Creative Loafing Tampa — January 13, 2022

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PUBLISHER James Howard EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ray Roa DIGITAL EDITOR Colin Wolf STAFF WRITER Justin Garcia FOOD and THEATER CRITIC Jon Palmer Claridge FILM & TV CRITIC John Allman AEVAN/ADOBE

IN-HOUSE WITCH Caroline DeBruhl CONTRIBUTORS Josh Bradley, Kyla Fields, Michael Murillo, Stephanie Powers, Dan Savage

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PHOTOGRAPHERS Dave Decker, Michael M. Sinclair

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EDITORIAL INTERN Apply for summer via

rroa@cltampa.com SeaWorld in February, animal rights claiming the practice of keeping Jack wild Spatafora CREATIVE DIRECTOR d dangerous.

But even though public ILLUSTRATORS Joe Newton, Dan Perkins, atmany SeaWorld animal rights don’t in seeFebruary, a parallel between the kind Cory Robinson , claiming the practice of keeping wild k and the practice of displaying animals nd dangerous. even though public ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES asking forSENIOR tooBut much?

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ck and the practice of displaying animals MARKETING, PROMOTIONS AND s asking for too much?

Or is it time for a EVENTS DIRECTOR ent” animals? Alexis Quinn Chamberlain

Last year, rental prices increased by 24%.

Tampa Bay’s housing market is the ‘hottest’ for some, and a crisis for others, p. 13.

MARKETING, PROMOTIONS AND EVENTS COORDINATOR Lauren Caplinger

Music: Tampa Bay Blues Fest ........................... 40

MEDIA GROUP 42 Music Week EUCLID ...................................................

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Andrew Zelman CHIEF OPERATING OFFICERS Music ...................................................

The ListWeek ..........................................................

46 Chris Keating, Michael Wagner42 Concert review: Artic Monkeys ..........................

42 VPreviews OF DIGITAL SERVICES Stacy Volhein Movie .....................................................

63 OPERATIONS COORDINATOR TheDIGITAL List Astrology ..........................................................

Free Will .........................................46 64 Jaime Monzon Movie ........................................................... reviews..................................................... 63 Puzzler 66 Music: Tampa Fest ...........................

Concert review:Bay ArticBlues Monkeys ..........................40 42

Puzzler ...........................................................

66 cltampa.com

Savage Love ......................................................

69 cldeals.com

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EDITORIAL POLICY — Creative Loafing Tampa is a publication covering public issues, the arts and entertainment. In our pages appear views from across the political and social spectrum.

They do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher.

Creative Loafing Tampa is published by Tampa Weekly, LLC, 204 E. Henderson Ave., Tampa, FL, 33602.

The physical edition is available free of charge at locations throughout Tampa Bay and online at cltampa.com. Copyright 2021, Tampa Weekly, LLC.

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Get highlands

The Lake Wales Ridge, impending doom and mythical Florida on display in new Tempus exhibition.

By Ray Roa

B

efore “Under the Highlands” was installed at Tempus Projects, piles of sand were scattered across the exhibit floor at the Seminole Heights art gallery. Over the next few hours, once-Florida-based artists Cristina Molina and Jonathan Traviesa would flatten them to function as bases for photographs in their new show, opening this week.

The sand is a hat tip to the Lake Wales Ridge, an overlooked geologic phenomena known as the highest elevation in Sunshine State. The photographs sitting atop the flattened mounds showcase botanical species endemic to the ridge.

Attached are seafaring words to speak to the show’s hope of transporting viewers to a time when the last remaining humans in Florida are on the ridge, surrounded by water.

“We’re looking to these species to kind of teach us a lesson about survival,” Molina, an art professor at Tulane, told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. Nearby, Traviesa, who teaches at Southeastern Louisiana University showed off photos of limestone that will hang on the walls. Molina and Traviesa spent a lot of time in Miami and Lakeland, respectively, and they took a handful of trips back home to capture the limestone from different perspectives which— by human standards—are records of slow, deep time.

“Thinking about climate and sort of environmental evolution that may be coming toward us, with our societies and our infrastructures threatened, I sort of think we really gravitate

toward these as monuments that have been around—again, by our kind of reference point— forever or slowly building and evolving forever,” Traviesa said.

Elsewhere in the show are photographic experiments with sun lamps and A/C vents (which had to be completed with the help of a local seamstress), a short film, and a collection of photographs and nostalgia packed into a family album. Baked into all of it is the element of myth-building that’s inescapable in this swamp we call home.

A standalone exhibition by all means, “Highlands” also serves as something of a bridge.

Molina and Traviesa’s recent “Sad Tropics” was named one of the top exhibitions of the year in 2016 Burnaway and Art in America and featured not just at Tempus but at The Front in New Orleans, The Ogden Museum of Southern Art and The Polk Museum in Lakeland. More of their work will soon be unveiled as part of the Peninsularium project opening at the Crab Devil art compound in Ybor Heights. But for now, "Highlands" asks us to think about a different future headed our way.

“I think our job as artists is to imagine.

Imagine a time where this gallery will not exist or the house down the street will not exist,” Molina said. “There will only be this 100-mile stretch of land. It gives a sense of urgency. What are you gonna do about it? Can you do anything about it?” Friday, Jan. 14, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. at 4220 N Florida Ave. Tampa. tempus-projects.com

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“We’re looking to these species to kind of teach us a lesson about survival.”

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WELCOME HOME: Cristina Molina (L), Jonathan Traviesa and their rescue cat Ricki.

cltampa.com | JANUARY 13 - 19, 2022 | 7

Stand together Photos by Dave Decker

A

ccording to PSL Tampa Bay and St. Pete Cop Watch—organizers of Friday’s protest outside the St. Pete Police Department— public pressure was crucial in getting bodycam footage showing officer Leighton Williams shooting 17-year-old Christopher Tonsel released.

Pressure is what they plan on applying until Tonsel is released, his charges are dropped, and the officer who shot him faces repercussions. With dozens of protesters and several media affiliates present, the rally started off with an emotional appearance from Christopher Tonsel’s mother, Catherine Jones, who addressed the steps that need to be taken in order for justice to be served.

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“When did you fear for your life and why did you think it was alright to shoot my son?

And then continue to lie and lie and hide evidence. It just doesn’t make sense,” Jones said through tears. “He has high blood pressure, he’s unable to keep his food down, he has panic attacks. You literally destroyed his life, and for what?” Jones said that her son spends 23 hours a day by himself, and has lost over 40 pounds during his time at the Pinellas County jail. Read Kyla’s full report from the protest and see more photos via cltampa.com/slideshows. Read more about the Tonsel shooting on p. 15.—Kyla Fields

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“If only the combined bank accounts of these 40 business leaders and Sternberg added up to a new ballpark.”

POLITICS

ISSUES

OPINION

Oh, really?

Tampa rich guys, who benefit from new Rays stadium, sign letter supporting new Rays stadium.

By Colin Wolf “While Republican politicians would like you to believe they’re looking out for mom and pop businesses, the truth is these tax breaks would only apply to the top 1% of Florida corporations. The biggest of the big,” wrote Sink. “On top of that, Florida already has among the lowest corporate tax rates in the country. Let me ask you this: Did you contact your representatives and ask them to take money out of your pocket and put it into the bank accounts of the top 1% of giant corporations?

Of course not. You know who did? Lobbyists for these giant corporations.”

Sounds familiar.

Then of course there’s the absolute theaterlevel absurdity of this letter being published in the Tampa Bay Time of all places. For the last year, the Times editorial board has bent itself

into pretzels in an attempt to jam through this stadium for its former investor Darryl Shaw, whose Gas Worx development would be at the heart of the idea.

But despite public sentiment souring on taxpayer-funded stadiums and actual Canadians placing billboards in Tampa Bay saying they won’t pay for their stadium, it seems the idea is still barreling forward.

While no exact dollar amount has been attached to the new stadium concept, a poll sent out by Tampa Mayor Jane Castor’s reelection campaign last December asked if residents would be fine with coughing up $350 million, with Sternberg reportedly paying the other half.

Mayor Castor also wants this stadium, so this might be a good time to mention that quite a few of the letter signees are also donors to her reelection PAC “Tampa Strong.” Archie Collins, president and CEO of TECO, not only has a street car running through Ybor, but his company also donated $15,000 Castor’s PAC in 2019. Naturally, Casper’s company donated $1,500, Gonzmart donated $5,000 and Tom Pepin, president & CEO, Pepin Distributing Company, donated $1,000 to the PAC. Of course, these donations are pennies to the dollar when it comes to how much it will cost taxpayers. If only the combined bank accounts of these 40 business leaders and Sternberg added up to a new ballpark.

LOCAL NEWS

CITYOFSTPETE/FLICKR

N

othing says a community is fully behind a giant publicly subsidized stadium, than a small handful of local rich guys showing solidarity for another rich guy’s looming stadium tax break.

Last weekend, 40 “Tampa Bay business leaders” signed an open letter in support of Rays principal owner Stu Sternberg’s proposed split-season concept with Montreal and a new stadium that would only be used half the time in Ybor City.

“We endorse the leadership and membership of the three prominent regional chambers who supported this Sister City Baseball plan and the construction of an open-air neighborhood ballpark in Historic Ybor City,” said the open letter, which ran in the Tampa Bay Times.

“The new multi-use facility would be an economic development platform to host national sporting events, concerts and community gatherings, similar to the versatility of Amalie Arena,” the letter continued.

Nevermind that Tampa already has an arena that’s “similar to the versatility of Amalie Arena.” it’s called Amalie Arena. The letter also fails to mention that the vast majority of the 40 (mostly white men) business leaders who signed this thing would also benefit from a new stadium at the expense of taxpayers.

Of the noted local elite who signed this letter, there’s no shortage of investors and real estate developers, like Carlos Alfonso, CEO of Alliant Partners, whose firm is comically based in Ybor.

Then there’s restaurateurs like Blake Casper, whose Casper Company oversees most of Tampa Bay’s McDonald’s locations, including the one in Ybor. Richard Gonzmart also signed the letter, and would probably love to have a stadium within a few blocks of his Columbia and Ulele restaurants. There’s also Chris Sullivan of MVP Holdings, whose restaurant roster includes local chicken tender chain PDQ. But arguably the funniest person to sign this letter is former Florida CFO Alex Sink.

As pointed out by local baseball writer Michael Lortz, you may remember Sink from her now entirely ironic April, 2021 column in the Orlando Sentinel roasting GOP lawmakers for seeking a “three martini lunch” tax break.

ELITE COMPANY: Of the noted locals who signed, there’s no shortage of investors and real estate developers.

cltampa.com | JANUARY 13 - 19, 2022 | 11

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SO HOT: Last year, rental prices in Tampa Bay increased by 24%.

BRADLEY ELDER/ADOBE

House fire

Tampa Bay housing market named ‘no. 1,’ but renters are getting burned.

By Justin Garcia

A

s home rental prices skyrocket across Tampa Bay, real estate website Zillow has predicted the metro area to be the hottest housing market in 2022. A competitive market is good news for home sellers, but not so much for renters, who are likely to bear the brunt of the effects from the hot housing market. Zillow predicts that home values in Tampa Bay will shoot up by 24.6% this year, citing a growing job market, high demand for housing, and more people with the ability to buy a home moving into the area.

But renters are already in the midst of a crisis in Tampa Bay, and the rise in home values will likely make it worse.

Last year, rental prices increased by 24%, with the average renter receiving a $315 monthly increase to their monthly bill, the Tampa Bay Times reported. With the housing market getting hotter, experts say this spike in rent is likely to increase.

The effects of the housing crisis during an ongoing pandemic and rapidly increasing rents have had widespread negative effects on renters in Tampa Bay. According to Hillsborough and Pinellas Clerk of Court records, over 8,400 Writs of Possession— the final stage in the eviction process—were issued in 2021. Thousands more evictions were filed with the courts and are being processed.

Justin Ricke, a realtor with Heights Homes Tampa, says that he hears stories every day about rents leaping drastically as the housing market explodes.

“It’s one of those things, where just because you can increase rent doesn’t mean that you should, you know?,” Ricke told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. “But capitalism and greed are real things, and they know no limits, unfortunately.”

Ricke went on to say that it’s just going to get worse until local elected officials take quick action to control the rent and create more affordable housing.

In February, Tampa City Council is set to host a public workshop to discuss a “rent stabilization ordinance” to try to figure out next steps in addressing housing issues, which several council members called a “crisis” throughout last year. But last month, Tampa Deputy City Attorney Andrea Zelman told CL that Florida Statute 166.043 presents a challenge to control rent. The law puts limits on a local government’s ability to adopt a rent control ordinance. While Zelman said that the state law is not completely stopping the City from exploring possibilities, official recommendations addressing the crisis have yet to be made.

Across the Bay, the St. Petersburg Tenant’s Union (SPTU) has pushed for declaring a housing

LOCAL NEWS

state of emergency, which would avoid the state law’s powers to stop rent control. Having a ballot referendum introduced would allow citizens to vote on controlling rent, which the city is considering.

