Creative Loafing Tampa — May 13, 2021 by Chava Communications

CREATIVE LOAFING • CLTAMPA.COM MAY 13-19, 2021 (VOL.34, NO.19) • $FREE

LAUGH Surrounded by pain, GAT$ searches for something good.

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each or try all three

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PUBLISHER James Howard EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ray Roa DIGITAL EDITOR Colin Wolf

A year of worry and growth is chronicled on ‘Robbed.’

CONTRIBUTORS Justin Garcia, Alexandria Jones, Joe Newton, Sophie Ojdanic, Stephanie Powers, Cory Robinson, Dan Savage, Ken Storey

ory

INTERNS Apply for fall via rroa@cltampa.com

JAN-MICHAEL REYES

FOOD and THEATER CRITIC Jon Palmer Claridge FILM & TV CRITIC John Allman

Gat$' new album is his Book of Job, p. 39.

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CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jack Spatafora

SeaWorld inPHOTOGRAPHER February, animal Dave rightsDecker claiming the practice of keeping wild SENIOR ACCOUNT d dangerous. But even though public EXECUTIVES atmany SeaWorld in animal rights Carbone, Scott Zepeda don’tAnthony seeFebruary, a parallel between the kind claiming the practice of keepinganimals wild k, and the practice of displaying MARKETING, PROMOTIONS nd dangerous. evenOr though publicfor a AND asking for tooBut much? is it time d, many don’t see EVENTS a parallel DIRECTOR between the kind t” animals? Alexis Quinn Chamberlain

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CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 40 Music: Tampa Bay Blues Fest ........................... Andrew Zelman CHIEF OPERATING OFFICERS

Music Week ................................................... 42 Music: Tampa Blues Fest ........................... Concert review: Artic Monkeys .......................... 42 ChrisBay Keating, Michael Wagner40

DIGITAL OPERATIONS COORDINATOR Jaime Monzon TheWill List Astrology .......................................................... Free .........................................46 64

Concert review: Artic Monkeys .......................... 42 Movie reviews ..................................................... 63 Movie ........................................................... reviews ..................................................... 63 euclidmediagroup.com Puzzler 66

Free Will Astrology ......................................... 64 cltampa.com Savage Love ...................................................... 69

cldeals.com Puzzler ........................................................... 66

clspace.com Savage Love ...................................................... 69 EDITORIAL POLICY — Creative Loafing Tampa is a publication covering public issues, the arts and entertainment. In our pages appear views from across the political and social spectrum. They do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher.

Creative Loafing Tampa is published by Tampa Weekly, LLC, 204 E. Henderson Ave. Tampa, FL 33602. The physical edition is available free of charge at locations throughout Tampa Bay and at cltampa. com. Copyright 2020, Tampa Weekly, LLC. cltv The newspaper is produced and printed on How was your Date? Indigenous landyour belonging m/cltv cltampa.com/movies How was Date?to Tampa Bay’scltampa.com/movies Tocobaga and Seminole tribes.

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The future of this east Tampa greenspace is in question, p. 12.

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ON THE COVER: Photo by Jan-Michael Reyes. Design by Jack Spatafora.

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In your feelings

Three events to help you feel some type of way this weekend. By Ray Roa

rom songwriters and jokesters in the Heights and even boys with big sticks in Drew Park and Clearwater, here are some events to help you get into that weekend type of way (and make plans for next Friday). Hellarity: John J. Murray w/JJ Curry/Shellie Harris/Beth Moore (hosted By Matt Carter) If you like your comedians weird AF, then you might want to snag a table at Ella’s for this month’s edition of the “Hellarity” comedy night. Former U.S. Marine John J. Murray headlines the no-cover affair with his strange, stoned take on current affairs. Opening for Murray is fellow veteran JJ Curry (“Curry Chicken Podcast,” “LMAO” on Roku) who’s joined onstage by Tampa-based essential oil enthusiast Shellie Harris and North Carolina expat/bipolar exBaptist Beth Moore. There’s no drink minimum at this Seminole Heights stronghold, but it’s still running at limited capacity, so tip like your money’s on fire, OK? Saturday, May 15, 9 p.m. No cover (reservation recommended). Ella’s Americana Folk Art Cafe, 5119 N Nebraska Ave., Tampa. @ellasfolkartcafe on Facebook Sunday School for Sinners: Kristopher James w/Mountain Holler One of the most distinct voices in the Bay area music scene belongs to Kristopher James, but the songwriter is joined by Mike Hicks who knows a thing or two about signature vocal sounds for his latest single, “Feelings,” released last month. Hicks plays keys

for Rascal Flatts and dropped some gospel-tinged voicings on the cut, but he isn’t the only person who lent a left and right hand to the song. The track also features saxophone from local composer extraordinaire Ronnie Dee and Justin Powell who put down some blue toned horn in the verses before setting his trumpet to bloom on the bridge. James plays a free show in Seminole Heights on Sunday alongside Mountain Holler (aka Mark Etherington, who’s visiting home after heading west early this year). Sunday, 6:30 p.m. No cover. Independent Bar & Café, 5016 N Florida Ave., Tampa. Tail Waggin’ $2 Tuesday The Toronto Blue Jays may be ditching Dunedin and heading north to Buffalo for the summer, but there’s still plenty of professional outdoor baseball to be had. The Threshers are in the swing of their season and another minor league team—Yankees single-A affiliate Tampa Tarpons—has even devoted every Tuesday in May to your dog. Fans can bring their pooch to Steinbrenner Field with the purchase of a day-of $2 doggo ticket at the box office (select concessions are just $2 through the second inning, too). And if you don’t want to travel to Tampa, the Threshers, who play at Spectrum Field, host their own Bark at the Park day next Friday, May 21. May 18 vs. Ft. Myers, 6:30 p.m. $6 & up (plus $2 dog ticket). George M. Steinbrenner Field, 1 Steinbrenner Dr., Tampa. milb.com/tampa

KRISTOPHER JAMES

RASCAL PAL: Kristopher James’ new single features work from Rascal Flatts’ Mike Hicks.

