CONTRIBUTORS Josh Bradley, Julia Saad, Abram Scharf, Arielle Stevenson, David Warner
PHOTOGRAPHERS Dave Decker
POLITICAL CARTOONIST Bob Whitmore
FALL INTERNS Riley Benson, Anthony Ozdemir
Creative Services
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jack Spatafora
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Joe Frontel
ILLUSTRATORS Dan Perkins, Cory Robinson
Advertising
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Anthony Carbone, Scott Zepeda
Events and Marketing
MARKETING, PROMOTIONS AND EVENTS DIRECTOR Leigh Wilson
MARKETING, PROMOTIONS AND EVENTS COORDINATOR Kristin Bowman Circulation
CIRCULATION MANAGER Ted Modesta
Chava Communications Group
FOUNDER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Michael Wagner
CO-FOUNDER, CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER
Cassandra Yardeni Wagner
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Graham Jarrett
VP OF OPERATIONS Hollie Mahadeo
DIRECTOR OF AGENCY SERVICES
Kelsey Molina
SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Meradith Garcia
DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL CONTENT STRATEGY
Colin Wolf
ART DIRECTOR David Loyola
DIGITAL OPERATIONS COORDINATOR Jaime Monzon chavagroup.com cltampabay.com cldeals.com
EDITORIAL POLICY — Creative Loafing Tampa Bay is a publication covering public issues, the arts and entertainment. In our pages appear views from across the political and social spectrum. They do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher.
Creative Loafing Tampa is published by Tampa Events & Media, LLC, 633 N Franklin St., Suite 735. Tampa, Florida, 33602.
The physical edition is available free of charge at locations throughout Tampa Bay and online at cltampabay.com. Copyright 2023, Tampa Events and Media, LLC.
The newspaper is produced and printed on Indigenous land belonging to Tampa Bay’s Tocobaga and Seminole tribes.
Mitchell Roofing Company is family owned & operated, located in St. Petersburg, Florida. Chris Mitchell is a Florida native and is a USF Alumni. We’re a small company with low overhead and therefore LOW COSTS! The standard and quality of each and every job is insured. We are dedicated to our customer’s complete satisfaction. We are always here to answer your questions and are prepared to start your job when you are, from emergency roof leaks to planning the replacement of your old roofing materials. Mitchell Roofing Company uses the highest quality roofing products for extended life and a great warranty. We provide your home with the ultimate protection with durable roofing materials to withstand wind and rain and are energy efficient!
At your service
Photos by Dave Decker
He may be retired from the ring, but Thaddeus Bullard (aka WWE superstar Titus O’Neil) did his part to put the smackdown on hunger last Saturday when he and an army of volunteers spent the day at Sligh Middle Magnet School’s Thaddeus M. Bullard Academy. Cars lined up as the team loaded ham, turkey, and boxes of food from Metropolitan Ministries and other partners into trunks and backseats are part of the day’s “Thankful To Serve” initiative. See more photos via cltampa.com/slideshows.—Ray Roa
do this
Tampa Bay's best things to do from Nov. 28 - Dec. 05
Showing face
Thanksgiving is a good day to share important life news with family, and a few years ago Sadie Dingfelder told her dad that he might have a rare neurological disorder known as prosopagnosia, also known as faceblindness. Pops, a former Tampa City Councilman (and in full disclosure, this writer’s middle school science teacher), brushed it off as Sadie being “spacy” and reminded her that you don’t have to know who someone is to have a conversation with them. It was enough to get Sadie—a science journalist and former features editor at the Washington Post—by, and she’ll spend the afternoon talking with WFLA’s Jeff Paterson about what it was like growing up secretly neurodivergent in Tampa in conjunction with the release of her new book, “Do I Know You?”
Sadie Dingfelder: Tuesday, Dec. 3. 7 p.m. No cover. Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library, 3910 S Manhattan Ave., Tampa. sadied.com—Ray Roa
All of the lights
The holidays are upon us, which means it won’t be cold, but there will be millions of twinkly lights, and Tampa Bay has some good ones. Since not all displays are equal, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay has listed a few of the better spots to get into the holiday spirit this season. Highlights include several spots in St. Petersburg including the Oakdale Christmas Lights Display, St. Pete Pier, Straub Park (pictured), and more. See the full list via cltampa.com/slideshows.—Riley Benson
Gwanucopia
The Bay area music scene has always been something to be thankful for, and it’s even cooler to see the Gwan Massive collective—which goes back just about two decades—still out there rocksteadying after reuniting over the summer for a Fourth of July gig in downtown Tampa. The crew—which hops around genres while staying rooted in reggae, rap and soul—celebrates another holiday, this time in Ybor City, for a postTurkey day gwanning. A handful of bands—including Tampa rapper Jinx, pictured, who just released his first album in seven years—are on the bill alongside Funk N Tings' DJs Blenda and Shafiq, local artists and grub from Jam Dish. Gwansgiving w/Gwan Massive/Tribal Style/ Shelby Sol/The Rukus/ Jinx/more: Saturday, Nov. 30. 7 p.m. $10-$12.49. Crowbar, 1812 N 17th St., Ybor City. crowbarybor.com —Ray Roa
Life’s wonderful
A sense of community drives the professionals at Tampa Repertory Theater. “The whole mission of the company for years has been, ‘Come together with Tampa Rep,’” says Managing Artistic Producer Jim Sorensen. “It’s a Wonderful Life” he says, is a chance for the community to come together to hear a story that reminds us, “No man is a failure who has friends.” He knows the story well. Sorensen starred as George in two of those aforementioned American Stage radio-style productions (pictured). He’s content to remain behind the scenes for this one, though. Colleen Cherry—who played Mary in three of those AmStage shows—takes the reins as director. Read more, and see a full holiday theater preview on p. 47.
‘It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play’: Select dates Dec. 5-23. $13-$61. Tampa Rep at David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Shimberg Playhouse, 1010 N Macinnes Pl., Tampa, tamparep.org—David Warner
Consume (locally)
Consumerism and gift-giving care not about your economic woes, and if you have to buy stuff for the holidays, you might as well do it locally, and from local makers. This weekend kicks off a slew of Bay area markets including the Friday Christmasween Market in St. Pete’s Historic Roser Park, the two-day Shopapalooza in Vinoy Park, Saturday’s Seminole Heights Holiday Shop Hop, Indie Flea’s Cuban Club debut, and more. Get a listing of local markets happening this weekend and in the coming weeks by visiting cltampa.com/arts.—Ray Roa
Happy horror days
If your kid is a piece of shit, or just loves freaky monsters, it’s time to introduce them to Krampus. The German, horned holiday icon is pretty much St. Nick’s right hand and is deployed to punish baddies with his birch rod. Tampa’s Seminole Heights neighborhood has long embraced the folk legend, and will continue the tradition at Krampusnacht where the half-goat, half-demon is the star of a three-hour celebration that includes a holiday gift market, cello tunes from Best of the Bay-winning musician Melissa Grady, holiday ales and hot mulled wine. And if you need more Krampus in your life, the German American Society of Pinellas County, hosts another Krampus market next Saturday, Dec. 7. Links to the events are at cltampa.com/arts.
Krampusnacht 2024: Next Thursday, Dec. 5. 6 p.m. No cover. Independent Bar and Cafe, 5016 N Florida Ave., Tampa. independentbartampa.com—Ray Roa
Infinite hope
Six organizations o ering light in an increasingly dark world.
By Ray Roa and Julia Saad
Anyone with values rooted in decency, truth and equal rights didn’t have much hope to cling to on Election Night. But on the Friday after Donald Trump took back the White House, Bree Wallace, in her own pointed and no-fuss nature, offered something of a condolence prize.
“These politicians are never coming to save us,” she told WMNF public affairs program The Skinny, adding that connecting to, and knowing, your community, are going to be paramount in the days to come.
She was blunt about the intentions of Democrats who didn’t take advantage of supermajorities during the Clinton and Obama years and codify Roe v. Wade—the landmark U.S. Supreme Court that moreor-less guaranteed access to abortion.“We are the only people that are going to keep us safe,” she said.
dollars, the organization seems poised to use its apparatus not to help raise money for local abortion funds, but instead tackle mounting legal fees in its fight with the State of Florida. All that combined with the fluctuating nature of donations to abortion funds will only make Wallace’s job harder.
But surrounded by pro-choice posters (”Everyone loves someone who had an abortion,” “Abortion access is a community responsibility”) plus more radical signage (“Nobody’s free until everybody’s free,” “Fuck SCOTUS, we’re doing it anyway”), she is resolute and clear about her choice to avoid hand-wringing over policy and politics—and just get to work.
LOCAL NEWS
Tampa Bay Abortion Fund Benefit Show w/The Abortion Twins/Moon Thing/Human Error/more. Saturday, Nov. 30. 5 p.m. $10 Deviant Libation. 3800 N Nebraska Ave., Tampa. deviantlibation.com
Wallace knows what she’s talking about. For the last two years, the 27-yearold has been Director of Case Management at Tampa Bay Abortion Fund (TBAF).
In this month’s general election, Florida’s Amendment 4—which would have effectively killed the state’s six-week ban and allowed abortion up to viability—needed to flip roughly 301,084 “no” votes to “yes” to pass the state’s unusually-high 60% threshold for approval.
From a busy desk in her Tampa bedroom, Wallace—who also operates the Tampa Period Pantry which provides free menstrual products across the city—will instead spend the foreseeable future connecting often scared young people with healthcare that could potentially save their lives. Depending on how far a pregnant-person must travel from the Bay area, the cost for an abortion can fluctuate between $500-$20,000 (as previously reported, the closest state to legally access abortion past 12 weeks of pregnancy is Virginia, more than 700 miles away).
Florida Phoenix reported that since Florida’s six-week ban went into effect last May, TBAF had pledged $401,000 to cover the costs of the procedure and travel for 739 people. And while the Yes On 4 Campaign raised more than $104 million
Getting it done, after all, is something that Wallace saw her mom do growing up.
“She’s very giving,” Wallace, a lifelong Tampeña, said about the single parent who created a good life for her with a cleaning business.
Now, Wallace assists others in getting their own lives in order—in many ways, pulling hope out of despair. “I always wanted to help people,” she added. And to do that, Wallace is now going to need all the help she can get.
Refugee and Migrant Women Initiative
Florence Ackey sees immigration in a very simple way: The eggplant theory.
“A vegetable I rarely used, but after meeting women from Syria, Somalia and even Ukraine, I now have seven different ways to eat an eggplant,” Ackey told CL. “Same eggplant, but I opened my mind instead of thinking that they would just eat all my eggplant.”
According to the United States Census, Florida is home to 21% of the country’s immigrant population. Around 82,700 Floridian citizens are believed to be refugees, those seeking shelter from displacement, according to the American Immigration Council. Ackey was one of the first people refugees saw when arriving in Tampa Bay. As a health specialist, she provided them with medical care, but always worried about their “invisible wounds.”
