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EDITORIAL POLICY — Creative Loafing Tampa
Bay 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 of the publisher.
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It takes a small army to get ready for Titus O’Neil’s annual back-to-school bash. A week after they stuffed thousands of backpacks, those volunteers were back at it again to hand them out to local school kids who also took advantage of free health services, haircuts, braiding and more inside Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium. See all the photos from Back to School Bash 2024 via cltampa.com/slideshows.—Ray Roa
do this
Vegan-ween
There are still about 90 days until Halloween, and that’s not stopping Golden Dinosaurs from getting in the spirit to celebrate the vegan restaurant’s sixth anniversary. Customers have called for two featured dishes for the weekend (tofu or seitan char siu banh mi, seitan gyro). Friday features a vegan grill and set from DJ Plant Based spinning the late-night patio party, and the Gulfport favorite will spend Saturday serving families with food (free donut holes), fun (splash pad), a bubble zone, trick-or-treating, and more. The weekend wraps with a punk-rock picnic with vendors and brunch, all in celebration of a concept that’s not only fed the community but supported it via initiatives like its ‘Chick-Fil-Nay’ Pride month fundraiser to support organizations like Metro Inclusive Health. Summer’ween—Golden Dinosaurs sixth anniversary: Friday-Sunday, Aug. 2-4. Golden Dinosaurs, 2930 Beach Blvd. S, Gulfport. @golddinos on Facebook—Ray Roa
Meat me there
Chef Erik Youngs is always looking for a way to support the community through food education, but you need bread to make that happen. To help raise funds for Voodoo Chef Foundation, Youngs—along with a lineup of personalities including Tampa’s first-couple of competitive eating Nick Wehry and Miki Sudo (the 2024 Nathan’s Famous hot dog champ, pictured)—are headed to Ybor City in search of Florida’s best burger. The seven-hour throwdown includes live music on two stages, a french fry bar, burger sampling, and even dessert. At least eight burger vendors have been accepted into the competition as of press time. And if you’re looking for even more VooDoo Chef action, a five-course dinner ($200) happens on Friday night.
VooDoo Burger Bash: Saturday, Aug. 3. 3 p.m.-9 p.m. $40 & up. Cuban Club , 2010 N Avenida Republica de Cuba, Ybor City. @ VooDooChef13 on Instagram—Ray Roa
Tampa Bay's best things to do from August 01 - 07
I’m melting
The walls of Conrad Garner’s Seminole Heights home are almost completely-covered in the detail-rich, hyper-colorful designs of the Tampa artist (like "Go with the flow," pictured). It’s almost like being inside his brain, and he’ll bring a little bit of it out to play for a new show, “Runaway Thoughts,” that opens in Seminole Heights next week. “I aim to highlight the beauty and complexity of our inner landscapes,” Conrad wrote about the show. “By translating the abstract into the tangible, I hope to spark a deeper understanding and appreciation for the intricate workings of the mind.”
Conrad Garner ‘Runaway Thoughts’ artist reception: Next Thursday, Aug. 8. 6 p.m. No cover. Independent Bar & Cafe, 5601 N Florida Ave., Tampa. @conrad_garner on Instagram—Ray Roa
Hammer time
Premier League footballers are forced to play too many games, but this weekend, the athletes’ torture is our treasure. While the best English side in history was in Orlando last Tuesday, two mainstays in England’s top tier are in Tampa for a Stateside Cup match. The one-week tournament takes place in three cities, and we get Michail Antonio (pictured) and West Ham (thrice winners of the FA Cup, and last season’s UEFA Europa Conference League champ) on the pitch against Crystal Palace, which finished seventh in Premier League last season. The Stateside Cup—West Ham United vs Crystal Palace F.C.: Saturday, Aug. 3. 7 p.m. $17 & up. Raymond James Stadium, 4201 N Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa. statesidecup.com—Ray Roa
Free ride
Some people want to see museums in Tampa Bay stay open later on weekend nights. And while there’s no definitive museum to regularly catch great art after dark, you can at least get into Tampa’s big gallery for free once a week. Every Thursday, from 4 p.m.-8 p.m., guests can pay-what-they-want for entry to the Tampa Museum of Art (any donation is welcome, but no one’s gonna look at you weird if you don’t have any to spare). On display now are Guyaneseborn artist Suchitra Mattai’s found objects show “Bodies and Souls,” Esterio Segura’s “Hybrid of a Chrysler” sculpture parked on the second-story overlook (pictured), the abstract paintings in Vaughn Spann’s “Allegories,” and more.
Art On the House: Thursdays. 4 p.m.-8 p.m. Pay-what-you-want. Tampa Museum of Art, 120 W Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa. tampamuseum.org—Ray Roa
Pot talk
This fall, Florida voters have a chance to legalize recreational marijuana use for adults 21 & up. Despite widespread and diverse support for Amendment 3, winning 60% approval at the ballot box will be no easy task, especially with monied lobbying firms now enrolled to stop its passage (read more on p. 25). Chris Cano, Executive Director for the Suncoast chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that voter education will be key to getting Florida’s recreational weed amendment across the finish line; to that end, he said Suncoast NORML is holding a free Aug. 6 virtual town hall where the group will accept public comment and questions.
Suncoast NORML—Amendment 3
Virtual Town Hall: Tuesday, Aug. 6. 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. No cover. suncoastnorml. org—Ray Roa
“The idea to change the date is really an attack on democracy.”
Hurry up
Hillsborough schools file lawsuit over county commission’s millage referendum delay.
By Ray Roa
The Hillsborough County School District sued the Hillsborough County Commission on July 23, days after the commission delayed a property tax referendum that the district says could raise an estimated $177 million to support students each year.
The suit was filed moments after the school board, in a 4-3 vote, granted Hillsborough schools Superintendent Van Ayres authority to take legal action after a surprise vote by the commission that moved the referendum from the November general election ballot to the 2026 midterm.
At the commission’s July 17 meeting, Republican commissioner Joshua Wostal acknowledged the school board’s authority to place the initiative on the general ballot, but asked the commission’s legal counsel if it could change the timing of when the referendum should come before voters.
“While you do not have discretion of whether you can take action, we do believe that this board—that the only way to make sense of the statute—is to read it such that the board has some discretion as to timing,” Christine Beck—the County Attorney who represents and provides legal advice to the Board of County Commissioners, the County Administrator, and all County departments—said. “Reasonable discretion.”
Wostal’s motion to delay the vote passed 4-3 along party lines with Commissioners Ken Hagan, Christine Miller, Donna Cameron Cepeda voting yes. Commissioners Pat Kemp, Gwen Myers and Harry Cohen voted no. Hours later, a heated Ayres told reporters that the vote was “without a doubt,” another attack on public schools. Citing Florida Statute 1011.73 on district millage elections, Ayres said it is the board of commissioners’ administrative duty to pass the referendum through after the school board approved it last April in a 5-2 vote.
Ayres argues that the millage—a school tax of sorts where property owners would pay $1 for every $1,000 in taxable value—is necessary to compete with surrounding counties that have the millage in place. Pasco, Pinellas, Manatee used funds raised via their millages to pay starting teachers as much as $57,000 a year. Hillsborough is lagging behind with starting salaries at $47,501. Teachers, Ayres
said, are ditching Hillsborough for better pay elsewhere, leaving the district with more than 500 teacher vacancies.
The district’s lawsuit asks a judge to move on the stalled school tax—which would need to earn a 50%+1 majority vote for passage—by Aug. 13. That’s because the suit must be resolved by Aug. 20 to avoid missing the Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections deadline to prepare the ballot.
The lawsuit adds that, “the commission attempts to deprive the voters of the right to consider the millage referendum and prevent the voters from determining whether Hillsborough County Public Schools should have this additional funding source to enhance teacher pay over the next two years.”
Last Friday on “The Skinny,” a public affairs
supervisor of elections. So the idea to change the date is really an attack on democracy, because it’s not allowing the voters to choose,” Combs said.
“Basically you have four people who are interpreting the law, and they could push out this millage to the year 3000 if they wanted to. So it’s really unfortunate that we have people who are trying to politicize this instead of allowing the voters to decide what’s right.”
