SHE'S GOT GAMES
TAMPA CELEBRATES ITS FOURTH WOMEN'S FINAL FOUR WITH A FULL WEEK OF EVENTS.
PUBLISHER James Howard
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Editorial
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SUMMER INTERN Grace Stoler (apply for fall by emailing clips and a resume to rroa@cltampa. com)
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It’s a comedy gig, make no mistake. Fred Armisen plays music—and tells jokes—in Tampa, p.45.
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Enjoy fresh, chef-crafted meals by Chef Rosa, locally roasted coffee, and a variety of
and mainstream beers, wines, and ciders. Relax on our balcony with stunning Ybor views and discover incredible artwork from local artists.
Come for breakfast, lunch, or dinner — we can’t wait to serve you!
Hours of Operation: Mon-Thu 7am-8pm / Fri 7am-3pm / Sat-Sun 9am-3pm
Adult Egg Hunt & Craft Beer Festival!
• Cash Prizes • Craft Beer • Egg Hunt • Games • Live Music • Food Trucks
Pre-Party: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Egg Hunt & Beer Fest: 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Saturday, April 5, 2025
Hot to go
Photos by Dave Decker
Officials expected around 60,000 people to cram onto Ybor City E 7th Avenue and surrounding areas for Tampa Pride 2025—and it certainly looked and felt like that estimation was correct. Last Saturday, after a morning street festival, more than 100 floats and walking groups made the almost one-mile march east on 7th Avenue for the parade. At a time when sitting out seems like an easy choice for companies and individuals, it was uplifting to see a community come out in force, queer the air, and defiantly celebrate the ideas that folks should be allowed to love who they love and identify as exactly how they feel inside. See more photos via cltampa. com/slideshows.
—Ray Roa
do this
Tampa Bay's best things to do from April 03 - 09
Book it
Prine time
The Hello In There Foundation helped Gulfport out in a big way after its successful John Prine tribute weekend last spring (the nonprofit founded by surviving members of the songwriter’s family lists its updated total raised for Tampa Bay as just south of $210,000). Last year was the first time Hello In There was involved with the local tribute to Prine, who passed away in April 2020 during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic; Gail Gilchrist, a friend of the family, said the nonprofit’s presence helped make the weekend of fundraising concerts the biggest yet. The organization returns to our paradise for another round this weekend. Kip Kelly, songwriter and founder of Crooked Thumb Brewery, which hosts its Prine tribute and foundation benefit show on Sunday, told CL that so far, himself, Josh Reilly, Rebekah Pulley and Leon Majcen have all confirmed slots. The Gulfport show at North End Tap House will feature more than a dozen musicians—and have concert posters for sale along with a 50/50 drawing to help raise funds for Hello In There. Find the post “Organizers announce dates for Tampa Bay’s John Prine tribute concerts” online for more information.
Hello In There Foundation benefit concerts: Friday-Sunday, April 4-6. Multiple venues.—Ray Roa
Florida is more than just beaches and theme parks—it’s a state rich with history, quirks and untold stories, and the inaugural Florida Studies Book Festival is here to celebrate them all. “This is our first and only crack at a book festival,” Christopher Meindl, director of the Florida Studies Program the St. Pete campus told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. “We hope it will become an annual event, but this is the first. We initially wanted to develop an event that emphasized Florida Studies, but when the Tampa Bay Times Festival of Reading did not happen this past fall, we wanted to do something to help make up for that.” Seven Florida writers—including environmental journalist and author Cynthia Barnett (pictured)—will take the stage, covering topics as diverse as environmental conservation, political history and the state’s often bizarre cultural landscape. Complimentary parking is available at the USF parking garage located at 250 5th Ave. S. Read more via cltampa.com/arts.
Florida Studies Book Festival: Saturday, April 5. 9:15 a.m.-4:30 p.m. No cover. Nelson Poynter Memorial Library at University of South Florida, 140 7th Ave. S, St. Petersburg. stpetersburg.usf.edu—Sofía García Vargas
Golden opportunity
Celebrating its golden anniversary, Mainsail returns to the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront for a two-day celebration that welcomes not just visual artists, but culinarians, performers, and kid artists, too. More than 100,000 visitors and almost 300 exhibitors are expected to come to downtown St. Petersburg where the nonprofit organizer with no paid staff will dole out $60,000 in prize money (Best of Show alone is worth $10,000).
Mainsail Art Festival: Saturday-Sunday, April 5-6. No cover. Vinoy Park, 701 Bayshore Dr. NE, St. Petersburg. mainsailart. org—Jennifer Ring
CITYOFSTPETE/FLICKR
Pinkies out
Prepare your stomachs and wallets for a five-day culinary extravaganza coming to both sides of Tampa Bay. Back for a third time, the “weekend” includes six events including the big chef showdown in Tampa’s Curtis Hixon Park (next Friday, April 11), which also hosts Saturday’s big grand tasting where guests can try more than 40 Tampa Bay restaurants then vote for “Best bite of the day.” The party starts on Tuesday with an invite-only evening at the Tampa Club, plus “Experience” events happening in St. Petersburg and Tampa on Wednesday and Thursday, April 9-10, respectively.
Tampa Bay Wine & Food Festival: Tuesday-next Saturday, April 8-12. Various cover charges and venues across the Bay area. tampabaywff.com—Julia Saad
Get schooled
The Old Seminole Heights Neighborhood Association’s long-running tour of homes won’t ever be as old as the dwellings it celebrates, but the event is trying its best to catch up. While the entire neighborhood is much larger and includes three zipcodes, OSHA marks 25 years of the beloved walkaround by focusing on the historic district marked by three avenues—Osborne to the south, Hanna to the north, Florida on the west—and the interstate to the east. Homes will be on the map this year, along with local businesses and the tour’s meeting place, and Hillsborough High School (pictured), where parking will be available. Cops are set to manage crossings at the major intersections, so don’t be as scared to walk or bike.
OSHNA 25th Annual Silver Jubilee Home Tour: Sunday, April 6. 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. $25$30. Hillsborough High School, 5000 N Central Ave., Tampa. oldseminoleheights.org—Ray Roa downand exhibithe prize mainsailart.
Get it, girls
Two years after she helped Tampa artist Michelle Sawyer bring an antifascist mural to life in the district, Sarah McNamara returns to Ybor City for something of a revival of her talk highlighting the past and present of the neighborhood. Now an expat who’s now Associate Professor of History at the Texas A&M University, McNamara will undoubtedly draw from her awardwinning book, “Ybor City: Crucible of the Latina South”—and talk labor, political radicalism, urban renewal and gentrification—at this event moderated by Carmen Alvarez, Latina book influencer and founder of the Instagram and Tik Tok platform @tomesandtextiles. A Q&A and signing will follow.
Ybor City of Past and Present—A Conversation with Sarah McNamara: Wednesday, April 9. 6 p.m.-8 p.m. No cover. Ybor Room at Hillsborough Community College, 2112 N 12th St., Ybor City. members.ybor.org—Ray Roa
MICHELLE SAWYER
Adult Egg Hunt & Craft Beer Festival!
• Cash Prizes • Craft Beer • Egg Hunt • Games • Live Music • Food Trucks
Pre-Party: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Egg Hunt & Beer Fest: 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Saturday, April 5, 2025
POLITICS ISSUES OPINION
At your service
Ahead of Planned Parenthood honor, Andrew Warren won’t rule out another run for o ce.
By Ray Roa
It’s been almost 1,000 days since Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Hillsborough County’s then State Attorney after he said that Florida’s 15-week abortion ban was unconstitutional. “I’m upholding the law and protecting the fundamental rights of all Floridians,” Andrew Warren said at the time.
This Thursday, Planned Parenthood will honor Warren’s commitment to reproductive rights during a fundraising dinner in downtown Tampa.
“I’m extremely humbled. I’m being honored for just doing my job and what I was elected to do,” Warren—whose court battle to get his job back hit a dead end last January—told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. “I stood up for what’s right as we teach our kids to do, and I hope that the courage I showed is contagious.”
state lawmakers—and Gov. DeSantis himself— continue to push legislation deemed hostile to the community. Warren told CL that he hasn’t made contact with Lopez since the election, but praised her for hiring Statewide Prosecutor Nick Cox as the new Chief Assistant State Attorney for the 13th Judicial Circuit.
“My kids are growing up in this community. I care about what’s best for this community, and I hope that she continues to grow into the role,” he said of his successor.
INTERVIEW
Tampa Bay Dinner: Care. No Matter What Thursday, April 3. 6 p.m. $250. Hotel Flor. 905 N Florida Ave., Tampa tampabaydinner.ppswcf.org
The honor comes less than 150 days after Florida voters failed to push Amendment 4—which would have enshrined the right to abortion in the Florida constitution—past the 60% threshold. In that same election, Warren lost his bid for re-election to the State Attorney’s office, when his DeSantisappointed replacement Suzy Lopez beat him at the ballot box.
