Creative Loafing Tampa — June 18, 2026 by Chava Communications

MEE T TH E CHEFS - ST. PETE

Clayton Parrett HEW Parlor & Chophouse

David Asher Taverna Costale Ryan VanDusen LUMA at SkyBeach Resort

Cameron Capri Q Southern BBQ

Steven Cady Birch & Vine

Joey de los Santos Ocean Hai

Jessica Leung Central Park

Lee Aquino Teak

Nick Ocando Allelo

Brian Lampe Pete’s Gulf Bistro

Tony Bruno The Brinehouse

Johnathan Rodriguez FOMO Chefs

Lee Aquino Driftwood Cafe

Tim Lentsch Juno & The Peacock

Cole Martinovich The Helm

Presented by:

Sponsored by:

Chef Marco Paul’s Landing

Chef Makil

Taylor Dillon Con Amor

Felicia Lacalle Quiote Tequileria

Max McKee Bar Terroir

Mike Morales Sunda David Reyes Uno Mas

Olivia Gielser The Pearl at Water Street

Yanick Destine Bulla Gastrobar

Anthony Santos Private Chef

Cody Tiner District South Kitchen + Craft

Gerry Sizemore The Gin Joint

Nelly Buleje Timpano Hyde Park

Arturo Lo Rusty Pelican

Billy Brannen O-Ku

Billy Brannen Maru

Cristian “Cris” Ruiz Sal Y Mar

PUBLISHER James Howard

CHAIRMAN Mike Trentalange

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ray Roa

Editorial

DEPUTY EDITOR/DIGITAL DIRECTOR Colin Wolf

MANAGING EDITOR Selene San Felice

FOOD & DRINK CRITIC Kyla Fields

FILM & TV CRITIC John W. Allman

IN-HOUSE WITCH Caroline DeBruhl

CONTRIBUTORS Josh Bradley, Valerie Smith

PHOTOGRAPHERS Jack Cmbryla, Dave Decker, Ash Dudney

SUMMER INTERNS Leif Helland, Liam Oliver

(apply for fall and spring by emailing clips and a resumes to rroa@cltampa.com and selene@ cltampa.com)

Creative Services

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jack Spatafora

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Paul Pavlovich

POLITICAL CARTOONIST Bob Whitmore

ILLUSTRATORS Dan Perkins, Cory Robinson

Advertising SALES DIRECTOR Anthony Carbone

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Dan Winkler

CLASSIFIEDS MANAGER Jerrica Schwartz

Tampa Bay Journalism Project

DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR John T. Fox

PARTNER NEWSROOMS Cigar City Sounds, The Gabber, San Pedro Gazette, Sapphic Sun, TB Arts Passport, WMNF News

Events and Marketing

MARKETING, PROMOTIONS AND EVENTS DIRECTOR Leigh Wilson

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Jessica Prieto

MARKETING, PROMOTIONS AND EVENTS COORDINATOR Kristin Bowman

Circulation

CIRCULATION MANAGER Ted Modesta

cltampabay.com cldeals.com

EDITORIAL POLICY — Creative Loafing Tampa Bay is a locally-and-employee-owned 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 proudly published by Events & Media, LLC.

The newspaper is produced and printed on Indigenous land belonging to Tampa Bay’s Tocobaga and Seminole tribes.

Our main number: (813) 739-4800

Letters to the editor: comments@cltampa.com

Anonymous news tips: cltampabay_tips@protonmail.com

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Thank you for the letters. Thank you for the comments. Thanks for calling out bots and trolls. Creative Loafing Tampa Bay has enjoyed opening up the mailbag, and we want to keep the party going. Scan the QR code on this page to give us feedback, or just find us wherever the algorithm has trapped you and chime in there.—Ray Roa

Ashley Moody joins Rick Scott in push to cancel Tampa’s Kanye West concerts

I’m not a fan of Kanye in anyway, but he has the right to have a concert. It’s called freedom of speech and freedom of expression. I know that he has said some crazy stuff and hateful things but people have the right to not buy tickets. You can’t just try to get the show canceled.—John McVey (Facebook)

To be fair, Trick Ricky Scott the Medicare Thief and Useless Ashley Moody the DeSantis/ Trump Clone are 100% behind the orange clown in the Oval Office who has prioritized hate and racism for more than 60 years.—Philip Booth (Facebook)

Sounds to me like a giant class action suit for anybody that has their first amendment right blocked by Rick Scott and his friends!They all have lots of money to lose Rick Scott has 500 billion that he stole from Medicare and Medicaid and I’m sure his other friends have plenty of money to sue the hell out of them giant Class Action suit. Tim Bucher (Facebook)

I’m not even a vegitarian but, my lady is. She introduced me to Good Intentions and I loved everything about it. It definitely gave me a new perspective on what I thought eating vegan could be. We even celebrated one of her milestone birthdays there. We will both be saddened by their closing... I’m sure her more than myself as it was one of her absolute favorites. I personally will miss their SOUTHERN SRIRACHA CRAB CAKES. Barry Ertel (Facebook)

In debate, Mayor Ken Welch says St. Pete Police agreement with ICE is mandatory. It’s not

The statement that local police departments had no choice but to sign ICE 287(g) agreements deserves closer examination.

Florida law clearly requires cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and prohibits sanctuary policies. Florida Statute §908.11 also requires sheriffs and county detention facilities to participate in the federal 287(g) program. However, I have not seen a provision in Chapter 908 that explicitly requires every municipal police department to enter into a 287(g) agreement with ICE.

St. Pete vegan favorite Good Intentions to close this summer why has every vegan restaurant in tampa / st pete shut down in the past few years? i miss three dot dash like its my husband who’s at war—@amy.reed (Instagram)

Nooooooooo!!!! One of my all time favorite spots. Oh my this is heartbreaking. I hope to see you all go somewhere else in the area—@ lesasilvermoremusic (Instagram)

If Good Intentions cant make it, other vegan business owners need to take note. If you dont plan on doing the same, this is your chance to prove youve got it right. As a consumer who happens to be a vegan, GI is special. Unfortunately most of the time its other vegans sabotaging and hating on others instead of building them up. Imagine what Florida vegan restaurant owners could accomplish if they all worked together. Imagine the impact on non- vegans when a vegan gives a vegan restaurant 3 stars because they use seed oil or are using “impossible brands”. Things like that just destroy the cause. Just my speculation and humble opinion—Vanessa N Rushing (Facebook)

Help keep local

ICE itself describes 287(g) as a partnership established through a Memorandum of Agreement between ICE and a participating law enforcement agency. Agencies join the program by entering into that agreement.

Governor DeSantis has strongly promoted and expanded 287(g) participation in Florida, directing several state law enforcement agencies to enter agreements with ICE and making immigration enforcement a major state priority. There is no question that local governments have faced significant political pressure to cooperate.

The question, however, is not whether officials felt pressure. The question is whether there was a legal mandate requiring municipal police departments to sign 287(g) agreements. If such a mandate existed, the public deserves to see the specific statute, executive order, administrative directive, or other legal authority that made participation mandatory.

Transparency matters. When elected officials say they had no choice, citizens have a right to ask for the law, order, or directive that removed that choice.—Eric Shokes (Facebook)

It’s required if you’re scared of the governor ripping you out of your seat. That’s the threat. I wish every municipality came together and fought the legality of this instead of lying about the reason why.—Tatiana Morales (Facebook)

For 36 years, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay has amplified the voices others overlook. Now we’re launching the Tampa Bay Journalism Project to strengthen independent, local reporting on issues that matter—housing, transportation, arts, food, and accountability. Your tax-deductible support helps fund nonpaywalled journalism for our community. Help the Creative Loafing newsroom grow.

Donating is easy, visit bit.ly/anfCLTampa

PASTA

ACROPOLIS

FALAFEL

Now an entire month of prix

PINELLAS COUNTY:

Allelo

Birch and Vine (at The Birchwood Hotel)

Driftwood Cafe

Dunedin Smokehouse

Flipside Pizza Clearwater Beach

Grace Restaurant

Hi-Fi Rooftop (at The Fenway Hotel)

Jimmy's Tacos - St. Pete

Juno & The Peacock

Latitude 28

(at JW Marriott Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa)

LUMA (at SkyBeach Resort)

Luna Lux Restaurant and Lounge

Madison Avenue Pizza

Melting Pot

Ocean Hai

(at Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach)

Right guy

Photos by Dave Decker

The field in Florida’s next gubnatorial race is officially set, and David Jolly, a former Republican, is all most Democrats seem ready to talk about—especially after the 53-year-old former Congressman recently selected former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham as his running mate.

Graham, 63, lost the Democratic primary to Andrew Gillum in 2018 (Gillum lost to Gov. Ron DeSantis by just 32,463 votes, or 0.4%). But five other candidates are in the Democratic primary alongside Jolly.

Supporters packed the Tampa Women’s Center last Friday to greet Jolly and Graham as they prepare to presumably face U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds who is the frontrunner in the Republican primary where former House

Speaker Paul Renner, Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and weird white guy James Fishback are among the 11 qualified GOP candidates.

Jolly has raised $6 million in his race while Donalds has over $82 million. Primary elections are set for Aug. 18. Jolly’s Democratic challengers include: Evelyn Castillo-Bach, a criminal justice reform activist; Thomas Eloy Fernandez, retired Air Force scientist and business owner specializing in social services; Dayna Marie Foster, a math teacher and political science major at Florida State University who also serves as a Young Adult Voices advocate; State Rep. Dotie Joseph; Stephann Norman, a Robinson High School graduate who’s worked a variety of jobs including a stint as a bagger at the MacDill Air Force Base Commissary.—Ray Roa

do this

Tampa Bay's best things to do from June 18 - 24

Eat up

To celebrate Restaurant Month, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay—together with Visit St. Pete-Clearwater and Visit Tampa Bay—hosts two “Meet The Chefs” events, bringing readers and food scene supporters face-to-face with the bright minds bringing new energy to the local restaurant scene. Pinellas’ Meet the Chefs event happens on Thursday, June 18 at The Birchwood in St. Petersburg. Hillsborough’s Meet The Chefs event is on Thursday, June 25 at The Vault in Tampa. The cocktail-style events include unlimited food and drink sampling, with a portion of proceeds benefiting Feeding Tampa Bay. Almost 30 chefs are confirmed in the lineups, including Con Amor’s Taylor Dillon, Yanick Destine of Bulla Gastrobar, The Pearl’s Olivia Gieser, Mike Morales from Sunda New Asian, Bar Terroir’s Mac McKee, Felicia LaCalle of Quiote Tequilaria, Gerry Sizemore of CW’s Gin Joint, Cole Martinovich from The Helm, and more. Meet the Chefs: Thursday, June 18 & 25. $92.96 & up. meetthechefstampabay. com—Ray Roa

Freedom Day

There are lots of ways to celebrate emancipation around Tampa Bay this week, including this Juneteenth Arts Festival from Westcoast Black Theatre Troop. The two-day event includes immersive art, live performance and music. Friday will feature a live presentation showcasing local talent through spoken word. Saturday, expect traditional African dance, films from local student filmmakers from Ringling College of Art & Design. Local vendors will be serving food for both days. For a full guide of Juneteenth events, head to cltampa.com/arts. Westcoast Black Theatre Troop: Juneteenth Arts Festival—FridaySaturday, June 19-20. No cover (registration encouraged). WBTT Campus, 1012 N Orange Ave., Sarasota. westcoastblacktheatre.org—Leif Helland

He just like to jump

Before he was Domingo on SNL or had a hit standup special on Netflix, Marcello Hernandez grew up getting spanked in the ladies’ rooms of Miami. And fans who want to see him in Tampa on Thursday will have their wallets spanked, too. Tickets are nearly sold out for the baby-faced comedian’s 7 p.m. performance at Seminole Hard Rock, and the cheapest remaining seats for the 9:45 p.m. show start around $108. Some non-resale tickets are over $400. Marcello Hernández: Thursday, June 18. 7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m. $108 & up. Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Event Center, 5223 N. Orient Road, Tampa. marcello. live—Selene San Felice & Liam Oliver

