JANUARY 15-21, 2026 (VOL.39, NO.03) • $FREE CREATIVE LOAFING - CLTAMPABAY.COM
PUBLISHER James Howard EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ray Roa
RORY DOYLE
Editorial MANAGING EDITOR Selene San Felice FOOD & DRINK CRITIC Kyla Fields FILM & TV CRITIC John W. Allman IN-HOUSE WITCH Caroline DeBruhl CONTRIBUTORS Josh Bradley, Stephanie Koithan, Annalise Mabe PHOTOGRAPHERS Chandler Michael Culotta, Dave Decker SPRING INTERNS Kailey Aiken, Jasmin Parrado, Laura Troyer (apply for summer and fall by emailing clips and a resume to rroa@cltampa.com) Creative Services CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jack Spatafora GRAPHIC DESIGNER Paul Pavlovich POLITICAL CARTOONIST Bob Whitmore ILLUSTRATORS Dan Perkins, Cory Robinson Advertising SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Anthony Carbone, Dan Winkler CLASSIFIEDS MANAGER Jerrica Schwartz Events and Marketing MARKETING, PROMOTIONS AND EVENTS DIRECTOR Leigh Wilson SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Lauren Caplinger MARKETING, PROMOTIONS AND EVENTS COORDINATOR Kristin Bowman
Alligator Records is well represented on this week’s live music offering. Southern Avenue comes to Tampa, p. 37.
Circulation CIRCULATION MANAGER Ted Modesta
chavagroup.com cltampabay.com cldeals.com EDITORIAL POLICY — Creative Loafing Tampa Bay 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 Events & Media, LLC, 633 N Franklin St., Suite 735. Tampa, Florida, 33602.
NEWS+VIEWS �������������������������������15 FOOD+DRINK ��������������������������������23 A+E �����������������������������������������������27 MUSIC WEEK ��������������������������������37
WEDU
Chava Communications Group FOUNDER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Michael Wagner CO-FOUNDER, CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Cassandra Yardeni Wagner CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Graham Jarrett VP OF OPERATIONS Hollie Mahadeo DIRECTOR OF AGENCY SERVICES Kelsey Molina ART DIRECTOR David Loyola DIGITAL OPERATIONS COORDINATOR Jaime Monzon
SAVAGE LOVE �������������������������������43
This is about people. This is about values.
‘Triumph’ returns to the big screen, p.15.
CROSSWORD ��������������������������������46
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Ice out
Photos by Dave Decker
A
coalition of activist groups, including The Tampa Immigrant Rights Committee, Tampa Bay Immigrant Solidarity Network, Students for a Democratic Society and El Pueblo Unido–Tampa Bay rallied outside Tampa City Hall last Thursday to protest the killing of Minneapolis resident Renee Nicole Good. She was fatally shot the day before by a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer. Media outlets have identified that agent as Jonathan Ross. Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was a U.S. citizen born in Colorado. She was an awardwinning poet who Minneapolis leaders say was acting as a legal observer of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities. The Trump administration has called her a “domestic terrorist.” More photos and updated coverage via cltampa.com/news.—Selene San Felice
6 | JANUARY 15-21, 2026 | cltampabay.com
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do this
Tampa Bay's best things to do from January 15 - 21
Cowabunga
Central Florida Comic Con: Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 17-18. Opens at 10 a.m. daily. $10 & up. RP Funding Center; 701 W Lime St., Lakeland. centralfloridacomiccon.com—Selene
San Felice
COURTESY OF NERD STREET CONS
Central Florida Comic Con brings a heavy dose of ‘90s and 2000s nostalgia to Lakeland this weekend. For its seventh year, the con features several voice actors from the original “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” cartoon, as well as voices from shows like “Digimon,” “Naruto,” and “Bleach.” Puppeteers Steve Whitmire (formerly Ernie in “Sesame Street,” Kermit the Frog and other Muppets) and Noel MacNeal (“Bear in the Big Blue House,” “Eureeka’s Castle”) will be there, though no word on their fuzzy former co-stars. The lineup also includes comic creators, authors and actors, including Lucas Grabeel, aka the gay guy in “High School Musical” (he’s straight IRL though). Serious cosplayers can shine in the two-day costume contest, which requires online pre-judging at least 75% of an entrant’s costume to be handmade or altered. A “Streets of Thunder” wrestling show happens Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Bless her horn
The theater scene can be stuffy, but this show is bound to make audiences feel right at home—considering it’s staged in living rooms and backyards around St. Pete. “The Pink Unicorn” is a one-woman show, which first opened Off-Broadway in 2019. And it’s now the first show put on by Story Keepers, a new, queer-focused, arts and events nonprofit in the Sunshine City. Samantha Martí-Parisi plays Trisha Lee, a Christian widow reckoning with her child coming out as genderqueer and starting a Gay-Straight Alliance at school and the ripples of impact in their tiny Texas town. The show is directed by Story Keepers co-programming chair and Tampa Bay Arts Passport head Avery Anderson. Performances span across two living rooms, two backyards, The Studio@620 and finally The Werk Gallery.
‘The Pink Unicorn’: Jan. 15Feb. 1. Select dates and times. $25-$55. storykeepers.org—Selene San Felice
C/O STORY KEEPERS
Inconceivable
Four independent theaters on both sides of the Bay have joined forces to pay tribute to Rob Reiner. The beloved filmmaker and his wife, Michele, were killed in their Los Angeles home on Dec. 14. The couple’s son, Nick Reiner, is charged with their murders. Green Light Cinema, The Beach Theatre, Tampa Theatre and Sun-Ray Cinema screen Reiner’s classic films this month, including several opportunities to weep through “The Princess Bride.” The series began last week with “When Harry Met Sally.” Screenings continue through Jan. 28 with “The Princess Bride” showing on both sides of the Bay, a “Spinal Tap” double feature with its sequel and “Misery.” Find this post on cltampa.com/arts for details.—Selene San Felice
ELLIOTT COWAND JR/SHUTTERSTOCK
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Additional listings on p. 32. See even more (and submit your event) @ cltampa.com
DOMINIQUE LABAUVIE C/O TEMPUS PROJECTS
C/O WEDU
Triumphant return
Last November at Tampa Theatre, surviving members of the group that staged the city’s 1960 Woolworth sit-in got a standing ovation. The audience had just watched the premiere of “Triumph” (stylized in all-caps) a WEDU documentary telling not just the stories of the students through their eyes, but of the theatrical production that brought the integral part of Tampa’s history to life. Filmmakers and members of the community (including director Danny Bruno) will once again head to the theater this month for an encore screening of the movie. A press release says the first 150 guests receive free popcorn and a soda. Read more on p. 15.
Film Tampa Bay Presents ‘Triumph’: Monday, Jan. 19. 3 p.m. No cover (ticket reservation required). Tampa Theatre, 711 N Franklin St., Tampa. tampatheatre.org—Ray Roa
CHANDLER CULOTTA
Viva la vulva
Roe v. Wade has been dead for three-and-a-half years, and abortion rights have gotten bleaker by the day. Activists with Pinellas NOW (National Organization for Women) commemorate the ruling’s anniversary and protest Florida’s six-week abortion ban and other laws attacking reproductive freedom throughout downtown St. Pete. There is no cover, but online registration is recommended.
CTRL+P
Ybor City arts nonprofit Tempus Projects has two new exhibits: one celebrating manmade handiwork and another questioning and challenging artificial intelligence. The first, “From All Sides of the Page at Once,” brings both traditional and experimental printmaking artists together to showcase various techniques. “Together, these works center printing as a practice of physical labor, repetition, reversal, and layered meaning—where process is as present as image,” per the show’s press release. The second show, “All I Ever Want Is Just to Fall Into Your Human Hands,” is a juried group exhibition with works inspired by or made with AI. “Whether speculative, humorous, or critical, this art questions AI’s influence, addresses its aesthetics, wrestles with ethics, and examines the impacts of machine intelligence on our inner lives and shared realities,” the show’s description reads. Both exhibitions run Jan. 15-March 19 with public opening receptions on Friday.