These days, Warren is enjoying getting more time with his children and working for the State Democracy Defenders Action anti-autocracy movement. He only thinks about his time in office, or if he would’ve done things differently, when someone asks him about it—which happens a lot.
“As State Attorney, we made dozens, hundreds, of decisions every day. It’s easy to go back and question some of those decisions at a case specific level, because they’re tough questions and tough decisions,” he said. But when it comes to what happened between him and the governor, Warren wouldn’t have changed a thing.
“I hope that the courage I showed is contagious.”
“The best candidate doesn’t always win, especially when the other side cheats—illegally suspending you, then spending millions of dollars lying about you,” Warren said on election night, adding that he was proud of the campaign he ran. “But today’s result doesn’t change the facts: I made Hillsborough safer, improved the system, and fought for our freedoms and values. I want only what’s best for our community, and I hope Ms. Lopez grows into this role to become an effective and independent state attorney—not beholden to the governor or sheriff, but accountable to the people.”
Lopez was seen marching in the Tampa Pride parade last weekend, alongside her LGBTQ+ neighbors loudly celebrating despite the fact that
“My standing up for reproductive rights—which at the time were guaranteed by both the United States and Florida constitutions— was just this small aspect of my prosecutorial philosophy, which was maximizing public safety, fighting for victims, seeking justice, being fair, doing what’s right. I never wavered from those goals, and I never wavered from my commitment to defend the rule of law,” he said.
He won’t judge if someone asks him about it at the Planned Parenthood dinner, either.
“Transparency is important, and so as an elected official, I was never a ‘no comment’ type of person. I would always engage. I love talking with people about issues that are important, whether it’s politics, or public policy, or sports,” he said. “So I welcome questions and it shows people care, and that means a lot.”
And there’s still a lot of work to be done when it comes to reproductive rights, but Warren has thoughts about what participants in the fight can do.
“Leadership matters. Honesty, integrity and vision matter, and we see the president, the governor, and too many other politicians who are so driven by politics and by a personal agenda while most Americans, most Floridians, just want their elected leaders to be solving problems,” he said.
Warren acknowledged that there is a deep divide in the U.S. on abortion—but a lot of consensus, too. “We need leaders who focus more on finding common ground to solve problems and less on partisan stunts to promote their own political career,” he added.
At a time when many politicians are coming under fire for not codifying Roe v. Wade when they could, Warren encourages voters and activists to find leaders who can find solutions to problems—even when those leaders don’t vote exactly how they want on every single issue.
“Government doesn’t solve every problem,” he said before pointing to all time lows in the faith in rule of law and elected officials.
“We need to get back to finding that common ground, solving problems, putting aside partisan differences and political ambitions, as much as we can. And I say that to anyone, whether it’s people on the far left, the far right or the middle,” Warren added. “That’s how we get back and then continue to make progress in our country.”
He’s not ruling out another run at some elected office either.
“You never know what the future holds. But right now, I’m happily taking a break from elected office,” Warren—who’ll also receive an honor from Community Tampa Bay this year—said, noting that he’ll always consider any way he might serve his community, state or country.
“I’ve dedicated my career to public service,” he said. “And I’m not walking away from that.”
AT PEACE: Andrew Warren is enjoying time with his kids.
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Why Stretching?
• Stretching helps to enhance mobility and range of motion, speed up recovery, and improve posture and circulation.
• Top athletes regularly incorporate stretching into their lives.
• Stretching improves your general wellbeing. Reasons
Seeking corrections
Tampa Rep. Dianne Hart continues her fight for reform of Florida’s prison system.
By Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix
Starting in the 2010s, many of the country’s reddest states began enacting serious criminal justice reforms, culminating on the federal level when President Donald Trump signed the First Step Act in 2018, which reduced excessive federal prison sentences and encouraged rehabilitation.
But despite those efforts in places like Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas, the movement largely bypassed Florida, despite the best intentions by lawmakers like former Republican state Sen. Jeff Brandes.
That mood has changed in recent years, however. Homicides increased coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic and crime was a major issue in Donald Trump’s successful reelection campaign. Nevertheless, Tampa Democratic Rep. Dianne Hart is continuing her fight for reform of Florida’s prison system—a crusade she’s been on since being elected in 2018.
Joined by two fellow Democrats, family members of the incarcerated, and a former corrections worker, Hart led a press conference on the fourth floor Rotunda in the Capitol earlier last week to discuss her inmates’ “bill of rights” legislation (HB 185), which she has filed for the past five years in the Florida House.
The legislation calls for each inmate in the Florida correctional system to be provided a written copy of their rights, including:
• Proper ventilation—either through an air-conditioning system or “exhaust and air circulators sufficient to provide a safe and healthful environment for inmates.”
• Sufficient meal time.
• Adequate food supply in case of an emergency.
• Health supplies such as PPE and products like sanitary napkins, soap, tampons, and toothpaste.
The legislation says an inmate could file a grievance with the Department of Corrections if he or she believes a right guaranteed is denied by prison officials.
At the press conference, Hart expressed her dissatisfaction with the quality of health care in the prison system, and despaired that the last public data available from the Department of Corrections came in 2019. She said that’s a violation of state law, which requires the department report “not less than annually” to the governor and Legislature about the Department of Corrections’ health care delivery system.
“Citizens and elected officials like myself are given the run-around when we attempt to see the latest numbers or ask simple questions regarding the state of our prison system and our loved ones,” she said, adding, “Florida is the
Sunshine State, yet the truth of our government is shrouded in darkness.”
The Florida Department of Corrections did not immediately return a request for comment.
Broward County Democrat Mike Gottlieb is a co-sponsor on Hart’s bill. A criminal defense attorney for more than three decades, he said that prisoners are human beings and deserve human rights. “Being incarcerated is a punishment, but it should not mean a loss of dignity, safety, or access to essentials like food, health care, or humane living conditions, such as air conditioning,” he said.
“Denying prisoners their rights does not make society safer. It makes us less just. When we mistreat those of our prisoners, we create the cycle of violence and dehumanization that extends beyond the prison walls. Studies have shown that humane treatment leads to lower recidivism rates, helping prisoners reintegrate into society as productive members, rather than returning to crime.”
The Senate version (SB 358) of Hart’s legislation is being sponsored by Broward County Democrat Rosalind Osgood.
“Once the state of Florida takes possession of a person as an inmate, we have a responsibility,”
she said. “When we take away somebody’s freedom because we’re holding them accountable for committing a crime, it doesn’t mean that gives us the opportunity to strip them of their dignity. A just society doesn’t abandon people once they’re behind bars.”
Florida Department of Corrections Secretary Ricky Dixon said in October 2023 that 75% of all housing units in Florida’s corrections system lack air-conditioning.
A detailed report from the global consulting firm KPMG estimated that it would cost somewhere between $6 million and nearly $12 billion to repair buildings and construct new facilities, with hundreds of millions more needed to pay for staffing.
STATE NEWS
Florida eliminated parole for most inmates in the early-1980s, making most of the 88,000 prisoners in the corrections system ineligible. Another legislative proposal filed this year by Orange County Democratic Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith (SB 1786) would expand the pool of inmates still eligible for parole. That measure has not been heard in any committee so far this session.
“Florida is the Sunshine State, yet the truth of our government is shrouded in darkness.”
While many of Hart’s proposals to reform Florida’s prisons system haven’t reached fruition during her tenure in the House, a bill she is sponsoring this year that would allow more of the approximately 3,000 inmates who are eligible for parole to have a better chance of being released was passed in a House committee last Wednesday.
The issue of how criminal justice reform lost clout with conservatives in recent years was reflected during the race for the Republican nomination for president in 2023. That’s when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis attacked Trump for supporting the First Step Act—although DeSantis supported it initially when he served in Congress.
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.
THE BEAT GOES ON: Tampa Democratic Rep. Dianne Hart.
LOVE LOUD 2025 PRIDE
WUSF presents the Longest Table. Join us on April 3rd for an epicurean experience right down the middle of Bayshore Drive in St. Petersburg. Details available online at wusflongesttable.org or by calling (800) 741-9090.
Rules for thee
There’s an irony to this Florida Republican lawmaker’s push towards tighter rules for union elections.
By McKenna Schueler
AFlorida Republican lawmaker sponsoring a bill that would make it harder for public employees to form a union defended herself on Tuesday in part by claiming her bill would actually help public employees, not hurt them.
But if Florida Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka had been subject to the same election requirements she’s trying to impose on unions, she wouldn’t be in office today.
The bill (HB 1387) was advanced by the House Government Operations Subcommittee in a 10-7 vote last Tuesday, with three Republicans joining Democrats in opposition.
“My goal with this bill is not to be anti-union. It’s not to weaken unions. It’s to strengthen the voice of our public employees,” said PersonsMulicka, R-Fort Myers, speaking to the subcommittee ahead of the vote.