Zelman said that the ballot referendum process could be costly if arranged outside of a regular election season, and that the city would have to make findings to prove the housing crisis presents a grave threat to its citizens. After a year, the process would have to start over again. The process is like this because of the state laws in place, Zelman said.

But Ricke says the rent spike is obviously creating a grave situation for renters and that city officials are in place to get creative and find ways to help out citizens, many of whom can’t afford such exorbitant rent prices.

“This is on them and they let it go too long,” Ricke said. “It’s the working people of Tampa Bay that suffer, the people that work in hospitality and service industries that make up a huge portion of our demographic.”

In December, Tampa City Councilman Bill Carlson told CL that city has been working for two and a half years to provide incentives for affordable housing. “It’s important that people have the ability to rent or buy housing they can afford,” Carlson said. “But in Tampa, we need an increase to our overall inventory of affordable housing.”

Last October, the Tampa Bay Times reported Mayor Jane Castor’s announcement that the city is more than halfway to its affordable housing goal of 10,000 units, with nearly 6,000 units being planned, in construction or completed. The story did not include specifics about which stage

of development the units were in, so CL asked the city. In November, of those nearly 6,000 units, 2,839 were still being planned, 501 were under construction, 2,538 were already constructed.

What’s deemed as “affordable housing” in Tampa Bay comes into question here.

According to 2021 Income Limits and Rent Limits data from the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties, a one person household that makes $41,350 a year can still be charged $1,107 a month for one-bedroom rental under affordable housing guidelines. That’s 32% of the renters’ income. Paying over 30% of one’s income on rent officially makes them rent burdened, leaving them with less money to pay for other important necessities of life, like food and transportation.

Last week, WTSP interviewed housing advocates who listed an array of possible solutions the city could take to addressing the problem of rising rents and lack of housing. They told the station that changing re-zoning regulations for building more affordable housing could also help the situation.

In response to the high rents, tenants unions have sprung up across the area, taking action due to what they see as lack of local leadership’s attention to the problem. The Tampa Tenants Union and St. Pete Tenants Union placed the core of the crisis on the shoulders of developers having too much influence on the city. “...Those on city council often fall to the desires of developers rather than the needs of the people they serve,” TTU wrote in a post. “We have no need for developers who create luxury housing for the rich.”

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Look again

Activists dispute task force findings in police shooting of St. Pete teenager.

A

fter new bodycam footage surfaced showing the shooting of Christopher Deon Tonsel by a St. Pete Police Department (SPPD) officer, controversy around the incident continued as activists rallied last Friday (see photos on p. 8).

On Jan. 5, a Pinellas County Sheriff’s task force shared the results of an investigation which found that SPPD officer Leighton Williams was justified in the Oct. 20, 2021 shooting of Tonsel.

The shooting resulted in a life threatening injury which the 17-year-old later recovered from. After holding bodycam footage for months, to the ire of Tonsel’s family and local activists, an edited version of the footage was released.

Tonsel—who turns 18 next month—was arrested on the scene after the shooting and charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, carrying a concealed firearm, and possession of a firearm by an individual under 18.

The task force report says bodycam footage shows that Williams was justified in the shooting because he feared for his life as he pursued Tonsel, who was armed. Tonsel’s family and activists say that the footage shows that Tonsel did not point his gun at Williams; to them, it shows the gun falling and close to the ground as the sound from William’s gun explodes.

The rally was originally planned to demand SPPD release the bodycam footage, but after public pressure, the video was released last Wednesday.

After seeing the video, activists are calling for Tonsel to be released and for Williams to be fired and arrested, claiming he unjustly shot Tonsel.

In the video, Williams and his K-9 search for Tonsel, a person of interest after a dispatch call where the caller accused the teen of committing assault against a woman. As Williams runs along the side of the house, he shouts, “Stop or you’re gonna get bit!” He turns toward Tonsel, who is seen on bodycam footage sitting on an air conditioning unit and turned away from the officer.

Within two seconds Williams shouts, “Get on the ground, let me see your hands, put the gun down!” During that time, Williams pulls out his gun and fires. Seventeen seconds into the video, slowed down to .25 speed, Tonsel’s gun appears to come into view, falling, inches above the ground as the sound from Williams’ gun enters the video.

The video then abruptly cuts to a close up of Tonsel turned away from the officer, then turning toward him, eyes wide. The sound is removed from this part so it’s difficult to determine if his eyes went wide before or after he was shot. The video then zooms in on the falling gun, once again without sound and therefore without context as to when the gun fell.

Activists say the beginning of the video shows evidence that Williams unnecessarily shot Tonsel, while the Pinellas task force said that Tonsel’s eyes in the video looked as if he was “acquiring a target.”

SPPD’s PIO said that the video—specifically when slowed down—could be misleading, because the sound in the video may not exemplify when William’s actually pulled the trigger.

The PIO did not expand further and said that PCSO would be the ones to turn to for more answers, since they conducted the investigation.

On Oct. 25, five days after the incident, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said during a press conference that Tonsel had pointed his gun at Williams. The report instead says that Tonsel appeared to pull out the firearm and turn toward Williams, making him fear for his life and fire one shot at Tonsel.

When asked about the difference between Gualtieri’s statement and the report’s findings, the PCSO Public Information Officer (PIO) told CL that when Gualtieri spoke the investigation details were still unfolding and that the Sheriff prefaced his statement in October with that in mind.

When asked if the PCSO would like to comment on the claims that the video shows the gun near the ground when Williams shoots his gun, PCSO offered this response: “The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office does not have an additional statement and we refer you back to the letter from the sheriff.”

Tonsel’s mother Catherine Jones told CL Tampa Bay that he looked frightened in the video, and that she thinks he was in the process of dropping the gun as Williams rounded the corner.

“He was turned away at first, then when he turned, in his eyes he looks like he was scared for his life,” Jones told CL. Jones said she’s headed to the police department tomorrow to see the entire, unedited video for more answers. She said that she’s only seen her son in person twice since the incident, and that the family couldn’t visit him during the

LOCAL NEWS

DAVE DECKER

By Justin Garcia

“He was turned away at first, then when he turned, in his eyes he looks like he was scared for his life.”

STAND TOGETHER: Community members outside St. Petersburg City Hall on Jan. 7 holidays because of staffing issues at the Pinellas County Jail where he’s being held in solitary confinement. She claims that her son has gone from 170 to 120 pounds as he still suffers from his wound.

The task force report also says that Tonsel has had run-ins with law enforcement in the past and accuses him of being gang affiliated. The report did not say much about officer William’s history, so CL requested it.

According to SPPD records, Williams had a 2020 misconduct incident where he was found to have violated four SPPD General Order and Standard operating procedures.

In the incident, he pursued a driver who fled from him during a traffic stop, failed to notify HQ of a traffic stop, failed to record an injury caused by his K-9, failed to submit video evidence of the incident before the end of his shift, and failed to be efficient in his assigned duties.

St. Pete Cop Watch and the PSL Tampa Bay—who hosted the rally last Friday—took to social media to point out that the video shows Tonsel's gun falling to the ground.

“This completely upends the police narrative that Chris was pointing a gun at the Officer when he was shot,” they wrote in a statement about the incident.

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Sound off

Residents, business owners at odds over changes to Ybor noise ordinance.

By Justin Garcia Now he’s forced to feel the pressure of what might come next should the city adopt the ordinance.

“How can they just apply this across Ybor and not expect it to have a negative effect here?”

DeGeorge said to Creative Loafing Tampa Bay, “At the beginning of the pandemic, the city encouraged businesses to be outside, now they’re asking for the exact opposite.”

DeGeorge said that while he understands controlling noise that is out of hand, he thinks that there are powerful forces at play who want Ybor’s culture to change completely, to make the place more opportune for developers who want Ybor to resemble other, quieter parts of Tampa.

In a Facebook post, members of the V.M. Ybor Neighborhood Association said that the city attorneys for Mayor Jane Castor’s admin-

constantly, as Ybor grows, all voices need to be heard on the subject.

“If Ybor is going to be the shining gem that it used to be, there’s gonna have to be more people living here, with more residences and we have to be somewhat reasonable with what their tolerance is going to be for noise,” Bailey said. He continued that he didn’t necessarily agree with everything in the way the ordinance is currently written, and that any amendments could possibly be adjusted to the will of the community.

Bailey is a real estate agent and the vice president of the neighborhood association, but said that his comments for this story were his own and did not represent the group.

Brian Schaefer owns The Bricks in Ybor, another business that has an outdoor courtyard, which sometimes hosts concerts. He’s been going to Ybor since he was a teenager and has lived near 7th Avenue, Ybor’s main strip for 14 years. Like most people who CL talked to for this story, he thought that there shouldn’t be

LOCAL NEWS

MICHAEL M. SINCLAIR

O

n Thursday, Jan. 13, Tampa City Council will hear the second reading of noise ordinance amendments that seek to quiet down parts of Tampa known for nightlife activity. Business owners in Ybor City say the amended ordinance is over-the-top in its aim to rein in sound.

Two of the amendments stand out most.

First, any form of outdoor amplified sound would be completely banned after midnight in the Ybor City and Arena District in downtown Tampa, where outdoor nighttime activity is key to businesses. Second, no warning would be given to businesses and individuals who are violating the ordinance before they are cited and fined.

This version of Tampa’s noise ordinance was presented to Tampa City Council last October

by Tampa City Attorney Susan Johnson-Velez, who told council that it would help the Tampa Police Department (TPD) control noise in the area because no warning before citing would be necessary, which differs from the original rules that included a five-minute warning.

A city ordinance in effect right now says that any person or business within the Ybor and Arena districts can receive citations when their outdoor noise levels go higher than 85-87 decibels between the hours of 6 p.m.-1 a.m. The new amendments being considered Thursday make changes to the decibel levels and time frames— from 1 a.m.-3 a.m. the measurement drops to 75 decibels, and from 3 a.m.-6 p.m., 65-75 decibels would be the legal noise level.

IAC Acoustics, a company specializing in sound control, says that the sound of a food blender is around 88 decibels. Decibel Pro says that 85 decibels is roughly equal to the sound of a noisy restaurant or hotel lobby. This means that during all times of the day, even raised voices could potentially be louder than what the ordinance would allow.

While the decibel levels are only being slightly changed in the amendments, business owners say the removal of a warning and all amplified sound being banned after midnight leaves them in a tough spot.

Tom DeGeorge is the spokesman for the Ybor Merchants Association and owns concert venue Crowbar, which he opened in 2006. He’s also a resident of Ybor, where bought his house in 2011.

DeGeorge hosts an array of music throughout the year, where people can also gather outside during shows. On the weekend, the venue hosts Ol’ Dirty Sundays, where DJs play in the Crowbar courtyard and people dance. Under the proposed ordinance, the event couldn’t happen outside.

Like many businesses during the pandemic, Crowbar has already struggled to keep afloat.

But DeGeorge had a different take.

“They’re trying to cut the legs out from under the people who have been here for a long time, who are truly invested in what Ybor is and has been for decades,” DeGeorge said. He understands that some businesses and people are too loud in Ybor, but wonders why everyone should be restricted due to the behavior of others.

Councilman John Dingfelder, who represents District 3, which encompasses the entire City of Tampa, told CL that the low decibel thresholds that could be cited immediately without warning concern him. “It’s something I’m going to have to ask about at the city council meeting,” Dingfelder said. “This has been an issue in Tampa for a while now, and it’s not easy to make everyone happy.”

One married couple with the Historic Ybor Neighborhood Association supported the new noise rules on the group’s Facebook page.

Stephanie Harrison Bailey wrote that Tampa’s

ALL QUIET: With ordinance amendments, the sun could set on a vital part of Ybor City. istration are still pushing the ordinance leading up to Thursday’s meeting.

Carole Post, Tampa’s outgoing Administrator of Development and Economic Opportunity told CL that council more than two years ago asked the administration to look at updating the city’s noise ordinance because of growing complaints.

“We want to balance the interests of businesses and residents and bring predictability and eliminate confusion over noise enforcement,” Post wrote in an email. The city continued that the ordinance aims to, “provide businesses and citizens a more uniform, predictable, and understandable set of regulations, where currently there is a confusing tangle or absence of requirements.”

City Attorneys requested people show up to the Thursday meeting to speak in favor of the ordinance amendment, and shared the attorney’s direct numbers within the post for supporters to get in touch.

The post got a mostly negative response, aside from David Bailey, Stephanie’s husband, and one other commenter. Several commenters said that the Baileys moved to Ybor—known for its nightlife culture, and now want to change it. Over and over again, commenters said that if people don’t like the culture of Ybor, they should move.

David Bailey, who has lived in Ybor off and on since 2001, told CL that while he and his wife both support local venues and businesses

ear-shattering noise allowed in Ybor, but that the sound levels the ordinance aims for, and banning amplified sound after midnight, are too much. He said that the ordinance sounds unmanageable, that the city has tried it before and it didn’t work, and concentrating on businesses and people who are really pushing it with how loud their sound is would be the way to go.

He added that there are “bigger fish to fry” for the city, like helping make Ybor more walkable.

