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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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We’re marking the halfway point to St. Patrick's Day with the whiskey with over 150 awards since launching in 2021, Keeper's Heart—a unique blend that marries the best of Irish and American whiskey-making traditions.
Keeper's Heart has partnered with some of the fi nest pubs and restaurants across the Tampa Bay area to celebrate this milestone. Indulge in special drink offerings like the classic Irish Mule and the refreshing Celtic Lemonade. Now is the perfect time to gather your friends and join us at these outstanding venues during this halfway celebration weekend! Discover the top spots below:
The Horse & Jockey
1155 Pasadena Ave S, South Pasadena, FL
33707 From Friday, September 13th to Tuesday, September 17th, make your way to The Horse & Jockey, a beloved South Pasadena pub known
for its inviting atmosphere. Sip on an Espresso Martini crafted with Keeper’s Heart Irish + American whiskey or enjoy a Paper Plane made with Keeper’s Heart Irish + Bourbon.
Molly's Pub
1562 Main St, Sarasota, FL
34236 Celebrate halfway to St. Patrick’s Day at Molly's Pub, a Sarasota favorite with a cozy setting and great vibes. Throughout the month, Molly’s will be featuring a Blackberry Smash made with Keeper’s Heart Irish + American and an Old Fashioned with Keeper’s Heart Irish + Bourbon.
McGrath's Kitchen & Cocktails
can enjoy a Smoked Old Fashioned made with their single barrel pick - Keeper’s Heart Irish + American fi nished in PX Sherry barrels.
Ed's Tavern
1305 108th St E, Bradenton, FL 34212 For a lively atmosphere, visit Ed's Tavern in Bradenton. From Friday, September 13th to Tuesday, September 17th, Ed’s will feature a Smoked Old Fashioned made with their Keeper’s Heart PX Sherry fi nish single barrel pick.
8110 Lakewood Main St, Bradenton, FL
34202 Visit McGrath's from Friday, September 13th to Tuesday, September 17th, where you
Irish 1916
Locations in Brandon and Plant City, FL Immerse yourself in Irish culture at Irish 1916. From Friday, September 13th to Tuesday, September 17th, they’ll be serving up delicious Keeper’s Heart Irish Mules and Black Cherry Celtic Lemonades.
Hattricks
107 S Franklin St, Tampa, FL 33602 Hattricks is the place to be in downtown Tampa for great food, drinks, and live sports. All month long, they’ll be featuring Keeper’s Heart Irish Mules and Celtic Lemonades.
Keeper’s Heart is a whiskey that masterfully blends the rich traditions of Irish and American whiskey-making by bringing together the smoothness of Irish whiskey with the boldness of American whiskey. Crafted by legendary Master Distiller Brian Nation, renowned for his work with Jameson, Midleton, and Redbreast, Keeper’s Heart has already won over 150 awards since its launch in 2021, including World’s Best Irish whiskey at SFWSC in 2023. Whether savored neat, on the rocks, or in your favorite cocktail, this award-winning whiskey is the perfect companion for celebrating the halfway mark to St. Patrick's Day. Cheers and Sláinte!
Hey momma
Photos by Dave Decker
One of the best parts of coming home is seeing your mom, and Laura Jane Grace got to do just that last Saturday when she brought a new band, The Mississippi Medicals, to 687 Central Ave. in St. Petersburg. Now known as Floridian Social, the address is home to many memorable shows from Grace’s Florida punk band Against Me!. Nostalgia was high as the new project—featuring Grace’s new wife, comedian Paris Campbell, plus punk icon Mikey Erg and Matt Patton who plays bass in Drive-By Truckers—returned to Tampa Bay alongside Catbite and Taylor Hollingsworth.”Loving every second of being in Florida right now,” Grace wrote on social media the day after playing St. Pete. “Y’all trying to make it weird with that whole ‘You Are Now Entering The Free State Of Florida’ bit posted on the state line, but Florida is still Florida. Beautiful state. See all the photos via cltampa.com/slideshows.—Ray Roa
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• Stretching helps to enhance mobility and range of motion, speed up recovery, and improve posture and circulation.
• Top athletes regularly incorporate stretching into their lives.
• Stretching improves your general wellbeing.
do this
Tampa Bay's best things to do from September 12 - 19
Go wild
The Jane Goodall Institute’s Tampa Basecamp kicks off Hope in Action with a groundbreaking Youth Environmental Summit where students in grades four and up can discuss conservation amongst themselves. In the evening, Dr. Jane Goodall will deliver a highly anticipated speech to an audience of all ages. The Roots and Shoots Alliance will lead a “Day of Hope in Action” the following day. Joe Tatelbaum told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that after Goodall visited Tampa in March 2023, she and her team opened an office in Tampa and formed the Roots and Shoots Alliance, which is comprised of over 40 groups “active in care for the environment and in energizing young people.” The Alliance’s Day of Hope will feature a series of beach cleanups and community-driven environmental activities throughout the Bay area. This family-friendly event, the first of its kind in the region, aims to mobilize a vast audience and create lasting impact, highlighting the Institute’s commitment to environmental stewardship and youth empowerment.
Driving across Florida lends itself to a lot of fantasies about turning your own backyard into something that resembles the wildflower-laden stretches of land that cover parts of the state. Early comers to the USF’s Tampa campus this weekend will get a tutorial on how to make that dream come true.
Dr. Craig Huegel’s “Creating A Wildflower Meadow” talk is just part of this celebration of native Florida plants, which includes chats on landscaping for birds and pollinators, too. Local businesses and organizations dedicated to conservation and native plants will also be on site as the school’s plants shop knocks 10% off its inventory.
Native plant open house: Saturday, Sept. 15. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. No cover Botanical Gardens at University of South Florida, 12210 USF Pine Dr., Tampa. @USFGardens on Facebook—Ray Roa
The
worst
The classic, award-winning Tim Burton-directed biopic uses its star-studded cast to tell the story of Edward D. Wood Jr. a real life, ambitious and troubled movie director, who’s also been infamously dubbed as “the worst director of all time.” Film icons like Johnny Depp, Martin Landau (whose role in this film won him the 1995 Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role), and Sarah Jessica Parker come together under the genius of Burton to depict Wood’s early struggles in the film industry. Classified as a biographical comedy-drama, Burton’s film semi-celebrates Wood—who died in 1978 at the age of 54—with its classic 1950s black-and-white feel and is, at the very least, nothing short of entertaining. Second Screen, which has found itself a new, permanent home at Green Light which hosts the group’s curated programs every third Thursday of the month.
Second Screen Presents ‘Ed Wood’: Next Thursday, Sept. 19. 7 p.m. $10-$12. Green Light Cinema, 221 2nd Ave., St. Petersburg. @SecondScreenCultCinema on Facebook—Anthony Ozdemir
TOUCHSTONE
Praise the pigskin
Faith, family, football, Florida. To gloss over the connection football has with the Sunshine State might be a sin. Just ask renowned author Gary Mormino, who once declared football a “state religion in Florida.” Like a field of unkempt grass, from Tallahassee to Miami and all that’s between, football is woven into the roots of Florida and has created generations of stories that beg to be told. Thankfully, Mormino heard the call. At the Saturday Night Lights: Florida & Football seminar he’ll recount passionate tales of one of America’s greatest love stories, Floridians and football. Mormino, a former Humanities Lifetime Achievement Award winner named Florida Icon by Florida Trend, will tell us how here, the game is a genuine, meaningful purpose that rises above political and social issues and gives the people an opportunity to come together. As Mormino states in “Dreams,” a book he wrote on Florida’s history, football acts as a “safety valve to Floridians” that many use to “escape the numbness of identity politics and forever wars.”