Yet, her bill—like another major union reform bill approved in 2023—explicitly exempts unions representing police and firefighters, many of which reliably endorse (and throw campaign contributions to) Florida Republicans like Persons-Mulicka for office. These unions directly lobby Florida’s Republican-controlled legislature on criminal justice, labor and other issues.
“This Legislature set forth a policy years ago and passed legislation that exempted public safety employees from many of the provisions that are covered in these statutes,” PersonsMulicka explained, when prompted by Rep. Darryl Campbell, D-Fort Lauderdale, to explain the exemptions. “I’m carrying forward and maintaining that policy decision within this bill.”
Opponents of the bill, however—including rank-and-file public employees—have decried such exemptions as favoritism.
The bill contains several proposals from an anti-union group called the Freedom Foundation, including a proposal to increase fines for public employee strikes to—no lie—adjust for inflation. Such strikes are illegal under Florida’s state constitution, and there has been no major strike of local or government workers in Florida since 1968.
The controversial legislation faces opposition from the Florida AFL-CIO (Florida’s largest federation of labor unions) and the the statewide teachers’ union, and is supported by the Florida Chamber of Commerce (representing business interests), Americans for Prosperity (part of the Koch network) and, unsurprisingly, the Freedom Foundation.
“I haven’t had any organizations come and sit down with me to talk through the details of this bill,” Persons-Mulicka maintained, when asked by Campbell who she’d consulted.
The most devastating part of the bill for public employee unions would alter union election
rules in a way that would ultimately make it harder for them to remain certified, or for workers to form them in the first place. Under the proposal, a labor union would need to get a vote of support from more than 50% of workers who are eligible to vote. Currently, they just need a majority vote of support from those who vote, similar to elections for public officials.
According to Persons-Mulicka, 76% of public employee unions that have gone through the elections process over the last year—largely to recertify, rather than to form new unions—saw a voter turn-
rule herself last fall, she wouldn’t be in office today.
According to state elections data, PersonsMulicka received 49,192 votes last year, in a Florida House race that saw roughly 75% turnout. Although she got nearly 60% of the vote in the 2024 General Election, her district had 109,525 registered voters total as of last November—meaning, if she had been forced to get a majority vote of support from all voters in her district, she would not have made the cut.
our students, on school bus drivers and school cafeteria workers, and so many others who work in our schools, at our college and university campuses, in our cities and counties.”
Researchers have found that public sector unions can help workers in the public sector by reducing racial and gender wage gaps, with the bulk of the public sector dominated by women and people of color. Unions can also negotiate “just cause”—a protection against getting fired for no reason—as well as other job benefits such as paid leave and workplace safety protections.
out that ultimately resulted in less than 50% of eligible voters voting in support of unionization.
“It’s a big issue that needs to be addressed,” she said simply, speaking to her colleagues Tuesday. Even so, no worker covered by a union can be forced to pay union dues, under Florida’s right-to-work policy, anyway—and the state already has a process for workers to decertify their union, if they wish.
For thee but not for me
Ironically, if Persons-Mulicka had been subject to the same majority vote of support
Private sector union elections, which are overseen by the National Labor Relations Board, also don’t maintain such stringent voter turnout requirements.
“I don’t think there’s very many, if any, lawmakers that are elected by a vote of 50 percent or more of all registered voters or eligible voters,”
Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association—(FEA) the statewide teachers union —told Orlando Weekly in an interview. “It just doesn’t make sense to say that we’re going to put a very un-American, very anti-freedom burden on educators, teachers who sacrifice so much for
“This bill does nothing to improve public schools, retain top educators, or strengthen Florida’s workforce,” said 34-year teacher Chris Pagel from Nassau County, during public testimony on the bill.
“Right now, teachers and school staff across Florida are struggling, whether it’s paying bills, affording health care or keeping up with rising costs,” said Pagel, who’s traveled to Tallahassee to speak against anti-union bills before. “Instead of addressing these issues, this bill adds more government mandates, strips away local control
continued on page 27
PERSONS OF INTEREST: Florida Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, R-Fort Myers
TEACHER’S PETS: The Florida legislature’s latest union rule has unsurprising exemptions.
continued from page 25
and makes it harder to recruit and retain quality educators.”
Teachers make up the bulk of Florida’s unionized public sector, which itself is just a sliver of Florida’s entire workforce. Florida’s teachers unions, largely under the umbrella of the FEA, were widely perceived as the target of Florida’s 2023 anti-union law, which has already decimated all of the state’s adjunct faculty unions, in addition to dozens of others representing city, county and state employees, ranging from state-employed nurses to school janitors and public utility workers.
“The Florida Constitution guarantees a right to collective bargaining, but those rights do not begin and end with the FEA,” said Renee Zayas, referencing the parent union of her county’s teachers union, United Teachers of Dade.
Zayas helped organize a group of teachers in her school district last year to form a new “union” bankrolled by the Freedom Foundation. Her labor organization faced off against UTD, a member of nearly 25,000 educators, in a union election and lost.
LABOR
Attorneys for various state agencies, who spent more than 12 years fighting for their union back in the early aughts, also saw their union decertified late last year as a result of changes made through the 2023 law.
Blue-collar workers at the University of South Florida lost their union, then saw their jobs unilaterally privatized by the university shortly after, freezing workers’ hard-earned pensions and putting long-term prospects regarding their wages and job security at risk. A small group of them just reorganized with a different union through the National Labor Relations Board, an agency of the federal government.
Zayas claims it was an unfair election, and that the school district threatened disciplinary action against teachers who supported her union instead of UTD.
“We were silenced by the district at the request of UTD,” she testified Tuesday. “I was not allowed to talk to my colleagues in school without threat of disciplinary action.”
“I haven’t had any organizations come and sit down with me to talk through the details of this bill.”
Another similar bill in the Florida Senate, sponsored by outgoing Sen. Randy Fine, has stalled not just once but twice when scheduled for an initial hearing. Two other bills similar to Persons-Mulicka’s—HB 1217 and SB 1766—have yet to be scheduled for any committee hearing.
Just one rank-and-file public employee, a teacher from Miami-Dade County who worked with the Freedom Foundation last year to try and dismantle the county’s teachers union, spoke in support of Persons-Mulicka’s proposal Tuesday.
All bills must be approved by legislative committees, plus receive a majority vote of support (of those voting, mind you) in the Florida House and Senate in order to pass. The Florida Governor ultimately decides whether to sign a bill into law or veto. Florida’s 60-day legislative session lasts through May 2.
This story first appeared at our sibling publication Orlando Weekly.
RESTAURANTS RECIPES DINING GUIDES
Sending noods
Ichicoro
alumni bring familiar flavors back to Seminole Heights.
By Kyla Fields
Although the #RamenArmy may have disbanded after the 2023 closure of Tampa’s Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded Ichicoro, some soldiers may reunite for the resurgence of ramen on Florida Avenue.
With a menu “heavily-inspired by Ichicoro,” a handful of the beloved ramen concept’s former employees have opened the reimagined Ichi Koroshi, utilizing Jug & Bottle’s Seminole Heights kitchen last occupied by Three Dot vegan restaurant. The brand new, yet familiar, ramen soft opened last weekend at 6203 N Florida Ave. after its final round of inspections.
Executive Chef Ryan Czternastek tells Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that Ichi Koroshi will operate from 2 p.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday during its soft opening period, with plans to eventually expand to lunch.
There’s three types of ramen on Ichi Koroshi’s menu: A chicken-based shoyu ramen with braised pork belly or chasyu asado, soycured eggs, bamboo shoots, green onions and nori, and its vegetarian mushroom and seaweedbased counterpart featuring shitake, portobello and beech mushrooms, green onions, daikon and truffle butter. The third ramen option is another nod to the now-closed Ichicoro—a brothless abura soba loaded with chili oil, poached egg, scallions, pickled ginger, shiitake, chasyu asado, bacon and jalapeño yuzu kosho.
All three ramens can be customized to your liking, with the option of adding more soy-cured eggs, pork belly, mushrooms, bamboo shoots and a variety of housemade spicy sauces that range from $1-$3.50 per add-on.
Non-noodle dishes include chicken or tofu karaage accompanied by spicy garlic mayo or chili oil, pork gyoza with a soy dipping sauce and tsukemono—a Japanese pickled vegetable side dish with Ichi Koroshi’s rendition featuring crushed cucumbers, daikon and green onions seasoned with dobanjan, a spicy fermented bean paste that’s commonly used in Chinese and Japanese cuisine. Despite only having about 20 seats total, Ichi’s customers are welcome to enjoy its ramen inside or on Jug & Bottle’s patio—although all food will be served in a to-go capacity.
While Jug & Bottle and its accompanying kitchen will not necessarily function as a fullservice restaurant, the bottle shop’s new owner
Jessie Wohlers says that she and other staff members will provide assistance, recommend bottles of sake and bus tables.