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TACO TU EsDAY 200 E MADISON ST • DOWNTOWN TAMPA • 813-221-TACO

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It takes a Villages Photos by Dave Decker

hile others in the GOP attempt to find a semblance of the party’s soul, its thirstier ghouls are riding Trump’s America First, bring-your-grievances platform straight into hearts and minds of the most storm-chasin’ folks in the country. Enter one congressman under investigation for sex crimes and another congresswoman who once backed false flag conspiracy theories. Last Friday, Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene were at the Villages—a Central Florida stronghold of Trumpism—to take all their baggage on a victory lap. Sure, there were a couple Black Lives Matter Villagers, along with a some antifascists, but most of the crowd—which even Trump steered clear of—was made up of Fox News superfans and even one local man, Carl Prewitt, who found time to get into pictures with a man flashing white power signs, Wildwood police, and a congressional candidate who’s apparently suing him after she paid for him and his friends to fly to the insurrection.—Ray Roa

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“Broadcasters refuse to play by the same rules that apply to [streaming services], all of whom pay recording artists for the use of their work.” POLITICS

ISSUES

OPINION

Sketchy signal

Critics say Castor’s support of ‘Local Radio Freedom Act’ robs performers of royalties. By Ray Roa In his letter to Castor, Brea noted that the corporate broadcasters who advocate for the Local Radio Freedom Act say the legislation is supposed to “protect independent, local radio stations.” “But true local radio barely exists anymore, thanks to shameful deregulation and harmful consolidation,” Brea noted, adding that the big radio conglomerates which control AM and FM dials also laid off thousands of local radio personalities. Of note is that in the 2020 cycle, iHeartRadio and National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) donated $10,000 each to Castor. In fact, both iHeart and NAB donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to legislators on both sides of the aisle. Resolutions supporting the act have been

for local radio stations and opposes new fees or taxes on local, free, broadcast radio which could jeopardize those very services upon which so many rely,” Castor added. But the MusicFIRST Coalition says Castor and the Local Radio Freedom Act’s House co-sponsor, Steve Womack (R-Ark.) are also circulating a letter from them but crafted by the NAB. The letter urges Castor and Womack’s colleagues to support the resolution. MusicFIRST calls the “Dear Colleague” letter “a clever trick to deny justice for artists and labels seeking to be paid when their music is played on FM/AM radio.” The group even released an annotated version of the “Dear Colleague” letter signed by Castor. Castor did not respond to a CL inquiry about the “Dear Colleague” letter she sent or say whether or not she would take a meeting with Brea from Symphonic Distribution. NAB called MusicFIRST’s claim “an insult” to lawmakers supporting the resolution.

LOCAL NEWS

DAVE DECKER

athy Castor’s perennial support of the “Local Radio Freedom Act” has once again drawn the ire of performers and music industry groups. Castor represents the 14th District covering much of Tampa and is generally well-liked by constituents, but this criticism is a break from the norm. She’s being criticized for introducing legislation that would protect radio conglomerates like iHeartMedia, Cox, and Beasley—which combined makeup roughly 85% of local radio stations in Tampa Bay—from paying “new performance fees or taxes” to performers whose music gets played on broadcast radio. In a letter to Castor, Jorge Brea—CEO of Tampa-based Symphonic Distribution—wrote that, “In 2019 alone radio sold $17 billion worth of ads yet they did not pay a cent to performers for the use of their recordings.” According to Brea, that’s because legislators have continually denied performers that right. “As a result, your constituents who support their families playing music are suffering more than they should be...,” Brea added. “Broadcasters refuse to play by the same rules that apply to SiriusXM, Pandora, Apple Music, and Spotify, all of whom pay recording artists for the use of their work.” Publishers and artists are currently compensated by streaming services like Spotify (in an admittedly complicated process), but royalties are trickier when it comes to radio since airplay is considered a public performance. Public performance royalties are collected by a “Performing Rights Organization” or PRO on behalf of songwriters, but in the U.S., FM and AM terrestrial stations only pay the songwriters via previous agreements with their PRO groups. Performers and sound recording copyright owners are not paid by terrestrial broadcasters. The most rudimentary example of this is “... Baby One More Time” by Britney Spears which was written exclusively by Max Martin. Spears receives zero royalties everytime that song was played on the radio in the late-’90s, but Martin does. But not every performer is Britney Spears who could arguably afford to surrender radio play royalties thanks to her many other lucrative touring and marketing deals.

introduced in some form or another since at least 2007. Even the historically corrupt Recording Industry Association of America (responsible for the Grammy awards) even calls the “Local Radio Freedom Act” a sham. “Massive radio corporations earn billions in advertising revenue from the work of countless performers and recording artists, who don’t earn a single cent for the usage of their work,” the Academy wrote. “For 100 years, American artists have earned nothing for music played on radio across the U.S., and if corporate radio has its way in Washington, they’ll keep the royalty rate at $0.00.” In an email to Creative Loafing Tampa Bay, Rep. Castor echoed past responses and said she is “proud to support our local radio stations who provide essential services to so many across the Tampa Bay area, particularly during natural disasters...” “The Local Radio Freedom Act is a non-binding resolution that reaffirms Congress’s support

FREEDOM FOR WHOM? Kathy Castor at the Biden campaign’s West Tampa headquarters on Nov. 3, 2020.

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JEANNIE MOUNGER

LOGGED IN: Threatened species like the roseate spoonbill make their home at the USF preserve.

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Preserve protesters says they've previously been targeted by officials. By Justin Garcia

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fter asking the University of South Florida (USF) to remove an inquiry into developing USF Forest Preserve land and receiving over 19,000 signatures against development, students— including a group that was suspended by USF last year—held a rally to save the preserve last Friday. Activists say that the USF administration has acknowledged that it failed to notify deans and faculty before publicizing their interest in selling conservation land to developers through a “request for information” about the land. The activists add that USF leadership admitted in meetings that they failed to consult with any experts about the importance of the land, its biodiversity, its Indigenous cultural heritage sites, and its value as a core educational facility. “In response to USF’s refusal to rescind the RFI despite acknowledgments of their procedural failures to consult with deans or expert faculty, we will be demonstrating our commitment to fighting for the protection of this ecologically, culturally, and educationally significant land,” Jeannie Mounger, USF Ph.D candidate and activist, wrote in a statement to Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. USF Director of Media relations Adam Freeman told CL that the school is exploring options that might be available on the property. “The RFI allows USF to gauge interest and obtain information to consider the best strategy for a potential project that could provide greater financial resources to support the university’s mission and benefit our students, faculty and staff,” Freeman wrote in an email. For example, says Freeman, funds generated annually from a ground lease on the property