Tempus Projects opening receptions: Friday, Jan. 16. 7 p.m.-9 p.m. No cover. Tempus Projects, 1624 E 7th Ave., Ybor City. tempus-projects.com—
Selene San Felice
Reproductive Freedom Visibility Event: Thursday, Jan. 22. Noon-1 p.m. No cover. Select intersections, Downtown St. Petersburg. tinyurl.com/StPeteJan22—Selene San Felice
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Help keep local journalism alive this giving season.
F
or 36 years, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay has amplified the voices others overlook. Now we’re launching the Tampa Bay Journalism Project to strengthen independent, local reporting on issues that matter—housing, transportation, arts, food, and accountability. Your tax-deductible support helps fund non-paywalled journalism for our community. Help support Creative Loafing Tampa during this giving season. Donating is easy, visit bit.ly/anfCLTampa
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“It’s very moving for folks that believe in justice and dispense justice, regardless of political party or ideology.” POLITICS
ISSUES
OPINION
Stand up
Documentary about Tampa’s 1960 Woolworth sit-in screens again this week. By Ray Roa Davis, who spearheaded the fundraising effort to re-stage the play and develop the documentary (more than half-a-million dollars was collected). In front of a pre-screening crowd gathered outside downtown’s Wilson building last November, Davis, 68, said that he would take the play—and the story of the courageous teens who changed Tampa history—as far as he could. And indeed, he has. The New York Times came to Tampa to review the production, and members of the cast performed it in Washington, D.C. where the audience included Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. Roughly 10,000 students from across the Bay area also saw the play during morning matinees inside David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts’ Jaeb Theater.
FILM & TV
C/O WEDU
L
ast November at Tampa Theatre, surviving members of the group that staged the city’s 1960 Woolworth sit-in got a standing ovation. The audience had just watched the premiere of “Triumph” (stylized in all-caps) a WEDU documentary telling not just the stories of the student protestors through their eyes, but of the theatrical production that brought the integral part of Tampa’s history to life. Former state Sen. Arthenia Joyner, who at age 17 was one of the Middleton High students who took part in the sit-ins, addressed the audience in a post-film Q&A. Filmmakers and members of the community (including director Danny Bruno) will be back at the theater this month for an encore screening of the movie. There’s no cover—but an RSVP is required— for the Jan. 19 screening of “Triumph: Tampa’s Untold Chapter in the Civil Rights Movement” at Tampa Theatre. A press release says the first 150 guests receive free popcorn and a soda. WEDU will host another free screening on Thursday, Feb. 19 at Hillsborough Community College’s Ybor City campus, followed by a postscreening Black History Month panel. The movie is also now available to stream at home via PBS and on the PBS app. The play, “When the Righteous Triumph,” was written by former Creative Loafing Tampa Bay theater critic Mark E. Leib and commissioned by Stageworks Theatre in 2021. It premiered a year later. Last year’s Best of the Bay-winning revival of the work was made possible by a group led by former Congressman Jim Davis, grandson of NAACP attorney Cody Fowler who helped make Tampa’s action one of the first peaceful, non-violent protests of the sit-in movement. The strategy of coordination between protestors, faith leaders, elected officials, the media and merchants was dubbed the “Tampa technique.” Former Tampa Mayor Julian Lane, who presided over that coordination, went on to integrate pools, beaches, movie theaters—and lost re-election without regret. Bruno’s film features interviews with protest leader Clarence Fort and Sen. Joyner, along with family members of key figures in Tampa’s desegregation, including Shirley Lowrey, widow of NAACP leader, Reverend A. Leon Lowry; Julian Lane, III, grandson of Mayor Lane; and
Extending the life of “When The Righteous educational offerings are frequently in dispute Triumph” is something Davis discussed with this nationally, and regional arts venues are left reporter last March during an appearance on navigating shifting terrain.” “The Skinny,” a public affairs radio program on Asked if his cohort had to dance around that WMNF-Tampa 88.5-FM. “I think my grandfa- issue in reviving the work and continuing to ther and Rev. Lowry would be stunned to know bring it audiences, Davis argued that “When The that that message is unforRighteous Triumph” and the tunately timely again and story of Tampa’s Woolworth that, once again, we’re living sit-ins is foundational and in very tough times,” Davis blows through the politics. Film Tampa Bay Presents: said about the play’s message “This is about people. ‘Triumph’ to “do the right thing.” This is about values. This is Monday, Jan. 19. 3 p.m. No cover with He reminded the radio RSVP. Tampa Theatre, 711 N Franklin St., about what binds us together Tampa. tampatheatre.org audience that families back as Americans—not what we then, just like many today, look like, not how we worfaced death threats over their wish to truly ship, not how we love, not what party we belong desegregate the lunch counters. “It’s very mov- to,” Davis said, adding that the arts are speaking ing for folks that believe in justice and dispense to people in ways that elected officials cannot. justice, regardless of political party or ideolThis play inspires empathy. It touches peoogy,” Davis added. ple in the gut, in the heart. That’s why it’s so In its review, the New York Times noted that powerful,” he noted. “And that’s why it’s so the play, “arrives at a moment when arts and needed in these times.”
TAMPA TECHNIQUE: Protesters from Tampa’s sit-in, which was one of the most successful in the south.
cltampabay.com | JANUARY 15-21, 2026 | 15
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Nice place
RAY ROA
IN ITS PLACE: Forty years after its founding, Mise en Place has a new home.
Legendary Tampa restaurant opens new Ybor City location. By Ray Roa
I
t’s officially time to check out Mise en Place’s The space, Ferenc told CL, seats about 130 peonew, um, place. The Tampa restaurant, ple within the main dining room, bar and private founded 40 years ago on Platt Street, said dining area. Ferenc is also a dog person and said goodbye to its last address on Halloween and that patio and outdoor seating will eventually come. quietly reopened a much-anticipated Ybor City For now, Mise en Place is open Tuesdaylocation late last year. Saturday, with a cocktail hour from 4 p.m.-6 “We just didn’t really announce it, we just let p.m. Dinner service starts at 5 p.m., with the respeople find out,” Maryann Ferenc, who opened the taurant closing at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday Tampa staple with Chef Marty Blitz, told Creative and at 11 p.m. on Friday-Saturday. Loafing Tampa Bay. The “We’re hoping to get goal, she explained, was people to learn to dine to keep staff from being later in Tampa—if not in overwhelmed. Ybor City, then where?” “We were trying to she said. make sure that we could Thursday-Friday lunch Mise en Place put forth the best possiservice will be added in 1229 E 8th Ave., Ybor City miseonline.com ble Mise that we could,” February along with she said, adding that Saturday-Sunday brunch. there were some holiday parties and sold-out Blitz, she said, loves his new kitchen, which New Year’s events. is actually a third of the size of the one at Now it’s time for the rest of us to dig in. Mise’s last location on the block across from Mise en Place—now located on the ground University of Tampa. floor at Ybor City’s Casa Gomez block where “He actually said, ‘Well, this is more effithe trolley turns south towards Channelside— cient than my other one.’ And we’re like, ‘Wow, hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, OK, this couldn’t be better,’” Ferenc noted. Jan. 9. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor was there “We’re so lucky.” along with Gasworx developer and Casa Ybor Blitz is in a place where he’s doing exactly CEO Darryl Shaw. what he wants and even experimenting with
OPENINGS & CLOSINGS
the happy hour menu while still serving his and customers’ favorites. And soon, she added, Mise is “going to do a couple of other things right in our corner of the world, to try and activate the ground and street level even more.” Last summer, Ferenc told CL that being on the rooftop of Casa Gomez lets her feel the energy in the historic district. While the rooftop is not officially part of the Mise en Place, new footprint she did host a party up there on New Year’s Eve and said it felt amazing to show guests their new home and tell them what they are now a part of. “We said, ‘We are in the core of Ybor, but the port’s over there, Water Street’s over there, downtown is there, and the growth is happening here, here’s our neighborhood,” Ferenc told CL the day before the ribbon cutting. “To do it that way, to toast with the staff up there, it just was a great perspective to start the new year with.” St. Petersburg fish camp and raw bar Cheeky’s now offers lunch Cheeky’s is already a good reason to skip a trip to the beach, and now the St. Petersburg seafood spot wants you to ditch a pack lunch, too. Last week, Nate Siegel’s Best of the Baywinning fish and raw bar at 2823 Central Ave. announced plans to serve lunch Wednesday-Friday from noon-3 p.m. and noon-5 p.m. on weekends. Highlights on the Cheeky’s lunch menu include the fried oyster burger ($24), and award-winning twist on the surf ‘n turf that one critic said invoked
memories of Cape Cod. “The saline crunch of the oyster, the juicy meatiness of the smashburger, the breezy vibe—the fried oyster burger is a downright holy trinity,” former Creative Loafing Tampa Bay Editor-In-Chief David Warner added. The dinner menu won’t be available until 5 p.m. daily, but since this is Florida—and a meeting over frozen espresso martinis beats a coffee catchup anytime—Cheeky’s loaded bar offerings will all be at your service during lunch. Happy hour at Cheeky’s runs from 3 p.m.-6 p.m. daily. Soundtracked by hits from the ‘70s and ‘80s, Cheeky’s in St. Petersburg is now open at noon from Wednesday-Sunday. St. Pete’s only Krispy Kreme is being replaced by Chipotle Enjoy the glow of that “hot now” light while you can, St. Petersburg, because the only Krispy Kreme in town is closing soon. Located at 9100 4th St. S as part of a Village Inn, Taco Bell and Culver’s quadrumvirate, the shop will soon be replaced by a Chipotle “Chipotlane” drive-thru, according to St. Pete Rising which said construction should start in March. Somehow, the location was the only Krispy Kreme in Pinellas County, and one of just four in the Tampa Bay area alongside two shops in Tampa and one in Brandon. The Bay area’s first “Chipotlane” opened in 2022, because is there even a point to getting out of your car, and burning a few calories walking through a parking lot to retrieve a burrito bowl?
