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Tampa Bay's best things to do from September 18 - 25
Dare to be stupid
Tampa Bay’s not in the express lane, but it is on the itinerary for a new tour by five-time Grammy-winning parodist “Weird Al” Yankovic. The 65-year-old kicks off his “Bigger & Weirder” 2025 in June and will wrap it right here in Florida by the fall. Yankovic promises “iconic hits as well as some never-performed-live-before fan favorites” for the show where his longtime band will be “joined by four additional players to create a super-sized concert experience.”
Weird Al “Bigger and Weirder” tour: Next Thursday, Sept. 25. 7:30. $47.50&up. The BayCare Sound, 255 Drew St., Clearwater. rutheckerdhall.com—Ray Roa
Sistaahs, let’s fly!
Tampa Bay’s favorite white faced drag nuns, the Sisters of the Perpetual Indulgence, trade their habits for brooms this holy day to host a Witch’s Ball. Swamp hags, warlocks, good witches, bad ones and all in between are welcome to the open event, where the Sisters will crown the baddest witch in town. And The Catacombs is brewing up a special cauldron shot to get the magic flowing.
The Witch’s Ball: Sunday, Sept. 21. 7 p.m. $10 suggested donation. The Catacombs, 1909 N 15th St., Ybor City. tampabaysisters.com—Selene San Felice
Scare up some money
Get away from the big screen when Tampa Fringe Festival screens the 1962 movie “Carnival of Souls” as part of its “Frightful Film Fundraiser.” The 120-minute movie is about Mary Henry, who ends up as the sole survivor of a fatal car accident through mysterious circumstances. Trying to leave it all behind, she moves to Utah and takes a job as a church organist, but starts to see visions of a fiendish man. As the visions grow, Mary is drawn to the deserted carnival on the outskirts of town. Later screenings for the Frightful Film Fundraiser include “The Last Man on Earth” (1964), “Night of the Living Dead” (1968), and “Little Shop of Horrors” (1986).
The Frightful Film Fundraiser: Friday, Sept. 19. 9:30 p.m. $10. The Fringe Theatre at Kress Collective, 1624 E 7th Ave. Suite 307, Ybor City. tampafringe.org—Emily McLaughlin
Another
trip
We live in an age when making great beer isn’t enough to keep a brewery’s doors open. These hopped up watering holes now have to be third spaces where people gather for book club, trivia, concerts, and let dogs in, too. Ology’s Tampa taproom has been doing its damndest for three years now and welcomes the work of another brew hub doing the most (Miami’s Tripping Animals, and it’s Trippy Kitchen) to celebrate. For the first time outside of the South Florida tasting rooms, Trippy chefs bring a Latin-American fusion menu that includes Venezuelan cheese sticks (tequeños, $10), brisket croquette ($12), and croaker ceviche (corvina $18).
Ology three-year anniversary feat. Trippy Kitchen: Saturday, Sept. 20. Noon-6 p.m. No cover (bring money for food). Ology Brewing, 6410 N Florida Ave., Tampa. @ ology_tampa on Instagram Ray Roa
Black English
The theme for the 4th annual Tampa Bay Black Authors Expo is “Keeping Black LitAlive,” honoring the memory of late city council member Gwendolyn Henderson, the owner of Black English Bookstore who died in June. The theme also speaks to the expo’s position on pressures Black independent authors face in Florida’s political climate. “We are still keeping our mission of celebrating and supporting Black independent authors alive in the midst of growing pressures from censorship and book bans, the influence of social media, the dizzying pace of AI technology, and the slashing of funding for the arts and humanities,” the event description says. Hillsborough poet Troy R. Legett, author of “The Objective Scholar” and “Social Climax,” reads, and Tampa visual artist Distinctly Bella will showcase her work honoring the traditions of her Caribbean and African heritage.
4th Annual Tampa Bay Black Authors Expo: Saturday, Sept. 20. Noon-4 p.m. No cover. Tampa Heights Junior Civic Association Community Center, 2005 N. Lamar Ave. tbbae.com—Emily McLaughlin
Messy truth
After the mega success of her travel memoir, Elizabeth Gilbert spent the last two decades as a wholesome self-help guru. But she’s been living a much darker, messier truth. In “All The Way To The River,” Gilbert recounts leaving the husband she met in “Eat, Pray, Love” for her best friend Rayya Elias when Elias is diagnosed with terminal cancer. But their terminal honeymoon of sex and karaoke turns ugly as Elias’s last days are marked with cocaine binges, codependency and a thwarted mercy killing. Gilbert brings this month’s Oprah’s Book Club pick for a live onstage discussion with Oxford Exchange.
Elizabeth Gilbert live on stage: Tuesday, Sept. 23. 7 p.m. $46. Tampa Theatre, 711 N Franklin St., Tampa. tampatheatre. org—Selene San Felice
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Park it
World Car-Free Day happens this weekend in Tampa.
By Ray Roa
People want alternatives to getting around by car. For proof, maybe ask Emily Hinsdale. She recently told WMNF public affairs program The Skinny that last year during World-Car Free Day, the number of bicyclists and pedestrians that crossed Tampa’s Cass Street bridge was double what it usually is on a regular day.
Sure, the Tampa Bay area is eighth-worst for pedestrian deaths in the U.S., according to a 2024 report by Smart Growth America, but interest in the event is proof that people are looking for an alternative to getting behind the wheel. And this weekend’s World Car-Free Day is an education, too.
way to demonstrate how you can get around, to show off the routes that you can take where you can feel more confident walking or biking.”
LOCAL NEWS
World Car-Free Day
Saturday, Sept. 20. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. No cover walkbiketampa.org
“Yeah, there are some very, very dangerous places to be on the road as a biker or pedestrian, but there are also a lot of routes that are very successful for a bike or pedestrian,” Hinsdale—a board member for Walk Bike Tampa, which organizes the event—added. “This is a really good
About 2,000 cities in 50 countries take part in World Car-Free Day annually, and 2025 marks Tampa’s third time. This year, the celebration spans five hours, with multiple activations including two bike-friendly routes that originate in Ybor City. One goes north to TampaWell in Altamonte Heights (3.5 miles), the other south and west to Midtown (5.5 miles). The latter includes a stop at another World Car-Free Day’s official location, the Encore district, where a bicycle rodeo happens from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Live music, markets, walking tours, free bike valets, games, and more are part of the festivities, too.
And if you want to just get on the bus, Transit Now Tampa Bay (TNTB) hosts a ride meetup for Hillsborough Regional Area Transit’s fare-free Route 1; the 10 a.m. meetup is at the
“I love seeing strangers at these events, because that means there are more people out there participating.”
Independent in Seminole Heights with TNTB cofounder Dayna Lazarus while the noon meetup is at Jug & Bottle with Tampa City Councilwoman Lynn Hurtak. Hinsdale said Seminole Heights and Channelside are two of her favorite areas for walkability.
Many transportation activists get involved after a tragedy. Hinsdale, a writer by trade and also co-founder of the Sidewalk Stompers pedestrian advocacy group, was luckier and was radicalized after wanting a safer way to walk her kids to school. Elected officials weren’t ready to create a safer place for pedestrians, so she took it upon herself by working towards, and finding, opportunities to make the streets safer.
“In doing so, I found an entire subculture of people in Tampa who are also interested in walking and biking and have been able to grow through that,” she added.
Today, Walk Bike Tampa includes an allvolunteer board of eight members who are also involved in other transportation initiatives. World Car-Free Day, Bike Month and the group’s annual award ceremony, Hinsdale said, draws about 100 people that are part of the movement, too. “You are in it if you want to be a walker and a biker and be excited about that in Tampa,” she added.
Now, Hinsdale’s style is not to necessarily ask electeds to make the changes, but organize
and activate in a way that forces decisionmakers’ hands. Demand more buses by filling the ones on the road. Pack the sidewalks so the city and county have to make them wider.
After years of knowing seemingly everyone in that niche group of activists, Hinsdale is starting to get to a point where she doesn’t recognize a lot of the people at World Car-Free Day. “I didn’t know the parents, the people who came to help me run it. I didn’t know them. I love seeing strangers at these events, because that means there are more people out there participating,” Hinsdale said.