“That feeling of isolation and depression.” Ackey said. “I had one lady in particular that
kept coming back, despite not speaking the same language, just to talk to me.”
Ackey started visiting her every Wednesday. And every time the room had more people, trying to communicate with pictures and hand signs. This sense of community prompted her to found the Refugee and Migrant Women Initiative (RAMWI). “All they wanted were resources to be able to give back to the community that welcomed them,” she said.
President-Elect Donald Trump has campaigned for “Mass deportation” of immigrants across the country.
“They are taking your jobs. Every job produced in this country last year, over the last two years has gone to illegal aliens. Every job, think of it,” Trump said in a North Carolina rally last September.
Ackey said fear is the biggest fuel to the narrative.
“When you don’t understand them and you allow those misconceptions to dictate policy, it becomes a dangerous thing. I always say, we are afraid of what we don’t know,” Ackey said. “I see all these immigration policies, all saying ‘just send them back’.”
Despite the anti-immigration dialogue, Ackey said she pushes for them to participate and be active. According to the American Immigration Council, immigrants make up about 27% of Florida’s workforce and pay $42.5 Billion in federal taxes, including undocumented immigrants.
This holiday season, Ackey said she hopes people remember that people are more than their immigration or refugee status.
“If we don’t embrace diversity, it is a disfavor to our communities,” she said. “When we hosted a multicultural Thanksgiving luncheon, we realized we all have the same message in those communities: Help the vulnerable and love your neighbor.”
Pinellas Democratic Socialists of America
Dissolution with the Democratic party has grown in the wake of the election, and one place you can see it for yourself is at a chapter meeting for your local Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Alec Wilcosky, an organizer for the Pinellas County DSA told CL that the number of his chapter’s dues paying members has grown continued on page 19
TG4TBAF: Bree Wallace runs Tampa Bay Abortion Fund and Tampa Period Pantry from her bedroom.
by 13% in just the last month; DSA has also added nearly 5,000 new members nationwide since Nov. 5. The first Pinellas DSA orientation meeting since the election felt weird, too.
“We were outnumbered—new and future members to current members—so that was really exciting growth to see,” he added. Wilcosky, who helped organize a winning campaign for Richie Floyd, St. Pete’s first openly-sociallist city councilmember in a century, said that folks across the county are seeing that DSA is a viable alternative to just voting for the “D” every two years.
“They’re learning what it means to become an organizer for the first time in their lives,” he said. He knows that folks went to Trump because the Democrats offered no real vision or solution to their pocketbook issues. That opened voters up to fear mongering about immigrants and other issues that split the working class. He knows DSA can win them over.
“You can help people plot a path forward for improving their lives,” he said. That might mean forming a union at their workplace or working on less polarizing issues. “The repugnance of Trumpism can all be overcome, I think, through the shared struggle of the working class.”
There are a handful of opportunities to connect with Pinellas DSA over the next week-and-a-half, including a holiday game night next Friday, Dec. 6 at St. Pete’s Allendale United Methodist Church, which also hosts the chapter’s general meeting on Sunday, Dec. 8. More information is at pinellasdsa.org.
Current Initiatives
For a decade and a half, Jason Sowell has been a hope dealer. To date, the Tampeño’s Laundry Project—operated as part of his Current Initiatives nonprofit—has served more than 2.5 million families who’ve seen the initiative wash more than 2.5 million pounds of laundry in 18 different states. Last October, in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, Sowell—a chaplain with the Tampa Police Department— teamed up with the City of Tampa to help wash folks’ clothes for free. For the holidays, Current Initiatives sets its sights on Affordable Christmas—a shopping event for lower-income and working-class families who show up to buy new gifts—everything from toys to tablets—for no more than $10 per item. On Monday-Tuesday, Dec. 2-3, from noon-4 p.m. at 2915 N Blvd. in Tampa, Storch Group, which is co-sponsoring Affordable Christmas 2024 alongside Ryan Jensen’s Gilk homebuilder group, invites the community to a holiday open house where they’ll connect new unwrapped toys (retail value $30 & up) and also signup additional sponsors for $50-$500. More information is at @engagecurrent on Facebook.
Queer Expressions
In just two years, the tenacious organizers of Queer Expressions St. Pete have created a
(EGG) PLANTING SEEDS: Florence Ackey of the Refugee and Migrant Women Initiative.
fiercely safe place to be nonbinary in the Bay area. Defiantly not nonprofit (the organization believes that 501c3s neutralize radical practices in exchange for mass palatability), the grassroots organization is entirely volunteer-run and leans the work of students and working class people in its mission to introduce community “to the restorative effects of contemplative and creative practices.” At its substance-free community space, Queer Expressions hosts its next Let Kids Be Kids play sessions for gender nonconforming kiddos and queer/trans families next Saturday, Dec. 7 and again on Jan. 18 and Feb. 1. Adults looking to connect and unwind can take part in Sip ‘N Stitch nights, which happen this week on Monday, Dec. 2, and again on Dec. 16, Jan. 13 and Jan. 27. More information is at queerexpression.org.
WellBuilt Bikes
From inside Tampa’s University Mall, WellBuilt Bikes helps the neighborhood get moving, and in a community where public transportation options are criminally under-funded, a bike can go a long way in helping someone keep a job and have a chance at getting by. The nonprofit, full-service shop and retail center— open five days a week for sales and repairs, plus Sunday for intake—relies on donations to help it offer low-cost (sometimes free) repairs and refurbished bikes that can even by purchased via the “Earn-A-Bike” program.
“... we strive to make sure that everyone in Tampa, regardless of income, is able to access the benefits of transportation, community, exercise, and everything else that comes from biking,” the shop, founded in 2017 and located at 12256 University Mall Ct. in Tampa, wrote. More information is at wellbuilt-bikes.company.site.
• Inactivity reduces flexibility.
• Repetitive muscle overuse in sports like tennis, golf, and running also decreases flexibility.
Why Stretching?
• Stretching helps to enhance mobility and range of motion, speed up recovery, and improve posture and circulation.
• Accidents, injuries, or surgery can lead to loss of mobility.
• Top athletes regularly incorporate stretching into their lives.
• Stretching improves your general wellbeing.
Full count
After bond votes, the Tampa Bay Rays’ future in St. Pete is in peril again.
By Arielle Stevenson
What seemed like a done deal this summer— the Rays-Hines baseball stadium proposal and the Gas Plant Redevelopment project—now faces an uncertain future.
Last Tuesday, the Pinellas County Commission voted 6-1 to delay the vote on bonds necessary to finalize the deal until Dec. 17.
Hours before the meeting, the Tampa Bay Rays sent a letter to the Board of County Commissioners, blaming the delay on the county’s “failure to finalize” the bonds required to secure a 2028 stadium opening. The letter warned that pushing the vote would delay the opening to 2029, significantly increasing costs. “We didn’t vote to kill the deal, nor should a three-week delay in a 30-plus-year commitment be a deal killer,” said Brian Scott, Vice Chair of the County Commission, during the meeting.
Tropicana Field, leading to the Rays’ recent decision to play its 2025 home games in Tampa.
Just weeks after the St. Petersburg City Council voted 5-3 to spend roughly $417 million to help build the new stadium, the city faced more than $55 million in repair costs for a stadium slated to be demolished and rebuilt within three years.
LOCAL NEWS
Earlier this month, Republicans overturned two key county commission seats: newcomer Vince Nowicki beat longtime Democrat Charlie Justice, and Chris Scherer won against Democrat and former Indian Rocks Beach Mayor Cookie Kennedy.
Sworn in just 24 hours before Tuesday’s meeting, the new commissioners expressed reservations about voting on the bonds without more information.
Scott said he had spoken with Rays’ principal owner, Stuart Sternberg, after the initial delay in October. Sternberg expressed concerns over revenue projections and cost estimates, saying the team was “on the hook for the cost overruns.”
Scott interpreted this as a signal that the Rays might reconsider their commitment. “At this point, you can only conclude one of a couple of things: either Sternberg wants out of the deal, he wants to renegotiate, or he wants to pin the failure on the County Commission— particularly on our newest members,” Scott said.
Scott urged the commission to honor its commitments, emphasizing that the bonds would be issued once the Rays deposited $100 million into an escrow account.
St. Petersburg City Councilmember Deborah Figgs-Sanders.
St. Petersburg City Administrator Rob Gerdes said the city is focusing on quickly repairing Tropicana Field. When asked if the Rays might never return to Tropicana Field, Gerdes suggested the possibility of a settlement allowing both parties to exit their current agreement.
“We’ve been knocked down a whole bunch.”
“Let Sternberg own the failure. Why should we own that failure?” Scott said.
It’s been an unusual road to last week’s vote.
Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused widespread damage in Pinellas County and postponed bond votes initially scheduled for October. Milton, in particular, tore the roof off
“We have tens of thousands of people in our county and cities whose lives have been destroyed,” Scherer said. “A true partner would understand this community needs to evaluate our damages and future financial commitments.”
Kathleen Peters, Pinellas Board of County Commissioner Chair, described the Rays deal as “transformative” for the region, pointing to its potential long-term financial benefits, including keeping taxes low.
“If the City of St. Petersburg hated this so much, the Chairman of their Council was the face of this deal, and a landslide re-elected her,” Peters said, referencing the recent reelection of
The Rays’ future in the Bay area became even more uncertain two days later after a pair of votes from St. Petersburg City Council. One 5-2 vote postponed a decision to issue bonds for the city’s nearly $288 million commitment to helping the Rays pay for a new stadium and another $142 million for infrastructure in the proposed Gas Plant District redevelopment. That vote will now happen no later than Jan. 9. Another unanimous vote pumped the breaks on the City of St. Petersburg spending just under $24 million to help fix the Trop’s roof.
At city hall last Thursday, Rays co-president Brian Auld said the club could no longer make the terms of the last stadium deal work and said he is focused on doing everything he can to keep the Rays in the Bay area.
“We’ve been working on it for 20 years. We’ve been knocked down a whole bunch. This one might hurt the worst,” he added.
BLOWN OUT: Rays leadership said it can no longer make terms of the last stadium deal work.
Border battle
State lawmakers and activists on what Trump deportations might look like.
By Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix
Floridians of all political stripes are gearing up for what President-elect Donald Trump has promised will be the largest deportation effort in American history when he returns to the White House in January.
Thomas Kennedy is a spokesperson for the Florida Immigrant Coalition. He takes Trump’s words seriously but says that there are considerable roadblocks ahead for the president-elect to fully fulfill his promises.
“One is the budget and resources,” he said. “They’re going to have to hire a lot more agents — ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement], CBP [Customs and Border Enforcement], and immigration enforcement substantially to carry this out.”
Another problem will be whether the governments of Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua accept citizens sent back by the U.S. government.