cltampabay.com | JANUARY 15-21, 2026 | 23
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WINTER 2026
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MOVIES
THEATER
ART
CULTURE
Ridin’ dirty
Meet the cyclists building Pinellas’ first mountain bike trail. By Selene San Felice
TRAVEL & LEISURE
“It was dirty, it was terrifying, it was jumpy, buggy…Did I mention terrifying?”
COURTESY OF PARKER MEFFORD
F
ootball players don’t have to build their own a rollercoaster if you get through it—made him stadiums. Swimmers don’t dig their own passionate enough to start his own team. pools. Hockey players don’t bring their own “As soon as I rode that, that’s when I fell in ice. But a group of Tampa Bay mountain bik- love with it and knew that mountain biking was ers proudly—literally—blazes their own trails. what I wanted to do,” Mefford told CL. SWAMP (the Southwest Association of At 14-years-old, he co-founded the Pinellas Mountain Bike Pedalers) wholly maintains Sharks Mountain Biking Team with his dad, a approximately 130 miles of trails in parks around former mountain bike racer, and two friends. the Tampa Bay area. For many local riders who Now, at 21, he coaches middle and high schoolenjoy them without getting their hands dirty, ers for the team, helping them chase that same there’s still one drawback: The Bay’s nearest fear-conquering feeling. mountain bike trails are all a one-to-two-hour “It takes a little bit to learn how every drive away from Tampa and kid responds to something, St. Petersburg’s downtowns. how to help a kid get over a But that’s about to fear of something,” Mefford change, as SWAMP volunsaid. “Seeing that kid’s face teers wrap up phase one of when they finally go down CroomFest Pinellas County’s first mounthat rock roll, or someWednesday-Monday, Feb. 4-9. $35 & up. tain bike system at Lake thing, is awesome.” Silver Lake Campgrounds, 31475 Silver Lake Seminole Park. After county If you’re reading this Blvd., Brooksville. croomfest.com approval, the project began and wondering why these with volunteers and their yard tools in spring 2024. riders can’t go to local bike trails like the Pinellas Aside from a shorter drive, SWAMP executive Trail, you’re thinking of road riding. Yes, both director Pat Sanchez is excited that it will be the involve bikes, but are completely different sports. area’s first trail built to International Mountain “You get your strength and endurance on a Biking Association (IMBA) standards with the road bike,” Sanchez explains. help of professionals at Natural TrailBuilders. “You sit on the seat constantly, but that per“It’s the holy bible, if you will, of mountain petual motion builds an incredible amount of biking,” Sanchez told Creative Loafing Tampa. endurance. You take that endurance and put it The system is planned to be about 10 miles in the dirt, and then you get focus and reaction. of off-road trails and a skills/training course You have to be really quick. It’s a complete cycle area, with adaptivefor human functioning to friendly routes for those have both of them vs. one riding recumbent bikes or the other. They both play and handcycles. a role. That’s why we (‘bike It’s also being built maniacs’) justify having with the next generation of more than one bike.” mountain bikers in mind. And not all local mounWith trails that meets tain bike trails are created National Interscholastic Cycling Association equal. Of Alafia River State Park, she warns: “You standards, Pinellas will be able to host youth have to be a really experienced rider to really enjoy mountain biking competitions, including cross- those trails without having heart failure. … I’m country and technical races. not really an adrenaline seeker. If you find me That’s huge for Parker Mefford, who, as a high on a black diamond trail, I got there by accident.” school mountain bike racer, endured hours in the Balm Boyette Scrub Preserve, a 46-minute car to practice on trails in outer Hillsborough, drive from downtown Tampa, is what she calls Hernando, Polk and Pasco counties. But the thrill “like a Disney World for everybody.” he got from beating the Gwazi Berm—a massive “There’s enough of what you like to ride, and wooden feature at Alafia River State Park that looks you’ll be satisfied after your ride. If you want endurlike you’re riding straight into a wall and feels like ance or black diamond skills, there’s plenty to do.”
WHEELIE COOL: The beginnings of the Lake Seminole Park’s mountain biking trails. For the leader of a mountain biking organization, Sanchez needed more than a little convincing when she started the sport nearly 15 years ago. Her first ride on a bike she thought was way too expensive ($600) included getting chased by a group of wild pigs. “The jury was pretty much out on how much I was going to like it,” she said. “It was dirty, it was terrifying, it was jumpy, buggy…Did I mention terrifying?” But on another ride through some switchbacks in Hillsborough County’s Wilderness Park, she ended up in a field of blooming wildflowers. “A little deer stuck his or her head out like, ‘Oh hi there!’ And I thought, maybe there is something to this.” Sanchez soon joined fellow “bike maniacs” (as she calls them) at SWAMP. She’s been a volunteer for the last 12 years and has served as executive director since 2018. “It probably is the most beneficial, healthiest, greatest decision I’ve made for myself in terms of life’s philosophies,” the 73-year-old said. “Everybody can be ahead of the game if they embrace an active sport.” The challenge, she says, with building the Lake Seminole trail is more complicated than the
dirty work. Natural TrailBuilders has advised the group that there are too many variables to set an accurate completion date. Phase one— family-friendly trails with a skills course—was supposed to be finished before the new year, but drought conditions pushed it back several months. For phases two and three, she said the biggest challenge ahead is funding, mostly to cover the costs of stabilizing material for the trails, boardwalk material for bridges and skid steer equipment rentals. Through donations and county and local grants, SWAMP raised about $100,000 to fund phase one. Sanchez estimates the rest of the project will cost at least $300,000, and could increase by more than $150,000 with adaptive additions. While applying for grants, she hopes some of that money will come in next month at CroomFest, a 35/50-mile off-road ride and outdoor festival in Brooksville that acts as SWAMP’s biggest fundraiser each year. “It takes the backing of an entire community, whether it’s sweat equity, muscles, or financial support,” Sanchez said. “People look and go, ‘Oh wow, that’s great. You should do this or that.’ Well, if you’re gonna say ‘you should,’ you should be the one to take that initiative.”