Saturday Night Lights: Florida and Football: Wednesday, Sept. 18. 5:30 p.m.-7:30 pm. No cover. First Presbyterian Church, 01 Beach Dr. NE, St. Petersburg. fpcstpete.com—Anthony Ozdemir
Morean savings
For more than 100 years, the Morean—once just the Art Club of St. Petersburg—has had its finger on the pulse of the local arts scene. At its annual art sale, the neighborhood gets to not only rummage through a lot of the nonprofit’s miscellany, but meet more than a dozen local artists who’ll each have six-foot tables showcasing their own work. Prices on items start at $1 and max out at $100.
Art yard sale: Saturday, Sept. 14. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. No cover. 719 Central Ave., St Petersburg. moreanartscenter.org—Ray Roa
Painfully delicious
Each year, a local group of heat seekers host a two-day celebration of all things spicy and eye-watering. Like previous iterations of the popular event, the 24th annual I Like it Hot! Festival will feature a wide range of spice-related vendors peddling hot sauces, spice rubs and salsas, spice tolerance contests, live music, food trucks, non-food vendors and more. The main events of the festival—which is pet-friendly and offers complimentary parking—are an “extreme” pepper eating contest (where the Scoville level gradually increases) and the Lolli Lick-A-Thon, where participants try to make it through “the hottest lollipop in the world.” Other competitions include the battle for best vendor, salsa, BBQ and hot sauce. And if your palette isn’t geared towards the spicy (and painful), don’t worry, because there will be a variety of sweet and savory treats to indulge in, too.
I Like it Hot! Festival: SaturdaySunday, Sept. 14-15. 10 a.m. & 11 a.m.
No cover. Largo Event Center, 6340 126th Ave. N, Largo. @ILikeItHotFestival—Kyla Fields
CITYOFSTPETE/FLICKR
Saturday, September 28
Ybor City Museum
1818 East Ninth Avenue
Tampa, Florida 33605
MyEPICMasquerade.org
POLITICS ISSUES OPINION
Poll position
Interesting numbers in Pinellas’ 13th Congressional District race.
By Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix
Pinellas County GOP U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna and her camp reacted with disbelief this month when a public opinion survey showed her trailing her Democratic opponent, Whitney Fox, 48%-44% in her bid for re-election in November.
It was a different story last Tuesday, with the Luna campaign touting a new survey conducted for the conservative-leaning Club for Growth PAC of the CD-13 contest which fl ips those numbers around, with Lula leading Fox now by fi ve points, 48%-43%.
“Don’t believe the fake poll,” Luna said on Tuesday. “Here is legitimate polling showing I have a 5-point lead. By the time I am fi nished it will be even larger.”
The Cook Political Report lists the seat as “Likely Republican”—one of only four of Florida’s districts that the organization believes are even remotely competitive.
Ready for a change?
Democrats point to a survey released last week by St. Pete Polls which, surprisingly showed Fox up by nearly four full points in a congressional district in which there are nearly 55,000 more registered Republicans than Democrats.
ELECTIONS
The new poll was conducted by WPA Intelligence, which surveyed 400 likely voters in Florida’s 13th Congressional District from Aug. 28-29. No other information was provided in the one-page document provided to the Phoenix.
General election
Tuesday, Nov. 4 (register to vote by Oct. 7) rockthevote.com
“This poll confi rms what we’ve been hearing from voters across Pinellas County—they are ready for a change. Our community is tired of the extreme partisanship and divisive rhetoric that has defi ned Anna Paulina Luna’s time in office,” Fox said last week after the survey was released. “People want real solutions, not her brand of shallow political theater.”
with polling to take all of the parameters of the poll into account when analyzing it, and the sample and weighting demographics are a very important part of that.”
liberals, Rep. Luna trusts voters to make their own decisions. This isn’t China.
“Rep. Luna wishes the Fox campaign joy and good luck,” she concluded.
Luna, a close political ally to Donald Trump and U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, won her seat over Democrat Eric Lynn by eight percentage points, 53%-45%, in 2022. Her victory came just months after Gov. Ron DeSantis’ staff personally redrew the district to make it more Republican-friendly.
Before redistricting, Democrat Charlie Crist had held the seat for six years. But 2022’s redistricting cut out significant portions of the district’s most liberal areas— St. Petersburg and Gulfport—putting those voters in Florida’s 14 Congressional District, which was already Democratic-leaning and has been held by Democrat Kathy Castor since 2006.
Luna responded to that survey last week by posting an image of different headlines of St. Pete Poll surveys on X.
Florell said that he conducted his CD-13 poll on Aug. 27, less than a week after the Democratic National Convention, which he says was a “very favorable time for Democratic candidates.”
Additional races
“People want real solutions, not her brand of shallow political theater.”
“Being that it’s an election year, I’d like to have a moment of silence for previous candidates and their ‘winning’ polls,” Luna wrote, with the post showing headlines of write-ups of St. Pete Polls that showed Lynn and Republican congressional candidate Amanda Makki either tied or winning their races against Luna in 2022 and 2020, respectively.
The Fox campaign says that they’re in a good position, nine weeks away from Election Day.
Florida Democrats have said that they believe the seat presents perhaps their best opportunity to fl ip from red to blue this November and cut into the Republican’s 20-8 domination over Democrats in the state’s congressional delegation.
“This week’s CD-13 poll had an R+9 sample and R+9 weighting, with Fox leading by 3.5%,” St. Pete Polls pollster Matt Florell told the Phoenix last week. “If there is a similar Democratic voter turnout collapse this year like there was in 2022, then I would expect Luna to win again, but by a much smaller margin this time.”
“There is really no way to predict voter turnout in an election, we can only make educated guesses based on recent past elections, and in 2022 we got it wrong, like a lot of polling organizations did in Florida,” he added. “It is important
“Two public surveys show this is a coin-toss election, and despite all the advantage of incumbency, Luna fails to secure a majority of support,” said James Corti, Fox’s campaign manager. “Luna knows that Whitney Fox has the momentum to defeat her because Pinellas voters want a congresswoman who will be on their side to protect reproductive freedom and fight the affordability crisis. The case to fire Luna is only enhanced by a poll-obsessed Washington politician defending her vanity after each survey rather than doing her job.”
Olivia Carson is the campaign manager for Congresswoman Luna.
“Multiple legitimate polls are showing that Florida’s 13th CD will handily re-elect Rep. Luna. Saying otherwise is simply lying to voters,” she said in response to Corti’s comments.
“As for Amendment 4, Rep. Luna believes it is a policy decision that should be left to the voters in the state to decide, whether through the Constitutional Amendment or the State Legislature. Unlike extreme, big government
The Cook Political Report has listed three additional congressional races in Florida worth noting, although it expects all “likely” to remain held by the same political party after the Nov. 5 election. Those include:
• Congressional District 27, a South Florida seat in which Republican Maria Elvira Salazar faces
• Democratic challenger Lucia Baez-Geller;
• Congressional District 10 in Central Florida, in which Democratic incumbent Darren Soto is running against Republican Thomas Chalifoux;
• Congressional District 23, where Democratic incumbent Jared Moskowitz represents parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties in his race against GOP challenger Joe Kaufman.
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofi t news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline (info@fl oridaphoenix.com) for questions. Follow @Florida.Phoenix.News on Facebook and @ FLPhoenixNews on X.
OVER THE MOON: Whitney Fox in St. Petersburg on June 22, 2024.
Taking chances
By Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix
Few national political analysts believe that any of Florida’s 28 congressional seats are in serious jeopardy of flipping this fall, but Pat Kemp, the Hillsborough County Democrat running against Republican Laurel Lee in Florida’s 15th Congressional District, says an internal poll shows she has a credible shot.
District 15 consists of portions of Hillsborough, Pasco, and Polk counties and is the state’s freshest congressional district, carved out after Florida received an additional seat following the 2020 federal U.S. Census. In its first election in 2022, Lee defeated by Democrat Alan Cohn by 17%.
The Lee campaign mocked the results of the survey.
“It’s laughable that a campaign would try to pass off a month-old internal poll as credible, one that shows she is actually losing, and then say, ‘… after biographical statements’ it’s much closer,” said Lee spokesperson Sarah Bascom in a statement sent to the Phoenix.