Hoppy birthday

Gulfport Brewery celebrates six years of beers this weekend with six brewery collabs premiering at its annual Brewfest, including a pineapple rum cake sour with Tampa Bay Brewing Company and an Italian pilsner with Grand Central Brewhouse. Ticketholders get unlimited samples of local beer from those collaborators, as well as Dade City Brew House, Southern Brewing & Winery, de Bine Brewing Co., Motorworks Brewing and Tidal Brewing Company. Plus, a smashburger and glizzy bar. Earlier this month, Gulfport Brewery started opening at 9 a.m. with a new coffee and light breakfast menu. Gulfport Brewfest: Saturday, June 20. 2 p.m. $53.33 & up. Gulfport Brewery + Eatery, 3007 Beach Blvd., Gulfport. gulfport-brewing.com

—Selene

San Felice

Long game

With elections imminent, it’ll be easy for pundits and the public at large to make like the attorney general and sidestep questions not just about restoring felons voting rights. Not with Daniel Rivero around. Late last year, the WLRN reporter and producer released “Just Freedom,” a deep dive into Florida’s long history of voter suppression and brings readers up to speed as felons continue to fight for their rights to cast ballots despite voters passing Amendment 4 in 2018. Deeply-reported, the work covers two decades and finds Rivero using court documents, meeting transcripts, interviews, videos and on-the-ground testimony to show how politics, money, and other challenges have delayed the fulfillment of a promise more than a million felons have been clinging to for nearly a decade. ‘Wavemakers Live’ w/Daniel Rivero: Next Thursday, June 25. 7 p.m. $10$15. The Commodore, 811 E 7th Ave., Tampa. wmnf.org—Ray Roa

ANASTASIA

SAMOYLOVA

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“I was in shock that he had not done his homework.”

Cold, hard truth

Welch says police agreement with ICE is mandatory. It’s not.

By Valerie Smith

St. Petersburg’s mayor incorrectly stated that the 287(g) agreement was ‘an order from the governor, a misconception shared by several local police chiefs following ambiguous warnings from Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri last year.

During a mayoral debate last Tuesday, St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch incorrectly said that the city’s partnership with federal immigration authorities was mandatory.

This misconception was circulated by officials in Pinellas County last year after Sheriff Bob Gualtieri gave local police chiefs confusing instructions that threatened removal from office for anyone who didn’t “do certain things” to assist the feds.

The debate, hosted by St. Petersburg’s NAACP chapter, included a question submitted online about the police department’s 287(g) agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The agreement deputizes certain local police to conduct some ICE duties, like arresting individuals on immigration warrants at traffic stops.

The question called the agreement “voluntary,” and asked each candidate if they would direct Chief of Police Anthony Holloway to end the 287(g) agreement.

“It was an order from the governor,” Welch replied. “It was not a choice at the local level whether to comply with that or not.”

But municipal police departments were never required to sign the agreements, and those who didn’t were never penalized because there was no statutory requirement to join.

No police department provided evidence of this mandate when CL asked. Some referenced a statute that requires local police departments to support immigration enforcement with “best efforts,” which the DeSantis administration said doesn’t include entering into 287(g) agreements unless the department operates a jail.

Of all Pinellas County law enforcement agencies, only the sheriff’s office operates a jail.

Welch seemed to suggest that the person who submitted a question about the 287(g) agreement had consulted AI, saying, “If you use AI, you always have to check the results because it might not be accurate.”

Welch did not respond when Creative Loafing Tampa Bay asked if he consulted AI regarding the agreement.

All St. Pete mayoral candidates except Maria Scruggs support the agreement

During the debate, most other candidates didn’t have any more information than Welch. Kevin Batdorf said he supported the agreement, to boos from the crowd. Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist said he thought the chief “probably did the right thing” by signing the agreement.

St. Petersburg City Councilwoman Brandi Gabbard supported the agreement too, saying:

As a jail administrator, Scruggs told CL that she closely followed the legislation surrounding police agreements with ICE. When Holloway signed the 287(g) agreement, Scruggs said she had a conversation with him where he laid out his rationale.

“I remember thinking, ‘this is political,’” she told CL.

In Tampa, Mayor Jane Castor changed immigration policy after she received an opinion letter from Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier saying she would be removed from office if she attempted to inhibit collaboration with ICE.

Scruggs told CL that she would legally challenge any such threat and insist on ending the agreement with ICE: “To say that I would remain in the agreement just because I got a letter? No.”

‘IT

“It is (the chief’s) job to uphold the law. And sometimes that may not look the way that we necessarily want it to.”

Maria Scruggs was the only candidate who said that she would direct the department to disband the agreement, stating that local police didn’t need to be a part of it.

Scruggs and Welch were the only candidates to receive applause for their answers.

She believes Welch should have known better

“I was in shock that he had not done his homework,” Scruggs told CL when asked about Welch’s response. “He should have had a second sense of, ‘I need to check this out myself.’”

Daniela Carrión, a Pinellas County immigration and employment attorney, said that Welch and Holloway should listen to the community and end the agreement.

“A local police chief and a mayor need to do what they were elected to do by the people of their city,” Carrión told CL. “If the community and citizens of St. Pete do not wish for the city to sign onto a 287(g) agreement, they should not do so.”

Carrión also told CL that she believed the mayor and police chief could only be removed from office by the governor if indicted for crimes, and that ending the 287(g) agreement would not be a crime.

Even if a lawsuit did occur, Carrión believes it would be beneficial. An ambiguous passage in Florida statute requiring “best efforts” has made many governments afraid to oppose these agreements for any reason, even if the reason is that their department doesn’t have the resources to support the program.

“(A lawsuit) would pave the way for clarification in the state court system, which could really benefit all local communities in Florida,” Carrión said.

Welch’s office has not responded to CL’s request for comment.

Citing the previously-referenced law enacted last February, the St. Petersburg Police Department argued that Florida law requires cooperation with federal immigration authorities. “Chief Holloway signed the 287g MOA, as required by 908.104, on February 25, 2025,” Yolanda Fernandez, SPPD Community Awareness Division Manager, told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.

But SPPD’s legal advisor declined to comment on what part of the statute they interpret to mean that 287(g) agreements are mandatory.

“The Police Department cannot provide a legal opinion or interpretation of the specific statutory text The Department’s position is that the text of the statute speaks for itself,” Laura Roe, SPPD Legal Advisor, wrote.

Numerous police departments initially refused to sign 287(g) agreements.

The city of South Miami even sued, with Mayor Javier Fernandez claiming that “the state does not require every municipality to team up with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under a 287 (g) agreement — as long as they don’t take a position against teaming up.” In the preemptive lawsuit filed by South Miami, state lawyers argued that the city had not violated the law by not signing an agreement. A judge later dismissed the case, as the city had not been penalized for not signing the agreement.

Asked about those developments in other parts of Florida, SPPD said, “These articles present various legal arguments on either side of this issue with no clear or definitive court ruling either way. Our legal advisers believe the text of the statute speaks for itself.”

Early this year, Gualtieri told local police chiefs they were expected to “do certain things” regarding immigration enforcement, and that “the consequences for not doing so include removal from office by the Governor.”

Pinellas Sheriff’s Office sued after using AI to make false arrest.

By Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix

AFort Myers man and the ACLU of Florida are suing Jacksonville Beach for relying too heavily on an artificial intelligence program that fingered him as a suspect in a now-dropped 2023 child luring investigation.

The ACLU said in a 66-page federal lawsuit that Robert Dillon had been arrested “for a crime he never committed in a city he’d never been to.”

Dillon filed suit against the Jacksonville Beach Police Department and the Jacksonville and Pinellas sheriff’s offices Wednesday in a case centering around what the ACLU calls a “faulty facial recognition match” in 2023 and an arrest eight months later.

The now-dropped charges claimed that Dillon, a commercial crabber from Fort Myers, tried to lure a child at a McDonald’s in Jacksonville Beach, five hours from his home.

“The night I spent in jail after they arrested me for a crime I did not commit still haunts me to this day. I will never get over how terrified and worried I was, wondering if I’d ever go home to my wife and daughter again,” Dillon said in a news release.

law enforcement agency has ever apologized or acknowledged the error,” the complaint reads.

Dillon’s attorneys allege violation of his Fourth Amendment right to a protection from unreasonable search and seizure plus malicious prosecution.

“Robert’s case illustrates the stakes when police deploy AI-assisted identification tools without adequate safeguards. Digital information can be a powerful tool for law enforcement, but its proliferation, supercharged by the AI boom, carries profound Fourth Amendment implications,” said Steve Silverberg, counsel at Hoguet Newman Regal & Kenney LLP, representing Dillon.

The suit complains that the police department did not consult McDonald’s ordering records or cellphone records to pin down a suspect.

LOCAL NEWS

Dillon’s attorneys explain that law enforcement put security camera footage into facial recognition technology operated by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, comparing the image to millions of photos in a database to find matches. It returned a 93% match to an image of Dillon.

“Over a year later, I’m still picking up the pieces of my life, all because the police relied on this dangerous technology instead of doing their jobs and actually investigating,” Dillon said. “Florida police must implement safeguards and ensure this never happens to anyone else, because until they do, nobody is safe.”

“The investigating officer treated that algorithmic output as a near-certain identification, omitted critical exculpatory evidence from his arrest warrant application, and failed to pursue routine investigative steps that would have immediately excluded Mr. Dillon as a suspect,” the complaint states.

The suit goes into detail about institutional policies governing use of the technology to identify suspects.

“This case is about what happens when police let an error-prone artificial intelligence system stand in for an investigation,” the complaint reads.

"I will never get over how terrified and worried I was..."

The ACLU listed various cases across the country that resulted in false arrests “materially identical” to Dillon’s.

The 2023 investigation was centered around the idea that the suspect was a regular at the McDonald’s and that witnesses picked a picture of Dillon out of a lineup after the technology flagged him.

The lawsuit seeks damages for Dillon’s pain, suffering, humiliation, embarrassment, emotional distress, anxiety, and loss of enjoyment of life, as well as bond costs and the costs of his defense attorney and attorneys for this case, plus lost income.

No apology

“Community members still approach him in public to ask about the case. He no longer feels comfortable being friendly to children. No

According to the suit, at least 20 jurisdictions nationwide have banned the technology, listing a handful of politically deep blue areas including Minneapolis, Vermont, and San Francisco.

The City of Jacksonville Beach told the Phoenix Wednesday that it does not comment on pending litigation.

In the lawsuit, the ACLU cites previous comments from Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters saying, “If you came to me with a facial recognition hit and that was your probable cause, I would probably kick you out of my office because that’s not how it works.”

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.

WEE WOO: Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri.

House of Hennesy

Lutz home with pirate ship pool on sale for $6 million.

By Colin Wolf

The most piratey pool in Tampa Bay is once again for sale.

Located at 19165 Geraci Rd., the home was built in 2007, and for years was a wellknown party house, attracting celebrities like DJ Khaled, Cuba Gooding J, and DJ Jazzy Jeff.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, in 2009 the home hosted a notorious Super Bowl 43 party sponsored by Hennessy, which attracted over 1,000 guests and, of course, Hillsborough County Code Enforcement.

waterslide and a pirate ship with functioning water cannons, says the listing.

The “House of Hennessy” has been on and off the market since 2021. But was most recently sold in February 2023, by international professional basketball player and Hernando High School standout Kyle Swanston for $2.2 million.

HOMES

But the “House of Hennessy” partying days are long gone.

The 4,700-square-foot estate comes with five bedrooms and six bathrooms, as well as a three-car garage, a half basketball court, and a 120,000 gallon, $1.5-million pool featuring a

The house is now asking $5,599,900, and the listing agent is Alexandria Romo of Mihara & Associates.Every house has a story, and our mission is to tell Tampa Bay’s story through the lens of our community’s historic and colorful homes.

