Ries Brothers

Skating Polly w/Bugsy/Jacklen Ro

Anyone looking for Friday night poprock show, look no further. With its new album, Chaos County Line , in tow, Tacoma, Washington trio Skating Polly plays jangly, hook-laden rock and roll propelled by riot grrrl vocals from Kelli Mayo that can also turn tender on songs like the sugary-sweet pianodriven “Tiger At The Drugstore.” Minneapolis quartet Bugsy opens with a more grunge-y spin on punk, along with harmony-making Los Angeles outfit Jacklen Ro. (Music Hall at New World Brewery, Tampa)

SAT 15

Culture Club w/Howard Jones/Berlin

It should shock no one that Howard Jones is one of the most positive and kindest people in music. Mr. “No One Is To Blame” has been a vegetarian for years—having even founded a vegetarian restaurant in New York that closed within a year after a fire told him it was time to call it quits—and while he won’t say where exactly he gets his flashy jackets from, HoJo’s son Jasper is designing most of the apparel for his dad and the band. Howard also has an instrumental piano album in the pipeline, and is planning to begin work on his next pop album Global Citizen after this tour—headlined by Boy George and Culture Club, and opened by Berlin—winds down. Read an interview with Berlin’s Terri Nunn on p. 49. (Midflorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa)

Duane Betts w/Palmetto Motel

Thankfully, last year’s installment of Gasparilla Music Festival wasn't the last we saw of The Allman Betts Band. While a hiatus has seemingly come to a halt, Duane Betts— son of Allman Brothers axeman Dickey, a Sarasota resident—still enjoys being his own artist, and one day before this borderline homecoming gig, he will release his debut, 10-track album. Wild & Precious Life features support from Derek Trucks and Marcus King—the latter also heading to Jannus Live later this year—and was recorded on two-inch analog tape in Trucks and Susan Tedeschi’s studio in Jacksonville. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)

HeyeYella w/DJ DFaz/DJ Donnie Luv/ Dennis Amadeus/G’on Git (expanded)/ Nico Sweet/Alec Burnright The Bends’ shotgun, chandelier-sportin’ sweaty performance space gets a big wallop of local hip-hop thanks to this no-cover show featuring one of the ‘Burg’s best emcees, HeyeYella, plus a shot of Tampeño energy from GrowHouse’s Dennis Amadeus and Nico Sweet. (The Bends, St. Petersburg)

Hobo Johnson w/Maddie Barker/ Franklin Jonas The kid who gave Sosuke his voice in Studio Ghibli’s “Ponyo” is all grown up, and heading in a whole new direction. The 22-year-old little brother of Joe, Kevin, and Nick Jonas has been jumpstarting his own musical venture throughout the year, and his Sewer Rat EP is described as a collection of songs he wrote as therapy, dealing with suicidal thoughts and his experiences with alcoholism. He opens for genre-bending vocalist Hobo Johnson—fresh out of a year-long break— and Orlando-based multi-genre performer Maddie Barker. (Crowbar, Ybor City)

continued from page 53

The Fuss (single release) w/The George/Fever Head When Jst Ray isn’t DJ-ing for wild hip-hop collective Barely Legal, she’s fronting The Fuss, a local funk septet on the heels of releasing a new single. Also on the itinerary are live debuts from warehouse-rock outfit The George—which recently finished recording its debut album— and Fever Head, featuring members of local jazz trio Katara. (Hooch and Hive, Tampa)

SUN 16

Julian Marley While Jamaica was home, Bob Marley was a wandering guy. That free spirit is the mark of Colors of Royal , a new album from Bob’s ninth child, Julian. On the record, JuJu collaborating with producer Alexx Antaeus for songs that feel father away from reggae than anything else he’s released. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)

Nate Najar’s Swing Guitars With his most frequent collaborator, songwriter and singer Daniela Soledade, Nate Najar’s guitar plays bossa nova, but in this ensemble featuring two other guitarists—Carl Amundson and Dominic Walker—plus bassist Joe Porter and drummer Jean Bolduc, the in-demand musical genius takes on blues, bebop and big band. This is a gig that, simply put, will swing in a big way. You’ll recognize the work of Django Reinhardt, Duke Ellington and Thad Jones in the set, but try and get to Palladium’s intimate Side Door early, sit up close, and let your jaw drop at the technique and feel this who’s who of an ensemble will flex for the gig. (Side Door at Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg)

Ted Nugent The OAN network comes to life, in musical form, thanks to the Nuge who’ll surely rock at the gig, but also rant and rave about whatever conspiracy theory du jour is popping off on Infowars. For better, not worse, this run of shows is supposedly the 74-year-old’s last. “Hotels are jail. I hate jail…,” he recently told That Rocks!. “The travel and the hotels… And I don’t even have to go to TSA. I mean, I gave the finger to them in 2009. If somebody doesn’t send a jet, I don’t go anywhere.” Don’t come again, I guess?

(Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa)

TUE 18

Everybody’s Worried About Owen w/ Pump Action/Amateur Taxidermy Midweek emo lands in Tampa Heights care of Owen Trawick, a songwriter in the DIY-vein of Paul Baribeau or Bomb The Music Industry before him. The Miami songwriter is in town support his new album, Nunemaker’s Swingset that’s a little-bit gypsy-folk for fans of Gogol Bordello (“Nunemaker’s Parable”) and also sugarysweet with soaring melodies, too (“How Do You Talk To A Star”). (Shuffle, Tampa)

THU 20

Anthony Hamilton w/The Ton3s Anthony Hamilton has some of the most soulful, heartbreaking songs in R&B, and they’re going to hit just a little bit harder at this sure-to-be-sweaty stadium show. The 52-year-old and his wife, singer Tarshá, are getting a divorce after a decade

together—and while the split is amicable, you can bet Anthony will let his pain creep into the performance alongside Grammynominated R&B trio The Hamiltones (aka The Ton3s). (Steinbrenner Field, Tampa)

Buckcherry w/Gunshine Four months after opening for Skid Row at the Hard Rock, the Anaheim-based hard rock quintet already has another new album to promote. According to frontman Josh Todd, Vol. 10 has no direct theme, other than being an album without any boring-ass filler songs. The band’s current show doesn’t have any of those either, with the possible exception of its closing cover of Bryan Adams’ “Summer of ‘69,” depending on how cynical you are about that. (Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater)

Ultimate Jazz Summer Jam: Fred Johnson w/Belinda Womack/Gumbi Ortiz/David Pate/Mark Feinman/ Alejandro Arenas/John Lamb/Jeremy Carter/more When this show arrives, there’ll be just 91 days until Clearwater Jazz Holiday returns to its home at Coachman Park. Let this free concert, however, remind you of the year-round effort the nonprofit puts forth when it comes to cultivating music education and jazz. The ensemble is an absolute who’s who of local players—including bassists John Lamb and Alejandro Arenas, saxophonists Jeremy Carter and David Pate, percussionist Gumbi Ortiz and drummer Mark Feinman, plus vocalists Fred Johnson, Belinda Womack and Ona K. Get there in time for the Young Lions Reunion Jam, too, where alum from Jazz Holiday’s outreach will get back together. (The Factory, St. Petersburg)

John Lamb

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Over the last two weeks, more than 3 million people have paused their lives for half-anhour to revel in the nostalgia blast that is Juvenile’s NPR “Tiny Desk” concert.

On it, the Louisiana rapper—flanked by his Cash Money Records sidekick Mannie Fresh—delivered a 10-song set, and encore, that included some of the most iconic hip-hop hits of the late-’90s. Flanking the 48-year-old rapper and Fresh for the performance was a nine-piece band including strings from the Louisiana Philharmonic, D.C. R&B-soul duo The Amours, plus Grammy winners Trombone Shorty and Jon Batiste. And while the elaborate backup probably won’t be there, the Bay area gets a chance to “Back That Azz Up” with the Hot Boy next month when Miami promoter Spase Jenkins brings him to Tampa Bay as his landmark album 400 Degreez celebrates its 25th anniversary.

Tickets to see Juvenile—along with Tampa’s own Plies, Goodie Mob, 8 Ball & MJG, plus Webbie, Coochie Splash rapper Sukiana, Tela and Ballgreezy—play Amalie

Summer Series: Adam Randall, Nick Ewing, J.T. Brown Sunday, July 30. 1 p.m.

No cover. Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Tampa

Grrrl’s Night Tampa: Operation Acoustic Kitty w/Spoiled Rat/Peace Cult/Hovercar

Friday, Aug. 4. 6 p.m. $12. Crowbar, Ybor City

Denny Laine Saturday, Aug. 5. 8 p.m. $50.