Young people are a part of the festivities, too, thanks to a half-mile “Kidical Mass Ride” for littles happening at 10 a.m. beneath the Poe Garage on Cass Street in Tampa. Kids, Hinsdale told WMNF, are easy converts to a car-free lifestyle that opens the door to meeting people and building relationships in your community.
“When you are in the back of your parents car, your relationship is probably going to be with the iPad they gave you to be quiet,” Hinsdale explained. Being out on the road brings other kids of all ages into the picture alongside adults supporting what the kids are up to and looking out for them, too. “It goes beyond better safety infrastructure on the road. It’s a safer community when we have more eyes watching out for each other.”
WALK IT OUT: Emily Hinsdale at WMNF Tampa on Aug. 15, 2025.
RAY ROA
Paint by number St. Pete wants resident input on mural situation.
By Selene San Felice
St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch promised to “build back better” when he announced the city wouldn’t fight FDOT’s removal of its five street murals—including the LGBTQ+ Progress Pride intersection and a “Black History Matters” painted street.
A week after their removal, the city is commemorating the murals and asking residents how they can be replaced.
In a Sept. 8 memo to City Council, Welch said that city workers are distributing posters of the murals at events throughout the month, including this weekend’s Second Saturday Art Walk. The images are also being distributed in downloadable background images and physical postcards. The FY25 mayor’s office and city marketing budget will absorb costs.
Staff will also distribute 200 City Pride flags and is making 200 Black History Matters flags to give out to businesses and organizations, per the memo.
In a survey for its campaign dubbed #CantEraseStPete, the city is asking residents for ideas on “new ways to express our community’s values and creativity within state and federal laws.”
The announcement comes a month after Welch and leaders of other Florida cities were forced to bow to a directive from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to remove five of the murals, including ones that celebrate Black history.
Following the effective date of a new state law in June, FDOT updated its Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, which now includes a prohibition on “non-uniform traffic control devices,” such as pavement markings on state and local roads, and notified local governments of that directive.
Shortly thereafter, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent a letter to all 50 governors around the country to keep crosswalk and intersection markings “free from distraction” for safety reasons.
FDOT soon demanded that local governments that hadn’t removed painted crosswalks do so within weeks or lose access to state transportation funds.
Along with ideas for how to replace the murals on city-owned and private property, the survey asks residents how the street murals impacted their experience of the city and what parts of the city’s identity are important to showcase. Residents can sign up for future opportunities to volunteer or donate.
It also asks, “How can we ensure residents feel a sense of ownership and pride?”
At a public city meeting on Sept. 26, its Public Arts Commission and Arts Advisory Committee will discuss the issue. Survey submissions are open through Sept. 30.
Evan Mory, St. Petersburg’s transportation and parking director, had asked FDOT to exempt five specific murals, noting that they were all in place before the law changed. City officials also noted that traffic crashes had been reduced by 70% at the Common Ground mural painted at Fifth Street and Central Ave. in downtown St. Petersburg. Their request was rejected
That mural, painted by Argentinian artist Cecilia Lueza, features a rainbow of huge triangles and geometric shapes that spread across the intersection.
FDOT spend Labor Day weekend erasing murals across the Bay area, including St. Pete’s Black History Matters mural.
Reporting from Mitch Perry and the Florida Phoenix appears in this report.
DIRTY CHALK: St. Pete residents worked at night after FDOT erasure.
DAVE
DECKER
Kim's in
Former Hillsborough commissioner jumps into congressional race.
By Alisha Durosier
Former Hillsborough County Commissioner
Kimberly Overman has joined the roster of Democrats challenging incumbent Republican Rep. Laura Lee for Florida’s District 15 seat.
Jose Engell, a 24-year-old first-time candidate, and veterans Robert Peoples and Darren McAuley are the other Democrats who’ve filed for the race. Congressional District 15 includes Hillsborough, Pasco, and Polk counties.
District 15 is Republican-leaning. Lee succeeded Republican Rep. Scott Franklin in 2022, beating Democrat Alan Cohn with 58% of the vote. In 2024, Lee secured reelection against Democrat Pat Kemp—another former Hillsborough Commissioner—with 56% of the vote.
and economic justice are two important pillars of Overman’s campaign.
“The foundation of a family is where they live, stable housing, and without having a strong plan and effective policies in affordable housing, we’re going to find ourselves really, not really, truly caring for the people who live here,” Overman said.
ELECTIONS
The primary happens next year on Aug. 18, with the general election set for Nov. 3.
Overman told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay she knows it’ll be a long road to get to Washington D.C.
“And so when people have said this is going to be a hard race, I know how to do hard things,” Overman added, noting that her 2018 bid for Hillsborough County Commissioner included a four-candidate primary and three-candidate general election.
“I’m running because communities deserve bold, compassionate leadership that listens and learns and leads with integrity,” Overman affirms. “ And we do not have that now.”
Overman was a commissioner until 2022, and cites her previous role as a necessary prerequisite that qualifies her for the seat.
“I am very aware of issues for 60% of District 15,” she said. And issues like affordable housing
Cuts to social programs, such as Medicaid and other housing-related initiatives, will affect Tampa Bay residents as a result of President Donald Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” Act (what Overman calls the “big, bad, awful bill.”) Lee was among the wave of Republican representatives who voted in favor of President Trump’s signature bill. She claims that the bill will do the opposite of what economists say it will.
“This legislation gives Florida families real relief…,” Lee said in a statement shortly after the bill was passed. “It also strengthens critical programs like Medicaid and Social Security to ensure they work better and last longer.”
Overman says that instead of serving District 15, Lee serves President Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“She answers to the governor, and she does not answer to the residents that live here,” Overman said. “And that’s not a good idea, not what I call representation.”
Overman also aims to address public education, reproductive rights, and gender equity.
“Everyone in this country has the right to be free and the right to be who they are, and this targeting of individuals in order to make the case for harming our democracy is not OK,” she said. “We don’t need scapegoats.”
LAURELS TO REST ON: Rep. Lee (pictured) won her seat with 56% of the vote last year.
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Pitchman
DeSantis talk vaccines and guns in Plant City.
By Mitch Perry & Christine Sexton/Florida Phoenix
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Sept. 8 offered a sneak peek at two priorities for the 2026 legislative session—both of which revamp proposals he unsuccessfully pushed this year: eliminating vaccine mandates and allowing open-carry of firearms.
During a press conference in Plant City, DeSantis defended his administration’s proposal to eliminate from rule and statute all vaccine mandates. State Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo made the announcement, arguing mandates drip “with disdain and slavery.”
Ladapo acknowledged to CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union” over the weekend that the state had conducted no studies before deciding to eliminate vaccine mandates.
familiar rhetoric about the federal government’s handling of vaccine and mask mandates and government shutdowns, and instead touted Florida’s approach to the pandemic. DeSantis alleged that people have grown skeptical of government direction following the pandemic.
“When they’re telling you, even if they’re right, I think some people are pushing back against it. It’s going to take time to rebuild trust there. And I think what the surgeon general’s position is, the way you build trust is to provide information and use persuasion rather than try to ostracize people from society if they make a different choice.”
LOCAL NEWS
DeSantis on Sept. 8 came out strong in defense of Ladapo. “He never said he’d take away availability [of vaccines]. Obviously that’s not his position. But I think his position is if you provide information and persuasion, that’s better than coercion.”
DeSantis, who initially embraced the COVID-19 vaccine and deviated from the federal distribution plan to make sure they were given in Florida first to seniors, fell back on
The DeSantis administration last year proposed legislation (HB 1299) that would have required health care facilities and providers to treat patients regardless of whether they were vaccinated.
Although the House agreed to the language, passing HB 1299 by a near-unanimous vote, state Sen. Gayle Harrell, a Republican from Stuart whose late husband had been a physician, warned that the requirement would open doctors to increased liability. Jason Pizzo, a no-party affiliation senator from Hollywood, said requiring a physician to treat unvaccinated patients
would run afoul of a 2023 law that allows physicians to withhold care based on conscience.
The provision was one of two related to vaccines included in the Department of Health (DOH) bill. The initial language would have indefinitely saved from repeal the statutory definition of “messenger ribonucleic acid vaccine” (mRNA) and along with it a ban on businesses, government entities, and educational institutions from discriminating against people who refuse mRNA vaccines.