could be invested in an endowment that grows over time and provides new resources for USF to fund student scholarships, recruit new faculty members or support research opportunities. Freeman says that USF is gauging demand and listening to proposals, and that they’re not required to take action on any of the proposals submitted by developers. WUSF said that during last Friday’s protest, “More than 50 people waived signs at passing cars, some of which honked in support of their cause to prevent building on the 769 acres.” USF’s chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) co-hosted Friday’s protest, despite being suspended by the university in the fall of 2020 for protesting budget cuts at USF. In February, USF accused the group of violating USF Policy for holding a protest against their suspension on campus that was not approved by the administration. Five people were arrested and charged with trespassing. SDS member Simon Rowe, 20, was arrested during the protest and says SDS has been unfairly persecuted by university officials. “SDS has pushed back against USF defunding the college of education and other budget cuts, so it does feel targeted,” says Rowe, who is a psychology major at USF. “Other students have held gatherings on campus and were left alone.” Even controversial far-right grifter Kaitlin Bennett made her presence known on campus without pushback from school officials. USF did not respond to requests for comments on SDS' suspension or the group’s claims that it was specifically targeted. Follow progress via @save.usfforestpreserve on Instagram.

LOCAL NEWS

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Creative Loafing Tampa Bay (CL) is looking for a full-time staff writer to join its newsroom. The ideal candidate has an affection for the community they live in and finding, then telling, offbeat, often overlooked, stories about their neighbors—especially the most vulnerable. They also have experience with public records requests and the desire to form and maintain relationships with both community members and local officials. The candidate understands an alt-weekly’s role in a market with one historically predominant daily and can write across a wide spectrum of topics, especially news. They’ll join a staff that blogs daily and understands that much of their work will be adapted and expanded for a physical edition of the publication that hits stands every Thursday. CL runs a casual newsroom (and event space) located in historic Tampa Heights. Euclid Media Group, parent company of CL, offers competitive compensation packages, as well as Medical, Dental and Vision benefits for full-time employees.

Come "stick to covering bars, restaurants and concerts" with us. Interested candidates should send a resume and clips to: rroa@cltampa.com.

Celebrating National Nurses Week In May, we honor the courageous health care heroes who give their best, every day. The determined, fearless, tenacious frontline of healing. You are strong and relentless in our purpose, always putting our patients first. You are kind and compassionate, strengthened by our diversity. This year, more than any other, thank you. #NationalHospitalWeek #NationalNursesWeek

Courageous DURING COVID-19, YOUR SAFETY IS A PRIORITY AT MOFFITT

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Shit Happened SATURDAY 08

A new report from Politico says former staff of DeSantis’ congressional office have formed a support group in the years since where they gather to trade “war stories.” On-brand stuff from Baby Trump.

Video shows a Florida fisherman packing it up early after a large alligator chased him from his spot in the Everglades, sending him scampering

GOVRONDESANTIS/TWITTER

The Friends of Ron DeSantis political committee posted its biggest fundraising month since the 2018 campaign, coming in just shy of $14 million raised in April. Also on brand for Baby Trump, and that should scare the shit out of Democrats. Florida waters last year were the deadliest for boaters in at least a decade, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The manatees— who’ve already seen more than 500 of their kind die in 2021 so far— are reading the news like, “Tell me about it.”

Where historic charm and modern aesthetics collide.

CHUM DUMPSTER/YOUTUBE

FRIDAY 07

1701 N. Franklin St. in Tampa Heights down a narrow path and stumbling while the massive apex predator tracks him down. We’ll be inside for the rest of gator mating season.

MONDAY 10 In the past year, former WTSP anchor Rob Finnerty went from urging people to wear a mask for his local Tampa Bay station, to mocking masks and health professionals for far-right national outlet Newsmax. That’s why it was so satisfying to watch former Obama speechwriter David Litt—who was asked to speak on Elon Musk’s ‘SNL’ appearance—pwn Finnerty when he said, “What happened on ‘SNL’ was that people made stuff up and then said it on television like it’s true,” said Litt. “And that actually happens pretty frequently in American TV. For example in 2020, Dominion Voting Systems sued Newsmax over its false claims about election fraud.” Feeling shitty? Us, too. Commiserate in realtime via cltampa.com/news.

Your guests will dance on fully renovated, 100-year-old Florida birch floors and will have gorgeous Tampa views from wall-lined restored mahogany windows.

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RESTAURANTS

RECIPES

DINING GUIDES

Even cooler

A new ‘Free Fridge’ opens to help feed Tampa’s Sulphur Springs. By Justin Garcia

LOCAL NEWS

“There’s often a lot of red tape between resources and the people who need them.”

COURTESY

ast summer, a couple of caring activists brought it to the dojo lobby. Boe painted fruit installed a free fridge in Ybor City, dur- all over it with a few friends from school. They ing the height of the COVID-19 outbreak started up an Instagram, and Tampa’s commuin Florida. nal fridge was reborn. Much like St. Pete’s community fridge and Yung Ho, located at E Busch Boulevard and free fridges across the country, Tampa’s com- N Brooks Street, focuses on Tae Kwon Do. Grand munal fridge took off in popularity and use. But Master Jun founded the center in 1974 and it was shut down by the city still teaches there every day. in July, shortly after it was He’s a 9th degree blackbelt established. who grew up in Korea and The city cited safety in remarkable shape for an concerns because the fridge 85-year-old. He stands by a Tampa Free Fridge was outside (which made it philosophy based on openness Yung Ho Martial Arts Center accessible to people at all and generosity. 1303 E Busch Blvd,. Tampa times) and said it needed to Dustin Grasso, 34, who’s Monday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. @tampafreefridge on Instagram be moved inside or removed been training under Jun since within 24 hours. Because he was a child, says that famithis was not possible, the project had to move lies have been greatly appreciative of the fridge. during a time when food insecurity, especially Some families who interact with Yung Ho and among BIPOC, the houseless, and low-income the neighborhood surrounding the building people was skyrocketing. were hit hard during the pandemic, so there’s Luckily, an elementary school in Ybor a constant need. The fridge can be accessed allowed the fridge to have a home, where it is during Yung Ho’s hours of 11:30 a.m.-8:30 pm, now regularly filled by the teachers and the Monday-Friday. school board. Students at that school are now The fridge is cared for by volunteers and able to access that fridge, but the need for a donors. Organizers are asking for volunteer fridge that could be accessed by anyone in Tampa shoppers (funds are provided to the shopper) and still remained. they’ve set up a Patreon for monetary support. Cassidy Boe had not yet heard about the They’re also looking for people with space in previous free fridge, but she wanted to help feed publicly accessible buildings to help place more people and started asking fridges around the city. They around. currently have one partner, In March, she reached Nutrition Solutions, that is out to Jany Coyle and helping to supply the fridge another organizer who were with frozen meals on an at the time feeding peoongoing basis. ple with Tampa Food Not The organizers say that Bombs, and asked if they’d a dream of theirs is to have be interested in starting up fridges in every community a new free fridge project. in Tampa that needs one, Coyle contacted an old childhood friend to especially in food deserts, and to have each ask if he knew of any businesses that might fridge be a touchpoint for people to interact with be a good fit for the fridge. Little did she know and help each other. that he was the manager of Yung Ho Martial “There’s often a lot of red tape between Arts Center, a dojo that believes in taking care resources and the people who need them,” says of its community. Coyle. “So we need as many partners as we can Grasso and his teacher GrandMaster Jun get to make sure they have what they need.” were already running a free pantry, so they The latest Tampa Free Fridge is different were enthusiastically supportive of housing a from the St. Pete one as it’s located inside a fridge. In April, the crew had one donated and business, instead of outside a place like Bandit