The Attic at Rock Brothers Brewing, Ybor City

Al Downing Birthday Celebration

Sunday, Aug. 6. 2 p.m. $10 & up, no cover for children 12 and under. Hough Hall at Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg

Midnight Tyrannosaurus w/Jiqui/Sisto/ Inaktivity/Mother Lotus Friday, Sept. 1. 10 p.m. $15 & up. The Ritz, Ybor City

No Bragging Rights w/Mugshot/Mouth Of War/Downswing/Chasing Airplanes

Thursday, Sept. 14. 7 p.m. $20. Crowbar, Ybor City

The Copper Piano: Dueling Pianos Show Sunday, Sept. 24. 2 p.m. $14.50 & up. Central Park Performing Arts Center, Largo

Your Neighbors Sunday, Sept. 24. 8 p.m.

$15. Hooch and Hive, Tampa

Brett Scallions w/Jason Bieler Friday, Sept. 29. 8 p.m. $19.50 & up. Central Park Performing Arts Center, Largo

Ty Dolla $ign w/Symba/Leon Thomas

Friday, Sept. 29. 7 p.m. $30.50. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg

Toad the Wet Sprocket w/The Verve Pipe Monday, Oct. 2. 8 p.m. $49.50 & up. Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater

Arena on Saturday, Aug. 12 are on sale now and start at $66.25.

We’re just hoping he brings some Juvie Juice—the hard iced tea collab Juvenile has with New Orleans’ Urban South Brewery—to share. See Josh Bradley’s weekly new concert announcement roundup below.—Ray Roa

Avey Tare w/Geologist Thursday, Oct. 5. 7 p.m. $20. Music Hall at New World Brewery, St. Petersburg

Morrissey Tuesday, Oct. 10. 8:30 p.m. $73 & up. Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg

Noah Kahan w/Samia Tuesday, Oct. 10. 8 p.m. $40.50 & up. Yuengling Center, Tampa

Willy Chirino Sunday, Oct. 15. 8 p.m.

$67.99 & up. Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa

Baroness w/Jesus Piece/Escuela Grind

Tuesday, Oct. 17. 6 p.m. $29.50 & up. The Ritz, Ybor City

Moon Walker w/Nordista Freeze

Monday, Oct. 23. 7 p.m. $15. Hooch and Hive, Tampa

Sunny Day Real Estate Tuesday, Oct. 31. 7 p.m. $30.50. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg

Lake Street Dive w/Monica Martin

Wednesday, Nov. 1. 7:30 p.m. $49.25 & up. Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater

KennyHoopla w/Groupthink Thursday, Nov. 2. 7 p.m. $26. Orpheum, Tampa

Marcus King w/Joshua Ray Walker

Tuesday, Nov. 7. 6 p.m. $28.50. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg

Ben Rector w/Jordy Searcy Saturday, Nov. 18. 8 p.m. $38.25 & up. Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater

Q:

is having thoughts

Look ahead

By Caroline DeBruhl

Dear Oracle, am I going to be successful with my career goals despite my mental illness? I want to do a childcare and early-year developmental course, but I’m unsure if I’ll be able to get onto the course and complete the course while I’m struggling with my anorexia and depression. What do you think?—Looking Ahead

Cards: Knight of Pentacles, High Priestess (reversed), Nine of Cups, Eight of Cups

Dear Looking, very recently, someone wrote in and discussed dealing with their eating disorder. In that response, I highly encouraged the letter-writer to seek out an eating disorder specialist and would encourage you to do the same. Anorexia is a very complex condition (as is depression, which often co-exists with eating disorders) that requires specialized care. If you already have someone, that’s great, but if not, I strongly encourage that to be the first priority. Having a solid team that you can rely on will help you as you work towards your career goals—which I do believe you’ll be able to reach.

Mental illness can feel like chaos, which the horse in the Knight of Pentacles represents. But the Knight is in control; he can see his destiny on the horizon, and, most importantly, he can guide the horse. I think this applies to both your career goals and your mental health recovery. As long as you’re feeling in control (and have

help when you feel out of control), you can absolutely do this.

