Creative Loafing Tampa — October 6, 2022

PUBLISHER James Howard

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ray Roa

DIGITAL EDITOR Colin Wolf

MANAGING EDITOR Kyla Fields

STAFF WRITER Justin Garcia

FOOD and THEATER CRITIC

Jon Palmer Claridge

FILM & TV CRITIC John W. Allman

IN-HOUSE WITCH Caroline DeBruhl

CONTRIBUTORS Josh Bradley, Julia Coin, Chloe Greenberg, Jack Prator, Molly Ryan, Max Steele

Story

PHOTOGRAPHERS Dave Decker

EDITORIAL INTERN Min Craig

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was your Date?

Tampa Bay’s

Edge was drained mentally, emotionally and physically.

Southwest Florida grapples with Hurricane Ian’s impact, p. 17.

Seminole

your Date

main number:

to the

Festival of the Moving Image

boot goofin’

storm damage by Dave Decker. Design by Joe Frontel.

Efforts to rebuild will take months,

not years.

Imbibe

Treat your gut to some goodies this weekend.

By Kyla Fields

You made it, and if you weren’t stress-eating as Hurricane Ian careened towards Tampa Bay before turning away, this weekend is your chance to catch up on the calories (details on helping our friends down south start on p. 13, by the way). Here are a few food and drink events happening over the next few days—see more Oktobefest listings on p. 38.

Tampa’s 12th annual Oktoberfest

Arguably the largest Oktoberfest party in all of Tampa Bay, this three day party is chock full of live music, dancing, outrageous games, dirndls and lederhosen, the tasty waterfront views at Curtis Hixon Park, and a Bavarian food hall slinging all of the bratwurst and schnitzel you can eat. Green Bench Brewing provides the tra ditional German brews, but there will be a wide variety of other beers available. Friday, Oct.7Sunday, Oct. 9. 4 p.m. -11 p.m., 11 a.m.-11 p.m. and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. $10-$25. 600 N Ashley Dr., Tampa. oktoberfesttampa.com

22nd Annual Oktobeerfest at Dunedin Brewery

And if you’re looking for an Oktoberfest that’s also a mini-music festival, none other than Dunedin Brewery has you covered. For its 22nd outing, “Oktobeerfest,” has a mixture of jam scene faves (Joe Roma, Displace), hip-hop and livetronica (GoldenEra), songwriters (Kristopher James) and more. It kicks off about 6 p.m. on Thursday and then at 11 a.m. throughout the rest of the weekend. Thursday-Sunday, Oct. 7-9, Dunedin Brewery, 937 Douglas Ave., Dunedin. dunedinbrewery.com

Super Greek Festival

This annual celebration of all-things Greek returns for its 2022 rendition, and it’s the one time a year you don’t have to drive all the way to Tarpon Springs to score traditional Mediterranean eats. While the church’s patrons prepare a Greek feast full of traditional sweet and savory treats, various community members will participate in dances and other cultural performances. Some dishes that guests can expect from next weekend’s festival include freshly-baked baklava, stuffed grape leaves, fire-grilled gyros, chicken souvlaki, deep fried feta cheese and braised lamb shank— among many other offerings. Traditional Greek wine, beer and coffee will help you wash your Mediterranean feast down. Friday-Sunday, Oct. 7-9, 11 a.m. gates. Free in advance, $3 at the gate. t. Stefanos Greek Orthodox Church. 3600 76th St. N, St. Petersburg. @supergreekfest on Facebook

Creatures of the night

ZooTampa’s annual family-friendly Halloween event Creatures of the Night is back in Lowry Park with even more wild scares than before. This year’s Creatures of the Night will intro duce new attractions like “Swamp Witch Way,” where guests can seek out Blackwater Mattie the infamous Swamp Witch, “New Neverland,” a Peter Pan-themed never-ending game of hide and seek, “HooDoo Hall,” an undead Mardi Gras party and a spooky safari. A press release says children 12 years of age and under are invited to wear costumes—no toy weapons are allowed. Fridays-Sundays, 4 p.m.-10 p.m. $34.95. ZooTampa at Lowry Park. 1101 W Sligh Ave, Tampa. zootampa.org—Chloe Greenberg

HOLD ON: But let go of your inhibitions at Oktoberfest Tampa

JAMES

Left behind

Photos by Dave Decker

In Englewood, North Port and Fort Myers, many are now homeless, dehydrated and hungry. Those who weren’t homeless were searching for clean water and power. In the more expensive parts of Fort Myers, national guardspeople roamed the streets and assessed damage, figuring out what they could help with. But the devastation extends to millions

of Floridians, many of whom are historically left to fend for themselves after disasters. The efforts to rebuild from the carnage of Ian will take months, if not years, and grassroots relief efforts will be necessary to help ensure that people aren’t left behind. Read more on p. 13, and visit cltampa.com/slideshows to see more photos.—Justin Garcia

CONNECT WITH US

Helping hands

Ian spared us, and our neighbors to the south need support.

By Justin Garcia

There’s a common refrain from many who live in Tampa Bay when they talk about the devastation left behind by Hurricane Ian: “We got so lucky.”

But with disasters, the reality is that one person’s solace in being spared is another per son’s tragedy. While millions in our area breathe sighs of relief, clean up debris and get back to their lives, communities just a quick drive south suffer a fate far worse.

I was in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, North Port, Englewood, Venice and Sarasota throughout last weekend delivering supplies, along with several other volunteers from Mutual Aid Disaster Relief (MADR). Creative Loafing Tampa Bay photog rapher Dave Decker was also helping out, and documenting the aftermath of Ian. On Saturday, we rode together into Southwest Florida, navigat ing road closures due to the overflowing Myakka River, and at times, driving straight through bodies of water.

The destruction had us in awe.

In Englewood, roofs and walls were ripped off and strewn around at multiple trailer park com munities as people sifted through the remains of their shelters. We gave them fuel for their generators and water for their sweating bodies as they attempted to repair the damage.

The modern world had gone dark around them. Cell phones struggled for reception and the few food stores that were open were filled with people even though most of the shelves had gone dry. Nearby, hours-long lines of cars waited outside of gas stations, hoping for the next refill truck to arrive. As we visited community after community in Englewood, we heard the same thing over and over again: no one had come to help them.

Several of the trailer parks we visited were mainly older people on fixed incomes, who grabbed Gatorades, snacks and canned food with weary smiles. Handshakes and hugs were exchanged as we talked to people about what they experienced as Ian slammed into their communities just days before. At Oak Grove Trailer Park, a resident who only wanted to be identified as Joy, said, “You want to see some thing really wild?”

“It’s over there,” she said, as she pulled up next to me on her pedal tricycle. “Around that bend.”

She was referring to something that Dave and I had already seen on our way into the trailer park: An oak tree, cloaked with pieces of destroyed trailers like an apocalyptic cape. When I told Joy that we had seen it, she laughed loudly and said a piece or two was probably from her trailer. I told her it was inspiring to see her positivity, despite the circumstances. “I have to laugh. I’ve already cried enough,” she said.

Still, those who lived in the trailer parks had more secure shelters than people without homes.

Shirley and her dog Denny, who we met in

Those who had roof damage were happy that they still had a roof. But they were hoping it wouldn’t rain again soon. Tarps were set up as temporary patches by volunteers.

Just like in Englewood, MADR was the first relief to arrive, we were told. Dominic Dawson said that all of the relief was on the rich side of town, adding, “On the poor side, the hood, I haven’t seen nothing over here.”

Dawson lives in Dunbar, the historically Black area of Fort Myers, where many fear they will be neglected in the aftermath of the storm. Marginalized communities are often left to fend for themselves after disasters. And while Ian’s death toll is already estimated to reach into the hundreds, there will be far more deaths if people who need help don’t get it soon.

dedicated to helping all the people. And the victims of Ian are just a couple hour drive from Tampa Bay.

People who have lived in the area for a while have probably seen these cities before they were hit by the hurricane, or maybe just passed through on a trip further south. Many have friends and family members living there.

COLUMN

Even now, wellness check requests are coming in to MADR, especially to pay visits to older people who haven’t been heard from. Volunteers from around the country are now headed to Ft. Myers to visit with those in need and bring supplies from the Tampa hurricane relief hub established last week.

Those who were hit hard by Ian are suffer ing a fate that we only dodged by sheer luck. So

Venice and gave supplies to, had rode out the storm in a public restroom.

Last Sunday, further south in Fort Myers, there were more tears. The Category 4 hurricane with 155 mph winds hit significantly harder there. Snapped and fallen trees were scattered like matchsticks, many wrapped in power lines. There was no clean water anywhere. Communities were completely ravaged. The bottled water, canned food, baby supplies and hygiene products and gas MADR distributed disappeared in moments.

People often die of heart conditions, injury and trauma in the days, weeks and months after a storm. Those with diabetes are left more vul nerable to death, even years after a hurricane. Older people disproportionately die as many people stop paying attention after the storm has passed.

As climate disasters intensify due to climate change, more and more of these communities will need help from their neighbors, because there just aren’t enough government resources

when we see that death toll rise, when we see people dehydrated, stranded, starving and suf fering—we should see ourselves, too. Because it’s only a matter of time.

If a future hurricane hits Tampa, people an hour or two north or south of us might be say ing to each other, “We got so lucky,” while going back to their normal lives. I think every one of us in the Bay area would want some help then, just like our neighbors south of us need for the months, and possibly years, to come.

“On the poor side, the hood, I haven’t seen nothing over here.”

LEFT BEHIND: In Englewood, relief volunteers were the first to reach most neighborhoods.

Lend a hand: Statewide and local relief efforts are happening now

If you’re looking for a way to help our neighbors to the south, several local organizations have sprung into action. Here’s how to keep pitching in. Send any info regarding ongoing efforts to rroa@cltampa.com.

211 Tampa Bay Cares Volunteer orga nization providing emotional and financial assistance to local families suffering from health issues, job loss, depression, incredible stress, hunger, homelessness and more. 211tampabay.org

Buy Farm Food Working together with St. Pete’s Palm Lake Christian Church, Buy Farm Food is letting folks donate a hurricane a relief box that will be delivered to Lee County. At the moment, BFF told CL it has a sponsor that will be matching donated boxes. Buyfarmfood.com

Feeding Tampa Bay The nonprofit has food distribution happening locally and is coordinating with pantries serving south west Florida. feedingtampabay.org

Ian Response Fund Florida Rising and Dream Defenders are just two groups from a grassroots coalition collecting funds to address the most urgent needs and provide aid throughout the state. ianresponse.org

Metropolitan Ministries World Central Kitchen is helping the Bay area charity prepare meals and support local hunger relief organizations. MM headquarters in Tampa Heights has boxed food, bottled water and power—and is also collecting nonperishable food items and bottled water. 2002 N Florida Ave., Tampa metromin.org

Mutual Aid Disaster Relief MADR, a group that has helped people in several disaster scenarios through the years, has

established a relief hub and is gathering supplies at the same location to bring south to the hardest hit areas. Tarps are severely needed lately, along with chainsaws and construction supplies to help make repairs to property. Water, non-perishable food, hygiene and medical products are also helpful. Volunteer opportunities are available, too. After hours donations can be left under the Waters Avenue Church overhang near the front door. Waters Avenue Church. 609 W Waters Ave.,Tampa. mutualaiddisasterrelief.org

Nah Dogs The St. Pete vegan hot dog seller is popping up outside Good Intentions to debut a new special. Some bartenders will donate their tips to Shelter Farm Sanctuary. Sunday, Oct. 2, noon-4 p.m. 1900 1st Ave. S, St. Petersburg

PTL The Ybor City club hosts a hurricane relief fundraiser to benefit Feeding Tampa Bay on Friday, Oct. 7. In addition to next week’s event, PTL is also collecting nonperishables for donation this Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m.-6 p.m. 1507 E 7th Ave., Ybor City

Spaddy’s Coffee Co. Greg Spadaccini’s folks took Hurricane Ian right on the chin (on social media, Greg shared video of pops’ car being swallowed by storm surge). Last week, the owner of Spaddy’s Coffee Co. went south to pick up his par ents and drop off supplies. He’s going back, too, and for the rest of this week, he’s collecting supplies—the most urgent needs include garbage cans and bags, skill saws, drills, nails, hammers, knifes, work gloves, dust pans, chainsaws and mixed oil—at the coffee trailer (5206 N Florida Ave., Tampa) and South Tampa location (6102 S MacDill Ave., Tampa)

DAVE

Lifelines after landfall

Southwest Florida grapples with Hurricane Ian’s impact.