“The local residents who are for this ordinance should remember that they moved into Ybor, which is known as a party district, not a library district,” he said. “Businesses that have been here for a long time really depend on the way Ybor exists now.”

cltampa.com | JANUARY 13 - 19, 2022 | 17

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America shrugged

As long as selfishness wins, the pandemic is here to stay.

By Jeffrey C. Billman still rising three weeks later. Cases in the U.S. haven’t crested yet, which means we’ve got a ways to go. To date, nearly 850,000 Americans have died; we’ll almost certainly top 1 million this spring, if not sooner.

Think about that: One million Americans dead—more than 1.5 Bostons wiped off the map, for reference—more than half dying after safe, effective vaccines became available. Spin it however you want, but this is an unmitigated failure at every level.

Some are more culpable than others: the propaganda machine that turned basic safety precautions into a totalitarian socialist plot; the cynical politicians—hello, Ron DeSantis—who tried to score “freedom” points by allowing thousands to die. But the culpability extends to those who’ve decided that treating the pandemic like an

INFORMED DISSENT

of the other way around. Few people would call this good public health policy, but it’s what our politics demands.

The pandemic has starkly illustrated a tension that dates to the founding of the American experiment: balancing individual rights with community needs. Your right not to get a vaccine, not to wear a mask, to send your unvaccinated, unmasked kids to school and force teachers to sit in confined, poorly ventilated rooms with them for eight hours a day, eat and drink and carry on as if nothing was wrong; versus my right to not get sick, to not risk a breakthrough infection, to not see my family members get seriously ill, to not worry about my “elective” surgery to remove that mole on my back being postponed indefinitely because hospitals are full, to actually have life return to normal once everyone is vaccinated.

It’s about your right to think of yourself versus my right to think of everyone else. Because our political system is fundamentally broken, selfishness is winning. As long as selfishness wins, the pandemic is here to stay.

“This is an unmitigated failure at every level.”

DAVE DECKER

H

ere we go again. COVID cases are through the roof—about 680,000 a day, officially, and that’s an undercount. Testing can’t keep up.

ICUs are nearing capacity. The CDC’s quarantine guidelines are inscrutable. And now, death counts are rising, more than 1,500 every day.

Sure, the omicron variant appears “milder” than its predecessors, particularly for those who’ve been fully vaccinated and boosted.

But 12% of Americans over the age of 65—those most susceptible to severe disease—are not fully vaccinated. Their populations are heavily concentrated in rural parts of the country; omicron has so far torn through major urban centers like New York City and Boston.

Nearly 40% of the U.S. population isn’t completely vaccinated, either. In other words, it’s going to get worse. In red states that long ago decided to wish the pandemic away, both cases and hospitalizations have skyrocketed: increases of 227% and 293% in Florida, respectively; 678% and 136% in Texas; 546% and 361% in Louisiana; 702% and 203% in Mississippi.

But it’s not just red states. Two years in, the country—Democrats and Republicans alike— has decided we’re over the pandemic. Schools are open. So are bars and restaurants—in some states, with mask “mandates” that let you remove your mask as soon as you eat or drink, rendering the exercise pointless. And the Supreme Court looks likely to invalidate the Biden administration’s vaccinate-or-test mandate for employees of large companies, due to conservative justices’ ideological eagerness to hobble the “administrative state” (and Justice Alito’s anti-vax flirtations).

Of course, what the government allows, the market sometimes does not. States and school districts may want to force children and teachers back into classrooms, but the first week after winter break saw widespread absences among students and educators—and, for that matter, bus drivers. As one parent told the Washington Post: “It’s frustrating because you see a lot of the experts on TV saying schools are important, schools should be open. And that’s true. I completely support that. But nobody is doing the things necessary to have that happen, which is to lower community spread.”

Meanwhile, as Omicron spreads, the staffing shortages bedeviling retailers and hospitality businesses will only worsen. Hiring already slowed in December as COVID cases mounted; things don’t look better for January. In South Africa, which Omicron was first identified, cases peaked in mid-December, but deaths are

ongoing emergency is no longer a viable option.

Life will go on. Schoolteachers and overwhelmed health care workers will just have to suck it up.

That’s not to say these policy questions have easy answers. In-class education is clearly better for most students than remote learning; it’s also better for a lot of parents, especially those who don’t have the luxury of working from home or whose kids rely on the free meals schools provide. Months of additional business restrictions would also be economically cataclysmic unless the federal government (read: Joe Manchin) approved trillions more dollars in aid, and most governors would be unlikely to go along in any event. And that’s to say nothing of the psychological weariness enveloping us.

So we’ve backed ourselves into a corner.

Returning to normal will cost hundreds of thousands of lives—many (but, importantly, not all) of whom belong to the very people who’ve spent the last two years arguing that we should ignore the pandemic—and reduce us to hoping that the inevitable next variant is milder still instead

AMERICAN DREAM: The pandemic has starkly illustrated a tension that dates to the founding of the American experiment

cltampa.com | JANUARY 13 - 19, 2022 | 21

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Shit Happened

XoChitl

MONDAY 10 HUMANESOCIETYTAMPA/FACEBOOK

Florida’s proposed “Penny Bautista Act” would essentially ban tying up a dog or cat with a chain, rope, or other means without a person being immediately present. Naturally, it was inspired by Tampa dog daddy Dave Bautista who adopted Penny after she was found with a chain embedded in her neck. There’s nothing Drax can’t do.

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UF researchers predict 80% of Floridians will contract COVID-19 by the end of the omicron surge.

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Fludd warning

Pop Goes The Waffle opening soon in Gulfport, plus brekkie in South Tampa.

P

retty soon there will be no need to chase the popular St. Petersburg food truck Pop Goes the Waffle around Tampa Bay anymore, as its very first storefront will open at 5004 Tangerine Ave. S in Gulfport in just a few months.

Located between the popular outdoor music venue The Blueberry Patch and Gulfport’s Tangerine Greenway Park, Pop Goes the Waffle’s 2,400 square-foot location will boast a menu filled with owner Sara Fludd’s unique waffle creations. The ‘Burgbased food truck is known for its sweet waffles, as well as its unexpected savory flavors—like maple bacon, shrimp and grits, and a handheld chicken and waffle.

“Hopefully we’ll be open by March. Supply chain issues have pushed us back a bit, but I keep telling everyone that our storefront will be ready within the first quarter of 2022,” Fludd tells Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. The Tangerine Avenue building that used to be a pale orange is now bright blue and matches the loud color of Fludd’s waffle truck, named “Blossom.” A blueprint that she shared on social media previews a drip coffee station, pastry cases, and 10-12 indoor seats. When asked what drew her to that particular location, Fludd answered “you know, I think that building was just made for me.” “Back in 2017 when Pop Goes the Waffle was just starting, we toured that building when it was for sale, but went with the food truck instead,” Fludd shares.

“This time around, I saw it was for lease, and just knew I had to stop by.”

The fact that her storefront is adjacent to Child’s Park, a historically Black neighborhood, and will be opening in Gulfport, which was a sundown town well into the 1950s, are also extremely important aspects to Fludd. “As a Black woman, I’m excited to bring a bakery to this part of town and keep engaged with the community there. Education surrounding food insecurity is something I really want to focus on as well.”

She also mentions that balancing her participation in the national business incubator while simultaneously working on the storefront opening has been tricky. Just this past week,

Fludd said goodbye to her day job as a member of the digital team of John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, and is ready to move forward as a fulltime business woman and waffle connoisseur.

Fludd was one of the 10 winners selected for 2021’s Stacy’s Rise Project, a national incubator that aims to help female entrepreneurs grow their businesses. In addition to a $10,000 business grant, she had the opportunity to learn from large corporations like Frito-Lay and PepsiCo, which have helped her improve product packaging and expand e-commerce. “It was like getting an MBA in 3 months,” she says with a laugh. “The help I got—you can’t put a price tag on that. It’s taught me how to think bigger and better about my own business, and scalability is at the forefront of mind now.”

Fludd and her business are experiencing a colossal amount of growth right now—with the Pop Goes the Waffle storefront only one piece of her entrepreneurial puzzle. When the Gulfport storefront opens in a few months, the bright blue waffle truck will still be kicking it around Tampa Bay, just in a more limited capacity. She says that the truck will focus more on large events and catering gigs instead of pop-ups at local coffee shops and restaurants.

And if you can’t wait until the Pop Goes the Waffle brick-and-mortar location opens, make sure to visit its website where you can get liege waffles delivered to your doorstep, or catch Blossom slinging sweet treats throughout Tampa Bay at one one of these upcoming events.

OPENINGS

Shells owner takes over Potbellies and opens Himes Breakfast House in South Tampa Complete with kitschy dish names and a renovated building at 3826 S Himes Ave. in South Tampa, Himes Breakfast House opened to a group of excited brunchers just a few weeks ago. According to the owner and experienced restaurateur John Cristen, Himes’ menu follows three guiding principles: large portions, great prices, and fresh ingredients.

Christen worked closely with his friend Chef Jason Dame—executive chef of CMX Cinébistro and Café Dufrain—to create unique breakfast offerings that you can’t get at home.

POPGOESTHEWAFFLE/FACEBOOK

By Kyla Fields

MAKE IT RAIN: Rod (L) and Sarah Fludd of Pop Goes the Waffle.

Syrups infused with coffee beans or blueberries, citrus, and poppyseed add a lofty twist to hearty breakfast favorites. And you can even ditch the sausage and bacon, and opt for the large slab of crispy pork belly to accompany your eggs and home fries instead. This new breakfast spot opened out of a recently revamped 2,500 square-foot building that previously housed Potbellies Family Restaurant— its logo was a cartoon pig at a BBQ grill that definitely caught the eye. The South Tampa breakfast staple was only closed for 21 days before the Himes team took over late last year.

Christen—who also owns and operates various Shells Seafood locations throughout Tampa Bay—was close friends with Potbellies’ owners, and quickly acquired the building when they decided to move to Tennessee.

Before making the switch to Himes Breakfast House, Christen and his team actually operated Potbellies for its last two months, hoping to really hone in on the direction they wanted to pursue.

“Everyone loved what Sam and Val (owners of Potbellies) did,” Christen tells Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. “We wanted to get to know their regulars and really find out what South Tampa wanted.”

And don’t fret— Potbellies is still serving up fat breakfast platters 619 miles away in Tracy City, Tennessee. Only a few weeks into its debut, Christen mentions seeing the familiar faces of former Potbellies regulars now frequenting Himes instead.

And while mom and dad are snacking on crispy pork belly and a fat 12-ounce ham steak, the kiddos can be entertained with build-yourown pancake faces, which Christen admits was his wife’s idea. Although Himes is more of a breakfast spot, it also has a lunch menu stacked with soups, sandwiches and salads alongside its omelets, Benedicts, and pancakes.

Himes Breakfast House is now open from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and is closed on Mondays. Definitely worth working into your weekly brunch rotation.

cltampa.com | JANUARY 13 - 19, 2022 | 25

26 | JANUARY 13 - 19, 2022 | cltampa.com

MOVIES

THEATER

ART

CULTURE

CALM DOWN, MAN: Juror no. 3, Jim Wicker, in Stageworks’ ‘12 Angry Men.’ STAGEWORKS

White hot

Midcentury masculine Americana comes to the fore at Stageworks.

By Jon Palmer Claridge

J

ust before the house lights fade as the There’s a polished wood conference table, a dozen audience settles into seats at Stageworks red leather chairs, a water cooler with paper cone Theatre’s nostalgic courtroom drama, “12 cups and a handsome midcentury coat rack linAngry Men,” you have to smile as Karla Hartley’s gering upstage looking like a four point buck. Jo pre-show music croons, “please release me, let Averill-Snell’s lighting adds a nostalgic golden me go,” foreshadowing the arguments to come. glow reinforced by the largely monochrome palSixty-eight years have passed since Reginald ette of Marilyn Gaspardo Bertch’s splendid period Rose first indicted our society costumes. Director Orlando through his 1954 courtroom and her team conjure up a TV drama, which is best stunning finishing tableau. known as a 1957 film starRose has taken care 12 Angry Men ring Henry Fonda as the lone to pepper the jury with a Through Jan. 23; $35-$40 voice of reason thrust into a series of archetypes from Stageworks Theatre jury of peers who represent 1120 East Kennedy Blvd, Suite 151, Tampa the American diaspora, 813-374-2416; stageworkstheatre.org the Eisenhower years’ verwhich allows for the explosion of diversity—white men sive collision of ideologies as who come from a variety of blue and white collar we move toward the ultimate conclusion. Every jobs. Some subsequent productions have modern- significant binary (among white men) is present ized the jury pool through gender and color blind to exploit: age, education, sociology-economic casting, but despite the universal themes, it’s a origin, tolerance, formal/informal, hesitant/ period piece as written. And Stageworks’ decision brash, bullying/meek, etc. to treat it as such pays off in spades in this beautiA poor man has ostensibly been stabbed to fully conceived and carefully wrought production death by his 16-year-old son, who is the prodby director Rosemary Orlando. The visual ele- uct of a filthy neighborhood and a broken home. ments at Stageworks have continued to grow in As thoughtful juror no. 8 (Ned Averill-Snell) recent years and this is a supreme example. Set compels his fellows just “to talk” on the path to designer Frank Chavez transports us with tower- reasonable doubt, every facet of midcentury masing Corinthian columns inlaid with green marble culine Americana comes to the fore like a bumper and a trio of monumental divided-light windows. car ride. It’s a rocky road as the evidentiary

THEATER

dominos fall. “Sometimes, the facts that are staring you in the face are wrong.” The major antagonist is the opinionated, yet wounded, Juror no. 3 (Jim Wicker) filling the shoes of the intense Lee J. Cobb, of “Death of a Salesman” and "On the Waterfront” fame. Both major actors here are experienced and have proven their street cred in Tampa Bay many times over; as they do again in the two marquee roles.