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IN CARAVAGGIO’S LIGHT BAROQUE MASTERPIECES FROM THE FONDAZIONE ROBERTO LONGHI
Organized by Fondazione di Studi di Storia dell’Arte Roberto Longhi and Civita Mostre e Musei.
ON VIEW THROUGH MARCH 22 Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, known as Caravaggio, Boy Bitten by a Lizard (detail), c. 1597, Oil on canvas, Fondazione di Studi di Storia dell’Arte Roberto Longhi, Florence, Italy
BAROQUE CONTINUUM
CARAVAGGIO AND THE CARAVAGGISTI OVER TIME
ON VIEW THROUGH MARCH 22 Reza Aramesh (Iranian, active London, b. 1970), Study of the Head as Cultural Artifacts (detail), 2003, Hand carved and polished Bianco Michelangelo marble, Courtesy of the Artist and Dastan Gallery, Private Collection.
CREATIVE FREEDOM
WOMEN AS DECORATIVE ARTS ENTREPRENEURS AND CONNOISSEURS, C. 1900-1940
ON VIEW THROUGH FEBRUARY 1 Reza Aramesh (Iranian, active London, b. 1970), Study of the Head as Cultural Artifacts (detail), 2003, Hand carved and polished Bianco Michelangelo marble, Courtesy of the Artist and Dastan Gallery, Private Collection.
THE QUESTION OF ABSTRACTION JANUARY 17 THROUGH JUNE 14
Norman Bluhm, American, 1921–1999, Untitled (detail), 1974, Oil and pastel on canvas, Gift of Elinor Gollay from the Benjamin Gollay Collection. ©Estate of Norman Bluhm, Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg.
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The unraveling
Clothing shops to help you beat back the harms of fast fashion. By Annalise Mabe reach from the Earth to Mars and back”) maybe we can come together and get a little creative in what exactly it is we are buying and from where. If you find yourself in my shoes (pun intended), wanting to explore the world of clothing rental and resale, look no further than our non-exhaustive list of homegrown heroes who’ve set up shop for clothing rental, upscale resale, and rare vintage finds right here in Tampa Bay: Valhalla Resale (@valhallatampa) Located right in the heart of Seminole Heights at 6112 N Central Ave., Valhalla Resale, owned and operated by Danielle Ferrari, is a one stop shop for fun vintage finds as well as gently used, high-quality women’s clothing items, shoes, bathing suits, bags, and accessories. Valhalla is the only resale shop in the country that offers a rental program for members where members receive professional styling, rent clothing items (some of which are exclusive to members only), hold onto them as long as they’d like, and return them when ready. Danielle does the laundry, and if membership isn’t what you’re looking for, she also sells all items to customers, and gives store credit to customers for clothes they bring in that pass inspection. First month membership rates are 50% off and $49 after that with the ability to pause when needed. For a closet that feels limitless without the guilt that may come with overconsumption, this option could be right for you.
TRAVEL & LEISURE
AMBER NICOLE PORTRAIT
I
f the algorithm has served you up a video of someone’s massive clothing haul, you probably already know that fast fashion is cheap, quick, and unfortunately, still trending. If yours hasn’t, consider yourself lucky, and know that the clips are typically made by influencers “unboxing” poorly made synthetic sets, trying to make you feel like you, too, need a brand new pile of clothes to wear once before donating to your nearest dropbin…where most don’t ever even see a sale floor. Where do all those “donated” clothes go, then? The National Institute of Standards and Technology says 85% of clothes donated that aren’t chosen for resale go straight to a landfill (or an incinerator). And then, they wash up on the shores in Ghana, or become literal mountains in the backyards of South American homes. See: National Geographic’s “clothes mountain,” in Chile, where unsold or unwanted clothing has been dumped (illegally) by global retailers. So much for good will. What some people think is a harmless indulgence in the season’s latest trends and a “donation” to the neighborhood organization is becoming an actual pipeline to environmental and human harm (oh, you didn’t know about the microplastics in textiles?) What’s more? Let’s consider the people who make these clothes. “Garment production is one of the few industries that still relies on human labor,” Danielle Ferrari, Best of the Bay-winning owner of Valhalla Resale says. “Machines aren’t making cheap Shein dresses; people are.” And when clothing is sold at incredibly low prices, Ferrari notes, that means that somewhere along the way someone is paying the price in likely poor, exploitative, or even forced conditions. But, this is not to shame the individual, especially the good-hearted folks washing their plastics for the recycling bin when they may see a garbage truck take it off anyway. No, this is a much larger problem, a global one, but one we can still have an impact on if we consider, together, how we interact with the supply and demand chains offering this garbage up. It is the season anyway—reflection, rebirth, resolutions. I offer to the good readers of Creative Loafing Tampa Bay a simple challenge: No “new” clothes for six months to a year. And do note the technicality because that’s where this gets fun. By all means, we should indulge in newto-us items. But when the fashion industry is on course to create 138 billion items of unworn clothes every year by 2050 (enough to “almost
“Machines aren’t making cheap Shein Labelswap dresses; people are.” (@labelswaptampa)
Located in South Tampa at 3143 W Kennedy Blvd., Labelswap (stylized all-lowercase) is your go to spot for upscale fashion resale with 4,000 square-feet of shop to explore. There, you can find current styles for both women and men, with hundreds of new pieces added daily. If you’re looking to sell your clothes, you can do that at Labelswap, too. What’s more, you’ve got the option to trade in your items, or sell them for cash if that’s what you’d prefer. Brands they love include Michael Kors, Lululemon, Madewell, Tory Burch, YSL, and more. Follow the shop to hear when their next Level Up sale will be—where over 75% of the store is 50%-95% off original pricing. Avalon Exchange (@avalonexchangetampa) Also located in South Tampa, Avalon Exchange at 2823 S MacDill Ave. is where people
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KIDS IN THE HALLA: Danielle Ferrari of Valhalla Resale. are invited to “come in and get lost”. Avalon is a family-owned-and-operated resale fashion store that’s been buying and selling “gently-loved” fashion from the community. Avalon takes pride in offering hot trends that also encourage sustainability, with options to buy, sell, and shop its online inventory. What started as a passion for vintage in 1970 has poured over into several shop fronts across states where people can find special pieces, new and old, that are just what they may be looking for. Valhalla’s Ferrari also adds that with all that’s been said, there are actually some glimmers of hope in the dark landscape of fashion right now.
“I’ve seen a rise in influencers openly promoting thrifting and secondhand fashion,” Ferrari says. “And France has also taken a meaningful step by banning fast fashion brands from advertising.” These shifts, Ferrari shares, even if seemingly small, suggest that public awareness is growing, and that people are beginning to question the true cost of cheap clothes. While on your No “New” Clothes journey, should you need to supplement via online outlets, consider broadening your scope to Rent the Runway, Poshmark, or Lucky Sweater. You may be surprised at what you find, and by how you feel knowing you can skip that pile of synthetics and invest in something better: high-quality, local finds curated just for you.