The High Priestess reversed paired with the Nine of Cups are two cards that suggest deep psychological work and soul searching. The High Priestess is often a card of the unconscious, as well as secret knowledge. She is the guardian of our spirit, and to work with her is to truly meet ourselves deep down. The Nine of Cups tells us not to be distracted by fantasy and to really know who we are and what we want.

If you genuinely want to go into a career in childcare, you will get there. You’re the Knight in control. But that path might not look as straightforward in practice as it does in theory. With the Eight of Cups, it’s important to be adaptable. You’re already showing a lot of bravery by taking this new path, but it might zig and zag in ways you can’t foresee.

yourself some grace. It’s hard to be human, and all of us need help from others now and again.

You are here to take care of yourself and, in turn, care for others. You will absolutely get there. It may not be as fast as you imagine, but your illness will not stop you. The worst it can do is slow you down temporarily. But, again, this isn’t a race. It’s a journey.

I hope you get there with your health and your hard-earned degree. Take care, my darling.

ORACLE OF YBOR

Dear Oracle, I’ve been a sommelier for five years now and have worked for a wine distributor for the past year. While I’ve worked in some phenomenal restaurants and made great connections, I’m ready to leave the South to advance my career. I have contacts in California and Italy and have been considering moving to either place. Any thoughts on which place is best for me?—Wandering Wino

Cards for California: Five of Wands, Nine of Wands, Knight of Cups (reversed)

California may be a struggle. I don’t know much about the wine world, but I do know about working in fine dining restaurants (the natural habitat of sommeliers), and some can be incredibly toxic. The Five of Wands is a lot of conflict, and with the burnout-central Nine of Wands, it feels like you might be facing uphill battles. The Knight of Cups reverse also suggests that your love for wine and your passion might be exploited—which, unfortunately, is also common in the restaurant world. It doesn’t seem like the healthiest vine for you to grow.

Italy, on the other hand? My god. You have the Hierophant, the giver of knowledge and vocations, where you’ll learn everything you need to know. You have The Lovers, the ultimate expression of love and passion for what you do. Then you have the Ten of Cups reversed, the marriage of your passions and knowledge, the culmination of your journey to get here. (Alternatively, The Lovers and Ten of Cups could mean a literal lover and marriage, so fingers-crossed you also meet your future spouse and live out your days in a villa in Tuscany.)

If you enroll in your courses but find that you need to take a semester off to treat your mental health, that’s OK. Just because you’re pausing on the road doesn’t mean you’ve abandoned the journey. You are on this path for you. Artificial deadlines don’t matter. Doing things “the normal way” is horseshit. You’re doing what you need to do to reach your destination, so please show

Cards for Italy: Hierophant, The Lovers, Ten of Wands (reversed)

Dear WW, if you can swing it, go to Italy. I know that option is the more expensive one, and would require all the paperwork of visas and passports and would probably require you to learn (or improve) another language and flee your home country, but it’s got the best cards by far.

Even if Italy is a temporary move and you only stay a year or so, all of that major arcana energy could really ignite something inside of you. Italy has a wine culture that is thousands of years old, and while Napa is nice, it just doesn’t have that kind of history. Think about what you could learn from a 900-year-old vineyard!

Again, I know that an international shuffle is not an easy option, and certain things need to line up both bureaucratically and financially, but if it’s in the realm of possibility, I say go for it. Buona fortuna, bella.

Tears factor

By Dan Savage

I’m the other woman in a non-ethical, nonmonogamous marriage. His wife doesn’t know. I think my lover’s wife married him to have a family and because they got along well. When I met my lover five years ago, he talked about how he had a platonic marriage, and his wife was his best friend. He had every reason to expect a sexless marriage, and until recently she refused to see a counselor. They started therapy and are now having “scheduled sex.” When he told me that my first question was, “Is your therapist a man?” Sure enough, he is. I cautioned against this approach but didn’t call it what I think it is: consensual rape. He and I are not having sex now, as I had to draw a line: If she was putting forth such an effort, I would not do anything to undermine her.

SAVAGE LOVE

So, what is my point in writing you? I wanted your readers to hear from “the other woman.” Also, in your experience, has scheduled sex ever helped a sexless marriage?—The Other One P.S. Stop the presses! I sent my lover the link to your column with your advice for TEARS, and he asked his wife about an open marriage. He said she “cried bitterly.” At first, I felt sympathy for both of them, but then it occurred to me that she might be manipulating him. I am now thinking about starting things back with my lover physically. I’d love to hear what you think.