Creative Loafing Tampa Bay’s real estate features are not ads, and are strictly operated through our editorial department. Do you know of a unique Florida home that we should highlight? Let us know, and email cwolf@cltampa.com.

With everything from MICHELIN-starred restaurants to lively waterfront food halls, Tampa Bay turns every meal into a culinary journey. Visit to see how Tampa Bay’s dining scene is just as vibrant and unique as its culture.

MEET THE CHEFS

The Birchwood, St. Pete

June 18 | 6-9pm

Tampa Bay’s most celebrated chefs—all in one room. Sample signature dishes, sip craft cocktails, and go behind the scenes with the creative minds putting Tampa Bay on the national stage. A portion of proceeds benefits Feeding Tampa Bay. This event sells out every year–get your tickets today!

Bring your shades, our chefs really shine.

RESTAURANTS

RECIPES DINING GUIDES

Sea food

On board the floating food industry feeding Tampa Bay boaters.

By Selene San Felice

Acooler picnic usually seems like a great idea while packing for a boat trip. But a few hours and beers later, that soggy sandwich is no match for a hot day on the waters of Tampa Bay.

To get a good meal, boaters no longer have to head home or dock at a restaurant. Food boats—once a rare novelty like the now bygone Madison Avenue Pizza Skiff or that guy in the Panhandle who sold $50 Chick-fil-A—are now a booming industry.

Hot dogs, tacos, barbecue, smash burgers, exotic drinks and more can be found at the sandbars and in the surrounding waters of Pinellas County. They’re a little pricier than the same thing inland— $10 for a hot dog, $28 for three fish tacos, $12 for a smashburger—but hey, it just hits different on the water.

We talked to the captains and cooks about what floats their boats.

Nauti Dogs

Brian Scheeley was parking cars for a living when he came up with the blueprint many businesses would copy: a pontoon, a hot dog grill and a cooler full of ice cream and cold drinks.

“I used to come out here with the kid, and there was never food,” Scheeley told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. “I was born and raised here in St. Pete, and I’ve been on the water my whole life, so I decided to come out and do hot dogs and ice cream. No one else was doing it.”

Five years later, a lot of people are doing it. Scheeley’s daughter, Ava, is now his first mate, and he’s got a crew that runs a second Nauti Dogs boat. His hot dogs are 100% beef, but he’s got no beef with other food boaters—many who say he inspired them.

“It’s all fair game,” Scheeley said. “Everyone does their thing. There’s enough people on the water. It’s not cutthroat or anything.”

Nauti Dogs’ quarter-pound Angus hot dogs can be loaded up with 10 toppings. And he’s got a handful of ice cream bars to choose from. The boats troll Pinellas sand bars and heavy traffic areas like John’s Pass and Bunce’s Pass on weekends and some holidays. He takes off when it rains and in the cold season.

Starting the business was easy, Scheeley recalled. Food boats get the same permits as food trucks.

“Instead of being on a trailer on wheels, we’re floating,” he said. But actually running the food boat is more complicated than that.

“You’ve gotta know the water, the tides, the winds, the boats,” he said. “(Watch for) anchor lines of boats sitting next to us, other boats that don’t know what they’re doing.”

He trusts Jesse and Stephanie Mcatee to run the original Nauti Dogs pontoon, while he operates a new hard top skiff. The couple drives over six hours from their home near the panhandle for the weekend gig. They start serving around 9 a.m., with Sephanie grilling dogs in an American flag bikini top while Jesse wrangles the boats. The money is good, of course, but the memories make the drive worthwhile, Stephanie said.

“It’s really nice to see all the families having a good time,” she said. “The way kids’ faces light up when they actually get their ice cream.”

Tiki’s Taco Boat

David and Brenda Crump have lived a life of adventure. After David’s career as a sports TV producer, the couple traveled and sailed around the world. But the simplicity of a hot dog on the water from Nauti Dogs excited the couple enough to start their next chapter.

“We’re both avid boaters and we also love cooking, so it’s a hybrid of our two passions,” David told CL.

they are. “Everybody’s got to figure it out for themselves.”

It’s the couple’s third year running the boat out of John’s Pass Sandbar. They’re in the same spot from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. every ThursdaySunday. The setup includes parking for small vessels and floating tables and umbrellas to “dine in” with biodegradable servingware. And they just launched a delivery boat.

“We wanted to create a restaurant on the water,” David said.

DINING GUIDE

After their first year in business, the Crumps lost their home on Sunset Beach to the 2024 hurricanes. They spent the following year in Key West and came back last summer.

a self-proclaimed aesthetic of “Bay Watch” meets Hulk Hogan.

The bikini wearers grill Nathan’s all-beef hot dogs, topped with Weenies N’ Bikinis brand seasoning, which Wang is planning to sell soon.

“The seasoning is the best part,” Jill, one of the bikini-wearing hot dog slingers, told CL. “I personally have never been a big hot dog fan, but these I can eat.”

Wang has high hopes for the business. She wants to expand the Weenies fleet, get the bikini girls their own TV show, and maybe start a pizza boat.

F ruit Float

With family from Mexico and Cuba, the pair decided on a Caribbean-fusion menu for Tiki’s Taco Boat. Their tacos use fresh fish and shrimp from Don’s Dock, a stone’s throw from the boat at John’s Pass, and slow-cooked and shredded steak, chicken and pork. But they also serve quesadillas, nachos and frozen cocktails, along with nicotine, legal THC products, lighters and sunscreen. So, basically, anything you could ever need for a great day on the water.

Creating the menu was the easy part. Learning how to execute it on a constantly moving vessel, not so much.

“There’s knives in there that are moving around. Trying to prep and stuff, it’s a challenge,” David said.

“We found some little quirks that work for us,” Brenda added, but she won’t reveal what

“We had a lot of people asking us, When are you going to come back? Are you coming back? What are you guys doing?” David said. “We knew we were always going to, we just had to wait until everything settled down in the waters around the area.”

“We’re going to see our potential this year,” Brenda said.

Weenies N’ Bikinis

Mei Wang, another TV professional, is giving Nauti Dogs a run for its glizzies. After directing seasons four and five of the “Siesta Key” reality show, she launched Weenies N’ Bikinis in March.

“I love food, and I love boating, and I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be so cool if a little boat floated around serving hot dogs just like a hot dog cart, but in the water?’”

The boat, run by Wang and her bikini-clad crew, has the hot dog and mustard theme with

Hannah Nygren started Fruit Float with a kayak and a hand-drawn sign in 2023. When she officially started the following year, massive lines of beachgoers sold her out instantly.

“That’s when I realized that it was going to be a really successful beach amenity,” Nygren previously told CL.

Nygren was in the same boat (metaphorically) as the Crumps (of Tiki’s Taco Boat) for her first two years. The couple became friends with her and her team while trying to figure out how to serve food in constantly rocking boats. Nygren and the Crumps both lost their homes and had to halt their businesses after the 2024 hurricanes.

But with some help from the community and local marine businesses, she’s back with a whole fruit fleet and a brick and mortar store that opened in Madeira Beach last fall.

continued on page 39

APPA-TIDES: Stephanie Mcatee on the original Nauti Dogs boat.

Her all-woman team of 12 sells fresh-cut fruit sourced from Lily Jo’s Produce and Florida coconut waters to Pinellas beachgoers and boaters. The cafe expands on that with smoothies, açaí bowls, fresh fruit, toasts and coffee.

It’s perhaps the hardest of the food boat jobs. Unlike the covered boats of her competitors, who serve more filling items, the Fruit Float girls operate out of motorized canoes filled with literally just fruit for about eight hours a day. Coring pineapples, watermelon and coconuts to turn into drinks is a full-body workout.

To become a Fruit Floater, Megan Waits had to go through three months of training over the winter.

“I bring a lot of snacks with me because I like to eat during the day, but yeah, being out in the sun is definitely the most harsh part,” she told CL.

Still, she wouldn’t go back to her old serving job.

“It doesn’t compare,” Waits said. “My favorite part is bringing people smiles. Honestly, I think the best part about it really is making people’s day.”

Beachin’ Bites

Bailey and Mike McCormick, also inspired by Nauti Dogs, serve the heartiest food on the water. Their boat, Beachin’ Bites, is equipped with a propane grill for cooked to order burgers, hot dogs, smoked sausages, and “every once in a while, they’ll cook a pork butt or a brisket,” Bailey told CL. They also serve boiled peanuts and ice cream bars.

The McCormicks both work full time in the A/C industry, Mike as a service technician and Bailey as a general manager for another local company. But earning some extra cash during a day on the boat doesn’t hurt.

“I love meeting people, and we just love being out here on the water,” Bailey told CL. “So, not only are we out here making money, but we’re also out here doing what we love to do.”

The couple tried to launch its business just before the 2024 hurricanes, but had to wait a year. This season, the McCormicks have seen double the business compared to last year.

“I think last year people were still recovering from the hurricanes, and they weren’t ready, or they were replacing their boats, or fixing their boats, or whatever the case may be,” Bailey said. “But this year we have sold out every single weekend so far.”

Ceviche

& more

More food boats seem to be popping up by the day.

Marissa Colson runs High Tides & Lemon Vibes, a land-locked lemonade vendor. But when she didn’t have any gigs over Memorial Day weekend, and she realized she could use her same permits, Colson strapped a “Ceviche” feather flag to her family’s micro-skiff and started a new venture.

She whipped up some homemade Spanish style shrimp ceviche and grabbed some mahi fish dip from Nachman’s Seafood Market & Smokehouse in Reddington Shores.

Colson wasn’t confident enough in her boat handling skills to anchor to CL’s vessel that day, and she wasn’t sure if she’d make the ceviche boat a regular thing.

“It’s kind of just like a spur of the moment,” she said.

Special thanks to the CL boat crew, Captain Maria Herbert, Leigh Wilson, Veronica Freconna, Paula Heckenast, Shayla Brock, Vivi and Crackerjack Dave.

TAMPA $30 FOR $15

HUT ISLAND GRILLE & BEACH CLUB $17 FOR $8.50

WATERFRONT

$20 FOR $10

Refer Three Friends, Get Yours Free

Once you make a purchase from CL Deals, you will receive a referral link to share. Simply pass on your link to friends and family and, if three people use your link and purchase the same Deal within 30 days, your deal will be completely free!

BUN WATCH: Weenies N’ Bikinis started serving glizzies in the spring.

Shore things

10 Pinellas bars and eateries that came back from the 2024 hurricanes.

By Alisha Durosier

After a devastating 2024 hurricane season, the coastal communities of the Tampa Bay area are seeing the return of their vibrant local food scene. Although many spots are still recovering or may never return, here are 10 recently reopened places where patrons can once again enjoy draft beers, BBQ, brunch and fresh seafood by the bay. .

Caddy’s After more than a year of functioning out of a food truck and tent, Caddy’s moved back into its brick-and-mortar in April. The business stands just steps away from the shoreline and the 2024 hurricanes destroyed its 75-year-old building. Now, fully renovated, Caddy’s is continuing to serve its tropical cocktails, seafood and comfort food. 9000 W Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island Category 36 Taphouse & Kitchen After eight years on Gulf Boulevard, Category 36 Taphouse & Kitchen moved to a new location after damage from 2024’s hurricanes forced the pizza and bar food spot to close for nine months, per ILoveTheBurg. Category 36 is known for its massive sausage strombolis, along with pizza and other bar fare like wings and sandwiches.