HANDEL
JAN 30-FEB 3 PASSION. POLITICS. POWER. Julius Cesar & Cleopatra’s origin story set to Handel’s baroque music. GENERAL DIRECTOR MARK SFORZINI
(727) 823-2040 • StPeteOpera.org EVENT SPONSORS Claudia McCorkle & BEAU
SEASON ARTISTIC SPONSORS Belinda Dumont Mr. & Mrs. Timothy Ranney SEASON PRODUCING SPONSORS Charlotte & Jim Edmiston Jo-Ann Hammack Gayle Bertelstein Family
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Out and about: More events happening in Tampa Bay. The events listed in our Do This section on pp. 10-11 aren’t the only things to do in town this weekend. Have a look at more events—like the Black Art Gala happening at Straz Center—going down the week of Jan. 15-22, and see even more by finding Creative Loafing Tampa Bay’s user-submitted events calendar at cltampa.com.—CL Staff Artist Talk and Opening Reception for “Sam Modder: May Your Life Be Easy Thursday, Jan. 15. 5 p.m.- 8 p.m. No cover. HCC Ybor City Performing Arts Building, Ybor City. hcfl.edu Winter 2026 Exhibition Opening Friday, Jan. 16. 6-9 p.m. $10-$12. Dunedin Fine Art Center, Dunedin. dfac.org Tig Notaro: Out of Nowhere Friday, Jan. 16. 7:30 p.m. $39.50-$69.50. Tampa Theatre, Tampa. tampatheatre.org Krampus Social Friday, Jan. 16. 6:30 p.m. No cover. German American Friendship Society of Pinellas Park, Pinellas Park. @ Krampus Verein Pinellas on Facebook.
11206 Sullivan St • Riverview, FL • 33578 donovansmeatery.com
Eggs & Kegs Brunch with Loko Cuisine Sunday, Jan. 18. 11 a.m. Cigar City Brewing, Tampa. $42. lokocuisine.com Meat Sunday/Tighty Whitey Wet Undie Contest Sunday, Jan. 18. 1 p.m. No cover. Mr D’s Men’s Emporium, Ybor City. @MR D’s Men’s Emporium on Facebook. Magnanimous IFPA Saturday Pinball Marathon Sunday, Jan. 18 1 p.m.-7 p.m. Magnanimous Brewing (Seminole Heights), Tampa. @magnanimousbrewing on Facebook. ‘Wild Radiance’ Launch Event with Maria Ingrande Mora Tuesday, Jan. 20 7-8 p.m. No cover (RSVP Requested). Tombolo Books, St. Petersburg. tombolobooks.com The Scarlet Letter Wednesdays-Sundays Jan. 21-Feb. 15 $28-$63. American Stage Theatre Company, St. Petersburg. americanstage.org
Wildflower Walk Saturday, Jan. 17. 1-2:30 p.m. $5. Boyd Hill Nature Preserve Visitor Center, St. Petersburg. stpeteparksrec.org
Oh My Cod Vegan Seafood Popup Thursday, Jan. 22. 4 p.m.-8 p.m. No cover. Common Dialect Beerworks, Tampa. ohmycodvegan.com
Backyard Seafood Boil Sunday, Jan. 18. 4 p.m.-6 p.m. $35. Cheeky’s Fish & Raw Bar, St. Petersburg
Jun Kaneko: Silence Before Sound Running through Aug. 23. $5 & up. Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa. tampamuseum.org
Black Art Gala Sunday, Jan. 18. 6 p.m. $42. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa. blackartgalafoundation.org
Abstract Corpulence Running through March 29. $0-$20. Sarasota Art Museum. sarasotaartmuseum.org
Voted Best Safety Harbor restaurant
ROB.HARRIS PRODUCTIONS
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MEET US AT THE
Discover the world of Salvador Dalí—where imagination ignites.
TheDali.org cltampabay.com | JANUARY 15-21, 2026 | 33
Thursday, January 15, 2026 • 5:30 PM - 9:00 PM LiveWELL - Mind, Body, & Soul @ The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts
Sunday, January 18, 2026, 11:00 AM Chicken Yoga with Yoga Loft @ Hotel Haya
bit.ly/UnderstandingCinematography
bit.ly/ChickenYogaJan
1630 E 7th Avenue Tickets - $81.88
1412 East 7th Ave. Tickets - $15.74
Saturday, January 17, 2026 • 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM Damoli Wine Dinner and Tasting with Winemaker Lara Damoli @ Chateau Cellars
Tuesday, January 20, 2026, 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM Sabor de La Paz IV @ Soul de Cuba Cafe
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/bit.ly/SaborDeLaPazIV
2009 North 22nd Street Tickets - $145.37
6428 North Florida Ave Tickets from $36.51
Saturday, January 17, 2026 • 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM LUX Legacy 6 Year Anniversary Show | LUX POLE CABARET @ The Castle
Sunday, January 25, 2026, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Elevated Wine Society @ Ybor City Society Wine Bar
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bit.ly/ElevatedWineYbor
2004 North 16th Street Tickets From $30.66
Saturday, January 17, 2026 • 10:00 PM - 3:00 AM MLK WEEKEND “ALL BLACK PARTY” @ 7th + Grove 2004 North 16th Street Tickets From $12.51
1600 East 7th Ave Tickets - $59.34
Sunday, January 25, 2026, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Film Photography Class @ Florida Museum of Photographic Arts
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1630 East 7th Ave Tickets - $81.88
Saturday, January 17, 2026 • 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM New Year Glow-Up with Skynn Medical Aesthetics @ Hotel Haya
Thursday, January 29, 2026, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Friends of Flor Fina Dinner @ Hotel Haya
1412 East 7th Ave. Tickets - $70.81
bit.ly/SkynnGlowUp
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bit.ly/FilmPhotographyYbor
1412 East 7th Ave. Tickets - $100
bit.ly/FriendsFlorFina
Try Out These Restaurants:
Places To Visit:
Soul de Cuba Cafe
6428 North Florida Ave
souldecuba.com Kaia Bowls Ybor 1208 E 7th Ave,
kaiabowls.com/ybor-city Papi’s Tampa - OPENING SOON 1708 E 7th Ave
papistampa.com
Where to Live: Casa Ybor • casaybor.com
Ybor City Tattoo Company 1901 E 5th Avenue, Tampa
Ybor City Tattoo is a full-service tattoo and piercing studio located in Ybor City since 2010.
yborcitytattoocompany.com Ybor City Sirens LLC
Everything from cosplay, pole dancers, acrobats, roller babes and much much more!
bit.ly/YborCitySirens
Pop Yarn 1624 E. 7th Ave, STE 243, Tampa Tampa’s local yarn shop for classes, sustainability & more!
popyarnllc.com
Casa Ybor offers unique retail spaces, office spaces, and apartment homes for rent or lease in both newly constructed and lovingly restored historic buildings throughout the vibrant National Historic Landmark District of Ybor City near Downtown Tampa, Florida.
La Union • bit.ly/LaUnionYbor
Community, connection, and culture come together at La Unión Apartments, where Tampa’s rich history and vibrant future unite. Inspired by the historic social hall once on this site, our Ybor City apartments honor that legacy by fostering bonds among residents, the neighborhood, and the area’s deep-rooted heritage.
Miles at Ybor • milesatybor.com
Step into the pulse of Tampa’s most vibrant neighborhood at Miles at Ybor, where modern luxury apartments in Tampa blend seamlessly with the rich cultural tapestry of historic Ybor City. These aren’t just furnished apartments in Ybor City – they’re your gateway to an elevated urban lifestyle that celebrates both heritage and innovation.
