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Last Sunday, access to Treasure Island remained open to only residents, business owners or employees with a re-entry permit. Days before, as Hurricane Helene made landfall 215 miles north in Perry, Florida, the Tampa Bay area barrier island was devastated by a record storm surge that left boats in the streets which were covered in sand.
Power remained out on Sunday, according to officials. And last Friday as Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri described the scene as a “war zone,” Creative Loafing Tampa Bay photographer Dave Decker was there to capture images from one of the cities hit hardest. At least two people died in the city of less than 7,000, where its mayor Tyler Payne gave Decker a tour and vowed to rebuild. See more photos via cltampa.com/slideshows.—Ray Roa
do this
Tampa Bay's best things to do from Ocotber 03 - 09
Here comes the Sunstate Venezuela’s publicly-funded El Sistema music education program represents a radical approach to social change and brings kids from disadvantaged backgrounds into the fine arts. Gustavo Dudamel, the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s longtime music and artistic director, is one of the program’s most famous alum, along with Tampeño Francisco Díaz, President, Music Director, and Conductor of the Sunstate Orchestral Program, which plays this free gig for the Straz Center’s Fourth Annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration.
Arts Legacy Remix—Fourth Annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration: Friday, Oct. 4. 7:30 p.m. No cover. Riverwalk Stage at David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, 1010 N Macinnes Pl, Tampa. sunstateorchestralprogram.org—Ray Roa
Greek to me
St. Petersburg got walloped by Hurricane Helene, and that’s not lost on organizers of the three-day Super Greek Festival. From Friday-Sunday, anyone can bring any item from a relief drive list—flashlights, coolers, brooms, roof tarps, batteries, hygiene products, canned goods are among the nearly 36 listed—to the Seminole Lake Rotary Club (113th St. N, Seminole) and get free admission. The menu for the festival is an actual smorgasbord of Greek delights including hot meals, soups and salads, pastries, desserts and drinks.
St. Pete Super Greek Festival 2024: Friday-Sunday, Oct. 4-6. $3$12. St. Stefanos Greek Orthodox Church, 3600 76th St. N, St. Petersburg. @ supergreekfest on Facebook—Ray Roa
03-09, 2024 | cltampabay.com
Ybor City’s Sky Puppy Brewing just opened, and its neighboring BarrieHaus Brewing Co. has a big opening in Trinity this weekend (see p. 41), but both operations are spending the next few days collecting non-perishable food and non-food donations for families in Treasure Island, Gulfport and Snell Island. Collections will continue through Monday, Oct. 7 at both locations—1313 E 8th Ave., and 1403 E 5th Ave., respectively— which are also requesting clean up items like heavy duty trash bags, rubber gloves, rakes, mops, disinfectants, and more. They’re not the only breweries helping out either. The St. Petersburg location of 3 Daughters Brewing (222 22nd St. S) is doling out non-perishable food, cleaning supplies, pet food and hygiene items. Gulfport Brewery has been a hub for the decimated seaside town and is using its Tuesday events like run club and more to pick up trash, stuff a bus with donations and collect cash for restaurant staff and business owners who’ve been out of work. Find a link to more informatio on all of these efforts via cltampa.com/fooddrink.—Ray Roa
Brew good
Laugh, doctor
For nearly two decades now, Tampa Bay’s Crack Up Cancer has used comedy to support local cancer patients and their families in their time of need. And this year, there’ll be a doctor in the house, too, thanks to Dr. Vien Phommachan (pictured) who is one of five comics set to take the stage. Others on the bill include Tampa favorite Matt Fernandez, the eternally sassy Hugh Carey, Cape Coral’s Sheena Regan, and Christian comedian Danny Johnson.
17th annual Crack Up Cancer comedy benefit : Saturday, Oct. 5. 7:30 p.m.-10 p.m. $25. Floridian Social, 687 Central Ave. N, St. Petersburg. crackupcancer.com—Ray Roa
Free groceries
Feeding Tampa Bay has been dishing out food at emergency distribution centers across the Bay area, and is updating its agenda daily at feedingtampabay.org (reps told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay the sites will stay open at least through the week). It’s not the only organization offering food in Pinellas. St. Petersburg Free Clinic— which regularly serves nearly 20,000 monthly—has utilized its We Help Fresh Pantry to offer free groceries at two sites: its main office at 863 3rd Ave. N and a drive-thru five miles north at 3115 44th Ave. N. Times vary, and it’s best to check @ st.petersburgfreeclinic on Instagram and thespfc.org for up to date information.
St. Pete Free Clinic We Help Fresh Pantry. 863 3rd Ave. N & 3115 44th Ave. N, St. Petersburg. 727-821-1200. thespfc.org—Ray Roa
Don’t just pass ‘em by Gulfport is one of the hardest hit communities in Tampa Bay in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Non-perishable food, pet food, cleaning supplies and hygiene essentials are being collected at the Gulfport Senior Center (5501 27th Ave. S) and one of its residents has mobilized her nonprofit organization to bring more funds to the seaside town of less than 12,000 people. “Devastation in Gulfport, Florida is near complete. I mean, I can’t even begin to tell you,” Fiona Prine, who bought a home in the community with her late husband John Prine nearly 20 years ago, said on social media. The Prine family’s Hello In There Foundation is collecting donations through Tuesday, Oct. 8 and will match anything that comes in 1-to-1. “We will make sure that every cent goes to community groups and individuals who really need it. And there’s so much need,” Prine added.
Hello In There Foundation fundraiser: Through Tuesday, Oct. 8. thehellointherefoundation.org—Ray Roa
Looking out
Tampa Bay works to help each other out after Hurricane Helene.
By Riley Benson and Ray Roa
Last Friday morning after Hurricane Helene, Floridians woke up to immense damage across the state, specifically to the west coast, including the Big Bend area where the storm made landfall. The Tampa Bay area has also experienced tremendous flooding, and power outages, plus damage to homes, buildings, roads and power lines.
As of last Monday, at least 11 people in the Bay area are dead as a result of the storm. Four were from Treasure Island, according to WTVT where at least four feet of storm surge pushed the ocean and beach into homes and onto streets (see photos on p. 10).
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri put the death toll in his county alone at nine people; each death occurred in mandatory evacuation zone A, with most drowning after water entered the deceased’s dwelling.
Pinellas’ residential damage assessment dashboard listed 237 homes as destroyed as of Sunday night, with nearly 12,000 sustaining major damage. Officials in Hillsborough said at least 1,200 homes were damaged as of Sunday night. Tampa officials said nearly 2,000 private properties sustained major damage, with damages estimated at over half-a-billion dollars.
connecting folks to help. More information is at @ mutualaiddisasterrelief on Instagram.
Government is also working to help residents move through the aftermath.
In Hillsborough and Pinellas, residents are being asked to report damages online. In 17 counties including the Bay area, President Joe Biden also just approved disaster assistance via FEMA. Residents and business owners who sustained losses in those counties can begin applying for assistance by registering online at disasterassistance.gov, by calling 1-800-6213362 or by using the FEMA App.
There are free groceries available via the St. Pete Free Clinic, and Feeding Tampa Bay as activated emergency distribution sites. The City of Tampa has also set up comfort station on Palmetto Beach and Davis Islands, providing showers, ice, laundry service, and more.
LOCAL NEWS
The food scene is pitching in, too. In St. Petersburg last Saturday, the city deployed local food trucks to feed folks in 10 different locations until supplies ran out. In Tampa, six local restaurants—Oak and Ola, Willa’s Graze 1910, Chill Bros., Supernatural Food & Wine, and Buddy Brew Coffee—have teamed up to offer free, fresh meals daily through Friday, Oct. 4.
Those numbers are all expected to rise. The figures are also in stark contrast to the death tolls in North and South Carolina where CNN said at least 67 have died as rivers and floodwaters, in some cases, wiped out entire towns. In all, as of last Monday, nearly 100 people have been killed by the storm whose path of destruction stretched more than 500 miles.
Helene is easily the worst storm to hit the Bay area in the last century. But locally, the work to dig out is well underway.
In the hours after the storm, Tampa Bay members of Mutual Aid Disaster Relief (MADR), a group that has helped people in several disaster scenarios throughout the year, were working to bring supplies to those hit hardest by the hurricane. Last Saturday in Tampa, they collected items like tarps, contractor bags, disinfectant, first aid and personal protective equipment. A day later, many of those supplies were being transported to St. Petersburg for distribution, and the group is
More information on locations is available via @graze_1910 on Instagram, but Thursday’s meals are being distributed from 8 a.m.-10 a.m. at Willa’s in NoHo (17000 W Fig St.) and Davis Islands (340 E Davis Islands). Friday’s meals will be distributed from 4 p.m.-6 p.m. at 340 E Davis Blvd.
Concerts were also postponed or canceled altogether in the aftermath of Helene, but many bars and venues along the coast were rocked, too. One of those is Treasure Island’s Ka’Tiki. The bar at 8803 W Gulf Blvd. literally dug itself out and reopened on Tuesday.
Crowbar owner Tom DeGeorge—who’s spent the last few years with the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) and the D-Tour network of indie venues and promoters—says that The National Independent Venue Foundation (NIVF) has emergency relief funds for venues damaged by Helene. Venues across the southeast—where DeGeorge serves
as regional president for NIVA—can email him (tomcrowbarlive@gmail.com) and describe what happened.
“When there’s disasters in the southeast or other parts of the country, I look into that. I’ll put them in direct contact with the foundation and the people that give out the grants. I can get them right to the front of the line,” DeGeorge added.
The music scene has already started to get behind some of its most beloved players, too, like Robbie Williams and Victoria Huddy who’ve been active in the local scene for nearly 20 years. Whether you are buying or enjoying concerts in the Bay area, there’s a good chance that the couple have helped
make that happen. But the home that the couple—which is expecting their first child in March—is now unlivable.
“They are desperately seeking a new place to live,” Lucy Volpe, a local promoter who has organized a GoFundMe, wrote. Any funds will help put a deposit on a home, acquire furniture, linens and essentials for baby.
“Not only are they highly active in the arts community, but the nicest people around. They go beyond what is asked of them to lend a helping hand to others however and whenever they are able,” Volpe added.
If you’ve set up any relief efforts Creative Loafing Tampa Bay can amplify, please email rroa@cltampa.com to let us know.
ON THE MOVE: Mutual Aid Disaster Relief starting setup in St. Petersburg.