It’s also open for breakfast and coffee starting at 10 a.m. on Sundays, including a breakfast Stromboli. 348 Corey Ave., St. Pete Beach

DINING GUIDE

The Copper Kettle The brunch spot replaced the Frog Pond, celebrating its grand opening in late 2025, after the original spot was damaged by Hurricane Helene. The Copper Kettle is owned by Alex Victorero, The Frog Pond’s manager of eleven years. He and his wife and co-owner, Nikki, are keeping the comfort breakfast food tradition alive with an extensive breakfast and brunch menu including seven egg omelets, platters, waffles, bennedicts, quiche, crepes, smashburgers, sandwiches and much more.. 7390 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach

Dockside Dave’s Dockside Dave’s reopened in March after being closed for more than a year in the wake of the 2024 hurricanes. The restaurant underwent extensive renovations, adding a new floor in the process. The comfort seafood staple has been open for over 30 years. It moved from St. Pete Beach to Madeira Beach in 2015 and is still known for its fresh grouper sandwiches (which can

be prepared in seven different ways). 14701 Gulf Blvd., Madeira Beach Friendly Tavern After a soft relaunch last Thanksgiving, Friendly Tavern officially welcomed strangers again with a January ribbon-cutting ceremony. Kenny Davis led the restaurant’s revamp, which includes a new front porch and sign reading “welcome stranger,” along with a refreshed menu including a “Friendly Clucker” chicken sandwich and weekend buildyour-own bloody mary bar. First opening as “The Alabi Eats” in 1947, the spot is known for hosting one of Florida’s longest-running karaoke nights. 18121 Gulf Blvd., Redington Shores Hurricane Eddie’s Hurricane Eddie’s spent over a year under repair after Hurricane Helene flooded its 100-year-old building. The business continued to operate, hosting patio pop-ups and participating in local events, before finally reopening its doors in March. Hurricane Eddie’s picked up where it left off, live entertainment, affordable drinks and a relaxed atmosphere. 5413 Shore Blvd. S, Gulfport Postcard Inn/The Luce Hotel For Postcard Inn, Hurricane Helene flooded out the old and ushered in the new. After approximately two years of repairs, the hotel and bar returned last week as “The Luce.” The new name is a small element of a massive rebrand. The 70-year-old building has a new, bright and colorful 70s-inspired appearance and new amenities, including beachfront cabanas with butler

service and a curated cocktail menu, weekends with live DJs, a new lobby bar and restaurant called Sundrop, and soon another outdoor bar concept called The Baby Turtle Beach Club. 6300 Gulf Blvd., St Pete Beach

Saltwater Hippie Beach Bar After Saltwater Hippie’s move to a new location was stalled by the 2024 hurricanes, the bar, restaurant, live music venue, and surf shop once voted as one of America’s top 10 dive bars, returned in April. Saltwater Hippie is generally known for its BBQ, smoked meats and Wing Wednesdays, which include $1 smoked, bone-in wings or a half-pound of smoked boneless wings for $10. 15045 Madeira Way, Madeira Beach

Seahorse Restaurant Hurricane Helene washed out the 88-year-old Seahorse Restaurant. Finally, in February, it reopened. If it weren’t for its 2024 historical designation, the restaurant would have been mandated to demolish or lift the building. The brunch spot, loved for its classic breakfast menu, was also once a popular stop for WWII soldiers and is still a local staple. 800 Pass-a-Grille Way., Pass-a-Grille Beach

Wahoos Bayside Pub & Grill Wahoos opened back up in May after 20 months of repairs and renovations, including a larger kitchen and bar, ADA-compliant bathrooms, and new equipment. Wahoos is known for its self-proclaimed “World Famous” blackened grouper sandwich, along with its blackened creole shrimp. 17801 Gulf Blvd., Redington Shores

CADDY’S SHACK: Caddy’s reopened on Treasure Island in April.

Good grief

Good Intentions closing in St. Pete, and more Tampa Bay Food news.

By Ray Roa

There’s some very bad news about Good Intentions. The St. Petersburg restaurant and occasional hardcore concert hall at 1900 1st Ave. S will close this summer, with no specific end date set.

On social media, the perennial Best of the Bay winner for Best Vegan Restaurant, told followers that after four years, despite various attempts to navigate the economics of whatever stage of capitalism we’re in, the time to step away has arrived.

“It is with heavy hearts and immense gratitude that we share the news that Good Intentions will be closing its doors in the coming weeks,” owners wrote, extending love to staff and customers. “For the past almost four years, we’ve had an incredible time sharing our love of food and community with all of you. Unfortunately, we will have to end this party sooner than we hoped.”

No end date is set, but Good Intentions plans to hang on as long as it can, noting that it will need support in the final weeks to keep doors open.

“Whether that be 2-4 weeks, or longer will all become clearer in the few days/week,” the statement says. “We can’t do this without each and every one of you.”

Good Intentions opened in the fall of 2022 to much fanfare, well earned in large part because of the involvement of local food scene lifers who helped run other Bay area favorites like Black Radish Grocer, Golden Dinosaurs and Nah Dogs.

Outside of its ethical offerings (JFC a vegan ube cheesecake??), Good Intentions also operated as a dependable third space, ridiculously-good bar, and regularly hosted LGBTQ+-friendly events, pop-ups and more.

Brutique closing in St. Pete

Nearly a decade ago, Megan and Austin Garcia-Cooper moved into a storefront in a much smaller downtown St. Pete to blend local fashion, drinks, live music, and community events all under one roof.

Now, Brutique closes its doors at 648 Central Avenue next month.

“This decision breaks my heart, but as much as St. Pete has changed over the last decade, so has my life, and I know I’m making the right choice for my family,” Megan wrote in her closing announcement on social media.

When the shop first opened in 2017 as Bartique (it rebranded two years later), St. Pete was in the midst of its transformation from a retirement city reputation into one of Florida’s fastest-growing cities.

“St. Pete was a hub for small independent businesses. The 600 block was known for local artists and music venues and it was exciting to be a part of that culture,” Garcia-Cooper recalled in conversation with CL.

Brutique’s trendy clothes drew in tourists and casual shoppers, while its laid-back bar kept a regular crowd. The spot was also known for hosting charity events and progressive fundraisers.

“We became a ‘Cheers’-type atmosphere for friends and strangers, which created something really special,” she said.

“We’ve done so many fun, and important events, and have raised a lot of money for really great charities. We’ve always stayed true to who we are and the values that are important to us, like supporting the LGBTQ+ community and helping foster dogs in need of homes. I’ll always

cherish the events, friends and memories we’ve made over the last 9.5 years.”

Garcia-Cooper said she doesn’t know if a new tenant has been found, “but I’m sure it won’t be hard to fill our spot.”—Liam Oliver

South Tampa is getting a Hattricks

Popular downtown Tampa sports pub

Hattricks is opening a new second location in South Tampa. As first reported by the Tampa Bay Business Journal, the restaurant’s parent company Slapshot Management Group recently signed a permit with the City of Tampa to open a new outpost at 4075 Henderson Blvd.

According to property records, Hattricks purchased the property for $425,000 in 2021. The lot was most recently home to Sun Country Cleaners, which has since been leveled to make way for the new sports bar.

OPENINGS & CLOSINGS

No exact opening date has been released, but a representative from the company told TBBJ the location hopes to open in the next six months. Since debuting in 1997, the original Hattricks location, at 107 S Franklin St., has been a regular winner in the “Best Sports Bar” category of Creative Loafing’s annual Best of The Bay awards.

Known as a solid pre-game spot for Bolts fans, Hattricks features plenty of cold beers, TVs, and a strong Irish-leaning bar grub menu— spanning everything from wings (shake & bake style if you’re about it), burgers, shepherds pie and more.

According to past comments from ownership, Hattricks’ South Tampa location will have a limited menu, less seats and less TVs, all while focusing most on carryout and delivery.

Colin Wolf

A century of stories

As Tampa Theatre restoration continues, the book about its 100-year history gets release date.

By Leif Helland

Tampa Theatre is in the midst of its centennial restoration, and now a book chronicling 100 years of the historic venue has a release date. University Press of Florida says “Tampa Theatre: A Century of Stories” will hit shelves this fall. It’s the final work from beloved University of South Florida librarian and historian Andy Huse, who died last August.

In an interview with Creative Loafing Tampa Bay the week of Huse’s death, Tampa Theatre’s Vice President and Director of Marketing & Community Relations Jill Witecki said that internally, the venue knew it had to do more than a coffee book to mark 100 years on Franklin Street.

“There was a bigger and better and more important story there about Tampa theater’s first century,” she said.

Leah LoSchiavoDoan, who works in operations at Tampa Theatre, recommended her neighbor, “Andy.”

were clouds that were slowly living through the sky. We found that machine.”

Dominguez also mentioned the $6 million fundraiser, which will include full restoration of the peacock room and some new enhancements to the sky.

decorative columns that can be seen surrounding the stage, the trim at each of the seating levels that faces the stage and the theater’s staple night sky that hovers over performing art viewers. The night sky in the theater is expected to be fully painted before June.

For 18 months, Witecki added, Huse interviewed dozens of people, drawing stories out and matching them to artifacts, including many that appear in the final 246-page work due Sept. 26.

In his book, Huse chronicles the story of the local theater since its beginnings on Oct. 15, 1926. Classic photographs and details of its origins from past members, performers and former employees can be seen displayed in his book.

It’s hard not to think of Huse when visiting the theater during its big renovation happening right now.

Tours started last month, and Devin Dominguez, Vice President and Director of Development at the theater, told CL about how she found countless new artifacts and lost items scattered about.

“And when Tampa Theater opened in 1926 there was a cloud machine that worked,” Dominguez said about one special treasure she unearthed and restored. “It looked like there

Realizing his body of work, including a book on the Columbia Restaurant centennial, Witecki’s team knew they had found the perfect person.

“The next phase of work is $6 million, and we’ve already started fundraising towards that,” said Dominguez. “ That will include a full restoration of the organ, and it will include the peacock room and add some new enhancements for the sky, as well as some production technology for sound.”

Dominguez further explained her vision for the peacock room which is being built to be a bar-reception space that will allow attendees to sit and talk amongst each other about the film or show they had just seen. She explained this was a way to engage in the mission for the Tampa Theatre—a way for people to come together.

Other aspects of the project include the expansion of the education wing on the upstairs facing the Florida Avenue side. They will use more than 3,000 square feet of underutilized office and storage space, according to the Tampa Theatre website.

Many parts of the restoration project are meant to pay homage to the original theater design by famous Chicago-based architect John Eberson. This includes fresh coats of paint original to Tampa Theatre’s beginnings coming to

One part that won’t change is the kitty toilet in the women’s room. In fact, the theater went all the way to St. Louis to make sure it found the same rare material called vitrolite for all the bathrooms.

“All of these rooms in Tampa Theater have the last door that has the silhouette of these cats, and the toilet is the miniature toilet, because it’s the kitty toilet,” Dominguez said.

Restoration methods include restoring the plaster underneath the balconies, which originally used horse hair to stabilize the material. Now, the historical theater is using hemp to restore the balconies.

Huse died by suicide last year but had an extensive career, authoring works like “The Cuban Sandwich: A History in Layers,” revealing the long history of Cuban and Florida heritage through the iconic sandwich’s evolution.

Huse would’ve loved to see the next chapter of the theater, but for now, friends and family will cling to a book that details the crucial history of Tampa that lives on through its home theater.

NAILING IT: Tampa Theatre’s Devin Dominguez leads tours of the renovation.

DAVE DECKER

COOK & CR COOK & CR EAT EAT E EATE E

Besides the events listed in our Do This section on pp. 16-17, there’s lots to do in town this week. Have a look at what’s going down June 18-24 and beyond. All events are at community.cltampa.com unless noted otherwise. Head there for more and list your own.