While scheduled sex can revive a sexual connection for some married couples—and while scheduled sex makes affairs possible—scheduled sex can’t work miracles. If there wasn’t a sexual connection at the start, which seems to be the case with your lover and his wife, scheduling sex isn’t going to magically create one. If one spouse is no longer attracted to the other spouse and/ or one spouse has lost interest in sex and/or sex has become impossible or painful and the lost-allinterest spouse refuses to do anything about it, as was the case with TEARS’ husband who refused to get ED meds, or if everything has been tried and nothing has worked and they spouse who doesn’t want to fuck has given up, scheduling sex isn’t going to help. Indeed, scheduled sex—the dread felt by the spouse who doesn’t want to have sex, the other spouse sensing that dread and feeling rejected all over again—could make things worse.

your choices by making assumptions about your lover’s wife. You’re in no position to judge the sincerity of her feelings for her husband, TOO, which are probably every bit as complicated and conflicted as your own feelings for him.

If you decide to continue with this affair, TOO, you need to accept that this woman—this other woman—loves her husband as much as you do or possibly even more. And if you don’t want to be the other woman, if you want to be loved publicly by a man who is free to marry you, there are four billion other men on this planet to choose from.

P.S. Fuck Brett Kavanaugh and fuck the Supreme Court. Also, I’m so sorry your first sexual experience wasn’t consensual, I’m so sorry you were raped, and so glad you found a therapist who could help.

I know what it is like to have sex with someone I don’t want to. Thanks to Brett Kavanaugh, I came to realize that my first time at age 16 was rape. It was a boy I’d met at a party a few weeks before, I thought he was cute, and I wasn’t afraid when he walked into my room. (We were at boarding school.) As my therapist says, I was expecting adolescent smooching and was raped in my bathroom instead. It never occurred to me to tell anyone because I knew I’d get in trouble, and I never thought of it as rape. After that I had indiscriminate sex, often in bathrooms in a drunken stupor. I didn’t have sober sex until my early 30s.

After getting therapy in the wake of Kavanaugh being confirmed to the Supreme Court, I’ve come to realize I’ve never allowed anyone to love me. Surprisingly, I fell in love with my lover. Why I seem to feel this way about him baffles me. Until him, I thought sexting was stupid. I was wrong, it is exhilarating and exciting. When I see a text coming in from him, a wonderful warmth courses through my body and I feel loved. I’ve never felt this way before. I haven’t had much of a love life so I’m not sure I know what love feels like but this sure feels nice. He says he feels a similar excitement, “melt” is the word he uses, when I text him, but he is emotionally unavailable because he “loves the wife who won’t blow him.” My lover actually loves his wife and the only reason I got into the relationship is that I don’t think she loves him erotically.

My lover is in the same situation as your reader TEARS: trapped in a sexless marriage. It was actually your response to TEARS that prompted this letter. From the outside they look like a lovely, happy family and he wants to keep his family whole. I am conflicted. I love him, I don’t think she loves him, and I know he loves her. What kind of love triangle is this? He says he just wants someone who wants to have sex with him. They’ve been married less than 10 years and have three young children. I am older than he is.

If you wanna start fucking this dude again, TOO, you can fuck this dude again without constructing self-serving rationalizations or casting aspersions on your lover’s wife. OK, so his wife burst into tears when he asked about opening their marriage—something he’d already done unilaterally, which she may suspect (hence the tears), and something many people take as a sign their marriages are about to collapse, which she may fear (hence the tears). Being asked to open a marriage can be an upsetting conversation, TOO, particularly for someone with small children. So, I think you should give this woman you’ve never met, a woman who has done you no harm, the benefit of the doubt here and not see her reaction as emotionally raw, not emotionally manipulative.

As for scheduled sex…scheduled sex can be good, it can be great, it can be awful… just like spontaneous sex. One thing scheduled sex isn’t, TOO, is “consensual rape.” Just as there are good reasons why a person might choose to marry (and creating a family with someone you like is a pretty good reason), and just as there are good reasons why a person might choose to seek sex outside their marriage (and making the mistake of marrying someone who doesn’t wanna fuck you is a pretty common reason), there are good reasons why a couple might choose to have sex at a set time. Lots of sex therapists and marriage counselors, both male and female, recommend scheduled sex to couples whose marriages have drifted into sexlessness, and scheduled sex has helped many couples reconnect on a sexual level.