ELECTIONS
A poll conducted for the Kemp campaign by Change Research of 511 likely voters between July 17-19 showed Kemp within striking distance, trailing Lee 44%-41%, with 14% undecided. The survey found that, after voters were provided biographic information about both candidates, the race is a statistical tie, with Lee up over Kemp by just one point, 48%-47%, with 4% undecided. The margin of error was listed at +/- 4.9%.
“Anyone with an ounce of knowledge about campaigns knows how to slant the biographical information to give them the result they want. Like most well-run, credible campaigns, we don’t release internal polling, but we can say Congresswoman Lee is in a strong position to be reelected in the 15th Congressional District of Florida.”
The poll didn’t include the biographical details it provided about the two candidates.
Two veteran politicians
Kemp, 67, has served on the Hillsborough County Commission since 2016. She will be term-limited out of office in November. She’s a former Hillsborough County Democratic Party
chair who served as a political aide to U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor when Castor herself served on the county commission. She has worked as a family law attorney and as news director at WUSF, the NPR affiliate in Tampa.
Lee, 50, served as Florida Secretary of State from 2019 to 2022 before being elected to Congress. Before that, she served as a trial judge in Florida’s 13th Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County. She was a prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Florida. She serves on the Judiciary and Homeland Security committees and the Bipartisan Task Force to Investigate the Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump in the U.S. House.
Kemp notes that her poll was conducted just days before President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and was replaced by Vice President Kamala Harris, who accepted her party’s nomination last week and has certainly added excitement to the presidential race in Florida.
The abortion factor
Kemp says that her poll was of “likely” voters, meaning those who regularly cast ballots. The district includes the University of South Florida’s large student body, who might not have been old enough to vote or simply didn’t vote in the past, but who may be more motivated to vote this year because of the proposed constitutional amendments on the ballot this fall regarding cannabis and abortion rights, she added.
“These kinds of polls, they don’t take in voters who have never voted before,” she said on WMNF radio last month.
Like many Democrats, Kemp will run hard on abortion rights. Her internal poll shows that Amendment 4, the constitutional amendment on the Nov. 5 ballot that would restore the right to abortion in Florida to the point of viability (considered to be 24 weeks) getting 60% of the vote in the district, which is the statewide threshold required for passage.
“Laurel Lee celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade up until a couple of months ago,” Kemp said. Lee did applaud the overturning of the Roe decision, saying she supported the court’s ruling to let the states decide. But she has been silent about Florida’s recently enacted six-week abortion ban, declining to comment when asked where she stands on the law when asked by the Tampa Bay Times about the issue in April.
Congressional District 15 is a red district, with nearly 38% of the electorate registered as Republican vs. 32% Democrats. The remaining 30% is registered as either Non-Party-Affiliated or with a third party.
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline (info@floridaphoenix.com) for questions. Follow @Florida.Phoenix.News on Facebook and @ FLPhoenixNews on X.
PITTY-PAT: Pat Kemp at WMNF in Tampa on Aug. 23, 2024.
RAY ROA
Abort report
Democrats want investigation into Florida parks plan.
By Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix
Five Democratic members of Congress are calling on Gov. Ron DeSantis to order an independent investigation into what (if any) state procedures were violated in his administration’s state parks scheme, and which private groups lobbied for and stood to benefit had the plan gone through.
The move came a week after DeSantis shut down the proposal by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to add golf courses, pickleball courts, and lodging options to nine state parks amid nearly universal opposition from the public.
“Your proposal was quietly rushed into a public hearing process and timed to a summer travel period when residents were less likely to attend. It is also still not clear who is behind the plan. Given this destructive, veiled affront, the public is owed peace of mind, honesty, and transparency,”
in sharing their outrage over the plan almost immediately after it was reported late last month.
Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, and Panhandle-area Congressman Matt Gaetz all expressed criticism of the proposal. And protests broke out among members of the public throughout the state.
Whistleblower
Meanwhile, James Gaddis, a former employee of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection who was fired last weekend after it was learned that he had leaked the plan, is still dealing with the aftermath.
ENVIRONMENT
reads a portion of the letter from U.S. representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Kathy Castor, Maxwell Frost, Darren Soto, and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick.
“Similar schemes were floated by your predecessor, current U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, who quickly jettisoned them due to overwhelming opposition. It would be political malfeasance to be ignorant of the massive public outcry over former Gov. Scott’s failed attempt to misuse Florida’s parks. So, it appears this plan’s success relied on hiding it from our citizens. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s bid to bypass public input necessitates formal investigation.”
The letter goes on to ask that the governor release all public records regarding the plan, called the “2024-2025 Great Outdoors Initiative,” as well as start a formal investigation “immediately.”
Unlike many other controversial proposals unveiled in the 5-1/2 years of DeSantis’ rule in Tallahassee, Republicans joined Democrats
He’s become a hero to some environmentalists, and his GoFundMe page. created to support himself financially after he was terminated from his $49,000 job, is thriving. The fund was at $221,145 as of last Thursday.
However, Gaddis was also dealing on Thursday with a broadcast report that he had resigned from another state job “in lieu of termination’ in January 2022 after a relationship with a co-worker resulted in him being accused of sending harassing messages to her. The TV station said a “source in AHCA shared documents” detailing the matter.
Gaddis told the Palm Beach Post that the release of the records was a “somewhat expected hit piece, irrelevant to anything involving state parks.”
A request for comment by the governor’s office was not immediately returned.
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline (info@floridaphoenix.com) for questions. Follow @Florida.Phoenix. News on Facebook and @FLPhoenixNews on X.
HONEYMOON OVER: Dunedin City Commissioner Jeff Now at a protes on Aug. 27, 2024
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RESTAURANTS RECIPES DINING GUIDES
Hell nuh
King State to close cafe, and more local food news.
By Ray Roa and Colin Wolf
Despite its popularity and a place in the top 10 of Food & Wine’s “Best Coffee Shops in America,” King State will have to close its Tampa Heights location next month. The shop at 520 E Floribraska Ave. made the announcement last Tuesday, adding that it would continue to “roast coffee and brew beer for the masses!”
A closing date has not been announced, but owners wrote that their move out would happen towards the end of October. “We are working on getting a new operator in here that will treat this space well and will allow King State to still be a part of Tampa,” they added.
King State, which celebrated its five-year anniversary over the summer, was borne from a DIY coffee roasting warehouse operation and opened in June of 2019. It quickly became a popular destination thanks to its surefire breakfast, laid-back light-filled dining room, and killer drinks.
Like many other businesses, King State battled through the pandemic, with the last few years bringing a lot of change for co-founders Tim McTague and Nate Young. King State moved through chefs, added nighttime and cocktail service, plus dealt with a loss of businesses when a City of Tampa pipe project shut down the road in front of the cafe. They also opened two St. Pete concepts—brewery and beer bar The Brutalist and a second King State location—which have since closed. Last February, they filed for bankruptcy reorganization in an effort to get lean and keep going.
“We don’t fully know what’s next, but we know that we have shared in so many moments here in this old gas station. Everything from weddings to funerals to engagements to heavy phone calls, loss, joy and moments that we’ll never ever forget. The connection of humans from all different walks of life under one roof is a beautiful thing. The thing we will miss the most,” the post added. “As well as telling people we don’t have public WiFi. That was so much fun.”
Read the full statement via @k1ngst8 on Instagram.
Ybor City’s Sky Puppy Brewing opens Friday
Nearly three years after getting the keys to Ybor City’s historic Tampa Fire Station No. 2 building, Danielle Vergnaud-McKinnon and her husband Matthew McKinnon will finally open their new brewery to the public.
Sky Puppy Brewing, located at 1313 E 8th Ave, opens on Friday, Sept. 13, Matthew’s birthday.
OPENINGS & CLOSINGS
At recent soft opening nights, Sky Puppy featured a dozen beers on tap, along with four natural wines by the glass. Beer styles created with Sky Puppy’s seven-barrel SS Brew Tech system included Mexican lager, hazy IPA and hazy DIPA, Czech pilsner, Belgian wit, two Florida weisses, and a sweet stout.