Republican State Sen. Jay Collins, a protege of Gov. Ron DeSantis. Windy March has reported Collins’ donors to be “Republican officeholders, political operatives, Tallahassee lobbyists and GOP-oriented political committees.”
LOCAL NEWS
“We do need more teachers in Hillsborough County, but I don’t think taxing home pay homeowners is the way to do it,” Combs’ opponent, Julie Magill, told the station.
“I’m for putting it on for the voters to decide, but that’s already been done a couple times already, and it’s not passed,” Magill added, allud-
DeSantis—who’s spent his time in the governor’s mansion using Florida schools in his ongoing culture wars—recently spoke out against the Hillsborough millage and said the district should manage its budget “properly.”
Combs called the governor’s comments “incredible disinformation,” adding that, “The one part he didn’t mention was that all the top seven districts, the large districts in the state of Florida, every one of them has that additional mill.”
program that airs Fridays on WMNF-Tampa 88.5-FM, candidates for the school board’s District 1 seat discussed their positions on the millage and lawsuit.
Incumbent Nadia Combs—who voted yes on the vote to give Ayres authority to sue the commission—reiterated the school board’s position.
“The county commission’s only job is to officially transmit the ballot language to the
ing to a measure that failed by less than 1% in the 2022 midterm elections.
Layla Collins, a third candidate in the race for Hillsborough County’s District 1 race for school board, did not respond to the station’s request for her to join the discussion.
Collins—has raked in more than two times as much money in contributions as Combs and more than $118,000 than Macgill—and is the wife of
Hillsborough is the third largest school district in the state of Florida, and serves 224,149 students, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (2019 data puts it at the seventh-largest in the U.S.). Its $4.4 billion budget was approved last September. Only Miami Dade (328,589 students; $7 billion budget) and Broward (256,037 students; $5.6 billion budget) are larger than Hillsborough.
IT’S SIMPLY WAY TOO HOT Sale™
Mean tweet
O cials want to know who killed protected shorebird.
By Colin Wolf
Authorities are working to identify a man wearing a “I want mean tweets cheap gas and Sleepy Joe to kiss my ass” t-shirt, after a viral video shows him crushing a federally protected sea bird with an electric scooter on a Tampa Bay beach.
In a video shared to YouTube by Audubon Florida volunteer Bob Truesdell, the man in the black pro-Trump shirt can be seen illegally riding an e-scooter on Redington Shores Beach. He then passes the camera and swerves through a colony of threatened Black Skimmers and then runs over a protected Royal Tern.
ENVIRONMENT
Royal Terns are not an endangered species, but, like all shorebirds, they are federally protected through the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
“This guy came through one time, and I missed him because I didn’t have my camera stuff set up. Then he returned and this time I had my camera set up. He swerved around me and then went up into the birds on purpose,” said Truesdell to WTVT. “It just sat there for about 25 minutes. It tried to fly, but it couldn’t get any altitude.”
“It tried to fly, but it couldn’t get any altitude.”
The bird later died from its injuries.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), released a statement regarding the incident, per WFLA:
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is aware of the incident where a Royal Tern was injured at Redington Beach, Pinellas County. This incident is currently under
investigation, and no additional information is available at this time. The FWC takes wildlife violations very seriously and encourages the public to report them by downloading the FWC Wildlife Alert app, texting 847411 (Tip411) with keyword “FWC” and information about the violation, calling the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (888-404-3922) or submitting a tip online at MyFWC.com/WildlifeAlert. All shorebirds and seabirds nesting in Florida are federally protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It is nesting season for beach-nesting shorebirds and seabirds, and people visiting our coastlines can help ensure nesting success by going around rather than through flocks of birds on the beach. Give beach-nesting birds at least 300 feet of space to avoid causing them to fly off, leaving hard-to-see chicks and eggs vulnerable to being stepped on and potential harm from being exposed to the elements and predators. Even when not nesting, shorebirds and seabirds use the beach as important habitat for resting and foraging. Learn more ways to share the shore and help beach-nesting birds at MyFWC.com/Shorebirds.
The Indian Shores Police Department is currently looking for any information about the incident, which occurred on Friday, July 19. The unidentified man faces a potential animal cruelty charge (a felony) and a $93 fine for riding his scooter on the beach.
CHEAP ASS: The royal tern that was run over died from its injuries.
• Inactivity reduces flexibility.
• Repetitive muscle overuse in sports like tennis, golf, and running also decreases flexibility.
• Accidents, injuries, or surgery can lead to loss of mobility.
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Boxed out
Tampa funeral homes describe last month’s burial standstill.
By Chuck Merlis
Almost 290,000 Floridians die every year of all causes, an average of about 800 Floridians daily, according to the Florida Department of Health. In times of grief, bereaving families are forced to turn to funeral homes to make or execute already existing funeral arrangements, often almost immediately upon the death of a loved one.
Funeral homes have a finite amount of time and space to process and house dead bodies, but what happens if burials are forced to a standstill?
“This one (the initial email from the state shutting down the Vital Information System) was at 8:25 in the morning, and then I got another one at 8:08 PM, and that one was telling us to go back to the old system,” Vargas told CL. “We didn’t know what was wrong.”
For over 12 hours on June 28, funeral homes in the state of Florida were shut down, with no rhyme or reason to why.
LOCAL NEWS
Mark Vargas, co-owner of Southern Funeral Care and Cremation Services in Tampa, told Creative Loafing that funeral homes across the state were forced to confront this scenario when the Florida Department of Health shut down the state’s Vital Statistics System early in the morning on June 28, and then proceeded to leave funeral homes in the dark for hours.
This blackout was caused after a group called RansomHub hacked the state’s Vital Statistics System, which administers birth and death records between the state’s health department and funeral homes. As of this month, the hack was still delaying funerals and birth certificates.
“People just didn’t stop dying, and with so many funeral homes around and so many people doing cremation now you’re going to get backlog,” Vargas told CL. “It was probably close to a week before we finally got back to starting to cremate.”
Vargas told CL that the number of delays in cremations that his funeral home faced during this span were more than five and less than ten, and that he prioritized constant communication with grieving families in that span.
“We contacted almost all of them to let them know this is what’s happened. This is what we’re doing. We just want to keep you informed,” Vargas told CL.
Vargas told CL that while cremations were forced to a standstill during the initial shutdown of the Vital Information Systems, traditional burials were able to resume quicker because the state’s approval procedure for burials is adaptable to an offline system.
Vargas went on to tell CL that after the initial learning curve of switching offline, the delay in burials is on average just three days longer than before. He said there was no risk of his funeral home running out of space to store dead bodies.
Barry Brewer, owner of Brewer and Sons Funeral Homes in Tampa also told CL there was never a risk of his funeral home running out of space to store dead bodies, and that being able to draw on 40-plus years of experience in the funeral home industry made shifting offline easier to navigate.
“People just didn’t stop dying.”
That’s because burials only require a verbal confirmation that they will be signed in order to proceed, Vargas told CL, while cremations require a death certificate to be physically signed by the health department to proceed.
“We just have to give verbal confirmation that they (a doctor) will sign the death certificate if you’re being buried,” Vargas told CL. “But the cremation has to be signed, and that has to go to the medical examiner for them to review, [then you] get an approval number for your permit.”
“It was probably easier for older people like me than it was for some of the younger people, because my first response was to say, let’s all just go back to what we used to do,” Brewer told CL.
Brewer went on to tell CL that he believes the state’s response to the attack was sufficient, and that they remained diligent during the initial stages of the blackout.
“No matter how prepared they were, which I think they were, no matter how prepared they were, there was a transitional period, right?,” Brewer told CL. “It’s going to take a little bit of time and a little bit of adapting.”
Cross' cash
Dems
pour money into HD-60 race, lineup behind Kamala.
By News Service of Florida
In what could be one of this year’s most-competitive legislative races, Democratic leaders recently sent more than $35,000 in in-kind aid to the campaign of state Rep. Lindsay Cross, D-St. Petersburg.
The Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee, which is chaired by Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, provided $32,500 in in-kind contributions, while the Florida Democratic Party added nearly $2,729, according to a new finance report.
As of Friday, the campaign committee and the party had combined to make a total of $51,696 in contributions to Cross’ campaign in Pinellas County’s House District 60.
