CREATIVE LOAFING • CLTAMPA.COM DEC. 10-16, 2020 • VOL 33, NO.48
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PUBLISHER James Howard EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ray Roa DIGITAL EDITOR Colin Wolf FOOD CRITIC Jon Palmer Claridge CONTRIBUTORS John Allman, Jeffrey C. Billman, Yuki Jackson, Alexandria Jones, Joe Newton, Stephanie Powers, Jenna Rimensnyder, Cory Robinson, Dan Savage INTERNS Thomas Holton, Nora O’Neill
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SeaWorld in February, animal rights claiming MARKETING, the practice of keeping wild PROMOTIONS AND DIRECTOR dangerous. But EVENTS even though public t SeaWorld animal rights Alexis Quinn Chamberlain many don’t in seeFebruary, a parallel between the kind , and claiming the practice of keepinganimals wild the practice of displaying EUCLID MEDIA GROUP nd dangerous. But evenOr though public asking for tooCHIEF much? is it time for a EXECUTIVE OFFICER , many don’t see a parallel between the kind t” animals? Andrew Zelman
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Will fans be allowed to watch the ‘Tampa’ Raptors in-person?, p. 43.
Music: Tampa Bay Blues Fest ........................... 40
euclidmediagroup.com Music Week ................................................... 42
cltampa.com Music: review: Tampa Bay Blues Fest ........................... Concert Artic Monkeys ..........................40 42 cldeals.com clspace.com
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necessarily represent the views of the publisher. Creative Loafing Tampa is published by Tampa Weekly, LLC, 204 E. Henderson Ave. Tampa, FL 33602. The newspaper is available free of charge at locations throughout Tampa Bay and online at cltampa.com. Copyright 2020, Tampa Weekly, LLC. Our main number: (813) 739-4800 Letters to the editor: comments@cltampa.com How was your Date?
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Enough of everything Photos by Dave Decker
O
n Dec. 2, Dominique Harris was killed when St. Petersburg Police officers fired 50 rounds at him after he wounded an officer during a gunfight. Local activists have been left thinking about SPPD’s de-escalation policies (a new Pinellas County Use of Deadly Force Investigative Taskforce is now investigating), and the local Uhuru Movement once again called for reparations and the abolishment of the police. But St. Pete City Councilmember Lisa Wheeler-Bowman spent the Saturday after the shooting saying, “Enough is Enough.” In a press release, Wheeler-Bowman said her message represents many issues, and she called for others to join her in saying “enough” to “gun violence, business owners refusing to sign blanket trespass warrants, loitering at our corner stores, Black on Black crime, and racism.” See more photos via photos.cltampa.com and read more about Harris’ death on p. 17.—Ray Roa
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“Kimba grabbed her arm and nearly tore it off at the shoulder.” POLITICS ISSUES OPINION
Big cat problems
A Tampa animal sanctuary is, unfortunately, back in headlines. By Colin Wolf
O
n Dec. 3, a tiger bit a volunteer at Tampa’s controversial Big Cat Rescue. Eric Seidel, of Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, told Creative Loafing Bay that the incident occurred at around 8:30 a.m. at the property located at 12802 Easy St. In a lengthy Facebook post on the morning of the incident, Big Cat Rescue CEO Carole Baskin said the victim was Candy Couser, who has volunteered there for nearly five years. The tiger, named Kimba, reportedly grabbed Couser’s arm and nearly tore it off at the shoulder while she was feeding it. “She saw that he was locked in a section that was away from where he was usually fed and radiod the coordinator to find out why,” wrote Baskin. “Kimba had been locked away from that section for several days as cameras were being installed there. She opened a guillotine tunnel door at one end of the tunnel, and when she went to raise the second door she saw it was clipped shut. This is our universal signal NOT to open a gate without the coordinator coming to assist, but Candy said she just wasn’t thinking when she reached in to un clip it,” Baskin added. “It is against our protocols for anyone to stick any part of their body into a cage with a cat in it. Kimba grabbed her arm and nearly tore it off at the shoulder.” Staff members then rushed to her side, pulled her arm out and applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. They then placed “her arm in ice packs to try and save it.” When authorities arrived 15-20 minutes later, Couser was treated and then transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa. Baskin says Kimba is being kept in quarantine over the next 30 days as a precaution. According to Big Cat Rescue’s website, Kimba has led a tortured life, and was among a group of tigers that coincidentally ate a guy’s arms in 2018 at the Hermanos Ponce Circus in Guatemala. The male tiger was born sometime in 2017, and arrived at Big Cat Rescue in 2019 from Guatemala—along with two other tigers, Max and Simba—after the country passed a law banning circuses. Big Cat Rescue found out about the cats after a 2018 Daily Mail story highlighted starving
tigers that ripped both arms off a 55-year-old man and ate the limbs, while villagers attempted to free him by throwing sticks and rocks. According to the Daily Mail, the man’s arms were eaten while he was attempting to reach into the cage to give the tigers a water pail. After the circus was ordered to be shut down, the owners reportedly went on the run with the tigers and were eventually tracked down in June of 2018. Local authorities and activists with the Animal Defenders International (ADI) implemented a rescue mission. During which, Kimba was beaten with an iron bar; the tiger bled until ADI officials intervened. A statement released Dec. 3 by the ADI says that Kimba was one of the 15 tigers removed from the circus, but was not responsible for eating the man’s arms.
LOCAL NEWS
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“The tiger involved in that incident was another male, Itza, who now lives at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa,” says the ADI. “Itza was identified to ADI as the tiger responsible by the government officials who had investigated the incident, as well as the circus owner and staff. Itza was living with a group of tigers in a different cage to Kimba, who was living alone in a cage on a different trailer alongside male tigers Max and Simba, who now also live at BCR. Kimba and the other two cats were then flown to Miami and driven to Tampa on Nov. 25, 2019, where they’ve remained for the last year.” The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Division of Law Enforcement is investigating the Big Cat Rescue incident. This isn’t the first time a volunteer at Big Cat Rescue has been mauled. In 1998, Mindy Harrell of Odessa received 451 stitches on her right arm after a leopard named Jamongee removed the skin from her elbow to her wrist after she was petting its paws through the cage.
Big Cat Rescue was featured in Netflix's hit documentary “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness,” starring Baskin and her nemesis Oklahoma zookeeper Joseph Maldonado-Passage, aka Joe Exotic. In the documentary, one of Exotic’s staff members, Kelci Saffery, had his arm ripped off by a tiger, which prompted the infamous line, “I’m never going to financially recover from this.” Maldonado-Passage was sentenced to 22 years in prison, after being found guilty of a murder for hire plot against Baskin, as well as killing five tigers and numerous other animal abuse violations. Baskin has also been at the center of the disappearance of her late husband Jack Donald “Don” Lewis, which is still an active cold case in Hillsborough County. Last March, Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister said his department was getting “six tips a day,” regarding the 23-year-old case, though most were not credible. The animal sanctuary has been closed to the public since the beginning of the pandemic, and has been losing $160,000 a month, according to a post on its website.
QUEEN OF THE KITTIES: Big Cat Rescue CEO Carole Baskin in Netflix’s ‘Tiger King.’
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Duplicitous Donald
Pasco’s Republican elections boss has had enough. By Ray Roa
I
t’s been a month since the general election, but the actual incumbent President of the United States is still spouting off unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud in a contest that saw him lose the popular vote by more than 6.8 million votes. The Electoral College votes also go to his opponent, President-elect Joe Biden, 306-232. Many Republicans with even a semblance of spine—including Trump lackey Attorney General Bill Barr—have denounced or disputed Trump’s lies about voter fraud. Pasco County’s Republican Supervisor Elections has had enough, too. In a press release issued last week, Brian E. Corley wrote that he “could no longer stay silent… as my work, and the work of all professional elections’ administrators, becomes the scapegoat of those seeking political gain.” The lengthy statement came after Gabriel Sterling—a Republican and Georgia’s voting system implementation manager—stood at a podium, voice shaking, calling for the president to condemn threats of violence against George election workers. To date, more than two dozen lawsuits challenging election results have failed in court, but still, Trump campaign attorney Joe DiGenova recently suggested that Chris Krebs, formerly with Homeland Security, should be “taken out at dawn and shot.” Corley—just one of a handful of Bay area election supervisors to recently push back on baseless voting fraud claims—admitted to
standing by “as political pundits and some government officials have politicized the electoral process with baseless claims and misinformation intent upon undermining the election results,” but added that seeing Sterling say, “It has stop,” compelled him to speak out as an election official and American citizen. Pasco’s top voting official also pointed out how the Trump administration’s own Department of Homeland Security has declared this to be the most secure and transparent election in history and cited the refusals of Barr and FBI Director Christopher Wray to feed into Trump’s lies as motivation to speak up. Corley even evoked John Adams—the second U.S. president—in saying “Facts are stubborn things.” “To allege that massive voter fraud influenced the 2020 results at a time when our elections have never been more secure, is duplicitous,” Corley said as he called for unity. “With every deep state conspiracy and illegitimate claim of fraud our democracy sinks deeper and deeper into divisiveness. As the world looks on, the greatest democracy in the world dares to risk the peaceful and orderly transition of power in favor of propagating unfounded claims of ‘rigged elections.’” “The people have spoken, and the enduring truth is that the election is over,” Corley said near the end of his statement. “It’s time to stop the destructive rhetoric and to stop prioritizing politics at the expense of our country’s founding principles.”