ARTS

Realm Thursdays-Mondays through June 28. No cover. FloridaRama Gallery, St. Petersburg Artist Talk: Vaughn Spann Thursday, June 18. 6 p.m. No cover for members and students. $25 for everyone else. Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa

Remix: Suchitra Mattai Thursday, June 18. 6 p.m. $55. Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa Living Legacy: Juneteenth Art Exhibition 2026 Multiple times ThursdaySunday, June 18-21. $20 & up. AC Hotel Airport, Tampa

Inconvenience Sale Thursday-Sunday, June 18-21. 12 p.m. $15 & up. FloridaRama, St. Petersburg. Floridarama.art Zubrick Magic Fridays and weekends. 7 p.m. Friday & Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. $50 & up. Zubrick Magic Theatre, St. Petersburg Tampa Bay Origami Meet Up Every third Saturday through Dec. 19. 10 a.m. No cover. The Paper Seahorse, Tampa Dancebox Studio: 10th Annual Spring Dance Concert Saturday, June 20. 12 p.m. $28. Hough Hall at Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg. danceboxtampa.com

Tampa Bay Tap Festival: Copasetic Saturday, June 20. 7:30 p.m. $33 & up. Ferguson Hall at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa. tampabaytapdance.com

The Graveyard Cabaret Every first and third Sunday. 7 p.m. $52.77. SpookEasy Lounge, Tampa

InPrompt2 Every fourth Wednesday. 7 p.m. $2 suggested at door. Safety Harbor Art & Music Center, Safety Harbor Instant Noodles (Community open jam) Every last Wednesday of the month. 7 p.m. No cover. Suite E Studios, St. Petersburg Surface and Fire – Raku Firing Wednesdays through June 24. 10 a.m. $200. Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa Paint and Sip: Paint Night Done Right Every other Thursday through Sept. 24. 7 p.m. $43.99. Aloft by Marriott Tampa Downtown, Tampa Fresh Squeezed 10: Emerging Artists in Florida Runs through Thursday, June 25. 10 a.m. No cover. Morean Arts Center, St. Petersburg.

Jun Kaneko: Silence Before Sound Through Aug. 23. $5 & up. Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa

Dalí In America Daily through Sunday, Oct. 18. 10 a.m. $32 & up. Dali Museum, St. Petersburg

COMEDY

Johnny C Thursday-Saturday, June 18-20. 7:30 p.m. Thursday; 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. $22.50. Snappers, Palm Harbor

Dirty John’s Dirty Disco ThursdaySaturdays. 8 p.m. The Studio@620, St. Petersburg

Omgitswicks with Ken Miller and Myke

Herlihy Friday-Saturday, June 19-20. 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. $45. Side Splitters, Wesley Chapel

Nick Thune Friday-Saturday, June 19-20.

7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Friday; 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday. $23.80 and up. Side Splitters, Tampa

Comedy Night Fridays. 8 p.m. $19.10. R2 Pub, New Port Richey Friday Comedy Open Mic Fridays. 8 p.m.

$6.57 & up. Gimmick Comedy Club, Ybor City

Joe Latham Friday-Saturday, June 19-20. 8 p.m. Friday; 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Saturday. $20. Coconuts, St. Pete Beach

Erik Lewin Friday-Saturday, June 19-20. 8:30 p.m. $23.58. Sunshine City Comedy Club, St. Pete Beach

Donald Evans Friday-Saturday, June 19-20

8:30 p.m. $23.58. Clearwater Comedy Club, Clearwater

New Material Night Wednesdays through Oct. 28. 8 p.m. $8. Gimmick Comedy Club, Ybor City

Dennis Regan Thursday-Saturday, June 25-27. 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Saturday. $23.80. Side Splitters, Wesley Chapel

Joe Machi Thursday-Sunday, June 25-28. 7 p.m. Thursday; 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Friday; 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday; 6 p.m. Sunday. $28.80 and up. Side Splitters, Tampa

FRINGE FESTIVAL

Gertrude Stein Has Arrived Multiple times and dates through Sunday, June 21. $15. The Fringe Theatre inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

Occupational Hazard Multiple times and dates through Sunday, June 21. $12. 3rd Floor Venue inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

Trivia Only I Know Too Multiple times and dates through Saturday, June 20. $9. Fringe Theatre inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

T.M.I. Multiple times Thursday, June 18 and Saturday-Sunday, June 20-21. $15. The Commodore, Ybor City

Inside Albert’s Head Multiple times Thursday, June 18 and Saturday-Sunday, June 20-21. $15. The Commodore, Ybor City Tales from the Outer House 2 Multiple times Saturday-Sunday, June 20-21. $15. The Commodore, Ybor City

Forgive Me Grandma, For I Have Sinned Saturday-Sunday, June 20-21. 1:45 p.m. Saturday, 12:30 p.m. Sunday. $10. West Annex inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

A Night at the Movies Multiple times Saturday-Sunday, June 20-21. $12. Fringe Theatre inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

The Patriot Games Multiple times FridaySaturday, June 19-20. $11. West Annex inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City Wait, How Much is the Whiskey?

Multiple times Friday-Saturday, June 19-20. $10. Fringe Theatre inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

Strange Girls 2 Multiple times FridaySaturday, June 19-20. $15. West Annex inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

Tyler’s Time Out: Episode 2 Multiple times Friday & Sunday, June 19 & 21. $15. West Annex inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City A Funeral for Someone You Didn’t Know Multiple times Friday-Sunday, June 19-21. $10. The Commodore, Ybor City

The Trouble with My Hair: Coloring, Cutting, and Coming into Who I Am Multiple times Saturday-Sunday, June 20-21. $10. Fringe Theatre inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City Tricks and Tics: A Magician’s Journey of Laughter, Struggle, and Triumph Multiple times Friday-Saturday, June 19-20. $15. West Annex inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

Jon Bennett: This Will Only Ever Happen Once Multiple times ThursdaySunday, June 18-21. $15. Fringe Theatre inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

Fringin & Flagons presents: The Last Stand Tavern Thursday, June 18 at 8:45 p.m., Saturday, June 29 at 5:15 p.m., Sunday, June 21 at 3:30 p.m.. $15. West Annex inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

Beneath the Juniper Tree: A Very Grimm Musical Friday-Saturday, June 19-20. 7 p.m. Friday, 6 p.m. Saturday. $15. The Commodore, Ybor City

Clayton the Dork Friday-Sunday, June 19-21. 4:30 p.m. Saturday, 2:45 p.m. Sunday. $10. 3rd Floor Venue inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

The Grindr Show Multiple times FridaySunday, June 19-21. $15. The Commodore, Ybor City

Perra Puta Loca Bruja: A Latina’s Reclamation Journey Multiple times Friday-Sunday, June 19-21. $10. 3rd Floor Venue inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

The Selfish Giant’s Garden (Kids Fringe) Saturday-Sunday, June 20-21. 12 p.m. No cover for kids, $5 for adults. 3rd Floor Venue inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City Bits & Pieces presents The Selfish Giant’s Garden Saturday-Sunday, June 20-21. 12 p.m. $5. 3rd Floor Venue inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City Late Night Cabaret Saturday, June 20. 10:30 p.m. $10. West Annex inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City Glenn and Grimbo Saturday-Sunday, June 20-21. 3:15 p.m. Saturday; 4:30 p.m. Sunday. $10. 3rd Floor Venue inside Kress Contemporary, Ybor City

LEARN

Kevin Powers with Aramis Calderon Thursday, June 18. 6:30 p.m. No cover. Safety Harbor Public Library, Safety Harbor Cafe con Tampa Fridays, 8 a.m. No cover. The Portico, Tampa Tiger Bay Club: Candidate ForumFlorida House Friday, June 19. 12 p.m. No cover. The Cuban Club, Ybor City Mac Stone, National Geographic Photographer Saturday, June 20. 10:30 a.m. No cover. Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center, Odessa. pascolibraries.org

Creatives Support Group Every other Monday. 7 p.m. No cover. Suite E Studios, St. Petersburg. @suite.e.stpete on Facebook

Friends & Neighbors: A Meetup To Make Friends and Build Community Every fourth Thursday. 6 p.m. No cover. Deviant Libation, Tampa. deviantlibation.com

MARKETS

Dunedin Friday Market Fridays. 9 a.m. No cover. Pioneer Park, Dunedin Dunedin Saturday Market Saturdays. 9 a.m. No cover. Pioneer Park, Dunedin Yuengling Night Market Every third Friday. 6 p.m. No cover. Yuengling Draft Haus & Kitchen, Tampa The Market at Water Street Every third Sunday. 10 a.m. No cover. Water Street, Tampa June Night Market Saturday, June 20. 6 p.m. No cover. Outcast Brewing Company, St. Petersburg St. Pete Sunday Market Every third Sunday. 11 a.m. No cover. University of South Florida, St. Petersburg

PRIDE

All the Colors of the Rainbow Art Show Thursday, June 18. 3 p.m.-6 p.m. Blur Nightclub, Dunedin

St. Pete Pride: Surreal Summer Nights at the Dalí Thursday, June 18. 5 p.m.-8 p.m. $16. The Dalí Museum, St. Petersburg Polk Pride: Pride In Faith Thursday, June 18. 7 p.m. No cover. Beacon Hill Fellowship, Lakeland

Surreal Summer Nights At The Dalí— Pride Thursday, June 18. 5 p.m. $16. Dalí Museum, St. Petersburg Pride Rainbow Pairing Dinner Friday, June 19. 6 p.m.-9 p.m. $110 plus tax and gratuity. The Honu Restaurant & Tiki Bar, Dunedin Drag Queen Bingo with Miss Veronica Foxx Friday, June 19. 9 p.m. $10 at the door. Common Dialect Beerworks, Tampa Polk Pride: Friday Night Pride Friday, June 19. 6 p.m. (21+ after 9 p.m). No cover. Rec Room, Lakeland

continued on page 48

Out and about: Events happening in Tampa Bay (cont'd)

continued from page 47

Polk Pride: Pride In The Park Saturday, June 20. 9 a.m. No cover. Munn Park, Lakeland Bear Pride at the Lake Saturday, June 20. 11 a.m. No cover. Ichetucknee Yoga Club & Nature Retreat, Branford Serving Sweat for Pride Saturday, June 20. 1 p.m.-2 p.m. $32.21. Barry’s, Tampa Tampa Bay Rays Pride Game Saturday, June 20. 4 p.m. $32 & up. Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg

Polk Pride: Pride After Dark Saturday, June 20. 9 p.m.- 1 a.m. $25. Eala’s Speakeasy, Lakeland

Pride Pool Party Sunday, June 21. noon-4 p.m. $20. Casa del Merman at GayStPete House, St. Petersburg

Drag Trivia: Pokemon Tuesday, June 23. 8 p.m. No cover. The Ball, St. Petersburg Boogie on the Courts: Vintage Vibes, Modern Moves Wednesday, June 24. 7 p.m.-10 p.m. $15-$25. Dill Dinkers Pickleball, St. Petersburg Laganja Estranja Wednesday, June 24. Time TBA. No cover. The Wet Spot at Cocktail, St. Petersburg

Olivia Lux Thursday, June 25. Time TBA. No cover. The Wet Spot at Cocktail, St. Petersburg Transtastic Thursday, June 25. 6 p.m.-9 p.m. $26.90 & up. James Museum, St. Petersburg

Dirty John’s Dirty Pride ThursdaySaturday, June 25-27. 8 p.m. $20. The Studio @ 620, St. Petersburg

SPORTS

Tampa Tarpons vs Fort Myers Mighty Mussels Thursday, June 18. 11 a.m. $11.10. Steinbrenner Field, Tampa

USA Soccer Watch Party Series Friday, June 19. 1:30 p.m. $15.62. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg

Tampa Bay Rays vs Washington Nationals (Pride Night) Saturday, June 20. 4 p.m. $32 & up. Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg 2026 Go Skateboarding Day Sunday, June 21. 10 a.m. No cover. Skatepark of Tampa, Tampa

THEATER

The Love of Three Oranges (One-act version) Thursday, June 18. 5:30 p.m. No cover. Carrollwood Cultural Center, Tampa. carrollwoodcenter.org

Who is Eartha Mae? Multiple times Wednesdays-Sundays from Thursday, May 28 through Sunday, June 21. $5 & up. Urbanite Theatre, Sarasota

The Hot Wing King Multiple times on Wednesdays-Sundays from June 3-28. $63. American Stage Theatre Company, St. Petersburg

Rent Various times Fridays and weekends through Saturday, June 27. $27 & up. Carrollwood Players Theatre, Tampa I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change June 5-28. $30-$50. Stageworks Theatre, 1120 E. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa. stageworkstheatre.org

End of the Rainbow Select times and dates through Sunday, June 21. $20. Catherine A. Hickman Theater, Gulfport Passing Strange Select times and dates through Sunday, June 21. $35 & up. The Studio @ 620, St. Petersburg Theatre of Tampa: Come From Away Select times and dates through Sunday, June 28. $38.40. Shimberg Playhouse at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical Thursday, June 25. 5:30 p.m. No cover. Carrollwood Cultural Center, Tampa. carrollwoodcenter.org

Interested in advertising around this listing? Contact jhoward@cltampa.com and acarbone@cltampa.com for details.