The surprise comes through the contrast of two low keyed supporting roles that director Orlando uses to balance the action to great effect. Hugh Timoney (Juror no. 9) embodies the quiet dignity of an elder and Jim Risgaard is pitch perfect as an immigrant watchmaker (no. 11) channeling Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman as an unwavering advocate in the search for what is right.

Two of the more colorful characters keep the energy up and the blood rushing, James Fitzgerald Swallow (no. 7 flashy, glad-handing salesman) who is more concerned with making his baseball game than justice, and Paul Palmisano (no. 10 loud-mouthed bigot) whose overwhelming prejudice leads him to never doubt. “If we don’t smack ‘em down, they’re gonna own us” he proclaims as though he’s a Tucker Carlson clone. Let’s hear it for fear.

The smaller characters are largely written as one-dimensional, but director Orlando and the actors bring them to life with clarity: Ryan Sturm (no. 1 petty and formal foreman), Ryan-Patrick McLaughlin (no. 2 meek banker), G. J. Thompson (no. 4 logical stockbroker), Lenny Agnello (no. 5 up from the slums),

Jakob Nordstrom (no. 6 quiet house painter) and Matt Acquard (no. 12 distracted ad man).

The evening is a roller coaster study of justice, prejudice, doubt, class, and the sometime volatility of fathers and sons.

As a Black colleague reminded me when I blanched at the O.J. Simpson verdict, rich white guys have been getting off for years. Money buys good lawyers, and the show’s unnamed defendant of vague origins has none. If you’re lucky enough to have access to cash, a high-priced jury consultant can supervise mock trials to provide acquittals a la Kyle Rittenhouse. And sometimes you just get lucky as in the George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery verdicts, but justice doesn’t bring back the dead.

As the drama reaches its inevitable conclusion, we’ve seen the ugly truth about human nature that haunts us still. Wherever you go in the world, people fear the “other.” We mask our personal pain which inevitably bursts forth as unacknowledged bias. The play resonates so vividly that my audience burst into applause more than once. It’s not just because we’ve failed as a society to provide equal justice, but that those same impulses now threaten the very underpinnings of our democracy. Settled science based in facts somehow has become political.

Life-saving vaccinations are dismissed and climate change mitigation to assure the survival of our species is kicked down the road like the proverbial tin can. Sadly, Stephen Hawking’s admonition still endures. “The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.”

cltampa.com | JANUARY 13 - 19, 2022 | 27

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28 | JANUARY 13 - 19, 2022 | cltampa.com

“It’s always happening in the moment. I love it now more than ever.”

DAMN, DANNY: Bob Saget, one of America’s favorite TV dads, died last weekend in Orlando.

BOB SAGET

Talking about it, that’s what helps me Here’s what Bob Saget said about always coming back to stand-up.

By Michael Murillo

O

ne of America’s most memorable sitcom father figures Bob Saget was found dead in an Orlando hotel room last Sunday, Jan. 9, according to authorities. Orange County Sheriff’s Office says Saget was found at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando and that no signs of drugs or foul play are suspected.

“Earlier today, deputies were called to the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes for a call about an unresponsive man in a hotel room,” tweeted OCSO. “The man was identified as Robert Saget & pronounced deceased on scene.

Detectives found no signs of foul play or drug use in this case.”

The 65-year-old “Full House” actor and host of “America’s Funniest Home Videos” had just performed Friday night at Hard Rock Live at Universal’s City Walk, and was on tour in Florida.

It has been just three months since the 65-year-old played th Improv in Ybor City.

Before his Tampa appearance, Saget caught

up with Creative Loafing Tampa Bay to talk about his friend Norm MacDonald, who had just passed away. In his interview, CL comedy correspondent Michael Murillo asked Saget why he always comes back to stand-up.

“He gave a longer answer than what was published,” Murillo wrote after Saget’s death.

In the wake of the comedian’s death, Murillo has shared Saget’s full response. Read it below.

In addition to singing in a monster costume, you’ve acted, directed, hosted game shows, written books and served as the narrator’s voice on “How I Met Your Mother.” But you always seem to come back to stand-up. What does telling jokes on stage give you that other creative outlets can’t?

Bob Saget: I love that question. When I started singing comedy songs when I was seventeen, I was drawn to music and parodies and writing original songs too because I had seen Martin Mull do his show while I lived in Philadelphia.

Amazing, I’ve been directing a documentary we are near completion of about Martin Mull.

So I always did musical comedy, but then took off the guitar and did stand-up since I was seventeen all the way through my entire life.

I would go away from it for a few years here or there—After the Video Show ended, I directed a feature film (“Dirty Work” with Norm) and three movies for television— But then I always came back to stand-up to find my core of what I find funny, no matter where it led me I’m on tour because I love this new hour plus of material I’ve been working on so much, it’s literally like beginning again, but now I know all the tools to make it better than in the past.

And comedy certainly has changed, and so have I as far as being more responsible. Still doesn’t mean I don’t go off on stuff that’s like a soft-R rated rant, but I’m really into just being funny

and sharing it with the people, which, especially now, brings me a gigantic amount of satisfaction.

I’m at the Tampa Improv Comedy Theatre this weekend, and some people have asked, “Will it be the same stuff you did when you played in July at The Capitol Theatre in Clearwater?” And I’ve answered, “Well, I have a lot new stuff to talk about since then because every day is a brand new experience in this insane world we are in, but yes, some of it will be the same.”

When it comes to me doing my music, that’s different as comedy songs can be heard over and over if they’re any good. But my stand-up is never the same. It’s pretty much different every time I do it, because I always need to change it up ‘cause I can’t like do a recital and stay on book with my standup. It’s always happening in the moment. I love it now more than ever. With stand-up, no one can tell you what can or can’t say or do….except the audiences.

IN MEMORIAM

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LOCAL MUSIC PROFILES

MUSIC WEEK

Staying true

22 Tampa Bay rappers to watch in 2022.

By Aaliyah Pasols

W

hen the rest of the nation thinks of Florida rappers they may first point to the scene down south in counties like Miami-Dade and Broward. However, Tampa Bay’s time to shine is long overdue. As this very special rap scene's emcees, producers and DJs continue to cultivate it, Tampa Bay talent has become increasingly diverse and distinguished.

The artists on this list all had different paths to the mic, and some of them even work in other artistic verticals (acting, tattooing for example), but as different as they are, one element brings them together: love for a metro they’re helping put it on the map in a big way.

Tampa Bay is a smorgasbord of incredibly gifted emcees and lyricists, and narrowing this list down was by no means an easy task. After hours of listening sessions, many video call discussions, and careful consideration, these are our picks for 22 Tampa rappers to know in 2022.—AP LaTheGoat Whether he’s rapping about his come-up on a soulful sample, like on “You Wouldn’t Believe Me,” or making you want to dance on “Smooth Operator,” there’s no denying that LaTheGoat knows how to keep things interesting. The 26-year-old started really taking rap seriously around 2016, but before that he tried on many different hats. He studied at FAMU for a bit and even enlisted in the Army—when that didn’t work out, he stayed afloat by working at call centers and warehouses. That didn’t stick either, so he decided it was time to give music his all. In 2020, he dropped his third project, Goatmode, and that’s when he got his big break. A single from the project, “8 Bands,” racked up plays and eventually caught the attention of producer and rapper Jermaine Dupri. LA posted a freestyle on Instagram, where he was rapping over Dupri and Jay-Z’s “Money Ain’t a Thing.” LA’s followers tagged Dupri in the post, impressing the So So Def icon. While doing some more digging, Dupri stumbled upon “8 Bands” and couldn’t get it out of his head. A month later, LA was signed to Dupri’s record label So So Def and Def Jam. Last February, LA saw an extra boost in popularity after Dupri and Rick Ross hopped on the “8 Bands Remix.” The official music

video has over 400K views on YouTube. Then in September, he got the opportunity to join the Bucs’ official DJ Ekin and Dupri at Raymond James Stadium for the Bucs home opener.

LA recently dropped a November EP in November (813 Day) featuring “Smooth Operator,” “You Wouldn’t Believe Me,” the “8 Bands Remix.” plus three new songs: a catchy club hit called “Bounce It,” “Minimum Wage” and LA’s favorite off the tape, “Shine In The Ghetto.” He says he has a soft spot for the song because it “embodies Tampa and the aura of the city.” He also shares that he definitely has plans to release more music this year.

Brilly Asher Asher has always been a Florida boy. Born in Jacksonville but raised in Tampa, he’s wellknown for his versatile style and trippy visuals.

Music has always been his passion. Asher remembers his brother being the first to put him on to rap, suggesting artists like Kanye West and Jay-Z. They used to freestyle at the house, and Asher started writing his own raps at a young age. His rap name comes from his mom, who used to call him “Brilly Boy,” a nickname derived from his real name, Gabriel. His mother passed away when he was 12 years old, which impacted him and inspired him to create music.

Asher has been releasing music since at least 2016 but didn’t start commanding attention until 2017 when he dropped his first official music video for “Toonami Flow.” The clip opens with a fun track inspired by Asher’s love of anime and cartoons. He drops witty lyrics throughout and references shows like “Pokémon,” “Yu-Gi-Oh!” and “Dragon Ball Z.” Halfway through the video, the colorful visuals and animated lyrics come to a halt as a second track, “Dead Ninja,” seamlessly begins. Rapping against a red background, Asher spits bars about Black Lives Matter, police brutality, corrupt politicians, and more. Finally, the video closes with a montage of clips, both old and new, that show the continuing struggles of Black Americans.

The video is powerful and impressive, especially coming from a young artist who at the time, didn’t have a lot of music out. But Asher didn’t take advantage of the momentum in the wake of the video. Instead, he stopped making music for three years. In 2020, he came back full

force with “Traumatized,” which explained to his fans that he had been in a consuming relationship for the duration of his silence. Since then, he hasn’t stopped, crooning on his dreamy 2020 single “Moon and Back” and releasing two projects last year. He’s already working on another EP, 3-P3AT, which will feature three new songs he hopes to release early this year.

Mike Mass Mass has been cooking up heat in the 813 for years. Originally from Mount Vernon, New York and raised in The Bronx, the 32-year-old is an undeniably impactful force in the local Tampa scene, sharing his lyricist talents and helping other upcoming artists shine through his label continued on page 33

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BELIEVE ME: LaTheGoat tried FAMU and the army before rapping.

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continued from page 31 and brand Wave Theory. Currently, the label houses 13 artists across different genres: there are DJs, R&B singers, punk rock bands, and other hip hop talents like Perception and K.III. Although he has yet to release a true solo project, Mass has made waves with the material he has released. He has four singles out on Spotify, the oldest one being “M.A.S.H.” from 2016, featuring another rapper on this list, Vern Senior. The music video racked up over 2,700 views—easily Mass’ first hit. The song has a luxurious vibe with a strong ‘90s influence; think slow, sultry beats with silky lyrics. Fans came to know Mass for this style; his New York flair is apparent in his songs as he plays with word choice and rhythm.

But going even deeper than that, Mass truly has a way with words. He has always been a writer and was even a spoken word poet in

middle and high school. When he decided to start adding beats to his poems, he looked to Nas for inspiration. The NYC rapper has long been known for his descriptive, impactful lyrics against mellow beats, and Mass followed the style while managing to make it his own.

His talents really got the chance to shine on “Blood In the Water,” a collaboration with singer J.T. Brown. The song arrived at the height of the Black Lives Matter protests that took over the world in 2020. It was released in November of that year and sees Mass rapping from three different viewpoints.

Brown’s idea was to have Mass rap from from the perspective of a slave, a civil rights leader, and a 10-year-old boy in today’s age. Mass executed these POVs impeccably. In his third verse he passionately references some of the high-profile murders from years past: “Cause

if I’m rockin a hoodie in the rain I could die for that/And if I pull out my wallet and behave I could die for that/...Imagine if we fight back, how the hell we surviving that?” The music video has over 6,000 views and tremendous feedback in the comments; it’s Mass’ favorite song of his to date.

With so many supporters standing behind him, Mass knows there has been a demand for his first album. “I get asked a lot why I haven’t dropped an album and it’s because not only did I want to make sure the quality level was appropriate, but I wanted to make sure all of the Wave Theory artists had established individual identities and were prepared for bigger stage performances,” he shares. Fans won’t have to wait much longer though: Mass’ long-awaited EP, Mad Love, will finally drop this year.

LOCAL MUSIC

Zhalarina A true Tampa talent and overall gem. Not only is Zhalarina a rapper, she is also a playwright, actor, music composer, and so much more.