Choun Yeh, a part-owner and investor of Ichi Koroshi (who was also associated with Ichicoro’s original ownership team), will be working the front counter and greeting customers while Wohlers curates a beverage selection that accompanies the restaurant’s Japanese cuisine. Almost the entire staff at Ichi Koroshi (and Jug + Bottle)
think of this space as less of a bottle shop and more of a bar,” Wohlers says. “I want to make sure the guest experience is always on par with the food.”
Chef Czternastek helms the kitchen at Ichi Koroshi, although he’s no stranger to the small kitchen space inside of Jug + Bottle, since he also led the 3 Dot team before the vegan restaurant’s closure late last year.
Most, if not all, of Ichi Koroshi’s dishes can be considered inspired by Ichicoro classics, with Czternastek and team making a few changes and substitutions as they see fit. One major change is the fact that Ichi Koroshi’s mushroom-based ramen will be completely plant-based—truffle butter included—perhaps a nod to Three Dot’s former clientele. He also
worked at Ichicoro before the Seminole Heights restaurant closed in 2023.
Wohlers is in the process of creating a new inventory of Japanese soda and sake that will complement Ichi’s ramen selection, in addition to putting two of Ichicoro’s most popular cocktails on draft.
“The attention to detail and service will definitely be there. I tell everybody that I’m training to
plans to launch weekend specials once things are up and running at the new restaurant.
Head to @ichikoroshi on Instagram for the latest news on Ichi Koroshi’s soft opening, menu items and more.
St. Pete’s Nueva Cantina, now employeeowned, announces new downtown Tampa taco spot
St. Pete’s Nueva Cantina is opening a second location in downtown Tampa—fresh off converting to employee ownership.
The Old Southeast spot, at 1625 4th St., is known for its freshly squeezed margaritas and Mexican street food like its birria barbacoa taco. Its flavors are influenced by ingredients imported from Mexico and much of its team from Jalisco and Mexico City.
The Tampa location will open in May at 903 N Franklin St., beneath the Nine15 residential high-rise apartments in the former Bello spot.
The restaurant has become entirely employee-owned over the last six months, according to a release. CEO and owner Raul Medina and executive chef Danny Jimenez plan to expand throughout Tampa Bay, with all employee-owned locations. Top employees at each spot can become partners, a spokesperson told Creative Loafing.
“The people in the restaurant industry that do the most significant day to day work are inside the restaurants, not in a corporate office,” Medina told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. “I want to ensure that those high performing employees have an opportunity to be directly tied into the success of our restaurants.”
Selene San Felice
Ted Dorsey’s new restaurant Sunshine City Tavern is now open in St.Petersburg
Chef Ted Dorsey’s new throwback tribute to 1990s St. Petersburg is now open. Sunshine City Tavern, located at 4351 4th St. N in the former Oaks on 4th building, officially debuted Monday, March 24.
Dorsey’s new 3,700 square-foot space features a 16-seat bar, and is decked out with St. Pete-themed street signs, and murals.
Sunshine City Tavern’s menu is centered on the meats, smoked meats specifically. The menu spans everything from smoky briskets, wings, meatloaf, seared Arctic salmon, soups, and more. There’s also a robust beer, wine and cider menu, as well as hand crafted cocktails up for grabs.
Dorsey has been at the helm of quite a few popular local restaurants, including the Sonata Restaurant at the Mahaffey, The Mill, Ciro’s Speakeasy & Supper Club, Boca Kitchen Bar, Market Copperfish Seafood Grill & Oyster Bar, and Nash’s Hot Chicken on Central, which closed in 2023.
Sunshine City Tavern is open 11 a.m-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and open until 10 p.m. FridaySaturday.—Colin Wolf
SO BACK: There’s three types of ramen on Ichi Koroshi’s menu.
MOVIES THEATER ART CULTURE
Full court press
The Women’s Final Four is so much more than the big games.
By Ray Roa and Selene San Felice
Tampa has a lot to be proud of over the next few days, as downtown plays host to the NCAA Women’s Final Four. The field in 2025 includes three no. 1 seeds—UCLA, South Carolina and Texas—plus no. 2 seed UConn, which upset a no. 1 seed (USC) in the last regional final on Monday. This tournament marks the fourth time hosting for the city, the most of any community in the U.S.
During a late-February press conference and pep rally at Sparkman Wharf, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor was already feeling like a winner.
“We happen to be the only city in Florida that has hosted this event. Please try to keep that quiet when you’re talking to other cities, because they’re going to want to get what we have,” she joked before moving on to mention her own playing days at the University of Tampa where she scored 1,055 points and raked in 508 rebounds during a four-year career. She also played volleyball at UT, and fired off another quip: “I am a product of Title IX. That’s how old I am.”
stage is a top priority, she said, adding that the NCAA is most committed to showcasing stories of the student-athletes, programs and coaches.
“Inherently, through those stories, you learn more about people as individuals,” Holzman said. “So what we’re committing to doing is making sure that we use our platform in a way that really showcases what a tremendous time March Madness is.”
Meg Aronowitz, ESPN Senior Vice President of Production, was just as cautious in her comments, lauding her team’s commitment to celebrate the tournament and its athletes, adding, “It’s going to be about sports and athletics and these young women that have made it to the highest level, and those are the stories we’re going to focus on.”
SPORTS
NCAA Women’s Final Four
Title IX is a federal civil rights law that was enacted in 1972; it says “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
Through Sunday, April 6. Downtown Tampa. ncaa.com
And even if you don’t have a ticket to the games (which last year drew more viewers than the men’s tournament), there’ll be plenty of activities to take part in this week, from a free GloRilla concert to the “Tourney Town” fan festival, and more. Have a look at a quick guide below.
The law also applies in other areas of education (financial aid, admissions) and in the context of sexual harassment and violence, too.
In sports, Title IX led to a dramatic increase in resources and participation for women’s sports. In short, the law advanced the very idea of equality—a word and concept that’s been somewhat taboo as President Trump’s second term upends the federal government.
At the Sparkman Wharf presser in February, Lynn Holzman, treaded carefully around a question about how much the tournament would tiptoe around equality.
Holzman, Vice President for NCAA Women’s Basketball, told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that the tournament at its core is a platform for teams to vie for a national title. Providing a safe platform for fans and players on the highest
Tourney Town This free fan festival runs all weekend with pep rallies, bands, cheer squads, mascots and merch inside the Tampa Convention Center. An inaugural sensory room will be available to provide a calm and relaxing environment for anyone who needs it, especially those with sensory processing disorders and disabilities.
Also happening at Tourney Town is Beyond the Baseline, a professional development series that includes networking opportunities and speakers for women. The party continues outside at Cotanchobee Park across the street, where there will be food and beverages, music, games, and photo opps. See ncaa.com/womensfinal-four/events for hours. Thursday-Sunday, April 3-6. No cover. Tampa Convention Center, 333 S Franklin Street, Tampa
Bounce Thousands of young fans (18 and under) will dribble in a bouncy parade from Curtis Hixon Park, through the Tampa Riverwalk and into Tourney Town at the convention center. The first 3,000 to register online get a free T-shirt and basketball. Saturday, April 5. Curtis Hixon Park,
AROUND: Saturday’s kid’s event is just part of the fun the NCAA has planned.
600 N Ashley Dr., Tampa. No cover. Participant check in is required at 9 a.m. The parade starts at 11 a.m. Register to participate at runsignup. com/Race/FL/Tampa/WFFBounce
Super Saturday practice Fans can watch the final two national championship teams get ready for Sunday’s big game at the week’s only open practice. There will also be fan activities and sponsor swag. Saturday, April 5. 1 p.m.
Gates open at noon. No cover. Amalie Arena, 401 Channelside Dr., Tampa.
Super Saturday concert GloRilla will play a burtifurl free show after Saturday’s practice. The three-time Grammy nominee and Memphis native plays after a set from Miami’s DJ ReRe.
The AT&T Fast Lane gives users expedited entry with one guest. Customers should be ready to verify on their phone that AT&T is their wireless provider or show an AT&T Fiber bill. Saturday, April 5. Gates open at 6 p.m. The show runs from 7 p.m.-10:30 p.m. No cover. Curtis Hixon Park, 600 N Ashley Dr., Tampa Thunder Alley Before Friday and Sunday’s games, ticket holders can check out the ESPN set, fan activations and purchase food and beverages. The plaza outside Amalie Arena also be the spot to watch the red carpet arrivals of the final two teams before the last match. Friday, April 4 (10 a.m.) and Sunday, April 6 (11 a.m.) No cover, for ticket holders only
BOUNCING
Fostering is free: all supplies provided!
Help cats and dogs get a break from the shelter
Raise kittens and puppies in a safe home environment
Earn 4 volunteer hours per day
Keep pushing
This weekend was supposed to be a homecoming for Marquis Floyd.