The Legislature had agreed in 2021 to put the mRNA definition in statute along with the protections for people who wouldn’t take mRNA vaccines, essentially blocking any move in the state from requiring vaccine passports. But the 2021 law expired in four years, or June 2025. The DeSantis administration wanted to extend the mRNA definition and protections indefinitely.
But the Legislature refused to go along and agreed to keep the definition and subsequent ban in statutes only until June 2027.
DeSantis criticized the Legislature for not signing off on those provisions in HB 1299.
Regarding the mNRA definition, DeSantis said: “That’s got to be made permanent. I mean everyone is glad that we did that. Even the far left, I don’t hear them, at least publicly they won’t admit they’re for vaccine passports. It doesn’t make sense. So they need to do that.”
Regarding requiring physicians and facilities to treat unvaccinated patients the governor said: “I get on some levels if someone comes for medical care and you’re just in private practice. I don’t know if you’re under any obligation to necessarily see everybody—I mean, you’d have to talk to doctors about that. I get there’s a business component to this.
“But to say that a mom can’t get her daughter in to see a pediatrician because, while they did MMR (measles mumps and rubella) and all the standard vaccines, they didn’t do maybe Hep B or COVID or some of those. To me, that’s discrimination. I mean, that is limiting people’s freedom to do what they think is right for their kids by having these restrictions.”
Former state senator-turned Lt. Gov. Jay Collins sponsored the companion to HB 1299 in the Senate, SB 1270.
Gun pitch
DeSantis also made a pitch for open carry. Florida is one of just a handful of states (and the only red state) that prohibits people from openly carrying firearms in public.
DeSantis said that, with Republicans in supermajority control of both chambers of the Florida Legislature, it shouldn’t be a problem getting the bill passed.
“It’s not something that’s controversial,” he said. “The sky hasn’t fallen in any of those [states which have legalized open carry].
Although the governor called out the House for failing to pass such legislation, in fact it’s
been Senate leaders who in recent years have said that they don’t support open carry.
Senate President Ben Albritton said last year that he’s supported law enforcement his entire life, and stood with them in opposing open carry. He cited opposition from the Florida Sheriffs Association
However Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey told Luis Valdes, Florida state director of Gun Owners of America, in January that he believes the majority of Florida sheriffs now do support legalizing open carry in Florida.
Collins also made the case for open carry during Monday’s press conference.
“We should be an open-carry state,” he said. “I think that we’re on record many times saying that. Hopefully, this is the year. We will continue to fight for those freedoms and those rights, each and every day until we get them all back.”
Collins never introduced legislation supporting open carry during his three terms as a state senator representing Hillsborough County.
Second Amendment advocates have heard DeSantis make similar pleas for the Legislature on open carry in previous years to no success. One such group has called for a special legislative session to get lawmakers on the record about where they stand on this issue.
“Gun Owners of America is thankful for Gov. DeSantis and Lt. Gov. Jay Collins supporting open carry,” Valdes said.
“But we feel that the rubber needs to meet the road, and that a special session needs to be called specifically for open carry and gun rights as a whole, so the Republican supermajority can lay bare where they truly stand on gun rights. If they vote down a special session, then gun owners going into 2026 know which lawmakers actually support and defend the Second Amendment.”
DeSantis again criticized a Florida law passed in 2018 that bans individuals under the age of 21 from purchasing a long gun. The Florida House has passed a measure repealing that law over the past three legislative sessions, but the Senate has never followed suit.
DeSantis and Collins spoke at a sporting goods store in Plant City, where they kicked off the press conference by announcing what they are calling a “ Second Amendment tax free holiday” that takes place until the end of the year.
That means that all purchases of firearms, ammunition, firearm accessories, crossbows, and accessories for bows and crossbows in Florida are tax free up until Dec. 31. Camping and fishing supply purchases are also tax-free until the remainder of the year.
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.
HEAR ME OUT: DeSantis initially embraced the COVID-19 vaccine.
DAVE
DECKER
Shut up and fish
FWC limits on social media raise First Amendment concerns.
By Noah Bookstein
At a time when Florida’s wildlife agency is facing renewed scrutiny, it appears the agency is limiting social media comments, raising questions of a First Amendment violation.
The agency’s responsibilities, outlined in Article IV, Section 9 of the Florida Constitution and further detailed in Chapter 20.331 of the Florida Statutes include law enforcement, wildlife, habitat, and fisheries management, as well as conservation research, all with the goal of protecting Florida’s unique ecosystems.
and the capture of a manta ray for relocation to an Abu Dhabi aquarium.
As people take to social media to vent their concerns about the organization, the official @ myfwc Instagram bio asks visitors to “View & adhere” to a 2023 social media policy. The policy allows public comments on posts, but claims FWC reserves the right to delete, hide, or report comments if they are vulgar, contain personal attacks, or violate other guidelines such as being off topic, repetitive, or hateful.
ENVIRONMENT
Critics say Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has been increasingly prioritizing the interests of development groups over environmental conservation. They often point to the commissioners themselves, who are appointed by the governor and often have ties to development groups.
FWC is also facing fresh backlash for recent decisions, including a controversial bear hunt
“So much of this is extremely subjective,” said Barbara Petersen, Executive Director of Florida Center for Government Accountability (FLCGA). “I think it’s unenforceable because it’s unconstitutional.”
While certain comments are not protected by the First Amendment, such as threats, obscenity, incitement to lawless action, Supreme Court cases including Lindke v Freed (2024) establish comments on the social media accounts of
government agencies or agency representatives are protected under the First Amendment.
“To serve as a public official, you have to have a thick skin, because you’re not going to make everybody happy all of the time. But we have a right to criticize. We don’t have a right to threaten, but we have a right to criticize, and that right is embedded in the First Amendment,” Petersen added.
Restrictions on social media comments come as social media has become the venue for some of the most widespread and spirited criticism of FWC, with major dedicated accounts drawing the ire of officials (watch this full exchange on the Florida Channel).
One popular account critical of FWC, @fwc_ commish, found some of its comments are hidden from public view, an experience confirmed by multiple users.
A review of FWC Instagram posts revealed a discrepancy between the total number of comments listed and the number of comments a user can actually see, confirming that some comments are hidden from public view.
The account shared a screenshot of their comment on one FWC post, but the comment is not visible to other users. Of the 33 comments indicated on the post, only eight are actually visible.
FWC’s online practice of removing comments, including some for being “off topic,” mirrors its
in person tactics used to censor criticism as seen during an August public comment session. In a video during an exchange that begins at the 13-minute mark, FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto berates Katrina Shadix, executive director of Bear Warriors United, for allegedly departing from the topic. Then, he cuts her off entirely.
Barreto, a Miami-based developer, has used his personal accounts for FWC related business. On his personal account, Barreto blocked certain users including @fwc_commish before turning it private.
“Anything that’s intended to communicate, perpetuate or formalize knowledge having to do with public business is a public record,” Petersen said. “If a commissioner uses her private communication device to communicate about commission business, even if it’s on their personal cell phone, even if it’s on their daughter’s cell phone, it’s a public record, subject to disclosure and retention.”
Google reviews of Barreto’s company, Barreto Group, ) include a comment praising it for being “very well connected” to permitting agencies, raising questions of conflict of interest.
FWC Communications Director Shannon Knowles told Florida Politics that her agency “hasn’t blocked any accounts,” but did not respond to questions about deleted comments.
“I think it’s unenforceable because it’s unconstitutional.”
HOT ROD: FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto in May 2025.
TAMPA BAY’S BEST LOBSTER ROLL
AS FEATURED ON FOOD NETWORK’S DINERS DRIVE-INS & DIVES
Cafe 1920 opens in Ybor City, and more local food news.
By Emily McLaughlin
Ybor City’s 7th Avenue has a new, very Ybor City coffee shop.
Cafe at 1920 opened Sept. 6 at 1920 E 7th Ave. The shop offers coffee and breakfast featuring locally roasted Wuz Here Coffee and grab-and-go breakfast.
The spot previously housed the tenant-run Attic Cafe, which closed on Aug.17. The shop run by event venue 1920 keeps the same artfilled aesthetic.
Its Saturday grand opening featured live DJs throughout the day, a curated vendor market called Six Degrees Curations.