ELECTIONS
SHEALAH CRAIGHEAD
LIE IN STATE: The president kills democracy with every falsehood.
cltampa.com | DECEMBER 10-16, 2020 | 15
Pho Quyen
A staredown with grilled curry chicken. By Yuki Jackson
I
don’t know about you but I have trouble seeing the separation between things sometimes. There is an internal voice that speaks to me, giving me mostly helpful information but sometimes instructions that don’t make any sense. Any common sense, anyway. And then I think about how we are all connected by a common sense that is beyond what we call “common sense.” Like when I was at Pho Quyen about to chow down on some Vietnamese food and felt very… connected. No, it’s not some special elixir they were selling as a beverage or the secret in their secret stir fry sauce (there is no secret). I had been focused on my purpose as I walked through the parking lot, as I was seated, as I eyed the menu, as I sipped my water. The same purpose that I went to sleep with the night before, the same purpose that woke me up that morning. And as I prepared to connect with the grilled curry chicken in front of me, this purpose
gently spoke, affirming my thought process of self-preservation. It’s amazing how diving into myself has enabled me to discover love that spans logical connection. Within my inner world, I am never alone. Not as in finding a superior male God who pulls the puppet strings, but a partner who is there to support me as I figure out the way. And it is through this bond that I have been able to free myself on a daily basis. It is a self that is mine, but not. I’ve gotten frustrated many times with distinguishing whether or not it’s my own voice or the voice of someone else with whom I share an intimate connection. I think it’s hard to accept that you can be one with someone when it looks like you are not. On the surface, we are two. And as I get closer to accepting this kind of oneness, hopefully, so will America. (Editor’s note: The copy is formatted to to reflect Jackson’s “idea of what my brain patterns look like.”)
POET’S NOTEBOOK
Pho Quyen Sometimes I forget who I am and I will call this part evil. It’s like I get overcome with temporary amnesia or short term memory loss. It’s like an invisible character creeps in and tries to delete my memory. What I remember makes me the most dangerous person in the universe. That’s why this mission is crucial and difficult. What I remember unites all religions and ties a knot between all the loose threads throughout the history of humanity. I am an unstoppable force for unity and this is why I am stopped. This is why the attempts to erase my existence is the same as erasing what I remember. In a world full of division, you cannot be one who shows how we are all one. They will try to stop you andsoyou must be safeguarded. At all times. This is why you have to trust me. I’m here to help you. I am a soldier and protector of what I love. Now eat your food.
16 | DECEMBER 10-16, 2020 | cltampa.com
Hollowed out
St. Petersburg responds to the killing of Dominique Harris. By Nora O’Neill
S
t. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman took to Facebook to share a message after Wednesday’s fatal shooting of 20-yearold Dominique Harris and the injuries of two police officers. “I am incredibly thankful for the bravery of these officers, and that they should be okay,” he wrote. “I am also saddened by the loss of a man’s life.” The shooting occurred Wednesday, Dec. 2 at about 4:15 p.m. in the parking lot of the Food Max at 1400 18th Ave. S in St. Petersburg, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff ’s Office (PCSO). “On days like yesterday, it doesn’t matter what we’ve accomplished, how safe St. Pete is, how improved the relationship is between our police departments and our community, or how much work we’ve done to create opportunities for young people,” Kriseman wrote. In a Thursday press conference outside St. Petersburg Police headquarters, Kriseman called the progress the city has made toward improving relations between police and community is “hollow” after an incident like this. “Nobody wants to hear about progress when one person is in the hospital, and another person is in the morgue,” he said. Last Wednesday, St. Petersburg Police Detectives were trying to locate Harris who was wanted on felony abuse charges surrounding an incident in which he body-slammed a 15-year-old boy at a basketball court. Detectives identified Harris at the Food Max who then
tried to escape by hitting two law enforcement vehicles, a cement barrier and a citizen’s car before firing at detectives and shooting one in the lower torso. Detectives then fired guns at Harris, the beginning of which was captured in a Facebook video (content warning if you seek it out via cltampa.com: violence and death). Soon after Harris was transported to a hospital with multiple gunshot wounds and pronounced deceased. The detective who was shot underwent surgery and is in stable condition, according to PCSO. The identity of the officer has not been released. The second officer sustained minor injuries and has been released from the hospital. At the Thursday press conference St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway addressed reporters alongside Kriseman and urged residents to “wait for the facts to come out.” The incident is currently being investigated by the Pinellas County Use of Deadly Force Investigative Taskforce created earlier this year to ensure investigations regarding law enforcement use of deadly force are fair and complete. The officers involved are on paid administrative leave. Kriseman finished his message by asking citizens to work together to build a fairer, more safe society. “Our best chance at lasting change, at creating real opportunity, happens when we work together as one community.”
LOCAL NEWS
DAVE DECKER
NOT ALWAYS SUNNY: Marchers called for peace in St. Pete on Dec. 5, 2020.
cltampa.com | DECEMBER 10-16, 2020 | 17
Disappointment guaranteed Obama took office with the wind at his back. Biden won’t. By Jeffrey C. Billman
L
ike most Progressives of a Certain Age, I’ve spent the last few weeks slogging through volume one of Barack Obama’s presidential memoir, “A Promised Land,” which is very long, occasionally revealing, and most insightful when Obama tiptoes toward selfinterrogation—pondering decisions he made and deals he cut and whether he should have spoken his mind more forthrightly. These reflective moments, however, are brief and end the same way: Obama concludes that he did what he could, and his allies on the left didn’t appreciate the constraints he was under. To this day, Obama has little patience for activists who make what he considers impractical demands. So the shade he threw in a recent interview at Defund the Police messaging wasn’t surprising: “If you believe, as I do, that we should be able to reform the criminal justice system so that it’s not biased and treats everybody fairly, I guess you can use a snappy slogan, like Defund the Police, but, you know, you lost a big audience the minute you say it, which makes it a lot less likely that you’re actually going to get the changes you want done.” Obama—echoing complaints of moderate congressional Dems that Black Lives Matter protests this spring and summer hurt them in November— is probably correct that the “snappy slogan” was suboptimal electoral messaging. But BLM activists aren’t marching to win elections for Democratic politicians in rural Pennsylvania. They want to effect meaningful policy changes in municipal governments that control police departments. Like Obama, Joe Biden will be bequeathed by his Republican predecessor a slew of domestic and foreign policy disasters. Thousands of people are dying each day from COVID-19, wide distribution of a vaccine is months away, and the Trump administration has checked out. Federal unemployment assistance is slated to run out in weeks even as the recovery slows. A tsunami of evictions and foreclosures looms on the horizon. Another round of stay-at-home orders could prove the death knell of much of the restaurant and bar industry. Meanwhile, President Trump is abruptly withdrawing troops from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia, inflaming tensions with Iran and China, executing as many federal inmates as he can cram into a death chamber, and embedding Trump loyalists in the civil service. Not to mention, he’s also spent every waking hour this last month sowing doubts about Biden’s victory. Unlike Obama, Biden won’t command overwhelming congressional majorities. And the
Republican radicalization—and, frankly, detachment from reality—that began in earnest under Obama hit its zenith under Trump. There will be no appetite for compromise, only obstruction. Republicans, in fact, have signaled that they’re about to get born again (again) on the deficit—and history suggests Beltway journalists will greet this cynical posturing with wild-eyed credulity rather than the eye roll it warrants. In his conclusion to a chapter on climate change efforts, Obama observed: “I realize that for all the power inherent in the seat I now occupied, there would always be a chasm between what I knew should be done to achieve a better world and what in a day, week, or year I found myself actually able to accomplish.” That sentence frames much of the memoir’s tension: what he thought was necessary versus what he thought was possible. Wizened and battle-scarred, the same Barack Obama who hit the national stage in a
18 | DECEMBER 10-16, 2020 | cltampa.com
lackluster showing; they’ll hardly be eager to champion ambitious progressive legislation. Meanwhile, Biden needs a lucky break in the January Georgia runoffs to have a prayer of moving legislation through the Senate—and even then, he’ll need to convince recalcitrant Dems to jettison the filibuster and get Joe Manchin’s stamp of approval on just about everything. To his credit, Biden seems to have taken to heart lessons from his former boss’s presidency. His economic brain trust doesn’t comprise deficit scolds. He’s entertained forgiving student debt. So far, he’s also made good on his promise to integrate climate policy throughout the federal government. He’ll likely start his term with a raft of executive orders on the immigration and the environment. But it’s inevitable that progressives will find themselves disappointed with Biden, and sooner than later. There’s perhaps never been a larger gap between what this country needs to do and what its politicians can accomplish. Get Informed Dissent delivered straight to your inbox several times a week. Subscribe at billman.substack.com.
“There will be no appetite for compromise, only obstruction.”