“These are geopolitical opponents of the United States, and they are not going to accept those deportation flights,” he told this reporter on WMNF radio last Friday. “And deportation flights can’t land in a foreign country unless they are allowed to land by that foreign country. So, we can expect foreign policy jockeying negotiations from those countries if they want to carry out those deportations.”
Miami and has represented the 108th District in the Florida House since 2018. She says she’s worried for the Haitian American migrants in her community. “How that’s going to play out within the Haitian American remains to be seen,” Joseph said.
“We know that [Trump] has said that he wants to eliminate TPS, not just for Haitian Americans but basically all Black and brown countries. Which is problematic, especially for people who were recipients of the humanitarian parole program, specifically people from Haiti, Venezuela, and I think Nicaragua. So that’s going to impact our community from South Florida and throughout Florida altogether. So, a lot of it is a bunch of question marks right now and how much latitude Congress and the courts will give him.”
STATE NEWS
TPS stands for Temporary Protected Status, created by Congress in 1990 to provide a temporary immigration status to nationals of specifically designated countries that are confronting an ongoing armed conflict, environmental disaster, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
“It’s yet to be seen what specifically he wants to do,” added North Miami Democratic House Rep. Dotie Joseph.“The concept of having these mass deportations is going to be significant, and they’re going to have to re-work a lot of things to make it happen. From my review of Project 2025, it seems more of a mass detention program than a mass deportation program initially, which is problematic. They’re seeking to change some of the procedural due process things that we have in place and some of the requirements that are existing.”
There are currently 16 countries designated for TPS in the United States—Afghanistan, Burma, Cameroon, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Yemen.
Pinellas County Republican Florida House member Berny Jacques was also born in Haiti, but he has a different take on the issue.
“It’s yet to be seen what specifically he wants to do.”
Tom Homan, President-elect Trump’s choice for “border czar,” has acknowledged that ICE may have to detain some undocumented immigrants for weeks.
“What people don’t understand is we can’t just put [them on] a plane,” he said, according to a report from ABC News. “There’s a process we have to go through. You have to contact the country, they have to agree to accept them, then they got to send you travel documents. And that takes several days to several weeks. So, we need detention assets.”
Haitian Americans and more Joseph was born in Haiti and raised in Miami. She now works as an attorney in North
“Mass deportations is a policy proposal that was central to Donald Trump’s campaign,” he told the Phoenix in a text message. “The American people and Floridians gave President Trump a resounding victory, and they expect him to follow through with the deportations. I support it and stand ready to help it.”
According to the Associated Press VoteCast exit poll of Florida voters, 23% considered immigration the second most important issue going into the election, trailing only the economy.
First target
Trump has promised to remove millions of undocumented immigrants during his presidency, but border czar Homan has said that the first target will be those who have committed crimes.
“I think they’re putting together a plan that includes all of the protections that have been voiced and that’s a plan that prioritizes those who are being held in jails right now for criminal acts that they’ve committed here in the United States,” said Deb Tamargo, former president of the Florida Federation of Republican Women.
Pinellas County U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican who has been critical of the Biden-Harris administration regarding immigration, responded to questions from the Phoenix with an emailed statement:
“No family should go through what Laken Riley’s and many others have gone through, their children murdered by people who should not be here. Just last month, we saw three men arrested in our state of Florida for sexual crimes against a child,” Luna wrote.
“Mass illegal immigration has ravaged our country, and President Trump has a mandate from the people to secure our borders, apply our laws, and protect our communities. We are a country of law and order. It is not about politics. It is about putting Americans and their safety first. As the designated Border Czar, Tom Homan has clearly stated that they will begin the deportation of the over 10 million illegals allowed under Kamala’s watch and locate the over 300,000 missing migrant children lost by the Biden-Harris administration.”
(The 300,000 missing migrant children reference comes from an August report published
by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General, which faulted Immigration and Customs Enforcement for failing to consistently “monitor the location and status of unaccompanied migrant children” once they are released from federal government custody, the Associated Press reported. The story went on to say that “experts say it is a stretch to refer to roughly 300,000 children as “lost” or “missing.”).
Samuel Vilchez Santiago chairs the Orange County Democratic Party. He said there’s “broad agreement” that migrants with criminal convictions should be targeted, but that that’s not all that Donald Trump is talking about.
“He’s talked about doing that, but he’s also talked about getting rid of TPS, not only getting rid of the parole program that’s successfully lowered illegal border crossings, but he’s also talked about targeting and deporting those people on TPS,” he said. “He has talked about even denaturalizing citizens who are here legally and who have not committed crimes.”
During Trump’s first term in office, his Justice Department created a denaturalization program called “Operation Second Look” to investigate the citizenship of thousands of immigrants suspected of obtaining naturalization by fraud, misrepresentation, or deceit.
continued on page 29
JACQUES STRAPPED: Haitian-born Florida Rep. Berny Jacques said he’s ready to help Trump with deportations.
continued from page 27
Reluctance to comment
Any type of mass deportations could threaten the construction and agriculture industries in Florida, but the state’s new legislative leaders said this week that the issue is beyond their authority, and they were reluctant to comment on how that could play out.
“Any sort of immigration policy comes from the federal government,” House Speaker Daniel Perez told reporters in Tallahassee on Tuesday. “It’s for the federal government to decide. That’s a question that you should be asking the president.”
“The federal government is the federal government. State government is state government,” declared Senate President Ben Albritton on Tuesday.
“That’s a federal issue. My purview and my calling as of this morning when I was sworn in and voted in by my senators in this body was to oversee the operation of the Florida Senate. I don’t serve in the federal government. So, we can pontificate, I guess, all the time about it.”
Warning
in federal immigration policy. What is their plan to protect Floridians from these disastrous impacts?”
Florida Republicans weren’t willing to concede that immigration was just a federal issue in 2023, when the Legislature passed and Gov. Ron DeSantis signed what was considered at the time to be the strongest anti-illegal immigration bill in the country.
STATE NEWS
“The biggest consequence of that was it just created fear in immigrant communities,” said Vilchez.“A lot of people who were undocumented left this state but, even then, we’re talking about a mass deportation program that has been reported to potentially impact a million Floridians if not more, and that’s definitely going to have negative consequences in our state. I think in terms of consequences from SB 1718, combine that with a massive deportation program at the federal level, and we are talking about a worst-case scenario.”
Those answers were lacking, says one Florida Senate Democrat.
“If Trump implements the militarized mass deportation program as he has promised, it will have serious consequences for Florida’s families and economy, including family separations, labor disruptions, and declines in state revenue,” predicts Central Florida Democratic state Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith.
“Republican leaders can’t suddenly look the other way after years of state-level interference
The Phoenix has reached out to the governor’s office to ask his thoughts about the potential for mass deportations for undocumented immigrants. While some Democratic governors have said they will actively oppose such plans, in Texas the state land commissioner has offered a parcel of rural ranchland along the U.S.-Mexico border to use as a staging area for such deportations.
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com. Follow Florida Phoenix on Facebook and X.
STUPID GAMES: State Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith says Trump deportations could negatively affect Florida’s economy.
Premier Specialized MedicalCare in Your Community
through outreach, advocacy, education, and research.
Testing & Treatment
Prevention, Education & Outreach
Lab Draws
Linkage to Care Services
Patient
PrEP
Telehealth Services
Transportation Services
2349 Sunset Point Road
Suite #405
Clearwater, FL 33765
O ce: (727) 216-6193 ST. PETERSBURG
3251 3rd Ave N #125
St. Petersburg, FL 33713
O ce: (727) 498-4969
4758 Rowan Road New Port Richey, FL 34653 O ce: (727) 312-2040
408 7th Street West Palmetto, FL 34221 O ce: (941) 803-7939
2105 N Nebraska Ave. Tampa, FL 33602 O ce: (813) 769-7207
HAPPY HOUR AT AMSO
Monday - Friday, 4pm-7pm Saturday 3pm-6pm
$4, $5 & $6 Liquor, Beer & Wine
$8 Hand-Cra ed Cocktails
Hot mess
Trump
likely will abandon Biden’s plan to protect workers from extreme heat, experts say.
By McKenna Schueler
Just one day after a new Florida law took effect this summer that forbids local governments from passing local heat safety protections for workers, the Biden administration announced a new federal rule that would, for the first time, create a federal standard for heat safety in the workplace nationwide.
The rule, first proposed by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in 2021, seeks to protect millions of workers from the dangers of extreme heat on the job. It would require employers to provide basic needs, such as water and rest breaks, when temperatures exceed certain thresholds. Altogether, it could strengthen heat safety protections for roughly 35 million private-sector and federal workers in Florida who face increasingly oppressive temperatures during the year’s hottest months.
But that’s only if it sees the light of day. The rule will only go into effect if it is finalized by OSHA, the federal agency that enforces workplace health and safety rules. Under an administration run by President-elect Donald Trump, however, experts aren’t confident that this will happen. Employer-side law firms, like Fisher Phillips, expect the rule will simply “melt away” in what is expected to be a more businessfriendly political environment.
“The easiest thing that could happen, and probably the most likely, is they’ll just not work on it at all,” Jordan Barab, a former deputy assistant secretary of labor for OSHA under the Obama administration, told Orlando Weekly. “It’ll just sit there and kind of molder, you know, for the next few years, and not progress at all.”
Under Trump’s first stint in the White House, the Trump administration scaled back on federal inspections of worksites for health and safety violations, and the number of federal inspectors employed by OSHA dropped from from 952 in 2016 to 862 by January 2020. Inspectors are tasked with overseeing millions of U.S. worksites, and in states like Florida— which doesn’t have a state agency to enforce workplace safety rules—they’re the only enforcement mechanism around.
Not waiting around
Ernesto Ruiz, a researcher for the Farmworkers Association of Florida, told Orlando Weekly his organization is “very concerned” the incoming Trump administration will put an end to the Biden administration’s heat safety proposal, “thus ensuring that our most valuable and vulnerable workers, those deemed ‘essential’ during the COVID-19 pandemic, will continue to experience unjust and inhumane working conditions.”
“Their exploitation will continue so that greedy agro-industries continue to maximize their earnings, with little to no regard of the toll their greed has on communities throughout the country,” Ruiz said in a statement. Based in Central Florida, the Farmworker Association is a membership-based organization of over 10,000 Hispanic, Haitian and African American members who organize around social and economic justice issues affecting Florida’s diverse agricultural workforce.
And while the group supported the Biden administration’s proposal and has advocated for state-level protections in the state Legislature, the FAF also isn’t waiting for politicians to protect them.
Ruiz said the organization already distributes long-sleeve shirts and bandanas to farm and nursery workers in local communities who labor
Such fatal injuries occur close to home. Last September, a 26-year-old man from Mexico— legally working in the U.S. under the government’s H-2A program for temporary workers—died of heat-related causes while working on a sugarcane farm in South Florida. An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor found that the young man’s death was preventable, and could have been avoided if the employer had established rules to protect workers against heat-related hazards.