By Ray Roa
“The Lion King”’s return to Tampa was supposed to be a homecoming for Marquis Terell Floyd.
While New York was basecamp for the 30-year-old Clearwater native, the Bay area is where he started to shine, first as a charismatic student for Pinellas County Center for the Arts at St. Pete’s Gibb’s High School, (PCCA) but also at Dundu Dole Urban African Ballet, and the Straz Center’s Patel Conservatory. He collaborated with local crews led by the likes of Alexis Feacher, aka YungBBQ, and 10 years ago appeared onstage at Mahaffey Theater for “Family Blessing,” a milestone for any aspiring local dancer. In 2021, he danced alongside The Weeknd in the Super Bowl LV halftime show at Raymond James Stadium.
“It’s actually more than a full circle moment for me,” Floyd, a graduate of the Boston Conservatory, told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay during a phone call in late-February. Many of the productions he was involved with locally are flourishing now, and the skills he learned prepared him to perform for thousands of people every night.
“On behalf of The Lion King company, we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, loved ones and friends. He will forever be part of our Pride.”
Details of his death were not shared, but a celebration of Floyd’s life will be held next Saturday, April 12 at St. Petersburg’s First Baptist Church at 1900 Gandy Blvd. N.
“He was such a light, and every time I saw him, he was always smiling,” Feacher wrote in a tribute. PCCA dedicated its spring dance concert last weekend to Floyd, too.
INTERVIEW
In his conversation with CL, Floyd talked about some of the ups and downs of making it as an actor and dancer, and thought about the kids trying to do the same in the Bay area where they might not be as many opportunities to see professional dance. “I truly believe that we have to dream more,” he said, admitting that just allowing yourself to do that takes strength and courage.
Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ Wednesday-Sunday, April 2-20. $47.20 & up Carol Morsani Hall at David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts. 1010 N Macinnes Pl., Tampa strazcenter.org
“It’s another rite of passage for me. It’s a spiritual awakening. It is another affirmation that I really achieved, and that everything that I manifested has really come into the forefront,” he said, adding that he couldn’t wait to reconnect with students at his old studios and plant new needs to watch them grow.
Manifestation, he explained, involves planning how to get there, allocating resources, and speaking up for yourself. Floyd’s learning drive pushed him to every show he could possibly see, to read the pages of books and magazines, and talk to people doing the things he aspired to.
“Be as loud as you want.”
His grandparents on both sides of the family were supposed to catch him onstage with the Broadway production. His mom was headed down from Georgia, along with his siblings including his brother who’d never seen him perform. Kids at St. Pete’s Kali Kali Dance Company, which he ran with his godsister Gwenetta Martin, were coming, too.
“My spirit is just really, really, really bright. It’s really full. I can’t wait to just get back,” Floyd said.
Those plans changed on Sunday, March 23 when Floyd died suddenly, leading the company to postpone performances for two nights.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Marquis Floyd, a cherished member of The Lion King North American tour company. In the three years Marquis was with the tour, he brought his extraordinary talent to the stage and shared his warm humanity off stage,” Anne Quart, Producer of “The Lion King,” wrote in a statement.
“Put yourself out there and just be like, ‘Hi. I’m really interested in this. I see that you’re doing this. Is there any way that you could just give me any words of wisdom or help me along the way?,” he said. “Don’t limit yourself and don’t box yourself in. Just because it may seem like there are limitations, the opportunities are literally everywhere.”
He pointed to Tampa rapper Doechii, a Blake High School graduate fresh off a Best Rap Album Grammy, who accepted her award and told every A&R in the world to look at Tampa where the culture is waiting to be elevated. “Tampa has so much talent. Labels, go to Tampa. There is talent there,” she said.
Floyd told CL he fully resonated with Doechii’s sentiment, and that sometimes creatives in the Bay area think that no one is watching or that there’s not enough resources. “There’s so much talent here, and it’s because of the heart of the city, there are so many talented people that come from the Tampa Bay area,” he said, adding that the challenges are necessary, forcing anyone who wants it for themselves to step out.
“Be as loud as you want,” he said. ”Love on yourself. Give yourself grace. Be kind to
yourself, and just show up in every room in your most authentic way.”
Floyd did that until the end and was enamored with his role on “The Lion King” where he relished bringing South African culture to audiences. He felt a spiritual connection with so many elements of the production. “Every night, it’s new. You breathe life into it in a different way,” he added.
He was not aloof to the attacks on diversity that affected many of his castmates, but
resolute to keep going. “The Lion King,” Floyd added, is a show that has diversity, equity and inclusion all over it. “The way that I operate is with true faith and knowing that I will always be protected no matter what,” Floyd added. More than anything, he wanted people to be able to get lost in the show and tap into the story of someone becoming their own and stepping into their power and perseverance. Simply put, according to Floyd, “I want to inspire them to just continue, to keep pushing.”
SO LONG, KING: Marquis Floyd, a graduate of St. Petersburg’s Gibbs High School.
Woman’s Furisode, c. 1935, Silk, Collection of Peter Kuhlmann and Diane Gilmour
Thursday, April 3, 2025 • 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Napa Valley Winemaker Dinner- Hill Family Estate
@ Chateau Cellars Ybor
2009 N. 22nd St. Tampa
$62.50 - Two for One Tickets
bit.ly/NapaWinemakerDinner
Friday, April 4, 2025 • Doors at 7:00 PM, Show at 8:00 PM
NIGHTLY @ Crowbar
1812 N 17th St Tampa
$25 Advanced, $28 at the Door crowbarybor.com
Friday, April. 4 - Sunday, April. 6, 2025,
Doors at 5:45 PM, Show at 7:00 PM
Godfrey @ The Funny Bone
1600 E 8th Ave C-112, Tampa
Tickets start at $29
bit.ly/GodfreyFunnyBone
Sunday, April 6, 2025 • Doors at 6:30 PM, Show at 7:30 PM
Slow Joy @ Crowbar
1812 N 17th St Tampa
$19.74 Tickets crowbarybor.com
Thursday, April 10, 2025 • 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Bodegaz Manzanos Wine Dinner
2117 East 7th Avenue Tampa
$235 per ticket
@ Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City
bit.ly/BodegazManzanos
Friday, April 11, 2025 • Doors at 6:00 PM, Show at 7:00 PM
AWOLNATION • The Phantom Five Tour
@ The Ritz Ybor
1503 E. 7th Ave – Tampa
$37.50 GA
bit.ly/awolnation0411
Sunday, April. 13, 2025 • 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Hotel Haya x JC Newman Cigar Rolling Class
@ Hotel Haya
1412 East 7th Avenue Tampa
$70 General Admission
bit.ly/HotelHayaJCNewman
Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Doors at 7:00 PM, Show at 8:00 PM
FLO • Access All Areas North American Tour 2025
@ The Ritz Ybor
1503 E. 7th Ave – Tampa
Tickets start at $29 bit.ly/fl o0416
Saturday & Sunday, April 27 & 28th, 2025
5:00 PM - 11:30 PM
Tribe Fest ™ TAMPA
featuring Inna Vision and Nattali Rize
@ 1920 Ybor
1920 East 7th Avenue Tampa
Tickets start at $25 bit.ly/TribeFest2025
Sunday, April 27, 2025 • 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Books & Brews @ Ybor City Coffee and Tea Co
1907 North 19th Street Tampa
Free to the Public
bit.ly/BooksBrewsYbor
La Terrazza Restaurant 1727 E 7th Ave, Tampa opentable.com/r/la-terrazza-ristorante-tampa
LARA - Apothecary Bar & Bazaar 1919 E 7th Ave, Tampa tampalara.com
La Creperia Cafe 1729 E 7th Ave, Tampa lacreperiacafe.com
Sky Puppy Brewing
1313 E 8th Ave, Ybor City
Sky Puppy Brewing is a local craft brewery focused on creating the ultimate experience for any craft beer enthusiast or new comer. skypuppybrewing.com
Ybor City Tattoo Company 1901 E 5th Avenue, Tampa
Ybor City Tattoo is a full-service tattoo and piercing studio located in Ybor City since 2010. yborcitytattoocompany.com
Game Time 1600 E. 8th Avenue Tampa With
THU APRIL 03–THU APRIL 10
THU 03
C Rock The Park: Gringo Star w/ The Stone City/June Bunch Because of this weekend’s NCAA Women’s FinalFour, downtown Tampa’s no-cover, pet-and-family-friendly Rock the Park concert series is back at its temporary home of Water Works Park, and brings with it a touring band. On the road for what feels like forever, Gringo Star has repped Atlanta since 2007 when it released a self-titled six-track debut. A dozen releases later, the quartet is still on the road, this time just a month in front of a new, 11-track album, Sweethearts , led by the galloping indie-pop single, “Blood Moon,” which sounds like a lost artifact from the golden days of Athens, Georgia’s Elephant 6 Recording Co. (Water Works Park, Tampa)
Tatsuya Nakatani w/Jonas Van Den Bossche/Zack Hickerson/Thomas Milovac/Tuesday Villanei/Harrowing Industries Ybor Heights brewery and distillery Deviant Libation has always been a place to let your freak flag fly, and the venue’s concert calendar gets really weird when it welcomes Tatsuya Nakatani. The NewEngland-by-way-of-Japan percussionist has been somewhat of a fixture in the Bay area music scene, regularly bringing avant-garde jazzisms to shows booked by David Manson’s EMIT adventurous music series or St. Pete’s long-shuttered Warehouse Arts District venue Venture Compound. Nakatani, who’s worked in the indie-rock field with bands like Akron/ Family is known for his hand-crafted rig, which includes a drumkit, cymbals, bowed gongs, singing bowls, metal objects, bells, and various sticks and bows. Jonas Van Den Bossche, a Belgian guitarist now based in Florida, opens the show in support of a 2024 album, Are You Free Now. (Deviant Libation, Tampa)
FRI 04
C Anberlin w/Copeland/Madina Lake
A pair of what are perhaps Central Florida’s biggest contributors to emo and rock are looking backwards. Anberlin dials the clock back 20 years to celebrate their sophomore LP, Never Take Friendship Personal where the Winter Haven-born outfit turned its guitars even louder, capitalized on the popularity of their breakout album Blueprints for the Black Market , and started to explore sounds outside of the emo-rock spectrum. Lakeland’s own Copeland is also running through its 20-year-old sophomore outing, In Motion , as it kicks off the end, and hometown stretch, of a nationwide tour that started back in February. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)
Busch Gardens Food & Wine Festival: Soulja Boy w/Paul Wall There are still at least a dozen chances to enjoy the concerts
at Busch Gardens Food & Wine Festival, but only one shot to crank dat. Soulja Boy turns the swag on at this show included with park admission, and he’s in vintage company, too, thanks to Paul Wall who was part of the Swishahouse label that forced the nation to deal with the trunk-rattling sound coming out of Houston, Texas back in the late-’90s and early-2000s.
(Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Tampa)
Chris Stills I could pretend to be overly confident that 80-year-old Stephen Stills will one day return to Tampa Bay where he attended high school. But his boy Chris—who spent the first bit of the decade collaborating with Rufus Wainwright and rehearsing for what should have been the late David Crosby’s 2023 tour—has a voice, too. His latest EP Where Love Is Found is mostly piano-driven and sees the 50-year-old thank God for the band and leaving a partner behind to fulfill a dream career. Along with these songs will probably come some tales of his whack upbringing, because there’s nary a venue in Tampa Bay where songwriting, storytelling, and a nighttime Florida breeze (well, sometimes) make such a divine team. (Safety Harbor Art and Music Center, Safety Harbor)—Josh Bradley
C Fred Armisen The right-wingers increasingly growing their share of the electorate in the Bay area always lament the Portland-ing of anything around here, but they might make an exception for Fred Armisen. The 58-year-old comedian, musician and co-creator of “Portlandia” is taking a break from “All In” on Broadway to bring fans his “Comedy for Musicians But Everyone is Welcome” tour. It’s a comedy gig, make no mistake, but Armisen is set to turn Tampa’s historic movie palace into something like a living room in between getting behind the drum kit (like he does leading the 8G Band for “Late Night with Seth Meyers”) and other instruments to play songs from “Saturday Night Live” and other parodies. The outing must've sold-pretty well, too, since a second show has been added for 9:30 p.m. (Tampa Theatre, Tampa)
C Image Research: Mind Quest No. 3 w/Blair Sound Design/Akasha System/ Justin Depth/P.Sus Get in a loose mood late on Friday night when Orlando producer Kyle Lyon brings his Blair Sound Design project to another installment of Justin Myers’ Image Research Series. Myers himself supports the downtempo beatmaker under the Justin Depth moniker and is joined by Image Research staple Akasha System and Tampa’s own plunderphonics architect P.Sus. (The Bends, St. Petersburg)
C Songwriter Club Vov. 5: Caleb Caudle w/Will Quinlan Is Caudle in love with Tampa Bay? After playing our neck of the woods twice last year, the Nashville songwriter is back again—for his most intimate gig to date. He joins Tampa's king of melancholy folk, Will Quinlan, for a show that’s bound to sell out. (Jack Kerouac House, St. Petersburg)
SAT 05
The Bright Light Social Hour w/Liquid Pennies/Florida The Bright Light Social Hour has been putting its rootin’ tootin’ Austin, Texas flare on psychedelic indie-rock for more than 20 years. Though its last album was released in 2023, this is a big year for the band. This summer marks the 10th anniversary of its acclaimed album, Space Is Still the Place . A pair of Tampa Bay’s hardest hitting rock outfits, open the show. (Crowbar, Ybor City)—Selene San Felice
C Buffyfest: The Florida Björkestra During COVID-19 lockdowns, we all had plenty of time to indulge in any films and television we wanted, including “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” which is the headlining subject of the Florida Björkestra’s first Buffyfest since 2019. Before the ensemble gets through every number from “Buffy’s” musical episode “Once More With Feeling,” it’ll perform the entirety of the soundtrack to “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog,” a beloved Internet cult classic that proved how well Neil Patrick Harris could play an aspiring antagonist opposite Nathan Fillion. (Hough Hall at Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg)—JB
C Tampa Pro 2025: Die Spitz Fresh of signing to Jack White’s Third Man Records— and ahead of huge shows at Governor’s ball, Bonnaroo, Shaky Knees, and Stubb’s BBQ—Die Spitz is coming to Tampa to play what should be a set of rock and roll that is complete mayhem. Staples of the Austin, Texas scene, Ava Schrobilgen, Chloe De St. Aubin, Ellie Livingston, and Kate Halter have supported the likes of Off! And Amyl and the Sniffers on the strength of self-released singles like last year’s “I Hate When Girls Die,” “My Hot Piss,” and “Little Flame,” and close out Saturday after the infamous concrete jam. Zinnia's Garden plays The Bricks on Friday, BTW. (Skatepark of Tampa, Tampa)
Chasco Fiesta: The Frontmen w/The Embry Brothers Band Richie McDonald, Tim Rushlow and Larry Steward—former members of Lonestar, Little Texas and Restless Heart, respectively—come together under the Frontmen moniker. The band featuring some of the most recognizable voices in modern country first formed for a salutethe-troops show, but remained in demand and closes New Port Richey’s Chasco Fiesta, a nine-day celebration that kicked off last Tuesday. (Sims Park, New Port Richey)
C NCAA Women’s Final Four Super Saturday Concert: GloRilla Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, the 25-year-old who played basketball in high school made history last year as the first female hip-hop artist to have three of her hit songs charting in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. GloRilla is no stranger to the spotlight in Tampa Bay, having recently opened Lil Baby at Yuengling Center. Before this free-and-open-to-the-public concert, attendees can enjoy free events and catch the NCAA Women’s Final Four championship teams’ Super Saturday Practice at Amalie Arena. Read more on p. 37. (Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Tampa)—Grace Stoler
Lorrie Morgan and Pam Tillis This double-header performance featuring the daughters of two country music icons will hit close to home for Tillis especially. The 67-year-old singer-songwriter—who had a complicated relationship with her father Mel—will not only recall the memories of recording two albums with Morgan last decade, but the Plant City-born Ms. “Spilled Perfume” will technically be doing a homecoming show on Saturday (she was probably busy during Strawberry Festival this year). The gig in downtown Clearwater is the duo’s only show in Florida on this run, so let that pony run. (Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater)—JB
continued on page 49
By Ray Roa
C CL Recommends
Die Spitz
FRI 4/04 - CHRIS STILLS
SAT 4/05 - CHRIS CAIN
SUN 4/06 - CHARLIE MARS
THU 4/24 - WILL JOHNS
FRI 4/25 - DAMON FOWLER
SAT 4/26 - PAT TRAVERS
THU 5/01 - ? MYSTERY CONCERT ?