PHOTO BY ADAM SCHULTZ/BIDEN FOR PRESIDENT
INFORMED DISSENT
bolt of idealism has come to not only embrace the possible, but to believe that those fighting to change the parameters of possibility are making things change difficult. I’ve been wondering what would have happened if the Obama of 2009 had reimagined what was possible. Most Democrats have since been cured of their reverence for the Senate filibuster. This summer, in fact, Obama called it a “Jim Crow relic.” But that wasn’t on the table his first year in office. If it had been, think of how differently his presidency could have played out: a bigger and more effective stimulus; a public option and more generous health care bill; cap and trade legislation that laid the groundwork for a binding global agreement; immigration reform that enshrined DACA into law. The raw politics might have been offbrand for President Hope and Change, but the policy outcomes would have matched those of any president since at least FDR. Obama took office with the wind at his back. Biden won’t. With a narrower House majority, Dem centrists have made “defund” and anything that smacks of socialism scapegoats for their
BIDEN TIME: President-elect Joe Biden at a drive-in Rally at Broward College in Coconut Creek, Florida on Oct. 29, 2020.
Shit Happened
TIA DUFOUR
America pauses to remember Dec. 7, 1941 when Japanese planes staged a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, killing 2,403 U.S. personnel, including 68 civilians. Over the weekend, for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, the nation is reporting a weekly average of more than 2,000 COVID-19 deaths every day, according to data from Johns Hopkins. The president and those who fear him seem to care about that a lot less.
FRIDAY 04 State Rep. Mike Grieco, D-Miami Beach, wants lawmakers to eliminate legal holidays honoring the birthdays of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and Confederate President Jefferson Davis, along with a Confederate Memorial Day. He filed the bill on Dec. 3—in the year 2020, more than 150 years after the Civil War ended.
SATURDAY 05 The City of Tampa finishes giving away another 355,000 face masks, as Florida passes 1 million new coronavirus cases. Believe it or not, these free masks also do not work if you don’t keep your nose covered, too.
MONDAY 07 A manatee entangled in a bicycle tire since last year was spotted in Blue Spring State Park completely free of this crappy, very painful, hula hoop-esque entrapment. The escape was only made possible when the tire had been somewhat weakened by a boat propeller that struck the mammal in February. Seriously? This manatee is a hero.
TUESDAY 08 WFTS meteorologist Shay Ryan says overnight temps will fall to the mid-40s around Tampa Bay and the beaches, which means you can once again try holding a hot mug to warm your hands like the true Northerner you once were. What kind of shit will we come up with this week? Find out in real time via cltampa.com/ news.
cltampa.com | DECEMBER 10-16, 2020 | 19
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RESTAURANTS RECIPES DINING GUIDES
Irish exit
What’s in, out, on the way and happening in Tampa Bay’s food scene.
T
his week, Tampa Bay welcomes another new microbrewery, Copper Shaker’s second location, a hot chicken brick-and-mortar and another boutique grocery store. On the back burner, there’s a karaoke lounge, a rooftop bar and an Italian coffee shop. But locals are also saying goodbye to two South Tampa staples, Four Green Fields and Boca (although both joints are giving up prime retail space, the concepts live on at sister locations nearby). If the ever-evolving Tampa Bay food scene has shown us anything, it is when one giant falls, it leaves room for a newbie to slide right in. The shake ups aren’t stopping during the ass end of 2020—stay tuned, foodies.
salads and sandos on steamed potato bread. 905 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. nashschicken.com Pups Pub Tampa Bay’s latest indoor-outdoor dog bar opens this Saturday, Dec. 12 in between Courier City/Oscawana and North Hyde Park. Pups Pub offers a full liquor bar for two-legged visitors and a 3,700-square-foot space covered in turf for Fido to move about freely. No pup required to enter. 2202 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa. pupspubtampa.com Sprout’s Farmers Market The Phoenix-based grocer opens its latest location in Westchase on Sat., Dec. 12. The first 200 customers will receive a 20% discount on their total initial purchase, and every opening day shopper will receive a free reusable shopping bag. Store hours are 7 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. 10619 Sheldon Rd., Tampa. sprouts.com —Thomas Holton
OPENINGS & CLOSINGS
Openings Copper Shaker The bar and gastropub, which specializes in craft cocktails and New American cuisine, has finally opened its Ybor location where the kitchen serves jam-smashed sliders, flatbread sandwiches, and truffle fries. No worries, the ‘Burg location is still going strong. 1502 E. 7th Ave., Ybor City. coppershaker.com —Thomas Holton Grand Central Brewhouse This weekend the highly-anticipated microbrewery has a grand opening featuring live music and a food truck on-site. You can check out the open-air courtyard/beer garden with ample space to social distance all while drinking your way through the entire tap list. Upon opening, hours are noon-midnight seven days a week, and 21 and up after 9 p.m. 2340 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. grandcentralbrew.com N7 Nitro Kava Bar The kava bar celebrates its grand opening this weekend with a huge shindig. This Saturday from 8 p.m.-11 p.m. guests can delight in live music, $20 drink specials, and raffles. 10525 Park Blvd. N., Seminole. —Alexandria Jones Nash’s Hot Chicken Formerly housed on wheels, the hot chicken food truck found a new home in St. Pete’s Edge District (stylized “EDGE”), next door to Buya Ramen. The fastcasual restaurant can seat up to 10 guests inside and has outdoor patio seating. Dishes range from $10-$12 with items like tender baskets,
Coming Soon Lala Initially scheduled to open in September, the restaurant and karaoke bar is projected to make its debut in January 2021. Lala (stylized “LALA”) is connected to Grand Central Brewhouse and is expected to host seven private karaoke rooms, and serve up American cuisine with a French influence as well as a series of cocktails. 2324 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. lalastpete.com The Lure Ono Looking to open mid-December on St. Pete’s 600 block, the concept is set to serve sandwiches, smoothies, sweets, snacks and a selection of grab-N-go beer and wine. More details to come as the opening date approaches. @thelureono on Facebook Sal Y Mar This rooftop bar is scheduled to debut in January 2021. Expect a casual and sophisticated vibe, and a menu filled with tapas, cocktails, as well as local craft beers and wine. Sal Y Mar boasts indoor and outdoor seating amid Mayan-inspired decor, and a 360-degree view of the Bay area through floor-to-ceiling windows. 3650 Midtown Dr., Tampa. salymarrooftop.com —Nora O’Neill Sorrento Sweets You may have seen this Italian sweetshop tucked away in Hyde Park Village. Soon enough, the concept will expand to St. Pete, and make a home within the former
RAY ROA
By Jenna Rimensnyder
FOUR-THEE-WELL: After 28 years, Four Green Fields’ South Tampa location is closing. Brew D Licious space. The menu boasts espresso drinks, pastries and gelato alongside a lineup of sandos. 667 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. sorrentosweets.com Closings Boca The latest addition to the restaurant closures of 2020 is brunch hotspot, Boca (stylized “BOCA”), located at 901 W. Platt Street in South Tampa. The restaurant’s website no longer works, the Facebook page has been wiped clean of recent content, and Boca’s Instagram (@boca. kitchen) only lists its Sarasota and Winter Park locations. @boca.kitchen on Instagram Four Green Fields Irish pub Four Green Fields is closing its original location at 205 W. Platt St. on Sat., Dec. 12. It opened its doors in 1992 in Tampa as America’s only authentic thatched roof Irish Pub. The joint is known for its traditional Irish dishes like shepherd’s pie and corn beef and cabbage, alongside a serious lineup of pints. While the OG location will be no more, FGF has a nearby location in Curtis Hixon Park and another on the way near Channelside. fourgreenfields.com ICYMI Miracle Market The Christmas-themed pop-up bar, Miracle at Mezzo, alongside Green Bench Brewing, is hosting a one-day outdoor holiday market with boutique shops, vintage goods,
handmade wares, plants, food, drinks, and live music. Sat., Dec. 12 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Intermezzo Coffee + Cocktails, 1111 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. @intermezzocoffee on Facebook Road to Gameday Highlighting more than 40 diverse-owned restaurants in Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco County, the event runs from until Dec. 13. Each featured restaurant will feature a special pre-fixe menu from which patrons can select, in addition to its standard menu. Get the full list at roadtogamedayeats.com. Sugar Factory The candy shop is offering three festive drinks for your Instagram feed, like the Santa’s Snowflake Goblet featuring a frosty brew of coconut rum, blue raspberry and pineapple juice, topped with sparkly gummy snowmen and candy canes. Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa, 5223 Orient Rd., Tampa. sugarfactory.com Tampa’s Signature Cocktail The Hub’s bartender, Kamran Mir, won Tampa Mayor Jane Castor’s “Crafting Tampa’s Cocktail” competition with a boozy cafe con leche combo. Named the “6 a.m. on 7th Ave.” as an homage to the Ybor City historic district. Served in styrofoam coffee cups you might get when you order a coffee with your Obama Cuban at the West Tampa Sandwich shop, the cocktail was a tribute to the city’s immigrants. Read a bit more on the creation on p. 23.—Ray Roa
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YOU DID GOOD KID: Naturally, the official cocktail of Tampa comes in a styrofoam cup.