And come on, TOO, I shouldn’t have to explain to you, someone who’s been sleeping with a married man for five years, that scheduled sex can be consensual sex and good sex. While sex with an affair partner might happen spontaneously the first time—an opportunity seized—spontaneous sex is extremely rare in ongoing affairs. To keep an affair going for five years you have to create opportunities, e.g., you have to make plans to get together for sex, you have to synchronize business trips for sex, you have to meet up in hotel rooms for sex. Affair sex is scheduled sex.

Like I told TEARS in the response that prompted you to write, TOO, too many therapists and marriage counselors regard scheduled sex as a fix for sexless marriages. In fairness to therapists and counselors, both halves of the sexless couple on the couch often identify being busy as the problem; they have kids, hectic lives, they can’t find the time. But often one half of the couple isn’t telling the truth; it’s not that they can’t find the time, it’s that they don’t want to. It can be hard for someone to say out loud that they’re no longer sexually attracted to their spouse—or to admit they never were—because

1. that’s not something that can be unsaid,

2. no one wants to hurt someone they love (doesn’t wanna fuck ≠ doesn’t love), and 3. since opening up a marriage is a non-starter for most couples, particularly straight ones, the marriage has to end if celibacy is a non-starter for the other spouse. Consequently, some people who aren’t interested in sex with their spouses would rather pretend to work on it—and go through with some lousy scheduled sex—than tell the truth.

With all that said, TOO, both your lover and his wife want to make their marriage work. Again, if you want to resume fucking your lover, I think you can and maybe even should go ahead and fuck him; while “the other woman” rarely gets credit for saving a marriage, sometimes that’s exactly what the other woman (or other man) does. This dude loves his wife (very imperfectly), and she loves him (ditto), and they love their kids and want to keep their home together. But your lover also needs—once in a while—to fuck someone who wants to fuck him, TOO, and he can love you for that and love you, too. But I would encourage you to resist the urge to justify

I’m a 43-year-old gay man. I was in the closet, virgin and single until I was 38 years old, which was when I had my first sexual relationship with a man. I entered into my first serious relationship in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, and it didn’t work out, mostly because of the sex, and we split a year later. About six months after that split, I met a new guy. This time the sex was great, and we decided to be exclusive. Two years in, I’m struggling with monogamy. I think we really don’t align on what we want. I’m constantly thinking about breaking up, but I can’t bring myself to do it. I feel attracted to my partner and repulsed by him. Is something wrong with me? Why can’t I keep a relationship together? What should I do about this?—Worrying

Over Endings

It doesn’t matter how old a guy actually is when he comes out as gay, WOE, emotionallyspeaking he resets to 15—he’s going to have mad crushes on cute guys, he doesn’t really know what he wants, and he’s going to make the kind of mistakes teenagers make. So, instead of thinking of yourself as having two failed adult relationships, WOE, you should think of yourself as having gone steady with two boys you liked a lot while you were in gay high school—you were (emotionally!) 16 when you met your first serious boyfriend, and 18 (emotionally!) when you met your second serious boyfriend. You learned two important things about yourself in these formative relationships: sex is important to you, monogamy is not. So, now that you’re (emotionally) entering your 20s, it’s time to go find a guy who wants the same things you do.

Send your questions to Dan via savage.love/ askdan

13 A dress part

14 Address part, G.I.-style

15 SoCal NFLer

16 “___ know that!” (“Duh!”)

17 Bush or Johnson

19 Bawdy

21 Raison chaser

24 Part of RSVP

30 Did a Vegas job

31 Book club leader

32 Little corner of the world

33 JFK sister-in-law

34 Close clothes

35 ____ pants

36 Bit of chef attire

37 Name of many a theater

43 Guitarist Guthrie

45 Matthew or Mark

46 Swing support 48 Fuming

50 Mouthlike opening

51 Color of some cats

52 Tony-winning musical of 1977 54 Takes care of 55 OK’s zone 56 The last flower?

58 Giant Mel 59 Kim and Robert 60 Like Scarlett’s waist

TV Déjà Vu by Merl Reagle