“1920 has always been about creating memorable experiences through art, music, and community,” Rachel Miele, the General Manager of 1920, said in a press release. “Now we’re bringing that same energy into the mornings with a coffee program and menu that reflect who we are.”
six months ago, when it took over the former Nebraska Mini-Mart. Dodd switched up the menu a bit to include healthier options and vegetarian choices in addition to his classic spread of hot chicken tenders, fries, hush puppies and loaded mac and cheese. Read more via cltampa. com/food-drink.—Kyla Fields
Sarasota French restaurant coming to Gulfport this winter
Mademoiselle Paris, a Florida-famous bakery full of French goodies since 2016, plans to open a fourth location in Gulfport.
OPENINGS & CLOSINGS
Cafe 1920 is open weekdays 8 a.m.-3 p.m. and weekends 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For updates, follow @cafeat1920 on Instagram and Facebook.
King of the Coop closes in Seminole Heights after six months
Florida’s notoriously-slow summer season has claimed yet another locally-owned restaurant. King of the Coop, a Best of the Bay-winning hot chicken spot located at 4815 N Nebraska Ave. in Seminole Heights, has closed.
“Coop fans, after a lot of thought, we’ve made the call to close our Seminole Heights location. Since day one, our team has been our #1 priority,” owner Joe Dodd wrote on Instagram on Sept. 10. “The thought of continuing with the very real risk of not being able to pay them is something we simply can’t do.”
The last remaining King of the Coop is located inside of Depot 303 food hall in Mulberry where Dodd also runs a porchetta sandwich shop. King of the Coop and Bottega Porchetta— which dishes out sandwiches and platters loaded with slow-roasted, tender pork—are open seven days a week at 303 NW 1st Ave.
King of the Coop returned to its original neighborhood of Seminole Heights just
The fourth installment of Mademoiselle Paris at 2937 Beach Blvd. opens in early December inside the redesigned dining room of Peninsula Bed and Cocktails hotel, according to St. Pete Rising. There will be plenty of outdoor seating and a walk-up bakery window. Live French music will be played on the weekends, and for the first time, cocktails will be added to the Sarasota-based concept’s extensive wine selection. Mademoiselle Paris serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, at its three other Florida locations, and offers catering services seven days a week. French dishes on the menu include beef burgundy, duck breast, croissants, pastries, pumpkin spice chai latte, and caramelized banana. Follow Mademoiselle Paris on Instagram (@mademoiselleparis.utc) and at Facebook (@lovemademoiselleparis) for more.
Urban Brew and BBQ closes after 12 years in downtown St. Pete
The last of St. Petersburg’s “Urban”-named eateries, Urban Brew and BBQ, is closing its doors on Saturday after over 12 years in the Grand Central District. The closure of its spot at 2601 Central Ave. was announced on social media this month.
“Through all of the adventures and challenges of the last 12 years—hurricanes, COVID, changing locations—we still love sharing BBQ, beer and bourbon – thank you for allowing us to,” the post read.
Owner Andy Salyards told St. Pete Rising that expenses for running the business had gotten
too high. “Revenue has stayed about the same, but at the end of the day, you need such a high sales volume to make it work,” Salyards said.
The restaurant, which won several of Creative Loafing’s Best of the Bay titles, most recently a 2024 editor’s pick for “Best Thing To Happen To Grilled Cheese Ever” for its “adult grilled cheese.”
The staple for barbecue enthusiasts was also the first of several restaurants under Salyards’ Urban Restaurants Group. Opening in 2013, Urban Brew and BBQ honored Salyards’ childhood favorites and was quickly followed by
Urban Comfort, Urban Provisions and Urban Creamery, all established in the Grand Central District.
The group saw many changes in recent years: Urban Provisions became Urban Deli and Drafts before closing in 2017, Urban Brew and BBQ moved to share a space with Urban Comfort in 2019, Salyards left the St. Petersburg food scene to be with family in Tennessee and in 2022 Urban Creamery closed.
To bid farewell, the restaurant hosted “Urban’s last dance,” a $12 buffet to sell out its last day of BBQ.—Alisha Durosier
COCKY COFFEE: Cafe at 1920 opened in the former Attic Cafe space in Ybor City.
‘The Good Peaches’ Sept. 20, 2 p.m. & 8 p.m. $20 & up. Duke Energy Center for the at Mahaffey Theater. 400 1st St. S, St. Petersburg. floridaorchestra.org.
MOVIES THEATER ART CULTURE
New heights
An eclectic team brings ‘The Good Peaches’ to St. Petersburg.
By David Warner
Words, music, dance—they come together in many forms on the stage. But I don’t think Tampa Bay audiences will have seen anything quite like the amalgam soon to be bubbling up at the Mahaffey Theater for “The Good Peaches.”
Staged only once before in this country at the Cleveland Play House, the script by Pulitzer Prize-winner Quiara Alegría Hudes (“Water by the Spoonful,” “In the Heights”) is a girl-vs.-nature epic in which Aurora, on a mission to deliver a wedding dress to the queen, fights to survive a giant storm. The American Stage production, which will be performed twice on Saturday, Sept. 20, brings together three actors, eight dancers from St. Pete’s projectALCHEMY, and 70, count ‘em 70, members of the Florida Orchestra—all on the Mahaffey stage at once.
So what inspired American Stage Producing Artistic Director Helen R. Murray to embark on this massive endeavor?
“First and foremost, it’s a great script,” Murray told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay in a recent pre-rehearsal chat. “It felt like something that we get as St. Petersburgers, you know, staying strong in the face of the storm. And the fact that the central character is this young child… it felt like, you know, anybody can do hard things… And then [Hudes] brings this beautiful idea to the table of what happens if you collaborate with an entire symphony? It was me that said, ‘If you’re gonna go that far, let’s bring in a dance company as well.’
But as it happens, the project jibed exactly with the others’ respective missions.
“This is completely in line with what we are all about at the Florida Orchestra,” TFO Resident Conductor Chelsea Gallo, who will conduct “Peaches,” told CL. “We’ve been exploring recently how to incorporate more theater elements into what we do.”
For Alexander Jones, artistic director of projectALCHEMY, the appeal lay right in
of August, while staying ready to modify them when collaborating in person with the actors, who began rehearsals Sept. 2. The musicians will rehearse on stage with actors and dancers only twice before the Sept. 20 performances.
But communication has continued throughout. Gallo watched tapes of Jones working with his dancers—“The choreography is so beautiful and fluid—it’s just like water.” And Murray worked with Gallo in picking which musical pieces would bring the story to life.
As in Cleveland, the score for “The Good Peaches” at American Stage will include the four evocative “Sea Interludes” (one of which is entitled “Storm”) from Benjamin Britten’s opera, “Peter Grimes,” and four movements of
produce sounds completely at their discretion… For example, if I put up one finger, the bass drum will start a long roll, kind of like thunder. And then maybe that player will choose to create swells that sound like the storm is approaching, and when I put up the number two, the woodwinds blow unpatched air into their instruments, kind of sounding like the wind is picking up.”
Murray’s been getting so deep into the music that she’s been dancing to it in her living room. And Jones is stoked by the material, too.
He’s particularly taken with “Shaker Loops.” “That’s kind of my jam—a low hum, with the same vibe the entire time, that allows me to dance through it, with it, amplify it.”
his company’s mission statement: “Create. Collaborate. Transform.”
“If we don’t take risks we’re not gonna keep finding new audiences”
“It is a ridiculous amount of work, but it’s also the kind of stuff I actually get excited about directing.”
Signing on partners, let alone synchronizing schedules and figuring out the shared costs, was no simple task. “There was a lot of chasing people down,” said Murray.
That said, these are three different entities with three different ways of working. For the orchestra members, it meant—as it does with every piece they perform—getting the music “in their book” six weeks before performance. For Jones and his dancers, it meant developing movement phrases throughout the month
John Adams’s oscillating “Shaker Loops.” In addition, Gallo chose to add a lush overture by the British Jamaican composer Ayanna Witter-Johnson, plus “aleatoric” music—sounds evoked at random.
“There’s going to be this really cool moment where I’ll give numerical instructions to the musicians,” Gallo explained, “and one by one they’ll interpret the words on the page to
The sense of excitement among all of the partners is amplified by the fact that it’s like nothing they’ve done before.