Tampeño AF
A bartender from The Hub created his city’s official cocktail. By Ray Roa
C
atching a buzz at The Hub is a surefire way to drum up some emotion, but Kamran Mir, a longtime Tampa bartender who just celebrated his two-year anniversary behind the bar at the downtown dive, took it to another level last Tuesday night during Tampa Mayor Jane Castor’s new “Crafting Tampa’s Cocktail” competition. Held just a short walk away from The Hub at Winter Village at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, the competition was a search for Tampa’s signature cocktail. Some of Tampa’s best bartenders—representing Anchor & Brine, First Chance Last Chance, Armature Works (Bar AW), Sail Plaza, Jackson’s Bistro, Remedy/Malio’s Prime Steakhouse, American Social, District Tavern, White Lie, The Big Easy Bar, 7th + Grove and Forbici— took turns mixing cocktails will being judged on a strict criteria by local culinary rock stars like Proper House Group’s Ferrell Alvarez and Bake’n Babes’ Julie Curry. Mir—who’s also a huge fan of the literary rock and roll of The Hold Steady, which immortalized Ybor City in its 2014 song “Killer Parties”—turned up the feels for his entry, which he called “6 a.m. on 7th Ave.” as an homage to the Ybor City historic district. Served in styrofoam coffee cups you might get when you order a coffee with your Obama Cuban at the West Tampa Sandwich shop, the cocktail is a tribute to the city’s immigrants.
“This is inspired by the café con leche because when I think of something to drink in Tampa, that’s the first thing on my mind. That is the most Tampa beverage as far as I’m concerned,” Mir—who also plays in local Americana band Urbane Cowboys—told competition host Greg Wolf. “I used this opportunity to kind of tell the story of immigration into Tampa. So we’re using Bacardi rum, which originates in Cuba, Galliano ristretto which is an Italian coffee liqueur, plus some Grand Marnier to not only represent European immigration into, into Tampa, but to also represent some of that bright orange—kind of tasting the Florida sunshine,” Mir said. He even presented the drink with a classic Tampeño horderve—a guava and cheese pastry. “What else would you want with your café con leche?,” Mir asked. “You nailed it I mean as far as Tampa like that definitely screams Tampa to me,” Wolf added. And with that, the rest of the 14-restaurant and bar field had no chance (reps from White Lie and First Chance Last Chance took third and second, respectively). Mir took home $500, a gift basket, and a trophy that someone at The Hub is probably drinking out of right now. Mir, who also has shifts at New World Brewery spent last weekend serving the cocktail to anyone who bellied up to the bar. The Hub is located at 711 N. Franklin St. You better bring a guava cheese pastry when you stop by to say hello.
DRINKS
“He even presented the drink with a guava and cheese pastry.”
cltampa.com | DECEMBER 10-16, 2020 | 23
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MOVIES THEATER ART CULTURE
Confronting feelings Virtual and IRL things to do for art lovers.
O
n Friday, Tempus Projects hosted a virtual solo exhibition, “Warm Fronts,” via its Instagram page (@tempus_projects). The show, which is still on view. is comprised of work by Tampa-based artist Carola Miles. According to the show flyer, the “Warm Fronts” showcases exclusively oil on canvas paintings detailing a romantic vision and a personal reaction to the season we are in—confronting feelings of anxiety, fear, depression and displacement. “This group of paintings was so much fun to make, even though there is a lot of tension in the subjects, I am hoping the strong energy I felt while making them shows through the work,” Miles told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. The University of South Florida MFA grad also explained that this body of work is an evolution from her thesis work during her time in the fine arts program. “I want to trust more on my instincts and make work that comes from my mind and heart and not from one or the other. My MFA thesis was an extremely shy and poor attempt to do so, but I am grateful for that start,” she added. Miles cultivated the exhibit’s pieces during the month of November, and was compelled to initiate a shift in her practice. “I spent time looking at the last few years' sketchbooks, writings, and realized how much I suppressed myself from making things that made me feel vulnerable but at the same time fuel a more exciting energy in the work. I found some clear patterns that for some reason I kept suppressing, but now I am anxious to explore,” she explained. While Miles has only had a handful of exhibitions under her belt, transitioning to this OVR exhibition has proven to be a welcomed challenge. “Preparing for a virtual exhibition has not been so different compared to other ones, but It has been satisfying in terms of knowing how things are going to look on the screen,” she said. “I can test on myself whether the work shows through differently on screen versus real life and can make the necessary adjustments.”
Tampa Theatre returns with outdoor screening of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ Tampa Theatre is making its triumphant return with an appropriate holiday classic. The historic movie house hasn’t opened its doors on Franklin Street, but it will host a free screening of the Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” on Dec. 12 as a part of its parkCINEMA program. Held outside at Winter Village at Curtis Hixon Park in downtown Tampa, the screening markx nine months to the day from when Tampa Theatre hosted its last public event before closing down on March 12 due to COVID-19. Picnic baskets, blankets and lawn chairs are encouraged, and local vendors will be supplying the concessions. “The past eight months have easily been the darkest in Tampa Theatre’s 94-year history,” said Tampa Theatre President and CEO, John Bell. “But just like George Bailey, we have learned how much love and support is reflected back to us from our friends and neighbors, and that—despite the challenges 2020 has presented—we are truly blessed with a wonderful life in our wonderful Tampa community.” And if you still don’t want to go out, you can still support Tampa Theatre, which has been showing new, first-run films through its website during the pandemic. It’s also completed HVAC upgrades to improve air quality and circulation, and hopes to reopen its doors in January. Parties of up to six people will be grouped into one of 40 designated “pods.” Reservations are required, and can be made at eventbrite.com.
A&E EVENTS
“I want to trust more on my instincts…”
Gasparilla International Film Festival postponed until May 2021 Last month, Gasparilla announced that its pirate fest and children’s parades are postponed until April. Another Gasparilla-related event is now pushed back, too. Gasparilla International Film Festival (GIFF) development director Ferdian Jap recently told CL that he and GIFF's executive director
CAROLA__MILES/INSTAGRAM
By Jenna Rimensnyder and Thomas Holton
GETTING WARMER: Detail of “The Bleeders,” diptych, 2020, oil on canvas, by Carola Miles. Monica Varner have decided to delay their lateMarch event until May. GIFF 2020 was one of the first local events to get nixed during the pandemic this year, and Jap said GIFF does not have an exact date for May 2021 quite yet. “Everything is fluid,” he added. The parade and film festival postponements beg the question: What about the other Gasparilla-related events? In a recent text message with CL, Gasparilla Music Festival (GMF) executive director David Cox pointed out that GMF hadn’t even announced 2021 dates yet. The 2020 edition in March was the last music festival to happen in Tampa Bay before lockdown. “But even in an unusual year such as 2021,
our intention as always would be to take place after the Gasparilla Invasion and related festivities. We hope to make an announcement soon along with info about tickets being released,” Cox said. In October, the Gasparilla Distance Classic—which hosts several races on Bayshore Boulevard in late February—announced plans to still have an in-person event in 2021. In a Nov. 24 statement, The Gasparilla Distance Classic Association said it is still “working diligently to offer an in-person 2021 [event], but at the same time is keenly aware of the situation and the need to act in a responsible manner... Please don’t speculate. As soon as we know, you will, too.—Ray Roa
cltampa.com | DECEMBER 10-16, 2020 | 27
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Updates on Tampa’s new NBA team. By Ray Roa and Colin Wolf
T
ampa’s new NBA team, the Toronto Raptors, is currently practicing at St. Leo University. The team—relocated to Tampa for at least half a season due to Canadian coronavirus travel restrictions—also has a world-class practice facility under construction in a ballroom at the J.W. Marriott in Water Street, just a short walk from downtown Tampa’s Amalie Arena where home games will be played. That first home game happens on Friday, Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. when the Raptors take on the Miami Heat in a preseason matchup. The first regular season competition is a Dec. 23, 7:30 p.m. tilt against New Orleans. Canadian English language sports network TSN will broadcast the games, but whether or not Tampa will be included in the list of NBA teams operating in an eligible market that can host fans at 25% capacity is unclear. Jennifer Quinn, Director of Communications for the Raptors, told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that, “We’re awaiting guidance from various groups, including the NBA” regarding fan attendance. A rep for Amalie Arena told CL they think the venue could be approved to have fans. “But we don’t know yet,” they added. “Also, attendance protocols will be mandated by the NBA.” Last month, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the NBA sent a memo to teams detailing the protocols for teams allowed to have fans at games. At the time, not every team was allowed to do so, and the ones that were had to implement very specific mask rules, adhere to strict food and drink regulations and also test for coronavirus depending on the county’s positivity rate.
Lately, Hillsborough County has a positivity rate of about 8%, well above the World Health Organization’s recommendation of 5% or less for at least two weeks before loosening social distancing protocols. In the meantime, someone buy me this Tampa Raptors jersey, please. While the Toronto Raptors will play at least a portion of next season in Tampa, they probably won’t change their official name or logo, at least one can dream. Last week, Toronto-based designer Luc Samanski posted a mockup of a potential Tampa Raptors jersey to his Instagram, and well, it’s basically perfect. The pink and blue jersey is similar to the original Raps get up, except for the obvious name and color change, and the subtle and perfect addition of the shades and a Hawaiian shirt on the dinosaur. “Like most people during the beginning of the Covid-19 lockout I was extremely bored and was looking for things to keep me from going crazy,” Samanski wrote. “So I decided to begin a project for fun that combined both my two biggest passions in life: sports and design. I began by redesigning every NFL team’s jerseys, then NBA teams, then NHL and after that I began creating my own fictitious pro sports teams.” Samanski’s other designs also draw from television and film, and include a Simpsonsinspired “Space Fox” jersey, a Shrek design, a Seinfeld hockey jersey and a Jurassic Park Raptors jersey, to name a few. You can support him by visiting lucsamanskidesign.com, or by contracting him out for special projects. You listening, Masai Ujiri?