BIERGARTEN TAMPA PAINT AND SIP DAISY VALLEY 1PM-4PM | SAVE $5 W/ CODE WORLD5 BIERGARTEN
(SINGER-SONGWRITER) 7:30PM-9:30PM | $FREE
EARTH
EXPO 3PM-6PM | $FREE
SUNDAY APRIL 6
MONDAY APRIL 7 CLOSED
NEW WORLD
TOTS 4 TEACHERS
HAPPY HOUR FREE TOT BUFFET OPEN AT 3PM | $5 WINES, WELLS, SELECT DRAFTS
BIERGARTEN PRE-CONCERT
PICKIN’ PARTY
OPEN BLUEGRASS JAM WITH FIL PATE 3PM-6PM | $FREE
INNOVATION LECTURE SERIES DOORS 6:30PM | $FREE, MUST RSVP
C WMNF Tribute to Sir Elton John: Hannah Phillips w/School of Rock Tampa/North House Band/more Someone on this stacked lineup for one of WMNF’s legendary artist birthday parties is bound to give us a healthy dose of “Crocodile Rock” (a song John swore off once he finished touring). You probably won’t hear anything from his new album with Brandi Carlile though. (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa)—JB
SUN 06
C Corner Club four-year anniversary: Andy & the Argonauts w/Deb Ruby & Melissa Grady/Henry Locke With some of the most expansive and consistent hours in the Bay area hospitality scene, Corner Club is only closed for nine hours a day. The restaurant—which underwent a renovation when new ownership took over in 2021—celebrates four years in business with some of the Bay area’s brightest folk singers, plus the closing of a gallery show by skater-artist Dylan Perry. (Corner Club, Tampa)
C Orbiter w/Sandcrawler/No Plea/Pipe Dreamer Tampa-based promoter Locust Parade is best known for its hardcore gigs, but this one is a mix of genres, thanks in big part to Orbiter. The Gainesville band marries the worlds of sludge, post-rock and shoegaze together in grand fashion on a late-2024 release, Distorted Folklore, which was recorded by Torche and Shitstorm engineer/member Jonathan Nunez. (Deviant Libation, Tampa)
Slow Joy w/Flycatcher On his first headlining tour, Chicano alt-rocker Slow Joy AKA Esteban Flores brings ‘90s and 2000s emo nostalgia to Ybor City. His recent single “Gruesome” feels very Blink-182, and there’s sure to be more high energy emo on his debut album, A Joy So Slow At Times I Don’t Think It’s Coming , coming out in May. Wear your cushiest Etnies and be ready to jump. (Crowbar, Ybor City)—SSF
C Wyatt Flores w/Noah Rinker After packing Crowbar last January, hitting the road with Mitski, and getting nervous on the NPR Tiny Desk, Wyatt Flores is back in the Bay area and playing a bigger venue than ever. Armed this go around with his full-length debut, Welcome to the Plains , the 23-year-old rising star of actually-good-country-music is joined by Ohio songwriter Noah Rinker. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)
TUE 08
C Denzel Curry Miami rapper Denzel Curry is just 30 years old, but you’re not alone in thinking he’s been in the game forever. After dropping his first mixtape at just 16 years old, Curry once seemed poised for superstardom. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)
WED 09
C Billy Strings After winning Best Bluegrass Album at the Grammys, Strings returns for one night of virtuoustic timetraveling across the genre’s many eras. This gig celebrates the 32-year-old’s latest album, Highway Prayers , an expansion of Strings’ twangy palette. (Yuengling Center, Tampa)
C Shannon and The Clams w/Being Dead Shannon Shaw is a songwriter seemingly from another era, but she explores a sadly universal theme on her band’s latest album, The Moon Is In the Wrong Place . The 41-yearold recently lost her fiancé, Joe Haener, in a car accident weeks leading up to their wedding—and the record from Shannon and the Clams plumbs the depths of grief while also making room for celebrating life. More than a soundtrack for Mercury being in retrograde, The Moon reinvents doo-wop and rock and roll in a way that’s yet to be replicated by any band on the road today. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
See an extended version of this listing via cltampa.com/music.
Shannon and The Clams
Get ready, the Metalverse is making its rounds in the western world. Japanese kawaii metal band Babymetal kicks off its most extensive North American tour this summer with 24 shows—including just one Florida stop, happening in Tampa.
The tour kicks off just over two years after the release of Babymetal’s fourth studio concept album, The Other One , which consists of 10 themed tracks that are tied with their own parallel world among the Metalverse. The Tampa show hits four days after the trio’s release of its newest album, Metal Fourth
Formed in 2010, Babymetal was originally a subset of the female Japanese group Sakura Gakuin, but became an independent band in 2013. The ever-evolving lineup currently consists of vocalists Nakamoto Suzuka (“Su-Metal”), Moa Kikuchi (“Moametal”) and Momoko Okazaki (“Momometal”).
Babymetal will be joined by rock bands Black Veil Brides and Bloodywood in Tampa. Tickets to see Babymetal play Tampa’s
Daniel Kelly Friday, April 18. 7 p.m. No cover, but registration required. Teco Theater at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa
Hard Techno Night 360 Saturday, April 19. 11 p.m. No cover with RSVP, $10 for guaranteed entry. The Ritz, Ybor City
Skillet Thursday, May 1. 8 p.m. $35. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
Lenier Sunday, May 11. 8 p.m. $51.99 & up. Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Tampa
SwaVay (opening for Chase Shakur) Wednesday, May 21. 7 p.m. $25 & up. Crowbar, Ybor City
I Want My ‘80s: Rick Springfi eld w/ John Waite/John Cafferty/Wang Chung Wednesday, May 28. 7 p.m. $53.25 & up. Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater
Softcult w/She’s Green Friday, June 13. 7 p.m. $25. Crowbar, Ybor City
Glass Animals w/Sofi a Isella Thursday, June 19. 8 p.m. $40.50 & up. MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa
Jon Anderson and the Band Geeks Friday, June 20. 8 p.m. $42.75 & up. Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater
Sam Wolfe Saturday, June 21. 10:30 p.m. No cover with RSVP, $10 for guaranteed entry. The Ritz, Ybor City
Orthodox w/Mugshot/Omerta/Fromjoy Thursday, June 26. 6 p.m. $20. Crowbar, Ybor City
Yuengling Center on Tuesday, June 17 are available now and start at $34. See Josh Bradley’s weekly roundup of new concerts coming to Tampa Bay below.—Grace Stoler
Jason Ricci and The Bad Kind Friday, June 27. 8 p.m. $15. Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa
Muzz Friday, June 27. 10 p.m. No cover with RSVP, $10 for guaranteed entry. The Ritz, Ybor City
Slightly Stoopid w/Iration/Little Stranger Friday, June 27. 6 p.m. $45.50 & up. The BayCare Sound, Clearwater
Acid Bath w/Weedeater/Rwake Saturday, June 28. 7 p.m. $59.50. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
Gladys Knight Sunday, July 13. 8 p.m. $105 & up. Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Tampa
Planning For Burial Tuesday, July 15. 7 p.m. $15. Crowbar, Ybor City
Keith Sweat w/SWV/Joe/Ginuwine/Dru Hill Friday, July 25. 8 p.m. $69 & up. Amalie Arena, Tampa
The Supervillains w/TBA S aturday, July 26. 7 p.m. $20. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
A.R. Rahman Friday, Aug. 8. 7:30 p.m. $44.75 & up. Amalie Arena, Tampa
The Sounds of ‘97: Over Wait Mammal w/Lot Lizards/Thee Butcher Cabal and Friends/The Brainiacs/Monument Beach/69 Fingers/Rath and the Wise Guys Friday, Aug. 15. 7 p.m. $12. Crowbar, Ybor City
Katy Perry w/Rebecca Black Friday, Aug. 22. 7 p.m. $54 & up. Amalie Arena, Tampa
"Keeping Tampa Bay's ear to the (under)ground since 1997"
Othe table
By Dan Savage
I’ve been happily married to my wife for 15 years. I’m a 54-year-old man, she’s a 55-year-old woman. While sex has never been our strongest suit, we’ve made the effort. But she now finds sex too painful and no longer wants to have intercourse. I’m on the larger side, which may or may not be relevant. She’s still willing to do oral sex, which we do maybe once a month. I don’t want to go without intercourse for the rest of my life and have told her as much. Recently, in couples therapy, I proposed opening things up in a variety of ways, all of which she refused to do, saying it would cause her shame and that she’s too afraid it would lead to me falling for someone else.
I sort of feel like we’re at a dead end. I love her and our life and our teenage kid too much to leave her over this. I looked online for a sex toy that would simulate vaginal intercourse, of which I found a few, but I’m looking for something that we could use together, something that would get as close to the experience (for me) as possible. I assume you’ve gotten hundreds of variations on this question over the years and thought you might have a good suggestion.—Not Ready To Go Without If this is a problem your wife is interested in solving—pain during intercourse after (presumably) menopause—she could talk to her doctor about low-dose vaginal estrogen, a safe and effective treatment for thinning vaginal tissues due to falling estrogen levels. If your wife isn’t open to talking about this treatment with her doctor, NRTGW, this may not be a problem she’s interested in solving. She may not even regard it as a problem.
If PIV sex was never about your wife’s pleasure—and her pleasure isn’t mentioned anywhere in your letter—she might not feel motivated to seek treatment. And if all she’s missing out on is providing you with maintenance sex, NRTGW, then she’s not missing out on much. It’s also possible that she lost interest in sex as she aged (some people do), and vaginal atrophy — and the pain she now experiences during intercourse — gave her the excuse she needed to pull a plug she wanted to pull for years. (Still, for her own sake, your wife should talk to her doctor, as untreated vaginal atrophy is a risk factor for bladder infections, overactive bladder, and other conditions.)