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THU JANUARY 15–THU JANUARY 22 By Ray Roa C CL Recommends
THU 15
C Matt Pond PA w/Bathtub Cig St. Petersburg’s beloved Craftsman House bungalow may be closed, but its spirit is already proliferating. Jeff Schorr, who ran the shop and venue for more than 20 years, is working on this gig headlined by Matt Pond, a stalwart of the early-2000s indie-rock scene. Entering his 50s like the rest of us, Pond brings his nearly 20 albums (including the companion Natural Lines records released in 2023 and last year) to this house show alongside Bathtub Cig (stylized all-lowercase), the “depression pop” project of Hilary James. 7 p.m. $25. The Jack Kerouac House, St. Petersburg
FRI 16
Tampa Bay Rodeo: Justin Moore w/ Trace Adkins/Lee Greenwood South county gets a double dose of “God Bless America” chud Lee Greenwood when the 83-year-old MAGA icon (he blames Black Lives Matter for the insurrection) opens for country dudes Justin Moore and Trace Adkins on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Friday-Saturday, Jan. 16-17. $75 & up. Hillsborough County Fairgrounds, Dover C Zeta w/Discord Theory/Pet Lizard Zeta is a longstanding regular on the Bay area punk calendar, playing venues like The Bunker, Hooch and Hive, and now, a final show at Crowbar (the venue will see its lease run out this summer). The band itself has been on the run in a way, too, after leaving its hometown of Lecheria, Venezuela over a decade ago, following the rise of recentlycaptured president Nicolas Maduro. The outfit expressed ambivalence this month after the dictator’s capture, writing on Jan. 3, “We do not want to silence the voices of
nominated for Best Folk Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, and he recently toured with the Colorado Symphony. His latest full-length, 2023’s Appaloosa Bones, peaked at No. 81 on the Billboard 200. 8 p.m. $135.95 & up. Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg
SAT 17
C Judy Collins It’s been years since Collins played “Me and My Uncle,” but maybe she’ll break it out after the passing of The Grateful Dead's Bob Weir. The jam band played the Mamas and Papas tune frequently in the group’s heyday, but mostly abandoned the cut after the ‘70s. The 86-year-old troubadour— along with Stephen Stills and Neil Young—was around when John Phillips wrote the song which gained popularity after it appeared on Collins’ 1964 Town Hall collection. 7 p.m. $44 & up. Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater
C Bob Moses (club set) w/Calussa/Coco & Breezy/Albaro/more Jimmy Vallance and Tom Howie plan to spend the winter in Brazil, Argentina, Chile and the Dominican Republic, but not before this pre-FriendShip cruise gig in the park. The EDM duo better known as Bob Moses takes over the Curt after a long day of music from the likes of Miami natives Andrew and Gino Gomez (aka Calussa), plus twin sister EDM duo Coco & Breezy, and more. 2 p.m. $35.02. Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Tampa
WED 21
Schaff-Wall Collective Built around trombonist James Wall and Multi-Instrumentalist T.J. Schaff, the Schaff-Wall Collective plays a set of New Orleans-flavored jazz fusion (think Harold Arlen, Eddie DeLange) at this brand new West Tampa venue now open at the intersection of N Armenia and W Idlewild Avenues. 7 p.m. No cover. Chewy’s Lounge, Tampa St. Pete Tacos & Tequila Festival: Phillip Phillips w/The Ries Brothers If you’ve ever looked at a plate of tacos and thought about making them “gone, gone, gone,” then this festival is probably for you. “American Idol” alum Phillip LaDon Phillips Jr. headlines day one of St. Pete Tacos & Tequila Festival while homegrown reggae-rock duo The Ries Brothers handles day two. Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 17-18. Noon. No cover before 2 p.m. ($7 & up after). Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg C Tampa Jazz Club: Chuck Redd Redd, quite literally, is vibes. The 67-year-old jazz vibraphonist is no stranger to the Bay area, and just played the Suncoast Jazz Festival, but is all the rage (and outrage) lately these days after he canceled a Christmas Eve show at Washington D.C.’s Kennedy Center to protest President Trump adding his name to the building. Roma Daravi, current Kennedy Center spokesperson and Trump acolyte since at least 2016, says the center will sue Redd for $1 million, but in the meantime, the jazz composer who’s toured with Dizzy Gillespie and played both drums and guitar for Charlie Byrd is still gigging—and backed at this show once again by Best of the Baywinning trio La Lucha. 8 p.m. $10-$35. New Tampa Performing Arts Center, Tampa
SUN 18
C Gregory Alan Isakov South Africanborn Isakov, who first made his living as a farmer, is known for his singular voice, which is deep, moody and perfectly-suited for his style of dusty, yet modern Americanafolk. His 2018 album Evening Machines was
C Songwriter Club: Lauren Ruth w/ Chris Hess Swimm (stylized in all-caps) was once a staple in the Bay area music calendar, but members of the psych-rock group moved out of the Sunshine State. Swimm-er Hess is back in town and playing a strippeddown songwriter set in support of their more atmospheric new work. Ward, another L.A.-based songwriter headlines with cuts from a brand new EP, Off The Record (also stylized in all-caps), released last month. Expect a performance of “You Never Fake It” a 2021 single where Ward and Swimm put forth a psych-pop gem about new love. 6 p.m. $23.16 (includes fees). Jack Kerouac House, St. Petersburg
SHERVIN LAINEZ
C Winter Warmer Fest: Wyatt Norton w/R.M. Johnson/Chlorinefields/ Snacking/Chaunces/Spoiled Rat/Jordan Esker & the Hundred Percent/Willie Jones Cocktail Hour/Down From Jersey/ Wsab/Samuel Wolter/more The temps will be sort of wintery (lows in the 50s, highs just under 70°F) for Wyatt Norton and friends this weekend as they stage this annual nocover festival featuring 20 homegrown acts. Each afternoon of the three-day affair includes rare appearances from local acts that just don’t gig too often including Kersey Williams’ alt-folk project Chlorinefields on Friday, a reunion set from St. Pete emo band Snacking on Saturday, plus Sunday sets of raucous punk from Spoiled Rat, offbeat jazz from Chaunces and power-pop care of Jordan Esker. Friday-Sunday, Jan. 16-18. No cover. Cage Brewing, St. Petersburg
TUE 20
our people who are feeling relief or joy today. That feeling is real and it deserves respect.” A year after its release, Zeta brings Was It Medicine To You? (featuring “Steps” with Anthony Green) to this banger of a rock bill. 8 p.m. $17.67. Crowbar, Ybor City
C Southern Avenue w/Kristopher James Blues imprint Alligator Records is well represented on this week’s live music offering (Brother John Kattke plays St. Pete on Sunday), and this one from Memphis roots-blues Southern Avenue outfit benefits community radio station WMNF. The Grammy-nominated family band is led by Tierinii Jackson and includes her husband (guitarist Ori Naftaly) and sisters—Tikyra (T.K.) Jackson and Ava Jackson—who handle percussion, fiddle and vocals. Named last year’s Band of the Year by Living Blues Magazine, Southern Avenue arrives supporting a 2025 outing, Family. 8 p.m. $20-$25. Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa
THU 22
Judy Collins
C Morrissey The Smiths singer canceled his first concerts of 2026, blaming an “adverse reaction” to “prescription medication,” but this show is still on… for now. It’s the second-to-last stop on his current wintertime run through the U.S. and—unironically—is a rescheduled date that was supposed to happen last May. The question remains for many Tampa Bay fans whether the British crooner will postpone or cancel yet again for a city that seems to have undying— yet unrequited—love for his melodramatic ballads. We're guessing he shows up to avoid the shame. 8 p.m. $113 & up (resale only). Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg— Stephanie Koithan Off The Road feat. Jay St. Aubin & Kevin Offitzer The Bay area gets quite a few sets from roadie side projects (country band The Handlers gig sporadically, when they are not handling gear for Underoath or Cole Swindell), and this matinee features Jay St. Aubin, who handles backline for Stick Figure, and Kevin Offitzer who drums for the reggaerock giant. 3 p.m. No cover. Sponge City Brewing, Tarpon Springs
C Béton Armé w/Pena Maxima/moreOne of the toughest purveyors of Québécois Oi!— Montreal’s Béton Armé—brings Renaissance, a 2025 album of thrashing, anthemic, Frenchlanguage punk and hardcore, to the skatepark where a Miami-based band of hooligans, Pena Maxima, opens. 7 p.m. $20. Skatepark of Tampa, Tampa C Three Deviant Years kickoff: Subterranean Tampa w/DJ Cub/DJ Cat Mat Against the odds, and with the help of a loving community, Deviant Libation celebrates three turns around the sun at the corner of N Nebraska and E Stratford Avenues in Ybor Heights. Tim Ogden’s brewery and distillery marks the anniversary with a three-day throwdown that kicks off with this hang soundtracked by DJ Cub and Cat Mat. A Friday concert features a mix of Bay area bands playing experimental sounds, rock and moody pop, while Saturday sees Atlanta doom and sludge band Lungburner rip the room a new one. Thursday, Jan. 22. 8 p.m. No cover. Deviant Libation, Tampa See an extended version of this listing at cltampa.com/music.