OPENING JUNE 20

Experience an immersive installation from Yvette Mayorga in the Museum’s historic 1965 entrance hall, the first exhibition as part of The Great Hall Project.

Featured Image: Yvette Mayorga (American, b. 1991), Rhinestone Vaquero After Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, 2025, textile, rhinestones, buttons, belt buckle, gold flakes, silver flakes, glitter, and acrylic piping on canvas, 72 x 60 inches

6/18 - THE HIGHWAY 41 BAND (PARTY DECK)

FERG'S TRIVIA (INSIDE)

LOVE ISLAND (WATCH PARTY)

6/19 - RAYS VS. NATIONALS (WATCH PARTY)

DISASTERPIECE BAND (PAVILION)

WAV HAVEN SHOW (UPPER DECK)

USA SOCCER (PAVILION)

6/20 - RAYS VS. NATIONALS (WATCH PARTY) LIFE OF THE PARTY BAND (PAVILION) LATIN NIGHT (UPPER DECK)

6/21 - RAYS VS. NATIONALS (WATCH PARTY) CROWNZ BAND (PAVILION)

6/22 - RAYS VS. ROYALS (WATCH PARTY)

FERG'S TRIVIA (INSIDE)

6/23 - RAYS VS. ROYALS (WATCH PARTY)

LOVE ISLAND (WATCH PARTY)

WORLD CUP (WATCH PARTY'S)

6/24 - RAYS VS. ROYALS (WATCH PARTY)

OPEN JAM NIGHT (PARTY DECK)

BAREFOOT BOB & THE HOPE

6/25 - USA WORLD CUP (PAVILION)

RAYS VS. ROYALS (WATCH PARTY)

FERG'S TRIVIA (INSIDE)

6/26 - RAYS VS. D'BACKS (WATCH PARTY)

SECOND RODEO BAND (PARTY DECK)

COMEDY NIGHT (UPPER DECK)

REVIEWS PROFILES MUSIC WEEK

Attend the tale

Josh Groban talks love and new album before Tampa show.

By Josh Bradley

Between a new album, an engagement, and five upcoming dates in Vegas scheduled for this fall, Josh Groban has already had a hell of a year.

Last month, the 45-year-old crooner dropped Cinematic, a 10-track record featuring some of his personal favorite songs from the silver screen. Not necessarily showtunes (read: 2015’s Stages), but more like a stirring version of Adele’s “Skyfall” and Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me,” the latter being an album-closing nod to the tragedy of Rob and Michelle Reiner.

“I always knew that [these songs] were right in my wheelhouse to sing, but I think what surprised me[…] is just how relevant the songs themselves outside of the films are to me and my life,” Groban told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay during a recent phone call from Montreal. He cites the record’s collaborations with the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles on Elton John’s “Can You Feel The Love Tonight?” and his father Jack Groban playing trumpet for the first time in decades on “Moon River” as his most personal selections. The father-son piece saw the Groban clan mosey down to Sunset Sound—where Louis Armstrong would often record—and witness the family patriarch sit on Satchmo’s stool while laying down his tracks.

In terms of his stage life, just before Christmas last year, Mr. “You Raise Me Up” took to “The Jennifer Hudson Show” to help announce a limited, co-headlining tour with the EGOT host of the talk show. And based on how well his baritone and Hudson’s soprano blended together on “Unchained Melody”—which also appears on Cinematic—you’d think that this summer tour was ages in the making.

The two met over a decade ago, but never did a serious collaboration until Groban’s 2024 holiday special “Home For the Holidays,” where they duetted on “O Holy Night” and realized that they just had to collaborate again. “It was just two ships passing. We would be on the same bill, or we would just sing a little bit for fun backstage or on her show,” Groban told CL.

Their joint tour rolls into Tampa next week, which marks Groban’s first appearance in the area since a 2022 gala with The Florida Orchestra on the other side of the Bay. It’s been a bit longer for Hudson, who hasn’t touched ground

in Tampa since she sang the National Anthem for one Super Bowl XLIII in 2009, being followed by a halftime show from Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

Read our Q&A with Josh Groban below and see the full version at cltampa.com/music.

Hi Josh, how are you?

I’m well, Josh. How are you?

I’m so good. Thanks so much for doing this with me today.

Of course.

Oh my gosh, so you get it! Or they get it, at least. *laughs*

Yeah. Since your relationship with Natalie took off, do you think your views on success and happiness have changed or evolved?

Well, I mean, I started in this business really young and so obviously, the quest for finding the real balance in my life has been something that’s been ongoing. I’ve been kinda married to my work for a really long time, and so I think if there’s anything that allows you to widen your lens in a way. Love is the thing that can do that more than anything. So yeah, of course, it goes without saying that finding your person, I think, makes anything bigger and better.

Going into this tour a little bit. How did you first meet Jennifer Hudson? Like,

Are you in Quebec right now?

I am, yes. In Montreal.

Nice. Last day before the tour, huh?

That’s right, yeah, exciting. Last rehearsal’s today.

Wow. So, first of all, I wanted to congratulate you on your engagement at Disneyland the other month. Speaking as someone whose parents got engaged at Disney World here in Florida, those photos were super sweet.

what made you guys hit it off so quickly?

Yeah, we kinda kept running into each other at a number of different events over the last, I’d say 10, maybe even like 15 years. I’d always see her at charity events and Grammy parties and things like that. I would always run into her backstage, and we would just have a hug and say, like, “I’m a big fan, let’s figure something out one day,” you know, these things happen in the music business, you meet people all the time, and you’ve got a bucket list duet on your

Josh Groban with Jennifer Hudson Friday, June 19. 8 p.m. $82 & up Benchmark International Arena, 401 Channelside Dr, Tampa. benchmarkintlarena.com

mind. But years pass, and schedules don’t line up, and—she has her talk show, and so being on the talk show, we got to sing together a little on her couch, and that felt really amazing.

And then, the real thing that kicked it off was a couple of years ago, I hosted a Christmas special called “Home For The Holiday” and she was one of the guests on there. We sang “O Holy Night” together, which is a very classical song, but it can be done in multiple different ways. We did that as a duet where our styles matched really well, we’re hitting that high note at the end, and we looked at each other and kinda went, “Let’s please find a way to really do this and record something together.” And obviously, making an album that’s about the grandness of cinematic music, I just thought, “There’s nobody I would like to blend voices with again more than Jennifer.” Then, obviously, for our schedules to line up again for the summer tour, I just feel so lucky, and to be able to sing our song every night is gonna be a lot of fun.

I definitely want to get into Cinematic and “Unchained Melody” with you a little bit, but before I do, was “O Holy Night” the very first time you two ever sang together? It was, yeah.

Oh, wow, so it wasn’t that long ago. No, it wasn’t. I mean, it was just two ships passing. We would be on the same bill, or we would just sing a little bit for fun backstage or on her show. But yeah, that was our first, real song we sang together?

So, what made “Unchained Melody” the perfect collaboration for you two? Because those harmonies were just delicious. *laughs* They are delicious, I agree. Um, honestly, it just came from both of us feeling a great, great love of that song. I sent her some song ideas that we were thinking of for the album and we both—in the back of my head, I was thinking, “gosh, I really hope she picks this one.” And she was the first person to kind of raise her hand and say, “please ‘Unchained Melody.’” The reason it wasn’t an immediate idea was because I don’t think I’d ever really heard it as a duet before. Lyrically, it’s usually about one person’s very solitary longing for this unrequited love. And so, the idea of two people miles apart finding their way back to each other in the message of our version, and to blend our voices together was an amazing challenge, and it just came out of a lot of love for the song. We both love it very much and wanted to take on the challenge of figuring out how to make it ours. continued on page 52

YOU RAISE ME UP: Josh Groban’s new album covers iconic movie songs.

SAMI DRASIN

continued from page 51

Is there any personal meaning behind the other songs that you picked for Cinematic? What went into the selection process for you?

Yeah, a lot of personal meaning. I think probably even more personal meaning than I was expecting when I thought it would be a good time to make a concept album like this. I always knew I was gonna love the songs. I always knew that they were right in my wheelhouse to sing, but I think what surprised me—and this happened when I did the theatre album [Stages] as well—is just how relevant the songs themselves outside of the films are to me and my life, to the world. I think some examples of that are— Greg [Wells] and I were looking at what songs we might want to sing one day, or what demos we might wanna try or lyrics we might wanna look deeper at, and we’re looking at “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.” You look at and think of that song, you think “Elton, ‘Lion King,’ Elton, ‘Lion King,’” going “what could possibly be added to this that isn’t there already?” We were just doomscrolling and going “what if we just focus on the love element of this, and the love that’s needed in the world right now?” Because that question I don’t think has been asked stronger than any other time that I can remember! So we decided to just lean into the anthemic nature of the realness of that question. And collaborating

obviously with the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles, a community that very much needs to feel the love currently—it just wound up having a real deeper meaning when we went into it.

Another example is “Moon River,” being able to collaborate with my dad on the trumpet for the first time in like, 50 years. Him kinda pulling out the ax and playing on the song was very nostalgic and very meaningful for both of us. It was like a real tearjerker of a recording session for me. Every single song, I could go down the list of every one of them and find the why, because if you can’t find the internal why, then the list becomes paralyzing. I could go down a list of 100 of these songs and just say “here’s a beautiful version, here’s a beautiful arrangement.” I don’t go into the booth unless there winds up being something about it that feels particularly right for my soul at that moment.

special. Let’s not just have him pop over — let’s get a really special room that has a lot of history for this moment.” So, he called Sunset Sound and we got, I think it was like, Studio 2. It was one of the rooms that that Armstrong used to really record a lot in. And they even said, “you know, I think they’ve still got Louis’ stool that he used to sit on.” “Yeah, we still have that in the closet.” “Can you guys bring that out?” Greg set it up so well, and so, we made it a family day.

INTERVIEW

Nice. And you mentioned “Moon River,” you and your dad recorded that at Sunset Sound, right? Where Louis Armstrong used to record?

That’s right, yeah.

That’s crazy.

And that was Greg Wells, he was the man. He knew that my dad was coming in, he’s got a real connection with his dad as well and understands that. He said “well, let’s make this really

My mom was there, my brother, my sisterin-law, my two year old nephew is watching Grandpa play for the first time, my fiancé was there. We just made a really special afternoon of it, and to watch my dad in his element…like, he’s been in business for 50 years and so, to watch him pick up the trumpet, for the ear to still be there, for the lips to still be there, for his musicality and improvisation skills to still be on full display? That’s where I got my musical DNA from. It was a a really amazing day.

I was actually gonna ask you about that day, and if doing “Moon River” with your dad was considered a full circle moment for you. Like, would you consider him as someone who veered you towards the arts as a kid?

You know, it’s interesting because I definitely got my ear from him. He was always musical in

the house, right? He was always playing piano. We had a piano in the house, which was like, a super lucky thing. He was always whistling and just, my musical ear definitely came from him, but he was by no means a stage dad. Neither was my mom, There wasn’t like a push to say, “okay, well I’m musical, so I want our kids to be artistic too.” I don’t think they knew what they were even doing. They were just saying, “look, we’re gonna put our kids in front of it,” as every parent should do: Access to the arts, and making sure that young people experience the arts is one of the greatest gifts any parent can give their kids.