“This young man’s life ended on his first day on the job because his employer did not fulfill its duty to protect employees from heat exposure, a known and increasingly dangerous hazard,” said OSHA Area Director Condell Eastmond in a statement. According to OSHA, 50%-70% of heatrelated deaths occur during the first week of work, since workers haven’t yet acclimated to the heat.
The stakes of abandoning protective rules at the federal level are also high. If the Biden administration’s proposed rule is neglected, “More workers will die,” predicted Barab, who also formerly worked on workplace safety issues for the labor union AFSCME. “It’s that simple.”
A historic effort could be left in the dust
Although there is a general rule that OSHA enforces requiring employers to provide a workplace “free from recognized hazards” likely to cause serious injury or death, there is no federal workplace standard specific to extreme heat and heat-related illness.
Just six states in the country—California, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Maryland and
outside, to protect them from UV radiation and harmful pesticides. They hold heat-stress workshops to inform workers and community members about the dangers of heat illness, signs and symptoms, and steps to take if someone is suffering from a heat-related illness or injury. They’re not waiting for their employers to protect them, either.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 479 workers in the U.S. died from environmental heat exposure from 2011 to 2022. From 2011 to 2020, the agency identified an estimated 33,890 work-related heat injuries and illnesses that resulted in days off work.
Beyond just the risk of death, Ruiz adds that chronic extreme heat exposure can also lead to kidney disease, and cause other qualityof-life issues for workers. Someone who’s grown exhausted after a long day toiling under the sun will have less energy, less patience to spend time with family at home.
Ruiz doesn’t expect any action from Florida legislators at the state level next year.
“Florida is and has been an anti-worker state, so I don’t see any reason why the state government wouldn’t continue their anti-immigrant, anti-worker and pro-big business policies.”
“Their exploitation will continue…”
Minnesota—have established some form of statewide workplace heat safety regulation to protect workers from extreme heat.
Florida, one of the hottest states, is not one of them. And in effect, this leaves people such as construction workers, theme park workers and agricultural workers subject to whatever protections their individual employer deigns to offer—unless they’re represented by a union that can secure legally binding commitments on workplace safety, that is, but the majority of workers in Florida (94%) are not.
continued on page 37
SUN’S OUT: Roofers in Bradenton, Florida on June 9, 2024.
A recent report from the progressive Florida Policy Institute found that Florida has the highest numbers of heat-related illness in the U.S., based on the number of emergency room visits and hospitalizations in the state related to extreme heat. Three Orange County students at Ocoee Middle School were reportedly hospitalized in early September for heat-related illness, an incident attributed to a faulty airconditioning system at the school.
Leadership for the local teachers’ union has said this is a chronic problem that the school district has ignored, or otherwise failed to sufficiently address, despite the danger posed to both school staff and students.
“We’ve had entire schools where the AC is not working. And right now we’re in a situation where teachers can’t open their doors or their windows because of security,” said Orange County Classroom Teachers Association president Clinton McCracken at a recent press conference, referencing a new law approved by state lawmakers. “We have students who are too hot, not just teachers.”
There’s not much action by state lawmakers to address this occupational hazard either. Florida’s Republican-controlled Legislature in recent years has either rejected or otherwise ignored proposals for statewide heat safety rules in the past, and this year passed a law (HB 433) that prohibits local governments from establishing any sort of mandatory protective measures at the county or city level.
The bill was backed by business groups like the Chamber of Commerce, the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association, and the Associated Builders and Contractors, whose chief lobbyist described it as a top priority for the “business community.”
“I haven’t texted you in weeks—HEAT cannot die,” lobbyist Carol Bowen wrote in a text to the Florida House’s chief of staff on March 7, the night before the end of the 2024 legislative session. “The entire business community is in lock step on this.”
Labor and immigrant advocacy groups such as the Florida AFL-CIO, the Farmworker Association of Florida, and WeCount! opposed the bill, and called on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to veto it after its passage.
“The industry argument against local worker protection ordinances is that employers are already protecting their workers,” a letter signed by 44 organizations, and sent to DeSantis ahead of his approval of the bill, reads. “If this is the case, then, why are industry leaders concerned about a bill that can protect those workers whose employers may not be providing those protections? What is business afraid of if they are already doing the right thing?”
DeSantis, nonetheless, sided with the business community and signed it into law without offering any sort of statement. The law prohibits local governments from passing laws that mandate employers to address heat safety as well as fair scheduling, effective July 1, and will prohibit local officials from establishing or enforcing local living wage laws, effective Sept. 30, 2026.
The federal heat safety rule proposed by the Biden administration has similarly faced opposition from business groups like the Chamber of Commerce, which often oppose mandatory regulatory measures that aim to benefit working people—like minimum wage increases and workplace safety rules—describing such measures as burdensome or unnecessary. Many Republicans in Congress have also voiced opposition to the proposal, with one Republican describing it to Politico’s E&E News as “idiotic.”
As it stands, the proposed heat rule is still subject to public input. A public comment period for the rule opened in September and will close Dec. 31. Barab, the former OSHA official, said it could take another one to two years to finalize the rule after that. By that point, of course, Trump will have returned to the White House.
This story was first published at our sibling paper Orlando Weekly.
DUHSANTIS: Florida’s governor did not veto a law prohibiting governments from establishing mandatory protective measures.
RESTAURANTS RECIPES DINING GUIDES
Here comes the Sun-Ray
Tampa’s new dine-in cinema, Pegasus closes, plus more food news.
By Colin Wolf
AFlorida-based movie theater with a focus on independent films, as well as big screen releases, will open next month at Tampa’s University Mall. In a press release, Jacksonville’s Sun-Ray Cinema announced that it’s relocated to 12332 University Mall Ct. in the space formerly occupied by the recentlyclosed Look Dine-In Cinema.
Sun-Ray Cinema plans to open the new 10-screen theater next month, and like its predecessors, will also serve beer, wine and food from the space’s 4,000 square-foot kitchen.
“For years our ability to program all the films we wanted to play was severely limited by having only two screens. We now have TEN rooms to fill. CAN’T WAIT,” said Sun-Ray Cinema co-owner and programmer Tim Massett in a statement.
Sun-Ray Cinema’s new home has played host to multiple movie theater companies over the years. Look Dine-In only occupied the space for about two years, and before that it was a Studio Movie Grill, which took over a failing Regal Cinema.
The University Mall is still undergoing a yetto-be-completed, $100 million facelift, known as the Rithm at Uptown mixed-use neighborhood development.
The massive project already features a 359-unit USF off-campus housing development called Hub Tampa and V Tampa Bay; it will soon be home to the USF Institute of Applied Engineering, streaming agency Endorphinz and an extended stay Marriott hotel.
OPENINGS & CLOSINGS
The space is currently being renovated, and will feature new upgrades like “comfortable recliners, new 4K laser projection in the larger rooms, an immersive sound system that will both play Atmos and DTS:x files as well as the installation of 16mm, 35mm & 70mm projectors,” says the release.
The new reel-to-reel projectors will make Sun-Ray Cinema the only film house in Tampa. As of today, Tampa Theatre currently has 35 mm projectors in the booth but they’re inoperable, a spokesperson told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.
Sun-Ray hasn’t released any information on food and drink offerings, but the previous location’s menu shows a wide range of pizzas and salads, as well as sides like fries, fried pickles, hummus, nachos and more.
The original Sun-Ray Cinema opened in Jacksonville in 2011, but was forced to close last summer after a developer purchased the property housing the theater.
The company says it will officially debut at its new home open on Wednesday, Dec. 11, with composer Jozef Van Wissem (“Only Lovers Left Alive”) performing a live score to F.W. Murnau’s 1922 silent, German vampire film “Nosferatu.” Sun-Ray also says it also plans to show “Moana 2,” “Wicked” and indie films like the upcoming “Nightbitch,” starring Amy Adams.
“Once complete, Rithm will be one of the largest innovation communities in the state with capacity for over 7 million square feet of development, including several thousand residential units,” says the company website.
After 23 years, Tampa’s Pegasus Lounge has closed its doors
Pegasus Lounge, an institutional Tampa bar, live music venue, and karaoke spot, is calling it quits. Owner Julie Bible’s took took to social media saying the bar’s last day was Wednesday, Nov. 20, and also stating that she’s ready for retirement.
“What a blast we’ve had the past 23+ years. I’ll cherish all the memories and good times at both our original location and the current one,” wrote Bible. “It’s that time, I need to close this chapter of my life and sit back and drink margaritas on the beach. Yes, I’m retiring.”
Fittingly, Pegasus Lounge—also a place where local rock bands could cut their teeth— went out on “Pornaoke Night,” which is basically regular karaoke, but with a large projector screen playing hardcore porn.
Bible has owned the popular dive bar since 2001, including the 16 years spent at the old locations near Busch Gardens and USF. In 2018, Pegasus was moved to its current location at 14811 N Florida Ave. “I will miss you all!,” wrote Bible.
Tampa’s Bern’s Steak House ranked among OpenTable’s ‘Top 100 Restaurants in America for 2024’
Bern’s Steak House, an iconic Tampa institution that is no stranger to praise, is among the year’s top-rated restaurants in the country, according to OpenTable. Last week, the popular restaurant reservation site revealed its annual “Top 100 Restaurants in America” list, and Bern’s was the only Tampa Bay restaurant to make the cut.
The South Tampa steak house( located at 1208 S Howard Ave), was also listed among OpenTable’s top restaurants in 2023. As a whole,
Florida wasn’t well-represented on this year’s list. The only other Florida eateries to make the cut were Buccan in Palm Beach, Dry Dock Waterfront Grill in Longboat Key, and Sails Restaurant in Naples.
Bern’s, which typically has a comically-long wait list for reservations, has won multiple Best of The Bay awards from Creative Loafing Tampa Bay, including “Best Steak House.” The restaurant also earned a James Beard Foundation medal for outstanding wine program in 2016, was deemed one of “The World’s Best Steakhouses” by Forbes in 2023, and is currently listed on Florida’s Michelin Guide.
ON THE MOVIE: Sun-Ray Cinema opened in Jacksonville in 2011, but was forced to close last summer.
DISCOVER PEACE ON EARTH
Enjoy a relaxing stroll through beautiful displays of poinsettias, begonias, evergreens, and other seasonal greenery throughout the Olmsted Gardens. Ring in the season with daily holiday carillon concerts.