Textile works from artist Sydney Brown (of Foot Stuff Rugs & Co.) is currently featured in the rotating gallery space.
In its announcement, King State wrote, “we wanted it to be a place people could call home in Tampa. A place where natives could be proud of. We feel that we have done that.”
“We’ve made so many memories. So many mistakes. So many relationships we’ll have for the rest of our lives. Nothing can take that away,” they added.
In its forward-thinking manner, King State continued to share the upcoming goings on at the Tampa location, including “pumpking (spice)” offerings, a mezcal mixer, oyster social, espresso martini competition, and spooky final dance set for a still-to-be-announced Friday in October.
Last week, Matthew—a local home brewer and professional brewer who’s worked on teams at TBBC & Coppertail—told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that all the beers from the soft opening will be available when doors open. Two more stouts—a vanilla cold brew coffee stout and peanut butter stout—may also be ready along with a Munich dunkel.
Beer lovers are in for a treat when they open the heavy fireproof doors at Sky Puppy. The interior, which can accommodate about 45 people, was designed by Danielle and features high ceilings, comfortable booths and tables, plus a small bartop and common areas for standing. Dramatic bat sculptures by Florida artist Copper Tritscheller greet visitors upon entry and reappear on the brewery’s 13 tap handles.
“We set our craziest ideas on a path to take shape and breathe life into the heart of our soul city, Ybor. It’s a space for art, a home for craft beer. It’s a place for exploring, sharing thoughts and diving deep into our interpretation of our senses,” Matthew and Danielle wrote on social media. “The impossible idea has become possible, the time has come. Lets take flight.”
Rene’s Mexican Kitchen celebrates Mexican Independence Day with Saturday dinner party
Although Rene’s Mexican Kitchen mainly operates on a to-go basis, once every few months Chef Rene Valenzuela strays from his normal fare and hosts a themed, sit-down dinner filled picture-perfect entrees.
For his next prix-fixe dinner, the Monterrey native is celebrating Mexican Independence Day with a four-course meal featuring both regional dishes and fan favorites.
Chef Valenzuela’s Mexican Independence Day dinner party is on Saturday, Sept. 14 from 5 p.m.-9 p.m. at Seminole Heights’ Southern
Brewery & Winery at 4500 N Nebraska Ave.— where you can also find Valenzuela’s popular food truck—hosts this multi-course Mexican meal. Valenzuela is kicking things off with his Yahualica crispy taquitos ensartados, “an obscure regional specialty from a small town of Jalisco” served with shredded carnitas and salsa roja, and continues with a chilled avocado soup with crab meat.
The dinner’s third course features massive, chipotle-rubbed smoked short ribs (that you may need a bib for) served with tortillas and salsa. And for dessert, this Independence Day celebration wraps things up with an arroz con leche cheesecake with a Kahlúa liqueur-infused caramel sauce.
Tickets are $85 and can be purchased via Eventbrite; they include an alcoholic or N/A drink of choice.
In addition to Rene’s Mexican Kitchen’s Seminole Heights food truck, another location dishes out tacos and tortas from a take-out spot in V.M. Ybor, plus a second food truck that’s parked outside of Grand Cathedral Cigars in Tampa Heights.—Kyla Fields continued on page 31
POUR ONE OUT: There are still plenty of chances to imbibe at King State.
Margarita Monday - $5 Margaritas all day
Industry Night Tuesday - Half-o all liquor, beer and wine by the glass, 9pm-11pm
Wine Wednesday - Half-o select bottles all day
Thirsty Thursday - $10 craft cocktails, 5pm-11pm
Saturday & Sunday -
$20 Rose’ All Day & Brunch (7am-2pm)
Whataburger is coming back to Tampa Bay
It’s been decades since a Whataburger has set foot in the Tampa Bay region, but the Texasbased burger chain is ready to give it another shot.
Last month at a food truck event in downtown Tampa, the company announced plans to open multiple locations in the area by 2026. No exact opening dates or locations were disclosed, but the company promises that the “new locations will bring the classic Whataburger menu to Florida while creating job opportunities and partnerships within the community.”
The chain is known for staying open 24 hours, and features everything from its signature “Whataburger” to chicken strip sandwiches, milkshakes, breakfast items and even salads.
Tampa Bay once had multiple (at least eight) Whataburger locations in the late-’90s and early-2000s, however they’ve all since closed. It currently has over 1,030 locations across 16 states, including Florida.
New Orleans-inspired frozen cocktail chain Fat Tuesdays opens new Tampa location
A restaurant chain that focuses on boozy slushies and giant souvenir cups is back in Ybor City. Fat Tuesday officially opened Tuesday, Aug. 27, in the former Big Easy space at 1704 E 7th Ave.
Known for massive, souvenir cups filled with slushy booze flavors, like its signature 190 Octane, Cat 5 Hurricane, 44 Magnum, Miami Vice, Rocket Fuel, and Pain in the Ass, the company also has a food menu featuring wings and pizzas.
Founded in New Orleans in 1984, the chain has since expanded to 87 locations around the country. But this isn’t the first time Fat Tuesday has opened in Ybor City. The store opened just down the street from this location in 1994, and faced initial criticism for helping “saturate” Ybor with big box chains.
Whole Foods looking to open new store in Valrico
It would appear Tampa Bay is about to get another Whole Foods. A new Whole Foods Market location is currently “in development” in the Valrico area, the company recently confirmed to the Tampa Bay Business Journal (TBBJ).
Whole Foods, which is owned by Amazon, didn’t disclose to the publication exactly when it will open or where. Plans filed with Hillsborough County last month show a 38,000-square-foot Whole Foods Market opening at the Lithia Crossing shopping plaza, where the Fresh Market recently closed, says TBBJ.
The new outpost will be the fifth Whole Foods in the Tampa Bay area, and a first for the east side of Tampa Bay.
If you haven’t noticed, there’s a bit of a grocery store shuffle going on around Tampa Bay
at the moment. Last month, permits filed with Hillsborough County showed the South Tampa Winn-Dixie at 2100 W Swann Ave. will soon be turned into a new Aldi. The conversion follows Aldi’s acquisition of 400 Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores across Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi from Jacksonville-based Southeastern Grocers.
Popular Japanese chain Daiso will open in
Tampa next year
Move over Dollar Tree, there’s a new shopping destination with goodies all the way from Japan coming to Tampa Bay.
A Japanese variety chain will soon provide a less Western shopping alternative to Floridian customers, when a new Daiso location lands in the Northdale Promenade shopping plaza in Tampa next year, according to Business Observer.
Customers continue to rave about the store’s buildable bento boxes, vibrant notebooks, and its plethora of Japanese candy, not to mention the wall of plushies.
Although the store claims to sell primarily “100-yen” ($0.65) products, many items will be sold for roughly $1.75, while others will be sold for as high as $15.25. Prices will be marked in yen to provide customers with a more immersive Japanese shopping experience. Don’t worry, though; in-store conversion charts will be available.
With a hundred stores already within the U.S., Daiso’s goal is to both provide customers with a product for every household need and ensure a Japanese shopping experience. The store sells thousands of products, including Japanese-inspired home decor, stationery, and food.
This will be the first of multiple Daiso locations opening in Florida. No exact opening date was provided. But if you can’t wait for Asian-style treats and knick knackery, local spots like downtown Tampa’s Oceanic, MD Oriental Markets and Sanwa should be able to hold you over.
Devan Wilson-Harper
According to Opulence’s new social media page, the new nightclub promises to be “an electrifying atmosphere” with “top-notch entertainment and an unmatched drink selection”. A recent post also says that renovations are currently underway at the 6,900-square-foot nightclub, slated to open later this month.