Cross is trying to fend off a challenge from Republican Ed Montanari, a member of the St. Petersburg City Council.
As of July 12, Montanari had received $48,500 in cash and in-kind contributions from the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee and the Republican Party of Florida, according to a state Division of Elections database.
Incoming House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, chairs the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee.
Information about recent contributions to Montanari’s campaign had not been posted last Wednesday on the state Division of Elections website.
‘ We can show them unity’: Florida Democrats quickly lineup to endorse Kamala Harris
Members of Florida’s delegation to the Democratic National Convention threw their support Monday to Vice President Kamala Harris, a day after President Joe Biden dropped his re-election campaign.
and pointed to increased enthusiasm they hope translates down the ballot.
“It is the Republicans’ dream to sit back and watch us fight each other and create chaos,” said state Sen. Shevrin Jones, a Miami Gardens Democrat who chairs the Miami-Dade County Democratic Party. “But we don’t have to show them chaos. We can show them unity, and we can show them strength.”
Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried said the speed of support for Harris isn’t surprising, as talks have been underway for “a hard couple of weeks.”
ELECTIONS
Biden, 81, faced growing pressure to leave the race after a poor showing June 27 during a debate with former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee.
“With Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket for president, I know that everything is possible at this moment,” Fried said. “Florida is in play. Florida is winnable, not just at the top of the ticket, but certainly down ballot.”
General Election Day Tuesday, Nov. 5. Early voting Oct. 21-Nov.3
deadline: Oct. 7
After Biden’s announcement Sunday that he was dropping out and supporting Harris, Democrats across the country scrambled to declare
Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, expressed hope that enthusiasm for Harris can help break the Republican supermajority in the state House. She cited issues such as abortion rights that Democrats hope will attract swing voters and
Driskell said Democrats were able to get many independent voters to support Keen by talking about issues that the voters cared about, “namely abortion access and property insurance. So, having someone at the top of the ticket like Vice President Harris, who’s a trusted voice on abortion access and is a trusted voice on affordability issues, that makes all the difference in some of these races.”
But Republicans quickly pivoted their opposition from Biden to Harris.
Gov. Ron DeSantis described Harris, a former California attorney general and U.S. senator, as “too vacuous, too liberal and too unaccomplished for the voters,” while calling the effort to replace Biden with Harris as “just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.”
Republican Party of Florida Chairman Evan Power highlighted a poll showing Harris down 10 points in Florida to Trump and said, “We are going to win and win big.”
a new allegiance and avoid a potentially chaotic, brokered convention next month in Chicago.
As part of a rapidly moving effort to coalesce support behind the vice president, a group of Florida party leaders held a call with reporters to back Harris’ bid to become president
The Florida Democratic Party said in a news release Monday that 236 members of the state’s delegation to the convention had made the switch to Harris. The state has a 254-member voting delegation.
cited a special-election win this year by Rep. Tom Keen, D-Orlando, in Central Florida’s House District 35.
“With abortion access being one of the top issues, it matters to have someone at the top of the ticket who is a trusted voice on that issue,” Driskell said.
While not running for a second term, Biden can remain in the White House until January, when a new president takes office. Several Florida Republicans, however, called for him to step down as president.
“Today’s (Sunday’s) Biden announcement reminds us that the Democrat Party is run by elites, who are obsessed with power and indifferent to the very democracy they lecture us about,” House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, tweeted on X. “If Biden is too feeble to run for President, then how can he remain President?”
Biden’s announcement Sunday freed up Florida delegates to vote for any candidates of their choosing as convention bylaws allow pledged delegates to change their votes due to extenuating circumstances.
The Democratic delegation includes 29 party leaders and elected officials, 30 automatic delegates, 146 district level delegates, 49 at-large delegates and 19 alternates.—Jim Turner/NSF
SEEING GREEN: Lindsay Cross (L) is in one of the state’s most competitive legislative races.
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Buzz killer
Florida firm tasked with killing rent control now going after recreational weed amendment.
By McKenna Schueler
Alocal public relations firm that was paid to help kill off support for a local rent control ballot measure in Orange County in 2022 is now spearheading an effort to oppose a statewide ballot measure that aims to legalize recreational marijuana use.
According to a news release, the “Vote No on 3” opposition campaign—targeting Florida’s Amendment 3—is being led by Consensus Communications, an Orlando-based consulting company of “storytellers” that, according to campaign finance records, previously worked with industry trade groups to gut support for a modest rent stabilization initiative in Orange County last election cycle.
The new campaign, targeting recreational pot this time, describes itself on its website as a “coalition” that is “made up of parents, teachers, law enforcement officials and first responders, faith leaders, and members of the business community committed to preserving Florida’s public health and safety by opposing Amendment 3.” Florida’s Amendment 3, spearheaded by the group Smart & Safe Florida, would legalize non-medical marijuana use, if approved by at least 60% of Florida voters, and would remove criminal or civil penalties for adults over 21 who possess and use up to three ounces of marijuana. It would also allow medical marijuana treatment centers, and other state licensed entities, to “acquire, cultivate, process, manufacture, sell, and distribute such products and accessories,” according to a ballot summary.
Consensus Communications, an agency that has also received public money through contracts with the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, shared that their firm has won 19 of the ballot initiative campaigns they’ve worked on, although it’s unclear if the Orange County example—ultimately
gutted due to a lawsuit, not a lack of public support—is one of them. Only 13 of their ballot initiative projects are listed on their website, with their last example dating back to 2014.
As investigative reporter Jason Garcia first reported in his independent Substack publication Seeking Rents, a coalition of apartment developers, realtors and landlord lobbying groups waged a $2 million campaign against the 2022 rent stabilization initiative in Orange County, which sought to cap rent increases at no more than 9.8% for just one year. The goal was to offer a temporary stopgap to help address massive rent hikes reported by residents who were struggling to afford to continue living in their own communities.
State campaign finance records show the coalition funneled funds through the Realtors Issues Mobilization Committee, affiliated with the Florida Realtors Association, and Floridians for Housing Opportunity, a committee chaired by former Florida Apartment Association president Bonnie Smeltzer.
The latter forked over about $33,000 to Consensus Communications, specifically, for advertising and campaign consulting services, according to records. Ahead of the election, Consensus also publicly touted an op-ed published in the Orlando Sentinel, penned by representatives of their “client”: Monica Ramsey, executive vice president of the Apartment Association of Orlando, and Chip Tatum, executive VP of the Florida Apartment Association.
The pair, in their opinion article, described the rent control initiative as a “draconian” measure and “poison pill.” “Every minute wasted on rent control is one less minute that could have been invested in real solutions,” they wrote, pointing to new housing construction as a dire
need for the community—one that county leaders themselves did not and have not disputed.
Altogether, both political committees spent more than $2.1 million on advertising and media production for their anti-rent control campaign, which ultimately failed to persuade the 59% of Orange County residents who voted in favor of the rental cap. The same lobbying groups who opposed the initiative, however, even further upped their game less than a year later, by backing a statewide law—approved by lawmakers—that prohibits local communities from trying to control rents again.
Political consultant Sarah Bascom, who is serving as spokesperson for the new “Vote No on 3” campaign targeting marijuana use, said they plan to raise money for their anti-pot campaign through Keep Florida Clean, a newly created political committee that is chaired by James Uthmeier. Uthmeier, who serves as chief of staff for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, plans to serve on the board of the Vote No on 3 committee in a “personal capacity,” according to a press release, although the committee declares that their campaign has the “full support of the Governor.”
DeSantis, who is worried that Florida “will start to smell like marijuana” if the ballot measure passes, has already launched his own Florida Freedom Fund committee—also chaired by Uthmeier—that will aim to defeat Amendment 3 this November, as well as an abortion rights measure that will appear on the ballot as Amendment 4.
As Romy Ellenbogen reported, the leaders of the anti-pot campaign include several DeSantis allies, including Tre’ Evers (a political consultant for Consensus Communications who was on the board of the super PAC that supported DeSantis’ failed presidential campaign) and
Ryan Tyson, who has also advised on DeSantis’ political campaigns.
Vote No on 3 argues that allowing non-medical marijuana use would cause the illicit drug market to “explode” and would make pot more prevalent and “more accessible” for children. Smart and Safe Florida, a group spearheading Amendment 3 that is largely funded by the cannabis industry, has sought to debunk such arguments through a Myths vs. Facts page on their website.