By Julia Coin and Jack Prator/Fresh Take Florida

The Gulf of Mexico swallowed driftwood, stray shoes, split skim boards and the last ves tige of Crystal Edge’s mother’s memory in the days following Hurricane Ian’s devastation.

The 28-year-old sailboat—a family heir loom—remained trapped below piled debris at a marina under the Fort Myers Beach bridge over the weekend. Edge, with her son, boyfriend and neighbor, shouted through the wreckage as they tried to free the boat. Edge, 53, of Naples knew the boat was unsalvageable the second she saw it. All she wanted, she said, was the mast. She plans to turn it into a flagpole. It would be the last piece of her late mother, who used the boat—named Restless—to travel through the Bahamas, Key West and Cuba.

They were probably headed somewhere the pollution was less potent, she said. “Hopefully they’ll find their way,” Edge said.

FLORIDA

Above the ruins, dozens of Fort Myers Beach residents trekked the island’s 65-foot-tall bridge from sunrise to sunset. Some returned to pack up their homes, others walked into the flattened landscape for the first time since evacuation.

“I would never stay on any barrier island,” Edge said. “It’s just common sense. In general, sailors, island ers, they’re stubborn. If they’ve got plenty of rum and beer, they’re good.”

Edge’s mom, Donna Nickelson, would have been one of those stubborn sailors, she said. Her boat was her life.

As Edge’s team sawed off the mast and secured it to a nearby, teetering dock, their counterparts tried to salvage their own boats further up the Caloosahatchee River. The storm surge pushed various vessels along downtown Fort Myers’ shoreline inland, lit tering the landscape adjacent to U.S. Highway 41. Ten-foot chunks of floating docks were scattered among the riverside’s restaurants, bars and storefronts.

The storm’s selectiveness left some spared and others stripped of their belongings.

Bill Westberry, a Fort Myers Yacht Basin resident, now lives among debris—scraps of his neighbors’ sails, motors and pilings. Westberry and about 50 of the basin’s residents tried to ride out the storm on their vessels. As water levels rose and wind gusts swirled, he said, they were forced to bolt to the sec ond floor of an apartment complex across the street.

“I feel like I’m losing her all over again,” she said. “That was such a big part of her, and all I kept saying to her yesterday was ‘I’m sorry, Mom, I’m so sorry.’ I wish I could have done more, but what can you do?”

The Category 4 hurricane passed through coastal islands before making landfall in south west Florida last week, killing dozens. President Joe Biden—who visited the area Wednesday— declared it “an American crisis.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis described the storm, which reached sustained winds of more than 150 mph, as one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the state. About 2.6 million people lost power, and the death toll continued to climb.

Storm surges leveled parts of the region, espe cially barrier islands. Sanibel Island—a small island of about 6,500—and Captiva—its sister island—were severed from the mainland with the collapse of its causeway, the only way vehicles could go on or off the island. Matanzas Pass Bridge, which connects Fort Myers to its adjacent beach town, remained intact but only open to foot traffic for those who could prove residency.

Edge maneuvered through streets to the marina as soon as she could. After two days pacing the docks, trying to save the ship with a freshly torn knee injury, Edge was drained mentally, emotionally and physically.

Her sunburnt skin and peeling lips—framed by a baseball cap and an American flag ban dana—peaked out under the midday sun.

“I should know better,” she said. “You’re supposed to put sunscreen on before you leave the damn house.”

While directing the boat’s rescue team, Edge’s attention occasionally diverted to dol phins surfacing through debris, gasoline and sewage.

DAVE DECKER

“That was her baby, that was her legacy, and it’s gone,” she said. “But at least she wasn’t here to witness this, because it would have just broke her. Or she would have died with it, and that would have been just as devastating.”

“We had people jumping off boats, swim ming over here,” Westberry said. “We saw one guy over there in a sailboat. His boat was tied too tight. He swam out there and got on it about three o’clock in the afternoon. We thought he was a goner.”

Residents quickly rallied to return to some sense of normalcy, sorting through rubbish as sewage leaked out of manholes into the river. The air was still tainted by the smell of gaso line and oil.

Westberry said he plans to ride out the after math on his boat; a generator will carry him though until the area restores power and water. As an outspoken advocate for the liveaboards, he has criticized the city council’s decisions on behalf of the yacht basin. More than 1,000 boats along the Caloosahatchee were destroyed, he estimated. He blamed the brunt of his basin’s damages on boats tied with poor-quality lines or ropes pulled too taught with no one apparently overseeing the storm preparations.

At Legacy Harbour Marina less than a mile down the river, a mound of 40-foot boats, splin tered and washed onto land, became a spectacle for passersby. One couple tried to hoist and lower a couch from their beached home as onlookers snapped pictures.

“Be respectful. This is our life,” the woman shouted at spectators. “Move along.”

“That was her baby, that was her legacy, and it’s gone.”

IN PIECES: Hurricane Ian passed through coastal islands before making landfall in southwest Florida

rebuild after Hurricane Ian’s devastation.

About 20 miles down the river, Sanibel grap pled with flooding from storm surges that nearly leveled the landscape.

Carolyn Bradbury Schwartz was among an estimated 200 residents who chose not to evacu ate the island. After climbing atop a roof with three dogs in tow, spotty service prevented her from communicating with the mainland for nearly 24 hours.

Before the signal was lost, her daughter, 21-yearold Alexandra Iglesias, sent updates and directions as she watched broad casts in Honolulu.

“It’s not like I could express my love for them,” she said. “I was just simply trying to help them and let them know what was going on. It wasn’t like I even had time to say goodbyes, if that was the case.”

While her mom was eventually rescued, officials prioritized the injured and elderly, Iglesias said. Only one area on the east end was pro viding shuttles off the island, and the west half remained largely inaccessible. Captiva, she said, looked underwater.

DeSantis is requesting full federal reim bursement up front for 60 days but has been met with criticism for his 2013 vote against aid for New York after Hurricane Sandy’s landfall.

“You’re looking at a storm that’s changed the character of a significant part of our state,” he said during a briefing last week in Tallahassee. “This is going to require not just the emergency response now, and the days or weeks ahead; I

mean, this is going to require years of effort, to be able to rebuild, to come back.”

John Wellman agreed the community would be the area’s most reliable lifeline. Everyday people were winning out over organized relief efforts.

“You got to help out where you can, you know. Once I get mine done, then I’ll help anybody that needs it,” Wellman said. “Pay that forward. Help your neighbor.”

A day before the hurricane fell over Fort Myers, Wellman packed his wife, two daughters and three chihuahuas into their Fiat and drove across Alligator Alley to Delray Beach. He was sure he would arrive back home to see the already bat tered tree in his front yard toppled onto his roof; the poinciana took on a permanently slanted position after Hurricane Irma beat it down in 2017, Wellman said. It’s still standing, but it’s in worse shape—barren and even more crooked.

“It’s going to grow back and be pretty again, but I’m cutting it down,” he said, laughing. “It ain’t getting a third chance.”

As his family cleaned inside, carrying out soaked furniture and wringing out soiled clothes, Wellman smiled.

“They’re alive,” he said. “Nothing else matters.”

This story was produced by Fresh Take Florida, a news service of the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. The reporters can be reached at juliacoin@freshtake florida.com and pratorj@ufl.edu.

SIGNS

“They’re alive… Nothing else matters.”

THANK YOU FOR VOTING US BEST COOKIES IN THE BAY 4 YEARS IN A ROW!

Change of mind

Florida must end its ‘disposable development mentality.’

From Jeffrey Rubinstein

With Hurricane Ian, Florida just suffered one of its most deadly and costly disasters and the clean-up has hardly begun. This is a heartbreaking time for homeowners, for Floridians for nearly anyone who has visited and enjoyed the beaches, the water and the sunshine. It will be weeks before we have reli able numbers on fatalities.

Over the next days, weeks, and months we can expect the usual calls from the governor and local officials for solidarity and patience, the encouraging and heartwarming promises of rebuilding, how the beaches and towns, the communities will be built back better, to borrow a worn-out political phrase.

At the risk of insensitivity during this time, Floridians must confront the obvious reality that the places where people like to live and will pay a premium for are those most at risk. The most expensive, most exclusive real estate is along the coast, which happens to be the most vulnerable. For a shallow peninsula, such as Florida its coastal areas and barrier islands are what protect the mainland, filter the water and provide a habitat for marine life. Fill them with concrete to the edge of the ocean and natural events become natural disasters. They’re only disasters because of the damage they cause to civilization. In reality these storms are regenera tive, start necessary fires, overflow banks and disperse silt. Now, all of that happens within the confines of development and we’re shocked when nature returns with a vengeance to claim what was always hers.

There’s plenty of money to be made after a disaster like this, but at some point another incentive will have to take precedence. To be a

conservationist or environmentalist shouldn’t be tied to a political persuasion. It’s an imperative and acknowledgement that there is something greater than profit, particularly the environ ment necessary to sustain that profit.

The wreckage and scenes of destruction on Sanibel Island or Ft. Myers beach are heart breaking because we know that for every destroyed house, there is a distraught family, but the disaster happened long before the storm when those areas were filled with development without much thought as to what their prox imity to the ocean would mean, concerned only with how many units could be squeezed in per swampy acre.

Going forward rebuilding after storms such as Ian requires a measured approach that gives much greater consideration to the balance that must be struck between devel opment and nature. City parks are wonderful and necessary, but they shouldn’t be an excuse for the whole sale development of coastal areas. Units per acre must be as important as green space per acre and the necessary restrictions will be painful, but they should not be political.

It’s past time to end this disposable develop ment mentality in Florida and codify a rigorous balance between construction and preservation of nature, not just for the health and safety of our residents and visitors, but for the very exis tence of the state itself.

Jeffrey Rubinstein has been English faculty at Hillsborough Community College since 2002 and adjunct faculty at UT since 2001. He also plays music professionally throughout Florida and has a profound interest in ecology, ornithol ogy and the Florida environment.

SPECIALS

MORE APPROPRIATE: Rebuilding after storms such as Ian requires a measured approach.