Hard truth
Little Bayou, mangroves, and the ‘Howdy Doody’ roots of our current catastrophe.
By Thomas Hallock
Ihave a favorite park bench in St. Petersburg. The bench sits just off Little Bayou, on the city’s southside, and looks through a window of mangroves onto the dredge-and-fill community of Coquina Key, Bird Island to the right, and beyond that Tampa Bay. The park where I found this bench has no signs or trailhead; one might even call it hidden, as “passive” parks on St. Pete’s southside often are. I stumbled onto the park bench entirely by accident—not by land but from a kayak.
CITY WILDS
Little Bayou Preserve is an ecological gem, and as we haul away the wreckage from Helene, a lesson for our harrowing new normal. The area used to be a channelized creek, an unofficial dump, a weedy patch of overgrowth. Guided by the legendary biologist Brandt Henningsen, the Southwest Water Management District graded the shoreline for mangroves; needing no other invitation, the mangroves colonized. An army of volunteers, led by the lanky and indefatigable activist Ray Wunderlich, culled invasive plants and transformed the wasteland into an urban forest and coastal swamp. The preserve illustrates what is proper, beautiful, safe and sane in a living shoreline.
Amidst the disaster, Mother Nature tells us what to do. And she is losing patience with her children on the coast. Around Little Bayou, private property nestles right up to water’s edge. The “preserve” is the exception, not the norm. I had passed the little marsh hundreds of times without knowing what was there, on my way to the retirement home where my father died and where my mom still lives. There is no parking and the pull-off requires an awkward u-turn. You really only notice the preserve from the water and that is my point. Invisibility.
On calmer days, I’ve dropped a kayak at Bay Vista Park and paddled across the grass flats, north by the swanky homes along Bahama Shores (built on fill, a friend’s inundated by Helene). An easier route starts at Grandview Park, shoots through the channel at Coquina Key, then south into the preserve.
Both routes showcase privatized waterfront. The scenery makes me surly.
House, lawn, seawall, dock. House, pool, seawall, dock.
What’s missing from these million-dollar properties? What most belongs: mangroves.
A few weeks before the storm, on Labor Day, my friend Andrew and I drop a canoe at the
Grandview ramp. We paddle past the small swath of public land, then enter liquid suburbia with a view. In place of gentle wave action on native vegetation, the clickety-splash of breakers on concrete.
This is last century’s coastline, a relic, and ground zero for looming disasters. During St. Petersburg’s first land boom, developers dredged the channel, turning the marshy peninsula into Lewis Island (for owner Edson T. Lewis), later Coquina Key after a naming contest. Florida Power operated an employees club for a time, but for the most part, properties languished.
Then came the Mackle Brothers, the nation’s ninth largest home builders, in the 1950s, promising the classic mid-century modern with “built in range and ovens, terrazzo floors, and tile roofs.” It was “Howdy Doody Time” in Florida. A television for every living room. A car in the garage and an orange tree in the yard. And as for our estuaries and bays? Lost to dredge and fill.
trumps sound urban planning. Andrew and I paddle south, Sunrise Drive to our right, Coquina Key’s Neptune and Pompano Drives to our left. Do these streets not invite flooding by their very names?
House, pool, seawall, dock.
At a bend in the concrete, the Coquina Key channel widens into Little Bayou. I steer us south, to the sole patch of green around unprotected coast.
“We have engineered the conditions of our own catastrophe.”
The 1950s shoreline sticks with us today, hardscaped into our consciousness. Not because it’s best practice, but because in redblooded America, and for most of the past century in St. Petersburg, private property
Anyone who cares about Tampa Bay (and who does not?) knows the ecological value of mangroves. Andrew and I chat up a fisherman, James, who likes to peddle his red Old Town along the preserve fringe. We ask James if he would prefer more native habitat, and he answers in a word: “Absolutely.” You don’t have to be a conservation biologist to understand why. Salt-tolerant mangroves cradle marine life. Their leaves drop in the shallow muck, creating a microbiotic soup that kick starts the food chain. The red prop roots of these “walking trees” shelter the little critters, which feed the snapper and snook that James reels in from that sit-on-top Old Town.
continued on page 25
ECOLOGICAL GEM: As we haul away the wreckage from Helene, Little Bayou Preserve is a lesson for our harrowing new normal.
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Equally important, mangroves protect our coasts. The roots stop erosion and absorb wave energy—far more effectively than steel or concrete. Consider the footage from our last storm. What’s missing, but explanations? Waves crashing through the balustrades on Bayshore Boulevard. Treasure Island’s main drag, first a raging river then a plowed dune. Storm surge sliding by the Gulfport Casino with an eerie familiarity and ease. USF’s College of Marine Science, suddenly the College of Submarine Science. In not one of these scenes, a natural shoreline. The disaster porn feeds a loss of perspective.
at the foot of the driveway. The ruin. My kid’s flooded truck—and with that loss, his income from Uber Eats. In our baptized communities, the smell of putrid mulch.
CITY WILDS
Amidst our hubris and our hurt, we overlook a fundamental truth—that we have engineered the conditions of our own catastrophe.
On mangroves, St. Petersburg’s city code takes a hard line. They are “essential” to the food chain, “supporting the commercial and recreational fisheries of Tampa Bay,” and their “trimming or cutting” is “prohibited.” Fines are stiff. So what happens?
Seeking for honest answers, I asked around. (Honesty proves hard to come by.)
Maya Burke, with the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, observes that dredge and fill areas like Coquina Key and Little Bayou altered the sea floor gradient. The sharp edges leave no space for propagules (those floating beans with the cute little feet) to catch root. Mangroves are messy, as even an enlightened homeowner (such as my dentist, Dr. Mendee Ligon) will concede. The “walking trees” trap litter and trimming requires a pricey arborist. Mangroves block the view. Before propagules can colonize a seawall or dock, most people agree, homeowners will “rip them out.”
We cannot keep living this way. Andrew and I reach the preserve that Labor Day, and both before and after the storm, I visit Little Bayou again. Helene had turned my favorite bench sideways, but except for some debris on the forest floor, little has changed. My wife Julie and I right the bench to face the bay, crack open a pair of IPAs, and try to unpack the trauma. We take in the scene. Across the bayou, Coquina Key. To our left: house, lawn, seawall, dock; house, pool, seawall, dock. To the right, an old folks home, edged with podocarpus and St. Augustine grass.
In our relationship to the coasts, we have normalized the dysfunctional.
At some point, maybe next year, maybe next month, a named storm will slap Tampa Bay directly. Maybe then, we will rethink our culture of dredge and fill. Stop paving over dunes. Let the mangroves be— encourage them even. Build with, rather than over, natural forces. Probably not. Far more likely for Floridians to repeat the cycle, raise higher seawalls, assert the rights of private ownership, and get hit by still stronger storms spinning off the overheated Gulf, until the insurance market collapses, and the housing market tanks.
Enough. We cannot carry the arrogance of the last century into the present. Helene was a warning. Let’s stop pretending it’s Howdy Doody Time.
And so, having stripped away these natural shock absorbers against storm surge, we face the consequences. The panic. The floods. The thoughts and prayers. The soggy junk piling up
Thomas Hallock teaches English at the St. Petersburg campus of the University of South Florida. Along with Amanda Hagood, he has been writing #Creekshed columns for CL, asking “what are the human and natural stories that train into Tampa Bay?”
HOW’S THE VIEW: Anyone who cares about Tampa Bay knows the ecological value of mangroves.
THOMAS HALLOCK
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“We’ve got to figure this out.”
Warming up
Even Rick Scott says climate is ‘clearly changing.’
By Mitch Perry/Florida
Phoenix
Florida U.S. Sen. Rick Scott acknowledged last Friday in the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Helene that the climate is “clearly changing,” adding: “We’ve gotta figure out how do we react to that.”
Scott traveled through parts of the state speaking to law enforcement and first responders a day after the Category 4 hurricane caused record storm surge up the west coast and Big Bend region of Florida, with at least seven deaths in the state attributed to the storm.
The Naples Republican was interviewed on CNN, where anchor Dana Bash observed that the intensity of Helene, described by the Washington Post as one of the biggest storm systems to hit the U.S., appeared part of a trend in which storms “are simply bigger than they once were, perhaps because of climate change.”
“Who knows?” Scott replied. “Who knows what the reason is, but something is changing. Massive storms. Massive storm surge. So we’ve got to figure this out.”
Bash followed up by asking, “When you say, ‘something’s going on,’ isn’t it pretty obvious that the climate is changing, and that is changing the size of these storms and making them as big as you just described?”
“Absolutely, something’s changed, and the climate’s clearly changing, and what we’ve gotta do is, like, when I was governor, I spent a whole bunch of money on resiliency [and] sea level rise issues and beach renourishment issues, and I tried to make our state more resilient,” he said.
what was happening with the climate so he could make the necessary decisions to protect the state. He ended up meeting with five of those scientists.
At another point in his tenure, former state employees reported that Scott’s administration had directed them to avoid using the phrase “climate change,” although Scott denied the allegation.
Scott’s comment about “who knows?” what is contributing to massive storms like Helene stunned some climate change advocates.
‘We know’
LOCAL NEWS
“We know things are changing. We’ve gotta figure out how do we react to that,” he added.
Scott served as Florida governor from 2010 and 2018 and was criticized by environmentalists for his inattention to climate issues. “I’m not a scientist,” he said in 2014.
At one point, a group of 10 Florida scientists sent Scott a letter referring to the “impact of human-induced global warming” as they expressed interest in helping him understand
“Well, we know,” said Susan Glickman, who has worked on climate issues in Florida for decades and now serve as vice president for policy and partnerships with the CLEO Institute.
“We know that Rick Scott has invested tens of millions of dollars in gas and utility companies that spew climate pollution. And we know they benefited from his votes. We know that –in part due to actions by Rick Scott – Florida is dangerously over-reliant on methane gas for power – around 75%,” Glickman added in a text message sent to the Phoenix.
“And we know that climate pollution from Scott’s gas investments is warming the planet.
We know warming melts glaciers, raising sea levels. Rick Scott may not know, but we do, that sea rise contributes to the historic storm surge we’re seeing.
“And we know that, because of warming, we are experiencing unparalleled rapid intensification from hot ocean temperatures. And we also know that Rick Scott has some responsibility for the fact that power bills are through the roof. He approved power plants and pipelines that we never needed.”