Recent studies published in JAMA, a journal associated with the American Medical Association, have found that legalizing marijuana use has not led to an increase in use by youth. In fact, a major study published in April, examining drug use patterns by 900,000 high school students from 2011 to 2021, found that fewer students self-reported using weed in the previous month in states where it had been legalized. This is reflected in new data reported out of Colorado, the first state in the country to legalize marijuana use for adults, which shows that marijuana use among youth has declined in the past decade that adult use has been permitted.
While marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, two dozen states have independently legalized recreational use, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is moving forward with a proposal to soften federal regulations. The proposal currently suggests downgrading the drug’s status as a Schedule I drug—classified as a drug with “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse”—to a Schedule III drug, classified as having a low potential for abuse and low risk for dependence.
Polling suggests that Amendment 3 is popular among Florida voters (and Orlando attorney John “Pot Daddy” Morgan), with 64% of 1,065 likely voters sharing in a recent poll that they would vote in favor of the initiative. It’s also garnered the support the Libertarian Party of Florida, Gadsen County Sheriff Morris A. Young, and a coalition of veterans.
There are 24 states currently that have legalized recreational cannabis, but as the Florida Phoenix reported, only three out of 15 states that have approved it through a ballot measure saw more than 60% of voters in support. Unlike most states in the U.S. that require just 50% of voter support for ballot measures to pass, Florida requires such measures to receive at least 60% voter approval—and some Republicans have tried in the past to increase that to a supermajority threshold. So far, such efforts have been unsuccessful.
This article was first published at our sibling paper Orlando Weekly.
GREATER CONSENSUS: Amendment 3 enjoys broad support, but a powerful PR firm aims to stop it.
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RESTAURANTS RECIPES DINING GUIDES
Retro nights
New Asian spot opens in Ybor City, plus more local food news.
By Kyla Fields
Anew cafe and fast casual restaurant soft opened last week, dishing out homemade dumplings and loaded noodle bowls out of a unique location in Ybor City. Retro House is now open at 934 E Henderson Ave. out of the former China 1 location, near Salem’s and the Tampa Bay Sun FC practice facility, joining the myriad of locally-owned concepts on the edge of Ybor City including Flan Factory, La Sétima Club, The DoughJoe and Los Chapos Tacos.
Two power couples own the eclectic Ybor City concept: Corrinne Liou and Paul Venghaus— who also operate both locations of Felicitous Coffee in North Tampa—and Meishan Lu and Joseph Hixon of Heritage Dim Sum, who have been slinging their dumplings and bao buns throughout the greater Tampa Bay area for the last few years.
The four business owners spent the last two years looking for a space for Retro House,
eventually landing on a small plaza on the outskirts of historic Ybor City, in the shadow of the old Tampa Park Apartments. They acquired the space just two months ago and are excited to start building their customer base, starting with to-go food service only while they fi nish building out its dining room and coffee bar.
They describe their new business endeavor as having “coffee house vibes with elevated Asian eats,” offering to-go and take-out services for the time being.
Lu and Hixon run the kitchen, dishing out a variety of dumplings, rice bowls, crab rangoon egg rolls, noodles and a variety of fluffy bao buns, while Liou and Venghaus will operate the coffee shop portion of the business.
For now, online orders can be placed directly through retrohousetampa.com or by calling (813)-812-5025. Venghaus tells
Creative Loafi ng Tampa Bay that their eats will be available through UberEats and DoorDash sometime next week.
The newly-opened fast casual spot slings dumplings and other handhelds that Heritage Dim Sum is known for—with Lu incorporating her family’s 100 year-old recipes throughout Retro House’s menu with small bites like ube baos, shu mai, lemongrass chicken dumplings, pan-fried pork baos and mango shrimp wontons. A few entrees are offered as well, including char sui fried rice and crispy noodle bowls with customizable proteins.
moving and breaking down your equipment. It allows us to keep our food consistent and high quality,” Lu tells CL.
While Retro House’s food is only available on a take-out basis, customers will be able to enjoy its spread of Chinese and Asian-inspired eats from its dining room and cafe this fall.
OPENINGS & CLOSINGS
She told CL Tampa Bay back in June that her mother, her grandparents and great-grandfather were all professional dim sum chefs in her family’s hometown of Guangzhou, China. Her and Hixon launched their dumpling pop-up a few years ago, and met Liou and Venghaus while vending at one of the night markets at Felicitous Coffee.
“It’s so much easier cooking in a kitchen instead of doing a pop-up when you’re constantly
“We decided to go with the retro, ‘60s and ‘70s-themed look to honor vintage Hong Kong tea houses and dumpling shops,” Venghaus says. “When we realized that this building was constructed in 1965 and still had its original terrazzo floors, we knew we really had to lean into the theme. We’re also going to continue the Felicitous tradition of showcasing local art each month.”
Venghaus—who also roasts the beans for both of Felicitous Coffee’s locations—is excited to launch Retro House’s coffee bar complete with an Astoria Gloria espresso machine and a Mahlkönig grinder this fall. It will soon offer a variety of expected lattes and coffees, plus a few Asian-inspired options like milk tea.
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POWER UP: Two couples of the Bay area food scene run Retro House.
RAY ROA
His wife Liou will bring her baking and dessert expertise to Retro House, too, focusing on Asian sweets and gluten-free options.
Head to @retrohousetampa on Instagram for the latest updates on Retro House’s soft opening and its fall 2024 expansion. Later this year, its owners will also start hosting weekend dim sum brunches and night markets with local vendors.
Until its grand opening in a few months, Retro House will be available for online and to-go orders from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. This fall, hours will expand to early mornings for all of the coffee drinkers, and stay open a bit longer for anyone looking for late-night Asian eats.
St. Pete’s Small Bar spends weekends dishing out prized plates and ‘real wine’
Despite soft opening back in June, folks may only have a few more months to enjoy a new, temporary wine bar and from-scratch kitchen in downtown St. Petersburg.
The self-explanatory Small Bar operates in a roughly 300 square-foot space in between Bandit Coffee Co.’s kitchen and seating area, which was previously used for storage. With a few small tables and a handful of bar seats, Small Bar can accommodate a little more than a dozen patrons at a time.
Small Bar, which shares Bandit’s address of 2662 Central Ave., is open 5 p.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday with staggered reservations available through Resy.com, or on a first-come, first-served basis on Sundays from 5 p.m.-10 p.m.
The food program helmed by Bandit’s head chefs Benjamin Pomales and Adrianna Siller features an intimate, rotating menu of small plates—like playful twists on bar snacks like onion rings croissant garlic knots—and entrees like beef stroganoff, fish and chips, lion’s mane steaks and pan-seared scallops with parsnip, basil, avocado, orange and vanilla.
Folks can order Small Bar’s dishes on an a la carte basis, or opt for a three-course “Chef’s Choice” menu for $55.
A few desserts—dairy-filled and plant-based alike—are available at Small Bar, too, with this weekend’s menu featuring a strawberry sorbet topped with “really good olive oil and orange zest” and a chocolate croissant bread pudding served with ice cream and banana caramel.
For drinks, Small Bar offers a variety of beer, natural or “low intervention” wine and a few N/A options, too.
In addition to its chefs, other folks on Small Bar’s team include Bandit co-owner Josh Weaver, Seth Davis and Jay Smith, who also works at Bandit.
They’re all simply raising funds to continue the build out of their upcoming wine bar Spitz, which is headed to a neighboring space in the Grand Central District at 2520 Central Ave.
Small Bar, with its robust natural wine program and rotating menu of globally-inspired plates, can be considered the first iteration of Spitz, which could open this “fall or early winter” Weaver recently told Helen Freund.
The upcoming wine bar’s ownership team describes Small Bar as a “little taste of what to expect at Spitz, but also having elements completely unique to itself.”