DAVE DECKER

Cry freedom

GOP gains in November could be a boon for Biden.

By Jeffrey C. Billman

CBS News recently estimated that Republicans are on track to win 223 seats in the House in November. There’s a decent margin of error, enough that Democrats could hold onto a narrow majority or—more likely— Republicans could build a comfortable cushion, and the estimate would still be accurate. But assume it’s 223.

Dear readers, there could be no bigger boost to Joe Biden’s re-election if Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos’ bank accounts made an evil money baby and gave it to that crypto billionaire’s weird Democratic super PAC. (Let’s also assume that Biden runs again, which I suspect he will.)

A scant five-vote major ity is a massive miss on expectations, for starters. It probably means that Democrats keep the Senate, limiting House Republicans’ ability to do anything more than hold six months of hear ings into Hunter’s laptop and indict Biden for, like, breathing wrong.

mid-session—McCarthy will be in a grovel ing mood before the leadership vote, so there’s a good chance—he’ll remain speaker because they permit it.

The Freedom Caucus is also demanding that he commit to only bringing to the floor leg islation that has majority support from House Republicans, severely restricting McCarthy’s ability to cut deals. Again, he’ll go along.

At the same time, he’ll need House Republicans to do what they haven’t done in, well, a long time: govern like grown-ups.

McCarthy’s caucus is inherently oppositional and ideologically orthodox.

INFORMED DISSENT

Most of its members come from gerrymandered, deepred districts, and many have no interest in or understanding of policy. Even when Republicans controlled Washington, they couldn’t pass mean ingful legislation that wasn’t a tax cut.

It leads to a circular firing squad. What’s left of the establishment (correctly) recognizes that the party squandered an opportunity by run ning fringe candidates and wants to sever ties with all things Trump; the MAGA crew blames the establishment for not being MAGA enough.

House Republicans also give Biden a foil, the same way Bill Clinton turned Newt Gingrich and company into cartoon villains ahead of the 1996 campaign. (To be fair, not hard.) When they pass abortion bans and manifest other rightwing fever dreams, Biden can remind voters that this is what a Republican presi dency will look like.

But most importantly, and most consequentially, there’s probably an 80% chance that a small, radical GOP majority leads to an economic catastrophe, and Biden will waltz past the burning carcass of America into a sec ond term. If he wants it anymore. If anyone does.

To explain: Kevin McCarthy has proven an exceptionally weak Republican majority leader, easily brought to heel by Donald Trump and the far-right members of his caucus. He’s shown no ability to twist arms. He would be a weak speaker under any circumstances. With five votes to spare, he’ll be the weakest speaker in generations, at the mercy of the Freedom Caucus: Jim Jordan, Matt Gaetz, Lauren Boebert, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and so on.

He will become speaker because they allow it. If they get the rule changes they want allowing them to evict the speaker

They make grandiose promises about what they’d do with power. In power, they’re the proverbial dog that caught the car (c.f., the congressional shitshows of 2011-2013 and 2017-2019). And in this iteration, Kevin McCarthy will be on Jim Jordan’s very short leash.

With that as background, next summer we will return to the stupidest of American political traditions: the debt ceiling crisis, the pointless yet potentially disastrous exercise in which Congress must increase the amount the government can borrow to prevent a debt default, which would be … well, bad doesn’t quite cap ture it.

Pension funds would implode, the stock mar ket would collapse, credit markets would freeze, busi nesses would fall, the dollar would go into freefall, inflation would surge, and the U.S. would lose its primacy in the global economy. A recession is a given. A global depression is possible.

As we always do during a Democratic presi dency, we meandered to the brink in 2021 before Mitch McConnell agreed not to tank the economy for no good reason. This became a normal prac tice after the Obama administration ransomed spending cuts in exchange for McConnell agree ing not to tank the economy for no good reason in 2011. The kidnappers kept taking hostages until Democrats stopped playing along.

Last year, Republicans did a performative dance before folding. But McConnell is cynical, not insane. I’m not sure the same can be said of the Freedom Caucus.

Axios reported last Wednesday that Republicans and their business patrons are starting to freak out about how Speaker McCarthy would handle a debt ceiling crisis. In no small part, it’s because Rep. Jason Smith, a Missouri hardliner, might take over a key com mittee. And Smith believes he can force Biden to “reverse” his “radical” policies by threaten ing to default. “If Republicans are trying to cut spending, surely [Biden] wouldn’t try to default,” Smith told Axios.

When this gambit inevitably fails—when Biden doesn’t budge, when Senate Dems tell Smith to piss off, when the few House Republican moderates go weak in the face of terrible poll numbers—will the Freedom Caucus back down?

Will McCarthy go around them even when Trump and Taylor Greene and the Fox News crowd call him a RINO sellout—even if it costs him his job? Everything in McCarthy’s quisling history says he won’t.

A five-vote cushion means he’ll have very little room to maneuver. If he can’t whip votes from his own side—including from hard-right members who promised to never raise the debt ceiling—he has to make a deal with Democrats. If he can’t bring himself to do that, default is coming.

The alternative, of course, is that we don’t hand petulant children the codes to nuclear weapons they don’t understand. Then again, by a 54-37 margin, Americans apparently think Republicans will be better for the economy.

So maybe we’ll get the default we deserve.

FUCKED BOY: When Republicans win the house, Kevin McCarthy is screwed.

GAGE SKIDMORE

“McCarthy will be on Jim Jordan’s very short leash.”

Shit Happened

MONDAY 03

As Hurricane Ian sucked water out of Old Hillsborough Bay, a freelance New York Times photographer caught Tampa artist Blake Yeager and clothier-philanthropist Matthew Jost staging the ultimate ‘state-triotic’ photo showing a Florida Man sending Ian away from the Bay area.

A Clearwater company gets roasted after leaked messages show its CEO asking employees to work from HQ and bring the kids and pets along. “...I honestly want to continue to deliver and I want to have a good end of quarter,” Joy Gendusa wrote to workers. She also says she learned her management style from L. Ron Hubbard.

Days after letting Joe Biden help him out with federal aid, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis puts on shiny white rain boots ahead of some photo ops in southwest Florida. Admitting he needed Joe should be enough to ruin his political career—but get ting ridiculed for looking like the Green M&M will definitely do the trick.

TUESDAY 04

Tampa officials confirm former City Attorney Gina Grimes is not working with the city in any capacity. I guess she’s definitely not buying that Bayshore condo she was checking out on ‘Selling Tampa’ either.

THURSDAY 06

Creative Loafing Tampa Bay’s Best of the Bay party happens—a full week after the issue hits stands. First time for everything, but we’re glad you’re all safe and ready to party.

More shit, but wanting to just take a nap after the last week, via cltampa.com/news.

Spice, spice baby

The most-anticipated new restaurants coming to Tampa Bay this fall.

By Molly Ryan

Supply chain issues aside, we totally think most of these much-anticipated spots will open before the year is over. For those who love vegan food, Asian-fusion and beer—this is gonna be a great fall for you.

Amendment XXI Another concept from celebrity chef Fabio Viviani, of “Top Chef” fame. Taking over Mitchell’s Fish Market, which occu pied the space for 15 years, XXI is expected to carry a Prohibition Era motif, as alluded to in the concept’s name, with a menu that is expected to share similar dishes and flavors as Viviani’s other concept across the bridge, Taverna Costale. 204 Westshore Plz., Tampa. fabioviviani.com

Bamboozle After over a decade of serv ing hungry downtown patrons, health-forward Vietnamese spot, Bamboozle, will take its pho, spring rolls and boba to Seminole Heights. Moving next to legacy ice cream spot Bo’s, the new Bamboozle in the Heights boasts more indoor dining space and ample parking. 7107 N Florida Ave.,Tampa. bamboozlerestaurants.com

Blackbrick With the Guy Fieri seal of approval at his Miami location, celebrity chef Richard Hales is bringing his successful Chinesefusion and dim sum spot, Blackbrick, to Tampa this month. Ranging from traditional dumplings to modern flare like pork and grits, Blackbrick hosts a menu with carefully curated appetizers, tasters, big plates and more. 4812 N Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa. halesblackbrick.com

Cena chef’s new pizza concept This year, one of Tampa’s top-rated chefs, Michael Buttacavoli, is taking his talents to pizza. The more casual spot, yet to be named, will be next door to his current upscale Italian concept, Cena, and will serve pizza, pasta, subs, beer and wine. Promising to be “more than a pizza joint,” the new spot will be its own concept, independent of Cena. 1208 E Kennedy Blvd., Tampa Cider Press Vegan GastroPub After the unexpected closure of its beloved Central Avenue location, the trailblazing vegan eatery Cider Press is coming back—bigger and better. Taking over the space formerly occupied by well-know gay bar, Georgie’s Alibi, Cider Press is expanding from “Cafe” to “GastroPub” with a patio dining space, expanded indoor seating, plentiful parking, a full bar and, of course, its 100% plant-based menu. 3118 3rd Ave. N, St. Petersburg. ciderpresspub.com

Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille A classic St. Pete Pier spot, Florida-based chain Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille is opening its fifth location in St. Pete’s Jungle Terrace neighborhood near Seminole. An ode to the sunshine state, Doc Ford’s offers Caribbean-inspired dishes, beachy cocktails and a view of Boca Ciega Bay. While an opening date has not been announced for the Jungle Terrace location, Doc Ford’s is in the pro cess of hiring a team for the restaurant. 8790 Bay Pines Blvd., St. Petersburg. @docfords on Facebook

Fortu This fall, a new upscale Asian fusion dining experience is coming to downtown St.

full-fledged plates and its bakery classics at the new concept. 2460 5th Ave. S, St. Petersburg. @ halelifebistro on Instagram

JB3 DoughJoe From the minds behind Food and Wine’s “Best Bread in Florida,” Jamison B. Breadhouse Bakes’s JB3 will be a grab n’ go bread shop. While serving up its well-known bread bakes, JB3 will also serve pastries, coffee, gluten free and vegan options. The storefront is currently undergoing its buildout and plans to be slinging bakes by the end of the year. Near Nebraska and Oak Avenues, Ybor City. jamisonb.com

La Sétima Club With an anticipated fall opening, the club is a new all-natural wine bar coming to Ybor. From the folks behind Jug & Bottle in Seminole Heights, La Sétima resides in a refurbished storefront with a completely updated buildout. 1724 N Nebraska Ave., Ybor City. lasetimaclub.com

small plates and more, Lucky Tigré will be the Bay’s first Filipino-style walk-up bodega—known as a “sari-sari” store in Tagalog. Planning to open sometime this fall, Feliciano is giving the people a taste of what’s to come with pop-ups all over Tampa. Address TBD. theluckytigre.com

PopStroke Wesley Chapel With the Sarasota location opening last April, the PopStroke anticipation is growing in Tampa with the upcoming Wesley Chapel location. Co-owned by golf legend Tiger Woods, PopStroke combines mini golf with a dining experience for a night of hits—and maybe some misses depending on your golf skills. 25297 Sierra Center Blvd., Wesley Chapel. popstroke.com

Sunda The Chicago-based upscale Asian eat ery with an outpost in Nashville, is opening its third location at Midtown Tampa. Taking influ ences from Southeast Asia and beyond, Sunda serves a selection of dim sum, sushi, noodle and rice dishes and more with a “modern approach” to the classic cuisine. The Midtown location will occupy a 6,000 square-foot space near the entrance of the Aloft and Element hotels by the end of the year. 3650 Midtown Dr., Tampa. sun danewasian.com