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UPCOMING SHOWS & EVENTS
GET TICKETS at FERGSEVENTS.COM 1320 CENTRAL AVE / DOWNTOWN ST. PETE RIGHT ACROSS FROM TROPICANA FIELD
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LIVE COMEDY SHOWS THIS WEEK THURSDAY, JANUARY 15 7:00PM: WEEKLY IMPROV DROP-IN CLASS Give improv a try in a positive, supportive environment. No prior experience required!
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8:30PM: WILDLY SUGGESTIVE IMPROV
In this new show, a cast of Tampa Bay's finest improvisers transform a pad with your hastily-written suggestions into wondrous improv comedy.
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One of Bruno Mars’ best performances was in a football stadium in 2014 for Super Bowl XLVIII, and he’s back on the field this year for a world tour that stops in Tampa in September. JOHN V. ESPARZA/LIVE NATION
Last Thursday, Raymond James Stadium and Live Nation both announced that Mars will play the Bay area in support of a forthcoming fourth solo LP, The Romantic, due Feb. 27. Joining all stops on the tour is Mars’ Silk Sonic bandmate Anderson .Paak, who will appear as his vinyl-toting alter go DJ Pee .Wee. The Tampa show—Mars’ only stop in the Sunshine State—will also feature U.K. singer and producer Rachel Agatha Keen, aka Raye (stylized all-caps). The run kicks off in April and includes nearly 40 shows in North America, Europe and the U.K. Tampa’s not seen Mars since a 2017 set at the then-named Amalie Arena in support of 24K Magic.
Sept. 12 go on sale to the public Thursday, Jan. 15 at noon EST. A fan presale happens Wednesday, Jan. 14.
Tickets to see Bruno Mars play Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on Saturday,
See more of Josh Bradley’s weekly roundup of new concerts coming to Tampa Bay below.—Ray Roa
Composition in Asia symposium performance Sunday, Feb. 1. 2 p.m. No cover, tickets required. Zinober Concert Hall, at University of South Florida, Tampa
USF Jazz Ensemble 1 Wednesday, Feb. 11. 7:30 p.m. No cover, tickets required. Zinober Concert Hall, at University of South Florida, Tampa
USF Latin jazztet Sunday, Feb. 1. 6 p.m. Reserved seating required. Music hall at New World Tampa, Tampa
Digable Planets Thursday, Feb. 12. 8 p.m. $28 & up. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
YFN Lucci w/Bunna B/Ykniece Tuesday, Feb. 3. 8 p.m. $68.88 & up. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg Kathleen Edwards Thursday, Feb. 5. 7 p.m. $30-$40. Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa Rock the Park Tampa: Pet Lizard w/ Bill./Bad, Bad Things Thursday, Feb. 5. 6:30 p.m. No cover. Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Tampa Kayodot w/TBA Friday, Feb. 6. 7 p.m. $18$20. Music hall at New World Tampa, Tampa Oceanic w/Mirror Parts/Jupiter Bloom Friday, Feb. 6. 8 p.m. $20.51. The Bricks, Ybor City Sex Mex w/Wolf-Face/Pet Lizard/ Spanish Bombs Friday, Feb. 6. 7 p.m. $10$15. Oscura, Bradenton
Michelle Shirelle w/Jason Paul/Vic Alvaraz/Earthgirl Thursday, Feb. 12. 7 p.m. $10-$15. The Potion Portal, St. Petersburg Too Many Daves w/The Slow Death/ Tudes/Lot Lizards Friday, Feb. 13. 8 p.m. $15. Anchor Skate Supply, St. Petersburg Portugal. The Man Sunday, Feb. 15. 8 p.m. $51.90. Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
JAN 21st
Matthew Logan Vasquez w/Kristopher James Monday, Feb. 16. 7 p.m. $20-$25. Oscura, Bradenton Capstan w/In Her Own Words/ Dreamwake Tuesday, Feb. 17. 7 p.m. $25$30. Crowbar, Ybor City USF Jazz Ensemble 2 Wednesday, Feb. 18. 7:30 p.m. No cover, tickets required. Zinober Concert Hall, at University of South Florida, Tampa
Stop Light Observations Friday, Feb. 6. 8 p.m. $31.99. Crowbar, Ybor City
Crimewave: A Post-Punk and Darkwave Party Thursday, Feb. 19. 9 p.m. $17.67. Crowbar, Ybor City
USF Wind Ensemble Sunday, Feb. 8. 7:30 p.m. No cover, tickets required. Zinober Concert Hall, at University of South Florida, Tampa
Millington w/Overthinker/Foolish Relics/Fuakata Friday, Feb. 20. 7 p.m. $20$25. Oscura, Bradenton
Mitchell Tenpenny Wednesday, Feb. 11. 8 p.m. $76.65 & up. Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa
Prison Affair w/TBA Friday, Feb. 20. 7 p.m. $24.04. Music hall at New World Tampa, Tampa
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Quickies By Dan Savage
W
hat if I’m turned on by my own trauma? What do I do with this? You do therapy with it. And then, after you’ve worked through your trauma with the help of your therapist (which includes unpacking your feelings about being turned on by your trauma), you can—taking the tiniest of baby steps—explore these turn-ons to see if they’re something you can safely and enjoyably incorporate into your IRL sex life or if they need to remain fantasy material only. I’m a cis bi female 50-something subbie in a committed relationship. I enjoy being teased and denied. I wish I could use a cock cage but sadly I lack the proper anatomy. Is there something equivalent for vagina-havers? Preferably something that doesn’t require piercings to hold it in place. Has the insane popularity of male chastity devices in the last decade—cock cages—really obscured the fact that these “chastity devices” had to be qualified with “male” because “chastity devices” (aka “chastity belts”) were originally a tool of the patriarchy? If there are women out there who don’t know that chastity devices were originally used to deny women control of their own bodies/ genitals, I guess that’s a sign of progress—and since signs of progress are few and far between these days, I think we should celebrate this one. P.S. A nice selection of high-end chastity devices for women can be found via my-steel.de.
choose this as their career. The whole industry can’t be exploitative, right? I’d like to find ethical, exciting woman-centered porn to share with my wife. Do you have any suggestions for us? “There is no such thing as perfectly pure labor under capitalism,” said Erika Lust, the award-winning filmmaker who creates sexpositive, indie adult cinema. “But there is a meaningful difference between exploitation and choice. Ethical porn exists because performers and directors like myself demanded better conditions, and because viewers like you refused to accept pleasure at someone else’s expense. If porn makes you ask hard questions, that doesn’t mean you should turn away. It means you’re ready to look deeper and to choose differently. That choice matters.” And the porn Erika Lust creates—which includes amazing lesbian porn (not that you’re limited to watching lesbian porn)—is just what you and your wife are looking for. Subscribe and enjoy! P.S. Some people do porn because they don’t feel like they have another option, and some people choose to do porn as a career—but others do a little porn on the side for the thrill/ love/joy of it.