OPENINGS & CLOSINGS
Opulence Nightclub to replace Ringside Cafe in downtown St. Pete
A new “luxurious” nightclub is opening out of a familiar space on downtown St. Pete’s 300 block. Opulence Nightclub is headed to 350 1st Ave. N, which most recently housed the popular music venue Ringside Cafe.
TBBJ says that Opulence is owned by the same folks that operate Omnia Blue Gentlemen’s Club, which made its debut next door in 2021. Deltwaine and Jermaine Holmes of The Holmes Project LLC own and operate Omnia Blue, the soon-to-open Opulence Nightclub, as well as sports bar and restaurant 31 Grand, which opened out of St. Pete’s former Punky’s location in late 2022.
Ringside Cafe had a 35 year-long run in St. Petersburg, originally operating out of what is now The ‘Burg’s only Trader Joes at 2742 4th St. N. It moved to 16 2nd St. N next to Jannus Live in 2013 to make way for the popular grocery store and remained there until early 2022. Ringside Cafe was booted from its Second Street N location to make way for Good Night John Boy, a retro-themed dance club that replaced its daily live music performances with disco remixes. The popular live music venue and bar opened its last iteration across from Williams Park in the summer of 2022, before closing earlier this year.
While Ringside owner Greg Pugh didn’t give any specific reasons for why he decided to close its doors, he referenced obstacles like the venue’s rising operational costs in an interview with Sharon Kennedy Wynne.
Head to @opulence_dtsp on Instagram for the latest news on Opulence Nightclub and its upcoming grand opening.—KF
DAIS WHAT’S UP: A popular Japanese variety store is coming to the Bay area.
the Same Song’
MOVIES THEATER ART CULTURE
Burn after reading
The MFA’s ‘Never the Same Song’ is a passionate exhibition of work by two fascinating artist/musicians.
By David Warner
Lonnie Holley’s “Without Skin” packs a wallop.
The immediate impression is one of entrapment—a pile of bare wooden chairs brutally trussed up with fire hose.
Look closer, though, and see the nails stuck into the hose. Then read the title card: The sculpture, we’re told, references the hoses and police dogs that notorious racist cop Bull Connor sicced on protesters in Birmingham, Alabama in the ‘60s. Holley wanted to render the hoses “powerless.”
But there’s yet another dimension: The description notes that the chairs have been stripped of their upholstery; Holley is “rhetorically questioning whether his life would have been less traumatic had he not been born with his skin color.”
The muscularity of the materials and the dynamics of the assemblage are enough to stop you in your tracks when you see “Without Skin.” But when you know the backstory and the many layers of thought and history that inform it, its power is amplified.
That experience happens over and over in “Never the Same Song,” a joint exhibition of Holley and Lizzi Bougatsos at the Museum of Fine Arts that closes on Sept. 15. The artists are longtime collaborators who come from widely divergent backgrounds. Both transform found objects into artworks that are arresting in their own right, but also reveal layers of meaning reflecting their respective family histories and their acute awareness of the world around them.
Go to “Never the Same Song” to see the art, but be prepared to read about it, too. The co-curators, Viva Vadim and the MFA’s Katherine Pill, have done a beautiful job not just coordinating the installation but providing valuable context. Here’s a bit of it.
Holley, 74, grew up in Birmingham, where, Vadim told reporters when the show opened in May, he was taken from his family when he was a child, “physically abused, forced to pick cotton, and pronounced brain-dead as a result of being hit by a car.” His skill at salvage, “born out of necessity,” became his superpower. It allowed him to transform throwaways—whether a pile of scrap metal or a second-hand Casio keyboard—into the stuff of an international career in art and music. But he has also been
driven by memories of loss—including the death of family members by fire—and the need to protect the natural environment from the ravages of industry.
Bougatsos, 50, grew up in Queens, New York, the daughter of a cobbler. “Witnessing her father’s dedication to his trade, repairing and revivifying shoes,” says Vadim, “taught her the significance of caring for things others might cast off or overlook.” In her youth, she studied ballet, introducing her to a theme she would continue to explore in her art: the simultaneity of beauty and pain. Included in “Never the Same Song” are pieces that both
The exhibition offers telling glimpses into the artists as performers. You can envelop yourself in the mesmerizing video “I Snuck Off the Slave Ship,” which incorporates Holley’s music and sculptures into a so-called “sci-fi documentary” co-directed by Holley and Cyrus Moussavi. And you can vicariously experience one of Bougatsos’ most indelible performances, when during a protest gone wrong in 2001 she accidentally set herself on fire.
Several pieces evoke that event and its aftermath. “The Pillar” includes the compression pants she wore during recovery from the burns. “The Opera,” a collage of bandages, looks like
much of the exhibition, it’s also a reminder of the environmental injustice so often inflicted upon marginalized communities and people of color.
That’s not to say this is a show without humor. Consider Holley’s “Watering Myself the Best I Can,” a duo of watering cans that circle in on themselves, or Bougatsos’ trash bag full of “Ice Sculpture Water,” collected after a performance with an ice sculpture in 2022. Nor is it without beauty. The MFA’s installation is rich in eloquent lighting and smart juxtaposition. Holley’s haunting “The Unidentified Laborers,” a stand of seven pitchforks of varying heights, evokes the unseen
honor and critique her experience with dance, as in “Compartmentalized,” in which slats of “a drawer from family-built furniture” seem to be crushing or perhaps imprisoning a pair of her old ballet shoes.
Performance is integral to both artists’ creative lives. Bougatsos is the frontwoman of the experimental dream-pop band Gang Gang Dance. Holley, singing and playing keyboards in primarily improvisational mode, has gained increasing prominence as a recording artist. His fourth album, Oh Me Oh My, was named one of Paste magazine’s top 10 albums of 2023.
patches of skin in a red velvet-lined box. In “Idolize the Burn,” a brass chandelier lies askew atop a pedestal, a pair of resin-dipped toe shoes hanging from one arm.
Combining found objects, personal history and the memory of flames, “Idolize the Burn” encapsulates the connections between these two artists. In the next gallery, Holley’s “Cautiously Rewired” memorializes the loss of his young niece and nephew in an electrical fire caused by faulty wiring. A chaotic assemblage of scrap metal, wood, wire and electrical components, it fairly screams in anger. In keeping with so
enslaved people who worked our farms, lit such that the shadows of the pitchforks suggest the ghosts of many more. The verticality of the piece is echoed in that of its elegant neighbor, Bougatsos’ “YOKO/Goodbye Love,” in which a black and white dress hangs next to a long red slash of fabric.
There’s a story behind that, of course. You might hear it from the artist herself, when she takes part in a talk with curator Viva Vadim on the closing day of the show, Sept. 15. But try to get to the exhibition before that. It has so many stories to tell.
RAY ROA
POWER TRIO: (L-R) Lizzi Bougatsos, Lonnie Holley and Viva Vadim at MFA St. Pete on May 16, 2024.