Torchy’s Tacos This winter, Austin staple Torchy’s is bringing “damn good” tacos to the Bay. Known for its decadent and creative combi nations, Torchy’s signature, and most acclaimed, taco is its Trailer Park taco with fried chicken, green chiles, lettuce, pico de gallo, cheddar jack cheese and poblano sauce—don’t forget to make it “trashy” by replacing the lettuce with green chile queso. 2314 Tyrone Blvd. N, St. Petersburg. torchystacos.com

Pete. Set to serve “elevated Pan-Asian cuisine,” the steakhouse will take over the old Ceviche location on Beach Drive. From Japanese whis keys to wagyu beef, Fortu plans to emphasize on quality. 332 Beach Dr. NE, St. Petersburg. @ forturestaurant on Instagram

HaleLife Bistro From the folks who brought celiac-friendly sweets and bakes to the Bay, HaleLife Bistro, the most ambitious concept yet from the HaleLife crew, will offer a sit-down experience free of dairy, gluten, soy, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts in its anticipated 3,200 square-foot warehouse space in St. Pete. Self-described as a “foodie oasis,” HaleLife Bistro will offer both

Late Start Brewing Co. Hopping from Channelside’s Pour House to downtown’s Cass Street, Late State is slated to open in a 2,500-square-foot space in the coming months. With the mantra “good things come to those who wait” playing in the minds of Late Start devotees, the craft brewery will feature its own bar, dining space, outdoor seating and in-house food service. 1018 E Cass St., Tampa. latestartbrewing.com

Lucky Tigré After years of pop-ups under the name Good Fortune Baby, self-taught chefJu lie Michelle Sainte Feliciano is opening her first brick and mortar store, Lucky Tigré, in South Tampa. Serving Filipino fusion snacks, sundries,

Vine Vegan Opening as Brandon’s only vegan restaurant, VV will serve an all-day breakfast, lunch, dinner, a kids menu and a weekend brunch—all 100% plant-based. With cuisine ranging from gluten free whole foods to greasy classics, Vine Vegan will seat up to 80 patrons in its 3,000 square-foot space. The res taurant is slated to open full-time this month. 2080 Badlands Dr., Brandon. vinevegan.com

Wulfaven Brewing Co. Coming soon to Carrollwood as the neighborhood’s first micro brewery, Wulfaven promises housemade brews and local favorites on tap. Hurricane Ian delayed the grand opening, but the family-owned brewery is approaching operating hours with its nearly finished buildout and hiring advertisements. Wulfaven’s warehouse property features a large patio seating area, will allow kiddos until 8:30 p.m., and plans to regularly host food trucks. 10828 Perez Dr., Tampa. wulfaven.com

I GOT SEOUL: The Sunda Seoul wings, coming to Midtown Tampa soon.

Slice of life

New wine bar coming to Ybor City, plus more Oktoberfests.

By Kyla Fields

Due Amici has made a name for itself by slinging some of the best John Travoltaapproved ‘za in Ybor City, but the popular late night spot is upping its game by opening an upscale wine and champagne bar next door. Located at 1730 E 7th Ave., adjacent to its pizza-slinging sibling, Geo’s will offer an extensive wine and champagne list, charcute rie spreads and live music—ranging from jazz to soft rock, and everything in between—every single night.

Although there’s no exact grand opening date, ThatssoTampa says the new Ybor City wine bar and lounge will debut sometime this fall. And if curated meats and cheeses don’t excite your palette, you can always pop in next door and grab a slice, salad or pasta dish from Due Amici.

commemorative BarrieHaus stein, and access to a full Bavarian feast platter (for an extra $12-$18.) Saturday, Oct. 15. 1 p.m.-9 p.m. $50$500.1403 E 5th Ave., Ybor City. barriehaus.com

The Bier Boutique Imported German beers, dishes like sausages with sauerkraut and pretzels smothered in beer cheese, and intense Oktoberfest games will make The Bier Boutique’s celebration one of the best in The Burg’. This event is free to attend but it’ll cost $50-$60 to register you and your friends to compete in its Beer Olympics; teams are encouraged to create a theme and come in costume too. Saturday, Oct 15. 1 p.m. 465 7th Ave. N, St. Petersburg. thebier boutiquestpete.com

FOOD NEWS

Photos from Geo’s social media pages show the space’s lounge-like atmosphere, adorned with multi-colored lights, a large sky light window and a massive mural of a woman drinking wine—courtesy of Australian-born installation artist Ron Francis.

For the latest information on Ybor City’s soon-to-open hotspot—like its highly-anticipated grand opening—follow its new Instagram at @geosfwc and Facebook page.

More Oktoberfests happening this month Barriehaus Beer Co.This Ybor City brew ery already offers a German twist year-round, so it makes sense that it hosts one of the largest Oktoberfest celebrations in the Bay. Stein-holding and brat-tossing competitions abound, this day-long party also features tra ditional German polka music, festive trivia, a

German American Society of Pinellas County You won’t get more traditional than the German American Society of Pinellas County’s multi-day Oktoberfest celebration.

These Best of the Bay-winning shindigs will feature a wide variety of German brews and traditional foods, a keg tapping ceremony, a parade of flags, stein-hoisting competitions, music, exclusive merchandise and raffle prizes.

Friday, Sept. 30-Saturday, Oct. 15. 5 p.m.-10 p.m. $10 (children 12 and under free.) 8098 66th St. N, Pinellas Park. germantampa.com

OktoberFest Tampa Arts & Crafts Fair Tampa-based event organizer Your Tampa Markets hosts an upcoming market with an Oktoberfest twist. Waterworks Park is the host of its family-friendly fair chock full of local artists, artisans, food trucks and other small businesses. Saturday, Oct. 8. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 8. 701 N Highland Ave., Tampa. yourtampamar kets.com

MEAT ME IN YBOR: Charcuterie is just part of the menu at Gio’s.

Thanks for Voting Us BEST GREEK RESTAURANT

Help CL with this evolvinglisting. Did we miss a brewery or leave out an important detail? Email rroa@cltampa.com. Include brewery name, address, phone number and website, plus a short description of the unique offerings.

3 CAR GARAGE 8405 Heritage Green Way, Bradenton. 941-741-8877, 3cargaragebrew ing.com

3 DAUGHTERS BREWING 222 22nd St. S., St. Petersburg. 727-495-6002, 3dbrewing.com

3 KEYS BREWING 2505 Manatee Ave. E., Bradenton. 951-218-0396, 3keysbrewing.com

5 BRANCHES BREWING 531 Athens St., Tarpon Springs. fivebranchesbrewing.com

7VENTH SUN BREWING 1012 Broadway, Dunedin. 727-733-3013/6809 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa. 813-231-5900, 7venthsun.com

81BAY BREWING CO. 4465 W. Gandy Blvd., Tampa. 813-837-BREW, 81baybrewco.com

ANECDOTE BREWING CO. 321 Gulf Blvd., Indian Rocks Beach. anecdotebrewing.com

ANGRY CHAIR 6401 N. Florida Ave., Seminole Heights. 813-238-1122, angrychairbrewing.com

ARKANE ALEWORKS 2480 E. Bay Dr., #23, Largo. 727-270-7117, arkanebeer.com

AVID BREWING 1745 1st Ave. S., St. Petersburg. 727-388-6756, avidbrew.com

BARRIEHAUS BEER CO. 1403 E 5th Ave., Ybor City. barriehaus.com

BASTET 1951 E Adamo Dr. Suite B, Tampa. bastetbrewing.com

BAY CANNON BEER CO. 2106 W Main St., Tampa. 813-442-5615, baycannon.com

BAYBORO BREWING CO. 2390 5th Ave. S, St. Petersburg. 727-767-9666, bayborobrewing.com

BEACH ISLAND BREWERY 2058 Bayshore Blvd. Suite 5, Dunedin. 352-541-0616

BIG STORM BREWING CO. Multiple loca tions, bigstormbrewery.com

BIG TOP BREWING 6111 Porter Way, Sarasota. 941-371-2939, bigtopbrewing.com

BOOTLEGGERS BREWING CO. 652 Oakfield Dr., Brandon. 813-643-9463, bootleggers brewco.com

BREW HUB 3900 Frontage Rd. S., Lakeland. 863-698-7600, brewhub.com

BREW LIFE BREWING 5765 S. Beneva Rd., Sarasota. 941-952-3831, brewlifebrewing.com

BRIGHTER DAYS BREW CO. 311 N Safford Ave., Tarpon Springs. 7272-940-2350

BULLFROG CREEK BREWING CO. 3632

Lithia Pinecrest Rd., Valrico. 813-703-8835, bull frogcreekbrewing.com

CAGE BREWING 2001 1st Ave. S., St. Petersburg. 727-201-4278

CALEDONIA BREWING 587 Main St., Dunedin. 727-351-5105, caledoniabrewing.com

CALUSA BREWING 5701 Derek Ave., Sarasota. 941-922-8150, calusabrewing.com

CARROLLWOOD BREWING CO. 10047 N. Dale Mabry Hwy, Suite 23, Tampa. 813-969-2337

CIGAR CITY BREWING 3924 W. Spruce St., Tampa. 813-348-6363, cigarcitybrewing.com

CLEARWATER BREWING CO. 1700 N. Fort Harrison Ave., Clearwater. clearwaterbrewing company.com

COMMERCE BREWING 521 Commerce Drive S, Largo. commercebrewing@gmail.com

COPP WINERY & BREWERY 7855 W Gulf Lake Highway, Crystal River. 352-228-8103, cop pbrewery.com

COPPERTAIL BREWING CO. 2601 E. 2nd Ave., Tampa. 813-247-1500, coppertailbrewing.com

CORPORATE LADDER BREWING COMPANY 4935 96th St. E, Palmetto. 941-4794799, corporateladderbrewing.square.site

COTEE RIVER BREWING 5760 Main St., New Port Richey. 727-807-6806, coteeriver brewing.com

CRAFT LIFE BREWING 4624 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes. 813-575-8440. facebook. com/CraftLifeBrewing

CROOKED THUMB BREWERY 555 10th Ave. S., Safety Harbor. 727-724-5953, crookedthumbbrew.com

CUENI BREWING CO. 945 Huntley Ave., Dunedin. 727-266-4102, cuenibrewing.com

CYCLE BREWING 534 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. 727-320-7954. cyclebrewing.com

DADE CITY BREW HOUSE 14323 7th St., Dade City. 352-218-3122, dadecitybrewhouse.com

DARWIN BREWING CO. 803 17th Ave. W., Bradenton. 941-747-1970, darwinbrewingco.com

DE BINE BREWING CO. 933 Florida Ave., Palm Harbor. 727-233-7964.