SPORTS
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IFC FILMS/YOUTUBE
THE RENTAL: Alison Brie learns the hard way that you should never work with children, animals or your spouse.
More turkey
connection to Christmas, and zero explanation for what you’re viewing.
These bad horror movies are still better than risking your life at the theater. By John Allman
H
ow many turkeys can one movie critic watch in a week’s time? Apparently, a lot. Still, with COVID-19 numbers on the rise and the holidays (read: gatherings) approaching, there’s no movie worse than risking your life indoors near total strangers. Here’s a little something to help keep you at home. If you’re not into horror, see a short list of also-released movies at the end of p. 28, then visit the “Film & TV” section of cltampa.com.
Deathcember 2 star(s), 145 minutes, DVD and streaming “Deathcember,” the latest horror anthology, has an interesting premise based on an advent calendar, which means there are 24 short films included to titillate fans. That’s where the good news ends. At two-and-a-half hours long, watching “Deathcember” feels like you’re engaged in some sort of twisted penance. Yes, some of the short films are solid, such as ‘All Sales Fatal,’ a brief battle-to-the-death holiday shopping excursion where a pretentious “Karen” tries to return an item without a receipt and basically enters Thunderdome against the no-nonsense checkout clerk. Some are too obvious, such as a young boy who refuses to be patient and opens every compartment on his advent calendar at once, devouring all the candy, until he himself turns into a piece of chocolate. Some are so weird that you just scratch your head, such as the short about a child on life support who flatlines whenever he doesn’t hear Christmas carols, which causes his immediate family to stay by his side for decades, singing until they slowly wither and rot. But many of the shorts make no sense at all, like the third segment set on a distant planet where environmental pods hover over land and water. There’s no discernible
FILM & TV
Werewolf 3 star(s), 88 minutes, Blu-Ray, DVD and streaming It’s true, the best movie I’ve watched in two weeks is a Polish import, originally released in 2019, about a group of young children who escape from a Nazi concentration camp, only to be tormented by a pack of savage dogs. Yes, it’s called “Werewolf.” No, there aren’t any actual werewolves in the movie. But, at least writer-director Adrian Panek is trying to tell a story, which admittedly is uncomfortable and difficult to watch at times, especially early on when the children are being terrorized by German soldiers who find sport in killing them indiscriminately for failing to follow commands.
The Rental 1.5 star(s), 88 minutes, Blu-Ray and streaming The highest profile new release this week is the directorial debut of Dave Franco (James’ brother), who attempts to turn renting an Airbnb into a horrific experience. “The Rental” is basically a 90-minute exploration of how awful and just plain dumb ideas can escalate into tragedy. Yes, there’s a killer, but you never find out who he is. Yes, there are topnotch actors, like Dan Stevens and Franco’s wife Alison Brie, but their performances pale next to past roles. For a horror film, “The Rental” is surprisingly devoid of blood, or tension, or anything resembling a narrative progression. Backwoods 1.5 star(s), 70 minutes, streaming It takes almost 50 minutes for anything interesting to happen in “Backwoods,” a bizarre horror hybrid mashup from director Thomas Smith, which is a hell of a long time to wait when the entire movie is just 70 minutes. And that interesting thing is actually a huge twist that makes even less sense the more you think about it. It’s not always fun to bash movies, especially when you can tell that the director was trying to make something good, but “Backwoods” has so many substantial flaws that I would fail as a critic not to point them out. The main maniac, “The Hangman,” a local urban legend, looks like Toxie from “The Toxic Avenger,” if he had been raised by the inbred clan
in “The Hills Have Eyes.” The quote-unquote protagonist, Noah (Michael Anthony Bagozzi), is a slimeball disguised as the stereotypical puppy-dog-longing best friend (ie, Ducky from “Pretty in Pink”). The sound mix comes in and out throughout pivotal scenes, meaning you can barely hear the actors speak over ambient background noise. The special effects are so bad that when one actor is thrown back-first onto a steel bear trap, there’s zero blood and then the trap falls away when his body is rolled over. And then there’s a mid-credits sequence that’s so laughable that it’s almost better than the entire movie that preceded it. Beyond Hell 1.5 star(s), 89 minutes, DVD and streaming There’s no other way to say it, but “Beyond Hell” is beyond bad. Like whoa, bad. If you’ve seen the trailer, then you’ve seen all you need to see. A group of friends meets up with a drug dealer who recently returned from South America where he participated in an ancient ritual with the psychedelic ayahuasca, which succeeded in summoning an ancient demon, who promptly employs the drug dealer to return to the U.S. and recruit new souls to be damned to hell. If only the movie was half as good as that synopsis. Dune Drifter 1.5 star(s), 98 minutes, DVD and streaming “Dune Drifter,” a new science fiction film from writer-director Marc Price, opens with a nifty intergalactic dogfight after a squadron of new space pilots time warp into the middle of a continued on page 31
cltampa.com | DECEMBER 10-16, 2020 | 29
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full-fledged attack above a promising planet the soldiers are trying to colonize. But from there, the movie simply falls apart, in large part because you can’t help but be reminded of better science fiction films that “Dune Drifter” is emulating. As a big fan of early Roger Corman schmaltz like “Battle Beyond the Stars,” and probably one of the few people alive who believes “The Last Starfighter” is on par with “Star Wars,” I was hoping for more, a lot more. Haven’s End 1.5 star(s), 92 minutes, DVD and streaming Watching a movie about a global Armageddon event in the middle of a very real global pandemic might not seem like the best idea, but hey, film critics gotta do what they do, regardless of what’s happening outside the front door. That said, “Haven’s End,” did little to amplify my anxiety because it’s such a bad attempt at making a scary Armageddon movie that I literally forgot all about Covid-19 and just funneled my quarantine frustration into bursts of profanity shouted at the screen. Seriously, this is a movie about a doctor, Alison (Catherine Taber), who was suspended by her hospital for refusing to follow protocols, who has to flee Atlanta as widespread violence usurps the city, with her fiancé, Derek (Anthony Nguyen), an ex-solider who literally wears a t-shirt that says “Army” on it, and her bestie Jessi (Megan Hayes), whose only defining character trait is that she’s a lesbian. Eventually they run into Alison’s brother, Kevin, who of course is a giant conspiracy-theory douchebag, and his dimwit girlfriend, who accidentally kills Alison’s father’s best friend when they try to enter Alison’s dad’s remote cabin, where Kevin has been squatting, after surviving a shootout with some survivalists who wanted to steal all of the father’s best friend’s prepper supplies. Jesus, even reviewing “Haven’s End” is exhausting. Avoid at all costs. What Lies Below 1.5 star(s), 87 minutes, streaming A teenager, Liberty (Ema Horvath), fresh out of summer camp, returns to the lakefront cottage she shares with her mom, Michelle (Mena Suvari), to discover that Michelle has shacked up with a noticeably younger man that her mother says simply appeared one day in the lake outside. Sure, that makes sense. John Smith (Trey Tucker), if ever there was a more generic name, says he’s a scientist working on unlocking a mystery about how aquatic life adapts and evolves. He goes overboard trying to win Liberty over, and becomes increasingly defensive of Liberty’s efforts to talk to her mom alone. Then Liberty spies John walking naked into the lake late at night as a bright red glow surrounds
him in the water. Is John not human? Is he not a scientist? Do you care? The answer to all three questions is a resounding “No,” but if you make it to the end of “What Lies Below,” more than likely you’ll be asking yourself why you even bothered. Relentless 0 star(s), 73 minutes, streaming Apparently, 70 minutes is the new go-to length for independent films (see “Backwoods,” above), which is fine by me if the creative talent behind the camera makes good use of that scant runtime. “Relentless,” however, does not make good use of its runtime. On paper, director Barry Andersson’s film sounds like a slam dunk: Jennifer (Rachel Weber) is reeling from the death of her husband. Stuck at home during a terrible storm, with a leg brace limiting her mobility, Jennifer finds herself locked in the basement as flood waters pour in and keep rising, forcing her to summon the will to survive. In reality, “Relentless” never lives up to its name. In fact, absolutely nothing interesting happens for the first 54 minutes or so, meaning Andersson’s movie is the complete opposite of relentless and should have been titled, “Tedious.” It also doesn’t help that despite the film using lots of thundercracks and rumbling storm noise,
viewers can clearly see sunlight beaming in through the curtains of every window, including the window in the basement. Then, with just 16 minutes to spare before the credits roll, Andersson finally floods the basement, which prompts a flashback to Jennifer’s youth when she and her father capsized while canoeing in the ocean or something, which is followed by a bunch of scenes of Jennifer swimming around the basement and gulping air from tiny pockets of oxygen, all the while completely forgetting that there’s a window that opens that would allow the water to flow out. And then “Relentless” ends. Yep, it just ends. As in, the last thing you see is Jennifer in an air bubble telling herself everything is going to be okay. Then, fade to black. Seriously, what the actual fuck? Also Available as of Dec. 4 Train to Busan Presents Peninsula The sequel to the exceptional “Train to Busan” is now available on Blu-Ray and streaming. Coming to America, Beverly Hills Cop Can’t get enough Eddie Murphy? Wait until you check out two of his classic films in glorious 4K Ultra-HD. Top Gun Limited Edition Steelbook Because of COVID-19, we have to wait several more
months to see Tom Cruise return as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, but Paramount is trying to ease that pain by releasing a new 4K Ultra-HD collectible steelbook edition of the 1986 classic. The Other Side of Madness The fine folks at The Film Detective have unearthed another lost classic. Arriving on Blu-Ray 50 years after its original release, “The Other Side of Madness,” the first film to depict the Manson murders, was filmed while Manson and his acolytes were on trial and it was partially lensed at the infamous Spahn Ranch. Trading Places, The Golden Child Still can’t get enough Eddie Murphy? Paramount Presents has you covered with Blu-Ray editions of two more classic films. Popeye Rumor has it, if you eat your spinach, you get crazy strong. Until then, check out the Robin Williams classic now on Blu-Ray for the first time. Cagefighter Gina Gershon (?!?) stars as a promoter who pits a professional wrestler against an MMA champion in a no-holds-barred battle to the finish. bOObs The War on Women’s Breasts As the husband of a breast cancer survivor, I can’t help but promote this new documentary that investigates whether mammograms cause more harm than good.