As to your specific question…you’re in luck! There are lots of masturbation toys for men that simulate the sensations of intercourse, such as Fleshlight-style toys with hard plastic shells and softer silicone sleeves. If your wife is willing to hold one of those Fleshlight-style toys between her thighs, you could simulate missionary position PIV. But you would have to be careful the toy didn’t chafe and/or slide up and/or grind uncomfortably against your wife’s sensitive vulva. Intercrural sex is another good option— you put that big dick between her upper thighs,
she clenches her legs together, you thrust until you come—and it’s one that wouldn’t require your wife to hold a hardshell plastic sex toy as you hammered away at it and her.
And while you’re ordering sex toys for yourself, NRTGW, why not order a couple of toys you think your wife might like to try? Even better, you could invite your wife to join you while you browse and encourage her to pick one or two toys just for her. Who knows? With a Fleshlight for you and a Magic Wand for her—simulated intercourse for you, stimulating outercourse for her—sex could suddenly become, well, maybe not your strongest suit, NRTGW, but a much sturdier one.
Is it possible to forgive my “straight” husband for cheating on me with trans women? We have been married for eight years and together for 10. In 2023 he became hyper-focused on his appearance, withdrew from me emotionally, and developed a phone addiction. I began to worry he was cheating and decided to snoop and HOLY SHIT. Here’s what I found on his phone: Grindr, Trans-Dating, Signal, Scruff, Seeking, etc., along with very questionable credit card charges (hotels, late-night Lyft rides, etc.)
He said he never actually met up with anyone. He said he was confused about his sexual identity because he suddenly found himself attracted to trans women and wanted to unpack what was going on without blowing up our marriage. I get that. My own sexual desires and fantasies have evolved throughout the years as well, but I would NEVER go behind my monogamous partner’s back to explore them!
cheated on a partner is (roughly) three times more likely to cheat again. So, although it’s inaccurate to say, “once a cheater, always a cheater,” staying with someone who’s cheated on you ups your chances of being cheated on again. Which is why whenever someone is thinking about forgiving a cheater, I encourage that person to consider the (presumably) worst-case scenario—getting cheated on again—and if the thought is devastating, consider ending the relationship. As for rebuilding trust, CHEATS, that takes time. Simply put, the only way your husband can prove he’s not going to cheat on you ever again is by not cheating on you ever again… and you won’t feel certain of that (or certain enough of that) to fully trust him until he’s refrained from cheating on you again for at least a year or two.
try swinging, and have an occasional don’t-askdon’t-tell hookup. Can you please help with the right verbiage or resource to somehow normalize this for him? When I last broached this topic with him it was too soon after him finding out about me cheating and he said we needed to rebuild trust. That was almost two years ago. I have been super close with my vibrator since then and things are good between us, and I want to revisit this. What can I say to convince him? Or do I need to give up this fantasy of allowable alternate sex partners?— Getting Real About
Craving Extra
SAVAGE LOVE
Zooming out for a second… I think the fact that you weren’t having sex when your husband cheated on you is a mitigating factor. The collapse of your sex life made it easier for him to rationalize his behavior, particularly if he had no way of knowing it was temporary. He should’ve been honest with you about seeking sex elsewhere, CHEATS, and the things he was discovering about himself. But the higher the stakes, the harder being honest—and stakes don’t get much higher than divorce. If he truly thought your marriage had become a companionate one, he may have convinced himself that he was not only free to get his sexual needs met elsewhere (including ones he may not have been consciously aware of when you married), but that you might prefer him to discreetly do so. And did your husband know you would’ve been willing to explore new things with him before this all came out or is that something he knows now?
The way you phrased your last question was telling, GRACE, in the telling-on-yourself sense: You asked whether your husband’s “no” meant giving up on the fantasy of allowable alternative sex partners. Disallowable alternative sex partners, i.e. men you might cheat with, are still on the table, it seems.
Look, you could get your husband to read Jessica Fern’s “Polysecure,” the bible for ethical non-monogamists under 40, or you could get him to read Dossie Easton and Janet Hardy’s “The Ethical Slut,” the bible for ethical nonmonogamists over 40, or you could get him to listen to Multiamory or Evolving Love or one of the dozens of podcasts out there for people who are interested in opening up their marriages. But your husband has already told you—pretty emphatically—that he’s not one of those people. He doesn’t want an open relationship. He doesn’t want a “don’t-ask-don’t-tell” arrangement. He doesn’t want you out there fucking other people. (Your husband may think things are good between you precisely because you haven’t been out there fucking other people.)
I eventually found undeniable evidence that he cheated. He vomited, and then revealed he met three different trans women from the apps and fooled around with them. Three times total, two years ago. Nothing since. He claims there were no repeat meetings and no penetration. He justified cheating because we were no longer intimate, and he thought I’d never accept that he was bisexual. He assumed that I’d never want to try kinky shit or help him fulfill his fantasies. I am actually pretty open minded and would have been willing to try things out in the bedroom. But now? Now I am feeling so fucking wounded and betrayed. We are in therapy. He does seem genuinely remorseful and ashamed. I know it’s possible to forgive, but I won’t forget. So, how do we rebuild trust? Should I even give him a second chance
Cheating Husband’s Egregious Actions
Torment Spouse
You can forgive your cheating husband and give him a second chance—that’s definitely possible—but there’s no guarantee you won’t come to regret it. Studies have shown that a person who’s
Look, I’m not trying to make excuses for your husband’s behavior. He has a lot of things to apologize for, including the expenses he hid from you, and you two have a lot to unpack with your couples’ counselor. But it’s almost impossible to forgive someone if you can’t understand—on some level — why they made the choices they did.
I’m a 44-year-old heterosexual female. I have been with my husband since the age of 18, we’ve been married for 20 years, and we have a few kids. We have a good and mostly monogamous marriage, and I don’t want a divorce. I say mostly because over the years I have cheated, mostly just hookups but occasionally longer things. When our kids were little, I didn’t cheat for over 10 years. I’m now in a place where I feel so good about my body and am honestly so horny! My husband can always make me orgasm and the sex we have is fine, but I am really itching to fuck other people. I have talked to him about this, but he is not interested in opening up our relationship at all. He says any interest in doing that must mean something is lacking in our relationship. I don’t see it that way and would love to have a threesome,
But you know—and he needs to know—that you are going to fuck other people. You know now that you aren’t capable of honoring the monogamous commitment you made when you were a teenager. Maybe if you’d known yourself a little better before you got married—if you’d been a little older and had a little experience—you probably wouldn’t have made a monogamous commitment to him or anyone else. To be blunt, GRACE, you’re always going to be a cheater. So, the question you need to risk asking your husband—a question that could end your marriage—isn’t whether he wants to be in a nonmonogamous relationship, GRACE, but what kind of non-monogamous relationship he wants to be in. Does he want to be in an ethically nonmonogamous relationship? Or does he want to be in an unethically non-monogamous relationship? If it’s monogamy he wants, he’s gonna have to leave you. If it’s you he wants, he’s gonna have to let you.
P.S. “Once a cheater, always a cheater” isn’t true in every case, GRACE, but I feel safe saying it’s true in yours, given your record.
Got problems? Yes, you do! Email your question for the column to mailbox@savage.love! Or record it for the Savage Lovecast at savage.love/askdan! Podcasts, columns and more at Savage.Love
Legal, Public Notices
Notice of Public Sale Notice is hereby given that the undersigned will sell, to satisfy lien of the owner, at public sale by competitive bidding on www.storagetreasures.com. ending on April 11, 2025 at 10:00 am for units located at Compass Self Storage 1685 Hwy 17 N Eagle Lake Florida
33839. Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at time of sale. All Goods are sold as is and must be removed at the time of purchase.
Compass Self Storage reserves the right to refuse any bid. Sale is subject to adjournment. The personal goods stored therein by the following may include, but are not limited to general household, furniture, boxes, clothes and appliances, unless otherwise noted. UNIT 3194 Richie Hamrick. Run dates 3/27/25 and 4/3/25.
Notice of Public Sale Notice is hereby given that the undersigned will sell, to satisfy lien of the owner, at public sale by competitive bidding on www.storagetreasures.com ending on April 11th, 2025 at 10:00 am for units located at: Compass Self Storage 2291 S. Frontage Rd, Plant City, Florida 33563 Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the time of sale. All goods are sold as is and must be removed at the time of purchase.
Compass Self Storage reserves the right to refuse any bid. Sale is subject to adjournment. The personal goods stored therein by the following may include, but are not limited to general household, furniture, boxes, clothes and appliances, unless otherwise noted. Unit 1047 Kalvysha McCormick Unit 208 Isaac Santana Unit 3130-3156 Lisa Long Run Dates: 03/27/2025 & 04/03/2025
03-09, 2025 | cltampabay.com
the Lone Ranger
Vies for America’s
___ Lanka