CAROLS & CARILLON WITH DR. JONATHAN REED & FRIENDS
November 30
RING IN THE HOLIDAYS WITH THE SILVER BELLS BIG BAND
December 7
MAGIC OF THE HOLIDAYS FESTIVAL
December 14 & 15
YULETIDE: A WINTER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION W/ THE BYRNE BROTHERS
December 21
HOLIDAY CHARCUTERIE BOARD
DECEMBER 21
PEACE INTO THE NEW YEAR CONCERT WITH PAISLEY CRAZE
January 4
CAMELLIA TOUR
January 7 & 21
PEACE INTO THE NEW YEAR CONCERT WITH MOONFLOWER
January 24
WINTER GARDENING: OUTDOOR KITCHEN GARDEN TOUR
January 28
STARRY, STARRY NIGHT: AN EVENING OF STARGAZING, ART, & SCIENCE
January 31
HAPPY HOUR: WED/THU/FRI • 11AM-6PM FOOD & DRINK
the florida orchestra
elfin concert
FILM WITH LIVE ORCHESTRA
Buddy the elf travels to New York, in full elf uniform, in search of his real father. Now experience this holiday adventure with your Florida Orchestra: Elf in Concert! Jacob Joyce conducts. Sat, Dec 7, 2 pm and 7 pm Straz Center – Matinee!
Classical Christmas
Michael Francis conducts a cozy concert featuring The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay and Lumina Youth Choir.
Fri, Dec 13, 8 pm, Straz Center Sat, Dec 14, 8 pm, Mahaffey Theater
Holiday
Pops
There’s no place like The Florida Orchestra for all your classic favorites, featuring the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. Chelsea Gallo conducts.
Michael Francis, Music Director
MOVIES THEATER ART CULTURE
Stage lights
There’s no shortage of holiday theater in Tampa Bay.
By David Warner
From fallen angels to trailer trash to highflying acrobats, there’s something under the theatrical tree for everyone. Put some chestnuts on the open fire, grab your ugliest holiday sweater, and dive in. Find links to more clickable versions of these listings via cltampa.com.
Wonderful lives
What would the holidays be like without George Bailey? Fans of It’s a Wonderful Life don’t have to consider such a Bailey-esque existential dilemma. In addition to the ubiquity of Frank Capra’s 1946 film on home screens and the obligatory run at Tampa Theatre (Dec. 19-20, 22-23), three local theaters offer stage adaptations, each with its own unique twist.
‘Wonderful Life’ at American Stage American Stage first presented this one-person version—an adaptation by Producing Artistic Director Helen R. Murray and Jason Lott—two years ago, with Matthew McGee playing all the roles in pop-up performances at local venues. The production returns this year with a few major differences: It’ll be staged at the theater’s home base, and Murray herself will play George and company during opening weekend. Gavin Hawk follows in the final two weekends. “The idea was floated by staff,” Murray told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. She spent 15 years as a professional actor before moving into theater leadership, and wasn’t sure she wanted to be on stage again. But she takes comfort in the fact that she’ll be performing (as McGee did) with script in hand. She loves playing all the characters, she says, including “flawed hero” George. But two in particular stand out. “I do love Uncle Billy… and I weirdly love Ernie the cab driver,” she added.
Why has “Wonderful Life” endeared itself to audiences for so long? Murray thinks it’s because it’s a “redemption story.” She premiered her adaptation in Virginia in 2011, not long after the Great Recession. Now, amidst hurricane recovery and housing shortages, the final moments when the community comes together to help one of their own should resonate even more. Dec. 5-22. $38. American Stage, 163 3rd St. N, St. Petersburg. 727-823-PLAY, americanstage.org
‘It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play’ at Carrollwood Cultural Center Before shifting to a one-person retelling, American Stage
satisfied its audience’s appetite for the George Bailey story with annual productions of this popular adaptation by Joe Landry. As the title indicates, it’s presented as a live radio play, in which actors play members of a 1940s radio theater troupe who take on all the roles.
At Carrollwood Cultural Center, director Jaime Giangrande-Holcom is going full-on ’40s, adding that, “We’re going to set it up like an old-school live radio show, doing fake advertisements, all the jingles. The studio audience will be part of the recording.”
‘It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play’: Tampa Rep at the Straz The sense of community drives the professionals at Tampa Repertory Theater, too. “The whole mission of the company for years has been, ‘Come together with Tampa Rep,’” says Managing Artistic Producer Jim Sorensen.
“It’s a Wonderful Life” he says, is a chance for the community to come together to hear a story that reminds us, “No man is a failure who has friends.”
He knows the story well. Sorensen starred as George in two of those aforementioned American Stage radio-style productions. He’s content to remain behind the scenes for this one, though. Colleen Cherry—who played Mary in three of those AmStage shows—takes the reins as director. The playwright has given Tampa Rep
She’s departing from the Landry treatment in one regard. A teacher at CCC and director of Plant High School’s theater company, she’s going to have the kids in the show played by… kids!
“I don’t want to hear Young George [being played by] a man,” she added. Four young actors will play the children, and they’re going to help with the live sound effects, too. “I’ll do everything I can to get a kid on stage. What I love about community theater is that it’s community theater—it should be a place where you can grow.” Dec. 14-15. $15-$20. Carrollwood Cultural Center, 4537 Lowell Rd., Tampa, 813-922-8167, carrollwoodcenter.org
the rights to set the radio show “completely in 2024,” says Sorensen. The actors will be introduced, not as faux 1940s radio actors but as themselves. The ads will tout businesses in Tampa Bay, not ersatz ‘40s products like Dux Toilet Cake. And the jingles will be composed by none other than Cherry.
Cameron Kubly and Jalyn Hill top the fivemember cast as George and Mary, with Michael Gregory, Terry Spann and Kelsey Painter taking all the other roles. Jeremy Douglass, known for his award-winning work with Jobsite and the Florida Bjorkestra, will take care of the sound effects. “Our production is going to lean in
heavily to the magic of Jeremy Douglass doing every single sound live,” says Sorensen. And remember, every time a bell rings…. Dec. 5-23, $13-$61. Tampa Rep at David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Shimberg Playhouse, 1010 N Macinnes Pl., Tampa, tamparep.org.
Trashing through the snow
If partyin’ with your gal pals at the trailer park is your idea of the perfect Xmas, you’re in luck. You can double-wide your pleasure, doublewide your fun this season with two count ‘em two unapologetically white-trashy holiday musicals.
‘The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical’at Stageworks Break out the keg nog! Stageworks, which had a mega-hit with last year’s “Great American Trailer Park Musical,” returns to Armadillo Acres in Starke, Florida, for some Southernfried yuletide. Director Karla Hartley calls the show a “white trash ‘Christmas Carol,’” in which the park’s Christmas-hating Scrooge, Darlene, gets accidentally electrocuted, wakes up, and forgets that she’s mean. A trio of terrific comic actors returns from the original: Heather Krueger as Lin (short for Linoleum, site of her birth); Susan Haldeman as Betty, Armadillo Acres’ manager; and Julia Rifino as Pickles, hysterically pregnant last year but now pregnant for real and prone to narcolepsy. James Putnam, Quint Paxton and Ashley Whiting (as Darlene) round out the cast. Expect some snazzy-tacky Christmas decor in the park, including, of course, lotsa tinsel and lotsa lights. “You can see the trailer park from space,” says Hartley.
And will there be caroling? Well, there will be a four-piece band, but the songs aren’t exactly traditional. For instance, one of the original numbers (music and lyrics by David Nehls) is “Fuck It! It’s Christmas!” So the show’s not for kids. But for the rest of us, says Krueger (who also choreographs), it promises to be “a fuckin’ good time!” Nov. 29-Dec. 22, $25-$50. Stageworks Theatre, 1120 E Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, 813-374-2416 x1, stageworkstheatre.org
“Who’s Holiday” at The Off-Central The Off-Central’s Producing Artistic Director, Ward Smith, had originally planned to make “A Tuna Christmas” his theater’s holiday offering. But the logistics of staging a play with two actors in 22-plus roles making multiple exits, entrances and costume changes in the theater’s small space proved to be too daunting. Then, lo and behold, an angel appeared: Smith discovered “Who’s continued on page 51
LET IT SHOW: Colleen Cherry (L) in a 2015 production of American Stage’s ‘It’s A Wonderful Life.’
SAT 11/30 - ALBERT CASTIGLIA
SAT 12/07 - KRISTY LEE
SUN 12/08 - DANIELLE NICOLE & VANESSA COLLIER
SUNDAY, DEC 1 | 9 AM-5 PM
MUSEUM STORE SUNDAY
Start your 2024 holiday shopping early! Enjoy special discounts, free gift-wrapping, and special surprises throughout the day.
SATURDAY, DEC 7 | 2:30-5:45 PM
BIRDING ON THE BAY
WITH THE MFA AND TAMPA BAY WATCH DISCOVERY CENTER
Inspired by the MFA’s special exhibition Audubon’s Birds of America, enjoy a Docent-led exhibition tour and an eco-vessel birding experience
SUNDAY, DEC 8 | 1-2 PM
MARLY MUSIC SERIES
ST. PETE BAROQUE
Join us for a unique musical experience inspired by the recent conservation of the MFA’s 17th-century Spanish tabernacle, featuring St. Pete Baroque
THURSDAY, DEC 19 | 5-8 PM
HOLIDAY SOIRÉE 2024
Experience the enchantment of the season and delight in the festive atmosphere, where live music sets the tone for a joyous evening. Explore the MFA Collection galleries, where art comes alive in the spirit of the holidays.
ANSEL ADAMS
PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE MFA COLLECTION
AUDUBON’S BIRDS OF AMERICA
EXPLORE THE VAULTS THE ART OF NEW GUINEA
FÉLIX GONZÁLEZ-TORRES
“UNTITLED” (L.A.)
LIVE CONSERVATION
RESTORING A JAIN SHRINE
TEMPUS VOLAT, HORA FUGIT
Visit mfastpete.org for tickets, RSVPs, event information, and additional programs. Events are subject to change.
28-DECEMBER 04, 2024 | cltampabay.com
THU 12/12 - ACOUSTIC HOLIDAY SHOW FRI 12/13 - MIKE ZITO
SAT 12/14 - WILL EVANS
SUN 12/15 - BANSHEE TREE
FRI 12/27 - CANDI CARPENTER
38TH ANNUAL HOLIDAY SHOW AND SALE 11.1.24 to 12.23.24
WWW.DFAC.ORG
On view now: Esterio Segura (Cuban, b. 1970) Hybrid of a Chrysler, 2016 Vintage automobile and mixed media installation Collection of Susie and Mitchell Rice
Bring thewholefamilytotheChildren’s BoardFreeFamily Day and enjoy FREE museumadm ission, hand s-onart activities, andunforgettablemoments.
Children’s Board Free Family Day Saturday, December 14 Experience stunning exhibitions and the best views of Tampa’s Riverwalk! Your Destination for Wonder and Creativity Funded by:
Holiday Treasures Await at the Museum Store!
Findmeaningfulgiftsatthe M us e um Store,featur in g curated jewelry, books, home décor,andchildren’sitems. Perfect for anyoneonyour list!