HO HUM: There’s a new appliance buzzing at Sulphur Springs’ Yung Ho Martial Arts Center. Coffee Co. This spring, St. Pete Free Fridge co-organizer Avery Moore reminded do-gooders donating food to not just clean out their own fridges when looking for items to donate. “It’s not a dump site,” Moore said, “We know people have good intentions, but be mindful of what you bring.” In short, St. Pete Free Fridge is not looking for homemade items. Other no-nos include: raw meat and anything that is easily spoiled or expired. Nothing opened is allowed, and there’s absolutely no alcohol. The Fridge, does, however, take fresh produce, eggs, oils, spices, drinks and

pantry items for the shelf nearby. Free Fridge volunteers are also in need of volunteers to help with upkeep by getting in the habit of stopping by before or after work. Helping is easy and includes things like tidying up the pantry and throwing out expired food. The St. Pete Free Fridge is open roughly from dusk until dawn. There are no set times— volunteers do the openings and closings. Ideally, Moore would like it to stay open until 10 p.m. every night . Reporting from Stephanie Powers appears in this story.

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Bringing authentic Middle Eastern cuisine to the streets of St. Pete Check Facebook for today's location: @theshawarmakingfl Food Truck

813-998-4590

theshawarmakingfl@yahoo.com

TACO TU EsDAY 200 E MADISON ST • DOWNTOWN TAMPA • 813-221-TACO

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Hot boy summer

A new St. Pete gay bar leads your weekly food news roundup. By Alexandria Jones and Stephanie Powers

Open The Chelsea St. Pete Inspired by her days as a student working and exploring the Chelsea neighborhood in Manhattan, Teresa Vidal Chalkley and her British husband/business partner combined her love of New York with the vibe of what he calls the “original” Chelsea in London. Chalkley's shop—which opened in St. Pete’s Warehouse Arts District—serves hot and cold drinks like Batdorf & Bronson coffee, matcha lattes and iced green tea. A display fridge and bakery case is home to other sweet treats. The coffee shop’s retail store sells items like t-shirts, gourmet spices, and home decor. It’s open Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-4 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 8 a.m.-3 p.m. 2462 5th Ave. S, St. Petersburg. thechelseastpete.com Cocktail A new St. Pete gay bar’s signage puts the emphasis on “COCK” and features a slogan that promises stiff drinks, hard liquor and raging good times. The Grand Central District bar is owned by David Fischer, who also owns St. Pete’s The Saint speakeasy and interior design firm Zazoo’d. Fischer recently told Watermark to expect drag shows, go-go boys and karaoke. Drink titles—”Pencil Dick,” “Dos Cajones,” “Blue Balls” and my personal favorite “Any Dick Will Do”—double down, and local drag favorite Ariana Sparkle is the director of entertainment. Give it to me. 2355 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. cocktailstpete.com SoFresh The Florida fast casual healthy meals to go chain opened its 11th location in Carrollwood in the Shoppes of Carrollwood near 4 Rivers, Five Guys, Starbucks and Tropical Smoothie. 14398 N Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa. sofresh.com Coming soon Daddy O’s Patio The folks from Slap Yo’ Mama are eying a Memorial Day weekend opening for their restaurant moving into the parcel once occupied by the historic La Tropicana Café, which has been closed for almost a year. 1822 E 7th Ave., Ybor City. @daddyospatioybor on Instagram Kingsford Fire Grille Alert the Kingsford stan in your life and tell them they don’t have to have a backyard barbecue to get fresh-off-thegrill grub. That’s because a 7,900-square-foot

Kingsford Fire Grille restaurant opens in July at the Westshore Plaza parking lot neighboring Seasons 52. The one-of-a-kind restaurant is branded with the Kingsford charcoal company through an exclusive deal, a release stated. Kingsford won’t be serving hot dogs either—menu items include Caesar salad with chargrilled romaine and smoked oak-barrelaged bourbon cocktails. Most important are the DIY tableside s’mores—I’ll take my ‘mallows burnt, please. “We’ve been developing this concept for quite some time and we couldn’t be more thrilled that its debut is just a few

OPENINGS & CLOSINGS

and outdoor playground complete with games like ping-pong and cornhole. There are also has plans to open Florida locations in Orlando, Sarasota, and Delray Beach. A customized app allows for food delivery anywhere on the property. Tampa Bay Business Journal says the PopStroke Wesley Chapel location is at the Cypress Creek Town Center, located on SR-56 in between I-75 and Wesley Chapel Boulevard. popstroke.com ICYMI After the city shut it down, another Tampa free fridge finds a home at Sulphur Springs dojo It serves the neighborhood surrounding Yung Ho Martial Arts Center and is cared for by volunteers and donors. Organizers are asking for volunteer shoppers (funds are provided to the shopper) and they’ve set up a Patreon for monetary support. More information is on p. 19. 1303 E Busch Blvd, Tampa. @tampafreefridge on Instagram—Justin Garcia