Being a creative has always been a part of who Zhalarina is—and where she comes from. Her mother is a writer, her father a visual artist, and her uncle a rapper. She developed an interest for the genre at a young age, having seen Da Brat and TLC on TV. Soon, the multi-talented artist wrote her first rap at 11 years old. As her writing progressed, she ended up entering a slam poetry competition and winning. This introduced her to a whole passion that she would not have discovered had she not taken that leap of faith. She soon learned about the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s First Wave, a theater program that integrates hip-hop. There, she ended up creating The Light, continued on page 35

COURTESY

GOOD YAWNING: Zhalarina is the only Emmy-winner on this list.

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continued from page 33 with PBS Wisconsin, an autobiographical story told through three music videos. She wrote, acted in, and produced the whole show—and her hard work paid off. She ended up winning an Emmy in the Chicago/Midwest region.

That’s not the only acclaim Zhalarina received. For NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest she submitted her song “Lala.” Although she didn’t win the contest, NPR highlighted her and her song as a “stand-out entry.”

Zhalarina’s raps are witty, quick, catchy, and make you want to jump out of your seat to bop around. She likes to have fun with the content of her music and since is wildly imaginative— you never know what to expect. A year ago she released “Good Yawning,” a song in which she impersonates 12 female rap artists and their respective styles. She nails the styles of MC greats like Queen Latifah, Missy Elliot, and Lauryn Hill, but also aces the new-age mic queens like Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, Chika, and Rico Nasty. Another impressive record was “Tampa,” a bouncy 2019 hit dedicated to her hometown. Her confidence on the track helps to crack an inevitable smile, and her rhyme work is slick and smart, integrating a Southern accent and lyrics that talk about being from the “flirty dirty, that scurry dirty.” The song has over 5,000 plays on Spotify.

“It was my most ambitious song at the time—I got to celebrate women in hip-hop, past and present,” Zhalarina says. “I shot, directed, and edited the music video myself.

It was a passion project and I was proud of how it came out.”

She just recently dropped her first album, Again, which features the three mentioned tracks as well as 14 other songs. But don’t think that that’s all for the busy artist, she’s eyeing a summer release for her second album.

His latest album, Draco Mercés, dropped last February and featured 11 tracks, with some looping in other local talents like 7inclair and The Black Ace. Coming up in 2022, Browne says he has multiple projects on the horizon. Given his proven work ethic, it’s safe to say he might drop an album or two.

Big Baby Scumbag Perhaps one of the biggest modern talents to come out of Tampa Bay, Big Baby Scumbag has carved out a sound and aesthetic that resonates with his audience. With over 106,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, he truly has found his crowd.

He has a trashy Southern aesthetic that his fans have come to love: think camouflage apparel, dirty Timbs, socks that say “Eat Shit,” and plenty of cheap beer and Publix. His sense of humor and love of pop culture is another reason listeners can’t get enough. Whether he’s dropping a freestyle inspired by Squid Game, Tom Brady, punching coronavirus in the jaw, or a fun single like “Trappin’ Out the Krusty Krab,” he always brings the energy and witty references to the table.

Raised all of his life in Tampa, Scumbag first got into rapping through a friend from middle school. The friend had a rap group called Scumbag World and encouraged Scumbag to join it and rap with them. At first he was apprehensive, but once he started rapping he realized he had a knack for it. He dropped his first official song, “Tha Trenchez,” in 2015 and received so much positive feedback that he was able to book tours and shows just off of the one song alone. Soon after was a song called “Jelly” and before he knew it he was performing at Rolling Loud in Miami in 2016.

WorldStarHipHop would go on to debut numerous music videos of his around 2018, leading to even more of a boost in popularity. He has since released too many singles to count, more than a handful of entertaining freestyles, and six albums. His favorite work to date is 2020’s Big Baby Earnhardt, named after NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt (Scumbag constantly rocks NASCAR apparel and has been a fan for years).

“It’s my favorite mainly because of the head space that I was in as an artist throughout the process of recording those songs. Also the stories and context of the songs,” Scumbag says.

“What artist do you know that has both Lil B and Project Pat on the same album?”

Although he considers Big Baby Earnhardt to be a “perfect album” he says that he has plenty more exciting music on the way. He is currently working on a few projects for the upcoming year that will see him experimenting with new sounds and a “hell of a lot of collaborations.”

Can’t wait to see what Big Baby’s got cookin’— especially if it's in the air fryer. continued on page 37

LOCAL MUSIC

ARIYAN LENNETT

813-4EVR: Jay Brown has even made a documentary about Tampa.

Jay Browne Born and raised in Tampa, Browne has an immense amount of love for his city and is known for his inventive flows and sharp lyrics. He even made a documentary about Tampa as an ode to the city and the people that make it. This pride is just as evident in his music. Whenever he can, Browne shouts out his hometown.

His first album 1-800-813-4evr was released in 2019, and while he’s since released three more albums, that first outing is still his favorite to this day. “It became the stepping stone for my music to the Tampa music scene. The versatility and concepts, as well as the lyricism displayed is at the very top of my musical work to date,” Browne says.

“Chop/Appetite” was the standout on 1-800813-4evr, a song that splits into two different vibes as Browne raps about his lifestyle and loyalty to the people around him. It has over 1,700 plays on Spotify.

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continued from page 35 Nico Sweet Sweet knows how to draw listeners in. Her style can be compared to the likes of Tierra Whack and Rapsody as she raps with rhythm and precision over effortlessly chill beats. She began consistently releasing music in 2018 and has 17 singles available on Spotify. Although she has yet to drop an EP or album, her singles have been more than enough to get her noticed.

Even fellow Florida rapper T-Pain came across two of her songs while on his Twitch livestream and loved them. The two songs T-Pain stumbled upon are some of her most popular to date. “Nah Nah” came out in 2018 and has over 11,000 listens on Spotify, while “Mmhmm” which debuted last year has over 7,000 streams.

Sweet says “Nah Nah” is still her favorite song to date, adding that “The energy that track creates...people are always ready to scream back the hook! I love the fact that I have a song that can transcend over time. We have so many trendy, short-lived songs out today and that’s dope—but for me, I’m blessed to say my music is more than that, does more than that.”

She doesn’t have a project coming up yet, at least not at the moment, but Sweet’s still been working at her craft everyday by “working on a lot of features, singles, and mini videos.” She’s also been performing all around Tampa Bay including local open mics.

“Rax,” off of his 2020 EP Endless Night,” has been streamed more than 538,000 times.

Loon’s signature style—a nonchalant, vibey delivery over heavy bass-boosted beats—is at its best on his recently released debut album: Bittersweet. Released in October, the album includes 12 tracks, with features by Watson, but also by prominent hip hop artists such as Valee, 03 Greedo, and Yung Simmie. On “No Face,” Loon hops on the mic confident and ready, spitting bars about jewelry, girls, cars, and his impact—typical trap shit, except Loon’s delivery is undeniably his.

His momentum will continue to roll as he has a deluxe version of Bittersweet scheduled for early this year, with some new features and tracks, plus an upcoming EP and a collab tape with Watson called Kush Hour. And don’t miss the opportunity to see him live, as he’s also planning a spring tour with his left-hand man, Watson.

Kent Loon Loon has an intriguing upbringing. Born in Bogota, Colombia to a Chinese father and Colombian mother, Loon ended up in St. Petersburg out of pure necessity. After his father’s restaurant business began to take off, his family soon received violent threats from local guerilla fighters. Not wanting to risk it, a four-year-old Loon and his mother migrated to St. Pete. He didn’t know any English at first but by the time he got to middle school he was rapping for fun. His initial introduction to U.S. culture was through Lil’ Wayne music videos that would play on MTV and BET, starting a lifelong love of hip-hop. But it wasn’t until he befriended fellow Tampa Bay artist Chester Watson in high school that he began to view music seriously.

Watson is the founder of the Nü Age Syndicate, a group of hip hop artists that includes himself, Loon, and two others. Loon’s first project, 2017’s Stay Low, was largely produced by Watson, and saw him on a quarter of the songs. The two work impeccably together, complementing each other’s energy and tone.

For years after the debut, Loon released tons of singles, racking up plays on tracks like “Rome,” which has over 1 million streams and sees him talking about his luxe lifestyle in his characteristic drowsy delivery. Another popular song,

Junkyrd Not just a visual artist, Junkyrd is an all-around multidimensional talent. Whether he’s creating album art for the likes of Pink Siifu, tattooing complex pieces at Tampa Tattoo Co. or crooning on layered tracks like “Save Me,” it’s downright impressive everytime.

He first ventured into music in early 2021 when he released his EP Junktape 001. The tape only has two songs but within those six minutes, you’ll encounter a experimental project that feels deeply intimate and passionate. There’s a dreamy production on the first track, “Save Me,” with Junkyrd rapping about how he’s been there for others, while asking who’ll be there for him. In the middle of the track a sample featuring a newsperson speaking about the CIA, LSD, and the Age of Aquarius fades in. Another dreamy looped beat pops on as Junkyrd continues to rap about family and hardships he’s been through. On the second track, “Reasons,” we get a moodier vibe as Junkyrd shows off his singing; on the second half of the song, he sings delicately against soft strums of a guitar. “I’ve got my lonely soul/ I’ll find my way back home,” he croons with a soft vulnerability. It feels personal, genuine, and spirited, all markings of a true artist.

His most recent single, “Spice” debuted in October of last year, with some wonderful artwork to match. While staying true to the vulnerability and intimacy exhibited in his first two songs, “Spice” manages to give us something different at the same time. It’s more upbeat, with longer verses from Junkyrd, who raps about his resiliency and carefree attitude. Junkyrd is preparing for a fruitful new year, sharing that he will be releasing some new projects soon.

Gat$ Having endured many difficulties and challenges in his life, he just wants to rap about shit that matters. His style and lyrical content has made him well-known in not just the 813, but in all of

EVAN COOPER

LOCAL MUSIC

SAVE ME: Whether he's rapping or making art, Junkyrd impresses.

Florida and even beyond. He’s played nine stadium shows, having taken the stage for Rolling Loud in Miami, Oakland, and even New York.

Gat$ has been creating music since at least 2016 and has yet to back down from talking about controversial topics. He routinely spits his thoughts on politics, social issues, systemic

racism, and more. But that’s not all the MC has to say: he’s also vulnerable about his own thoughts and experiences. Having endured pain in his life, he has come to use music as his solace. In 2020, right before the pandemic hit, Gat$’ older brother died from a heart attack. The two were very close, continued on page 39

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continued from page 37 with his brother even lending his voice to Gat$’ 2020 album Robbers. He says that album is still his favorite to date: “That was really a passion project with a lot of collaboration; and it was the last one my older brother was alive for and it means a lot to have his voice on it.”

Robbed is a deep and emotional record that confronts his own trauma as well as societal trauma head on. On tracks like “Human,” Gat$ accepts his vulnerable position with ease, rapping “I ain’t real, I’m just human.” He’s unlike other artists in the way that he allows himself to just genuinely be, without the fake “hard” exterior or the flashy items in the way.

Fans looking for more of Gat$ won’t have to wait too long. Three separate projects in the works for 2022, including a collab with producer Jordan Patrick and a follow-up to Robbed.

Vern Senior Senior is known not just an artist but also a producer and a sound engineer—and he’s more than familiar with how to assemble a repeat-worthy track. He’s been on the Tampa music scene since at least 2016, collabing with fellow local hip hop artists Mike Mass and Stoney Hoop, and dropping a few EPs and collab tapes along the way. His biggest endeavor yet was releasing two

albums simultaneously in March of 2021: Vern De La Rosa parts I and II. He’s not one to shy away from experimental beats, evident on tracks like “Darkside Moon,” where a beat reminiscent of “Planet Rock’s” futuristic spacey vibes is apparent. On “Get Yo Life” an infectious beat provides an ideal backdrop for Senior’s boastful raps about living his life carefree and trying to find someone who can keep up with him.

In 2019, Senior dropped a four-track tape called Yeadillac (Prelude) which featured old school vibes and chill beats. For summer 2022, Senior has plans to drop a follow-up, Yeadillac, which he says will be his “magnum opus.”

Young 40 Bringing “Cali Vibes” to the Sunshine State.

With a poetic flow and sunny beats, 40’s music has managed to snag the hearts of over 19,000 listeners, who tune in to his music monthly. At 19 years old, 40 says his life changed drastically when he found a loved one lifeless. This prompted him to take on a new perspective on life and his moving and heartfelt music soon followed.

His lyrics paint pictures and help you to visualize what he’s feeling and the scene he’s trying to set. A great example of this is on “Blink,” 40’s favorite and biggest song to date (391,000-plus streams on Spotify, over 36,000 views on YouTube). He talks about life and how it can be cruel sometimes, sharing examples from his personal life. “Baby don’t forget to breathe/ It’s a f*cked up world, hope it change when you blink,” he says in the song’s chorus.