Ron DeSantis, who succeeded Scott in 2019 as governor of Florida, has also invested millions of dollars in resiliency efforts. He signed legislation earlier this year that erased the words “climate change” from state statutes and restructured the state’s fossil fuel-based energy policy to play down climate change as a priority when making energy policy decisions.
Scott is running for re-election to his Senate seat this fall against Democratic challenger Debbie Mucarsel-Powell.
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 for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com. Follow Florida Phoenix on Facebook and X.
STILL NOT A SCIENTIST: Rick Scott (center) in St. Pete Beach last week.
MITCH PERRY/FLORIDA PHOENIX
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About that time
Register to vote by Oct. 7.
By Ray Roa
As this print issue hits newsstands, the office Hillsborough’s Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer will load vote-by-mail ballots onto trucks ahead of their trips to the post office. Latimer’s team will also conduct a public logic & accuracy test of ballot scanners. During that test required by law, staff members “scan stacks of pre-filled ballots into a random selection of the ballot scanners that will be used for Early Voting, Vote By Mail and Election Day voting to confirm that the scanners are reading every position on the ballot and counting votes accurately.”
On the line in Florida are abortion rights, recreational weed, plus the fates of congresspeople, state attorneys, judges, school board runoffs, taxes and more. Please vote.
Florida Democrats get infusion of cash from DNC as voting by mail is set to begin
ELECTIONS
There are deadlines associated with returning said ballots, too, but the date that should be on everyone’s mind right now is the Oct. 7 deadline to register to vote. You must be registered to vote in the general election, which wraps on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5. Registering to vote in Florida is simple. All you have to be is at least 18 years old, a legal Florida resident, and be a resident of the county where you’ll register. Registration can happen online, or by mail, with more information available on vote.gov or your local Supervisor of Elections websites.
As supervisors of elections begin mailing out ballots for the 2024 general election this week, Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried announced Monday that the party is getting more financial help from national Democratic Party interests.
Whether that can make a difference as the voting is about to begin remains a question, 36 days before Election Day.
The Democratic National Committee is making a $400,000 contribution to the state party to help with organizational infrastructure and “put more boots on the ground to elect Democrats,” Fried said on a Zoom conference call.
“This investment shows the party’s commitment of fighting for Florida,” she said, giving praise to DNC Chair Jamie Harrison for showing confidence in the Democrats’ electoral chances.
“Because of his leadership, Democrats all across
the country will now have the resources to compete, up and down the ballot.”
Fried noted additional promises of outside help from national Democratic Party-aligned organizations, such as the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s (DSCC) decision last week to make a “multimillion dollar investment” in television advertising for the party’s hopeful for U.S. Senate, former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell.
The Phoenix asked the DSCC last week exactly how much money they were investing in Mucarsel-Powell and followed up Monday by asking when the ad(s) would begin running. They did not return either request for comment.
The Democratic Campaign Congressional Committee (DCCC) announced last week that they were adding Pinellas County Democratic congressional candidate Whitney Fox to their “red to blue” program, indicating the national party believes Fox is competitive against Republican incumbent Anna Paulina-Luna in Florida’s 13th Congressional District.
Fox is the only Democrat from Florida the DCCC has chosen for that program, designed to provide fundraising and organizational assistance to Democrats nationwide trying to flip Republican-held seats. It won’t be easy, as Luna won the district by 8 percentage points in 2022.
Republicans upbeat
Meanwhile, Fried’s counterpoint, Republican Party of Florida Chairman Evan Power, continues to play down the Democrats’ efforts, pointing
to the more than 1 million-voter advantage the Republican Party enjoys over the Democrats in registration in the state.
“I think Nikki Fried’s trying to sell a comms strategy to make herself look more powerful,” Power told conservative talk-show radio host Drew Steele on Monday. “But if you look into the numbers — let’s dig into the numbers. We have a millionfifty thousand more registered Republicans. Now’s the time we’re going to have to turn them out. And we are going to turn them out.”
In a separate press release, Power dismissed the outside-Florida money from Democrats attempting to boost Mucarsel-Powell.
“No amount of New York and California farm money will be able to cover for the fact that Mucarsel-Powell is unknown in many of Florida’s counties because she rarely ventures outside of big cities,” he said. “Senator Scott has visited all 67 counties and knows the local leaders Florida voters trust. Florida voters will turn out to reject the failed policies Democrats have forced our nation to endure over the last four years.”
A survey of 808 registered voters in Florida by Public Policy Polling on behalf of Clean and Prosperous America taken on Sept. 25-26 shows Scott with a three-point lead over MucarselPowell, 47%-44%.
The same survey shows Donald Trump with a four-point lead over Kamala Harris in the Sunshine State, 50%-46%.
The survey had a margin of error of +/3.5%.—Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix
JARVIS
RESTAURANTS RECIPES DINING GUIDES
Haus party
Ybor City’s BarrieHaus Beer Co. opens new Trinity taproom this weekend.
By Ray Roa
Five years after launching in Ybor City, an award-winning Tampa brewery scene favorite will open a new taproom 30 miles north. BarrieHaus Beer Co. opens doors at 9945 Trinity Blvd. this weekend, Oct. 5-6. On tap for the grand opening are BarrieHaus’ awardwinning lagers and a new hop-forward West Coast Pilsner—”boasting fresh Strata hops for a crisp refreshing lager beer with notes of tropical fruit and citrus”—brewed especially for the opening.
On Sunday, BarrieHaus Trinity offers a family-friendly Oktoberfest from noon-8 p.m. featuring live music, märzen and festbier on tap, plus face and pumpkin-painting, stein hoist and more. Nearby Brick Oven Pizzeria Ristorante and Dang Good Sushi will provide the food.
Co-founder Brittney Barrie told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that the Trinity location features an inviting wrap-around 12-person bar, cozy corner and family-friendly indoor biergarten. There are also TVs for the game, and a small sunny patio.
“As a proud neighborhood brewery and community hub, we remain deeply rooted in the area where Jim grew up. We’re excited to extend our welcoming atmosphere, along with our signature easy-drinking lagers and a variety of exciting new events, to the Trinity and South Pasco communities,” she added.
head, all with varying amounts of foam,” Ring wrote. “Now that’s how to keep your customers satisfied.”
Asked about the head at Trinity, Barrie said, “One can only hope we can meet expectations.”
BarrieHaus Beer Co.’s new Trinity taproom at 9945 Trinity Blvd. will operate 11 a.m.-11 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5 and noon-8 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 6. @Barriehausbeerco_Trinity on Instagram has more information.
Mema’s Alaskan Tacos o cially reopens in Ybor City
It’s officially official. After 13 years away, Mema’s Alaskan Tacos is finally ready to reopen in Ybor City. Owner Sean Godin, who confirmed the concept’s return to the historic district last week, took to social media to say that doors will open at 1903 N 19th St. at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 3.
OPENINGS & CLOSINGS
“I just wanted to personally thank all of you for the heartfelt sentiments and positive comments,” he wrote. Last week, Godin, who launched Mema’s out of a 17th Avenue shack 20 years ago, told CL that he never stopped making the tacos and has been eating them at home and with friends since closing in 2011.
Goody Goody has closed in South Tampa
Over the summer at the World Beer Cup in Las Vegas, BarrieHaus Beer Co.’s Bublina Czech-Style Pilsner took home a gold medal in the Bohemian-Style Pilsner category which included 152 entries.
Just last week BarrieHaus was named a finalist for Best Hillsborough Brewery in CL’s Best of the Bay competition. The brewery also took home a critics pick award for Best Head. In her notes, CL contributor Jennifer Ring noted the hardware on BarrieHaus’ award shelf.
“What they haven’t won an award for yet is their commitment to giving great head,” Ring added, alluding to a Czech-manufactured pull faucet that ensures perfect pours.
“Three fingers of dense foam are standard. But if you’re in the mood for something different, BarrieHaus offers five different styles of
All the favorites—gator, shrimp, beef, and chicken and possibly three kinds of fish including salmon and grouper—will all be on the menu along with some iteration of the vegetarian taco which locals loved to no end (update, it's falafel according to a menu from family & friends night).
Double-decker upgrades are available for tacos, and the menu also includes burritos, chimichangas, nachos, tamales, churros, and more.
For the uninitiated, Mema’s Alaskan Tacos are prepared in accordance with a recipe from Godin’s grandma who cooked the fillings in the shell, resulting in an crispy taco topped with shreds of cold iceberg lettuce and sharp cheddar cheese all served in a sorely-missed translucent wax paper wrapping.
And don’t worry if pay day isn’t until Friday, Godin also told CL that folks will still be able to get out of Mema’s with a good meal for less than $20.
Just shy of the 100th anniversary of its initial opening, old school Tampa diner Goody Goody has closed in South Tampa this month. In a letter, Richard Gonzmart, President and Caretaker of The 1905 Family of Restaurants, said his company was evolving and adapting to “changing circumstances” as it looks for new ways to serve its community. The last day of service at Goody Goody—located at 1601 W Swann Ave. in Tampa’s Hyde Park Village—was Sunday, Sept. 29.
A press release says the move allows 1905. to focus on its core restaurant brands while preserving the Goody Goody brand elsewhere, adding that the group did work closely with its landlord, WS Development, to try and find a way to say. The 60 employees at Goody Goody’s Hyde Park location will be offered opportunities at other 1905 concepts including Columbia Restaurant, Columbia Café, Ulele and Casa Santo Stefano, the release added.
Tampa’s Goody Goody first opened as a barbecue stand in 1925 on what’s now known as Kennedy Boulevard. Its last location on Florida Avenue closed in 2005, but the brand was revived in 2014 when Gonzmart purchased it from the family of owner Mike Wheeler.
Gonzmart—a sucker for nostalgia who also displays statues from Tampa’s long-shuttered Fairyland at his Ulele restaurant in Tampa Heights—reopened in 2016 and honored Goody Goody’s classic dishes as “an homage to a simpler, yet profoundly rich time in Tampa’s food history.” As a kid, Gonzmart said his mom would pick up a bag of Goody Goody’s burgers with “P.O.X.”, aka pickles, onions and secret sauce. The closure in South Tampa is not the end of Goody Goody in the Bay area though, since the restaurant will continue to operate at Tampa International Airport as well as at Tampa Bay History Center’s Columbia Café, which will start serving the P.O.X. burger, Hyde Park Burger and butterscotch pie on Tuesday, Oct. 1.