And so, what I did all by myself—because it was just in me—was that I would watch these concerts or theater performances or whatever they were, then I would come home completely transformed. I would come home and I would want to learn every song. I would want to sit at the piano and figure out the music. I’d wanna learn a new image. So, they just kinda saw these these lightbulbs continue to go off, and they didn’t have to push at all. What they did do was see that that was happening in me, and then said “yes, and…” to those ideas. They would say, “okay, maybe this class would be good for his excitement. Or this camp might be fun to kind of keep doing theatre because he loves theatre.” So what they did was continue to support it when I got the bug, but they didn’t push it at all.

LEGENDARY VOICES: Josh Groban (L) and Jennifer Hudson perform in Tampa on Friday.

CHRIS HASTON/WARNER BROS.

By Ray Roa

C CL Recommends

THU 18

C Katara w/Fast Preacher/Antro Banks Most any visit from Daniel Hanson includes an appearance from Katara, and that’s what is happening this week when the Florida-Illinois songwriter brings his Fast Preacher project back to town. For fans of modern soul and pop, Wilson and Katara are in good company thanks to Anthony Santaniello who plays synth-driven vintage pop under the Antro Banks moniker. The evening should be unforgettable, too, as Hanson recently told Orlando Weekly that his band is currently made up of players totally obsessed with Stevie Wonder. 8 p.m. $15. Crowbar, Ybor City

FRI 19

C Beatsnchill Live: Pilot Jonezz w/ Cozy In The Black/Chriss/Aliqua/Yzm

Beatsnchill continues to platform emergent Bay area artists, even outside the producer-rapper space, and this month welcomes Chriss, a songwriter whose new EP blurs lines between darkwave (“Beauty In Machinery”) and shimmery dream-pop (“In My Dark”). The showcase is led by rock scene elder (on this bill at least) Pilot Jonezz along with rock-pop genre-jumper Aliqua, new-wave-flavored punk band Cozy In the Black, rapper YZM, and songwriterselector Fessi K. 7 p.m. No cover. The Bricks, Ybor City

Delta Sleep w/Michael Cera Palin/ Combat Fresh off the tin year anniversary of its debut full-length Twin Galaxies , crunchy U.K. math-rock band Delta Sleep is back in America making guitar geeks squeal.

Catchy and complex at the same time (“Lake Sprinkle Sprankle”), the record is rife with crashing riffs (“Strongthany”), punny song titles (“Daniel Craig David”), and deep cuts the quartet has expressed interest in reviving on this summer tour (“21 Letters”). An Atlanta emo band with the cheekiest of monikers (Michael Cera Palin) opens. 8 p.m. $33.25. Crowbar, Ybor City

C Vince Gill There are few guitar talents like Vince Gill. For those counting Grammys, the 69-year-old has more than any other guy in country music (22), and he’s prolific as a motherfucker. In the midst of his 50 Years From Home EP series (the seventh volume, Nobody Held Her Like Me , was released last month), Gill will play a mix of his big hits, classic covers (think Merle, Buck Owens) and stuff from the “Home” series during what are known as marathon three-hour sets. 7:30 p.m. $68.25 & up. Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater

SAT 20

C The Tilt w/Offerings/Warhors3/ Confessed Lover/Crimesididntcommit

There might not be a better art-rock band working locally. On its latest single, “Standing in the Street, Staring at the Stars,” Sarasota quartet The Tilt channels the energy of a David Byrne show into two chaoticallyjoyful minutes that harken back to the golden age of pre-algorithmic indie-pop that actually pushed boundaries and made us go to the dance floor. “13,000 Crows, Iridescent,” leans heavier on synth and Zaeta’s ghostly vocal, leaving listeners waiting for a new album due July 7. For now, The Tilt plays a goth night inside Tampa’s most popular Legion hall alongside Central Florida experimental and industrial composers (Confessed Lover, Crimesididn’tcommit), plus Tampa industrial and dark-synth songwriters Warhors3 and Offerings. 7 p.m. $10. American Legion Post 111, Seminole Heights

JACK CYMBRYLA

Pistil House 2nd Birthday Party: Tyler Costanzo w/Austin Christopher/Payton Hurley & Dylan Madigan There’s no shortage of important third spaces making room for music in every corner of our neighborhoods, and The Grand Central District’s Pistil House certainly fits the bill. The flower shop, wine bar, and cafe turns two this weekend and turns the porch into a concert stage for a trio of songwriters who’ll be able to snack on St. Pete’s famous Slimey’s Burgers in between sets. Noon. No cover. Pistil House, St. Petersburg

C ‘Raise It Up’ Pt. 2: AJ Denhoff w/ They Hate Change/Ortrotasce Pinellas’ new DIY spot continues raising money for rent and upkeep as it gets itself off the ground. Providing the sounds this week is a veritable triumvirate of the indie music scene. Anchored by They Hate Change, a Bay area rap duo that’s drawn praise from alt-weekly music critic goat Jeff Weiss, this second in a series of fundraisers includes a set from homegrown king of analog EBM and darkwave, Ortrotasce, and songwriter AJ Denhoff (of Little Giver and TampaShowCal fame). Make your donations before you get to the gig. 7 p.m. $5 on DICE. Learning, Clearwater

C Tet Spells w/Chelsea Gem/Sleeping Pills/Venus Descent On a new single, “In Your Sleep,” Sleeping Pills frontman Phil Taylor leads his new wave-leaning postpunk band through some of the most tender songwriter material it’s ever put out. The cut is part of an eight-song album, Patterns in the Sea , that Taylor & co. will lean into when the band opens for Tet Spells, a Floridabased lo-fi rock outfit making its Tampa debut inside Seminole Heights’ favorite record store. Watch a clip for “In Your Sleep” via cltampa.com/music. 7 p.m. No cover. Microgroove, Tampa

C The Venus w/Radaghast/The Jackettes Not necessarily a studio-only band, The Venus makes only occasional orbits around the Tampa Bay music calendar. The truly-out-of-this-world psych-rock band with a country condition is back to headline a no-cover late night show where Radaghast supports 10gollem10, a shoegazing emo-rock record that was a sleeper for best of 2025. Elusive pop band The Jackettes also makes a rare appearance on this stacked bill. 10 p.m. No cover. The Bends, St. Petersburg

SUN 21

C Church Sessions: Qeys + Shines Crowbar’s hosted countless unforgettable DJ nights, and Qeys—of Samurai Shotgun and other notable acts—has been at the ones and twos for a lot of them. The turntablist extraordinaire gets another crack to rock the iconic patio at Crowbar, a historic Ybor City venue set to close this summer. Internet tastemaker Julieanna Marie Goddard (aka YesJulz) recently put Qeys on her “New Music Mondayz” livestream, where she cosigned him as one of the best DJs in Tampa. We totally agree. 9 p.m. No cover. Crowbar, Ybor City

TUE 23

Blacksmith w/The Arrival Note/The Shape/The Treasury/Icarus Kissed the Sun/Holy Dose All of Tampa’s emo dads will be at the skatepark this week, perhaps discussing getting a group babysit for December’s American Football concert but definitely drinking in this mini superbill of melancholy homegrown rock bands. Organized by Bay area hardcore label and promoter Armageddon Records, the bill also features Virginia darkwave composer Troy Brian Hancock (aka The Treasury), New Jersey synth-pop ripper The Shape, and South Florida hardcore outfit Icarus Kissed the Sun. 7 p.m. $15 at the door. Skatepark of Tampa, Tampa

Hilary Duff w/La Roux/Jade LeMac This is what dreams are made of. Hilary Duff didn’t get into pop music early enough to be a staple on the playlist at long-shuttered Ybor City hipster stronghold Czar, but the 38-year-old “Lizzie McGuire” actor is still bringing a veritable staple from those days to this Tampa arena show. “Bulletproof” and “In For the Kill” hitmaker Elly Jackson, aka La Roux, has sporadically released albums since breaking out in 2009, and will presumably tease a forthcoming new LP, Old Flames , at this gig underneath the invisible roof at Tampa’s largest dedicated concert venue. Canadian songwriter Jade LeMac (who might be the future of sapphic pop, according to GoMag) opens. 7 p.m. $88.92 & up (resale only). MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa

WED 24

C The Final Unity Jam: Kraze x Sandman x Jimi O w/Genolexis/Hybreed EM16/Lyricah Love/Chris Jackson/Hyfa/ Voixx/SB Muzic/Rekiem/2 Fly Eli/Pauly Capo Nick Major has always been about unity. A member of the late-1980s Bay area hip-hop group The Dedicated Brothers, Major doesn’t get out much anymore due to a medical condition, but this weekend, his friends have organized to stage one more “Unity Jam” at Crowbar (which, if you’re sleeping under a rock, is closing before August).

“It’s unfortunate that he can’t be there in person,” DJ Sandman told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. “He picked all these artists out, and we’re going to show Nick a lot of love. He’s always been a part of this hip-hop community.” Sandman is on the bill along with Kraze, and some of the most active, triedand-true, emcees of the underground scene, including Hyfa and Lyricah Love. A fly-in from 2 Fly Eli, who goes back to the days when WMNF Tampa DJ (and emcee) Kenny K was the pied piper of the local rap scene, makes this final jam that much more special. 7 p.m. $5. Crowbar, Ybor City

Jessi Uribe Colombia’s football team has high hopes of getting out of its group and making a run at the World Cup. Regardless of the outcome, local fans will have a reason to sing a song. That’s care of Jessi Uribe, the 39-year-old who became the first Colombian to be nominated for a “Best Música Mexicana Album” Grammy last year (Carín León took home the hardware). Uribe’s album, De Lejitos , is for the lovers and blends folky

Mexican rancheras with the brass-heavy sounds of banda. Thanks to a band that includes guitars, bajo sexto, horns, harp and more, it’ll be a packed stage at the Hard Rock Event Center, which will soon undergo a renovation. 8 p.m. $76.30 & up. Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa

THU 25

FL Rules Preshow: Coraline’s Collapse w/Second Death/Playing with Knives/ Ten-Fifty/Walled City/High Pressure/ Counterattack/Reap What You Sow Hardcore music is having a moment, all thanks to a Toronto fan in a banana suit who went to a show by Baltimore band End It (whose frontman instructed fans to rip the suit off). Bananagate has since inflamed online gatekeepers and klout-mongers, but festivals like FL Rules are out there to cleanse

the palette. For the last decade, Elevated Booking has brought hardcore, emo, and punk bands to the suburbs, and this skatepark gig is a mighty fine warm up 6:30 p.m. $10 at the door; $5 with FL Rules weekend pass. Skatepark of Tampa, Tampa

C Todd Rundgren Fans disappointed in not hearing their preferred Todd Rundgren song on recent tours might be in luck at this twonight stand. The 77-year-old prog-rock wizard promises to play more familiar songs when his “Damned If I Do” band—which includes bassist Kasim Sulton and drummer Prairie Prince in addition to keyboardist Gil Assayas, guitarist Bruce McDaniel, and horns master Bobby Strickland—comes to the Cap. He’s even going to let a fan onstage for one song to, um, bang the drum. Thursday-Friday, June 25-26. 8 p.m. $65.50 & up. Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater

See an extended version of this listing at cltampa.com/music.

DJ Sandman

An entire generation of Americans had its genome reprogrammed in the late-’90s and early-2000s thanks to a bunch of rappers and entrepreneurs from New Orleans, and those legends are coming to Tampa this fall. Last Monday, Cash Money Records and No Limit Records announced a 17-city tour that includes two stops in the Sunshine State.

The iconic rap labels, largely-recognized for bringing their distinct and unapologeticallySouthern sound to the masses, have sold more than a billion records collectively and bring a stacked lineup of their heavy hitters to the run.

According to a press release, artists scheduled to appear in Tampa include Birdman, Juvenile, Mannie Fresh, B.G., Master P, Silkk the Shocker, Mia X, Mac, Mercedes, Fiend, Choppa Style, and Mr. Serv-On. Boosie plays opener. “The fans have been waiting for a tour like this for a long time. We came from New Orleans and built something the world had never seen before, movements that changed music, hip hop culture, and the business forever,” Master P added. Damn, woady.