“I recorded that song in 2018 and I’m thankful I held onto it until December 2020. I knew what I was holding was special and I’m most proud of that,” 40 says. As for what’s up next for the laidback rapper, he says an EP is on the way very soon.

willing to bet that his new album, Sorry For the Inconvenience, will be pouring out of speakers well into 2023. Initially fascinated by both Kanye and Radiohead, Virgo’s new album similarly leaps from away from categorization while also hanging onto old tenets of storytelling made famous by groups like Main Source; elsewhere it channels some of Virgo’s other influences (Lil’ Wayne, Andre 3000, Mos Def). Inconvenience is the most hands-on he’s been on an album, with Virgo even adopting the “Pigsonvinyl” producer moniker while he spent three months in London working on the album. Virgo told CL that he’s immensely proud to have worked with select producers (Bridget Perez, ORC, Nige) and engineers (Pirate Studios, Adrian Rice of the Mint Room) to complete a project of this scale without a management team or label to get them over the finish line. In the coming months, Virgo is working on a short film, production placements, NFTs and a lot of new production as Pigsonvinyl.—Ray Roa Pusha Preme On Sunday, you can see Pusha Preme twice— at a daytime Tampa Sneaker Convention near Town ‘n’ Country and again that evening at a warehouse party. If you haven’t seen him before, get ready to play catch up. Every artist on this list works hard, but Pusha might have them all beat, and the elbow grease—including early sets at long-gone St. Pete DIY stronghold Venture Compound—paid off last spring when Money In the Grave, a compilation featuring the Preme track “Heaven At Night” peaked at no. 18 on Billboard’s compilation albums chart. Last fall, Preme made a packed amphitheatre at Gasparilla Music Festival fall in love with his radio-ready melodic rap that’s unafraid to go hard when it needs to.—RR

LOCAL MUSIC

WHOISASARU02/FACEBOOK

TTE Truth TTE Truth is about to make radio’s next hit.

With witty delivery, jazzy beats, and catchy flows, Truth knows how to construct a song that will stay on repeat in your head. Having released his first single in 2019, this artist is steadily on the rise, with stand-out singles like “Golden” and “Faith.” His 2019 debut Da Truth Hurts was followed up by Nothing But Da Truth.

Released on Dec. 17, the project features not just smooth tracks like “Down Tonight,” where Truth raps about being grateful for life but also more upbeat hitters like “Liberty” where he spits about his upbringing in Tampa and navigating the challenges he faces as a Black man in the U.S. Truth says he has some projects and performances in the works.

PRAISES DUE: Asaru possesses a natural stage presence uncommon for someone his age.

Vinny Virgo This Saturday, Vinny Virgo plays one of the most anticipated hip-hop shows of the year, and we’re

Asauru DJ Sandman is undoubtedly a gateway into the local rap scene, but even the godfather of Tampa hip-hop needs an assist sometimes. That’s what Sandman got from another emcee, Dynasty, when she hipped him to a gifted emcee still too young to get into a club show. Still, Asaru possessed a natural stage presence uncommon for someone his age. A true MC, Asaru writes from the heart and puts messages into all of his music. Sandman believes in Asaur’s head-nodding, melodic rhymes so much that he’s signed to the DJ’s Illsboro label, which just released a new album, All Praises Due.—RR Perception There’s something special happening at Ybor City’s Five 5 Studio (home to a 22 in ‘22 rapper Gat$, and Sam E Hues who arguably could’ve been on this list, too), and we’re willing to bet that Perception continued on page 41

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OTHER SELF: Pusha Preme is an enigma worth solving.

MARLO MILLER C/O GASPARILLA MUSIC FESTIVAL

continued from page 39 is a part of it. His peers say there might not be a harder worker in the studio, whether it’s his own project or someone else’s on the clock. With a tough, laser-cut sound that can marry new jack swing to east coast aesthetics (“Audio Suitcase,” “Balance”), Perception is poised to catch more ears in 2022 but also do his best to elevate everyone else around him at the same time.—RR They Hate Change When it comes to big news, no Bay area act had more to share than They Hate Change. After cutting their teeth in the DIY scene, Vonne and Dre eschewed traditional label deals to sign with indie stalwart Jagjaguwar, former home of Small Black, Bon Iver, Dinosaur Jr. plus dozens of others. The duo’s love for Chicago footwork, ambient music and pull-no-punches lyrics has been on

full display in a run of new singles, and They Hate Change is booked on a North American tour with Shame, plus L.A.’s This Ain’t No Picnic music festival along with The Strokes, Phoebe Bridgers, Kaytranada and more.—RR Tom G Can you even have a list of Tampa rappers without Tom G on it? In 2004, the Blake High grad put Hillsborough County on the map with a club anthem “City Boy Wit It” that would have 100% gone absolutely viral had it been released in the TikTok era. Timing was never an obstacle for Tom G, however, as evidenced by appearances opening the 2019 BET awards and a loyal following that’s picked up copies of his new book “Process & Purpose: Lesson Of An Underground Legend—RR

Queen of Ex Like Mike Mass, Queen of Ex doesn't have a lot of recorded material online, but has cemented her place in Tampa hip-hop history on the back of a fierce live show and dynamic lyricism that makes you feel bad for anyone who has to hit the stage after the Queen—often backed by drummer Roger Lanfranchi—is done with it. Born to a drummer/ guitarist father and music-loving mom, the Queen’s been delivering Black Thought, Wu-Tang and Lox-like rhymnes since the early-’90s when she first jumped into neighborhood cyphers.—RR

LOCAL MUSIC

Rahim Samad Like Tom G, Samad is a link to Tampa hip-hop scenes of the past. With roots in the punk scene (he was a regular at since-shuttered Brandon

record shop Sound Idea), Samad continues to turn heads with each thought-out release including his latest, Nubian Tapestries.—RR Albert J and Psych Montano As the months pass following the release of Albert J and Psych Montano’s collaborative, wavy Mansion Music release pass, the rapers—both as individual artists and a combined force—remain two of the most intriguing relative newcomers to the scene. With a new event series off the ground (Inpsychlopedia) and buku behind the scenes groundwork being laid for Tampa’s creative class, J and Montano should be on your radar this year.—RR Also check out Scxtt Aye, Sunny Fritz, KiddEazzyy, Louis Junior, Josiah Odin, Kayo Da Beast , Sam E. Hues, and K.III

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End of an era

After 20 years in Ybor City, The Orpheum is moving out.

By Justin Garcia

A

fter two decades in Ybor City, iconic Tampa venue The Orpheum announced on Jan. 4 that it is closing its doors later this year. The owners said that they are looking to move into a new space in the spring, but said that The Orpheum will no longer be a part of Ybor City.

“After 20 years and thousands of shows,The Orpheum will be bidding you all a fond farewell,” the owners wrote in a Facebook post announcing the closure.

The post did not provide any details on the new venue’s location opening date. There was also no closing date for Orpheum’s Ybor location at 1915 E 7th Ave. According to Orpheum’s website, shows are booked until May, then there’s a threemonth break before the venue hosts U.K. postpunk goth-rock band The Mission, The Chameleons and Theatre of Hate in September.

Orpheum owners have not responded to calls and texts from Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. This post will be updated when a response comes in. The only interesting city document attached to the property is a summertime inquiry from a rep from Trulieve who wanted to know if a dispensary would be appropriate in the location Orpheum currently occupies.

The 700-plus capacity venue’s spot has been

on Seventh Avenue since 2011 after it moved from its original location at the corner of 8th St. and Avenida Republica de Cuba.

Over the course of 20 years, Orpheum has hosted thousands of bands in both its venues, including The Killers who played a last-minute set there in November 2019.

When it moves out of the district, Ybor will be without a venue to accommodate shows too big for Crowbar (under 400 capacity) and too small for The Ritz (1,100 plus).

The show has also notably hosted the likes of SZA, Anderson Paak, Earl Sweatshirt, Against Me!, Neko Case and more.

In the post about the move, the owners expressed gratitude to the people who helped get the Orpheum to the place it is today.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity I was given when I bought the business that I had worked at for years,” Jerry Dufrain, coowner of Orpheum wrote.

“I’m grateful for my partner Dave, who has allowed me to build The Orpheum into what it is. I’m grateful for all the things that I’ve experienced and learned here.”

Rumors have swirled about the Orpheum’s new location, with many saying it’s moving close to Skipper’s Smokehouse in north Tampa, but nothing has been confirmed.

VENUE NEWS

“Ybor will be without a venue to accommodate shows too big for Crowbar and too small for The Ritz.”

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Judy Collins is off vacation and back on the road where she belongs.

By Ray Roa

S

ixty years removed from her major label debut, “We did a lot of walking, which was fabuthere’s not a lot Judy Collins hasn’t experi- lous, I didn’t ever walk much in Central Park enced—so it’s no surprise to hear that she’s got or by the river, but I sure have since then,” few qualms about living in the moment and touring she said. “My life is very much around, tourin Florida as omicron runs out of control. On the eve ing and rehearsing and writing and practicing of her show in Key West, the 82-year-old folk icon and getting in and out of town. I had a vacahad a simple observation about the climate down tion in a way that I haven’t had in years, years here: “It’s a fabulous day, the weather is great.” and years.”

She’s right. Since the Christmas holiday, Now, Collins said, “I’ve been vaccinated and Florida’s enjoyed the kind of weather that can boosted. I have a mask and wear it every place.” make you forget global warming and the swelCollins might play songs from Spellbound tering summers ahead. And just five days from in Clearwater, but the set definitely includes her appearance at Clearwater’s Capitol Theatre, Sondheim’s “Move On” and “Send In the Clowns.”

Collins—famous in part for Fans may also hear songs her activism and for covrecorded as part of her latering complex tunes like est release, Live at The Judy Collins Dylan’s “I Pity the Poor Town Hall, NYC, or stories from Collins’ new podcast Immigrant”—was also Saturday, Jan. 16, 8 p.m. $35-$49.

Bilheimer Capitol Theatre “Since You’ve Asked.” unphased by her Jan. 7 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater What the Cap will get, concert at The Villages, rutheckerdhall.com where four residents have without a doubt, is a full been arrested for voting more than once last year’s serving of the songwriter who’s been focused on presidential election (three of the them were reg- writing about her life since she started her first istered Republicans at the time of the election). journal at just 15 years old.

“Well, my presence, I hope, takes a message “If you are an artist, you have to keep doing that’s a better one for them. What do you think?,” it because that’s what keeps you alive,” Collins Collins told CL, before laughing and adding, “I explained, adding that at the end of the day, we was what they needed.” all wake up in the morning, face ourselves and Plus, how could you expect her to stay home then go to bed at night. “So whatever happens at this point? Over the course of the pandemic, in between, hopefully contributes to your welCollins completed Spellbound, a 13-track effort fare and the welfare of others.” due next month. It’s her 29th album and the For Collins, the trick is to just make sure first featuring material written exclusively by she absorbs as many of those moments as she Collins. As the world figured out what to do can. “Being in touch with the past and the presabout COVID, she wrote and recorded songs like ent and the future,” she said, “is really what my “City of Awakening,” a love letter to her home, life is all about.”

New York City, which she explored in new ways.

Read our full Q&A via cltampa.com/music.

INTERVIEW

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Friends and collaborators mourn loss of Tampa music scene staple.

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T

ampa Bay lost a community staple, musiOwen most recently worked as a fabricator cian, and friend when Owen Meats, 41, at LiveWork Studios and helped the Crab Devil died unexpectedly while on a family vaca- crew move the Fun-Lan Drive-In sign just days tion in South Carolina on Wednesday, Dec. 29. before his death.

Owen was born in Pittsburg, Kansas. He spent “It’s been a tough couple of years on this elementary and middle school days in Tampa planet, but Owen worked to make one little piece and was back in Kansas of it brighter for everyone for high school. After who was in it,” LiveWork’s earning an Associates Devon Brady said on a Degree in Culinary Arts social media post. “He from the Art Institute wasn’t our most skilled of Tampa, he worked at or our most experienced A Tribute To Owen Meats Bern’s Steak House and fabricator, but he held an Saturday, Jan. 15, 6 p.m. No cover.

Boca in Tampa. arguably more important Shuffle, 2612 N Tampa St., Tampa. @tampashuffle on Instagram Owen left the restaurole in our organization— rant industry to work in Owen was in charge of crew music: his true passion. Together with bandmate morale. When Owen was happy, everybody was Troy Cedeno founded and worked on Tampa’s happy. And Owen was happy a lot.”

Best of the Bay winning Tampa Short Circuit And that is the jist of Owen. He brought studio and Short Circuit South in Sarasota, smiles to all who knew him, and leaves behind where he helped many local bands like Poetry music that will go down in Tampa Bay history. ‘n Lotion and Florida Night Heat produce high“Working with us can be an adventure and quality albums. Besides producing, Meats lent Owen was an adventurer at heart. Our thoughts his guitar, bass, percussion, and vocal talents to are with Owen’s family, his many friends, and many local acts including Swampuss, Penetrod, the community that lost a rising star with still Ill Faded, Superfly TNT/Neckbone, Toast, so much potential. Take care. Cherish your loved Electric Geese, ones. Tell people and most recently what they mean to the Holy Terror. you. Owen did all of “I’ve known that,” Brady said.