When the Florida Orchestra plays for Opera Tampa, the musicians are always in the pit, said Gallo, and the singers and actors up on stage—“that very traditional angle of collaboration. But with this, this is so unique because the orchestra will be right on the stage, and all the acting and dancing will happen around the orchestra.”
That configuration will be new for Jones, too. His company has worked with live musicians before, like the saxophonist Jeremy Carter, “but I don’t know what it’s going to be like for the dancers to be on stage with a 70-piece orchestra behind you.”
As for Murray, she knew from the start that this project presented risks. But she welcomes them.
“We’re in a world right now where theater has become more and more of a niche art form, and if we don’t take risks we’re not gonna keep finding new audiences. This is a brilliant script, but it’s also a family-friendly script. It’s not a hyper-long show and there’s a kid at the center of it. Kids get to see themselves represented that way and they get to take in three different art forms in one. So it’s really huge.”
PASSION PIT: Choreographer Alexander Jones (L) and director Helen Murray working with the ‘Good Peaches’ ensemble.
Selina Roman
Three cheers for Mr. Continental
Former Bucs cheerleader wins prestigious pageant.
By Selene San Felice
Lorenzo Gilbert is used to making history, and he’s not stopping anytime soon.
Gilbert, 38, made waves as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ first male cheerleader in 2019. Under his stage name, Isaiah Sanchez Hilton, he made headlines again this month when he was crowned Mr. Continental 2026.
The Continental Pageantry System, one of the world’s most prestigious drag competitions, crowns its royal court each Labor Day weekend in Chicago.
This year’s pageant also included a tribute to late Tampa drag queen and Puerto Rican trans icon Jasmine International by Alexis Mateo, Miss Continental Elite and a RuPaul’s Drag Race star who got her start in Tampa. International, who went by Jasmine Jimenez offstage, died at 46 years old last month.
Though Miss Continental and the Plus and Elite counterparts are drag queens, the Mr. competition is for cis male performers. But the competition is still treated like drag. Gilbert has a performing family and a son who has followed in his footsteps as a Bucs cheerleader.
“When I tried out the second year, I was a little discouraged,” Gilbert said. “I couldn’t pinpoint why, because I had such a good year, but it just seemed like the energy wasn’t there for me. Something was missing.”
Gilbert had fallen in love with cheering and football, but it wasn’t enough.
“I did want to be a part of the team, because I had invested so much the previous year, and I was emotionally invested,” he said. “I just felt like that dream was taken from me.”
Gilbert recalled suffering from depression, which contributed to him dropping out of tryouts the following year.
“I felt at that moment that if I gave it my all again and I received no, that it would really break me,” he said.
LOCAL ARTS
He’s focused on the things that make him happy, like dance and pageantry. But there’s still hope for him to return to the field. He’s thinking about trying out again as he watches his stage son, Kamarion Lavish, cheer as one of seven male members on this year’s team.
AFTER HOURS (21+): NINA YANKOWITZ | IN THE OUT/OUT THE IN
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 | 7-10 PM
Gilbert’s “gay grandmother,” Valencia Santiago, unlocked pageantry for him. Two years before competing, he performed at Continental weekend as her backup dancer. While practicing choreography, Continental owner Jim Flint spotted him.
“As I was leaving the stage, he told me, ‘I can’t wait till I see you on this stage,’” Gilbert told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. But at the time, he had no desire to invest as much time into pageantry as the ladies.
“I mean, they spend sometimes thousands of dollars. And I was, like, 19 years old. I’m not spending that kind of money on pageantry. I was spending on shoes, and food and video games,” Gilbert added. “But somehow those words convinced me that I was meant to be on that stage.”
Now, Gilbert— a Miami native who’s now lived in Tampa for 15 years where he works as a dancer for Tampa-based Event Show Productions—is the first man to simultaneously hold both Mr. Florida and Mr. Continental titles. Gilbert, who has been competing in pageants since 2008, beat 13 of the nation’s best male entertainers in runway categories, including swimwear, formal wear and a Q&A. His solo performance was a Broadway and ’60s dance number.
The win marks his comeback from a low period. Although he’s been consistently successful in the pageant world, Gilbert didn’t make the Bucs team the year after his historic season.
“I’m so proud of him,” Gilbert said. “So there may be a spot for me on the team next year. Who knows?“
Step into a fully activated MFA for a night where art meets sound in unexpected ways. At this 21+ community celebration, we’re blending live DJ sets, contemporary art, and hands-on experiences into one immersive evening. Explore the museum like never before—with live DJ sets by Brian Schanck, Justin Depth & jubilee, transforming our permanent collection into a sonic playground. In the conservatory, dance to DJ-curated beats, grab a signature drink, and dive into vibrant conversations. This special night features the dynamic In the Out / Out the In exhibition, including work by renowned multimedia artist Nina Yankowitz, whose groundbreaking contributions help reimagine how sound and visual art interact within the museum space.
IN CONVERSATION | NINA YANKOWITZ AND KATHERINE PILL
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 | 1-2 PM
Last chance to experience Nina Yankowitz | In the Out / Out the In! Join the artist in conversation with MFA Senior Curator Katherine Pill as they explore Yankowitz’s six-decade career, groundbreaking work, and the making of this landmark retrospective. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear behind-the-scenes stories and insights into a visionary practice.
ROYALTY: Lorenzo Gilbert (right) and Continental pageant owner Jim Flint.
Hang time
MFA
St. Pete tops free museum day to-do list.
By Alisha Durosier and Ray Roa
St. Petersburg’s art scene refuses to back down. As Creative Pinellas gets defunded and street murals are covered up by the state, St. Petersburg Arts Alliance offers a chance to appreciate the city’s offerings at its annual free museum day. The best place to start is at the gem of Beach Drive, MFA St. Pete, where the museum of fine arts is getting ready to close the curtain on a career retrospective for Nina Yankowitz. A multi-and-inter-disciplinary artist if there ever was one, the 80-year-old quite literally practices everything, and “In the Out/Out the In” includes work from 1967 to the present day.
“She was constantly pushing media boundaries,” Katherine Pill, MFA St. Pete’s Senior Curator of Contemporary Art, told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. That’s even as critics like the late James R. Mellow were still describing female-led solo exhibits as “one-man shows.”
The MFA show includes plenty of canvas, not stretched, but draped instead—plus pleated and puckered, too. Some of it is ripped apart, then glued back together before it was met with paint that’s incredibly opaque and thick (Yankowitz would also squeeze them out of recycled ketchup and mustard bottles). There’s a rhythm to much of the work as well, an almost visual language (see “Dilated Grain Reading: Scanning Reds and Blues”). Visitors are even greeted with the first notes of the “Star-Spangled Banner” painted on cotton duck; because it’s Yankowitz, the draped sound painting (“Oh Say Can You See”) is accompanied by audio of commissioned from Ken Warner who used a Moog to distort the national anthem well before Hendrix famously did it at Woodstock.
“Triangular Voice, Paragraph Reading,” is a triptych of sorts made of acrylic on porcelain enamel steel and includes an indented first panel. There’s also sprawling ceramic (“Hell’s Breath—A Vision of the Sounds Falling”) brand new work (“Closing Bells,” a boat breaking through the wall), and destroyed pieces reborn (“Frustration Morphs/Old to New StoryScape” a 1978 piece that had to be re-imagined in 2024.
The roughly 90 days since the exhibition opened have been jam-packed, too. In July, St. Petersburg composer The Honourable Elizabeth A. Baker staged a one-night-only concert inspired by works in the show (the CD is out now). A few weeks later, founders of St. Pete’s newspaper for queer women and nonbinary folks, The Sapphic Sun, led an event exploring the themes of activism, identity, and creative resistance. The publication—which got a big shoutout on “Late Night with Seth Meyers”— returns to the MFA this weekend.