Sponsor:
Holiday: A Comedy with a Twist of Rhyme” by Matthew Lombardo. It’s a one-woman show starring an all-grown-up, not to mention allboozed-up, Cindy Lou Who. She’s got plenty of post-Grinch gossip to share about Whoville, including that fateful Christmas Eve when she met the big green grouch himself. While she waits for party guests to arrive at her beatup trailer for a Christmas nosh, she’s ready to share her life story with us in adults-only detail. Best of all, Cindy Lou will be played by Nicole Jeannine Smith. An award-winning actress who enchants in every role she plays, she promises to be a most entertaining holiday host. Dec. 5-15, $20-$35 (pay-what-you-can starting at $10). The Off-Central, 2260 1st Ave. S, St. Petersburg, 727202-7019, theoffcentral.com
Immersive merriments
Enchant Christmas is no more, having moved its winter wonder-maze to points west. (A good thing, too, given the Trop’s current rooflessness.) So consider these ambient alternatives instead.
Tinseltown USA American Stage is transforming its lobby and adjacent spaces into “our own winter town,” says Producing Artistic Director Helen R. Murray. Partnering with Florida-based company Lost Creations, which specializes in large-scale immersive art installations, the theater is creating a walk-through environment where people can make snowflakes, sip hot chocolate, hear holiday stories, take Christmas-themed selfies and have all manner of “engagement moments.” Groups of 10 will be admitted every 15 minutes to this family-friendly attraction, which will be open Thursdays-Saturdays from noon until evening performances of “Wonderful Life,” and on Sunday afternoons from 4 p.m.-7 p.m.. Tickets can be purchased for the Tinseltown experience only or in combo with “Wonderful Life,” so you can move straight from Tinseltown to Bedford Falls. Dec. 5-22. $28. American Stage, 163 3rd St. N, St. Petersburg. 727-823-PLAY, americanstage.org
Unchant at FloridaRama “Florida’s Weirdest Events Venue & Immersive Art Experience” (stylized “FloridaRAMA”) promises a holiday deep dive like no other with “Unchant: Christmas with a Florida Twist.” Experience a gravity-defying skating rink, Christmas trees vanishing into mysterious portals, mischievous panther elves and countless Christmas trees, wreaths and lights. Through Jan. 13. $22-$27 (children under four free; group discounts available). FloridaRama, 2606 Fairfield Ave. S, St. Petersburg. 727-210-5450. floridarama.art
The Polar Express Experience Snow, Santa, singalongs with the Ruth Eckerd Hall Chorus, and a free screening of the Tom Hanksvoice holiday favorite “The Polar Express,” all at Clearwater’s scenic new waterfront venue.
Friday, Dec. 13. 4:30 p.m., no cover. The Plaza at The BayCare Sound, 255 Drew St., Clearwater. rutheckerdhall.com
Merry miscellany
Depend on our performing arts centers to bring us various undefinable dazzlements this time of year, including two servings of Cirque, everyone’s favorite overgrown elf, and more.
Derek Hough Dance for the Holidays The star of “Dancing with the Stars” leads a cast of talented terpsichoreans in some happy holiday hoofin’. Wednesday, Dec. 4. 8 p.m. $53.25$128.75. Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen Booth Rd., Clearwater. rutheckerdhall.com
Bowzer’s Holiday Rock n Roll Party
Didja know Sha Na Na’s Bowzer went to Juilliard and hates Trump? Cheer him on for these achievements as he hosts a revue featur-
THEATER
Cirque Dreams Holidaze Take a postXmas break to watch acrobats do amazing things while you’re gratefully collapsed in your seat. Dec. 26-27, 3 p.m. & 7 p.m.. $33.75-$134.75. Carol Morsani Hall at David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, 1010 N Macinnes Pl., Tampa. floridaorchestra.org
Scrooges galore
Dickens’s beloved tale of greed and redemption surfaces in multiple venues.
St Petersburg City Theatre Hurricanes be damned, the show must go on. “For our Dickensian fans, never fear, our ‘Christmas Carol’ tradition will continue, this time as a more intimate theatrical reading in the lobby Little Theatre.” Saturdays in December (except Dec. 28). 2 p.m. $10. St Petersburg City Theatre, 4025 31st St. S, St. Petersburg. spcitytheatre.org
ing Herman’s Hermits and more blasts from the past. Sunday, Dec. 8, 6 p.m., $41.75-$81.75. Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen Booth Rd., Clearwater. rutheckerdhall.com
‘Elf’ in Concert A screening of the Will Ferrell hit with the score played live by the Florida Orchestra. Saturday, Dec. 7, 2 p.m & 7 p.m. $20-$55. Carol Morsani Hall at David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa. floridaorchestra.org
Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland Aerial feats and other holiday treats. Saturday, Dec. 21, 7 p.m., $38-$78. Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen Booth Rd., Clearwater. rutheckerdhall.com
Carrollwood Players An adaptation of “A Christmas Carol” written and directed by Jim Russell. Select dates, Dec. 6-22. $23-$28 (group discounts available). Carrollwood Players, 4333 Gunn Hwy. Tampa. carrollwoodplayers.org
freeFall Theatre “A Christmas Carol in Concert,” performed by a cast of five singers with narration and multimedia. Dec. 20-22 & Dec. 24. $20-$35. freeFall Theater, 6099 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. 727-498-5205. freefalltheatre.com
New Tampa Players & Atlas Modern Ballet: ‘Spirit – A Christmas Carol Adaptation’ A multi-genre performance
including dance, song, spoken word and film. Saturday, Dec. 21, 1 p.m. & 8 p.m. $22-$28. New Tampa Performing Arts Center, 8550 Hunters Village Rd., Tampa. 813-829-2760. newtampaplayers.org
‘A Christmas Carol’ at Ruth Eckerd Hall A “dazzling new adaptation” of the Dickens classic makes a stop here on its 2024 tour. Monday, Dec. 23, 7 p.m. $29-$75. Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen Booth Rd., Clearwater. rutheckerdhall.com
White Christmases
Featuring the most famous Christmas song ever written by a Jewish composer, plus irresistible numbers like “Blue Skies” and “How Deep Is the Ocean,” Irving Berlin’s much-beloved musical dances into St Petersburg City Theatre. Select nights, Dec. 13-22. $10-$28. St Petersburg City Theatre, 4025 31st St. S, St. Petersburg. spcitytheatre.org
Nuts, cracked
It’s not a holiday without Clara and her Nutcracker. Then again, if you prefer your nuts to be tucked rather than cracked, drag queens incoming!
St. Petersburg Ballet Presents: The Nutcracker 2024 An annual tradition. Dec. 6-8, $30. Hough Hall at Palladium Theater. 235 5th Ave. N, St. Petersburg. academyofballetarts.org
Tampa City Ballet: The Nutcracker TCB’s Nutcracker will dance into view throughout December at the tree lighting on the Riverwalk (Dec. 1, no cover); at USF (Dec. 7-8, $30 & up, and Dec. 10, $18); and at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (Dec. 13-15. $30-$40). tampacityballet.org
Next Generation Ballet’s Nutcracker Young NGB dancers with guest stars from American Ballet Theatre, including NGB alum Jarod Curley. Dec. 20-23, $21.25-$145.25. Carol Morsani Hall at David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, 1010 N Macinnes Pl., Tampa. strazcenter.org
Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet
An international all-star cast that blends world-class ballet with whimsical puppets, lavish costumes, and stunning acrobatics!” brags the Mahaffey, which hosts three performances. Dec. 28-29. $32 & up. Duke Energy Center for the Arts at Mahaffey Theater, 400 1st St. S, St. Petersburg. themahaffey.com
A Drag Queen Christmas 10th Anniversary Tour Hosted by Nina West, the longest-running drag tour in America features winners, fan favorites, legends, Miss Congeniality, and queens from you-know-what famous TV dragstravaganza. Dec. 28, 8 p.m. $53.38-$326.43. Carol Morsani Hall at David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, 1010 N Macinnes Pl., Tampa. strazcenter.org
CITY LOVE: Tampa City Ballet stages three holiday performances in December.