Owen for over 20 Owen is suryears. He was vived by parents, one of my closest Mary W. Harris friends. He was and Stephen one of the first Meats (Ann), sispeople to believe ter Lael Winheim in not just me as (Joy), nephew Jude a drummer, but Arango, and his as an artist and Harris family, Tom songwriter,” Holy (Ursula), Stewart Terror’s John (Darline), Doug, Nowicki told Amanda, and seven Creative Loafing nieces and nephews.

Tampa Bay. “His He was preceded in influence and crideath by stepfather, tiques were vital to James T. Harris, Jr. my musicianship. and brother, John We understood Isaac Meats. each other as This weekmusicians, friends, SMILE: ‘When Owen was happy, everybody was end, more than a misanthropes, and happy. And Owen was happy a lot.’ dozen friends and human beings. He collaborators will was the world’s scariest-looking teddy bear, play music to honor their friend. The famwho could quote Nietzsche, blow your mind ily suggests donations to Recycled Tunes with some weird ass music he’d unearthed, (recycledtunesflorida.com) or the National and out-drink you by several miles, all within Independent Venue Foundation (nivf.org). a couple hours. A total gem of a human being. Persons may also donate gently used instruI will miss him dearly.” ments to the show at Shuffle.

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THU JANUARY 13–WED JANUARY 19

By Stephanie Powers C

CL Recommends

C The SteelDrivers Just because Chris Stapleton isn’t in The SteelDrivers anymore, doesn’t mean the Nashville bluegrass band isn’t worth your time. In fact, the quintet won its first Grammy award (Best Bluegrass Album) with the current lineup in 2015, five years after Stapleton left. See that talent for yourself when the band’s banjo, fiddle and mandolin playing comes to Capitol Theatre where it last played in 2019.

The downtown Clearwater venue recommends masks, but you know you should probably bust out that K-95 if you want to avoid omicron.

(Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater)

STAX

THU 13

FRI 14

Jethro Tull’s Martin Barre Band Jethro Tull’s longtime lead guitarist celebrates the 50th anniversary of the prog-rock’s classic album Aqualung with two Largo performances. Thankfully, the 75-year-old brings a full band with him because getting that complete Jethro Tull experience has to include a flautist. Barre has a year full of tour dates around the world so don’t forget your mask to protect this septuagenarian rock icon.

(Central Park Performing Arts Center, Largo) C The Mavericks Known for the hit “Dance the Night Away,” the Miami-born band has been rocking the Latin-country genre since acid-washed jeans were popular the first time around. Though there was a several-year break up, the Grammy award-winning band has recorded 12 studio albums including 2020’s En Español, its first Spanish-only album. The first track, “La Sitiera,” sounds handmade for a Quentin Taratino opening scene. Only fully vaxxed people have the option of not wearing a mask, but if you’re smart enough to be vaccinated you’re probably smart enough to rock a mask. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater) Winter Jam: Skillet w/Tauren Wells/KB/ Colton Dixon/I Am They/Shane Pruitt/ more Jesus takes the promoter wheel during Winter Jam 2022—aka a big ol’ Christian music festival. Though all of the bands have different styles—like nu-metal Skillet or popheavy R&B singer Tauren Wells—they all have the same Christian message. Tickets are not available in advance, just show up and $10 will get you in. The event also has faith that the big guy will protect you from COVID-19: “We would like to make Winter Jam available to all. Therefore, we will not be requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test results to attend Winter Jam 2022.” Tickets for the all-ages show are general admission, so if you want to be close to the stage, you might want to get there early.

(Amalie Arena, Tampa)

The Bar-Kays

SAT 15

C Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival: Bar-Kays w/Jane Eugene/Erica Campbell/Euge Groove Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival is a 10-day event promoting “diversity and cultural sensitivity” that includes a two-day music fest at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park. Soul-funk legends BarKays headline the party Saturday night, so you better wear dancing shoes. Songs like “Freakshow on the Dancefloor” and “Too Hot to Stop (Pt. 1)” are guaranteed booty poppers. Jane Eugene of British R&B act Loose Ends starts off the concert; I’m pretty sure Loose Ends’ 1985 song “Hanging on a String” could be released on a Blood Orange album without anyone knowing it was 37 years old.

On Sunday, singer Erica Campbell brings contemporary Gospel to downtown Tampa, and If you’re wondering what new gospel sounds like, “I Luh God” is definitely not your Grandma’s worship jam. Jazz from Euge Groove rounds out the weekend the best way possible: smooth and saxy. Free COVID-19 PCR testing will be available on site. (Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Tampa) C Chlorine Fields w/Corporate Guest/ Witch Hiatus This weekend's comeback show for indie-rock band The Grapes is postponed (COVID), but fans of yacht rock and chillwave will be happy to see the support bands soldier on without them. Electro act Chlorinefields joins jangle-pop band Witch Hiatus, along with Corporate Guest, which may or may not be another solo project from Nic Hamersly (aka Ortrotasce),

who'll be closing out the night. (Hooch and Hive, Tampa)—Ray Roa

SUN 16

C Allen Stone Stone’s retro, blue-eyed soul sound led him to open for the kings of the genre: Hall and Oates, but he’s the main act now after shows atThe Ritz and Capitol Theatre the last time he was in town. The 34-year-old headlines Tampa Bay’s most beautiful venue in what could be the perfect gig to start your Valentine’s Day celebration a month early. Stone—touring behind his latest album, Apart—asks that “all ticket holders must show proof of negative COVID test administered within 48 hours (home test results not accepted). Attendees may bypass these requirements with either physical or electronic proof of a vaccine shot and a government issued ID with matching name.”

Don’t go throwing shade at the venue either, it’s Stone’s call. (Tampa Theatre, Tampa) C Jeremy Gloff And Friends 1st Annual “Feed The World Together” Show Tampa's pop queen loves two things more than anything: making music and feeding people. As part of his work with Feeding Tampa Bay, he makes sure our most vulnerable neighbors are served with dignity, and this weekend he’s doing even more to put food on the table. Gloff, who’s released about two dozen albums during his career, tapped his FTB co-workers for a new video, for a song they co-wrote about social injustice and global unrest. (Crowbar, Ybor City)—RR

Keith Sweat Who can love you like Keith Sweat? Literally, “Nobody.” Sweat, 60, was part of R&B supergroup LSG, but is most famous for singles like “Twisted” from his 13 solo LPs. (Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa)

WED 19

C Baroness Hope you saved some of that holiday cash grandma gave you because it’ll cost you $60 bucks to experience an “intimate evening with” Savannah metal outfit Baroness, which is taking requests from ticketholders who can cast votes for songs after purchase. The top 10 requests get played, and you know one of them will be the shanty-esque “March to the Sea.” Crowbar, and many other venues, are seeing shows continuously cancel so do your part and please wear a mask. (Crowbar, Ybor City) Mood Lighting: DJ Cub Chris Preston, aka DJ Cub, is kickstarting a new Wednesday night residency, “Mood Lighting” featuring downtempo indie, alternative, R&B, and electro. Wild Nothing’s “Shallow Water,” The Internet’s “Girl,” The Cure’s “Boys Don’t Cry” and “Got It Good”

by Canadian producer Kaytranada are all songs you might hear while sipping on happy-hourall-night-long drinks. (Hooch and Hive, Tampa) Visit cltampa.com/music to see extended live music listings. Please do you part by wearing a mask and staying home if you're feeling sick. Check in with each of these venues to see about any COVID-related adjustments.

Bottom line: don't be an asshole.

cltampa.com | JANUARY 13 - 19, 2022 | 47

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Multinational crossover vocal quartet Il Divo’s is bringing its greatest hits tour to St. Petersburg’s Mahaffey Theater on Friday, Feb. 25. Tickets to see Il Divo are still available on TicketMaster, and start at $65.

The show, billed in June 2021 as the “For Once In My Life” tour, was supposed to celebrate Motown, as well as Il Divo’s greatest hits, but baritone Carlos Marín’s death from COVID-19 on Dec. 19 removed the Motown aspect.

Discord Theory w/Felicity/Television Supervision/Hollyglen Friday, Jan. 21. 8 p.m. $12. Crowbar, Ybor City Joslyn & The Sweet Compression Tuesday, Feb. 1. 8 p.m. Free. Floridian Social Club, St. Petersburg Kodak Black w/Hotboii + Friends Saturday, Feb. 5. 7 p.m. $75-$125. Ferg’s Sports Bar & Grill, St. Petersburg Public Serpents w/Run Rabbit Run/ Jonny Terror/The Antidonts Saturday, Feb. 12. 7 p.m. $13. Crowbar, Ybor City Flosstradamus Saturday, Feb. 19. 10 p.m. $20. The Ritz, Ybor City Loud Luxury Saturday, Feb. 26. 10 p.m.

Prices TBA. The Ritz, Ybor City Converge w/Full Of Hell/Uniform/Thou Tuesday, Mar. 15. 7 p.m. $25-$50. Orpheum, Ybor City

Covering for the late baritone (pictured above, second from right) will be MexicanAmerican baritone Steven LaBrie, and all three surviving members will remain present for the remainder of this year’s world tour. It has not been said if this will be Il Divo’s last time on the road, but with any luck, LaBrie’s powerful vocals will make it feel like Marín is still with them, and the new quartet may carry on. See more newly announced, canceled and postponed concerts below.—Josh Bradley

Bon Jovi Friday, April 15. 8 p.m. $15.75 & up. Amalie Arena, Tampa The Dead South w/The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band Wednesday, May 11. 7 p.m. $24.50. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg Miranda Lambert w/Little Big Town Friday, May 13. 7 p.m. Prices TBA. MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa Cancellations/reschedules Indie Night feat. Charles Irwin/Rohna/ Laverty/Taverns/Glaze at Crowbar, Jan. 14 Postponed Jimmy Webb at Central Park Performing Arts Center, Jan. 15 Canceled Mating Ritual w/Low Hum at Crowbar, Jan. 29 Canceled cleopatrick w/Dead Poet Society at Crowbar, Feb. 3 Canceled

cltampa.com | JANUARY 13 - 19, 2022 | 49

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Dear Oracle, my work life is starting to take up a lot of my psyche and affect my home life.

There has been some conflict at my job, mainly with my boss, and I don’t really feel like I have any support in the company. While my boss can lash out at me sometimes, it’s primarily subtle things, like a disagreement over processes that turns combative or snide comments that come out of nowhere and feel hostile. As a result, I end up ruminating on things that have gone wrong or upset me, and it’s starting to taint my home time. How can I set up better psychic boundaries and not have bad days live rent-free in my mind?—Bad Day Blues Cards: The Empress, Six of Cups, Four of Swords Dear BDB, I’ve worked a variety of jobs across a variety of sectors: I’ve been a waitress, a cook, a program coordinator, a bureaucratic pencil pusher, a professor, a teacher, a tutor, a topseller in both corporate and mom & pop retail, a nanny, a soothsayer, and also a writer.

In my own experience and listening to other people’s stories about toxic workplaces, a truth I have observed is this: incompetent bosses lash out when their own asses are on the line. Either the money is running out, the company is in trouble, their bosses are threatening them, or something is similar is going down.

The good news is that your boss’s behavior is not about you. The Four of Swords means that you need to remove your ego from this situation, which can be challenging to do. You are the one, after all, in the crossfire. But you have to take a step outside yourself and see that the situation is about your boss scrambling for some reason.

The Empress is a card of compassion, control, and a strong sense of self. She is not veiled in mystery like The High Priestess. She is what she is. In this situation, I think it serves you to remind yourself who you are. You’re (Insert full name), goddammit! You are not just some lackey for a boss to kick around. You have interests, abilities, and relationships outside this job. Tend to those. As you withdraw your ego from your work situation, put it towards your home life. What do you need to shed a bad day from your mind?

Is it a run? A three-page brain dump in a journal? Writing down a list of things you’re mad about and then setting it ablaze in a fire-safe container?

(Hella cathartic magick, highly recommend.)

Once the day is shed, how do you take care of your mind, body, and soul? The Six of Cups is a card of both childhood nostalgia and dreams. What’s an activity that makes you feel alive or meanders towards a dream? Maybe you dream of playing

the piano or designing a video game; after a bad day, what’s something you can do to nestle into that project? Draw for 30 minutes? Learn scales?

While you still may take home some bad days, if you can drop into an activity you love, one that makes you feel wholly like yourself, that can help. I’m sorry for this nonsense, and I hope you’re able to keep those bad days at bay.

But, if they do keep lashing out, start looking for a new job. The ship is probably sinking, and you don’t deserve to feel trapped below deck.

Dear Oracle, I’m starting to notice that a few of my old and dear friends are pretty judgmental. They may have always been this way, and I’m just noticing, or maybe it’s getting worse with age.

Whatever the case, it’s becoming kind of a drag to hang out with them. All they do is bitch about other people or things they don’t like. Any advice on how to navigate this?—Can’t we all just get along?

ORACLE OF YBOR

Cards: Six of Swords (reversed), The Devil, Seven of Pentacles Dear Get Along, we all go through transitions in our life, some that we notice and others that we don’t.