COCKTAILSTPETE/FACEBOOK

re you in search of raging good times? Do you like your liquor hard and your drinks stiff? There’s a place for you, and it’s not p. 45 of this newspaper. It’s a new gay in St. Petersburg called Cocktail, and news about its opening leads the latest round of foodie news. Hold tight.

months away,” Vice President of Kingsford Fire Grille Mike DeMaio “Guests can expect an unparalleled dining experience that will invoke the sentimental joys of a backyard cookout, but with an elevated flare.” DeMaio has a stacked restaurant industry resume including a stint as the Vice President of Operations at Brinker International–the corporation behind Chili’s and Macaroni Grill. Kingsford has an Instagram account (@kingsfordfiregrille) with not much information other than the restaurant exists. We’re assuming the food is better than Kingsford’s refrigerated pulled pork, too. 204 Westshore Plaza, Tampa. kingsfordfiregrille.com PopStroke Hide your Buicks because a golfcentric casual dining concept co-owned by Tiger Woods has plans to open in Wesley Chapel. A release says PopStroke includes a 36-hole professionally-manicured putting facility, dining area

ANY DICK WILL DO: The drink names at Cocktail are tasty.

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Because of coronavirus, it’s best to call or visit brewery websites to check on offerings and policy. 3 DAUGHTERS BREWING One of the Warehouse Arts District’s most popular hangouts, and a beautiful facility in which to drink some great brews. 222 22nd St. S., St. Petersburg. 727-495-6002, 3dbrewing.com

CLEARWATER BREWING CO. Community-oriented and socially and environmentally conscious. 1700 N. Fort Harrison Ave., Clearwater. clearwaterbrewingcompany.com COPPERTAIL BREWING CO. Some of Tampa’s best beer, in one of its best tasting rooms. 2601 E. 2nd Ave., Tampa. 813-247-1500, coppertailbrewing.com

3 KEYS BREWING South-of-the-Skyway restaurant and brewery specializing in small batches. 2505 Manatee Ave. E., Bradenton. 951-218-0396, 3keysbrewing.com

COTEE RIVER BREWING Craft beer in the heart of historic downtown New Port Richey. 5760 Main St., New Port Richey. 727-807-6806, coteeriverbrewing.com

7VENTH SUN BREWING Some of the best sours, IPAs and collabs going. Two locations. 1012 Broadway, Dunedin. 727-733-3013/6809 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa. 813-2315900, 7venthsun.com

CRAFT LIFE BREWING Small-batch local brews and a sort of playground or LoL’s craft brewing guild. 4624 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes. 813-575-8440. facebook. com/CraftLifeBrewing

81BAY BREWING CO. South Tampa’s first craft brewery boasts a wide variety of styles. 4465 W. Gandy Blvd., Tampa. 813-837-BREW, 81baybrewco.com

CROOKED THUMB BREWERY Safety Harbor’s first brewery boasts homegrown flavor and local guest taps. 555 10th Ave. S., Safety Harbor. 727-724-5953, crookedthumbbrew.com

ANGRY CHAIR Crazy-good Tampa beer, open Tuesday-Sunday. 6401 N. Florida Ave., Seminole Heights. 813-238-1122, angrychairbrewing.com ANTIBREWERY Dunedin’s secret Sundays-only nano. 1367 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Dunedin ARKANE ALEWORKS A wide variety of styles and flavors from the second brewery to open in Largo. 2480 E. Bay Dr., #23, Largo. 727-270-7117, arkanebeer.com AVID BREWING This Grand Central brewing supply shop added a taproom for its beers crafted in-house. 1745 1st Ave. S., St. Petersburg. 727-388-6756, avidbrew.com BARRIEHAUS BEER CO. Lager-specific brewery, carrying on an over 150 year brewing legacy. 1403 E 5th Ave., Ybor City. barriehaus.com BAY CANNON BEER CO. West Tampa's first craft brewery, offering a variety of ever evolving beers, beer slushies and wine that pair perfectly with appetizers and entrées from the kitchen. 813-442-5615, baycannon.com BIG STORM BREWING CO. Stop by this Pasco brewery’s Storm Room for a flight, or visit their taproom on 49th Street in Clearwater, too. 2330 Success Dr., Odessa. 727-807-7998, bigstormbrewery.com BIG TOP BREWING Perhaps Sarasota’s premier purveyor of locally crafted beer, Big Top’s reputation has spread far beyond the region. 6111 Porter Way, Sarasota. 941-371-2939, bigtopbrewing.com BOOTLEGGERS BREWING CO. This Brandon taproom from Bootleggers Beer & Wine Home Brewing Supplies offers house-made suds and guest beers. 652 Oakfield Dr., Brandon. 813-643-9463, bootleggersbrewco.com BRASSERIE ST. SOMEWHERE Award-winning Belgian farmhouse ales from veteran Bay area brewer Bob Sylvester. 115 S Ring Ave., Tarpon Springs. 813-503-6181, saintsomewherebrewing.com BREW BUS BREWING BB brews its own suds, boasts 20 taps and offers food at its Eatery, too. 4101 N. Florida Ave., Tampa. 813-990-7310, brewbususa.com BREW HUB Some of the area’s best beers are produced here along with suds for their own label. 3900 Frontage Rd. S., Lakeland. 863-698-7600, brewhub.com

CUENI BREWING CO. Located off the Pinellas Trail in Dunedin. 945 Huntley Ave., Dunedin. 727-266-4102, cuenibrewing.com CYCLE BREWING One of St. Pete’s favorites. 534 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. 727-320-7954. cyclebrewing.com DARWIN BREWING CO. Unique beers crafted with South American influence. 803 17th Ave. W., Bradenton. 941-747-1970, darwinbrewingco.com DE BINE BREWING CO. This addition bolsters the Northern Pinellas craft beer scene. 933 Florida Ave., Palm Harbor. 727-233-7964. DISSENT BREWING CO. Unique flavors and adventurous style outside downtown St. Pete. 5518 Haines Rd. N., St. Petersburg. 727-342-0255. DUNEDIN BREWERY Florida’s oldest. Beer, eats and live music. 937 Douglas Ave., Dunedin. 727736-0606, dunedinbrewery.com DUNEDIN HOUSE OF BEER This beer stop brews its own, and also has 40 guest taps. 927 Broadway, Dunedin. 727 216-6318, dunedinhob.com ESCAPE BREWING CO. Another very worthy Odessa/Trinity destination. 9945 Trinity Blvd., Suite 108, Trinity. 727-807-6092, escapebrewingcompany.com FIVE BRANCHES Veteran-owned brewery, small batches from IPAs to stouts. Serving up brews and a clear view of the Tarpon Bayou. 531 Athens St., Tarpon Springs. fivebranchesbrewing.com FLYING BOAT BREWING COMPANY St. Pete aviation history and tasty homegrown suds. 1776 11th Ave. N., St. Petersburg. 727-800-2999, flyingboatbrewing.com