Friday, November 29 / 10:00pm-2:45am
ATLIENS • Leaving The World Behind Tour (Pound Friday)
@ The Ritz Ybor 1503 E. 7th Avenue
$30 GA • https://wl.seetickets.us/event/atliens/618759?afflky= SunsetEvents
Saturday, November 30 / 7:00pm
Gwansgiving @ Crowbar 1812 N 17th Street
$12.50 • https://www.facebook.com/crowbarlive
Sunday, December 1 / 12:00pm-4:00pm
Indie Flea @ The Cuban Club 2010 N Avenida Republica de Cuba Open to the public
Wednesday, December 4 / 9:00pm
Open Mic Night @ 7th & Grove 1930 E 7th Avenue Free to the public • 7thandGrove.com
Ugly Sweater Party @ Society Wine Bar 1600 E. 7th Avenue Free, Just RSVP • https://bit.ly/SocietyUglySweaterRSVP
Saturday, December 7 / 8:00pm
Peter McPoland w/ special guest TBA @ Crowbar 1812 N 17th St
$25 • https://www.facebook.com/crowbarlive
Saturday, December 8 / 5:00pm
Bands with Benefits @ Crowbar 1812 N 17th St
$12.49 • https://www.facebook.com/crowbarlive
Tuesday December 10 / 11:30am-1:00pm
December 2024 Ybor Chamber Holiday Luncheon @ Columbia Restaurant Ybor City 2117 E. 7th Avenue
Members : $30 | Non-members : $40 https://ybor.chambermaster.com/eventregistration/ register/4231
By Josh Bradley & Ray Roa C CL Recommends
FRI 29
C Kacey Musgraves w/Lord Huron/ Nickel Creek There might not be a better way to wrap up the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The country singer-songwriter is on the road in support of Deeper Well , the 36-year-old’s sixth studio album released last March. On it, the Texas-native is more hopeful than ever and fully in control of her unique gift of crafting catchy and gentle melodies that bring down walls and let emotion pour out of the listener. Opening for the seventime Grammy-winner are Americana hero Lord Huron and pop-bluegrass supergroup Nickel Creek. (Amalie Arena, Tampa)
MikelParis The O.A.R (Of A Revolution) keyboardist must feel home in Tampa Bay, because less than a month after the band rocked a headlining set at Clearwater’s BayCare Sound, he’s bringing his signature “guitar drumming” (which may have been inspired by his years as a “Stomp” cast member) to Safety Harbor. Paris is gearing up for the release of some new solo music in the coming year too, so don’t be surprised if some unreleased material emerges just behind Gigglewaters on Friday night. (Safety Harbor Art and Music Center, Safety Harbor)
SAT 30
C The Abortion Twins w/Moonthing/ Human Error/Thee Butcher Cabal/ Anxiety Attack Abortion Twins playing an abortion fund benefit show? About time. The BOTB-winning experimental outfit is just
about done for the year, but not before headlining this stacked benefit concert at one of Tampa’s safest havens. Along with respective sets from the likes of psychedelic quartet Moonthing and St. Pete thrash band Human Error, a silent auction is on tap, with dinner courtesy of Seminole Heights’ This Little Pig Food Truck. Profits go directly to the Tampa Bay Abortion Fund, which aims to lessen financial stresses for healthcare-seeking women on limited incomes across Tampa Bay. Read more about TBAF in the news section. (Deviant Libation, Tampa)
Albert Castiglia Castiglia’s latest album is a lovefest featuring friends like Ally Venable, Rick Estrin, Jimmy Carpenter, Popa Chubby and others. The 55-year-old bluesman who keeps a home in Florida plays one of the state’s most intimate and quirky venues in support of Righteous Souls , which features a handful of originals but mostly covers of Castiglia favorites from the likes of Junior Wells, Willie Dixon, and Buddy Guy. (Safety Harbor Art and Music Center, Safety Harbor)
C Emo Night Tampa: Big Sad w/Chaddy Chadd/Habitchuelita/Sam Bips/Tarryn Meyers In a new video for “Torture On 3,” photographer Patrick John Horne turns Big Sad’s nihilistic punk anthem into an anxietyinducing cartoon (“For every beautiful death, there’s a couple of assholes, taking their first breath until there’s nothing left,” the lyrics say). “It’s a cute little ditty about overpopulation and endless consumerism and greed from the point of view of some dumb human acting like he’s not part of the problem,” Richie Lawler, guitarist-vocalist for the Tampa band, told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. In the end, Horne addresses the monster inside all of us, but offers a glimmer of hope for anyone willing to examine the darkness. “Through art, hard work, and starting within, we can transform ourselves and, in turn, the world around us,” he told CL. “ …and perhaps, we can avoid ruining the paradise we’ve been given.” Watch the video via cltampa.com/ music ahead of a no-cover headlining gig from the band, which plays Emo Night Tampa alongside selectors from some of the Bay area’s best rock outfits. (The Hub, Tampa)
C The Hip Abduction w/Big Something/ Vana Liya Twenty-five years after cutting its teeth in the Bay area, there aren’t many more venues that can hold The Hip Abduction. St. Pete’s homegrown world-pop heavyweight— supporting a 2024 album, Stargazers, Wanderers & Rogue s—has opted to take the show the park for this “Friendsgiving” show where North Carolina rock festival staple and ukulele-weilding songwriter Vana Liya warm up the bandshell. (England Brothers Park, Pinellas Park)
C Mutant Fusion Collective w/Songbird Shella It’s been a little over a year since Mutant Fusion came together, and it just released its uber-smooth, sax-led debut single “Iron Sam.” The jazz-rock quartet’s guitarist Kirk Yates has also taken to social
FRI NOV. 29–THU DEC. 05
media to present how versatile an axeman he is by filming himself playing the single’s sax section on his Charvel axe, and a week later, a snippet from a “Mario Kart” inspired jam. No promises that you’ll be able to get over losing Rainbow Road to your younger, Nintendo Switch-loving family members this Thanksgiving, but if you’re gonna be unavailable for any of the next morning’s many jazz offerings, you might want to hightail it down to Florida’s oldest microbrewery. Songbird Shella—with a chill, new “Blindspot” single of her own—provides vocals for the no-cover gig. (Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin)
SUN 01
Klassika If neither “Grand Theft Auto”’s Double Clef FM or Andrea Bocelli’s duet with Ed Sheeran were enough to make you appreciate opera, Klassika’s pop-meetsopera schtick just might be enough to turn you on. The group’s sole, eponymous album features operatic versions of tracks from Simon and Garfunkel, Aerosmith, and yes, Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman. While it’s not necessarily an unsafe bet that you’ll hear a handful of those tracks, this matinee is centered around the holiday music that makes life hit differently for a few days or so after Turkey Day. (New Tampa Performing Arts Center, Tampa)
TUE 03
US103.5 Jingle Y’all: Riley Green w/ Zach Top/John Morgan/Ashley Cooke There’s no iHeartRadio Jingle Ball to look forward to this year, but the Bay area’s WFUS 103.5-FM country radio continues its annual tradition of rounding up members of country music’s future. Riley Green—who’s part of Tampa Bay’s exclusive “three-localshows-in-one-year” club—started making waves when he opened for Luke Combs two summers ago, and tops this bill that also features Brantley Gilbert-approved Parkland resident Ashley Cooke and her latest album Shot In The Dark . (Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa)
WED 04
C Contemporary Art Music Project: Water Dust The Contemporary Art Music Project (aka CAMP) wraps its 2024-25 season in March, and was supposed to kick it off with this gig featuring with work by Hong KongAmerican composer Patrick Chin Ting Chan and late American experimental composer (Hurricane Helene had other plans, and this is the makeup date). Chan utilizes Doepfer Musikelektronik Eurorack modular synthesizer in the work, and a recent performance of “Water Dust” included electroacoustics from the Koma Field Kit, minisynth sounds, plus guitar. Brown, a John Gage collaborator who died at the age of 75 in 2002, was a
product of Boston’s Schillinger House (now the Berklee College of Music) and is best known for his “December 1952” graphic score. A press release from CAMP cofounder Eunmi Ko says the show “explores the interaction between music and visual arts, highlighting the dynamic relationship between these mediums.” A January salon performance and March’s big CAMPGround festival round things out. (SVC Breezeway at University of South Florida, Tampa)
C David Dondero w/Shawn Kyle Not that we need any help getting there these days, but there’s nothing like a David Dondero song to bring someone back down to earth. The OG Tiny Desk-er is easily one of the best songwriters in America, and for 25 years has spun spellbinding, narrative lyrics into timeless Americana. His latest outing, last year’s Immersion Therapy, is full of three-chord meditations on anxiety and altruism—and it’s the right medicine for these uncertain times. The 55-year-old dances with the ghost of one of St. Petersburg’s most famous residents at this intimate mid-week gig where he’ll also hawk copies of his new novel, “Chaos The Cat”. Bay area songwriter Shawn Kyle, no stranger to spinning epic yarns about rock and roll, opens. (Jack Kerouac House, St. Petersburg)
C HR w/Raging Nathans Following a 2023 diagnosis of SUNCT syndrome—a seemingly perpetual bitch of a headache—Bad Brains frontman HR made the devastating decision to cancel all tour dates to get the help and rest he needed. A benefit concert was held in L.A., which saw the dawn of a reunion era for select members of Sublime. The 68-year-old rock icon must be feeling better because he’s playing a gig that will be less reminiscent of the once-Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-nominated punk outfit, and more leaning towards the reggae sounds he’s long toyed around with. Dayton-based punk band Raging Nathans open. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)
THU 05
C The Mountain Goats w/Anna Tivel John Darnielle and Jon Wurster were supposed to bring The Mountain Goats to Tampa Bay late last year, but a bus breakdown had other plans. We love, love, love the makeup date of sorts is finally here. Don’t be surprised to hear about the band’s local connections, too. In 2010, the Mountain Goats came to Tampa Bay to work with producer Erik Rutan at Mana, a St. Petersburg recording studio known internationally as a destination for extreme metal bands. Eight years later, the band reunited with Rutan onstage at the Orpheum in Ybor City, playing two songs together, including fan favorite “The Best Ever Death Metal Band In Denton.” (Floridian Social, St. Petersburg) Abram Scharf
See the full version of Music Week via cltampa.com/music. Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.
Kacey Musgraves
Don’t let the name of his 152nd album fool you, Willie Nelson is on the road again and headed to Florida for seven dates in the spring. The 91-year-old country music icon released Last Leaf On the Tree to kickoff November and is coming to the Bay area to support it.
Other Florida dates on Nelson’s 2025 tour include Orlando, two stops in St. Augustine, Key West, Immokalee, and Pompano Beach.
The 13-track outing, produced by his youngest son, Micah, Leaf features more Trigger than Nelson’s recent outings and includes covers of Tom Waits, Neil Young, Nina Simone, the Flaming Lips, Beck, and more.
Tickets to see Willie Nelson play the BayCare Sound in Clearwater on Saturday, Feb. 15 go on sale Friday, Nov. 22 at 10 a.m. EST and start at $39.50. Texas honky-tonker Randall King opens.
See more newly-announced 2025 concerts from Josh Bradley below.—Ray Roa
Missio w/Layto Tuesday, March 18. 7 p.m. $22. Music Hall at New World Brewery, Tampa
AwolNation w/Bryce Fox Friday, April 11. 6 p.m. $37.50. The Ritz, Ybor City
Michael Feinstein (Tony Bennett tribute) Friday, April 18. 7:30 p.m. $36 & up. Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg
Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Friday, April 18. 8 p.m. $19.50 & up. Central Park Performing Arts Center, Largo
Leprous w/Wheel Thursday, April 10. 7:30 p.m. $30. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
Lane 8 w/Otherwish Saturday, April 12. 7 p.m. $38.70 & up. The BayCare Sound, Clearwater
Mike w/TBA Tuesday, April 22. 7 p.m. $25. Crowbar, Ybor City
Bôa Thursday, May 1. 8 p.m. $25 & up. The Ritz, Ybor City
Remi Wolf w/Dana and Alden Thursday, May 1. 7 p.m. $29.50 & up. The BayCare Sound, Clearwater
TAMPA PAINT &
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 4
Christmas Songs: Holiday concerts coming to Tampa Bay
From carols to Creole to a cappella, the area’s performing arts venues are alive with the sounds of the season. Leading the way is the return of Santa Koz—aka Dave Koz —who brings his Friends Christmas Tour back to Clearwater. A press release says the 27th iteration of the smooth-jazz tour fi nds Koz, 61, reuniting with guitarist and singer Jonathan Butler (pictured), saxophonist Vincent Ingala, guitarist Adam Hawley and vocalist Rebecca Jade.
Holiday Big Band Extravaganza w. Florida Jazz Express Dec. 8, 3 p.m. $15. New Tampa Performing Arts Center, 8550 Hunters Village Rd., Tampa. 813-829-2760. newtampaartscenter.org
Wattaka En Navidad: Por Los Caminos Del Mundo/Along the Roads of the World Dec. 10, 7:30 p.m. $20. New Tampa Performing Arts Center, 8550 Hunters Village Rd., Tampa. 813-829-2760. @wattakatampa on Instagram
The Florida Orchestra’s Classical Christmas Dec. 13 (David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa) & Dec. 14 (Duke Energy Center for the Arts at Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg). $20-$60. floridaorchestra.org
Second Time Arounders Marching Band: The Holiday Spectacular Dec. 9, 7 p.m.$15-$20. Hough Hall at Palladium Theater. 235 5th Ave. N, St. Petersburg. mypalladium.org
Nate Najar’s Jazz Holiday Dec. 12, 7:30 p.m. $25-$50. Hough Hall at Palladium Theater. 235 5th Ave. N, St. Petersburg. mypalladium.org
A Winter Gathering with Kathy Mattea Dec. 14, 8 p.m. $29-$79. Bilheimer Capitol
Holiday classics (including a Chanukah medley) are part of the setlist, which will also draw from Koz’s latest holiday album of Christmas ballads.