DENTED KEG ALE WORKS 5500 Main St., New Port Richey. 727-232-2582, dentedkegaleworks.com

DEVIANT LIBATION 3800 N Nebraska Ave., 727-379-4677, deviantlibation.com

DISSENT CRAFT BREWING CO. 5518 Haines Rd. N., St. Petersburg. 727-3420255. facebook.com/ dissentcraftbrewing

DUNEDIN BREWERY 937 Douglas Ave., Dunedin. 727-736-0606, dunedinbrewery.com

DUNEDIN HOUSE OF BEER 927 Broadway, Dunedin. 727 216-6318, dunedinhob.com

EIGHT-FOOT BREWING 4417 SE 16th Place, Cape Coral. 239-984-2655, eightfootbrewing.com

ESCAPE BREWING CO. 9945 Trinity Blvd., Suite 108, Trinity. 727-807-6092, escape brewingcompany.com

FLORIDA AVENUE BREWING CO. 2029 Arrowgrass Dr., Wesley Chapel. 813-452-6333, flori daavebrewing.com

FLORIDA BREWERY 202 Gandy Rd., Auburndale. 863-965-1825

FOUR STACKS BREWING 5469 N. US HWY 41, Apollo Beach. 813-641-2036, fourstacks brewing.com

FRONT PAGE BREWING CO. 190 S Florida Ave., Bartow. 863-537-7249, frontpagebrew ing.com

GRAND CENTRAL BREWHOUSE 2340 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-202-6071, grandcentral brew.com

GREEN BENCH BREWING COMPANY 1133 Baum Ave. N., St. Petersburg. 727-800-9836, greenbenchbrewing.com

GOOD LIQUID BREWING CO. 4824 14th St. W., Bradenton. 941-896-6381, thegoodliquid brewing.com

GRINDHAUS BREW LAB 1650 N. Hercules Ave., Clearwater. 727-240-0804, grindhausbrewlab.com

GULFPORT BREWERY + EATERY 3007 Beach Blvd., Tampa. facebook.com/GulfportBrewery

HIDDEN SPRINGS ALE WORKS 1631 N. Franklin St., Tampa, 813-226-2739, hiddenspringsaleworks.com

HOB BREWING CO. 931 Huntley Ave., Dunedin. hob.beer

IF I BREWED THE WORLD 2200 1st Ave. S., St. Petersburg. 727-201-4484, ifibrewedtheworld.com

IN THE LOOP BREWING 3338 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes. 813-997-9189, intheloopbrewingcompany.com

INFUSION BREWING CO. 6345 Grand Blvd., New Port Richey. 7272-484-4757

KEEL FARMS AGRARIAN ALE + CIDER

5210 W. Thonotosassa Rd., Plant City. 813-7529100, keelandcurleywinery.com

KING STATE 520 E Floribraska Ave., Tampa. 813-221-2100, king-state.com

LAGERHAUS BREWERY & GRILL 3438 East Lake Business, Palm Harbor. 727-216-9682, lagerhausbrewery.com

LATE START BREWING 1018 E Cass St., Tampa, latestartbrewing.com

LEAVEN BREWING 11238 Boyette Rd., Riverview. 813-677-7023, leavenbrewing.com

LIQUID GARAGE CO. 1306 Seven Springs Blvd., New Port Richey. 727-645-5885. theliquidgarage.com

MAD BEACH CRAFT BREWING 12945 Village Boulevard, Madeira Beach. 727-362-0008, mad beachbrewing.com

MAGNANIMOUS BREWING 1410

Florida Ave., Tampa. 813-415-3671, magnan imousbrewing.com

MARKER 48 12147 Cortez Blvd, Weeki Wachee. 352-606-2509, marker48.com

MASTRY’S BREWING CO. 7701 Blind Pass Rd., St. Pete Beach. 727-202-8045, mastrys brewingco.com

MOTORWORKS

BREWING 1014 9th Street West, Bradenton. 941-567-6218, motor worksbrewing.com

MR. DUNDERBAK’S 14929 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Tampa. 813-9774104, dunderbaks.com

OFF THE WAGON BREWERY 2107 S Tamiami Trail, Venice. 941-497-2048, otwbar.com

OLDE FLORIDA BREWING 1158 7th St. NW, Largo. 727-2298010, facebook.com/oldefloridabrew

OVERFLOW BREWING 70 1st Ave. N., St. Petersburg. 727-914-0665, facebook.com/ overflowbrewingco

OZONA BREWING COMPANY 315 Orange St., Palm Harbor. 920-392-9390, ozonabrewing.com

PEPPER BREWING 9366 Oakhurst Rd., Seminole. 727-596-5766, angrypeppertap house.com

PESKY PELICAN BREW PUB 923 72nd. St. N., St. Petersburg. 727-302-9600, peskypelicanbrewpub.com

PINELLAS ALE WORKS 1962 1st Ave. S., St. Petersburg. 727-235-0970, pawbeer.com

POUR HOUSE 1208 E Kennedy Blvd., Tampa. 813-402-2923, pourhousetampa.com

PYE ROAD MEADWORKS 8533 Gunn Hwy., Odessa. 813-510-3500, pyeroad.com

RAPP BREWING COMPANY 10930 Endeavor Way, Seminole. 727-544-1752, rappbrewing.com

RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER 2244 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. 727-360-0766, stpetearcadebar.com

ROCK BROTHERS BREWING 1901 N. 15th St., Ybor City. 813-241-0110, rockbrothersbrewing.com

SARASOTA BREWING COMPANY 6607 Gateway Ave., Sarasota. 941-925-2337, sarasotabrewing.com

SCOTTY’S BIERWORKS 901 East Industrial Circle, Cape Coral. 239-888-5482, scottysbierworks.net

SEA DOG BREWING 9610 Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island/ 26200 US Highway 19 N, Clearwater. 727-954-7805, seadogbrewing.com

SILVERKING BREWING CO. 325 E Lemon St., Tarpon Springs. 727-422-7598, silverking brewing.com

SIX TEN BREWING 7052 Benjamin Rd., Tampa. 813-886-0610, sixtenbrewing.com

SOGGY BOTTOM BREWING 660 Main St., Dunedin. 727-601-1698, soggybottombrew ing.com

SOUTHERN BREWING & WINEMAKING 4500 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa. 813-238-7800, southernbrewingwinemaking.com

SOUTHERN LIGHTS BREWING CO. 2075 Sunnydale Blvd., Clearwater. 727-648-4314, southernlightsbrewing.com

ST. PETE BREWING COMPANY 544 1st Ave. N., St. Petersburg. 727-692-8809, stpetebrewingcompany.com

STILT HOUSE BREWERY 625 U.S. Hwy Alt. 19, Palm Harbor. 727-270-7373, stilthousebrewery.com

SWAN BREWING 15 W Pine St., Lakeland. 863-703-0472, swanbrewing.com

TAP THIS! BAR AND BREWING CO. 10730 US-19, Port Richey. 727-378-4358, tapthisbar.com

TBBC 1600 E 8th Ave., Ybor City/13933

Monroe’s Business Park, Westchase. 813-2471422, tbbc.beer

TEMPLE OF BEER 1776 11th Ave. N, St. Petersburg. 727-350-3055, templeofbeer.com

THREE BULLS TAVERN & BREWERY 4330 Bell Shoals Road, Valrico. 813-381-3853, threebullstavern.com

TIDAL BREWING COMPANY 14311 Spring Hill Dr., Spring Hill. 352-701-1602, tidalbrewingfl.com

TROUBLED WATERS BREWING 670 Main St., Safety Harbor. 727-221-9973, troubledwatersbeer.com

TWO FROGS BREWING COMPANY 151 E. Tarpon Ave., Tarpon Springs. 727-940-6077, facebook.com/twofrogsbrewing

TWO LIONS WINERY & PALM HARBOR BREWERY 1022 Georgia Ave., Palm Harbor. 727-786-8039, twolionswinery.com

ULELE SPRING BREWERY 1810 N. Highland Ave., Tampa. 813-999-4952, ulele.com

UNREFINED BREWING 312 E Tarpon Ave., Tarpon Springs. 727-940-4822, unrefinedbrew ing.com

WELTON BREWING CO. 2624 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’Lakes. 813-820-0050, thebrew craftery.com

THE WILD ROVER BREWERY 13921 Lynmar Blvd., Tampa. 813-475-5995, thewildroverbrew ery.com

WOODWRIGHT BREWING COMPANY 985 Douglas Ave., Dunedin. 727-238-8717, facebook.com/woodwrightbrewing

WOVEN WATER BREWING CO. 456 W Columbus Drive, Tampa. 813-443-9463, woven waterbrew.com

YUENGLING BREWING CO. 11111 N 30th St., Tampa. 813-972-8529, yuengling.com

ZEPHYRHILLS BREWING COMPANY 38530 5th Ave., Zephyrhills. 813-715-2683, zbcbeer.com

ZYDECO BREW WERKS 902 E. 7th Ave., Ybor City. 813-252-4541, facebook.com/ zydecobrewwerks

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Come See Me: Tampa Bay Museums

Tampa Bay is home to more museums than we can list. But whether you’re new to the area or just looking to reconnect with the gallery scene, here are some of the big’uns. Make sure to contact each museum to get the most updated health and safety protocols.

Hillsborough

Florida Museum of Photographic Arts

400 North Ashley Dr., Tampa. fmopa.org

Glazer Children’s Museum 110 W Gasparilla Plaza., Tampa. glazermuseum.org

Henry B. Plant Museum 401 W Kennedy Blvd., Tampa. plantmuseum.com

J.C. Newman Cigar Company 2701 N 16th St., Ybor City. jcnewman.com

Museum of Science & Industry 4801 E Fowler Ave., Tampa. mosi.org

Tampa Bay History Center 801 Water St., Tampa. tampabayhistorycenter.org

Tampa Museum of Art 120 W Gasparilla Plaza., Tampa. tampamuseum.org

Ybor City Museum State Park 1818 E 9th Ave., Ybor City. floridastateparks.org

Pinellas

The Dalí 1 Dali Blvd., St. Petersburg. thedali.org

Dunedin Fine Art Center 1143 Michigan Blvd., Dunedin. dfac.org

Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum 2240 9th Ave S, St. Petersburg. woodsonmuseum.org

Fairgrounds 800 28th St. S, St. Petersburg. fairgrounds.art

Florida Holocaust Museum 55 5th St S, St. Petersburg. thefhm.org

Great Explorations Children’s Museum 1925 4th St N, St. Petersburg. greatex.org

Imagine Museum 1901 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. imaginemuseum.com

The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art 150 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. thejamesmuseum.org

Morean Arts Center 719 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. moreanartscenter.org

Museum of the American Arts & Crafts Movement 355 4th Street N, St. Petersburg. museumaacm.org

Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg 255 Beach Dr. NE, St. Petersburg. mfastpete.org St. Petersburg Museum of History 335 2nd Ave NE, St. Petersburg. spmoh.com

Tarpon Springs Heritage Museum 100 Beekman Ln., Tarpon Springs. tarponarts.org

Beyond

Polk Museum of Art 800 E Palmetto St., Lakeland. polkmuseumofart.org

Ringling Museum 5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota. ringling.org

Rollins Museum of Art 1000 Holt Ave., Winter Park. rollins.edu/rma

Strikingly good

Coach Gramática impressed with ‘local talent’ at open tryouts.

By Max Steele

Late last month, nearly 100 male and female athletes stood in line and in the blistering 2 p.m. heat outside Tampa’s Cinco Soccer com plex last Saturday with the same goal in mind: to become a Tampa Bay Striker. As they filed in for check-in, the players were greeted by Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Super Bowl kicker and new Strikers head coach Martín Gramática, then handed a numbered Strikers shirt that would become their identity for the remainder of tryouts. The masses spread out across the outdoor complex’s five shortsided turf fields to lace up their cleats, stretch out and pass the ball around in group circles.