BREW LIFE BREWING Ultra-small batches, and a lot of ‘em. 5765 S. Beneva Rd., Sarasota. 941-952-3831, brewlifebrewing.com

FOUR STACKS BREWING An always-changing lineup of local and regional guest suds, along with trivia, live music and more. 5469 N. US HWY 41, Apollo Beach. 813641-2036, fourstacksbrewing.com

BULLFROG CREEK BREWING CO. A multitude of styles from former garage brewers is on tap in Valrico. 3632 Lithia Pinecrest Rd., Valrico. 813-703-8835, bullfrogcreekbrewing.com

GRAND CENTRAL BREWHOUSE 10,270 square-foot brewery, taproom, beer garden, and event venue with a lager-focused tap list. 2340 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-202-6071, grandcentralbrew.com

CAGE BREWING Custom brews in the Grand Central District from one of the ‘Burg’s newest. 2001 1st Ave. S., St. Petersburg. 727-201-4278

GREEN BENCH BREWING COMPANY A space worthy of the adventurous beers it produces. 1133 Baum Ave. N., St. Petersburg. 727-800-9836, greenbenchbrewing.com

CALEDONIA BREWING Great in-house beers in the historic Dunedin Times building. 587 Main St., Dunedin. 727-351-5105, caledoniabrewing.com

GOOD LIQUID BREWING CO. Thirty taps and food (and a coffee roaster!) from a husband-and-wife duo. 4824 14th St. W., Bradenton. 941-896-6381, thegoodliquidbrewing.com

CALUSA BREWING Family owned and operated, opened Tuesday to Sunday. 5701 Derek Ave., Sarasota. 941-922-8150, calusabrewing.com

GRINDHAUS BREW LAB Small batches and no extracts. 1650 N. Hercules Ave., Clearwater. 727-2400804, grindhausbrewlab.com

CARROLLWOOD BREWING CO. “Secret” brewing action inside the Carrollwood location of craft-bar chain The Brass Tap. 10047 N. Dale Mabry HWY, STE 23, Tampa. 813-969-2337

GULFPORT BREWERY + EATERY Small batches with an artisanal food menu. 3007 Beach Blvd., Tampa. facebook.com/GulfportBrewery

CIGAR CITY BREWING Tampa’s most famous craft brewery. There’s also a taproom at Amalie Arena. 3924 W. Spruce St., Tampa. 813-348-6363, cigarcitybrewing.com

HIDDEN SPRINGS ALE WORKS This Tampa Heights brewery features a rotating tap selection. 1631 N. Franklin St., Tampa, 813-226-2739, hiddenspringsaleworks.com

24 | MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2021 | cltampa.com

HOB BREWING CO. Rotating taps, with some brewed on-site and alongside a combination of local breweries plus local and international craft beer makers. 931 Huntley Ave., Dunedin. hob.beer

PESKY PELICAN BREW PUB This beachy restaurant also offers up its own beers thanks to an in-house nano system. 923 72nd. St. N., St. Petersburg. 727-302-9600, peskypelicanbrewpub.com

KEEL FARMS AGRARIAN ALE + CIDER Tasty brews from the folks behind Keel & Curley winery. 5210 W. Thonotosassa Rd., Plant City. 813-752-9100, keelandcurleywinery.com

PINELLAS ALE WORKS Dog-friendly environment in addition to tasty brews. 1962 1st Ave. S., St. Petersburg. 727-235-0970, pawbeer.com

IF I BREWED THE WORLD A self-described “mixtape of breweries” with a bit of everything from the classic to the fun and outrageous. 2200 1st Ave. S., St. Petersburg. 727-201-4484, ifibrewedtheworld.com IN THE LOOP BREWING Family-friendly with a lot of community support and plenty of events. 3338 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes. 813-997-9189, intheloopbrewingcompany.com INFUSION BREWING CO. Another great location in the good-beer-packed Trinity/New Port Richey area. 7813 Mitchell Blvd. Ste 103, Trinity. 727-312-4512. INOCULUM ALE WORKS These folks are crazy for sours, and know how to craft ‘em. 554 1st Ave. N., St. Petersburg. inoculumaleworks.com JDUB’S BREWING COMPANY You know ‘em, you love ‘em. A statewide phenomenon. 1215 Mango Ave., Sarasota. 941-955-2739, jdubsbrewing.com KING STATE Food & Wine's No. 8 coffee shop in the U.S. is also home to brewer and Flying Boat Brewing Co. alum Aric Parker, who’s making some of the cleanest core beers plus a dynamic offering of rotating taps and bomber options available onsite in limited capacities. 520 E Floribraska Ave., Tampa. 813-2212100, king-state.com LAGERHAUS BREWERY & GRILL A Palm Harbor bar and eatery that offers seasonal brews to complement their regulars. 3438 East Lake Business, Palm Harbor. 727-216-9682, lagerhausbrewery.com LATE START BREWING Beloved Tampa label does its thing inside the Pour House. 1208 E. Kennedy Blvd. #112, Tampa. 813-402-2923, latestartbrewing.com LEAVEN BREWING Riverview’s first brewery is run by folks who’ve got experience brewing big and small. 11238 Boyette Rd., Riverview. 813-6777023, leavenbrewing.com MAD BEACH CRAFT BREWING Brews, ciders, and meads by the beach. 12945 Village Boulevard, Madeira Beach. 727-362-0008, madbeachbrewing.com MARKER 48 Hernando production craft brewery with tasting room and beer garden 12147 Cortez Blvd, Weeki Wachee. 352-606-2509, marker48.com MASTRY’S BREWING CO. From CD Roma’s restaurant to sweet new digs on St. Pete Beach. 7701 Blind Pass Rd., St. Pete Beach. 727-202-8045 mastrysbrewingco.com MOTORWORKS BREWING A taproom and beer garden featuring full liquor and wine as well as 30 taps. 1014 9th Street West, Bradenton. 941-567-6218, motorworksbrewing.com MR. DUNDERBAK’S The longtime restaurant, biergarten and homebrewers’ hangout is serving up its own beers. 14929 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Tampa. 813-9774104, dunderbaks.com NAUGHTY MONK BREWERY Naughty Monk brings a love of Belgian styles to Manatee County. 2507 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Bradenton. 941-708-2966, naughtymonkbrewery.com OVERFLOW BREWING St. Pete’s newest, courtesy of local Rapp head brewer Troy Bledsoe and company. 770 1st Ave. N., St. Petersburg. 727-914-0665, facebook.com/overflowbrewingco PEPPER BREWING The Angry Pepper Taphouse’s in-house label, available “on a limited basis.” 9366 Oakhurst Rd., Seminole. 727-596-5766, angrypeppertaphouse.com