The night before free museum day, the MFA hosts a closing party—with Yankowitz in attendance—where the Sapphic Sun crew will share not just their work, but multiple other feminist and lesbian publications from its archive. DJs, cocktails and more also also on tap for the nighttime party on Friday, Sept. 19. Celebrate while curators—not politicians— can still present history and the arts, accurately. See even more Free Museum Day activities below. Some museums may require timed entry or advance registration, so visit cltampa.com/ arts for links to more information.
drum circles. 2240 9th Ave. S, St. Petersburg. woodsonmuseum.org
Imagine Museum The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation drops in to honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Visitors at its contemporary glass art exhibits are encouraged to wear orange in solidarity and take advantage of store specials. While entry is free, visitors must reserve a time slot to enter. 1901 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. St. Petersburg. imaginemuseum.com
signature work from beloved locals like Nicole Salgar, Bask, Tes One, Chad Mize and Palehorse. 1 Dali Blvd., St. Petersburg. thedali.org
A&E EVENTS
St. Petersburg Arts Alliance: Free museum day Saturday, Sept. 20. stpeteartsalliance.org
The Florida Holocaust Museum A great chance to see a tried-and-true museum a week after its long-awaited reopening following more than a year of renovations. 55 5th St. S, St. Petersburg. thefhm.org
The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art The collection highlights tour is already soldout, but that’s no excuse to not check out the more than 400 sculptures, paintings and jewelry celebrating the American West. 150 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. thejamesmuseum.org
St. Petersburg Museum of History There’s still time to register for the “Rum Runners, Spaniards & Natives Tour of West St. Pete,” but if you don’t have $35-$45 to drop enjoy Sunshine City history at the oldest museum in town. 335 2nd Ave. NE, St. Petersburg. spmoh.com
THERE’S A RHYTHM: Nina Yankowitz’s ‘Triangular Voice, Paragraph Reading.’
The Woodson African American Museum of Florida Start the day with a chance to “RelMagine” the “Black History Matters” mural that previously occupied its street. Guests are encouraged to wear yellow, green or red tops and dark bottoms for a 9 a.m. aerial photo. City staff will also hand out postcards of the now-covered mural. The rest of the day’s activities include face painting and
The Dalí Museum Before murals were being erased from St. Pete streets, Dalí was already bringing them indoors. For “Outside In,” 13 painters from across the world transformed the temporary exhibit space at the museum into an indoor mural festival. Lauren YS’ work— inspired in part by 1940’s “Daddy Longlegs of the Evening—lives next to trippy stuff from Naomi Haverland, an immersive Greg Mike, plus
Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center A short walk from the history museum, Tampa Bay Watch’s forward-facing outpost on the pier makes for a quick stop where visitors can get their feet wet (figuratively) as they start to grasp the why behind the nonprofit’s mission to restore and protect our estuary. 700 2nd Ave. NE, St. Petersburg. tbwdiscoverycenter.org
See more photos via cltampa.com/arts.
Thursday, September 18, 2025 • 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
UNCORKED & UNPLUGGED:
TBGP Jazz & Wine Kick-off @ Pour Decision Ybor
1818 East 9th Avenue
Tickets - $13.45
bit.ly/UncorkedUnplugged
Friday, September 19, 2025 • 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Lightning Pop-Up Market @ Centro Ybor
1600 East 8th Avenue
Free to the Public bit.ly/LightningYborMarket
Saturday, September 20, 2025 • 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tampa Paint and Pour – Perfect Vintage @ Ybor City Society Wine Bar
1600 East 7th Ave
Tickets - $35.24
bit.ly/PaintPourYbor
Saturday, September 20, 2025 •1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Hispanic Star Tampa Hub Ybor Historic and Gastronomy Tour @ Ybor City Museum State Park 1818 East 9th Avenue
Chicken Yoga with Yoga Loft Tampa and Ybor Misfits @ Hotel Haya 1412 East 7th Avenue
$15.74 General Admission bit.ly/PaintPourYbor
Sunday, September 21, 2025 • 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Couples Scavenger Hunt @ Geo’s Lounge
1730 East 7th Avenue
Free with reserved ticket bit.ly/ScavengerHuntYbor
Sunday, September 21, 2025 • 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Heritage and Traditions Through Latin American Youth in Tampa Bay @ Centennial Park
1800 East 8th Avenue
Free with reserved ticket bit.ly/HeritageTraditionsYbor
Friday, September 26, 2025 • 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
DITCH DAY TAMPA Ep. 1 (Eagles vs Bucs) @ SaddleBags Ybor
2234 E 7th Ave
Tickets from $12.51
bit.ly/DitchDayTampa
Sunday, September 28, 2025 • 2:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Sip and Create: Create, Capture, and Connect Part II @ Leblanc Venue 1517 East 9th Avenue
Tickets -$65.08
bit.ly/SipandCreateYbor
La Segunda Bakery 2512 North 15th Street
Since 1915, La Segunda has been baking fresh Cuban bread, pastries, and more. lasegundabakery.com
Where to Live:
Casa Ybor • casaybor.com
Casa Ybor offers unique retail spaces, office spaces, and apartment homes for rent or lease in both newly constructed and lovingly restored historic buildings throughout the vibrant National Historic Landmark District of Ybor City near Downtown Tampa, Florida.
La Union • bit.ly/LaUnionYbor
Community, connection, and culture come together at La Unión Apartments, where Tampa’s rich history and vibrant future unite. Inspired by the historic social hall once on this site, our Ybor City apartments honor that legacy by fostering bonds among residents, the neighborhood, and the area’s deep-rooted heritage.
Miles at Ybor • milesatybor.com
Step into the pulse of Tampa’s most vibrant neighborhood at Miles at Ybor, where modern luxury apartments in Tampa blend seamlessly with the rich cultural tapestry of historic Ybor City. These aren’t just furnished apartments in Ybor City – they’re your gateway to an elevated urban lifestyle that celebrates both heritage and innovation.
By Sophia Lowrie and Ray Roa
C CL Recommends
FRI 18
C The Latin Side of Swing: The Crew w/ Gumbi Ortiz There’s never a shortage of good jazz gigs in the Bay area, but this one features a rare appearance from percussionist Gumbi Ortiz who brings the sounds of both Harlem and Havana to Fifth Avenue N. He’s the special guest in front of band leader-vocalist Bryan J. Hughes & The Crew, the busiest bassist in Tampa Bay (Alejandro Arenas) who keeps time alongside drummer Jean Bolduc while John C. O’Leary handles keys. If you need more of this show, three of the guys are at the Horse and Jockey every last Thursday of the month. (Side Door Cabaret at Palladium Theater, St. Petersburg)
SAT 20
Raging Nathans w/Tides/Miller Lowlifes The Raging Nathans have been doing the punk-rock lifer thing long enough to prove that fast, snotty anthems about “tap water and boots for dinner” will never go out of style. The band’s Dayton-bred sneer lands somewhere between basement show grit and road-warrior polish—think the raw energy of bands on Fat Wreck Chords. Tides bring a tuneful spin on hardcore that’s equal parts melodic and feral to the opening slot while Miller Lowlifes, a Tampa crew that knows how to turn a concrete bowl into a circle pit, plays support. (Skatepark of Tampa, Tampa)
C Skipper’s Smokehouse 45th Anniversary Celebration: Damon Fowler w/Uncle John’s Band/The Lint Rollers/ Johnny G. Lyon Gritty, swampy guitar ace Damon Fowler headlines for a staple Tampa venue marking this milestone with a free show that includes blues, rock, and local legends. Uncle John’s Band, which has literally raised the Dead thousands of times, is on the bill along with high-energy garage-rock outfit The Lint Rollers. The show starts at 7 p.m. with no cover. (Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa)
WMNF Birthday Bash: Four Star Riot w/The Black Honkeys In a world of corporatized media, there can’t be too much celebration for independent voices. For 46 years, WMNF has been that for listeners who’ve come to rely on the community radio station for not just news but new and old music alike. The nonprofit celebrates another turn around the sun with one of the most celebrated party bands in Tampa Bay (The Black Honkeys) along with high-energy pop outfit Four Star Riot. (Bayboro Brewing, St. Petersburg)
SUN 21
C Hide w/Dagger Wound/Thorn/ Prolapsed Mind Heather Hannoura and Seth Sher are giants of Chicago’s industrial music scene, and they bring Hide’s brand new album to a Tampa storage unit. There’s a bit of meditation music on the seven-track outing (“Suckza,” “Deeper than Death (here on earth) I destroy), but the rest of Spit Or Swallow Every Soul Will Taste Death (stylized in all-caps) is experimental music ready for the dance floor. Los Angeles noise act Dagger Wound (stylized in all-lowercase), Tampa grindcore trio Thorn, and homegorwn composer Piper Harrow open. Look for unit 28 at the Bay Area Mini Storage on 50th Street, and bring some cash for the touring bands. (The 36th Chamber, Tampa)