Tickets to see Dave Koz & Friends’ Christmas tour on Saturday, Nov. 30 at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater are still on sale and start at $42. See more holiday concerts happening over the next few weeks below. David Warner & Ray Roa
St. Pete Opera: Holiday Sparkle Dec. 17-18. $15-$125. Hough Hall at Palladium Theater. 235 5th Ave. N, St. Petersburg. 727823-2040. stpeteopera.org
Soulstice: A Holiday Cabaret Dec. 19-21, 7:30 p.m. & Dec. 22, 3 p.m. $25-$30. The Studio@620. 620 1st Ave. S, St. Petersburg. thestudioat620.org
The Florida Orchestra’s Holiday Pops Dec. 20 (David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa), Dec. 21 (Duke Energy Center for the Arts at Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg), Dec. 22 (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater). $23-$75. floridaorchestra. org
A Very Broadway Christmas Dec. 20, 4 p.m. $37 & up. Duke Energy Center for the Arts at Mahaffey Theater, 400 1st St. S, St. Petersburg. themahaffey.com
Dear Readers: Reading a sex-advice column at a time like this—to say nothing of writing a sex-advice column at a time like this might seem a little pointless. But I’ve lived long enough to know that welcome distractions, small comforts, and guilty pleasures have the power to sustain us in bad times. Taking a moment to read (or write or illustrate) a sex-advice column—or listen to or make music or watch or make porn—doesn’t mean you’re complacent or complicit. (Unless you voted for him, of course, in which case you can fuck the fuck off.) It’s the little things the little joys—that keep us sane, keep us connected, and keep us going. Anyway, sitting down to write a column this week lifted my spirits. I hope reading this week’s column lifts yours.—Dan
I’m in despair. I don’t know my country anymore. I’m inclined to move away. What do you recommend?
—Election Night Blues
I recommend we retire the expression, “This is not who we are.” We could say that after Hillary Clinton won the popular vote but lost the election (fucking Electoral College) and we could say that after George W. Bush lost the popular vote but won the election (fucking Electoral College). But as of this writing, it looks like Trump won the popular vote and the Electoral College. So, yeah. This is who we are—at least right now. Anyway, if someone told me 20 years ago that a reality-show host/serial rapist with a golden toilet would one day appoint a majority of the justice on the Supreme Court, as Trump is likely to have done before the end of his second term, I would’ve emigrated then. But leaving whether we’re talking about leaving a shitty spouse or a shitty country—is always easier said than done. So, we’re gonna do what most people in shitty relationships wind up doing: stay and fight.
It’s the morning after the election and I am sobbing for what’s to come and for what we have all lost. Then I started thinking more personally about our youngest. Born female 19 years ago, they began transitioning to male three years ago. I fear for them. My first thought was to beg them to transition back to female, seeing as they haven’t had blockers or any surgeries yet. I feel horrible that was my first thought. I want them to live their true self, but as a mom, I want to make sure they are safe. My second thought was to get their passport renewed, so if we need to get them out of the country fast, we can get them out. Thoughts?—Super Upset Mom
I’m planning to stay and fight at least that’s my plan for now—but I’m not going to let my passport expire. So, I fully support your plan to get your trans kid’s passport renewed, SUM. Diana Adams, Esq., who founded the Chosen Family Law Center, posted a thread the day after the election with tons of actionable advice
for queer people who are rightly worried about their rights and physical safety in the wake of an election. Adams specifically recommended that trans people like your son update their passports, Social Security records, and state IDs so all have the same names and gender markers. If you need help doing that, you can find additional resources and get legal help at the Chosen Family Law Center.
P.S. If you’re one of the 70% of Americans who don’t have a passport… now might be a good time to get one.
If you were the parent of a transgender teenager, where in the world would you want to live? Where could we reliably find gender-affirming care and a relatively low amount of bigotry?—Scared And Distressed
“So, I think this is a double-edged sword,” said Brianna Wu, a Democratic operative and the host of the Dollcast. “Because, legally a state like mine, Massachusetts is going to be excellent for SAD’s family. California or Illinois would be as well. But the other half of this coin is social—and what I’ve seen in my own state is a culture that’s not setting trans kids up for success because it doesn’t ask them to develop agency. Obviously, moving somewhere your child can get the HRT they need to live is job number one. All three of these states will be excellent. But don’t discount the dangers of a culture that can radicalize your child into a brand of trans politics that won’t serve them in the long run.”
of support from gay men? Trump’s share of the LGBT vote, which includes gay men—collapsed between 2020 and 2024: Trump went from 27% of the LGBT vote in 2020 to just 12% in 2024. The fact that two social media platforms designed to stir up outrage—and profit from outrage— managed to push a few videos of gay men saying something insensitive (or saying something too soon) isn’t proof that gay men hate women “as much” as straight men do. The people we should be angriest at are the people who voted for Trump, SHAT, not the people who voted overwhelmingly against him. If you’re looking to be angry at men, how about the majority of straight men who voted for Trump and not the overwhelming majority of gay men who voted against him? (And I promise you: Pete Buttigieg is not going to be the Democratic nominee in 2028—and I’m a gay man who’s fantasizing about Pete getting the nomination next time voted for Harris this time.)
And no reopening negotiation of the menu during the threesome.
4. While couples usually do need some time alone to decompress, discuss, and check-in with each other after a threesome, hustling your very special guest star out the door immediately after it’s over is rude. If things went well, you can and should offer your very special guest star a cuddle, a shower, and some ice cream.
SAVAGE LOVE
But if you wanted to leave the country, and I wouldn’t blame you if you did, the Williams Institute identified Iceland, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, and Canada as the best places for LGBT people in their most recent Global Acceptance Index. But keep an eye on Canada: they have an election coming and the fascistic right in Canada is borrowing a page, many pages, from the fascistic right in the U.S. and targeting trans and other queer people. Follow Brianna Wu on Twitter @BriannaWu.
I’m a boring white cis-het middle-aged lady. I have been an LGBTQ ally since the day I figured out WTF that meant. This election has me shaken for so many reasons, but one that I wasn’t expecting was the lack of support from gay men. Not in the vote, necessarily, but the aftermath. I have come across numerous TikToks and Instagram reels saying things like, “At least this means we get Pete in 2028.” Do gay men really hate women as much as straight men? I am shaken to my core.—Seriously Heartbroken About This You’re heartbroken, I’m heartbrokenbut you can fuck the fuck off with this shit, SHAT. Lack
In an episode of the Lovecast over the summer, you urged your listeners to share their best sex stories to take their minds off current events. This seems like a good time to share mine. Last Tuesday in British Columbia, while we watched the election results trickle in—I had a lovely first date with a prospective bisexual unicorn for me and my partner. The two of us have never had a threesome in our 13 years together. This guy I met, a male unicorn — seems very sweet. He and my partner exchanged dick picks while I was on the date with him (hubby was at home with the kids), and knowing we were going to have a very special guest star join us this weekend made the rest of this distressing week a little more bearable.—Scheduling Our First Threesome
Like everyone who just read your letter, SOFT, I’m jealous. Not just because you’re gonna have a threesome this weekend, although there is that—but because instead of spending last Tuesday night sitting on the couch watching election returns, you spent last Tuesday night on a date with a hot bi guy. And while you didn’t ask for advice, SOFT, I’m going to give you some.
Four quick tips for making your first MFM threesome a success from a guy who lost his virginity in an MFM threesome…
1. Every threesome becomes, at some point—a twosome. Instead of flipping out when that happens, enjoy the show for a few minutes before inserting yourself back into the action.
2. All three of you should agree—out loud— that anyone can call a timeout at any time for any reason. And since it’s easier to bounce back from a timeout called when someone is feeling off than it is when someone is feeling hurt, you shouldn’t hesitate to call for a timeout. (And, yes, you can call a timeout if that twosome goes on too long.)
3. Be clear with each other and your very special guest about what is and isn’t on the menu.
My boyfriend and I have been together for about a year and a half. When we first got together, I broke our monogamous agreement and had sex with my ex and we—me and my boyfriend, broke up. I took responsibility for it (very much by bad), and my boyfriend and I wound up getting back together. Things are much better now! Sex is great! Relationship is great! And our monogamous agreement is more realistic: we are “monogamous with permission to ask permission if someone we want to have sex with shows up.” Here’s my question: When we first broke up, my boyfriend TOLD HIS PARENTS I CHEATED ON HIM. I have a good relationship with my parents but there are some things you don’t tell your parents! JEEZ! So now, my boyfriend’s parents know I cheated on him. We’re back together, things are going well, and I met his parents once, but only briefly. Is there something I’m supposed to do? Or something—anythingI’m supposed to say? Are they always going to see me as the girlfriend who cheated on their son? Will they always think of me as a cheater? I feel like when I actually sit down with his parents, I’m just going to feel incredibly guilty and self-conscious. What should I do?—Aggravated Resentful Girlfriend Here In your boyfriend’s defense, ARGH, you weren’t his girlfriend when he told his parents you cheated on him. You were his ex-girlfriend. Seeing as you hadn’t been dating for very long when you broke up, I’m guessing your boyfriend was excited about his new relationship and told his parents about his new partner a little earlier than an adult child normally would… and then when he was suddenly single again, he felt he owed them an explanation and decided to tell them the truth. And he didn’t tell them the truth to screw up your relationship with his parents, ARGH, because he didn’t think you were going to have a relationship with his parents. You can’t control how his parents feel about you, what reservations they might have, or whether they’re secretly judging you. But you can, with time served and good behavior — earn your way into their good graces. And if your boyfriend has the kind of relationship with his parents where he tells them everything, he’s probably already told them why he decided to get back together with you, ARGH, and if they had reservations, he may have already addressed them.
Email your question for the column to mailbox@savage.love! Or record your question for the Savage Lovecast at savage.love/askdan!
NOTE: The seven theme answers in this puzzle have an unusual property—the first letters of each one spell a common fiveletter word (as in “Based On A True Story” and “BOATS”). In each case, both the long answer and the five-letter word are clued. ACROSS
49 Arlen-Mercer classic / Water hazards? 54 Loss leader? 55 Pangolin’s treat 56 Sighed words
One and only
Homer’s neighbor 59 Babes in the woods 62 Under ___
Inter or non add-on 68 “Explain, please” / Aromatic oils 74 She, to a gondolier 75 Autobahn auto
Actor Keach
Org. of firing fame
Polish partner?
1950s teen idol
Color TV pioneer
Muesli morsel 86 1999 Pierce Brosnan film / A familiar cord?