RAPP BREWING COMPANY The late Greg Rapp’s award-winning styles carefully crafted. 10930 Endeavor Way, Seminole. 727-544-1752, rappbrewing.com RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER Video game-centric Grand Central District craft beer spot. 2244 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. 727-360-0766, stpetearcadebar.com ROCK BROTHERS BREWING Brews named for national and local bands have a home in Ybor City. 1901 N. 15th St., Ybor City. 813-241-0110, rockbrothersbrewing.com SARASOTA BREWING COMPANY House-crafted brews, pizza, and sports out toward beautiful Siesta Key. 6607 Gateway Ave., Sarasota. 941-925-2337, sarasotabrewing.com SILVERKING BREWING CO. This spacevcomplements a label that’s been around since 2012. 325 E Lemon St., Tarpon Springs. 727-422-7598, silverkingbrewing.com SIX TEN BREWING Wide variety and a real passion for the craft-brew community. 7052 Benjamin Rd., Tampa. 813-886-0610, sixtenbrewing.com SOGGY BOTTOM BREWING Truly original flavors and inventive brews. 660 Main St., Dunedin. 727-601-1698, soggybottombrewing.com SOUTHERN BREWING & WINEMAKING Multiple brews only available in its tasting room, plus products and guidance for homebrewers. 4500 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa. 813-238-7800, southernbrewingwinemaking.com ST. PETE BREWING COMPANY Beers crafted specifically for the climate. 544 1st Ave. N., St. Petersburg. 727-692-8809, stpetebrewingcompany.com STILT HOUSE BREWERY Friendly joint specializes in high-ABV ales and other styles you won’t find elsewhere. 625 U.S. Hwy Alt. 19, Palm Harbor. 727-270-7373, stilthousebrewery.com SWAN BREWING Nearly four decades of combined brewing experience go into the offerings at this petfriendly joint. 115 W. Pine St., Lakeland. 863-703-0472, swanbrewing.com TBBC Formerly Tampa Bay Brewing Co., local favorite for nearly two decades. 1600 E. 8th Ave., Ybor City/13933 Monroe’s Business Park, Westchase. 813247-1422, tbbc.beer TAMPA BEER WORKS At the former site of ESB Brewing, TBW focuses on American craft styles. 333 N. Falkenburg Rd., Suite D407 Tampa. 813-685-1909, tampabeerworks.com TIDAL BREWING COMPANY Small batches in Spring Hill. 14311 Spring Hill Dr., Spring Hill. 352-7011602, tidalbrewingfl.com TWO FROGS BREWING COMPANY Tarpon Springs’ latest focuses on American ale styles. 151 E. Tarpon Ave., Tarpon Springs. 727-940-6077, facebook.com/ twofrogsbrewing TWO LIONS WINERY & PALM HARBOR BREWERY Wine and beer brewed in-house. 1022 Georgia Ave., Palm Harbor. 727-786-8039, twolionswinery.com ULELE SPRING BREWERY Beer crafted in accordance with traditional Bavarian purity laws. 1810 N. Highland Ave., Tampa. 813-999-4952, ulele.com THE WILD ROVER BREWERY What started as an English pub is now a higher-production facility. 13921 Lynmar Blvd., Tampa. 813-475-5995, thewildroverbrewery.com WOODWRIGHT BREWING COMPANY Traditional German styles. 985 Douglas Ave., Dunedin. 727-2388717, facebook.com/woodwrightbrewing ZEPHYRHILLS BREWING COMPANY East Paco’s first microbrewery. 38530 5th Ave., Zephyrhills. 813-715-2683, zbcbeer.com ZYDECO BREW WERKS Craft brews in Ybor thanks to an award-winning brewmaster, as well as full bars and NOLA-influenced cuisine. 1902 E. 7th Ave., Ybor City. 813-252-4541, facebook.com/Zydecobrewwerks

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ANTIOCH RECLAIMED

ANCIENT MOSAICS AT THE MFA

APRIL 10—AUGUST 22, 2021

Roman, Antioch, Mosaic pavement from The House of the Drinking Contest, c. AD 200–300, Stone Tesserae

FROM MARGINS TO MAINSTAYS HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY COLLECTION

APRIL 24—SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

Richard Avedon, Marian Anderson (Contralto, New York, June 30, 1955), 1955, Gelatin silver print, NEA photography purchase grant

SKYWAY 20/21 A CONTEMPORARY COLLABORATION

MAY 22—AUGUST 22, 2021 Dolores Coe, Perimeter, 2019, Oil on canvas, Image courtesy of the artist

FROM HEATH THE HEDGEROW

DOULTON LAMBETH WARE AND THE BRITISH COUNTRYSIDE

JUNE 5—OCTOBER 17, 2021

Designed by Hannah B. Barlow, Vase, 1882, Glazed stoneware, Extended loan from Eleanor Davidov in memory of Leonard Davidov

FOR INFORMATION ON EXHIBITIONS, ADVANCE TICKETS, AND SAFETY GUIDELINES, VISIT MFASTPETE.ORG.