THREE’S COMPANY: (L-R) BarrieHaus Beer Co.’s Junbae Lee, Jim Barrie and Brittney Barrie.
MOVIES THEATER ART CULTURE
Ready to rumble
Sen. Darryl Rouson prepares to fight for the arts in Tallahassee.
By Jennifer Ring
It’s been a busy summer for Florida State Senator Darryl Rouson, who represents sections of both Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties. The 69-year-old politician and arts advocate has been meeting with art students, working artists and arts leaders on both sides of the bay to address Ron DeSantis’ June 12 veto of Florida state arts funding. Rouson’s district, which includes downtown Tampa, Ybor City and downtown St. Pete, houses Tampa Bay’s most well-known arts attractions.
“I represent the Hard Rock, the amphitheater at the fairgrounds, the Straz, Morsani, Tampa Theatre, Improv in Ybor City,” Rouson told Hillsborough Community College students at a nonpartisan conversation about art and politics at HCC Dance Studio in Ybor September 6. “Then when you go across the bay, I represent the Dalí, Chihuly, Morean, Imagine, Great Explorations, the Mahaffey, the Palladium, American Stage. So when the governor cut and zeroed out the $32 million going to the arts programs, it hurt those in my district mightily.”
In response, Rouson called a Sept. 13 Pinellas County Legislative Delegation Meeting to hear from the local arts community. The goal: to come up with an argument for the arts that Florida state senators and representatives can take back to Tallahassee.
That afternoon, Rouson and his colleagues—the Florida state senators and house representatives who represent Pinellas County at the state level—heard from about 20 artists and arts leaders about how the arts impact Pinellas County.
Celeste Davis, St. Petersburg’s Director of Arts, Culture and Tourism, launched the discussion with an update on attempts to increase the arts budget in the City of St. Pete.
“Yesterday, Mayor Ken Welch and The City Council worked together to approve $695,000 additional dollars for arts organizations whose funding was vetoed by the state,” Davis shared. “We are known as the City of the Arts, and the mayor and city council are committed to supporting the arts community. We can’t fill the whole gap that these organizations experienced, but we were able to provide some support for the arts organizations in our city that adds significantly to the economy and the quality of
life for residents as well as our visitors. I am proud that we came together, artists and arts organizations, and spoke up and engaged the administration and city council. Together, we made it happen—an additional $695,000.”
Davis’ update served as a timely reminder that reaching out to local politicians can make a difference. We saw it in the fight for arts funding in the City of St. Pete and with the recent battle to save Florida State parks from becoming pickleball courts and golf courses.
“It hurt those in my district mightily.”
free field trips and student exhibitions, all of which Hine mentioned in his three minutes.
Creative Pinellas CEO Margaret Murray also took the mic. Her organization works behind the scenes, using tourism dollars to support art throughout the county. As such, Murray is well-versed in the connection between the arts and tourism in Pinellas County. She cited several statistics from Americans for Arts’ Arts & Economic Prosperity study, including that “nearly one in four of the 16 million annual visitors to Pinellas County enjoy an arts experience when they visit.”
The next most talked about argument came from an unexpected source—Kristen Kerr, painter, poet, financial consultant, and Founder & Director of Cultivate the Creative.
Now, as Tampa Bay fights to restore arts funding at the state level, the big guns come out, starting with Dalí Museum Director Hank Hine.
The Dalí, which is the most visited art museum in the state of Florida, lost $70,500 in the state arts veto. In addition to organizing world-class art exhibitions, the nonprofit museum contributes to the arts education of K-12 students across 36 Florida counties via
Kerr’s nonprofit, formed in 2020, uses creativity to support the mental health and well-being of youth in South St. Petersburg’s foster care system. Kerr was the first to speak about the role of the arts in mental health and healing. It’s a subject dear to Sen. Rouson, who, as a recovering addict, has observed art’s positive impact on mental health in drug treatment facilities.
Rouson took notes while Kerr cited a decade’s
worth of neuroscience research on art’s ability to reduce stress and anxiety, improve cognitive flexibility, and help individuals safely recall and process trauma.
“Creative modalities engage the entire brain, which allows individuals to safely recall and process trauma, especially if they have fear communicating it in traditional talk therapy settings,” Kerr explained. “In fact, modern neuroscience research shows that traditional talk therapy, like cognitive behavioral therapy, does not help all individuals reduce their traumatic symptoms because cognitive functioning is impaired by trauma and makes it difficult to recall and process memories.”
“Expressive arts treatment could be more approachable,” Kerr asserted, “teaching young people how they can naturally approach their creative practice to alleviate stress…”
It was an argument Florida state senators and representatives hadn’t heard before. Rouson took rapid notes, and Sen. Ben Albritton wondered out loud if there was any hard data showing the benefits of art in the foster care system.
The conversation continued through multiple speakers. Filmmaker Tamia Iman Kennedy of Black on the Scene spoke up for the role of state arts funding in giving voice to diverse perspectives; Creative Loafing Tampa Bay contributor and former Editor-In-Chief David Warner spoke about how past state arts funding has enabled a thriving, world-class art scene in our state; SPC Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts Dr. Barbara Hubbard reminded the group of the importance of our art scene in providing local jobs for SPC students after they graduate; and businesswoman Liz Dimmitt of Dimmitt Chevrolet and Fairgrounds St. Pete stepped up at the last minute to mention the importance of a thriving art scene in attracting top talent to local businesses. Together, they linked art to tourism, jobs, innovation, equity, and mental health in Pinellas County. This is the ammunition Rouson and his fellow Pinellas County representatives will take to Tallahassee when state budget decisions are made. You can give them more.
There’s still time to tell your state representatives how having art in your community has positively impacted your life. As Sen. Rouson told HCC audiences last Friday, “No one will listen if you don’t speak.”
Not sure where to start? Tap into Creative Pinellas’ online advocacy toolkit at creativepinellas.org to find out who your local representatives are and how they can be reached.
TAKE NOTES: State senators Darryl Rouson (L) and Ben Albritton.
INTERVIEW
Cimafunk
Sunday, Oct. 6. 8 p.m. $30 Crowbar. 1812 N 17th St., Ybor City brokenmoldentertainment.com
REVIEWS
PROFILES MUSIC WEEK
The movement
Cuban pop star Cimafunk talks new album and more.
By Isha Del Valle
Erik Alejandro Iglesias Rodríguez, known as Cimafunk, has a moniker that refers to the Cimarron(es), who were runaway slaves who formed self-sufficient communities in Cuba during the colonial era.
Tampa had the pleasure of seeing Cimafunk’s excellent show in 2022 he supported his second album El Alimento, which was nominated for a Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album Grammy. On that run, he participated in Gasparilla Music Festival, where he left everyone in awe and wanting more. That festival set led to a show at Ybor City’s Cuban Club eight months later—and now Cimafunk is on the way back to the historic district this weekend. His band La Tribu and the Hijas del Cacao horn section will be onstage, too. El Alimento sent Cimafunk to the moon, making Sir Paul McCartney dance as he enjoyed his presentation at SXSW.
A new album, Pa’Tu Cuerpa, was released in August. The record’s collaboration with the Colombian group Monsieur Periné “Catalina” is nominated for Song of the Year at next month’s Latin Grammy awards. The album also includes collaborations with Francisco “Poncho” Céspedes, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Camila Guevara, George Clinton, Big Freedia, Trombone Shorty, Nik West, Wampi among others.
Here’s our Q&A with Cimafunk Q&A, conducted in Spanish, but translated for English-speaking readers. Share the spanish version by flipping to p. 49.
How do you come to create this synergism of funk with Latin flow that highlights your music?
In large part, because of the cimarron selfsufficient thing—when I started to identify with what the cimarron is, it was always like trying to go to a different place in all aspects. Trying to think for myself, to act and decide for myself and that happened to me alot with music when I started producing my songs. It was a time when the genres were quite diverse in Cuba. There was a lot of reggaeton, a lot of folk, a lot of timba, which is like what is called salsa here.I was trying to find something that had to do with me. And little by little I knew that I didn’t want to do something that everyone else was doing and that’s when “fukutu” I started experimenting.
When Terapia [Cimafunk’s debut album, 2017] came out, I realized that yes, these are songs that everyone has a way of explaining. And there, I gradually got into funk, which I always loved. The other part, which is Afro-Cuban music. We have that inside. That’s inside and every time a song is going to be made, the key or poison always comes out, one of those Afro-Cuban evils always comes to the surface. So, when I started mixing funk with American genres, soul with a little blues
The song with Wampi was on the road, “Catalina” was recorded in Miami. As this album has a lot of live feel music, it was created as the concerts ended and the other day in the studio, I was in the hotel making a song. I was trying to bring that feeling that people get from a live performance. When people come to the live shows, regardless of where we are playing and regardless of the culture, when we start playing the second song, people jam, everyone forgets where they come from, they forget what they are and the body becomes flesh. That’s what I’m seeing from the stage, a bunch of dancing bodies moving with the groove and the rhythm. That is why we were trying to find something that has to do with flesh to name the album, but with-
and R&B, this amazing thing started to come out. The album El Alimento has a lot of hip-hop “hues,” a lot of hip-hop bass, so experimenting but reaching a point where you identify with a texture and that’s where I find myself now. Giving it that path that I started unconsciously and that is now more grounded.
How is Pa’tu Cuerpa created, what is the vision?
This album is largely the result of being on the road touring, it's the first album I’ve worked on while on tour. Many of the songs were recorded in different places. The song with George Clinton was in New Orleans and worked on in New Zealand, and the ending was in a different place.
out having that word. Then, I remembered that “cuerpa” is a word that I have been using since I started making music and especially for live music and that’s what the name Pa’Tu Cuerpa is about—that feeling that the groove gives you that disinhibits you and turns you into a piece of dough. You go down to instinct, you don’t care if you know how to dance or not, where you come from, it doesn’t matter, is a moment where you love and are part of the groove and that trivial moment is repeated over and over again, that’s what you can see of the show from the stage. This is my favorite part and the album has it. For the most part it has been a joy to always connect with all the artists. Because collaboration is always something that I really liked.
Being able to travel is good because you can collaborate. With Monsieur Perine it was that “Catalina” was in Miami and also at that moment Faux, who is a producer, a brother, we went into the studio and cooked “Catalina” in a few hours. Then we sent it to Santiago and Monsieur Perine’s boys in Colombia and Santiago put the guitar in it and sent it back. Foux closed it and so on. It was rich because that feeling was captured in this album.