It’s quite possible that your friends have always been this judgmental—and that at one point, you, were too. The Six of Swords is a card of transitions and paired with the reflective Seven of Pentacles, you may have been the one that changed. There is an appreciation in the Seven of Pentacles of a job

well done, and you may have become more openminded or grateful of things as the years passed while your friends have stuck with that old Devil.

While The Devil isn’t necessarily a “bad card,” it can be a card of our base desires and negative feelings. Petty comments and meanspirited digs are certainly Devil energy, and that reverse of Six of Swords could mean that your friends got stuck there while you floated away.

I do think you’ll have to use a bit more of that Seven of Pentacles optimism when dealing with your friends. See if you can redirect the conversation to things they are doing that they enjoy or admire. Awe is an excellent antidote to cynicism, so talking about experiences or something that they love or moved them might help set the tone of the conversation and keep it buoyed.

It’s also worth noting that people can be judgmental or cynical when they are unhappy. Try to be compassionate towards your old friends and gently see if something is the matter. If there is, they might be feeling vulnerable and unsure where to turn. If you’re up for it, let them know that they can talk to you about what ails them and that you promise to listen without any judgment.

That old Devil is also a strong bond. So if these are old and dear friends, it’s worth it to work through these drags of conversations.

Who knows? Maybe they’ll drift towards openmindedness too.

Send your questions for the Oracle to oracle@ cltampa.com or DM @theyboracle on Instagram.

cltampa.com | JANUARY 13 - 19, 2022 | 51

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Hard for the money

By Dan Savage

I’m a gay man in his 40s. I very much love my husband but two years ago we acknowledged that our desire for each other sexually just wasn’t there anymore. Thanks in part to reading your column for many years, we were able to have a calm conversation about whether we wanted to remain together in a companionate marriage or split up. We decided to stay together, and I’m glad we did. Sex was the thing we fought about most, and our relationship improved when we took that conflict off the table. My husband has a couple of fuckbuddies that he sees while I do most of my playing online. (We had this conversation at the start of the pandemic and playing online feels safer.) One of things I’ve been able to explore in the last year is FinDom. I really get off on sending money that we can spare to younger, hotter guys and being degraded for my pains.

Thing is, almost all the guys doing FinDom are straight. It’s often a part of their persona they play up: they’re hot straight guys demanding cash tributes from “pathetic fags” that they would never touch in real life. As much as I like having my wallet drained by a hot young straight guy calling me a fag, I would so much rather give my money to a hot and dominant young gay man.

Why do so few gay young men get into this? Do young gay men realize how much money they’re leaving on the table? Could you please tell them?— Chances Are Some Hot FinDoms Are Gay

Why would a gay or bi male FinDom claim to be straight? Because, as AJ points out, it’s going to make him more appealing to a significant segment of the gay finsub community. “There are a lot of gay men who fetishize being bullied by straight men,” said AJ. “And a lot of gay subs enjoy the idea that they are tributing to someone who will never be attracted to them. Which I find kind of laughable because being gay doesn’t necessarily mean a guy has a chance with me.”

There’s also the issue of anti-gay slurs in FinDom play and how those slurs land.

“Slurs get used a lot in the FinDom/kink scenes,” said AJ, “and they really can sound and feel different depending on the sexuality of the speaker.” Meaning, for some gay men being called a fag by a straight guy in a safe, controlled, and consensual way—like during a cash draining session—feels more degrading (in a sexy way) than being called a fag by another fag ever could. “But other gay men prefer gay FinDoms because they don’t like hearing slurs from straight men,” said AJ. Zooming out for a second…

While it may be the case that a small handful of gay FinDoms pretend to be straight to attract gay subs, CASHFAG, I think something else is going on here. Namely, financial domination and other forms of online sex work have so lowered the “gay for pay” bar that the kind of straight man who wouldn’t have been able to profit off gay male lust 20 years ago— because he wouldn’t have sex with other men on camera for money—is now posting photos of his feet on Twitter, flipping off the camera, and ordering his gay followers to pay “fag tax” for the privilege of looking at him.

Just as straight gay-for-pay porn stars managed (and still manage) to get off doing gay porn, there are straight male FinDoms getting off on what they do. “I know I enjoy draining cash from men I find unattractive,” said AJ. “Being dominant turns me on even if I’m not into the person. So, there could be straight male FinDoms out there who get some sort of sexual satisfaction from draining gay men but are still straight.” And it’s easy to see why a straight male FinDom who got a little turned during an online draining session with a gay male sub might make a point of emphasizing his straightness—not just to rub his sub’s nose in it, CASHFAG, but to reassure himself.

Still, even though there are more straight FinDoms out there than gay ones, AJ’s bank account and spotlessly clean bathroom proves you don’t have to be a hot straight guy to be a successful FinDom. He’s always been very open about being gay, CASHFAG, and not only do gay male subs all over the world send him

“I don’t know why there aren’t more gay FinDoms out there,” said Master AJ, “but I’m certainly not the only one.”

AJ is 23-year-old sexually dominant gay man who lives, works, and drains gay subs all over the world from his home base in the Pacific Northwest.

He first stumbled over the the FinDom scene on Twitter when he was a kinky gay college student struggling to pay his rent. “I was working two jobs, and while I wasn’t desperate, I was thinking about money a lot,” said AJ. “So, the idea of being in control, which I was already really into, and dominating someone by demanding cash from him that he’d earned? It was a huge rush.”

Most male FinDoms go to such great lengths to emphasize how straight they are that AJ sometimes wonders. “There are no male Doms I’ve seen draining cisgender women,” said Master AJ. “So, if these guys really are straight, they would have to stumble on the gay FinDom scene or have the idea to start targeting a community they weren’t a part of in order to establish themselves.” And having seen how much pleasure so many straight-identified male FinDoms get out of dominating gay men, “it seems possible that at least some of these guys aren’t being completely truthful about their sexualities.”

JOE NEWTON

SAVAGE LOVE

cash, but local gay male subs clean his apartment and run errands for him.

“I’ve had a good experience with this,” said AJ, “it’s been both profitable and enjoyable and I’ve made great connections with so many people, including other gay Doms. I’ve always really liked talking to other gay men—whether they are submissive and into FinDom or not or just intrigued by my profile.”

And if you really want to attract other gay men like him to the FinDom scene, CASHFAG, AJ suggests making an effort to find out gay FinDoms who are already online, diligently promote their content with likes and retweets, and—of course—sending your favorite FinDom(s) all the money you can reasonably spare.

“Because when you think about it,” said AJ, “tributing to a gay FinDom is like supporting a small queer business, and that’s something we should all be doing.”

Follow @CashMasterAJ1 on Twitter.

Many years ago, as an apprentice cocksucker, I hooked up with a guy whose online profile indicated that he was uncut. I’m a Person of Foreskin myself, and I prefer uncut men, and his intact status was a selling point. Upon arrival, it was instantly clear that this gentleman had been circumcised. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.) Not only was his dick cut, it was cut highly, tightly, and very visibly.

When I asked him about the misinformation, he

got defensive. I think about this episode from time to time as I search for new and exciting cocks with which to do cock-related things. Every time I go in search of cock, without fail, I encounter men who claim to be uncut who are clearly cut. (I’ve enclosed a few pics sent by “uncut” men who do not, in fact, have foreskins!) The opposite has also happened: self-identified “cut” men who are unambiguously “whole.” But the latter is much rarer an occurrence than the shockingly common false-uncut self-reporters. Have the terms “uncut” and “cut” fallen from the lexicon? Are men that unfamiliar with their own anatomy? Is it a generational or regional thing? What’s going on?—Unexplained Nomenclature Confuses UsualTerminology I suppose it’s possible that a small number of men out there don’t know whether they’re circumcised. But I think the obvious explanation is the likelier one: these men are telling you—a prospective new sex partner—what they think you wanna hear. A cut guy will tell you he’s uncut (or vice-versa) because he’s concluded you prefer uncut dick (or vice-versa). Then he sends you a photo of his actual dick, essentially asking, “Who you gonna believe? Me or your lying eyes?” So, you’re being gaslit with dick pics, UNCUT. You’re being dicklit.

Contact questions@savagelove.net, follow @FakeDanSavage on Twitter and get columns, podcasts, books, merch, and more at savage.love.

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creative loafing puzzler YOU LIGHT UP MY FACE

by Merl Reagle ACROSS 1 Russians, e.g.

6 Juniper juice 9 ___ Crunch 13 Narrows 19 Closed a deal, perhaps 21 Melville tale 22 More island 23 Name for a cigar bar?

25 Preacher’s admonition 26 Conjuring prop 27 Root or Yale 28 Portent 30 Mind factor 31 Fertile Crescent land: abbr.

33 Cigar bar official?

38 Extinct New Zealand bird 41 He keeps on truckin’ 45 Therefore 46 How cigar bars list their cigars?

52 ___ drugs 53 Sgt., e.g.

54 Excited 55 Chaplin ending 57 Cigar historian’s nickname?

60 Take forcibly 63 Nation N of Havana 64 Scaleless fish 65 Vanishing sound 68 Son of Aphrodite 69 Laughingstock 70 Marty in Young Frankenstein 73 Name of the tobacco store next to the cigar bar?

77 Satiate 78 Capek play 79 68 Across backward 1

2

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80 Bingo-card center word 81 A Gershwin 83 Phrase seen on menus 84 Adjust slightly 86 Clique of cigar bar regulars from Florida?

91 Sheikhdom on a peninsula 93 Paper amount 96 Cancel 97 On ___ (doing great) 99 Purchase a Tiparillo?

104 Iranian money 105 Have ___ (check out) 106 Sash for Sato 107 Cigar bar emanation?

112 Some rtes.

114 RNs’ org.

115 Tim Conway’s twit 116 Evocative of the ’80s, for example 120 Bit of help 124 Coterie 127 Cohiba-loving actress?

131 That one, to Abner 132 Mathematician Turing 133 Scold 134 Some photo enlargements 135 Calendar abbr.

136 Family nickname 137 Slow, in music 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 5

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DOWN European duck Pinatubo output Yemen city Otello fellow “When” preceder Comic Mort Et ___ (and others) Cambodian capital, partly 6

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67 Worry 109 Simpson and 9 Corn center 70 Persian Gulf land Starr 10 Asian river, the 71 Solzhenitsyn 110 Killer whales ___ Darya topic 111 Case for Mulder 11 Writer Chaim and Scully 12 Words of denial 72 Get windy, perhaps 113 Sun block of a 13 Join the NFL, for 74 Fail tail? sort example 117 Runs out 14 Stopped hunger 75 Long 118 Actress Hatcher 15 Weasel sound? 76 Crude shelter 119 Bread choices 16 Fencing swords 77 Where Aïda debuted 121 Bath’s river 17 Pete’s 79 Hardship 122 Eye source for a replacement 82 Like Scorsese witch’s brew 18 Suppressed films, often 123 Bond classic 20 Sound feature 85 Case alternative, 125 Cigar-smoking 24 Relish beer-wise revolutionary 29 German donkey 87 School cafeteria 126 Allow (from which we buy 128 Opening get a word that 88 Mdse. stores on 129 Busy bug means “artist’s army bases 130 Course for stand”) 89 Thumbs-down immigrants: 32 Fire on from 90 Facile abbr. aircraft 92 Gillette razor 34 Prelude to star 94 Jai ___ or bucks 35 In the first place: 95 Salsa rating 98 Oahu keepsake abbr.

36 Palm Beach birds 100 Firefighter props 101 Pastiche 37 Serling and 102 It’s human Stewart PUZZLE FANS !

103 Goat antelopes 38 It means “wrongly” For info on Merl's (anagram of W.E. 39 The Jeffersons Sunday crossword ROSS) theme, “Movin’ 107 Cereus topics? anthologies, visit ___” www.sunday 108 Marriage, for 40 Org. co-founded crosswords.com. example

by Helen Keller 42 B. Davis and Blyth Solution to Pumping Irony 43 Apple varieties?

A L I B I A C E S C AMP T A P S 44 1965 hit, “Hang L ON E R L I V E E L L I E O L I O On, ___” L UCR E DR I P V E I N S K I E L T H E P R A C T I C EO F GO I NG T O 47 House bid T E E L A L A NN E CON A N 48 Dairy “worker” K I S S A B L E OR A OP E C ON A T U E A G Y M T OWO R K O U T 49 Concur P R E J A N S K A T Y I L L U S 50 Part of 61 Down A N D T H E NWA I T I N G I N S EGA 51 Actress Rene K E S E Y A RN A Z A S C E ND E R A D A K DUMA S H E RO 56 A piece of cake CR I ME L A B S E AMS GU A V A 58 Macaroni shape H E R S T H E P A R K I NG L O T F OR I A M S A U R O L O L A S I T E 59 It may leak A P A R K I NGS P A C E UMP R E N 61 Feminist cause of L I R A AGR SMA R T E S T A T E S T L A R A I N E Z OO the ’70s T H A T S C L OS E R T O T H E DOOR 62 Oprah’s role in L E V I Z E VON I N T O U BOA T The Color Purple A D E N A G E N T C O L A C A P R I S A S E ROS E S S E X E D S E L 66 “___ little girl!”

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