Anuel AA Anuel AA isn’t a household name outside Latin trap and reggaetón, but within the genre he plays a role similar to Future in hip-hop. Gravel-voiced, prolific, and unbothered about keeping things polished, his beats hit dark and heavy, shifting between street anthems and crossover singles, always with a brooding edge that made him one of the genre’s defining voices. Collaborations with stars like fellow Boricua Bad Bunny have only cemented the 32-year-old’s place as one of Latin music’s most visible artists. (Benchmark International Arena, Tampa)
Dion Lunadon w/The Darts/Cozy In the Black Lunadon, former bassist of Minneapolis punk legend Dillinger Four and a long-time member of A Place to Bury Strangers, steps into the spotlight to support a new single, “Gold Standard Love.” Joining the New Zealand-born songwriter is The Darts, bringing a witchy, organ-laced psychpunk snarl. Tampa band Cozy In the Black keeps it weird with a haze of doom-kissed noise. It’s a lineup built for the faithful and the curious alike: loud, grimy, and guaranteed to leave your ears buzzing. (Music Hall at New World Brewery, Tampa)
C DJ Platurn x DJ Casper A month after diving deep into the Beastie Boys catalog, DJ Casper hands the ones and twos off to a California DJ who’ll do the same for the work of Native Tongues. DJ Platurn is a staple at events paying tribute to a late-’80s/ early-’90s hip-hop group that mainstreamed the idea of spreading positivity through the then-fledgling genre. Promo for the no-cover set promises, “deep cuts and rare samples from A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Black Sheep, Jungle Brothers, Monie Love, Queen Latifah, and Chi Ali.” (Alter Ego, Tampa)
C Maris & Caroline Kingsbury If Chappell Roan’s dramatic pop anthems have been on repeat lately, Maris (stylized in all-caps) is the next artist to keep on your radar. The L.A.-based singer leans into bold hooks and glittering synths, but grounds the tunes with lyrics that cut closer to the bone. Sharing the bill is Florida-born Caroline Kingsbury, whose raw storytelling makes her one of
FRI SEPTEMBER 19–THU SEPTEMBER 25
the more intriguing young voices in indiepop today. Together, the pair brings a mix of theatrics and vulnerability to Ybor City for an intimate but high-energy night of music. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
TUES 23
C Franz Ferdinand Come on home. Last year marked 20 years since the Scottish rock outfit released its indie, eponymous debut album— which featured a healthy fistful of hit singles (“Michael,” “Take Me Out”)—and the band’s 21st year on the map has been as big of a party as ever. (The Ritz, Ybor City)—Josh Bradley
WED 24
C Aidan Bissett w/Zach Hood/Lulu Simon After a few years of putting out EPs on Capitol Records, indie-pop singersongwriter Aidan Bissett finally dropped his full-length debut album over the summer. Shut Up and Love Me dances around the harsh moral of how making a sacrifice, regardless of size, doesn’t always get you the thanks and reverence you feel you deserve. At the same time, the punchy, upbeat vibes are the epitome of a Saturday night out with your friends, while in your early-20s. Supporting the Jesuit High School graduate for this roots return will be Zach Hood— an Alabama singer-songwriter in a similar genre as Bissett—and Lulu Simon, whose
Maris & Caroline Kingsbury
lyrics seem so straightforward, but still cut deep anyway, similarly to her Rock and Roll Hall of Fame father, Paul. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)—JB
THU 25
BrokenCyde w/Dot Dot Curve/From This Day Forward/Bino Bih You don’t have to be ashamed of liking BrokenCyde anymore, Freaxxx. A relic of crunkcore and the MySpace-era, the Albuquerque outfit was ridiculed for its music (despite landing a spot on Warped Tour). Michael “Mikl” Shea is the only founding member of the band who didn’t quit, and he’s on the road with OG Broken man Julian “Phat J” McLellan. (Music Hall at New World Brewery, Tampa)
C The Florida Orchestra: Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience
The 88-year-old Hollywood legend, who grew up in Mississippi (and was alive for a year at the same time as Delta blues legend Robert Johnson) will kick off the night with an inperson introduction, which will precede an evening of pre-recorded folklore to go along with a diverse variety of classic blues material. Joining God and The Florida Orchestra are a handful of musicians who have performed at his Mississippi-based Ground Zero Blues Club. (Duke Energy Center for the Arts at Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg)—JB
See an extended version of this listing via cltampa.com/music.
Don’t leave your jazz state of mind in Coachman Park after October’s Clearwater Jazz Holiday, because 10 minutes across the causeway, Suncoast Jazz Festival will kick off Thanksgiving break by celebrating 35 years of bringing brass to the beach.
The annual gathering—which first came about in the summer of 1990 as the Suncoast Dixieland Jazz Classic—will see over 80 acts across three different stages throughout the weekend.
Locals like multi-cultural fusion trio La Lucha and legendary Duke Ellington bassist John Lamb, as well as drummer Jason Marsalis, Brazilian guitarman Diego Figueiredo,
Jason Ricci & JJ Appleton Friday, Oct. 10. 8 p.m. $14.48. Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa
Sons of Mystro Friday, Oct. 10. 7 p.m. $15 & up. Central Park Performing Arts Center, Largo
Monster’s Ball: Bunt Saturday, Oct. 25. 10 p.m. $53.25 & up. Hard Rock Cafe, Tampa
DJ Diesel Sunday, Oct. 26. 11 a.m. $89.25. Hard Rock Event Center Pool at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa
Plain White T’s w/We The Kings Wednesday, Nov. 12. 7 p.m. $45.06. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
Flaw Saturday, Nov. 15. 6:30 p.m. $22.95. Brass Mug, Tampa
Playboi Carti w/Ken Carson/Destroy Lonely/Homixide Gang Sunday, Nov. 30. 7 p.m. $87.55 & up. Benchmark International Arena, Tampa
Holiday Riverfest: Ernest w/Uncle Kracker/Shaylen/Road House Saturday, Dec. 20. 1 p.m. $37 & up. Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, Tampa
The Glenn Miller Orchestra Thursday, Jan. 1. 3 p.m. $103.10 & up. Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg
and New Orleans street band Tuba Skinny (which will hold the early jazz vibes focused on at the original festival 35 years ago), will all convene for the big 3-5. Don’t be surprised if there’s also a tribute set to Synia Carroll, the soulful Sarasota vocalist who died of cancer earlier this year after giving one of her last performances at Suncoast last fall.
Tickets to the 35th Suncoast Jazz Festival starting Friday, Nov. 21 at Clearwater’s Sheraton Sand Key Resort are now on sale and start at $53.80. A three-day pass is also available for $316.05. See my weekly rundown of new concerts coming to the Bay area below.—Josh Bradley
Kingston Trio Thursday, Jan. 8. 7:30 p.m. $30 & up. Central Park Performing Arts Center, Largo
The New York Voices Wednesday, Jan. 14. 7:30 p.m. $25 & up. Central Park Performing Arts Center, Largo
St. Paul & The Minneapolis Funk All Stars Friday, Jan. 16. 8 p.m. $30 & up. Central Park Performing Arts Center, Largo
Close Enemies feat. Tom Hamilton Friday, Jan. 23. 8 p.m. $25 & up. Central Park Performing Arts Center, Largo
Jane Monheit Wednesday, Feb. 11. 7:30 p.m. $30 & up. Central Park Performing Arts Center, Largo
Seals & Crofts 2 Thursday, Feb. 12. 7:30 p.m. $30 & up. Central Park Performing Arts Center, Largo
The Four Freshmen Sunday, Feb. 15. 2 p.m. $30 & up. Central Park Performing Arts Center, Largo
Fantasia w/Anthony Hamilton Saturday, Feb. 21. 8 p.m. $81.40 & up. Benchmark International Arena, Tampa
Bbno$ Wednesday, March 4. 7 p.m. $48.75. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
Making the upgrade
By Dan Savage
Ihate to admit this, but I have a hard time feeling comfortable having sex or even talking to guys unless I’m drunk or high. I’m a trans man. I’m a sexual assault survivor. Admittedly, I’m also a bit insecure about myself. And while I’ve been in therapy for years, I don’t feel I’m making progress. When I’m sober, attention from men usually feels scary. I need someone who makes me feel safe and that often only comes with time. And I get too nervous approaching people at parties, bars, anywhere. When I’m drunk though, it’s a 180: I’m confident, I’m sensual, I’m comfortable being touched and flirting and getting raunchy. But I don’t want to have to keep resorting to a bottle to feel comfortable with someone else touching me. What can I do to get to a point where I can be sober and not want to run for the hills when a guy talks me up?