Tickets for the Cash Money and No Limit Records tour coming to Tampa’s

Except You (opening for Subhumans w/ The Iron Roses) Monday, June 29. 7 p.m.

$30.45. Crowbar, Ybor City

King Of The Stage Sunday, July 19. 8 p.m. $10 entry. Crowbar, Ybor City

The Fixx Monday, July 20. 8 p.m. $50 & up. Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater

Clarent Saturday, July 25. 7 p.m. $46.39 & up. The Ritz, Ybor City

Charlie Chimi (opening for L’Eclair) Friday, July 31. 7 p.m. $20.70. Bayboro Brewing, St. Petersburg

Woodz Sunday, Aug. 2. 7:30 p.m. $56.75 & up. Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg

Walker & Royce Saturday, Aug, 8. 10 p.m. $21.28 & up. The Ritz, Ybor City

Nine Vicious Sunday, Aug. 9. 7 p.m. Sold out. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg

Smash Em Up (album release) w/ Ramtha/High Pressure/Syndicate/ Mycelium Construct/Side Winder

Saturday, Aug. 15. 6 p.m. $15. Brass Mug, Tampa

Jonathan Cain of Journey Saturday, Aug. 22. 8 p.m. $40 & up. Central Park Performing Arts Center, Largo

Chironex w/Cerebral Desecration/ Scorch/Human/Syndicate Friday, Aug. 28. 7 p.m. $10. Brass Mug, Tampa

Benchmark International Arena in Tampa on Saturday, Nov. 7 go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. EDT on Friday, June 19. Ticket prices had not been announced at press time. See Josh Bradley’s weekly roundup of new concerts coming to Tampa Bay below.—Ray Roa

The Kevin Steele Band w/St. Pete Sons Friday, Aug. 28. 8 p.m. $22.52. Bayboro Brewing, St. Petersburg

Nic Vans Saturday, Aug. 29. 10 p.m. $25.96 & up. The Ritz, Ybor City

97X Next Big Thing Legends: Yellowcard w/Waterparks/Dylan

Cotrone Friday, Sept. 4. 6 p.m. $60 & up. The BayCare Sound, Clearwater

Reaper w/MYR/Wimbo/Threepux Friday, Sept. 4. 10 p.m. $20.77 & up. The Ritz, Ybor City

Chance The Rapper Saturday, Sept. 5. 6 p.m. $257.60 & up (resale and VIP only). The Ritz, Ybor City

Kehlani w/Durand Bernarr/Isaia Huron/ TheArti$t/Waseel Friday, Sept. 11. 6:30 p.m. $51.75 & up. Midflorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa

Sam Feldt Saturday, Sept. 12. 10 p.m. $20.77 & up. The Ritz, Ybor City

Plush Saturday, Sept. 19. 6:30 p.m. $22.95 & up. Brass Mug, Tampa

Rise Against w/Alkaline Trio/Teen

Mortgage Friday, Sept. 25. 7 p.m. $68 & up. The BayCare Sound, Clearwater

Vitamin String Quartet w/Girl Named Tom Wednesday, Sept. 30. 7:30 p.m. $48.80 & up. Ferguson Hall at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa

Gone girl

by Dan Savage

My husband and I (cis male and cis female) never had much sexual chemistry. In the beginning, he said not to worry, we have a lot of time, and it could only get better. But nothing has changed. When I express my frustration with the lack of sex, usually after going months without an orgasm or any sexual activity, he blames me and says he needs me to initiate more. When I try to initiate, he says I’m being too aggressive or not romantic enough or acting too entitled. I’m always doing too little or asking too much. When he was working, he claimed his physical job made him too tired for sex. So, I let him quit his job. I pay all the bills, I give him spending money, and I thought at least now we’ll have more sex. But all he wants to do is smoke pot and sleep. When we do have sex (once every three months or so), he only lasts a minute and puts no effort into my pleasure. It’s vanilla and boring, and then he acts like since he’s satisfied, I should be too. Why should I have to initiate something that has nothing to do with my own pleasure? I’m very open with him about wanting to try bondage, role-play, and different positions and all I get in return is laziness. If there’s a word for so horny that you’re angry, then that’s where I’m at. I didn’t sign up for life-long celibacy when we got married. He has no physical issue with getting an erection, he’s just putting in no effort and I don’t know what to do. He bragged before we married about studying tantra and training under a Dominatrix. At first I thought “cool,” but now I think those ladies probably had to do all the work. He’s good-looking, so he doesn’t try hard in bed. I’m tired of feeling unfulfilled and frustrated. I’ve tried talking to him. I even floated the idea of an open marriage, only to get shot down. It seems that as women get more established as breadwinners, a lot of us are stuck with unfulfilling sex lives supporting men who act like this. I crave sexual fulfillment. I know he loves me, so what are my options? I’m not a cheater.—Sexually Neglected And Pissed “I’m going to be just as blunt—blunter—than those things SNAP’s husband puts in his mouth,” said Lyz Lenz, the author of “This American Ex-Wife.” “SNAP says that she knows her husband loves her, but this is a person who has never been interested in her pleasure or fulfillment. He gets what he needs from SNAP: money, sex, a home, sleep, and pot. And he does not care about her needs at all. SNAP let him quit his entire job just to rest up enough to have sex and the problem only got worse. And the way SNAP’s husband shot down the idea of an open marriage shows that he truly isn’t interested in hearing or understanding her frustrations at all.”

“This American Ex-Wife” is a memoir—a memoir that landed on The New York Times bestseller list—about Lenz’s decision to divorce

her husband of twelve years. Lenz argues that, contrary to stereotypes about divorced women leading sad and lonely lives, women who divorce husbands who can’t or won’t meet their sexual and/or emotional and/or logistical needs, e.g., don’t do their fair share of the household labor, are actually happier after divorce.

“Marriage is supposed to be a partnership,” said Lenz. “But this man is a barnacle. SNAP needs to ask herself why she keeps him around. Does she actually love him and cherish his company? Or is it just inertia? Is she just afraid to let him go? These are all questions she needs to answer for herself, because he is not going to help her out, not in the bed and definitely not as a life partner.”

Lenz thinks you should tell your husband to get a fucking job, SNAP, and then—whether or not he gets a job—you should get yourself a lawyer (so you can divorce the motherfucker already) and a therapist (so you figure out why you put up with this shit for so long).

“SNAP has one wild and precious life,” said Lenz, “and she should not spend it angry and horny trapped next to a man who doesn’t care about her pleasure at all.”

Not only should you “get this man out of your house and out of your bed,” as Lenz told me, you need to resolve—with the help of that therapist—not to make the mistake of marrying another man like him. Scratch that: don’t make the mistake of fucking a man who doesn’t meet your needs more than once. If sex is important to you and the sex is bad, show him the door.

then cuddling afterwards. I feel like a louse, but I also feel confused about what to do. I want my friend so much but I also don’t want to mess up our friendship. Still, I can’t stop thinking about him and I am now wondering if we would have a better relationship than the one I have with my husband, as my friend, like me, leans more in the non-monogamous direction. I don’t want to lose my husband or for my friend’s girlfriend to find out or to lose my friend. Do I just wait this out and hope the infatuation fades? Should I burn down my life and save my husband from future (secret) deceit? Help!—Secretly Play

And Naughty Kinks

Zooming out for a second: I advise straight couples to define sex broadly (so they’ll have lots of sex) while defining cheating narrowly (so they’ll be less likely to cheat). Defining sex as more than PIV requires men—at least the straight ones—to regard mutual masturbation and mutual oral not as consolation prizes, but as sex. A lot of my male readers get it, because my male readers are special, but for new male readers and/or male readers who haven’t gotten it yet: If your ass got fucked every time you said yes to sex—if you were the one getting penetrated every time you said yes — you wouldn’t say yes each time you were asked. (I realize you and your husband aren’t a straight couple, SPANK, since you’re bisexual. But you are an opposite-sex couple, and the advice applies.)

SAVAGE LOVE

“I remember once dating a man who was very attractive, smart, and interesting,” said Lenz. “On the third date, we had sex, which was very perfunctory and boring. When I pointed out that I hadn’t had an orgasm, he shrugged and said, ‘That’s your problem.’ I asked him to leave my house. When he asked why, I told him, ‘If you don’t care about this one little thing, which is fun and sexy, then I don’t trust that you’ll care about me at all in any other way.’”

I’m a bisexual woman in a long-term relationship who has run into some monogamish trouble. I have a bit of flexibility in my marriage, but it is limited, and I consider myself naturally not very monogamous. But I love my husband very much, and monogamy was the price of admission. I have a good friend with whom I’ve always had a flirty, open dynamic. A month ago, we went to a new place in our dynamic: we spent a few days together while my partner was away on a business trip, which ramped up the flirtiness, and the ramping up culminated in him spanking me over his knee and a lot of dirty talk and

That said, SPANK, it sure sounds like your definition of cheating—as you and your husband defined it together—excludes getting spanked, engaging in dirty talk, and cuddling other men. (What does the “bit of flexibility” you claim to enjoy actually allow you to do with other people. Darts?) But whether that spanking/talking/ cuddling session constituted cheating or not… and it sounds like it did… the problem isn’t the spanking, et al, but the crush it kicked into high gear. Crushes have a way of making us crazy, SPANK, but a crush can be especially destabilizing for a married person. Because, while a crush is just a crush for a single person, for a married person a crush is a window into an alternate timeline where you’re no longer with the imperfect person who farts in front of you, but with the perfect person who will never fart in front of you.

Instead of burning your life down for the guy who spanked you behind your husband’s back, SPANK, and would inevitably start farting in front of you if you ran off with him, stay the fuck away from him and give the crush some time to fade. Once the crush has faded a bit, you might want to revisit that conversation with your husband about what constitutes cheating in your marriage. If you enjoyed a little more flexibility—if spankings from other men were allowed—you wouldn’t be thinking about burning down your marriage to get your next one.

After a few years of first getting acquainted with the world of queer hookup apps, and now considering myself much more adept when looking for casual fun, yet too often I find myself engaging with a certain personality that I don’t understand. I have encountered this type on many different apps, and both my spouse and I have experienced this, at home and when traveling. I will find someone intriguing, we discuss our interests, desires, and what kind of encounters or relationships we are looking for on whatever platform we might be on. As a trans woman who has undergone bottom surgery, I am very up front about the fact that I am looking to bottom and that I have no interest in topping cis men in any encounter that we arrange. They will then tell me all about how they will top me and how eager they are to give me the pounding I need. But everything flips when we actually meet. Suddenly, these cis men want me to top them. So, my question is, why do so many guys on hookup apps talk a big game about being tops but seek a submissive or bottom role when the meet occurs?—Curious Queer I don’t know why the string of cis men you’ve encountered on queer hookup apps all asked you, a trans woman who has had bottom surgery, to top them.

For the record: no one needs a dick to top. Cis women top cis men with strap-on dildos, the person being penetrated can be in control (power bottoms arguably top tops), and people into BDSM can have fully-realized, completely satisfying, mind-blowing sex—one person topping the other during a kink scene—without anyone getting naked, much less anyone getting penetrated.

But you wanna get pounded out, CQ, and that’s what you’ve been negotiating with the (presumably) cis men you’ve been meeting and vetting on queer hookup apps, men who turn around and ask you to top them when you meet up in person.

So, what’s going on here?

There are a lot of men out there who will say whatever the other person wants to hear in order to get them in the room. And then once they’re in the room, they’ll ask for what they really wanted all along. These guys hope the other person — that would be you — will agree to the sex on offer rather than leave without having sex at all.

Be more emphatic—use your words—with any cis guy you’re thinking about meeting up with in person: “I want to be clear: I’m 110% a bottom. I can’t top. I’ve had some bad experiences with people who’ve wasted my time. So, don’t invite me over and ask me to top you—don’t hand me a strap-on when I walk in—because it’s not going to happen and I will leave.”

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