SAVAGE LOVE
You often say that folks routinely send you photos of their rashes/warts/etc., to which your response is, “I’m not a doctor; go see a doctor!” Fair enough. But given that you’ve made a lifelong career out of sex advice, and given that this field is closely linked to genital health, I have to wonder: by now do you think your genital medical expertise approaches that of a urologist/OBGYN? Absolutely not! While I’m more informed about genital health than the average person (and way more informed about vaginal health than a gay man has any right to be), that’s entirely thanks to the actual doctors who’ve shared their expertise and insight with me over the years. Writing a sex advice column is a lot of things— most of them great—but it’s not med school. We’re a lesbian couple, together for 15 years. I’d like to spice things up a bit, so I suggested we watch porn. My wife expressed that as she’s gotten older, she’s become increasingly uncomfortable with the exploitation she perceives in most porn. I know some people perform in porn who don’t want to and who would prefer to make a living in other ways, but I also know that some people
I’ve been texting with a distant man for about six months. He’s moving home soon, and we’ve been talking about love and marriage. He’s ideal except for one detail: I’m a Boomer (71 years old) and he’s GenX (43 years old). None of my, “You know, when you’re my age, I’ll be dead,” talks have had any effect on him. He’s everything I want, and it would sure make for an active retirement. But am I being selfish here? I don’t think you’re being selfish—if you meet this man and you hit it off, feel free to enjoy him as long as it lasts (or for as long as you last)—but there’s a good chance you’re being foolish. It doesn’t sound like you’ve met this man in person yet, so these talks about marriage are premature. Infatuations are fine, and fantasizing about a future with a hot stranger is wonderful, but you shouldn’t be making long-range plans with someone you haven’t even smelled yet. And if he’s been initiating these conversations—if he’s the one bringing up marriage—that’s a red flag. Does Dan have advice on how a lifelong vanilla person moves on from a six-month relationship where they were introduced to kink, power exchange, orgasm denial, edging, and more? I can’t see how one could be satisfied without kink now. I’ve just had a relationship like this
end, and I feel that if I don’t get that again, my sex life will always be disappointing. You have two options. Option 1: You can find kinky people on FetLife and Feeld—carefully screen potential new play partners, ask for references, meet in a neutral place for a vibe check before playing, etc.—and at munches and sloshes and other kink community events. Option 2: You can make kinky people by sharing your kinks with new vanilla-or-presumed-to-be-vanilla partners and asking them if they might be interested in exploring your kinks with you. And you should know that approach works—introducing someone to kink can awaken the kinkster inside them—because isn’t that how it worked for you? Do you have any suggestions for a BDSM for beginners’ book? I’d like one that goes over information regarding both dominance and submission and goes over emotional elements as well as practical how-to information. Thanks! My top three recommendations: “The Ultimate Guide to Kink” by Tristan Taormino, “Playing Well With Others” by Lee Harrington and Mollena Williams, and “Screw the Roses, Send Me the Thorns” by Molly Devon and Philip Miller. Secret perving on my hot doctor who is 10 years my junior—that’s OK, right? Given Connor Storrie is just 25 years old and people of all ages are openly perving on him everywhere—the looks, the talent, the glutes— secretly perving on your hot doctor is perfectly fine… so long as your perving is truly secret. P.S. I know some hot people. In general, hot people know they’re hot, and they enjoy being hot, and they aren’t offended by other people enjoying their hotness… so long as other people are respectful about it. So, jacking off about your hot doctor after an appointment is fine. Telling your hot doctor during your appointment that you’re going to jack off about them after is not. P.S. “Heated Rivalry”—such good fucking and so fucking good! Best lube for stretching with large silicone butt toys? I asked a good friend with an amazing collection of silicone butt toys—and an equally amazing butt—for his recommendations and he sent along two: Loovora Long Night Stand and X-Lube. How do gay guys not get jealous in open relationships? Gay guys in open relationships get jealous… as do gay guys in closed relationships, bi girls in open relationships, ace they/thems in closed relationships, etc., etc. etc. Basically, everyone experiences jealousy, regardless of their sexual orientation or relationship status. A closed relationship doesn’t magically protect you from jealousy, and an open one doesn’t magically make you immune to it.
Fifties cis het woman. Many men on kink sites say they want to “push boundaries.” Red flag? On the one hand, playing with someone who pushes your limits—gradually, carefully, consensually—is often how people discover new sexual interests. On the other hand, someone who puts “pushes boundaries” on their profile might think they’re entitled to ignore or violate a bottom’s boundaries because it said “pushes boundaries” right there in their bio. Before you play with someone with “pushes boundaries” in their bio, ask them what that means to them in theory, what it looks like in practice, and check their references. Are those foreskin restoration devices legit? They’re legit insofar as they exist—I mean, some circumcised men actually buy them and use them. Do they actually do what they claim to do? Well, skin is elastic, and it can be stretched, which is what those “foreskin restoration” devices do: they stretch the skin of the penis, which can recreate—to a certain limited extent—some of the appearance and functionality of a foreskin. But they can’t bring back the nerve endings that were sliced off. Top two recommendations for getting the spark back? Fuck someplace else (easily done), fuck someone else (higher degree of difficulty). P.S. Most answers to this question—which may be the most common question put to sex-and-relationship monkeys— assume mutual interest in reigniting the spark… which isn’t always the case. If one person in a couple doesn’t want to fuck the other person in a couple (not anymore or not ever), telling that couple to go fuck outside isn’t going to solve their problem. Will you ever pose nude? Even if interest in nude photos of me existed, which I do not believe, my parasitic twin would never consent, so that photo shoot is never gonna happen. How do I find bodybuilders to worship in Minneapolis? Look for bodybuilders in your area on Instagram and Reddit, lurk in the comments, and observe how they interact with their followers. If they seem to welcome being objectified, you could risk sliding into their DMs and asking if they’re into (presumably paid) muscle-worship sessions. Be prepared to apologize and gracefully accept the block (don’t re-follow under a different account and ask again later). P.S. A friend who’s into muscle worship recommends TheBestFlex.com, a site where muscle guys sell their content. Got problems? Yes, you do! Email your question for the column to mailbox@savage.love! Or record your question for the Savage Lovecast at savage.love/askdan! Podcasts, columns and more at Savage.Love
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creative loafing puzzler TRICK QUESTION 76 “It never ___ amaze me” By Merl Reagle 78 Murder, She ACROSS Wrote doctor 1 The answer I was 80 Where peas live expecting to the 84 Essential riddle in this puzzle 85 Carpenter’s 7 Jabber spinner 10 A card game, not a 87 Riddle, part 5 singing style 89 Estate dividers 14 Jokers 91 Bemused remark 18 They have 92 “It’s ___ big mysterious odas mistake!” 19 Get-together, of a 93 Riddle, part 6 sort 98 Most of the earth’s 21 Remote refuge surface 22 Like bedroom eyes 99 Frasier’s brother 23 Start of a riddle 100 Pelvis parts 101 Time out? 25 Easy multiplier 26 Creepy creatures 103 ___ for effort 104 Connecticut Ivy 28 Boyfriend Leaguers 29 Start of a verse? 30 TV colleague of 108 Rifleman Lucas and son Mark Goldie and Lily 31 The lessor amount 110 B. Favre and S. Young, once 33 Sounds like a 113 End of the riddle bomb 35 With 10 Down, a 116 Prof’s security 118 Part of the country dead end 119 Little links 38 Riddle, part 2 120 The Night 43 Mimicked of the ___ 44 Minor worker 121 Frosty’s freaky 45 Need replacing cousin? 46 Riddle, part 3 122 Where the 50 The “come back” sidewalk meets kid the road, in Britain 51 Penultimate letter 123 Tokyo, once 54 “... my soul ___” 124 The answer I 55 Yvonne’s evening wasn’t expecting 57 Galileo and to the riddle in this Garibaldi puzzle 59 Caution sign 61 City 155 miles SE DOWN of San Francisco 1 David’s 1960s deskmate 63 Discarded metal 2 Unusually good 64 Knockout props 3 Whacker for Faldo 67 Riddle, part 4 4 Rendezvoused 70 Pacing, perhaps 5 Political refugee 71 Gave the eye to 6 Tie or track 73 City near 7 Southerner’s Cleveland boat? 74 Blimp, e.g. 1
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