SPORTS

split up across two. The next hour consisted of three-minute rotating games with waiting play ers used as bumpers along the perimeter of the field to keep a fast pace. Coaches were impressed by the level of skill exhibited in the games, as well as the players’ enthusiastic work ethic.

On top of the intense games, the Florida temperature read 90 degrees, but it felt about ten ticks higher while standing on the steaming artificial fields.

team]. It would be a good confidence boost and would make me want to start training harder.”

Kennedy Messina, Lisa Caprara and Sariah Orocu also felt the heat, but still enjoyed trying out because it got them back on their favorite field.

“It’s a lot of fun playing with girls around my age and getting some touches on the ball,” Messina said. “I wanted to play with some good people and have some fun in the sun. It’s good energy out here and I’m looking forward to competing again.”

“I’m over here chugging Gatorade and it’s hot outside, but I’m loving being here,” Caprara added. “I’ve played soccer my whole life. It’s in my blood, it’s in my system. I would be so excited to be a part of the team.”

“It’s high intensity, action-packed and very

Luckily, the players won’t have to get used to the hot weather if they make the team, because they’ll be playing all their home games inside the Yuengling Center located on University of South Florida’s Tampa campus.

After a few hours of games, with water breaks in between, Gramática wrapped up a seemingly successful day of tryouts and dis cussed his thoughts with fellow coaches on the monumental evening.

“Very excited. The level and competition has been great,” Gramática said. “A lot of talent and a lot of energy.”

Who exactly made the final team is not yet clear, but Gramática did describe his ideal players.

“Good people. We don’t want somebody that’s a bad apple that’s going to ruin the group,”

Amongst these players was 31-year-old Colin Tull, who didn’t have much soccer experience on his résumé due to his basketball career, but still figured he’d give it a shot to land one of the coveted spots on the 15-man roster.

“I got nothing to lose, man,” Tull said. “I enjoy the game and have been improving over the last few months. I would be very proud of myself if I made the team. It would be a big-time accomplishment.”

Before five-a-side games broke out, Gramática, fellow coaches and owners hud dled all the players onto a single field to give opening remarks, in which they expressed their gratitude for such a substantial turnout and the importance of building the Strikers’ teams—one men’s, one women’s—with “local talent.”

“It’s why I took the job,” Gramática said. “Tampa is my home. To be able to give our young kids a chance to look at something for the future is something I’m so happy and proud to be a part of.”

Strikers General Manager Gary Tufford and Board Executive Andrew Haines, who have both attended other National Indoor Soccer League open tryouts across the nation, were impressed by how many players wanted to play for Tampa’s new team and said it was one of the biggest turnouts they’ve seen.

“We’re new in this market and for as many people to get that excited about it this early on is very encouraging,” Tufford said. “You have a lot of players that want to continue their careers at a high level and don’t want to give it up. It gives them an opportunity and it’s great for the city.”

The huddle broke and the games began, where women packed onto one field and the men

“It’s really hot. Kind of struggling with the heat,” St. Petersburg native and former semipro Tampa Marauders player Jabari Baptiste said, but that wasn’t stopping him from giv ing it his all. “It would mean a lot [to make the

exciting to be a part of again since being out of college,” Orocu said. “Rec league just wasn’t doing it for me out here. So when I heard this was an opportunity, I figured I’d check it out in hopes that it would be something that I would really enjoy.”

Gramática said. “And then, hard workers. Outworking the opponent wins you games. Obviously, we’re looking for talent, but at the end of the day, they have to be a good person and they have to work.”

“At the end of the day, they have to be a good person and they have to work.”

MAX STEELE

HIT CLOSE TO HOME: Locals came out in droves to tryout for the Strikers.

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Fall in line

Some of the best ‘Falltivities’ happening in Tampa Bay this month.

By Chloe Greenberg

Ah, another Florida fall with tons of Florida heat. All the more reason for Tampa Bay residents to go the extra mile to get into the fall spirit. From pumpkin patches and hayrides to trunk-or-treating and corn shucking contests, there are plenty of great options for “falltivities” in the Tampa Bay area this year.

Brooksville Pumpkin Patch Brooksville Pumpkin Patch is celebrating its 20th anniver sary with plenty of pumpkins and BOOtique Alley vendors. 475 North Ave. W, Brooksville. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Oct. 30. @brooksvillepumpkinpatch on Facebook DK Farms Fall Festival Come down to DK Farms for tons of fall fun with their pump kin patch, pumpkin launchers, pony rides, mini golf, crafts and food vendors and more. The farm offers plenty of fall photo ops and will have a oneday trick-or-treat event Oct. 30. Get tickets early for a discounted rate, or $14 at the door. 1750 Lake Ave. SE, Largo. Oct. 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 29. dkfarmsandnursery.com

carries a variety of different colors and sizes of pumpkins. While there, pick up a treat and visit the farm’s animals too. 7401 4th St. N, St. Petersburg. Daily. gallagherspumpkinsand christmastrees.com

Green Acres Blueberry Farm Fall Festival & Trunk or Treat Come dressed in costume to Green Acres’ first-ever Trunk or Treat event complete with fall treats, games and a pumpkin patch. If you want to be a big ger part of the fall fun, they’re still looking for more cars to participate. 17500 Eldridge Ave., Spring Hill. Oct. 21-23. youpickblueberries.net

A&E EVENTS

Harvest Holler Corn Maze Drop by this family farm in Polk City to disconnect and explore its pumpkin patch and corn maze. After you’re done, stop by Paw Paw’s Vittles and sink your teeth into some of the best sweet corn in the area. 950 Tavares Rd., Polk City. Every Friday-Sunday through Nov. 13. harvestholler.com

Florida Botanical Gardens Pumpkin Fest The gardens hosts a festive walkthrough of the grounds as well as a pumpkin patch, pumpkin carving, a scarecrow contest and more spooky activities for the whole family. 12520 Ulmerton Rd., Largo, FL & 12211 Walsingham Rd., Largo. Oct. 22-33. flbgfoundation.org

Florida Railroad Museum Pumpkin Patch Express Operating on a six-mile rail line between Parrish and Willow, the museum is putting on its annual Pumpkin Patch Express with open-air and air-conditioned seats avail able, as well as the party caboose for large parties. Guests can enjoy hayrides, arts and crafts, Lincoln log building and every kid can go home with a pumpkin! 12210 83rd St. East, Parrish. Oct. 22-23 & 29-30. frrm.org

Frazier Farms Fall Festival The third annual fall festival at Frazier has pumpkins for purchase, a zip line, music, food, activities for kids and even a corn shucking contest. You can buy a $20 wristband to get all-day access to every event, or pay $1 for single tickets. 20175 Manecke Rd., Brooksville. Saturday-Sunday through Oct. 23. frazierfarmscorn.wixsite.com

Fox Squirrel Corn Maze This kid-friendly event has a corn maze, duck races, cornhole, bad minton, a butterfly garden, horse and pony rides, live music and, of course, pumpkins. There will also be an assortment of food and other vendors. 6151 Varn Rd., Plant City. Weekends through Oct. 23. foxsquirrelcornmaze.com

Gallagher’s Pumpkins & Trees With no charge for entry, this locally-owned patch

HarvestMoon Fun Farm Featuring a new design in the five-acre maze each year, HarvestMoon offers a challenging experience for all ages. You can also pick out a pumpkin at the patch or take a chance at one of the farm’s haunted nights, offered on select weekends in October. 15990 Stur St., Masaryktown. Wednesday-Sunday through Oct. 31. harvestmoonfl.com

Heritage United Methodist Church Pumpkin Patch A pumpkin patch perfect for all ages and centered around community out reach and fundraising for the church. 2680 Landmark Dr., Clearwater. Through Nov. 1. heritageumc.com

HorsePower for Kids Fall Festival Fundraiser The annual fundraiser features hay rides, pony rides, animals, a bounce house, games, live music and more. All proceeds go towards HorsePower for Kids’ mission of pro viding kids with education and enrichment alongside horses and other animals. 8005 Racetrack Rd., Tampa. Saturday-Sunday through Oct. 31. horsepowerforkids.com

Hunsader Farms Pumpkin Festival Known for its famous photo ops, Hunsader is set to unveil its 31st annual Pumpkin Festival. Walk around the massive event space and enjoy a diverse set of vendors and activities. 5500 CR-675, Bradenton. Oct. 15-16, 22-23, 29-30. hunsaderfarms.com

Keel Farms Fall Harvest Days Keel Farms celebrates October with family-friendly events perfect for all ages like pumpkin paint ing, farm animals, a corn maze, kids zone and tons of vendors. Locally-crafted cider and wine from Keel Farms is available, too. Admission

and parking to Fall Harvest Days are both free. 5202 Thonotosassa Rd., Plant City. Saturdays through Oct. 29. keelfarms.com

Kerby’s Nursery Kerby’s offers a wide vari ety of pumpkins to choose from, as well as plenty of fall porch decorations and a pumpkin wall to take photos with. 2311 S Parsons Ave., Seffner. Daily through Oct. 31. kerbysnursery.com

Pint Sized Pumpkin Party Come through to Southwest Recreation center for this year’s Willy Wonka-themed Pint Sized Pumpkin Party. Perfect for kiddos 7 and under, the pumpkin party will have a wide variety of games and crafts, a costume contest and a chocolate foun tain. 13120 Vonn Rd., Largo. Saturday, Oct. 22. playlargo.com

Raprager Family Farm Fall Pumpkin Festival Raprager has Halloween activities for the whole family. This year, guests can enjoy the pumpkin patch, hay rides, petting zoo, live music and all new activities like the 1,000-square-foot haunted maze and farmers market. 12210 83rd St. E, Parrish. Through Nov. 9. rapragerfami lyfarms.com

Scott’s Maze Adventures Scott’s Maze lies on seven acres of land where a new corn maze with fun questions and pictures is grown each year. The farm also features a giant jumping pillow, a 60-foot slide and hay rides. 26216 CR448A, Mount Dora. Thursday-Friday through Oct. 28. longandscottfarms.com

Seminole Heights Methodist Church Great Pumpkin Patch The Great Pumpkin

path features one of the largest collections and varieties of pumpkins in Tampa. This year’s event features Friday Spooky Movie Nights, pumpkin painting and more. 6111 N Central Ave., Tampa. Through Oct. 30. semheights.com

St. Pete Pier Pumpkin Patch Visit the pier for one of the largest pumpkin patches in the area, complete with thousands of pumpkins, hay bales, photo booth, fall refreshments and more. 600 2nd Ave. NE, St. Petersburg. Select days Oct. 9-17. stpetepier.org

Sweetfield Farms Fall Maze and Pumpkin Patch Journey through Sweetfield Farms’ winding corn maze, which features more than five acres of clues and challenges to navi gate through. Additional fall season activities include a hay play area, tumbleweed rollers, a mini maze, face painting, food vendors and an expansive pumpkin patch. 17250 Benes Roush Rd., Brooksville. Select days through Nov. 6. sweetfieldsfarm.com

Watermelon Swim Pumpkin Patch and Fall Festival Stop by one of Watermelon Swim’s four locations for their daily pumpkin patch and one-day Fall Festival on Oct. 15. Lutz and South Tampa will have expansive outdoor patches while Riverview and Wesley Chapel offer smaller, indoor setups. A portion of the patches’ proceeds go towards Watermelon Swim’s Children with Disabilities program. Locations in Lutz, South Tampa, Wesley Chapel and Riverview. Daily Oct. 8-31. watermelon swim.com

PIER-LESS: St. Pete’s waterfront pumpkin patch is one of the best in the area.