With this album is there something that was your best step in personal growth?
Ugh, a lot, for example this album because it was done on the road, for example when choosing the songs, there were so many and choosing the ones that fit was difficult. Make sure you have the resources for production and be satisfied with how it sounds, since I was not in the studio but working on the laptop, sometimes you doubt if you have the right sound, if it is powerful enough and above all that it will make the song sound right. For example, the song with Francisco “Pancho” Céspedes, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Camila Guevara, which is the last track on the album “A tu Merced” I wrote more than 10 years ago. When I wrote it I was specifically thinking about trying to get it to Pancho Cespedes. At that time I didn’t know anyone, but if you listen to the song you will hear that the melodic movements it has were trying to match Pancho’s melodic movements, trying to get it to him so he could sing it. I never sang that song and now working on this album and with those doubts about production quality, I went down to earth level and looked for those songs that I had never done anything with. “A Tu Merce” appeared and I sent it to Pancho.
Pancho and I have been friends now for a few years, I consider him a mentor. I told him that I had written the song for him a long time ago and he immediately loved the song and the result of going back to the beginning of how this is to be enjoyed. It is not to torment yourself, nor to worry, it is to have a good time. Music is a gift, and dedicating yourself and living it is fortunate and a blessing because it is rich and sometimes we forget. That is what brought me back to this notion of the body in motion. Each album project is an opportunity to learn and grow and is to enjoy! It speaks volumes about the quality of each artist’s work to be able to record a project on the road in multiple places and have a synergistic result that connects with the audience as if you were there live. That you let yourself be carried away by the flow.
SO LUCKY: Cimafunk plays his third Bay area show this weekend.
El movimiento
La estrella pop cubana Cimafunk habla sobre su nuevo álbum y más.
Por Isha Del Valle
Erik Alejandro Iglesias Rodríguez, conocido como Cimafunk, tiene un apodo que hace referencia a los Cimarrones, quienes eran esclavos fugitivos que formaron comunidades autosuficientes en Cuba durante la era colonial.
Tampa tuvo el placer de ver el excelente espectáculo de Cimafunk en 2022, cuando promocionó su segundo álbum El Alimento, que fue nominado al Grammy como Mejor Álbum de Rock Latino o Alternativo. En esa carrera, participó en el Festival de Música Gasparilla (GMF), donde dejó a todos asombrados y con ganas de más. Ese concierto en el festival lo llevó a un espectáculo en el Cuban Club de Ybor City ocho meses después, y ahora Cimafunk está de regreso en el distrito histórico este fin de semana. Su banda La Tribu y la sección de vientos Hijas del Cacao también estarán en el escenario.
ENTREVISTA
Cimafunk
Domingo, Oct. 6. 8 p.m. $30 Crowbar. 1812 N 17th St., Ybor City brokenmoldentertainment.com
“El Alimento” catapultó a la luna a Cimafunk, cuando Sir Paul McCartny lo bailó y gozó de su presentación en el festival SXSW, South by Southwest. Otra participación a destacar la hizo en febrero del 2024, cuando hizo parte en el homenaje de la Casa Blanca a la herencia afrolatina en Estados Unidos.
Su nuevo disco Pa’Tu Cuerpa que tuvo su lanzamiento en todas las plataformas de música en agosto de 2024, se le otorgó una nominación a la canción “Catalina” con la colaboración de la banda colombiana Monsieur Periné como Canción del Año a los premios Latin Grammys del mismo año. Éste álbum también incluye colaboraciones con artistas como: Francisco “Pancho” Céspedes, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Camila Guevara, George Clinton, Big Freedia, Trombone Shorty, Nik West, Wampi entre otros. Aquí nuestra charla Pa’Tu Cuerpa movimiento seductor y caliente del Afro-funk Latino. Lea y luego comparta la versión en inglés de esta historia pasando a la página XX.
Cómo llegas a crear este sinergismo de funk con flow latino que destaca tu música? Chica, en gran parte, es también por lo de cimarrón - cuando empecé a identificarme con lo que es el personaje cimarrón, siempre fue como, sabes, tratando ir a un lugar diferente en todo los aspectos, sabes. Como tratar de pensar por mí mismo, tratando de actuar y decidir por mí mismo y eso me pasó mucho en la música cuando empecé a producir mis canciones. Era un momento en el que los géneros estaban bastante…eh habían muchos géneros diversos en
Cuba sucediendo el la esfera de la música de la calle. Estaba bastante el reggaeton, había bastante troba, había mucha timba, que es como lo que le dicen Salsa aqui (haci le dicen allá en Cuba). Y yo estaba tratando de encontrar algo que tuviera que ver conmigo. Y poco a poco yo sabía que no quería hacer algo que se estuviera haciendo que estuviera haciendo todo el mundo y por ahí “fukutu” empecé a experimentar. Y cuando salió Terapia me di cuenta que sí, que son canciones que todo mundo tiene manera de explicarlas. Y ahí me fui metiendo poco a poco con el funk, que me encantaba siempre. Y la otra parte que es la música Afrocubana, bueno eso lo tenemos adentro. Eso está dentro y cada vez que se va hacer una canción siempre sale la clave o un veneno, una maldad de esas afro cubana siempre sale a flor de piel. Entonces cuando empecé a mezclarlo con funk con géneros de estados unidos, soul con un poco de blues y el R & B, empezó a salir este mazacote. Con el hip hop, el álbum el Alimento tiene mucho ‘hues’ de hip hop, mucha base hip hop. Y así experimentando pero llegando un punto donde ya tu sabes, te identificas con una textura y ahí es donde me encuentro ahora. Dándole ese camino que empecé inconscientemente y que ya está más fundamentado.
¿Cómo se crea Pa’tu Cuerpa? ¿Cuál es la visión de Pa’Tu Cuerpa?
A: Este álbum de hecho es en gran parte el resultado de lo que ha sido movimiento en la carretera de gira, este es el primer álbum el cual he trabajado estando en gira. Muchas de las canciones se grabaron en distintos lugares. El tema con George Clinton por ejemplo fue en un momento en Nueva Orleans y lo termine por Nueva Zelanda (New Zealand) por aya, y el final fue en lugar distinto. La canción con Wampi fue en en la carretera, he Catalina fue grabada en Miami. Como este álbum tiene mucho eso del en vivo, era como resultaba el en vivo, termina el concierto y otro día en el estudio, estaba en el hotel haciendo una canción. Estaba tratando de traer esa sensación que la gente tiene de un en vivo. Cuando la gente llega a los en vivo, que independientemente donde sea el lugar donde estemos tocando e independientemente de la cultura cuando empezamos a tocar ya a la segunda canción la gente se Rippea’ todo mundo se le olvida de donde viene, se olvida que cosa es y se vuelve carne.
Eso es lo que yo estoy viendo desde el escenario, un montón de cuerpos bailando
desenvolviéndose con el groove y con el ritmo. Por eso es que se está tratando de encontrar algo que tenga que ver con la carne para ponerle nombre al disco, pero sin tener esa palabra. Entonces recordé que Cuerpa es una palabra que he estado utilizando desde que comencé hacer la música y sobre todo para el en vivo y ahí sale el nombre Pa’Tu Cuerpa. Y se trata de eso, de esa sensación que te da el groove que te desinhibe y te vuelve un pedazo de masa. Bajas básico, bajas al instinto, no te importa si sabes o no bailar de donde vienes, no importas es donde vienes si te da penas es un momento donde amas y eres parte del groove y ese momento trivial se repite una y otra vez es lo que se ve el show desde la tarima. Esta es mi parte favorita de esto. Y el disco lo tiene.
En gran parte ha sido una alegría siempre conectar con todos los artistas que están. Porque siempre la colaboración es algo que me ha gustado mucho. Y poder estar viajando es bueno porque puedes colaborar. “Ah fulanito está, tu estás aquí, ah pues vamos al estudio” y se hacen las colaboraciones. Con Monsieur Perine fue sí, Catalina está en Miami y en ese momento Faux que es un hermano productor nos metimos al estudio y cocinamos a Catalina en unas horas. Después se la mandamos a Santiago y los muchachos de Monsieur Perine y Santiago le metió la guitarra y la envió para atrás y Foux la cerró y así. Fue rico porque se capturó esa sensación en este álbum.
¿Con este álbum hay algo que fue tu mejor paso de crecimiento personal?
Uff, mucho, por ejemplo este álbum por hacerlo en carretera es muy difícil definir por
ejemplo al momento de escoger las canciones, son muchas y escoger las que van fue difícil. Asegurarse de tener los recursos para la producción y estar conforme de cómo suena, cómo no estuve en el estudio si no que trabajando en el laptop a veces dudas si tienes el sonido correcto, si es suficiente potente y sobre todo que va hacer sonar la canción. Este álbum fue así. Por ejemplo, la canción con Francisco “Pancho” Céspedes, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Camila Guevara que es la última grabación del disco.“A tu Merced” Esa canción la escribí hace más de diez años. Y cuando la hice fue específicamente pensando en tratar de hacerla llegar a Pancho Cespedes. En aquellos momentos no conocía nadie, pero si escuchas la canción vas a escuchar que los movimientos melódicos que tiene fue tratando de buscar los movimientos melódicos de Pancho y tratar que llegara a él para que la cantara. Yo nunca canté esa canción y ahora trabajando este álbum y con esas dudas de calidad de producción, baje a nivel tierra y busque de esas canciones que nunca había hecho nada con ellas. Y aparece “A Tu Merce” y se la envió a Pancho. Ya Pancho y yo somos amigos desde hace unos años. Le dije que la canción la había escrito para él hacía mucho y al momento le encantó la canción y montamos el combo. Y entonces es el resultado de volver al principio de cómo esto es para gozar. No es para atormentarse, ni preocuparse es para pasarla bien. La música es un regalo, y dedicarse y vivir a eso es una suerte y bendición porque está rico y a veces se nos olvida. Y eso fue lo que me trajo de vuelta a este disco con el cuerpo en movimiento. Cada disco es una enseñanza. Y esto es para gozar!
TAN AFORTUNADO: Cimafunk, quien tocará en Crowbar en Ybor City, Florida, el 6 de Octubre de 2024.