—So Over Being Easy Ripped
Those men you approach when you’re drunk or high—the guys you hook up with when you’re feeling confident—you know you can hook up with those men more than once, right?
Zooming out for a second: If you’ve been in therapy for years and haven’t made any progress, SOBER, you either need to change therapists or you need to accept that things you’ve been working on in therapy—your paralyzing-when-sober insecurity and your lingering (and perfectly reasonable, given your history) fear of male sexual attention—probably aren’t going to change. And if those things aren’t gonna change, SOBER, you’ll have to learn to work around them. So, instead of beating yourself up for needing to do what lots of people need to do before talking to strangers who might wanna fuck them, i.e. disinhibit with drugs and alcohol, you should be thoughtful about when you’re using, cautious about how much you’re using, and a little more strategic about why you’re using.
Zooming out for another second: Feeling like you need a drink before you can talk to strangers who might wanna fuck you… and wishing you didn’t need that drink… doesn’t by itself mean you have a substance abuse problem. But if drugs and alcohol are interfering with your ability to hold down a job or pay your rent, if drugs and alcohol are destroying your relationships with friends and family, and if the sexual experiences you’re having with men when you get drunk or high are traumatizing—and I’m guessing they’re not, SOBER, since you would’ve included that detail—then you have a problem and should stop using substances. Getting to know a guy before making a move will take a little more time, SOBER, but you don’t wanna burn your life down for some quick dick.
OK, one last question before we get to my sure-to-be-non-controversial advice: What exactly do you want from men? Is some raunchy sex with a hot male stranger all you want? Or is it a
relationship you want?
If all you want is some raunchy sex and you don’t wanna get fucked up every time you want it, SOBER, you could recognize the pattern here— there are plenty of guys out there who are into and want into your body—and decide (perhaps with the help of a better therapist) to take “yes” for an answer. Lots of men are attracted to you! Lots of men wanna have sex with you! If you could take that “yes” (and all the dick that comes attached to it) for an answer, SOBER, the amount of drugs and/or alcohol you need to approach men will fall as your self-confidence rises.
But if what you’re looking for is a relationship…some people will insist you’re doing it wrong. You’ll never find someone special—you’ll never find someone who is looking for and/or open to a relationship— in a sleazy club or at an even sleazier after, they’ll say. But people who insist that lasting, loving relationships never start with sleazy hookups don’t know any gay male couples—or none of the gay male couples they know told them the truth about how they met. Because most gay men who are partnered, cis or trans or combo platter, met their boyfriends and/or husbands under sleazy circumstances: they met during hookups arranged on apps or by making out with a hot stranger in a bar or club.
and alcohol are destroying your life—if you can’t make rent or the sex you’re having is triggering or re-traumatizing (again, have to assume you would’ve included that detail)—then you have a substance abuse problem and you should stop. But if you’re using drugs and alcohol the same way lots of other people use them, e.g. to feel more confident and less self-conscious, you wanna make sure you’re getting the most bang for your bumps. And you do that by being open to the possibility that the hot guy who fucked your brains out in the backroom could be your guy if you gave him a chance (and your number).
penetration, obviously. Is kissing allowed? Do you guys count oral as sex? BDSM play arouses you, MASO, otherwise you wouldn’t be engaging in it. Are your play partners allowed to do small, incidental things that might enhance your arousal? Is manual stimulation during play allowed? Can they grind against you? Can they wedge a vibrator between the ropes and your pussy? And if that vibrator makes you come, is that a violation of your rules or is that an act of God?
SAVAGE LOVE
P.S. Full disclosure: I have a pro-get-fuckedup-at-the-club bias, SOBER, as I (drunk) met my husband (high) in a club; we hooked up in the bathroom (very raunchy), I invited him back to my place, we got breakfast together in the morning. Now, just because it worked for me— assuming you even want more than dick from a man—doesn’t mean it’ll work for you, individual results may vary, etc. Please check in with your friends about what you’re doing (your friends will know if you have a substance abuse problem), SOBER, as well as that new therapist you’re gonna get.
The more precise you are, the easier it’ll be for people to know whether they’re the right play partners for you. And if you tell someone you’re only interested in platonic play—bondage and spanking and whatever else is allowed—and they don’t immediately ask you to clarify your precise sexual boundaries, that’s a yellow flag. Either they don’t care enough to make sure they’re respecting your limits, MASO, or they’d rather ask for forgiveness than permission.
And here’s how gay couples who met each other the way you’ve been finding men made the upgrade from sleazy hookup to partner: they went home with each other. They left the bar or the club and went back to someone’s place, and they fucked and/or passed out in a bed. And in the morning—maybe a little hungover but no longer drunk or high — they had some hot (and sober!) morning sex or a great conversation or went and grabbed breakfast someplace or all of the above. And then they exchanged phone numbers so they could see each other again. And they didn’t need to be drunk or high to approach and/or fuck each other the next time they met up, SOBER, because mutual attraction had already been established, and mutual attraction really is a better confidence-booster than drugs or alcohol.
So, if what you want is a relationship—with a romantic partner or a reliable fuck buddy— and you’re not occasionally inviting some guy you clicked with in the club back to your place, SOBER, or you’re not asking for his phone number, then you’re doing it wrong. Again, if drugs
I’m a married heterosexual cis woman kinkster writing from the Northeast. My husband and I have been monogamous and only played with each other for a decade-and-a-half, but we’ve agreed to try platonic play at some kink events we’re going to this fall. But how do I hang my shingle in regard to finding play partners? Playing with others is something I have been wanting to try but have never done besides the occasional demo bottoming. I am ready for more but now that the reality is coming closer, I don’t quite know how to function. How do I place a good “personal ad” for platonic play? Is it better if I respond to existing posts? I don’t even know exactly what I’m looking for besides some new experiences. For context, I am a switch-y dominant-leaning masochist. I am nervous and excited and looking for some guidance.—Married And Slightly Open
Use your words: “Seeking BDSM play, not seeking sex.” That’s what you need to put on your shingle. You can use those exact words on your kinky personal ad, in replies to other people’s ads, or when you strike up conversations at kink events with people you might wanna play with. You’re gonna get the obvious follow-up question—what exactly counts as sex for you and your husband?—and you need to be ready with a clear, specific, and detailed answer. No
I’m currently separating from my husband who I’ve been with for a decade. Our sexual relationship was always kind of dysfunctional except for the first year or so but we had a don’t ask don’t tell arrangement that worked well and neutralized the issue for the most part. It’s not why we are separating. For the last year I’ve been periodically sleeping with a man who had been a close friend of mine for many years. As it has become clear that my marriage is ending, I’ve allowed myself to acknowledge romantic feelings for him and they’re reciprocated. He wants us to give dating a shot once my divorce is finalized. I think I want that, but there’s plenty of opinions on the internet about how foolish it is to try and parlay an affair into a real-world relationship. We are incredibly sexually compatible and really close friends, and I don’t want to set expectations at a place where the dynamic changes too much to retain the friendship and occasional fucking, but maybe we’ve already crossed that Rubicon? Am I being incredibly stupid? Is this something I could make work?—Divorcing And Rebounding You won’t be able to make it work with an attitude like that! Look, this might turn into something lasting, DAR, or this might be a successful short-term relationship that gave you some joy during a hard time in your life. But if you let bitter strangers on the internet, make the choice for you, DAR, you’ll never know what this might’ve been. And there are lots of women out there in stable, loving, and lasting relationships with men they met (and fucked) while they were married to other people—hell, the Queen of the United Fucking Kingdom parlayed an affair right into Buckingham Palace. Give your prince a chance!
Got problems? Yes, you do! Email your question for the column to mailbox@savage.love!Or record your question for the Savage Lovecast at savage.love/askdan! Podcasts, columns and more at Savage.Love.