Delilah Samson Samson &
By
THU 12
Korn w/Gojira/Spiritbox Thirty years following the release of its debut album, Korn kicks off its late summer tour at the old Gary amphitheatre, and while nothing has been released yet, guitarist Brian Welch promises that the numetal outfit is working on the heaviest material it’s ever recorded. He said that whatever’s next will be released independently, and will serve as a return to its roots. Don’t expect to hear any of the new material early on Thursday night (assuming you snagged non-resale tickets), but hey: Gojira and Spiritbox are on the bill as well. (MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa)
C Loud on 7th Kick Off Concert: Ree Baby w/BeSelfiss/Kaottic Karma/ Demolition Mann/Lil Timme/Hyfa/ Semeria/Dorian James/Da Badest Lyrik/Raul/more Loud On 7th Festival technically kicks off on Monday with Trap Trivia, followed by karaoke (Tuesday) and the producers vs. rappers showdown on Wednesday, but the first concert is next Thursday with a robust lineup of rappers that represent the taste of festival founder Aych, who recently wrapped up a 18 year run for his Bay area cypher. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
FRI 13
The Fall of Troy w/The Number 12 Looks Like You/Strawberry Girls/ Rhododendron Whether it’s Pet Sounds or American Gangster, concept album concerts hit differently for die-hards and casual fans alike. Following a 20th anniversary tour last year, Fall Of Troy shines some light on its 2008 concept EP The Phantom On The Horizon , by performing it in full along with a handful of other favorites. For the band’s first show in Tampa since a 2016 gig at the original, since-shuttered Orpheum, fellow metal groups The Number 12 Looks Like You—on the heels of a new record deal—and instrumental trio Strawberry Girls open. (Orpheum, Tampa)
St. Pete Punk & Roll: Movie Props w/ Spanish Bombs/Razor & The Boogie Men/Swamp Poney/Beach Terror/more It’d be really cool if the rain could fuck off for one weekend, especially considering this year’s rendition of the three-day St. Pete Punk & Roll has a grand total of 20 bands on the bill. It’s an all-ages event (well, as long as your middle schooler is supervised), repeat offenders from last year’s festival Lot Lizards and Razor & The Boogiemen will play back-to-back on Friday night, and as always, pizza comes courtesy of Kraken Joe’s. (Cage Brewing, St. Petersburg)
SAT 14
C Buddy Guy w/Bobby Rush/Tom Hambridge After canceling a Jazz Holiday headlining slot last year, Guy has recruited Bobby Rush (a fellow bluesman who’s been around just about as long as him) and singersongwriter Tom Hambridge to open what could be the 88-year-old’s last-ever concert in Clearwater. It’ll be hard to say goodbye, but as far as we know, 90-year-old Rush has no plans to leave the stage. Creative Loafing Tampa Bay asked him about the best gig he ever saw, and was instead treated to tales about stripping in front of President Bill Clinton during a White House performance, and how illiteracy used to be a lot more common in the blues scene. Read more at cltampa.com/music. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)
C Mes Three years after dropping Vol. 1 of his Mes Music project, drummer and producer Chris Wood is back with more lo-fi, funky, instrumental beatsmithing for Vol. 2 , available this time on cassette. To properly commemorate its release, Wood has been rehearsing with a band to bring the tape to life after his beat set. The ensemble is called Mestaurant and features Wood on samples alongside an all-star cast of players from Tampa’s art-pop, rock and punk scenes (Turkey Boy’s Sam Bips on sax, Story Mode’s Eric Dina on bass, Alan Pinzon from Some of Our Failures on guitar, plus Bad Bad Things drummer Dave Lamb). “We knew we were in slightly uncharted territory, but once we really got it going we realized we had something pretty special,” Wood told CL, adding that guests are on tap at the party. (La Sétima Club, Ybor City)
Oof Tatata Like seemingly every other celebrity, Jason Momoa is schlepping a signature spirit. Meili Vodka brings the hunky actor to town, but so does his band Oof Tatata. While the 45-year-old “Game Of Thrones” star plays all kinds of stringed instruments, Momoa wields a bass for this cover band project where he and friends Kenny Dale Borill on drums and guitarist Mike Hayes play Sabbath, Zeppelin, Metallica and more. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)
The Big Walzowski: A Night of Music and Fundraising w/This Is Goodbye/ Moonthing As we went to press, America was prepping its popcorn ahead of the only presidential debate between orange-skinned Florida man and former president Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. The exchange should be a hot topic at this unsanctioned Harris-Walz fundraiser featuring live music where “The Big Lebowski” will screen inside. If you’re not registered to vote, you can also do that and get a free Shufflager or tots in return (sounds like communism to us). When asked why Shuffle was doing this event, owners Danielle O’Connor and Jennifer Evanchyk said, in unison, “This Aggression Will Not Stand, man.” (Shuffle, Tampa)
THU SEP. 12–THU SEP. 19
C Trace Zacur’s Future Sounds: Jazz in the Neon City After last summer’s “Night Moves” set that celebrated classic R&B and New Orleans jazz from New Orleans, homegrown Berklee grad Zacur is back at the Palladium which gets the “Neon City” treatment this time around. Be ready to hear tunes from the Brecker Brothers, ‘90sera Miles Davis, and funky David Sanborn cuts when the saxophonist hits the basement stage. (Side Door Cabaret at Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg)
C WMNF Tampa 88.5-FM Birthday Bash: The Dollyrots Just three months after they blew the doors off the Cuban Club cantina for WMNF’s Tropical Heatwave, The Dollyrots are back in the Bay area to celebrate with the local 45-year-old community radio station. Their omnipresence in the area shouldn’t surprise anyone either. Bassist Kelly Ogden and guitarist Luis Cabezas first met when they were eighth graders in Land O’Lakes and played in bands while studying at New College. And while pop-punk is the band’s bread and butter, Ogden and Cabezas, together with drummer Simon Hancock, do one hell of a Billy Bragg cover, too. Scott Elliott, host of the station’s Thursday Traffic Jam show, spins dance tunes to kick off the night. (Floridian Social, St. Petersburg)
SUN 15
Cinema Stereo w/The Mummy Cats/ more Cinema Stereo’s summer included headlining a gig at L.A.’s legendary Whisky A Go Go, in promotion of the Orlando-based melodic rock outfit’s anthemic new single “Don’t Wanna Stay Up…Unless It’s With You.” The trio—born out of COVID-19 and hoping to add more members in the future— would probably do well if it auditioned for 97X’s Hard Rock Rising Battle of the Bands, which determines who gets to open Next Big Thing. (New World Brewery, Tampa)
C Herbie Hancock In the ‘60s, Hancock made a name for himself as a leader in jazz piano. By 1974, months after dropping his landmark Head Hunters album, the now-84-year-old was a bonafide legend. Last month, the 15-time Grammy winner reunited with surviving members of the Head Hunters band for a one-off L.A. gig to celebrate what’s arguably still the most significant instrumental jazz album of all time. Terence Blanchard backs Hancock on trumpet and keys alongside bassist James Genus, Lionel Loueke on guitar and drummer Jaylen Petinaud for this show which is certainly one of the last chances to see a true giant of jazz up-close-and-personal. (Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg)
C Maxwell w/Jazmine Sullivan/October London To an entire generation, Maxwell has been a torchbearer for modern R&B, and the 50-year-old songwriter’s “Serenade” tour kicks off this week in Florida. Maxwell emerged from a short period of inactivity after the pandemic and has hinted at the release of his much-anticipated Night album, which will arrive nearly 30-years after an mindblowing debut record, Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite featuring the breakout single “Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder).” He cemented a place in music history shortly after that outing, after releasing an Unplugged album featuring covers of Kate Bush (“This Woman’s Work”) and Nine Inch Nails (“Closer”). Openers on the run include R&B powerhouse and Grammy-winning songwriter Jazmine Sullivan (one of Time’s most influential people of 2022), plus Indianaborn singer-songwriter October London. (Amalie Arena, Tampa)
Nothing More w/Set It Off/From Ashes To New/Post Profit There’s only so long someone can go as a musician before you want to toy around with production on a super deep level. The San Antonio-based
continued on page 41
Josh Bradley and Ray Roa
C CL Recommends
Buddy Guy
prog-metal group did just that on its latest, polished-AF album Carnal (stylized in all caps). On it, lead singer Jonny Hawkins gives off emo-era Patrick Stump vibes in his vocals, and a handful of archived speeches from acclaimed zen writer Alan Watts play over heavy instrumentals. Expect to hear only a few Carnal bangers and more at the band’s return to 1st Avenue N. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)
TUE 17
Akon In the late-2000s, there was nothing at all like taking on heists in “Grand Theft Auto” while blasting Akon’s album Trouble (which turns 20 this year). Its opening track “Locked Up” has even regained traction on TikTok in recent years, and while we won’t get to hear the entire album at this show, recent setlists have clocked in at a whopping 42 songs per show. No, there probably won’t be any songs from Stadium (a shelved, quintuple release from almost a decade ago that we’re still holding out hope for), but there’s still plenty of homework to do for this one. (Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa)
Gatecreeper w/Frozen Soul/Worm During a mini-documentary that depicted how Gatecreeper created its new album Dark Superstition , guitarist Eric Wagner explained that production was more of a team effort than any other album the Phoenix metal outfit has released. New kid Alex Brown contributes not only his regular bass, but also guitar licks and a few drum parts, while drummer Matt Arrebollo got to pitch in with guitar compositions and song ideas in general. “We started getting together regularly to practice and workshop these songs. Just something in the past we hadn’t always had a lot of time to do,” he said in the mini-doc. Opening night of Gatecreeper’s next run of shows will be its first show in town since a 2022 stop at the since-shuttered Ybor City Orpheum, with Frozen Soul and Worm in tow. (Orpheum, Tampa)
C Sun Room w/Twin Suns Sun Room’s new EP Can’t Explain is loaded with trippy distortion, modern surf-rock licks that Dick Dale would smile upon (early in the outing, there are more Beatle-y harmonies than Paul McCartney himself can imitate). Ahead of a fall tour supporting Dayglow, the fluffy-haired surf-garage band plays its only headlining show on its current itinerary. Homegrown rock quartet Twin Suns opens this rescheduled show. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
WED 18
The Expendables No time to worry, because the Santa Cruz-based reggae group—which has been friends since elementary school— brings its ultra-chill new album Pleasure Point to downtown St. Pete, mon. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)
C Trampled By Turtles w/Crowe Boys Next month, Trampled By Turtles is back in Florida to co-headline Live Oak’s Suwannee Roots Revival. But first, the Minnesotan bluegrass mainstay—which has been playing a great version of Dylan’s “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door”—spends a weekend getting its blood acclimated to the Sunshine State with this intimate club gig and a festival set in St. Augustine the next day. (The Ritz, Ybor City)
THU 19
Mr. Marley Less than two weeks after the end of Ol’ Dirty Sundays, familiar faces are back in the courtyard, this time for charity. Jay Marley spins and is joined by artists Indy Rock & Luisa Padro, plus chef Clamaster Jay, as producer Spontonola and Stay Humble’s Reid Shecterle sell vinyl. Two bucks from each record go to Recycled Tunes, Gasparilla Music Foundation's nonprofit that serves underprivileged music programs. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
See an extended version of this listing via cltampa.com/music.