By Josh Bradley & Ray Roa
THU 03
C Twyn w/Katara Twyn—Jason Matthews and Aaron Glueckauf, alum of groups like Electric Kif and Lemon City Trio—skip sample packs and instead build their palette of sounds from scratch. While they’re both trained jazz musicians, Twyn’s music leans more into dance music, with the duo sprinkling influences (pop, hip-hop, R&B) into songs driven by Glueckauf’s drums and the corner of Korgs and modulators that surrounds Matthews. Expect Twyn to turn their record into something different at the Far Forest where Tampa harp-and-drum duo Katara, fresh off its debut LP and an anthemic new single “Earrings,” plays support. (The Far Forest, Tampa)
FRI 04
Discoveries w/Scissor Blade/ Deadweight Ybor Heights brewery Deviant Libation has a busy weekend ahead thanks to the two-day Doom & Gloom Festival. It’ll get a nice kickoff when the Coffin Collective promotions company stages a hardcore gig where there’ll be a collection for Mutual Aid Disaster Relief, which is working to help victims of Hurricane Helene. (Deviant Libation, Tampa)
John Nemeth You’d never guess what John Nemeth was going through while recording his latest studio effort May Be The Last Time The 49-year-old was diagnosed with a benign tumor underneath his jaw, which meant that upon its surgical removal, most of Nemeth’s teeth had to be extracted, too. He quickly got to work to create a fun, analog-sounding blues album with a gospel band and everything. Two years later, Nemeth is seemingly doing better and will bring much needed music to Safety Harbor, which saw its beloved pier wiped out during Hurricane Helene. (Safety Harbor Art and Music Center, Safety Harbor)
C Lyle Lovett and His Large Band You may not be from Texas, but Lovett and his 14-piece ensemble want you anyway. The 66-year-old is notorious for Springsteenlength shows, cheeky humor and onstage interviews with band members, including longtime Phil Collins bassist Leland Sklar, who compared his Gandalf beard to a dandelion the last time Lovett was in town. The man up front’s latest album 12th of June his first in a decade—sees his fairly common country-jazz fusion back him up as he reminisces about becoming a father to twins, one of which won’t eat a burger unless it’s just a toasted bun. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)
C The Marley Brothers Fans can always get little, albeit different, slices of Bob Marley anytime one his musical offspring hits the
stage. But as what would have been Bob’s 80th birthday approaches, five of his sons are on a 22-date “Legacy Tour” where Ziggy, Stephen, Damian, Julian and Ky-Mani (collective winners of 28 Grammys) come together for a traveling family reunion. The setlist, produced by Stephen, celebrates dad’s legendary catalog, and arrives in a state that was very much a refuge for Bob who recorded Rastaman Vibrations in Miami nearly five decades ago. The show is the first time the brothers have performed together in two decades, so expect the love to run deep. (MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa)
Morgan Wallen w/Cole Swindell/Nate Smith/Lauren Watkins Tampa got the best of Wallen last July when the bro-country bad boy came down with some kind of illness that forced the postponement of the second night of a two-show stand. The 31-year-old “Whiskey Glasses” singer—fresh off a $500,000 donation to the Red Cross’ Hurricane Helene recovery effort—is back to make good on the gig. (Raymond James Stadium, Tampa)
Odyssey Music Festival: A Hundred Drums w/DJ Susan/Mija/Ternion Sound/ Anna Morgan/Dr. Greco/Kyle Kinch/ more In its third year, Odyssey Music Festival has tapped Gabrielle Watson to headline a two-day affair that brings together up-and-coming names in EDM. Watson— better known as A Hundred Drums—blends word music with bass music on 2021’s Enough Is Enough EP which addresses “the struggles of being Black in America, set against the backdrop of police violence, systemic racism, and the protest movement…” Watson is joined on the bill by Amber Giles (aka Phoenix EDM scene lifer Mija), 2022 Miami Music Week breakout star DJ Susan and more. (The Factory, St. Petersburg)
SAT 05
Anne Wilson Last week during a sold-out debut at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, Christian-country songwriter Anne Wilson brought out Jordan Davis who performed their duet “Country Gold,” and other tunes. Davis is set to be in the Bay area next spring for the Valspar Championship, but Wilson arrives sooner than that with a Grammynominated album, My Jesus , in tow. While the record ended up losing to Maverick City Music (a band coming to Tampa on Halloween), the 22-year-old might have some hardware from last week’s Dove Awards where she’s nominated four times. (Carol Morsani Hall at David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa)
Fozzy w/The Nocturnal Affair/Clozure Chris Jericho’s getting to the point in his career where people are starting to forget what he initially became famous for. The 53-year-old frontman of Fozzy (and wormer WWF superstar) started turning his band into a rock-radio mainstay in 2000, all on the heels of three albums that charted on the Billboard
THU OCT 03–THU OCT 10
200. Jericho & co. play a hometown set in support of 2022’s Boombox , a record that took three years to finish. (Orpheum, Tampa)
C Nicki Minaj w/Tyga/Bia/Skillibeng Grab your Barbz because the queen of Gag City s coming to paint Tampa pink. Minaj’s show at Amalie Arena happens just a couple weeks after the release of a deluxe edition of her chart-topping 2023 album Pink Friday 2 , and you can bet that legions of fans will show out for the 41-year-old superstar. (Amalie Arena, Tampa)
C WMNF’s 5th Annual Tom Petty Birthday Tribute: The Mark Warren Commission w/Firecracker & The Burnt Fuses/The Burke Brothers/Will Quinlan/ Gracie Topp/more Just before his death, Tom Petty was mapping out an intimate tour celebrating his second solo album Wildflowers . He even got Norah Jones to agree to appear at a few shows. Florida’s patron saint of Americana was also working on a reissue of the Rick Rubin-produced record (which emerged in 2020), that would display Petty’s original, double-album vision that Warner Brothers Records rejected. Some of us had $75 saved for those tour tickets on Oct. 2, 2017, but at the very least, WMNF Tampa 88.5-FM continues to host an annual, locally-built birthday tribute to one of the truest rock stars of all time. Though Tommy’s birthday isn’t until Oct. 20, the demographic may widen at the Skipperdome this weekend thanks to “Love Is A Long Road” making waves in the recent “Grand Theft Auto 6” trailer. (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa)
Zheani w/Buttress/Zand Australians continue to make their presence felt in Tampa Bay’s live music scene, this time at the hands of Zheani Isobel Sparkes, who makes metalinspired “fairy trap” music for the masses. A summer single, “Sex Never Dies,” could
fit into a playlist at Ybor City’s Castle nightclub which is just down the street from this stop on Zheani’s super-sweaty, skin-filled “Maenad” tour. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
SUN 06
C The Black Crowes Chris and Rich Robinson knew that they wouldn’t get enough time onstage when they opened for Aerosmith’s farewell tour, so they booked a standalone show in a smaller venue. Though Aerosmith’s farewell run ended extremely prematurely after Steven Tyler's vocals gave out, the Crowes will continue on with their solo gig anyway, at which you can expect to hear tracks from Happiness Bastards —the band’s first new album in 14 years—and a healthy career retrospective to go along with it. (Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg)
C Deuforia w/Worn Out Trend/Flag Burner/Shiv Tampa Bay promoter Chewy Hemphill says he’s no expert at fundraising. But with his Savage Beat project, he’s built one hell of a community. This weekend, he taps into it to help those affected by Hurricane Helene. For this show headlined by Leipzig-based, Chile-originating, hardcore band Deuforia, Hemphill will donate all proceeds after paying the bands to Feeding Tampa Bay. He hopes to keep giving back after the gig, too, and has offered to raffle off tickets to the Single Mothers reunion tour (Oct. 22) and Tampa Bay Pre-Fest (Oct. 23) for anyone who donates $10 or more to any hurricane relief fund of their choice. More details via @savagebeatshows on Instagram. (American Legion Seminole Post 111, Tampa)
C CL Recommends
PHIL DESIMONE
Ziggy Marley
Sexyy Red w/Hunxho/Loe Shimmy/ BlakeIAna The Tampa stop on Sexyy Red’s “4 President” tour was postponed due to Hurricane Helene, but at least that gave fans enough time to catch the vice presidential debate. Red—real name Janae Nierah Wherry—found herself in headlines last year when she shared her support for Donald Trump, and she’ll have some Trump train company on this bill thanks Kodak Black who’s long been a supporter of the former president, even after debunked claims he made about Haitian immigrants eating cats in Springfield, Ohio. North Carolina emcee Hunxho, who was just in the Bay area over the summer, opens. (Amalie Arena, Tampa)
C Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
At six feet tall, Troy Andrews’s no shorty anymore. But when Bo Diddley gives you a nickname onstage at New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, that’s what you go by even after college. The 38-year-old trombonist and trumpeter hasn’t done a non-festival appearance in Tampa Bay since a 2017 slot at Jannus Live, and if you caught him there, or in 2022 at either Clearwater Jazz Holiday or Gasparilla Music Festival, you’ll remember the lack of A/C being a common factor. Not the case this time when Andrews and his nine-piece Orleans Avenue hit the stage at the intimate Hard Rock Event Center. (Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa)
MON 07
C Xiu Xiu w/Offerings/KT Kink Weeks like the one Tampa Bay just had were made for bands like Xiu Xiu. The now Berlin-based duo has been a staple of the experimental-rock scene for about two decades and built a dedicated fanbase on the strength of songs that are always on the cutting edge, but straddle the line between beautiful and ear-splitting. It’s music for weirdos, and the tradition continues on Xiu Xiu’s 18th LP, 13” Frank Beltrame Italian Stiletto with Bison Horn Grips . While most of the arrangements are organized in the Western folk tradition, the nine-track, 36-minute, outing is cathartic )“Common Loon”), avant-garde (“Bobby Bland”), and straight-up headbanging (“Veneficium”) all at once. “Xiu Xiu is certainly not for everybody. But it is for very specific people, generally for people who are, in one way or another, kind of on the edge of some aspect of life,” bandleader Jamie
Stewart recently told ABC. We’re on the edge, alright, and this gig could not have come at a better time. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
WED 09
C Funk N Ting: DJ Mike Blenda w/ DJ Shafiq The end of Ol’ Dirty Sundays at Crowbar means that a whole lot of music heads will scatter, looking for new places to dive deep into records. DJs Blenda and Shafiq have something for anyone who wants to hear ‘80s New York City meet Caribbean tunes and the hits of today. “A melting pot of fine tuning for the above average listener of any age,” Blenda, 51, told CL about the launch of the “Funk N Ting” weekly. “Folks in their 40s, 50s and more—to people just turning 18-21—can vibe and time travel while also hearing brand new music.” Combined, Blenda and Shafiq have been spinning for about 70 years, but it’s taken them this long to come together. (Biergarten at New World Brewery, Tampa)
C Jess Glynne w/Leah Kate Jess Glynne more than holds her own in the history of soulful U.K. pop crooners (she was the first female Brit to chart seven No. 1 singles, after all). The 34-year-old kicked off her first U.S. tour in five years last week, and brings a new album, Jess (stylized in all-caps), to this gig where Los Angeles pop songwriter Leah Kate opens. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)
THU 10
C Absolution Fest: Beborn Beton w/ Zanias/Ultra Sunn/Male Tears/Kite/ more Stefan Netschio somewhat laments the travel time down the United States’ east coast the first week of October. Netschio will join Beborn Beton bandmates Stefan “Till” Tillmann and Michael Wagner to take part in the fifth Absolution Fest, but due to travel, will miss most of the other bands taking Part. Netschio said through Ybor City club The Castle DJ Tom Gold—who often spins in Germany—and Absolution Fest founder Mark Paradise, Beborn Beton was asked to join this year’s Absolution Fest, set to be the band’s first Tampa show in two years. Read more via cltampa.com/music. (Crowbar, Ybor City) Paul Catala
See an extended version of this listing via cltampa.com/music.