“At Spitz, we’re going with a tagline of ‘real wine’ and ‘real bites”—not because anyone is serving fake wine—but it takes the debate of what’s natural, minimal or low-intervention off the table a bit,” Davis told CL in a phone call. “We’re not trying to reinvent anything, but really just want to focus on wine made in vineyards and not cellars. Instead of debating about what’s what, we can get a conversation
Tampa Chinese restaurant Hales Blackbrick will open a second location in Hyde Park this fall
A popular Drew Park concept is heading south—to Hyde Park, that is. Hales Blackbrick—a modern Chinese restaurant helmed by Tampa native Chef Richard Hales— will debut a second location in Hyde Park at 1809 W Platt St. sometime this fall.
OPENINGS & CLOSINGS
Hales Blackbrick’s OG Tampa restaurant resides at 4812 N Dale Mabry Hwy., located at the former Pop N’ Sons diner that Hales acquired in early 2021.
The new spot plans to offer the same menu of dumplings, fried rice, noodles and stir-fried veggies, plus protein-packed plates like Peking duck, General Tso-style alligator, char siu pork belly, bison ribeyes and 40-oz tomahawk steak served with Hunan sauce.
started with our customers.”
While its wine offerings are constantly changing, Davis says that Small Bar, and eventually Spitz, will continue to work with Florida-based distributors like Nada Wine, DF Rosati and Honest Makers.
Give @smallbarstp a follow on Instagram for more information on its rotating food menu and wine selections.
While its Raymond James Stadium-adjacent, Drew Park location pays homage to the building’s diner roots with refurbished booths, checkered tiles and retro lighting, design renderings shared by Hales Blackbrick depict its upcoming Hyde Park restaurant as a bit more modern, with sleek decor and gold accents.
In addition to dishing out its menu of Chinese-fusion favorites, Hales Blackbrick also offers a variety of beer, wine, spirits and
craft cocktails. Its extensive wine program helmed by Chef Hales even snagged an “Award of Excellence” from Wine Spectator Magazine last month.
Hales worked at several high-end restaurants throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia before returning to Miami to open his first restaurant in 2009. Over the years, he continued to open other concepts under his company, Grateful Hospitality Group. He returned back to his hometown with his wife, Jenny, and their two kids after 2020’s pandemic to open their debut Tampa restaurant, which was originally going to be a Texas-style barbecue eatery, and then an American restaurant called Bird & Bone.
Tampa’s Hales Blackbrick made its longawaited debut in late-2022 and quickly made a name for itself for its unique, Florida-fusion approach to traditional Chinese cuisine.
And if you haven’t had a chance to try his dim sum or Dan Dan noodles just yet, you may have seen him on the Food Network with his friend Guy Fieri, either on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” or “Guy’s Grocery Games.”
While the flagship Hales Blackbrick restaurant in Miami quietly closed its doors sometime last year, the restaurant’s social media teases a re-opening in 2025, in addition to its new Hyde Park eatery.
Head to @Halesblackbrick on Facebook or Instagram for the latest news on the opening of its second Tampa location later this year.
American restaurant The Madison Noho is now open in West Tampa
A new restaurant dishing out classic American entrees and loaded brunch plates quietly opened its doors in West Tampa this summer. Located at 1704 N Howard Ave. at the former Burnz Restaurant Bar & Grill building, The Madison Noho made its debut last month and has been in its soft opening phase since. Owned and operated by Tampa residents Tayesha Hiner, Antonio “Polo” Allen—who also leads the kitchen as its Executive Chef—and Mikeo Smith, The Madison Noho offers a variety of straightforward dinner plates, from grilled salmon to apple-glazed pork chops, plus appetizers like calamari, chicken wings, crab cakes and oysters.
On the weekend, the newly-opened eatery dishes out red velvet pancakes, eggs Benedict, lobster and waffles and Creole-style shrimp and grits at its popular brunch service. Beer, wine, and craft cocktails are on the menu, too. Smith, who owned a restaurant in Philadelphia before moving to Tampa Bay a few years ago, tells CL that The Madison Soho will soon take over the rest of the building and expand its dining room, as well as its operating hours. He adds that The Madison Soho will host a grand opening celebration sometime this month.
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FRIES ABOVE: Fridays are for Spam fries at Small Bar.
Saturday, September 28
Ybor City Museum Garden 1818 East Ninth Avenue
Tampa, Florida 33605
MyEPICMasquerade.org
Burnz Restaurant Bar & Grill seemed to have closed its West Tampa restaurant in late2023, with another concept called Whiskey & Rhythm replacing it earlier this year, despite closing a few months later. Smith tells CL that he and his partners acquired the restaurant space in May.
Head to @themadisonnoho on Instagram for the latest updates on the new Tampa restaurant, next month’s grand opening party and its eventual expansion.
Madison Noho is now open from 4 p.m.-10 p.m. on Thursday, 4 p.m.-midnight on Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on Sunday. Reservations can be made on OpenTable.com.
Popular South Korean fried chicken chain Bonchon is finally coming to Tampa Bonchon, arguably one of the best South Korean fried chicken chains, is on its way to Tampa.
The new Tampa location has been rumored for over a year now, and over the last couple weeks, Bonchon started posting multiple job
openings. But according to the company, the new outpost will finally make its debut in the USF area, at 2308 E Fletcher Ave., which shares a plaza with Taco Bus and Domino’s.
For the unfamiliar, the chain is a favorite of rapper Action Bronson, who visited the New York location in his “Fuck, That’s Delicious” series for Viceland. Besides double-fried, extra crispy Korean wings, the fast-casual spot features bibimbap bowls, pork belly buns, Korean tacos, bulgogi fries, a full beer and wine menu and more.
Florida’s first Bonchon opened in Orlando in 2017, and the chain has since grown its footprint in the Sunshine State, with new locations in St. Johns and Jacksonville.
Bonchon joins a Tampa food scene that currently hosts a few solid Korean fried chicken options, like K-Chicken & Grill on Dale Mabry, bb.q Chicken in Carrollwood, and Soul of Korea in Temple Terrace.
As of now, no exact opening date for the Tampa location has been announced, though there’s some speculation it may open mid to late August.—Colin
Wolf
Fo’Cheezy Twisted Meltz closes St. Pete Beach location and food truck, owner hints at new concept
Last March, Fo’Cheezy Twisted Meltz closed its downtown St. Petersburg location, and now it appears the St. Pete Beach location and its food truck are also calling it quits.
In a social media post, owner Robert Hesse said he made the decision in order to focus on a new, yet to be announced, concept in the works.
“Based on our local success and popularity we have made the decision to redirect our company efforts towards something that will be launching soon…stay tuned! In doing so, we will be closing the beach location, as we did the downtown location earlier this year, and parking the truck for a while,” wrote Hesse. “Since our lease will be ending soon it made for good timing to consolidate and focus on the next chapter.”
the downtown St. Pete location at 111 3rd St. N, also citing a need to focus on new operations.
According to the post, “Korean-Mexican” fusion concept Grillaking is still operating, which is also run by Hesse and his business partner Matt Crowley. The post did not mention the status of the newly-opened Fo’ Cheezy location inside Tropicana Field.
Also, no details have been provided about the new up and coming concept, other than it’ll be fine dining-focused and located in South Tampa.
OPENINGS & CLOSINGS
“As we continue to grow we also encourage and wish much success to our founder Chef Robert Hesse as he embarks to attempt to capture his first Michelin Star later this year in the opening of a exciting new fine dining restaurant in South Tampa,” said Hesse in the statement. “
With a focus on fancy, fully-loaded, grilledcheese sandwiches, Fo’ Cheezy made its debut on St. Pete Beach in 2020. Last May, Hesse closed
This won’t be the first time Hesse has worked in fine dining. Hesse, who is known for his appearances on seasons five and six of “Hell’s Kitchen,” was previously the executive chef of South Tampa restaurant 717 South.—CW
CHAIN REACTION: A beloved Korean chain is finally coming to Tampa
BOUGATSOS & LONNIE
MOVIES THEATER ART CULTURE
Lift o
Countdown festival founders embrace spontaneity and solidify community.
By Devan Wilson-Harper
As Tampa’s streets shimmer with the summer sun, the city’s coolest unscripted event is back. Countdown Improv Festival—set for Aug. 7-11 in Ybor City—is where improvisational comedy meets Floridian fervor, and spontaneity reigns supreme.