By Josh Bradley & Ray Roa

CL

THU 06

C Absolution Fest w/The KVB/Minuit Machine/Bestial Mouths/The Foreign Resort/Creux Lies/more In 2002, concert promoter-DJ Mark Paradise began attending large, alternative, goth-centered music festi vals in Germany. In 2018, he said he thought, “Why can’t I do one of these over here?” So he did, and the the latest, three-day version of Absolution Fest kicks off Thursday in Ybor City, offering the best in darkwave, synth pop, industrial and post-punk. Read a full preview via cltampa.com/music. (Crowbar, Ybor City)

C Rock the Park Tampa w/Navin Ave./CRenã/Speakeasy Downtown Tampa’s free, monthly music series has become a clock work example of how a municipality can show off cultural assets, but this week—to accommodate Oktoberfest Tampa—it makes a slight pivot, moves out of its home at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, and takes a short walk to Water Works Park in Tampa Heights. Music happens care of a Tampa R&B queen (C-Renã), an Americana band with a liter ary streak (Navin Ave.) and the smooth, yacht-ready blue-eyed soul of Speakeasy. As always, the show is no cover, plus family and pet-friendly. (Water Works Park, Tampa)

Tauren Wells w/Aaron Cole/Lakewood Music Christian popstar Wells, a 10-time Grammy nominee, and alum of the Winter Jam concerts that regularly stop in the Bay, begins his first headlining arena tour in promotion of his latest album Joy In The Morning . (Yuengling Center, Tampa)—Max Steele

FRI 07

Benise Whenever Spanish guitarist and PBS favorite Roni Benise rolls into town, he takes a liking to the Mahaffey, which is steps away from the Dalí Museum. After touring to celebrate 20 years of performing, the 57-yearold is bringing a brand new spectacle which combines his electrifying Spanish guitar with the sounds of Led Zeppelin and AC/DC, as well as some classical. (Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg)

C Rufus Wainwright Despite previous struggles with addiction and being sexually assaulted as a teenager, Vancouver singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright has accomplished more in 49 years than some people do in their whole lives. In the last five years alone, he has written an opera about an ancient Roman emperor (not his first either), put together a live stream where he played nothing but Judy Garland songs, and released a new studio album of entirely original material (Unfollow The Rules ). Wainwright’s most recent appearance in Tampa Bay—at Clearwater’s Bilheimer Capitol

Theatre—was a poignant one, falling on the same day as the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. (Ferguson Hall at David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa)

The Rusty Wright Band (album release)

A former opener for Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rusty Wright and his band are about to release Hangin’ at the DeVille Lounge , their first new studio album since 2018. It’s a serious one, too, tackling loneliness and never catching a break while even working in a spoken-word opening track. But then there are tracks like “Goin’ To Nola,” which is centered around a guy heading to the Crescent City to track down a girl he fell for. Wright’s voice is still as high and pristine as ever, too. Sinners welcome in Lakeland, this weekend. (Union Hall, Lakeland)

C Smashing Pumpkins w/Jane’s Addiction/Poppy Miraculously, Smashing Pumpkins is set to drop the first of three installments of its Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts trilogy next month. Frontman Billy Corgan (who once shopped at Daddy Kool Records’ old Central Avenue loca tion) hasn’t brought the band to Tampa Bay since a 2018 performance at Amalie in front of 8,000 fans, but it finally returns to the ol’ Ice Palace alongside Jane’s Addiction. This very well may also be Jane’s Addiction’s first local performance since it was at the old Ford Amphitheatre (now MidFlorida) on a 2009 tour with Nine Inch Nails. Viral YouTuber-turned-pop-star Poppy opens. (Amalie Arena, Tampa)

SAT 08

C Shieldsie (album release) w/ Mtvh1n1/Romeo Blu/Cabo Boing In his life behind the guitar for Clang!, Brian Shields contributes to a krauty, hard-hit ting post-punk that’ll make your neck hurt.

For his solo project, the Tampeño plays introspective slowcore which he says “is me being serious without keeping a straight face.” A video for “Ponderin’”— from Shieldsie’s debut album, Florida Man Sings! , features home video footage on top of mid tempo electric-guitar rock. It’s melancholy in the best way, and this show is actually the last chance to see Shields play live locally for the foreseeable future (he’s moving to Philadelphia on Nov. 1).

“Gonna miss all yall and I’ll be back visiting in tampa here and there to play shows,” he told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. To help say goodbye, some of his best friends (artpop band Mtvh1n1, Merchandise frontman Carson Cox’s EBM-synth project Romeo Blu, and experimental act Cabo Boing) open the show at this Sulphur Springs biker bar quickly becoming a go-to spot for solid local shows. (Born Free Pub & Grill, Tampa)

Zac Brown Band w/Robert Randolph

The current run of shows that 44-year-old Zac Brown is doing with his longtime band feels like a second part to last year’s tour, promoting the band’s latest The Comeback It’s been about a year since it rocked Tampa with Devin Dawson and Ashland Craft, and though the setlist has been jumbled and Robert Randolph is now playing opener, Zac Brown Band brings its Out In The Middle tour (named after a song from Comeback ) to the ol’Gary. (MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa)

SUN 09

Call Me Karizma w/Faangs/Astrus

Morgan Parriott may not be as flamboyant as Mod Sun, but he certainly learned a lot after touring with Avril Lavigne’s fiance. Francis , the new album from a musician who tends to cross punk with hip-hop, tackles topics like dying instead of letting a shitty old-flame crash the party and even watching his old favorite bands sell out. Faangs and Astrus open the 27-year-old’s Brass Mug gig this weekend, which will mark Call Me Karizma’s second Florida show this year. (Brass Mug, Tampa)

C Cypress Hill There are rumblings that ‘90s hip-hop group Cypress Hill is call ing it a day after 30 years. In an interview with NME, B-Real did say that the group’s next album after its latest, Back In Black will be its final full album, but the “How I Could Just Kill A Man” boys are looking at leaning on singles and EPs instead, mainly due to shortened attention spans of listen ers. Hopefully, no one bails early at the gig on Sunday, and if anyone does, well… boom biddy bye bye, I guess. DJ Lord, the band’s touring turntablist, is booked to play Crowbar’s Ol’ Dirty Sundays in Ybor City after the show, so spend some extra money and ask the babysitter to stay late. (Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa)

Someday Honey Kaleigh Baker is no stranger to St. Petersburg stages, but she’s really someone even locals should take in whenever they have the chance. This show’s an opportunity to watch the songwriter, guitarist, vocalist and whistler lead her soulful Americana band as it plays one of the prettiest, and best-sounding rooms on Central Avenue. (Floridian Social Club, St. Petersburg)

C Straz Center Block Party: Jinx & Shelby Sol w/Roxx Revolt & The Velvets/Ari Chi Sunday’s weather calls for temperatures in the low-to-mid-80s, plus virtually no chance of rain. In short, it’s going to be flawless outside, and this block party outside Straz Center is a truly perfect opportunity to see the best of Tampa Bay music when a wife and husband (songwritersinger Shelby Sol, rapper Jinx), a fast-rising glam-rock act (Roxx Revolt & the Velvets) and uke-strumming local treasure (Ari Chi) play. On the other stage, Opera Tampa takes over for performances featuring talent like Best Of The Bay-winning actor Matthew McGee

and award-winning musician director Jeremy Douglass. There’s even a “Kidchella” at the Patel Conservatory and silent disco. Oh, it’s free, too. (David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa)

THU 13

Billy Cobham There aren’t many people left who can say that they’ve performed with Miles Davis himself. Cobham of Mahavishnu Orchestra fame is one of the few that can. The 78-year-old fusion drummer has influenced countless across all genres and still heads to the studio for occasional sessions, but for the last few years, he’s been revisiting his 1974 Crosswinds album—on which he’s one of the last surviving members to have performed. His three-piece is in Largo for this one. (Central Park Performing Arts Center, Largo)

C Free Abortion On Demand Without Apology: Hovercar/The Jackettes/ Big Sad Tell Rhonda Santis to clutch her

pearls because a bunch of Bay area bands are going to shill for abortions next week. The gig promoted by the Tampa chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America raises money for the Tampa Bay Abortion Fund, with some help from one of the Bay area’s foremost purveyors of indie-pop (The Jackettes), a dynamic rock and roll duo (Hovercar), and righteous punk-rock outfit Big Sad (which full disclosure includes CL photojournalist Dave Decker). (Crowbar, Ybor City)

Melvins w/We Are The Asteroid Little did ‘90s grunge godfather Melvins know that “Stop Moving To Florida” would ring truer now than it did upon its spring 2018 release (frontman King Buzzo, however, might actually like this so-called free state). The group’s latest album Bad Mood Rising came from out of nowhere, and includes a 14-minute rock epic, heavy vocals, and special guest guitarist Dylan Carlson of Earth. After years rocking the now-shuttered Ybor Orpheum, Melvins plays its first show at the new North Tampa location. (Orpheum, Tampa)

DAVE DECKER

Hovercar

After four years away, Ed Sheeran is coming back to Tampa Bay next summer. Tickets to see Sheeran at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on Saturday, May 20 go on sale this Friday, Oct. 9 via Ticketmaster. Ticket prices have yet to be announced, but Khalid and Dylan will open the show, which is the only Florida date on the tour.

The 31-year-old is the only active pop star that can fill stadiums with just himself, an acoustic guitar and loop pedal, and there are fan theo ries suggesting the songwriter will also play an intimate theater show in every market, too.