Drag queens in limousines are headed for Tampa Bay this winter, at least metaphorically. Safety Harbor Art Music Center recently announced the booking of beloved songwriter Mary Gauthier who’ll play the venue in January.
The 62-year-old songwriter is no stranger to Florida—and will also play Winter Haven’s famed Gram Parsons Derry Down as part of the tour—but this time she’ll be celebrating the 25th anniversary of her sophomore outing, Drag Queens in Limousines . The album’s title track is a coming of age story for a gay kid living in the south, sadly apropos in a state where the rights of LGBTQ+ citizens are being suppressed with every legislative session. Last week, Gauthier released a brand new video for the song.
“The song speaks to the outsider in all of us, though when I wrote it I had no idea that people of all persuasions from all over the world would relate to feeling like an outsider,” Gauthier has said about the tune. “Often times when I am singing it I look out into the audience and I see folks who look a whole lot like insiders wholeheartedly relating to the outsider in this song, singing every word. I’ve learned that insiders feel like outsiders sometimes, and high school was hard for an awful lot of people, not just the gay kids.”
Lylvc w/Living Dead Girl/Kazha/Spoiled Youth/Red Calling/Love Pit/The Hand of Reason Sunday, Nov. 17. $12 & up. Brass Mug, Tampa
It Was 50 Years Ago Today: Christopher Cross w/David Pack/Maxi Priest/Jason Scheff/Joey Molland Tuesday, Nov. 19. 7 p.m. $29 & up. The BayCare Sound, Clearwater
El Zolazo: Alexandra w/Chacal/ Oscarcito Thursday, Nov. 21. 8 p.m. $69 & up. Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa
Bop To The Top Friday, Nov. 22. 9 p.m. $15 & up. The Ritz, Ybor City
Tickets to see Mary Gauthier play Safety Harbor Art & Music Center on Friday, Jan. 31 are available now for $30. Jaimee Harris, the “next queen of
Blowin’ up
By Caroline DeBruhl
Dear Oracle, over the past 10 years, I’ve had quite a few deep friendships come to an end. Some were from blowup fights, some were just drifting apart, some were one-sided, some were mutual. While I know some of these relationships were outright toxic, others were more complex and I do miss these people. As I move towards middle age, I’m feeling lonely, and wondering if there was something I was/wasn’t doing that led to these downfalls. Do the cards have any insights?—Solo in Seminole Heights
Cards: Six of Wands (reversed), The Moon (reversed), Queen of Pentacles (reversed), The Tower
Dear Solo, for those friendships that drifted apart, absolutely send a text or an email to catch up.
Adulthood can be both chaotic and lonely. Plenty of people lose touch simply because they live in different places and life just gets in the way. It’s lovely to get a text from an old friend and it may even lead to rekindling. Go ahead and reach out.
As for the toxic and complicated breakups? Don’t.
Recently I wrote that when our relationships with different people have the same patterns, we should look at the role we played, but I don’t think that’s what’s happened here.
As the Queen of Pentacles, I think you may have been a very giving friend and valued those friendships greatly. With the Six of Wands, I also think you may have been quick to patch up
any fights—perhaps more so to keep the peace rather than because whatever grievance you had was resolved.
But, fundamentally, I don’t think these friendships were going to work out. You mention that some of these friendships were straightforwardly toxic while others were “more complex.”
However, with that Moon reversed, I wouldn’t be surprised if those “complex” ones were also toxic in a more subtle way. The Moon is both our subconscious and our shadow, and there might have been an ugliness and a wound related to these friendships. You might have also just had different values and been different people deep down.
kind to us. But it doesn’t seem like all hope is lost. I hope you reach out to friends who have just drifted and can put your time into nurturing the friendships that you still have and possibly new ones. Don’t give up, my dear. I think you have a lot to give.
Dear Oracle, I know this is cliché, but I would like to fall in love. My job/work hours make it hard to meet people, so can the cards tell me how to do that?—Loverboy (hopefully-if-that’s-what-you-want-too)
Cards: The Devil (reversed), The Tower (reversed), Two of Cups, Seven of Cups
Dear Loverboy, sometimes, Tarot gives us advice we didn’t ask for. In this case, the cards aren’t telling you how to have a “meet-cute” so much as to “watch the fuck out for red flags.”
ORACLE OF YBOR
Because, with that allout act of God, The Tower, I think they were never going to last. There was always going to be a breaking point down the road. This might explain the big fights, but it would also explain any conscious decision to part ways. It’s about a big shakeup, and the ending of a friendship (especially a long one) definitely constitutes that.
Send your questions for the Oracle to oracle@cltampa.com or DM @theyboracle on Instagram
I’ve written before about the complexities of friendship breakups. Often, we don’t get the type of “closure” we’re used to when it comes to ending romantic relationships, making it hard to move on. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t the right call. It is terrible to miss people—even people who weren’t
You want a Two of Cups falling-in-love moment. Who doesn’t? Love makes life grand. But it’s essential to be discerning when those options appear. The Seven of Cups is a fantastical display of things you want, but some of those things aren’t what they seem. It can be easy to ignore red flags when you’re falling in love. What would be “concerning” to any outsider is just part of the charm to those in the throes of love.
With the life-changing Tower and the all-consuming Devil, it does suggest that a relationship may take over your entire life. Is it possible that this would be a healthy relationship, and its intensity is just a testament to it being true love? Sure.
But these two paired together often speak about darker things—like abusive relationships or ones with unhealthy boundaries or madness-inducing intensity. So, be mindful of that. Because it’s very hard to escape a bad situation when you’re in love with the person hurting you. (In the worst cases, it can also be deadly. If you find yourself needing to leave but can’t, there are people/places that can help.)
With the cards being reversed, I also wonder if you’ve had intense and unhealthy (or possibly abusive) relationships in the past. If so, do you have a support system to help you process those past relationships? Do you have people you can confide in currently without judgment?
The Devil can also symbolize losing your way, which includes your sense of self. It’s one thing to grow with a partner; it’s another to change fundamental parts of who you are to please them.
That loss of self can lead to one feeling even more alone despite having a partner.
We don’t choose who we fall in love with. People are complicated and flawed and still deserve to love and be loved for who they are. But love is not the only thing you need in a relationship. You need compassion, respect, trust, and a feeling of safety. Those things should not be sacrificed. Your longest relationship is with yourself and it’s an act of love to protect yourself.
I hope you meet someone—in improv class, at a show, or at the corner bar—and it blooms into a wonderful romance that lasts for decades. Just remember that you are worthy of respect and sovereignty as well as love. Best of luck, my dear.
Find more of Caroline and book her services via carolinedebruhl.com
Role perversal
By Dan Savage
After 19 years together, my husband and I have finally managed to have a really good conversation about our desires. We both struggled to nail down what it is we want—he is a longterm Catholic guilt sufferer—but got to talking about what porn he likes. Turns out he’s into these coercive type scenes, things like, “I caught your shoplifting, eat me out or I’ll call the cops!” and “You can’t make rent? Let me fuck you and we will call it even!” type stuff. He says it’s less about what the action actually is (the sex acts themselves) and more about the power exchange going in either direction (sometimes he fantasizes about being coerced, sometimes he fantasizes about doing the coercing).
Now that sounds hot as hell to me—I’m more of a reader of erotica and I tend to go for free use / MFM stories—but we have a few issues to deal with:
met. Now, very few people wanna be with someone who blurts out all of their kinks on the first date/hookup (not even other kinky people), RENT, but by the six-month mark—ideally—those kink cards should be face-up on the table.
SAVAGE LOVE
1. He doesn’t find the idea of treating me badly hot because he loves me, whereas in the fantasy situation he doesn’t care what the other party thinks. I hate the Madonna/whore thing, so that was frustrating to hear.
2. Neither of us enjoys role play. We’ve tried it but the effort of playing a character and improvising really takes us out of the moment. Obviously, it’s hard to play any of the type of scenes we’re talking about without getting into role play.
Is there anything we can do to take this dynamic and play with it as ourselves? We’ve got two young kids at home so our time for anything spontaneous is very limited.—Recently Exploring New Things
“It takes a lot of guts to express a new sexual desire 19 years in, and I want to congratulate them for putting it all out in the open,” said Claire Perelman, a licensed therapist who works with couples seeking to improve their sexual connections. “The possibility of feeling rejected by our lovers—or ourselves — can make it so challenging to be that vulnerable. RENT and her husband are a great reminder that you never know how excited your partner might be about trying something new!”