Trampled By Turtles
Monday - Friday, 4pm-7pm Saturday 3pm-6pm
A decade after its release, there are still few records that capture the essence of post9/11 angst like Single Mothers’ Negative Qualities . Nominated for a Juno award (Canadian Grammy, guys), the 26-minute outing showcases the vivid, smart, sometimes bitter, and hyperactive songwriting of Drew Thompson, an Ontario native who paints slivers of hope into his gloriously cynical brand of punk-rock (“If this is living the dream, just kill me or at least wake me up,” he sings on “Crooks”).
To celebrate the 10-track album’s 10th anniversary, Thompson & co. (pictured here playing Tampa’s Transitions Art Gallery in 2012) will play Negative Qualities in full, along with a self-titled 7-inch, at some of the
Tampa Bay Pre-Fest 8: Houseghost w/Freezing Cold/Distants/Godseyes/ Mugger/Rare Bloom/Mikey Erg Band/ Raging Nathans/Dopamines/Updog/ more Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 23 and 24. 5 p.m. $26.50 & up. Hooch and Hive, Tampa (Wednesday) Crowbar, Ybor City (Thursday)
Encanto in Concert Saturday, Nov. 30. 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. $45.50 & up. Ferguson Hall at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa
most revered indie venues in Canada and the U.S. The tour also includes four Florida dates that culminate in a pair of shows at Gainesville punk-rock bacchanal The Fest.
Central Florida hardcore band Dagger plays support in Ybor Heights along with a set from Thompson and Big Sad, a Tampa band that celebrates its own LP release later this month (full disclosure: Big Sad includes Creative Loafing Tampa Bay photographer Dave Decker).
Tickets to see Single Mothers play Deviant Libation in Tampa on Tuesday, Oct. 22 are still available and start at $20. See Josh Bradley’s weekly roundup of new concerts coming to Tampa Bay below.—Ray Roa
Avatar: The Last Airbender in Concert Thursday, Dec. 12. 7 p.m. $35 & up. Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater
The Outlaws w/John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band Thursday and Friday, Dec. 12 and 13. 7:30 p.m. $39.50 & up. Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater
A Very Broadway Christmas Friday, Dec. 20. 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. $46 & up. Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg
Al Stewart and Livingston Taylor Sunday, Jan. 26. 7 p.m. $39.50 & up. Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater
The Docksiders Sunday, March 16. 7 p.m. $36 & up. Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg
Game on
By Dan Savage
Straight, monogamous, cisgender couple here. Six years together, two years married. My husband loves board games, problem solving, and anything that gets his brain going. But like many straight white cis dudes, he’s not particularly aware of what motivates him. He’s also not straightforward with exactly what turns him on. But one thing he likes is initiating sex at the most inconvenient moment. He’ll try to get things going when I’m cooking or when we have to get dressed and get somewhere. The more I rebuff his advances, the more motivated my husband is to have sex. I think my rebuffs feel like a game for him—a fun problem to solve—but I find the whole thing pretty fucking annoying. I’ve tried asking him what turns him on, and I’ve been straightforward about his advances not feeling sexy when I’m concentrating on not burning dinner or getting dressed and out the door because we’re meeting friends somewhere or have a reservation. But it just keeps happening. Even worse, we’ve been busy lately and talked about making time for sex, so I’ve been trying to initiate more. But when I initiate at a good time, he turns me down. Meanwhile, he continues to initiate at the worst times. So, now I’m angry that he can’t seem to have a productive conversation about what he wants and that I always have to start the hard conversations. I have two questions for you:
1. How can I get him to have a real conversation with me about what turns him on? If I’m right about the rebuffs feeling like a game to him, I want to figure out ways to turn this into an actual game that feels sexy for me too. If that doesn’t work… 2. How do I get him to stop?—Jokey Unaware Man’s Actions Not Juicy Ideal
P.S. When I’m not being annoyed by the above, I find him incredibly sexy, the sex we have is great and sometimes amazing, and we have a lovely and fun life together.
1. Does it have to be a conversation? You have a pretty read on what your husband is doing, JUMANJI, so instead of initiating an open-ended conversation in the hope your husband has an epiphany and knocks this shit off, you could just tell him what’s he doing and order him to knock it off. If he disagrees—if he doesn’t think he’s initiating sex at the worst possible times because overcoming your resistance turns him on and/or affirms his irresistibility and/or seems like a fun game to him—then you can challenge him to come up with a better explanation. If he can’t, he’ll have to accept yours.
That said, JUMANJI, I think there’s a bigger issue here than your husband’s legitimately annoying inability to articulate what he’s doing and why and when. Your husband sounds like one of those people who wants sex
to feel spontaneous—a wild and uncontrollable force that overtakes you both—while you sound like someone who wants sex to feel controlled and contained. (I imagine sex wouldn’t be inconvenient at those times when you initiate, which may be why he passes.) Finding a workable compromise that allows for sex to be (or feel) spontaneous for him without sex always being a hugely inconvenient pain the ass for you will require you both to give a little. So, it’s not an epiphany on his part that will resolve this conflict, JUMANJI, but a paythe-price-admission compromise on both your parts. He’s gonna need to demonstrate—he’s gonna need to telegraph—more consideration for your feelings about the where and when of sex and you’re gonna need to demonstrate to him that you’re willing to be (or willing to fake being) reasonably spontaneous.