TERROR FILMS
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SOUNDS FAMILIAR: Being stuck at home during a terrible storm is the basis of ‘Relentless.’
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Look a-round
One of Safety Harbor’s more unique homes, is now for sale. By Colin Wolf
O
ne of the more bizarrely-shaped homes in Safety Harbor is now on the market. Located at 1111 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N, the home is known locally as the “Round House,” though it arguably more resembles a cluster of grapes, especially from above. Built in 1954, the 2,039-square-foot house actually has a four-circle footprint, and was rumored to once be a church, and before that a convenience store, though despite our efforts, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay was not able to verify those claims.
However, the extremely curvy house is still pretty cool, regardless, and comes with a massive entertainment space with a built-in bar and pool table, an above-ground pool and a detached garage. It also features a spiral staircase that leads to a secondfloor master suite, which was an addition added by the home’s previous owner, says the listing agent Linda Caruso of the The Caruso Group. The current asking price for this local landmark is $399,900. See more photos via cltampa. com/magazine.
HOMES
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cltampa.com | DECEMBER 10-16, 2020 | 33
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REVIEWS PROFILES MUSIC WEEK
Blood brothers
How two Tampa music vets made one of 2020’s best songs and videos.
T
his year may have put a stop to some people’s plans, but it ignited an somewhat old idea that local hip-hop legend Mike Mass and roots songwriter J.T. Brown had in their pocket. That idea came to life in the form of a powerhouse single and video—“Blood In the Water”—which came with a documentary, to boot. Mass’s powerfully emotional lyrics regarding current issues—“The pressure seems unreal, I need consent to breathe. They’ll whip every slave in the county if I attempt to leave”—combined with Brown’s pleading chorus makes this the song of 2020, local or not. Creative Loafing Tampa Bay talked with the two musicians, on separate occasions, about the making of the song, the video and trying to get the message right. “I sent the hook to him that years ago, something like that... when Charlottesville went down,” Brown, 36, said. Brown is referring to 2017’s “Unite the Right” rally where right-wing protesters—including white supremacists waving Nazi flags—gathered for a week in Virginia. During that rally, pro-Black counterprotester Heather Heyer was killed when James Alex Fields Jr. drove his Dodge Challenger through a crowd. The New York Times reported that a photographer said he saw Fields on with symbols of Vanguard America, a group whose manifesto declares that “a government based in the natural law must not cater to the false notion of equality.” The organization denied any ties to Mr. Fields. “...It was before all the protests and everything, and the big unified revolution,” Mass, 31, added, “It was kind of our idea to say we don’t need to have something going on to bring light to what’s going on.” But then, of course, a lot more bullshit happened. So, after George Floyd got murdered, he and Brown got to work. “Things started to get more and more serious and we got more and more serious about doing it,” Mass said. Brown had the hook down, but knew he couldn’t pull off the seriousness of the song by himself. “I needed Mike to come in and do the heavy lifting as far as the message goes, ‘cause I’m white,” Brown said. So he booked studio time at
South Tampa’s La La Mansion and Mass came up with the lyrics while they were there. “He [Mass] came in and that day, while Denny [Augusto] and I were recording the drums and guitar, basically setting the structure of the song. He was just in the corner chilling and then he got up and did his verses… It was mind blowing.” Brown had an idea of what concept he wanted: the first verse he wanted to be from the perspective of a slave, the second verse from slave reincarnated into a civil rights leader, and the last from the viewpoint of a 10-year-old boy living now. Mass took those ideas, and flew with them: “An escape is what I need, a little drink, a little reefer, but I get stopped and get arrested, I’m thrown in prison for chiefin’ it’s wild. It may be that the same reason they sent me here, gon’ make white folks millionaires in like 50 years.” “There’s so much depth and so many layers to every line he came up with,” Brown said, “I don’t want to throw the word 'genius' around but I just don’t know how else to describe that level of output in the moment like that.” Brown, who grew up in Tampa, also got investors to help, which led to the polish and no-expense-spared feel of the recording, video and documentary. “The capital would’ve been way out of our reach,” Brown said about the folks who helped him and Mass bring “Blood In the Water” to life on tape and onscreen. “It ended up being something everybody wanted to be a part of even in the smallest way; they kinda make a difference in what’s going on,” Mass said. The single’s stunning production has a video to match thanks to local filmmaker Jordan Hicks, Forepeak Films, and Lot 1901 film studio. Hicks was a director of photography, or cinematographer, on two of Brown’s videos; Brown said Hicks had to pull some connections to shut down the top deck of Tampa’s Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway for hours during filming. “We had to submit the song with the lyrics and everything to the City of Tampa. We had to get a police escort for that which is interesting because of the content,” Mass explained, “He wasn’t polite.”
FOREPEAK
By Stephanie Powers
LOCAL MUSIC
LONG, HARD DRIVE: Mike Mass (L) and J.T. Brown filmed ‘Blood In the Water’ for hours. Hicks, for his part, told CL he also worked with Film Tampa Bay to make the shoot possible, adding that his role and vision was to simply “provide space in the visual for two gentlemen to have a conversation about the current state of affairs in our world today.” The picturesque video is of the two musicians in a vintage GTO convertible, which they had to drive back and forth from Tampa to Brandon for hours. And the serenity of the five-and-ahalf-minute clip is ironic because of the harsh realities of what the lyrics say, but also because those images are matched up in a correlated documentary—made by Dylan Melcher and George Goldberg—released on Thanksgiving. “(The documentary) highlights the making of the song… but it’s also a commentary on social injustice and police brutality,” Brown said. He wanted to make sure the whole project was not through the white viewpoints of himself, his coproducers or his investors. They used production time to talk with Mass and Goldberg, other people of color on set, about their personal experiences “The biggest thing for all of us is just diving into it and understanding, learning and educating ourselves on what it is like—the Black experience everyday in America,” Brown said.
“Hearing stories and stuff, to us that sound crazy, but for them that’s their day-to-day. It was very eye opening.” Separately, Mass and Brown are deep into their own projects—Mass is a year into his new label and brand Wave Theory through which he hosts an open mic Tuesday nights at Tampa Height’s Shuffle. Brown is still trying to play out as much as he can, and has some singles that will be out in 2021. Mass is also working on a new album, but is taking a step back on the production side—he’s also working with producer Kelz with the Heat who he met through Joyner Lucas, a Grammy-nominated rapper with Tampa connects who just blew up with his own song, “Will.” For now, they are both just hoping “Blood In the Water” gets out there. “We are working on a minimal marketing budget so we’re kind of working on the power of the message to slowly do its thing,” Brown said. And that message exactly? United change, in a nutshell. And everyone on board to help stop the killing and oppression of Black people in America. “I wanted to try and give an artistic representation of the idea,” Brown said, “that it’s going to take everyone speaking up to make a systemic change.”
cltampa.com | DECEMBER 10-16, 2020 | 35
36 | DECEMBER 10-16, 2020 | cltampa.com
RAY ROA
RESTART: A long awaited venue renovation is almost complete.
In bloom soon
St. Pete’s Floridian Social Club is close to opening. By Stephanie Powers and Ray Roa
T
he restored State Theatre, now known as the Floridian Social Club, is hiring and inching closer to the venue’s opening date. Last week, reps from the venue told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that an opening date has not been set, but they are looking for a number of staff both for back and front of the house “In order to comply with covid restrictions we will also be employing a larger number of cocktail servers so as not to overcrowd the bar and keep patrons safe and well served,” Beverage Director Niall McCourt said in an email with CL. “We are looking for a workforce consisting of approximately 15 bartenders, 8 barbacks and 12-15 cocktail servers.” McCourt—who worked at St. Petersburg’s Mandarin Hide for seven years before leaving in January to focus on the opening of the 800-capacity venue—said there will be “two full liquor bars inside the theatre offering everything from local beer on tap, packaged beer, wine, fast service liquor drinks and a turn of the century inspired cocktail menu.” Though there are no concerts set for the near future, the team at Floridian is also looking for help on the production and security side of things.