Started in 2017 by Kelly Buttermore and Justin Peters, a comedy duo from Brooklyn with a penchant for DIY entertainment, Countdown began as a quirky experiment. Basically, the comedic duo drove across the country, booked shows on the fly, and played to crowds big and small. Justin and Kelly, however, kept returning to a certain place.
Tampa was a consistent hit on their comedy circuit, a city where their brand of absurdity was met with roaring applause. They quickly started contemplating their own festival, and Tampa was a no-brainer. “New York would have cost us $25,000,” Justin recalls. “Tampa was way more affordable, and, frankly, we just love Ybor City.”
That dedication extends to guiding Countdown through hardship, too.
Despite its success, Countdown—which takes place at Hillsborough Community College’s Performing Arts Building—has faced its share of trials. In 2020, when the world went virtual, so did the festival.
“We moved everything online and did a five-day virtual fest,” Kelly recalls. “It was tough, but it was also a chance to innovate.”
INTERVIEW
Countdown Improv Festival
Their resilience paid off. When in-person events resumed, Countdown came back stronger, not just as a festival, but as a pillar of the local improv community. Their efforts to foster a supportive environment for performers have created a loyal following.
Aug. 7-11. $15 & up Hillsborough Community College’s Performing Arts Building. 1411 E 11th Ave., Ybor City countdownimprovfestival.com
“We treat our artists like the stars they are,” says Justin. “We pick them up at the airport, greet them by name, and make sure they’re well taken care of.”
The personal touch, combined with their commitment to creating a unique festival experience, has made Countdown a standout event.
The historic neighborhood, known for its vibrant culture and constant reinvention, seemed like the perfect backdrop for a festival that thrives on unpredictability. Initially, the duo envisioned a roving festival that would pop up in different cities each year. They quickly ditched that idea.
“We believe in what we’re building here.”
“Turns out, starting from scratch every year is a nightmare,” Kelly admits, laughing. “We decided to stick with Ybor and make it our home base.”
Fast forward to today, and Countdown has grown from a modest three-night affair with 25 acts and a $4,000 budget to a five-night extravaganza featuring over 100 acts, three stages, and a roughly $75,000 budget. The festival’s growth is nothing short of meteoric, with its reputation attracting performers from across the country and making it the largest improv festival in the nation. This year, 75 of the 102 acts are from outside Florida. Yes, people are flying crosscountry in the dead of summer to perform in Tampa. Now that’s dedication.
One of the festival’s most charming aspects is its focus on inclusivity and community engagement. This year’s festival features workshops tailored for a diverse audience. There’s a matinee performance for kids and families, where young participants learn improv basics and perform alongside seasoned pros.
“It’s adorable and heartwarming,” Kelly says. “Last year, seeing kids perform with our comedians was the highlight of the festival.”
Another exciting addition is a workshop for veterans and active military, aimed at providing a creative outlet and fostering camaraderie. “Improv can be incredibly therapeutic,” Justin explains. “We’re excited to offer this opportunity to those who serve.”
The festival’s commitment to the local community extends beyond the performers. With the recent opening of The Commodore theater, Countdown has become more than just an annual event; it’s a part of Tampa’s cultural fabric. The theater has allowed Kelly and
Justin to deepen their roots in the city and further their mission of promoting improv and providing a safe space for performers to create.
Of course, the journey hasn’t been without bumps. When a crucial $25,000 grant was cut after Gov. Ron DeSantis’ infamous budget decision, the festival faced a devastating financial crunch. “But we rallied, found individual donors, and pushed through,” Kelly adds.
Despite the challenges, the festival remains a testament to their unwavering dedication.
“Every year presents a new challenge,” Justin says. “But we keep going because we believe in what we’re building here.”
The festival’s name, Countdown, is a nod to its Brooklyn roots. It originated from a
pop-up theater Justin and Kelly ran in nontraditional spaces, always counting down to their next location.
“We thought it would be a fitting name,” Justin explains. “It’s a bit of a throwback to our past, but it also reflects the festival’s spirit—always on the move, always evolving.”
As the Countdown Festival gears up for another incredible year, it’s clear that its magic lies in its blend of creativity, community, and a touch of chaos. Countdown undoubtedly stands out as a beacon of improvisational brilliance. For seasoned improv aficionados or curious newcomers, this festival promises a whirlwind of laughter, surprises, and an unforgettable experience.
GET HYPE: Lauren Ross, a 2022 Countdown alum, will perform throughout the festival.
By Ray Roa
THU 01
1st Annual Fin Fest: Jimmy Buffett Celebrations w/Bluffett Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band announced a handful of tribute tour dates over the summer, and while the late singer-songwriter rose to fame and fortune in the Sunshine State, there’s not one date in Florida. Enter Bluffett. The eight-piece tribute band features a Jimmy lookalike and headlines the 1st Annual Fin Fest (not to be confused with Jacksonville Beach’s Florida Fin Fest). A full set from Bluffet’s “Son Of A Sailor Band” promises all the favorites, while festival organizers also have plans to screen the 1975 classic “Jaws” in the evening. (The BayCare Sound, Clearwater)
Halestorm w/I Prevail/Hollywood Undead/Fit For a King Unlike the last time Halestorm was in town, there won’t be an afternoon Willie Nelson concert for Lzzy Hale to warm up at. But some less-surprising guest spots just might be lined up for the hard rock outfit’s gig at the ol’ Gary next Thursday. Lzzy and friends, who haven’t played the venue since 2010, the year it first became the 1-800-Ask-Gary Amphitheatre (know your Tampa lore, damn it!), just released a new single (“Can U See Me In The Dark?”). Featured is this tour’s co-headliner I Prevail, featuring Brian Burkheiser, who recently took time off to recover from surgeries related to his struggle with Eagle Syndrome, a rare disease he strives to raise awareness about. (MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa)
C Pusha Preme & Friends Back-ToSchool Book Bag Drive Titus O’Neil isn’t the only local hero doing back-to-school good deeds this month. Pusha Preme has a birthday coming up, and while the Tampa rapper and singer is celebrating another turn around the sun (and a new collab with Tory Lanez), the point of this show is to collect notebooks, pens, pencils, backpacks, and other essential items that’ll be passed along to students in need. (Tempus Projects, Ybor City)
FRI 02
Blue October w/Switchfoot/Matt Nathanson Switchfoot drummer Chad Butler told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that the best gig he ever saw was at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in San Diego County. It was 1991, and the poster featured Red Hot Chili Peppers with Pearl Jam and Nirvana as support. “I witnessed first hand the power of music to bring people together in a magical experience,” Butler added. He brings his own magic to this tour, which is also something of a heavyweight thanks to headliner Blue October and ridiculously-charming songwriter Matt Nathanson. (The BayCare Sound, Clearwater)
THU JULY 11–THU JULY 18
C Emilie-Claire Barlow Some vocalists can bring a wash of serenity to a room the moment they sing their first note. Emilie-Claire Barlow is that girl. A versatile soprano with a soft swing in her delivery, the Canadian has been singing professionally for almost three decades and racked up two vocal Juno Awards (Canadian Grammys, folks). Last fall, the 48-year-old headlined northern Ontario’s Jazz Sudbury festival, and she arrives in the Bay area for two shows in support of a 13th studio LP, Spark Bird , which has some bossa nova vibes, plenty of French, and scatting, too. In a jazz scene regularly rich with good shows, this one—and Barlow’s Saturday show at Sarasota’s Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center—takes the cake. (Side Door Cabaret at Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg)