I agree with Claire because of course I agree with Claire: It’s great that you two are finally having this conversation… but I gotta say… this was a conversation you should’ve had 18-and-a-half years ago, RENT, six months into your relationship. (I checked with Claire about this, and she agreed with me.) You’re not alone in putting this convo off: a lot of us avoid having honest conversations about our desires and/or kinks early on because we fear derailing a promising new relationship. But these conversations get harder the more time passes, not easier, because being rejected by someone we’ve fallen in love with is scarier than being rejected by someone we just
Okay, RENT, so you’ve finally had this conversation—you now know about your husband’s kinks (does he know about yours?)—but these aren’t fantasies you can realize together. Not just because your husband has one of those annoying Madonna/whore hangups, but because realizing his fantasies would require you to engage in role play, and that’s not something either of you enjoys. And since this is a fantasy scenario that can be ethically explored through role play, your husband—who can’t do role play—has accepted that this this fantasy of his can never be realized with anyone, ever. So, where do you go from here?
“When engaging in kink, it’s helpful to understand what about the kink excites you,” said Claire. “RENT’s husband identified that it’s not about the sex acts, it’s about the power exchange. There’s lots of ways to play with power dynamics outside of role play, degradation, and humiliation.”
In other words, RENT, you can’t explore your husband’s very specific “but you must pay the rent!” fantasies, but you might be able to explore and enjoy other sex-under-a-mutuallyagreeable-degree-of-duress scenarios that work for both of you.
“First, RENT and her husband could try watching the porn he enjoys together,” said Claire, “playing with the fantasy before playing with each other. They could also negotiate ‘free use’ scenes that include both their interests. If they agree on a set time frame where RENT’s husband can make sexual demands, they could incorporate the transactional nature of the sex he fantasizes about while accommodating the scheduling constraints of parenthood. For example, they could agree that after RENT’s husband helps the kids get to sleep, RENT can’t refuse her husband’s demand for a blowjob that helps him to get sleep. There are a lot of creative avenues for this couple to take that aren’t Madonna or whore, but an entirely third path that they can figure out together.” Follow @sexclarified on Instagram and Threads.
I’m a 28-year-old woman who reads your column out loud every week with my 24-year-old hottie Italian boyfriend every week. We feel like you’ve been answering a lot of grim questions lately about sad relationships! So, we’re writing in with something fun! I love to be tied (don’t use “tied up,” Dan, it’s just “tied”), and my vanilla
boyfriend encourages me to get that need met in our rope community. I’m a yoga instructor and have the stamina required to endure really elaborate Shibari suspension scenes. I want my boyfriend to get suspended with me sometime! We would make a beautiful and very sexy work of bondage art! While I engage in some light sexual play with the men who tie me (“forced” orgasms mostly, sometimes oral service), bondage doesn’t have to be sexual! Which means, my boyfriend doesn’t have to pretend it’s a turn on for him or do anything sexual if he were to get tied with me— but if he was inspired to do something sexual (or allow something sexual to be done to him!), that would be great!—he just has to hold (or be held in!) the position (which he’s good at! he practices yoga too! it’s how we met!) while photos are taken. He says he’s “indifferent, not opposed,” but has refused to give me a definitive yes or no answer. But he said he would do it if you told him to! So, Dan, please tell him to!—Boyfriend Only Needs Dan Amazingly Gentle Encouragement
My first impulse was to ask why your boyfriend didn’t treat your request like an invitation to play? Not “play” in the sense of sexual adult game (not role play, not kink play), but “play” in the sense of childhood games like Cops & Robbers or Cowboys & Indians. But then it occurred to me that adults your age didn’t grow up playing Cops & Robbers (with plastic handcuffs) or Cowboys & Indians (with improvised lassos), as those aren’t games kids with helicopter parents would be allowed to play. They’re also not games kids should play (pernicious copaganda, racist tropes), and they’re not games kids who grew up with smartphones and those far less problematic first-person shooter games were even interested in playing.
Anyway, in the spirit of play—and in the spirit of indulging his girlfriend—I think your boyfriend should get suspended with you, BONDAGE, provided he doesn’t have an unstated aversion to being slowly hoisted into the air with hemp ropes by a man with tattoos and topknot who’s wearing Peruvian draw-string pants. (I follow a bunch of Shabari practitioners on Instagram, BONDAGE, I know the look.)
But you have to promise—once your boyfriend is off the ground—that you won’t try to initiate anything sexual. Even if you think your boyfriend is aroused. You will also make sure the person doing the tying understands that this is a non-sexual/non-sensual session, which means no avoidable touching in your swimsuit areas and no suggestive banter. You’re clearly hoping your boyfriend might find that he enjoys bondage in the same way you do, BONDAGE, but if you don’t want his first bondage experience to be his last, don’t try to take this from bondage + photo shoot to bondage + “forced” orgasms. If your boyfriend winds up enjoying the experience in a sexual and/or sensual way, you can explore that the next time he agrees to get tied with you. But if you initiate something sexual the first
time—even if he becomes aroused—he may wind up feeling manipulated and/or violated after it’s over (refractory periods can be unpredictable), BONDAGE, and there won’t be a second time.
I was on the verge of having an affair. We didn’t actually do anything. We only talked about it. And the talking about it was glorious. We were each other’s dream partners. But he got cold feet, as he didn’t want to cheat on his wife, and we never went there. We gave up our dream of being together and settled into being close friends. And while that friendship has endured for many years, the hope that maybe someday we could be together is still there. The hope that one day we could be happy. But there are too many obstacles in the way of our happiness. First and foremost, our obligations to our spouses, both of whom we love, even if things aren’t going well, especially because those things are not their faults. On my end, I’ve been caregiving for a partner who is very ill. I love him, but he’s not the person anymore, mentally or physically, that I first fell in love with. Sometimes I feel like I’m more his mother than his wife. It’s still a kind of love, though, but one you would call companionate. I can’t leave him. He needs me. But I have needs, too. (I already hear your voice in my head, telling me to do what I need to do to stay married and stay sane.)
I sometimes fantasize about this friend, who won’t be leaving his spouse, either. But I desperately want to fantasize together again, even if we still never act on it. Fantasizing together would be enough for me, I think. The dream is enough for me. But even dreaming makes him feel like a bad person. How do we go back there in a way where we don’t act on it, don’t feel guilty, but can at least have some happiness in our otherwise dreary lives?—One Often Frustrated Dreamer Asks You can go back to sharing fantasies that bring some happiness into your otherwise dreary life… you just can’t go back with your married friend. Good news: It’s not hard to find people online who are already sharing stories and fantasies about the lives they wish they were leading, OOFDA, and some of these people would love to engage with you—from people connecting on Reddit message boards that cater to people with niche interests (sexual and otherwise) to amateur authors who post their content to erotica websites. If all you can do right now is fantasize, OOFDA, you can find people online who will fantasize right along with you. So, the choice you’ve presented— you can either dream with this man or not dream at all—is a false one. Start writing your dreams down, find a place to post your dreams, and it won’t be long before someone comes along who shares your dreams. P.S. A sane caregiver is better, more patient, and more loving caregiver. So, yes: DWYNTDTSMASS.
Got problems? Yes, you do! Email mailbox@ savage.love! Or record your question for the Savage Lovecast at savage.love/askdan! Podcasts, columns and more at Savage.Love
Legal, Public Notices
Notice of Public Sale Notice is hereby given that the undersigned will sell, to satisfy lien of the owner, at public sale by competitive bidding on www.storagetreasures.com ending
on October 11th, 2024 at 11:00 am for units located at: Compass Self Storage
2291 S. Frontage Rd, Plant City, Florida 33563 Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the time of sale. All goods are sold as is and must be removed at the time of purchase.
Compass Self Storage reserves the right to refuse any bid. Sale is subject to adjournment. The personal goods stored therein by the following may include, but are not limited to general household, furniture, boxes, clothes and appliances, unless otherwise noted. Unit #2174 Joel Moralez Unit #2022 Ashley Carter.
Notice of Public Sale Notice is hereby given that the undersigned will sell, to satisfy lien of the owner, at public sale by competitive bidding on www. storagetreasures.com. ending on Oct.11 th 2024 at 11:00 am for units located at Compass Self Storage 1685 Hwy 17 N Eagle Lake Florida 33839. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at time of sale. All Goods are sold as is and must be removed at the time of purchase.
Compass Self Storage reserves the right to refuse any bid. Sale is subject to adjournment. The personal goods stored therein by the following may include, but are not limited to general household, furniture, boxes, clothes and appliances, unless otherwise noted. Unit 3205 Maria Morato.
TekInvaderZ LLC has openings for the positions: Software Engineer w/ Master’s in Comp Sci, Engg(any),tech, Mgmt Info Systems or rltd to design, dvlp, implmnt maintain, test biz functions, web applications using variety of languages, tools, methods & techs, dvlp, create & modify general comp applications software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs & dvlp software solutions. Design software or custom software for client use w/ aim of optimizing efficiency. Data Engineer w/ Master’s in Comp Sci, engg any, tech, mgmt., or rltd to analyze, dvlp, build & organize data systems, tools, algorithms & pipelines. Eval biz needs & objs. Interpret trends & patterns. Combine raw info from dif sources. Exp ways to enhance data qual & reliability. Id opps for data acquisition. Export & Import data into HDFS, HBase & Hive using Sqoop. Migrat data from RDBMS systems to cloud platforms such as GCP, Azure. Perf unit test for data validation & deploy pipelines using CI/ CD process. Work location is Temple Terrace, FL w/ req’d to travel & work from var unanticipated client worksites throughout USA. Please mail resumes to 9385 N 56th St, ste 203, Temple Terrace, FL 33617 (OR) e-mail: resume@tekinvaderz.com
NOTE: I picked up one of those small, peelthe-top-back, restaurant-spread containers and decided to count the letters in the ingredients (doesn’t everyone?). I must say, it was very sweet of them to fit so perfectly into a normal 21 x 21 puzzle grid.
59 Start of an apt phrase about 114 Across
Ferocious fish
Osprey cousins
Song of praise
Quickness symbol
“Do-well” prelude
than: abbr.
gatherer
Burdensome
That girl’s
Milky Way’s creator
God-awful, slangily
It lured Letterman
Kind of hall, briefly
targets?
goes here]
61 Surfing mecca
62 Where Rick
Second letter 22 Lid-remover’s exclamation 23 Ingredients 1 and 2 27 First follower?
28 It may ring or have a ring 29 Gore has hosted it: abbr.
30 The duck in Peter and the Wolf 31 Ouija board word 32 Pre-cable problem 34 Bobby-soxer’s dance
36 “Bye Bye Birdie” song
39 N. Mailer, for one 41 Ingredient 3 48 Stretchy prefix 49 Speckled steed 50 Prom partner 51 Sitting muscles