See Josh Bradley’s weekly roundup of new, postponed and canceled concerts below.— Ray Roa

The Rusty Wright Band (Album Release) Friday, Oct. 7. 8 p.m. $10. Union Hall, Lakeland

Shieldsie (album release) w/MTVH1N1/ Romeo Blu/Cabo Boing Saturday, Oct. 8. 7 p.m. $10. Born Free Pub & Grill, Tampa

Call Me Karizma w/Faangs/Astrus/Sky Keyz Sunday, Oct. 9. 6 p.m. $16-$60. Brass Mug, Tampa

Free Abortion On Demand Without Apology: Hovercar/The Jackettes Thursday, Oct. 13. 8 p.m. $8 suggested donation. Crowbar, Ybor City

Coppertail Brewing Co. 8th Anniversary Party feat. Magic City Hippies/The Nude Party/Miroux/more TBA Saturday, Oct. 15. 3 p.m. No cover. Coppertail Brewing Co., Ybor City

Ronny Elliott w/Rebekah Pulley & Rob Pastore/Steve Connelly/Walt Bucklin Friday, Oct. 21. 8 p.m. $15. Music Hall at New World Brewery, Tampa

Shadow Of Intent w/Enterprise Earth/ Inferi/Wormhole Thursday, Oct. 27. 6 p.m. $15. Orpheum, Tampa

Guavatron (opening for Spafford) Thursday, Nov. 17. 8 p.m. $20. Crowbar, Ybor City

Undeath w/200 Stab Wounds/ Phobophilic/Enforced Sunday, Nov. 20. 6:30 p.m. $20. Orpheum, Tampa

Dominic Fike Monday, Nov. 21. 6:30 p.m. Prices TBA. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg

Slothrust Thursday, Dec. 1. 6 p.m. $18. Orpheum, Tampa

97x NBT feat. TBA Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 3-4. 5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. Sunday. Prices TBA. Midflorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa

Covet Wednesday, Dec. 7. 6:30 p.m. $20. Orpheum, Tampa

US 103.5 Country Jam feat. Chris Young/Jelly Roll/more TBA Wednesday, Dec. 7. 8 p.m. $103.50. Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa

Bendigo Fletcher w/TBA Friday, Dec. 9. 8 p.m. $12. Crowbar, Ybor City

Riot Ten w/Jiqui/Madgrrl/Bernzikial/ Blxk Mntn Friday, Dec. 16. 10 p.m. $15. The Ritz, Ybor City

R&B Music Experience feat. Xscape/ Bell Biv DeVoe/Dru Hill/Tamar Braxton/112/H-Town/Next Saturday, Dec. 17. 8 p.m. $65 & up. Amalie Arena, Tampa

Marc Broussard Wednesday, Jan. 11. 8 p.m. $20-$40. Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater

The Manhattan Transfer w/The Diva Jazz Orchestra Saturday, Jan. 14. 8 p.m. $53-$78. Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater

John Oates w/Guthrie Trapp Thursday, Jan. 19. 8 p.m. $43 & up. Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg

Jimmy Webb Friday, Feb. 3. 8 p.m. $29.50$44.50. Central Park Performing Arts Center, Largo

Dave Mason Saturday, Feb. 4. 8 p.m. $39.50$99.50. Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater

TobyMac w/Crowder/Cochren & Co./ Tasha Layton/Jon Reddick/Terrian Sunday, Feb. 5. 7 p.m. $19.75 & up. Amalie Arena, Tampa

John Mellencamp Monday-Wednesday, Feb. 13-15. 8 p.m. $53.25 & up. Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater

Cancellations/reschedules

Luke Bryan at Midflorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Oct. 1 Postponed to 11/5

Sevendust w/Animosity at Jannus Live, Sept. 29 Canceled

You’re a star

By Caroline DeBruhl

Dear Oracle, I’m a mom of three kids all under four years old. I had to give up my career to become a stay-at-home mom, and while I love my babies, I miss me. I feel lost, and like I’ll never achieve a purpose other than Mothering. Will I ever find my path to happiness?—More

Than A Mother

Cards: Ten of Wands (reversed), The Seeker, The Star, Temperance

Dear More, yours is an old problem, one felt by countless mothers that came before you. In 1963, Berry Friedan called it “the problem that has no name” in her book The Feminine Mystique and described how women are dismissed or shamed if they voice their concerns that they feel like something is missing in their life and that something is themselves.

Identity is not a trivial thing. The questions “Who am I?” and “What is my purpose?” are how we ended up with philosophy, religion, psychol ogy, and culture as a whole. It is astoundingly important, and to lose it is a heavy burden, which we see here in the Ten of Wands. Being reversed, I suspect you’ve felt lost for some time now, but with The Seeker, it’s clear that you’re trying to find yourself again. This might be a long journey, but you know it’s an important one.

I can’t offer a lot of specifics about how to come back to yourself. I won’t tell you to join a book club or take up painting because that’s superficial. You can’t hobby your way out of existential longing. I will, of course, recommend therapy and suggest that you specifically seek out a therapist who’s also a mother. But the two other cards do offer some guidance.

Identity is two-pronged; it’s both who we are alone and who we are to others, and this shows up in both The Star and Temperance. The Star shows a woman pouring water on the land (the conscious) and the sea (the unconscious). We have to have a rich inner world to give to the outer, and that comes from feeding the imagination... which often requires us to be mindfully alone. I don’t mean going on a Target run by your lone some. I mean taking a walk for an hour without any music and letting yourself be curious. I know asking a mother of three tiny children to be alone is a tall order, but it might also be the only way to hear yourself think.

Temperance is also a card about balance, but more so about reciprocity. Temperance is an earthy mama who gives herself to the world, and the world happily gives itself back. You spend most of your days with your children. That rela tionship isn’t reciprocal because 1.) it’s never the child’s job to be the emotional confidant of the parent, and 2.) they’re literally babies who need you to survive. That playing field will never be even—nor should it!

What you need are other adults who can give back to you emotionally, intellectually, and (for lack of a better term) spiritually. You need relationships that make you feel like “you” in the most authentic way. This might be social and involve your pre-mother hood friendships. This might be artistic and involve a creative community. Or it might be work. This might be solved if you return to your career.

With the lack of affordable childcare in this county, that might be financially impossible, but I think it’s worth having that conversation with your partner.

doesn’t always feel like a lover. The thought of being without him feels lonely but also liberat ing. Please help.—A Leo Stuck in A Paradox

Cards: Seven of Wands, Six of Cups, Two of Pentacles

Dear Leo, there’s often a false dichotomy in love stories: a relationship can either be safe, stable, and dull, or it can be fiery, passionate, and dramatic. This is, of course, untrue. If Gomez and Morticia Addams taught us anything, it’s that it’s possible to have a stable, loving home where you can still tango ’til you’re sore.

ORACLE OF YBOR

While I can’t tell you what your path to hap piness will be, I do think you’ll find it. It takes strength to look for something more, and I believe that strength will carry you home to yourself.

Dear Oracle, I’ve been with my Capricorn BF for almost five years. He’s my best friend but

Judging by the cards and your question, I’d say the relationship is pretty stable. Two of Pentacles is a multitasking dream. Money is good, there’s balance in the home, things are going “well.” Then we have the safe haven Six of Cups, a nostalgic and childlike place of love and security. Five years is a long time to be with someone, and you two probably “grew up” while together. (You certainly went through a global pandemic together.) Seeing these two cards together, I’d venture that everything in

the relationship is “fine.” It’s nice. If it were a utensil, it’d be a spoon.

But that doesn’t mean you’re happy. Seven of Wands is a turning point; even if there’s not a glaring problem, something needs to change. This does not necessarily mean you two should break up, but it does mean that you should be honest with yourself about your wants and desires. You mention that Capricorn is your best friend but not always “a lover.” Do you want a more passionate relationship? What would that look like? What are some of Cap’s desires for the relationship?

The only way to figure out if you two are dancing to the same beat is to talk, either by yourselves or with a therapist. Who knows?

Cap might want the same things you do, and your relationship can grow in an exciting new direction. Or… he might not. You might end up parting ways. People can grow to want differ ent things, and that isn’t anyone’s fault. It just happens. Before you decide anything, talk and listen. Whatever happens, dear Leo, I wish you a future with love, happiness, and plenty of tango.

Send your questions for the Oracle to ora cle@cltampa.com or DM @theyboracle on In stagram

Fair shares

By Dan Savage

There is more to this week’s Savage Love. To read the entire column, go to savage.love.

Forty-two-year-old dad here. I’ve been mar ried for 12 years, and my marriage has been somewhat turbulent. But after some affairs— one where my wife screwed my best friend—and therapy, we reconnected, righted ourselves, and started a wonderful family. We both identify as bisexual now, and we are ethically non-monoga mous. My question is this: my wife never seeks out other lovers, but I often do. She thinks looking for sex on apps is gross and won’t try it. She did recently suggest we become poly—that we date other couples together—only to shut that down after one date with another couple. She also kind of slut-shames me when I ask permission to hook up or date someone else. She wants to be open in theory, but she seems to be against it in practice. We communicate well and she continues to give me permission (but always after shaming me), and I check in regularly only to have her act annoyed when I inform her of each new adventure. I am not sure what to do.—Often Practicing Ethical Non-monogamy

the kid(s), it’s possible that your wife is annoyed with you and you’re reading her annoyance as slut-shaming.

And if you proposed opening up the rela tionship and she agreed to it—after she fucked your best friend—maybe she doesn’t feel free to say no when you ask for permission to fuck someone else, which could also leave your wife annoyed. Annoyance that, again, you could be read ing as slut-shaming.

SAVAGE LOVE

At any rate, OPEN, if I were married to some one who agreed to open the relationship but who seemed annoyed or upset or slut-shamed me whenever I asked for their OK to go fuck someone else, I would have a few questions for my spouse: Do they want an open relationship at all? Did they ever? Do they still? And if they did and still do, would they prefer a DADT (“don’t

ask, don’t tell”) arrangement over a TMFE (“tell me fucking everything”) arrangement?

I think a few check-in/check-up sessions with your couples’ counselor are in order here. Maybe your wife’s feelings have changed, after having a kid (or kids). Or maybe your wife—cheater though she was—would prefer a monogamous relationship after all. Or, hey, maybe your wife is happy for you to fuck other people but would like to see—at least while your kids are young— you dial back your adventuring and dial up your dadding.

But I can only speculate. Your wife knows. Ask her.

My wife likes to suck cock. But not my cock. She finds the act degrading “in a sexy way,” and the “vibe” is all wrong with me, she says, because we love each other too much. We have a wonderful, loving, and creative sex life oth erwise. (And, yes, I eat her pussy.) She has my OK to suck off other men, which happens once or twice a year, and I have her OK to get sucked off by other women, which never

happens. Finding men who want no-stringsattached blowjobs from a hot married woman is obviously easier than finding women who want to give no-strings-attached blowjobs to married men. We live in a very gay part of the Los Angeles area. I’m 100% straight and not the least bit bisexual. But more than once I’ve been offered a blowjob by gay men at my gym (the locker room is a scene), and I’ve honestly been tempted to close my eyes and think about it being a woman. My wife isn’t comfortable with the idea because she thinks gay men are likelier to have STIs and she doesn’t want me bringing anything home. I think she’s being a bigot. Seeking Understandable Compromise Knowing Erections Rarely Sucked

I hope the guys lining up to suck your cock at the gym will forgive me for this…

Go to savage.love to read the rest. Send mail to questions@savagelove.net, listen to the Savage Lovecast, and follow @FakeDanSavage on Twitter.

Has it occurred to you that maybe… just maybe… your wife doesn’t wanna hear about each and every one of your adventures? Or any of them? I mean, it seems clear to me she doesn’t want to hear about them. It’s all right there in your letter: your wife doesn’t enjoy discussing your dates, your hookups, your adventures, etc., and yet you persist in asking her and telling her.

You mention “some affairs” earlier in your marriage, OPEN, back before you came out to each other as bisexual and opened your relation ship. But you only share the details of one: your wife fucked your best friend. That had to hurt. I’m glad you two got into therapy, managed to work through the fallout, got to a better place, and decided to start a family together. But I feel like I don’t have all the relevant information here—like whose idea opening up was (yours?) and your wife’s state of mind when she agreed (guilt-racked?)—which means I have no choice but to speculate…

You’ve been married for 12 years, you started a family sometime after that turbulent period, which means your kid or kids are still young and may be very young. Your wife could be interested in other sex partners but lacks the energy for them right now, seeing as she’s doing… judging from your letter… way more than her fair share of the parenting. I mean, if you’re constantly running off on dates and hookups and having adventures and leaving her home alone with