C The Head And The Heart w/ Phosphorescent Verve Records is a complete vibe these days. The label is home to gifted young talent like Samara Joy, Kurt Vile and Jon Batiste, but also a lodestar that’s brought music fans records from Antonio Carlos Jobim, Dizzy Gillespie and the Duke. Add Matthew Houck to that list. The 44-yearold songwriter and leader of Phosphorescent released a new album, Revelator, last April. Recorded in Nashville with bandmate-pianist-partner Jo Schornikow along with Raconteurs bassist Jack Lawrence and drummer Jim White of Dirty Three, Phosphorescent’s first batch of new music in six years is less abstract in its lyrical matter and directly addresses Houck’s mental state
as he grapples with sadness, madness, and growing tired of trying to be that guy (often in one song). Houck & co. open for poppier indie-rock outfit Head and the Heart. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)
Jack Botts Heaps of Aussies have come through the Bay area over the last few months, and the quality (thanks, Good Morning, Leah Senior, Lime Cordiale) has meant that any artist from Down Under is gonna get a fair go from local live music fans. Jack Botts is the latest, and he arrives with a quiet brand of coastal-folk that’s brought him from busking in the streets to playing for hundreds of people at a time in rooms 10,000 miles from home. (Music Hall at New World Brewery, Tampa)
SAT 03
Back II School Slam: Cornered w/Body Blow/Intrabloom/Walled City/Blown Apart/Jar From wrestlers to rappers, locals are all pitching in to get kids ready for the school year. Hardcore kids are getting in on the action, too. Promoters at Coffin Collective have teamed up with Black & queer-led nonprofit Voices of Florida for this backpack drive where bringing school supplies gets you discounted cover for this bill featuring Cornered’s first Bay area show in six years, plus the Tampa debut of Intrabloom, St. Pete heavy-hitter Walled City, and more. (Deviant Libation, Tampa)
C Jeezy Jeezy was just in town last January for the big MLK bash—and put together a great set for the NPR Tiny Desk a month later—but the 46-year-old rapper settles into the club setting for this “Playlist” show where fans get to pick the songs by posting their own dream setlist. (The Ritz, Ybor City)
C Refuge One-Year Anniversary: DJ Three w/Kay-S/Rat Galactic/Blak Techno can sometimes be a passive listening practice, but some producers turn the EDM subgenre into a more visceral experience. DJ Three has been a staple of the Florida scene since the early-’90s and brings the most gripping elements of UK hardcore, jungle and breakbeat for his live set. He tops the first anniversary for the Refuge party alongside residents KayS, Rat Galactic and Blak. (The Nest at St. Pete Brewing Co., St. Petersburg)
SUN 04
C Jerry Week: Uncle John’s Band Grateful Dead fans have been through the wringer as of late as they grappled with the ethics of Dead & Co. playing The Sphere in Vegas and whether or not they’re cool with Jonah Hill playing Jerry Garcia in Martin Scorsese’s upcoming biopic about the band. Jerry would’ve turned 82 years old this week, and to celebrate members of Tampa Bay’s revered tribute outfit Uncle John’s Band (bassist Mike Edwards, Michael Bortz on
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C CL Recommends
CURTIS WAYNE MILLARD
drums, John Sabal on keys, plus Alan Gilman and Rich Whitely on guitar) play an indoor, acoustic tribute. (The Ale & the Witch, St. Petersburg)
C Ol’ DIrty Sundays: DJ Qeys w/DJ Casper/DJ Fader/Indy There are just five more opportunities to experience Ol’ Dirty Sundays (the 13-year-old party recently announced its end as a weekly—but has not ruled out the possibility of the occasional one-off). The latest features DJ Qeys who came of age on the Crowbar patio on the way to features and work with artists like Denzel Curry who asked the Tampa turntablist to cut it up on “Ultra Shxt” and “Hot One” from his new album, King of the Mischievous South, Vol. 2 , which dropped last month. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
Popperz w/M.A.C.E./Scissorblade Every scene has that band that seemingly won’t say no to a show. Popperz does that in Houston where its become one of the Bayou City’s most recognizable punk-rock exports. A debut LP, Slippin’ Through the Cracks , features songs that have been heard over and again in their hometown, but the trio is on the road and miles from home to play tunes about conversion therapy camps (“Misfits Song”) and earworms, too (“Unintentional”). Orlando hardcore band M.A.C.E. opens along with femme cybergrind outfit Scissor Blade. (The Nest at St. Pete Brewing Co., St. Petersburg)
Straight No Chaser w/Chris Kirkpatrick/ O-Town Anyone jonesing for an Nsync reunion is gonna have to settle for this show featuring Chris Kirkpatrick who handled the high notes for the boy band. The 52-year-old joins another Orlando pop export (O-Town) on a bill headlined by nine-piece acapella outfit Straight No Chaser which is on the road singing ‘90s hits from the likes of Backstreet Boys, Lisa Loeb and George Michael. (The BayCare Sound, Clearwater)
WED 07
C Limp Bizkit w/Bones/N8noface/Corey Feldman/Riff Raff Almost three decades after Three Dollar Bill, Y’all put Jacksonville’s hardrock scene on the map—and a couple years after playing an intimate “Still Sucks” tour at the Hard Rock Event Center—Limp Bizkit is still out on the road and in a much bigger room for its “Loserville” show. Disgraced rapper Riff Raff (who settled a sexual assault lawsuit four years ago) emcees this gig which features the latest victim of “Masked Singer” (Corey Feldman), plus California rappers N8noface (stylized in all-caps) and Bones. (MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa)
THU 08
C Dad Bod w/Oruã/Domino Pink On its 2021 album Pastels , Salt Lake CIty indie-rock band Dad Bod established itself as reliable purveyors of poppy psych-rock. The family band—brothers Michael and Matthew and Marcus Marinos, plus compadres Russ Alphin and Michael Morgan—stays rooted there on a new album, Loop de Loop Miracle Ministries Lords of Glory, but gives itself a whole lot of room to sprawl out and sharpen the songwriting while also dipping into blues-rock (“Feels Like Forever”) and manic melancholia, too (“Alcohol”). Brazilian rock band Oruã says it plays “A poor man’s jazz. Working-class’ krautrock,” but a new album released last month (Passe, stylized in allcaps), is so much more complicated than that. A throwback of sorts to the glory days of ‘90s underground rock (members of Oruã did back Built To Spill on its 2022 LP), the 13-track outing goes loud and soft in unexpected places and deploys just-off-time rhythms to great effect, all alongside guitars in weird tunings and oddbut-irresistible melodies. Palmetto psych-rock outfit Domino Pink rounds out this knockout of a show. (Hooch and Hive, Tampa)
See an extended version of this listing via cltampa.com/music.
Crowbar owner Tom DeGeorge has harped on the end of his lease coming in 2026, and bands are lining up to play the room before it potentially closes. The latest big booking at the Ybor City venue includes a sort-of who’s who of oldschool Tampa punk bands including one that hasn’t played a show in five years.
The Tim Version formed in 1999 and cut its teeth in a heyday for Florida punk-rock alongside bands like Gainesville’s Hot Water Music and Less Than Jake. More Southern than their contemporaries in the college town, the quartet—guitarists Russ Van Cleave and Scott Laval, plus drummer Shawn Watkins, and bassist Mike Paul—put out its early work on A.D.D. Records and soon signed with famed Sunshine State punk label No Idea Records.
No Idea went on to release revered Tim Version albums Decline Of The Southern Gentleman and Ordinary Life where the band
TL Jentgens Friday, Aug. 9. 9 p.m. $5. Floridian Social, St. Petersburg
Displace w/HeadTones/TruPhonic Friday, Aug. 16. 8 p.m. $15. Crowbar, Ybor City
The Tim Version w/Slinky Punk/The Enablers/Hawgs Saturday, Aug. 17. 7 p.m.
$10. Crowbar, Ybor City
The Black Honkeys Friday, Aug. 23. 7:30 p.m. $5. Floridian Social, St. Petersburg
The Spazmatics Saturday, Aug. 24. 7 p.m.
$5. Floridian Social, St. Petersburg
Swallowtail Cousin Saturday, Aug. 24. 7:30 p.m. No cover. Biergarten at New World Brewery, Tampa
Imposters of Rock: Miles Schon’s Journey Experience feat. Rudy Cardenas Saturday, Aug. 31. 7:30 p.m.
$28.75 & up. Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater
cemented its reputation of working call-back, whoa-whoa hooks into a uniquely countryfied brand of rock. “Though the group never officially called it quits, jobs, relocations, families, and the other various responsibilities that accompany not wanting to die young, pretty and starving in a broken-down van in a snowbank have kept The Tim Version from playing for half a decade,” a press release added.
To make the show even sweeter is a support bill featuring more OGs of the Florida punk circuit including Bay area outfi t Slinky, Gainesville’s The Enablers, and supergroup Hawgs which includes members of Radon, Grabass Charlestons, Cutman and more.