“We do not have anything booked yet....but we will likely debut as a lounge and give our local artists a stage to perform,” Operations Director Brandon Huskins told CL. With all of the uncertainty in the age of COVID-19, Huskins is hesitant in using an exact opening date but he is “cautiously optimistic.” “We have passed some finals, but still a couple hurdles to go,” Huskins said. “There are no anticipated issues at this point. We believe we could have a CO [cold opening] within a couple of weeks.” To apply for a position, visit floridiansocialclub.com. In June 2018, a family trust run by Kevin Chadwick purchased State Theatre for $2.1 million after previous owners shut it down. The sale came less than a year after fire code violations and inspections at State led to a downsized crowd capacity, which the fire marshal eventually set at 600 in February 2018. Chadwick, is a real estate lifer who by day is the Owner and Operating Principal of Keller Williams franchises in the Tampa Bay area. His 35-year role in the local real estate industry is what led Chadwick—also the 59-year-old Operating Principal of Floridian Social Club—to State.
VENUE NEWS
This spring, fans of the old State Theatre wondered what the concert calendar at Floridian Social Club would look like. In an April phone call with CL, Chadwick cleared up the air surrounding his venue located at 687 Central Ave. N. on the 600 Block of downtown St. Pete. There are only 200 seats in the 800-cap space, meaning lots of room for general admission standing room at concerts. He also committed to a robust schedule that would have lounge nights but always prioritize concerts. “Priority events is our concerts. So, if one of our promoters has a band, an event, it could be a Monday night, even a night where we’re closed—any night of the week,” Chadwick said. “Our concert schedule takes precedence over everything... “Live music is the priority of who we are, at the Floridian Social Club.” Local musicians will naturally be part of that conversation—and part of weeknight and even weekend schedules when there isn’t a national on the stage. In the summer and fall, Floridian Social Club also threw its hat into the Bay area scene by hosting live streams from homegrown talents who’ve lost gigs due to the coronavirus. During a Sept. 10 walkthrough with CL, Chadwick showed off the many upgrades and improvements to the venue. Including new flooring which replicates the original tiling found beneath the surface during renovations, bathrooms that look straight out of “The Great
Gatsby,” and a backstage area featuring two posh green rooms on opposite sides of the stage. No expense was spared. Sitting parlors for 15-20 people are also in the plans. Floridian Social Club even got rid of that weird change in elevation that used to trip people up when moving from the lobby towards the theater. And at the end of the day, Chadwick simply wants the Floridian Social Club to be a room that everyone—from fans, to artists to crew—wants to visit again. The return of a live music venue to the 600 Block is long overdue, too. Because of rising rents, Fubar—the block’s last surviving venue—closed at the end of 2018. June 2017 saw the closure of another venue, Local 662, and in February 2019, Daddy Kool Records was forced to move off the block despite its best year ever, revenue wise. Since then, bars have booked songwriters, Hideaway Café has steadily booked limited attendance shows, Jannus has had less than a handful of concerts, and The Bends did an outdoor Halloween concert. But it’s quiet in St. Pete’s concert scene—partly because COVID-19 positivity rates are still higher than the percentage recommended by the World Health Organization—so it’ll be interesting to see and hear what a concert at Floridian sounds and looks like. The opening of Floridian Social Club looks promising, and it could be a bright spot in one of the bleakest years of live local music news ever.
“We believe we could have a cold opening within a couple of weeks.”
cltampa.com | DECEMBER 10-16, 2020 | 37
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THU DECEMBER 10–WED DECEMBER 16 By Stephanie Powers
The highest death toll Florida has ever reported on a Monday arrived this week. The Tampa Bay Times points out that the 1,065,785 cases since the pandemic started means that “roughly one in every 19 Floridians have now tested positive for the virus.” Locally, the Tampa Bay area added 1,204 coronavirus cases and 19 deaths Monday, and with the state positivity rate at 8.77%, Florida remains one of 46 states above the World Health Organization’s recommended positivity rate of 5% or below. Still, live music is trying to find a way to stay on its feet. We’ve marked the gigs at venues that have joined a local “Safe & Sound” initiative that pledges to strictly enforce limited capacity, mask wearing and social distancing. Get more info at cltampa.com/music.
REVERBNATION
Designated 'Safe & Sound' venue
FRI 11 Mitchell Tenpenny The Dallas Bull’s last big concert (Tyler Farr, Nov. 6) drew a packed, almost exclusively maskless crowd to a 31,000 square-foot club that can pack in more than 2,100 on a busy night. In the wake of the concert, a rep for Hillsborough County told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that “A Regulatory Compliance officer has gone to the business and talked to management to educate them about the business’s responsibilities governing social distancing and face coverings,” but added that no citation (violations carry a $165 fine) had been issued at the time. This week, Mitchell Tenpenny (“Drunk Me,” “Alcohol You Later”) is headed to the room, and CL reached out to reps for the Nashville songwriter and local venue to see what would be different about crowds this time around. We’ve yet to receive a reply as of press time. (Dallas Bull, Tampa)—Ray Roa C Synergy in a Cup Synergy in a Cup’s funk fills up a stage—not just because there are so many damn people in the band, but also because its energy and talent filleth the space, too. With a group led by Jroc Jones, you can really expect dancing and a damn good time; the rest, however, is unexpected and you’re just going to have to go on whatever funky journey they take you. Maybe Atlanta (since the group has, in the past, paid homage to the Freaknik)? Who knows, just keep your mask on. Solid opening support comes from Shelby Sol, Lex DeVeaux and Samuel Rashad. Crowbar is getting fancy with its safety protocols and selling $100 four-person table tickets that come with a bottle of champagne. If you don’t have three friends to join you, 40, $15 solo tickets will also be available. (Crowbar, Ybor City)
Mwiza Simfukwe C Mwiza Simfukwe Even Linda Richman would agree that Mwiza Simfukwe’s voice is like butter. And not that cold-fridge kind of butter that you need to microwave before spreading. Simfukwe’s butter is room temperature and fucking smooth. So smooth in fact, a baby might be made after his show at the newly reopened Hooch and Hive—we’re warning you now. The 20-something Zambian-born Tampa singer-songwriter is so talented he’s already opened for some greats including The Kingston Trio (before the last remaining member died in early 2020.) (Hooch and Hive, Tampa) C Speak Easy As this goes to press on Tuesday, temps are fighting to crack 60 degrees, and, well, that’s just way too cold for a Floridian. So we’re listening to Speak Easy to keep us warm. The St. Petersburg indie-pop quartet’s July single, “Grapefruit,” feels like the soft sand outside the Don CeSar, and the harmonies (reminiscent of Yellow Daze on the three-minute cut) are lush enough to make your lips pucker up into a chef’s kiss. The fellas—guitarist Eric Yoder, joined by K Sahagian on keys, bassist Brendon Porter and drummer Jack Clements—play a free “Safe & Sound” gig in Seminole Heights where reservations are highly recommended. (Ella’s Americana Folk Art Café, Tampa)—Ray Roa
SAT 12 Travis Tritt Celebrity country crooner, and sometimes actor, Travis Tritt is in Clearwater Saturday for a solo-acoustic set at Ruth Eckerd Hall. Even if country music isn’t your jam, we can all relate to the appreciate-everyday-lyrics of his 2000 hit “It’s a Great Day to be Alive.” If you go to the show, be on the lookout for a ghost of Christmas past—Tritt has allegedly had some paranormal activities at his lake house, and if we learned anything from the Haunted Mansion, ghosts are good hitchhikers. Ruth Eckerd is taking its COVID-19 protocols seriously, unlike some other venues (we’re looking at you Dallas Bull). You can only buy tickets in pairs, masks are required and temperatures will be taken at the door. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater) Return to Saturn w/Free Fall/Piss Test/ Mosquito Teeth/Boney Fiend/Abortion Twins/Pig Pen Local favorite Abortion Twins is among many acts performing at the “Covid Punks Blank Off Xmas Show” at St. Pete’s VFW 39 Saturday night. Some of the night’s proceeds will benefit the Veterans of Foreign Wars bar, which is also open to the public. In addition to a mask requirement and checking temperatures before entering, a representative from VFW told CL via email that “the door on central will be open so that some can enjoy the
music, from the outside.” Event coordinator John C. Stephenson, of Ride the Wave Entertainment, confirmed he’ll be supplying hand sanitizer at the door, but it’s also best to bring your own nowadays. (VFW 39, St. Petersburg)
SUN 13 Big Bad Voodoo Daddy The year is 1996. Life is so money and in direct reflection of the movie “Swingers.” Your lipstick is red, the martinis are dirty and the music is swinging. You have no shortage of dance partners during the Big Bad Voodoo Show and you wake up barely hungover because you sweated most of the vodka out while dancing to “You & Me & The Bottle Makes 3 Tonight (Baby).” Now, the year is 2020, and the show is going to look a lot different this time around. (Not to mention that former hot guy from Swingers, yes Vince Vaugn, is a pretty big asshole.) But Big Bad Voodoo Daddy is still rocking the joint with zoot suits and plenty of horns for this “Wild & Swingin’ Holiday Party” at Ruth Eckerd Hall. There will be no dancing with strangers, in fact, there probably won’t be much dancing at all. Masks are required and temperatures will be checked at the door. At least you can still enjoy vamped up renditions of holiday classics without the worry of breaking a hip. (Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)