2. Do you want him to stop? You say the sex you have with your husband—when you have it—runs from great to amazing. Seeing as your husband shoots you down when you initiate (something he needs to work on), JUMANJI, all this great-to-amazing sex must be happening when you’re trying to get dinner on the table or out the door. If he can learn to read you better and take no for an answer when the answer is a firm no—if he can learn not to push when there’s something on the stove that really can’t wait—maybe the answer can be yes when the meal you’re preparing or the friends you’re meeting can wait.
go from very cuddly and touchy at home to her literally jumping away if I try to give her a peck on the cheek in public. Is she being unreasonable or am I just an anxious little bitch?—Publicly Displayed Aversion
Your girlfriend could be unreasonable, PDA, and you could be an anxious little bitch—it doesn’t have to be one or the other. But unreasonable or not, PDA, your girlfriend doesn’t like public displays of affection. If it hurts your feelings when she pulls away when you try to kiss her in public, stop trying to kiss her in public. That fact that she’s willing to hold your hand is proof she isn’t embarrassed to be seen with you, PDA, and proof she doesn’t loathe you the way Melania loathes Donald. But if you try to stick your tongue in her mouth every time she so much as smiles at you in public— if you keep doing shit to your girlfriend that she hates (kissing her, grabbing more than her hand)—she’s not only gonna keep glaring, she’s gonna come to hate you every bit as much as Melania hates Donald, PDA, and then you’re gonna get dumped.
like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), others mocked me or thought I was joking. I’m not joking. Any insight would be appreciated. Totally Unfathomable Need Endangering Situationships
P.S. I’m not including the name of the song because it’s irrelevant in a way. Just know it’s a mellow pop song from a while back. I haven’t heard of this, TUNES, but back in my 20s—gonna take a long stroll down memory lane here—I used to hook up with a guy who wanted to be spanked while he listened to Doris Day’s Greatest Hits. He never offered an in-depth explanation, TUNES, and I didn’t want one. I had always been an unapologetic/unironic fan of Doris Day… and I was a new fan of this boy’s ass… so, I was more than happy to spank him while we listened to Doris Day. But if he’d told me Doris Day was his dead husband’s favorite artist… or that he was forced to listen to Doris Day while he was abused by nuns… I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed spanking him during “Que Sera, Sera” as much as I did.
SAVAGE LOVE
P.S. If your girlfriend doesn’t enjoy being kissed in public and you know it, PDA, you’re not kissing her in public to please her, you’re kissing her in public to show something to other people—namely, that she’s yours. That’s not kissing, PDA, that’s asserting a claim, and it’s a shit reason to kiss someone in public. Unless the person you’re kissing enjoys feeling “claimed,” which your girlfriend clearly doesn’t. Knock it off.
P.S. Your husband isn’t the only one who can play games. You can lie to your husband about having dinner reservations for 7 p.m. when they’re actually for 8 p.m. and let him think he’s getting away with something when he initiates sex at 6:45 p.m.
P.P.S. If you really wanna make it a puzzle and keep him out of the kitchen, JUMANJI, get your husband a cock cage and hide clues for the combination lock in other parts of the house. If he can solve the puzzle and free his cock before dinner, you will turn down the heat and have a quickie on the kitchen counter. But he’s not allowed in the kitchen—he not even allowed to talk to you—until his cock is free or his dinner is served, whichever comes first.
Yo, Danny! My girlfriend is very sweet and super affectionate in private, but it totally disappears in public. She doesn’t just avoid PDA in the sense of “no tongue kissing” and “no groping,” she adopts this ice-cold persona when we go anywhere. She barely smiles at me and rejects any public display of affection greater than holding hands. It kind of makes me anxious when we
P.P.S. Only my mom called me Danny, PDA. I already gave you grief in my response, and I’m not here in this post-post-script to give you more. I actually wanna thank you, as your letter made me think of my mom just now. So, thanks.
An odd situation: I’m a 41-year-old cisgender man who can only perform sexually if a certain song is playing. As bizarre as it sounds, no matter how attracted I may be to a new partner, I literally cannot maintain an erection unless I’m listening to this one specific song (ideally on repeat) for the duration of the act. Obviously, this has made for some awkward moments and conversations with casual partners when I try to explain. It is ruining my love life. It’s such an unusual issue to have that even my therapist hasn’t encountered it. It’s not a song I particularly like, but it was a song my late wife loved and listened to all the time and even chose for our first dance at our wedding. My wife died six years ago and I’m obviously unable to let go. I’ve tried ED pills, but they don’t help because the root cause is psychological, not physical. Have you ever heard of anything like this? I made the mistake of posting this on Reddit a few weeks ago, and while some people responded with kindness and constructive suggestions
Anyway, TUNES, if you can’t do anything about this—if your therapist can’t help and CBT doesn’t make a difference—I think you should present your need for this particular pop song the same way that boy presented his need for Doris Day’s Greatest Hits: as a quirk, TUNES, an inexplicable one. On the theory that it’s better to harmlessly confuse a sex partner (gotta hear this song) than it is to disappoint one (can’t get hard)—and on the theory that casual sex partners don’t need or want to know everything—I think we can justify omitting this song’s association with your late wife. (Sorry for your loss.) Because no one you’re casually fucking wants to lay there thinking about your dead wife, TUNES, any more than they wanna lay there thinking about you thinking about your dead wife.
If you wind up getting serious about someone, TUNES, you might have to come clean eventually—or not. My husband and I have a song that’s “ours,” but I couldn’t tell you what song was important to him and his ex. But even as you’re keeping things casual for now, you should do what you can to wean yourself from this song. Listening to it at progressively lower volumes when you’re having sex and/or jerking off might get you to a point where you can hear it even when it’s not playing. And if keeping this song on repeat annoys a new partner—and I can’t see how it wouldn’t—maybe you can wear your AirPods and play the song loudly enough for you to hear but not so loudly you can’t hear your sex partner’s moans and/ or requests.
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Hooded coat
Where La Pampa prov. is
Word before or after break
Siberian, yes; Liberian, no
Seat at the wedding
8th c. Chinese
Upside-down, as a clown’s hat?
What hat lovers listen to?
Ragbag
Flying fish-eater
Three-toed ratite
Glorify
Parisian’s daily prayer?
It merged with AT&T in 1999
1998 Judi D. role
Get back on
“Very hatlike,” in Italian? 52 Arena cry
53 Jewel
57 Augsburg article
58 Basketball stat
59 Result of the old bucket-abovethe-door gag, in Scotland?
64 Squad, e.g.
65 Acting Christian
66 Boyfriend
67 Muscle woe
70 “Dumb ___ tree” (Chaucer)
77 Luci’s dad
Respond
Cognac rating
Sets foot
Runner Zatopek
Wintertime “combo-hat” that never caught on? 93 “If you can believe that”
Infamous Richard
Pomp and Circumstance composer 98 Soccer’s Hamm 99 What the host of “The Hat Hotline” has at least once a week? 102 0 for 4, e.g.
Touch the clouds
Org.
It’s more fauna than a barrel of monkeys
Slot-machine symbol
With 127 Across, the best-selling hat song of 1972?
Hollywood VIP
“Give ___ rest”
Genesis vessel, in Genoa
Verve
See 114 Across
Hat-hater’s response to this puzzle?
Terrible one
Denying words
Relax a la Lassie
Annoyingly proper
Erotic
Ocean depths
Nav. officer
Eldrick Woods’s nickname
Italian side dish
Diane in The Godfather
“How!” preceder 6 They tie in the back
Start again, in computing
“What’s a yoot?” utterer Fred
Actress Sagal
Oppenheimer subj.
Arouse
Un (a little, in Lille)
Lip ending
Linen source
Actor Quinn
Like some milk
Ache site
Director Browning
New Haven
Tries lacing again
’70s sitcom
1923’s Opera Coupe, e.g.
Exile island of 1814
Actress Pitts
Gets the dinghy going
Its airliners have stars on their tails
___ carotene
Sec.
Pindar work
“Into the car, everybody”
Sting, e.g.
1492 ship
Henri add-on
Gen. Stuart
Painter Uccello 2 Clinton’s first Defense
Aeschylus trilogy
Rel. of “yadda, yadda”
Parking place, often
Egg, to Elian
Spoof
71 Maui crop 73 Wind danger 75 Maker of the 9-3 convertible 56 Home of