Tickets to see The Tim Version play Crowbar in Ybor City, Florida on Saturday, Aug. 17 are still available and start at $10. See Josh Bradley’s weekly roundup of new concert announcements below.—Ray Roa
Subtronics Sunday, Sept. 1. 11 a.m. $85. Hard Rock Event Center Pool at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa
Know Your Enemy: A Tribute to Rage Against The Machine w/Anthill Cinema/ Stick & Ditty/DJ BC Friday, Sept. 6. 7 p.m. $12. Crowbar, Ybor City
Cairokee Sunday, Sept. 22. 7:30 p.m. $70. The Ritz, Ybor City
Joel Hoekstra w/Brandon Gibb Sunday, Oct. 6. 7 p.m. $14.50 & up. Central Park Performing Arts Center, Largo
Neck Deep Monday, Oct. 7. 7:30 p.m. $37.50. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
Henhouse Prowlers Friday, Oct. 11. 8 p.m. $19.50 & up. Central Park Performing Arts Center, Largo
For the longest time I’ve been into the feederism kink. It’s specifically the weight gain aspect of this kink—making myself or others bigger—that turns me on. I’ve always felt uneasy about this due to the health risks and have kept it hidden. I recently got a wonderful girlfriend, our relationship is great, and we have really great sex. She’s curvy but wants to lose weight. I also want to lose weight with her and for both of us to be healthy. But occasionally I’m overcome with the urge to get into weight gain kink play. I told my girlfriend about my kink, and although she accepts it and accepts me, she doesn’t want to pursue anything related to it. When I feel the need to indulge this fetish, I scratch the itch with strangers I meet online. I wish I could just turn this part of me off and enjoy the wonderful relationship that I have. Can a fetish like this be made to fade over time or am I just going to try and focus on other things when these urges come on?—Can I Yuck My Own Yum?
out your fantasies IRL is the price of admission you’re willing to pay to be with her, allowing you to explore your kinks with strangers on the Internet—allowing you to swap feeder/gainer stories and memes with people you’re never going to meet IRL—is the price she should pay, and pay happily, to be with you.
SAVAGE LOVE
For a kinkster, finding a romantic partner who shares your kink is wonderful but rare; finding a romantic partner who doesn’t share your kink but who’s willing to indulge you— finding someone who’s GGG (and being GGG in return)—is the next best thing. But people with truly niche kinks typically wind up in relationships with romantic partners who don’t share their kinks and are unwilling or unable to indulge them. Some kinks are too extreme for even the most GGG partner and in some cases a kink—however mild—may be a libido killer or an emotional trigger for a vanilla partner. Someone who suffers from claustrophobia can’t spend the night in a bondage box, someone with food issues won’t be able to indulge a feeder/ gainer kink. (For the record: I’m not suggesting your partner has food issues just because she wants to lose a little weight.)
But unlike old soldiers, kinks don’t fade away, CIYMOY, and like Alex Forrest, they will not be ignored. So, a kinky person—particularly a kinky person in a relationship with a vanilla partner who can’t or won’t go there—needs an outlet that allows them to explore their kinks in a safe and controlled manner. Without that outlet—without that allowance—a kinkster will seize or create an opportunity to get their kink on, often with a disinhibiting assist from drugs and alcohol, and these seized opportunities have a much greater chance of blowing up lives and destroying relationships.
Seeing as your girlfriend already knows about your kink, CIYMOY, she must know— she should assume—that you’re having a wank about it once in a while. And if not getting to act
I’m a woman in my mid-30s dating a man in his lat-30s. From the beginning my boyfriend has struggled to come from PIV with me and has to jack himself off in order to climax. He also never comes from my blowjobs or my hand jobs. This has obviously led to a lot of animosity and finger pointing. He says this has never been an issue for him in the past and the problem is that I lack sexual stamina. He says we have poor sexual chemistry. He has also said he can’t feel much during PIV sex and suggested I start doing kegels. He said this after I had already tried introducing toys, sexy outfits, and having discussions about what he likes. I suggested he stop watching porn and that he should masturbate less and use a pocket pussy when he does to help loosen the death grip, as I cannot compete with what I see him doing when he jacks off. He refused. I feel like I have been making all the effort here and he isn’t making any effort at all. Am I the problem? His sex life prior to me involved a lot of BDSM and group sex, which concerns me. If that’s what he needs, I can’t provide it. He tells me that he doesn’t need all that but part of me doesn’t believe him. What I know for sure is that I can’t be solely responsible for his orgasms. Is this a problem I can solve on my own, or does he have some role to play here? We have been seeing each other for seven months and nothing has improved this situation.—Boyfriends Rejects All Sexual Suggestions
Jesus Christ, break the fuck up already. While some men who suffer from death-grip syndrome (DGS) manage to retrain their dicks using pocket pussies and/or a lighter touch during masturbation—and are now able to have look-ma-no-hands orgasms—not all men who appear to have DGS actually have DGS. Just as some women require the sensations only a vibrator can provide in order get off, BRASS, some men require the kind of intense pressure only a fist can provide in order to get off. And just as women who rely on vibrators aren’t broken
and don’t need to be fixed, men who rely on their own hand to finish and/or get themselves to the point of orgasmic inevitability before plunging back aren’t broken and don’t need fixing either.
Now, maybe your boyfriend used to get off from PIV alone during those group BDSM sex sessions and maybe he didn’t—he could be lying when he said he’s never had this “problem” before (again: it might not be a problem, it might just be how his dick works)—but he doesn’t seem to be enjoying the sex he’s having with you anymore than you’re enjoying the sex you’re having with him. So, unless you two share a secret kink for slowly shredding another person’s ego and sexual self-esteem, I can’t understand why you’re still fucking each other.
To be clear, BRASS, I don’t think you’re the asshole… or I don’t think you’re the only asshole. A lot of people make the mistake you did—a lot of people assume that a male partner who needs to touch themselves to get off isn’t attracted to them or is somehow broken—but your boyfriend responded to your mistaken-but-madein-good-faith “suggestions” with the most demeaning shit he could possibly say. If he didn’t feel any sexual chemistry
TLDR: the sex is bad, the guy’s an asshole, and it’s not getting any better. DTMFA.
My husband is into fetish and BDSM. I am not. I tag along with him to kink events and play parties at his request—and sometimes play matchmaker by striking up conversations with guys he thinks are hot. The issue is that some of these guys only want to “play” with me or with us if we’re a package deal. This doesn’t happen that often, but it hurts my husband’s feelings when it does and since he can’t take his disappointment out on some guy who walked away, he takes it out on me. He’s very socially awkward, which seems pretty common among the kinky gay men I’ve met through him, so he doesn’t want to go to these events alone. But I don’t want to go if he’s going to blow up at me because some random rubber twunk wasn’t into him. There have been plenty of times when I played matchmaker successfully and he wound up having a great time with someone, but he obsesses about the times he got rejected and will be—if I may be blunt—kind of an insufferable asshole about it for weeks. A big fetish event is coming up, and I have to decide whether to go, and I’m leaning against it. If it matters, I never play with anyone else, as I have a very low libido and I’m satisfied with the vanilla sex I have with my husband. So, it’s not like I’m getting anything out of this sexually. I’m content to let him do his thing and to help out. I’m fine being the “bait,” I’m just sick of being the bad guy.—Vanilla Whipping Boy
and/ or your pussy really didn’t do it for him, he could’ve and should’ve ended the relationship with a face-saving/ego-sparing banality (“It’s not you, it’s me”) or with the truth, gently told (“I don’t feel like we click on a sexual level”). Opting to blame your pussy was a choice—a mean-spirited and vindictive choice.
There’s a middle ground between going to these events with your husband to play the matchmaker and not going to these events at all—and that would be going to these events and refusing to play the matchmaker. But if you were to go to this upcoming event and chatted people up and didn’t include your husband in conversation, he’s almost guaranteed to blow up at you about that. So, as trivial as the issue might seem, I’m gonna suggest booking a session or two with a kink-positive couples’ counselor. Hearing from someone else—hearing from a credentialed expert he’s paying hundreds of dollars to see—that he should be showering you with gratitude for tagging along to these events, not giving you grief when some rubber twunk isn’t into him, might help your husband realize how good he’s got it (you’re the good thing he’s got) even when he doesn’t get it (the rubber twunk who wasn’t interested).
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