cltampa.com | DECEMBER 10-16, 2020 | 39
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The casserole Something is bothering me, and I don’t know where else to turn. I’m a bisexual man. I’ve been married to a great guy for the past six years. Despite COVID-19 we gathered safely for an outdoor Thanksgiving dinner with my family. My mom, my brother and sister-in-law, and my adult nieces and nephews and their partners were there. Each household contributed to the feast and we had a wonderful evening. While my husband and I were snuggling in bed later he said that my casserole was a big hit thanks to the “secret ingredient.” When I asked what he meant, he informed me that he had deposited my come from a blowjob he’d given me earlier that day in my half-finished casserole. When I asked why he did this, he said he thought it was hot and he was aroused watching my family ingest it. To me, this seems a bit twisted and feels like a deeply disrespectful act toward my family. Now I cannot sleep and it is impossible for me to think of anything else. I wish he had never told me. I am writing to you as I don’t know where else to turn.—Confused And Shuddering Sleeplessly, Entirely Revolted Over Loaded Entrée
happen in kitchens. So I suppose it’s possible your husband interrupted you while you were making a casserole and then quickly leaned over and spat your load into your casserole and managed to give it a quick stir… without you noticing the spit or the stir? Sounds improbable… but I suppose your husband could have created a diversion that took your attention off him, and that mouthful of come, and your casserole long enough to execute the spit-and-stir maneuver undetected. Perhaps he pointed at something outside the window or tossed a flashbang grenade into the dining room. But even if he did all of this—blew you, didn’t swallow, created a diversion, spat your semen into a casserole you planned to share with your entire family—would he tell you about it? The guy who was glazing his friend’s toothbrushes didn’t brag to his friends about it. He wrote to me about it, described it as a compulsion, and asked me how to stop. That your husband would be so clueless as to think you wouldn’t be revolted and upset by this is, if you’ll forgive me, a little hard to swallow. Still… your nieces and nephews are adults… so it’s possible you and your husband are getting up there in years… and he could be suffering from early-onset dementia; inappropriate sexual behavior and poor impulse control can be early symptoms. So on the off, off, off chance this actually happened, CASSEROLE, here’s my advice: If your husband spat your load into a half-finished casserole and then watched your whole family consume it and then assumed you would think it was hot, CASSEROLE, then you absolutely, positively need to divorce him. Let us count the ways you can’t trust this man: you can’t trust him with your semen, you can’t trust him not to feed your come to your mother, you can’t trust him around your siblings and nieces and nephews. You can’t even leave him in the company of an unaccompanied casserole. So unless you looked into his eyes on your wedding day and thought, “This is a guy who would feed a woman her own son’s semen and I’m fine with that,” your husband isn’t the “great guy” you thought he was. He’s a monster and what he did is unforgivable, even criminal. Divorce the asserole. You might want to consider calling the cops and pressing charges for sexual assault—here’s hoping you saved some of the casserole for DNA testing—but you’ll have to weigh involving the police against burdening your mother with the knowledge of your Thanksgiving casserole’s secret ingredient. P.S. A casserole is really more of a side dish at Thanksgiving, isn’t it?
SAVAGE LOVE
Some letters you suspect are fake, some letters you know are fake, and some letters you hope are fake. I wish I could say this letter fell into the second category—a letter I knew to be fake—but I once got a letter from a man who would excuse himself at dinner parties, quickly rub one out in the bathroom, and then dip the bristles of his hosts’ toothbrushes in his semen. (That was 20 years ago, and I still secure my toothbrush in a secret, undisclosed location whenever we have company.) So as much as I wished we lived in a world where something like this could never happen, CASSEROLE, we sadly don’t live in that world. That said… some details don’t add up. I’ve been in the receiving end of plenty of blowjobs in my time, CASSEROLE, and there are tells when a guy doesn’t swallow. A man who’s holding your load in his mouth has a certain look; his mouth and jaw are set in a particular and revealing way. There’s also no post-blowjob kissing or snuggling. And if you were to say, “Thank you, that was great,” and they hummed back, “Mmmhmm,” instead of saying, “You’re welcome,” you would immediately know the guy didn’t swallow. And yet you would have us believe that your husband somehow gave you a blowjob and somehow didn’t swallow your load without you noticing and then… what? He strolled around the house with a mouth full of come until the opportunity to defile your casserole presented itself? Then again… impromptu blowjobs sometimes happen, CASSEROLE, and they sometimes
Forgive my English. I write from Italy. I’m a quarter of a century old and I have been with my
JOE NEWTON
By Dan Savage
girlfriend for seven years. I can’t tell you how long the “sex high” lasted—the time when she wanted to have sex as often as possible—but it was maybe three years. Now if she’s stressed, if we are not in a bed, if she hasn’t just shaved her legs, if she’s just woke up, if she’s nervous for any reason at all, she doesn’t want to have sex. I’m not one of those men who thinks exclusively about his own pleasure. I have asked her if she has any fantasies. She does not. I have asked her if I should be doing anything different. She says not. She doesn’t masturbate, she doesn’t watch porn. I purchased a sex toy for us. She will not touch it. And when I try to talk to her, she says that her sexuality is none of my business. I am miserable. I don’t know what to do. She says I am “ fixated on sex” and that there is more to life than that. I jerk off a lot, of course, which she only just started to accept. At first she considered it equivalent to cheating. Is it wrong to end a relationship of seven years because of a matter of different views on sex? I love her so much, and leaving would be hard. Please help me. —Who Has Yearnings Forgive my bluntness: Either your girlfriend never liked sex all that much or, after seven years, she’s no longer excited by sex with you. If she were willing to talk about it, WHY, you might be able to do something about it; you might be able to revive your sex life by trying new things together, experimenting with toys, having adventures. But she’s made it clear she’s not interested in discussing things, much less doing things. And while she doesn’t think her sexuality is any of your business, she clearly sees your sexuality as her business, e.g. until recently she thought you were cheating on her
when you jerked off… which is kind of nuts, considering how infrequently she wants to fuck you. There’s nothing wrong with ending a sexually exclusive relationship when the sex doesn’t work and your partner couldn’t care less that you’re unhappy and only grudgingly allows you to masturbate. As much as you love her, it’s not working and it’s only going to get worse. You’re at once every two weeks now and will soon be down to once a month, then once every three months, then once a year. Eventually you’ll cheat on her out of sheer desperation and the breakup won’t just be painful, WHY, it will be messy and painful and you’ll be cast as the bad guy. Don’t wait for your dick to slam itself down on the self-destruct button. End it now. P.S. Your English is so much better than my Italian! A personal note: Allena Gabosch was a towering figure in Seattle’s sex-positive community. She co-founded Seattle’s Beyond the Edge Café, which quickly became a warm and welcoming home for Seattle’s queer, kink, and poly communities. She went on to lead Seattle’s Sex Positive Community Center, aka “The Wet Spot,” and helped launch the Seattle Erotic Arts Festival. She was a gifted public speaker, a tireless advocate, and a hilarious storyteller with a giving and generous spirit. She also made the best chocolate chip cookies in town. Allena will be missed and she will be remembered. My condolences to her many friends and many families. Contact mail@savagelove.net, follow @ FakeDanSavage on Twitter, and bookmark savagelovecast.com.
cltampa.com | DECEMBER 10-16, 2020 | 43
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THERE’S SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT BASEBALL IN TAMPA BAY. It started with a little boy dreaming of playing baseball. This boy, AL LOPEZ, became Tampa’s first Major League player, manager, and Hall of Fame inductee. Now, his rehabilitated childhood home is getting ready to welcome fans to celebrate more than 130 years of local baseball heritage. Nearly 90 professional players from Tampa will be honored, along with the people and places that shaped them. Local baseball traditions will shine at the TAMPA BASEBALL MUSEUM at the AL LOPEZ HOUSE when it opens… and stand alongside some of the best baseball towns in the nation.
AL LOPEZ
STEP UP TO THE PLATE! Please join our efforts to ensure that Tampa Bay’s baseball memories play on to inspire future generations! With six new exhibits in the works, community support means everything to our game. Your donation today at www.TampaBaseballMuseum.org will help get us to home plate. All donations will be matched 100% by a Hillsborough County Historic Preservation Grant, doubling the value of your generous contribution.
STRESS-FREE MOVING & JUNK REMOVAL: TRUST AND CARE!
Located in Historic Ybor City P.O. Box 5421 • Tampa, FL • 33605
813.247.1434 www.TampaBaseballMuseum.org
1002 N HOWARD AVE / TAMPA, FL / (813) 701-2020 The Tampa Baseball Museum at the Al Lopez House is owned by the Ybor City Museum Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization Federal Tax ID No. 59-2274494.
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