26 | MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2021 | cltampa.com

Learn traditional printmaking Workshops in - Etching - Lithography - Letterpress - Silkscreen and more. Our gallery space has local and handmade gifts Drop by during normal hours Tuesday thru Friday 11-4 Saturday 11-6 • Sunday 12-4

THEATER The Wendy House

The LAB Theater Project 812 E Henderson Ave., Tampa Tickets: $28-30; in person, livestream or on demand through May 23 labtheaterproject.com

MOVIES

THEATER

ART

CULTURE

Pure magic

‘The Wendy House’ reminds us that we’re lucky to have theaters that focus on new work. By Jon Palmer Claridge memories. The right side is merely studs, but the old door remains where Sebastian hangs a weathered sign confirming that this is indeed “the Wendy house” safe haven of his youth. It turns out that Sebastian’s Neverland is not some childhood dream, but a seedy nightmare. Melendez-Figueroa peppers his script with familiar names. After all, how can we forget Hook, Nana, and (Tiger) Lily? But figuring out who the villain is (and why and how) takes us on a fascinating journey raising questions about our justice system, childhood abandon-

on the unknown. But new work is the life’s blood of the theatre and it, generally, takes time. The Wendy House spent six years in development and the result is an entertaining ride with surprises galore to keep the audience continually engaged. LAB has survived by offering a livestream, which Robertson proudly announces in his pre-show welcome has gone international with audiences as far afield as Africa and India. But it’s wonderful to be back with your butt in a seat sharing moments with fellow audience members. Another benefit of attending in person

painful memories, while Mr. Wood is intense in his search for the truth, but yields to empathy for Sebastian as the facts unfold. Emma Hurlburt is the perfect embodiment of the bossy Wendy as she welcomes the adult Sebastian back into his fantasy world with the lost boys. Robertson mines the script’s ample humor with delightful performances by Katie Calahan (Tommy/turtle), Miles Randolph (Michael/fox) and Ricardo Fernandez (Dennis/giraffe). They’re absolutely adorable in Ms. Tepe-Robertson’s animal attire and properly disappointed when Sebastian

LAB THEATER

etective John Henning (Tyler Wood) has a problem. His partner’s death has brought Sheriff George Darling’s less than stable foster son back to town. They clash at the Bloomsbury Cemetery gravesite hovering over a baseball glove placed before the tombstone as thunder cracks in the distance—foreshadowing the upheaval to come. But there’s something off about Sebastian (Zachery Finley), and John has a hunch that he may hold the key to solving a cold case. In fact, Jonah Robertson’s driving preshow rock score asks, “What the hell is going on?” The ensuing 95 minutes take us on a harrowing ride with a light touch. It’s escapism with generous humor and periodic electric shocks as the layers of the story unfold. Playwright Hector Melendez-Figueroa has written a superbly-crafted play that manages to touch on a range of serious, intractable issues by wrapping them in light-hearted fantasy that riffs on characters from J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan. The play juxtaposes delightful, funny encounters between Sebastian and his childhood friends, Wendy and the “lost boys” from Neverland, with horrors of foster care gone awry. As Sebastian searches for peace while fighting mental illness, he escapes into fantasy joined by boyhood pals now depicted as a turtle, a fox, and a giraffe. The trouble is Detective Henning can’t see them, but somehow knows that they hold the key to unearthing the truth of how and why the old house on the hill burned down. Set/costume wizard Beth Tepe-Robertson pulls off a bit of a miracle with her designs for a company that by its very nature is perennially under-resourced. From the moment you enter LAB’s intimate space, The Wendy House is enchanting. Sebastian’s childhood haunt in the woods is a wonderfully cobweb-covered, decaying fantasy world. Along with prop master, Rachel Stidham, she presents visual clues of the fractured childhood story to come. A Raggedy Ann doll sits in a nook created by the grandfather clock against the left wall of rotting pine boards. Chintz-patterned hat boxes sit atop an old suitcase downstage. Upstage, there’s an old chair with a blanket and a satin-striped pillow. Old hardware crates, which double for seats, litter the space. At the back wall below an old framed chalkboard is a Peter Pan green chest, which later provides Sebastian toys to unlock long hidden

ZF-GIVING: Zachary Finley as Sebastian, who’s searching for peace while fighting mental illness. ment and the enormous challenges of foster care, religious zealotry, homophobia, and the unfathomable labyrinth of mental illness on the path to finding truth. The first act ends with a shocking revelation. Tampa Bay is extremely lucky that the LAB Theater Project is here to nurture talent and support new work. Every production is a world premiere, which is a marketing nightmare in a culture that thrives on adaptations or revivals. Audiences are reluctant often to spend money

(which I recommend if you’ve been vaccinated) is a splendid display of visual art by a quartet of talented painters in the gallery adjacent to the theater. Each artist displays a distinctive style with glorious details and enchanting use of color. Complete info is on LAB’s website. Executive Producer, Owen Robertson, who mentored the playwright from the beginning and helped shape the script, skillfully stages (and lights) his committed group of performers. Mr. Finley moves seamlessly from playful to

finally confesses that being an adult “sucks.” Just when you think you’ve reached the denouement with all the many plot threads neatly woven together, the playwright ends with a touching supernatural “TinkerBell” moment. Robertson seizes upon the chance to stamp a visual coda on the evening. It’s one last striking image—a dramatic tug on our emotions that plucks the heart strings, which continually reverberate long after the lights fade and we head out into the night.

cltampa.com | MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2021 | 27

28 | MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2021 | cltampa.com

Roll20

In the face of COVID-19, D&D players help shops, each other, survive. By Sophie Ojdanic Haney is a member of Wingate’s group and has been playing since 2016. “[D&D is] every emotion in the book,” Haney said. “Complete frustration to just jubilation. Your players will do the most stupid thing and you’re just baffled by their decisions and then somehow they make it end up working, and it’s just, it’s jubilation because you’ve hit this such a low and now it’s such a high.” Haney said the comedy in D&D is second-to-none. “I haven’t laughed so hard, ever in my life, like I do playing D&D,” Haney said. “There is no comedy special, no stand up, no ‘Hangover’ movie. There’s no movie that quite gives me the chuckles that I get from me and my friends raiding a dungeon together.” In early 2020, Wingate and Haney’s group shifted from playing at Haney’s apartment to using Roll20 and D&D Beyond, two online services made specifically for tabletop gaming. Roll20 offers a free virtual game board, where

GAMES

The online services aren’t only littered with drawbacks, though. Haney said an advantage of using Roll20 is the ability to better visualize maps and characters using the website’s interface and assets. He also said the virtual aspect made it easier for new players to get into the game. “If you can’t find a group locally, you can get a jump on rolling and get on with some dudes from, you know, across the world,” Haney said. But players aren’t the only ones being affected by the pandemic. Jason Acker, a long time D&D player and owner of Critical Hit Games in St. Petersburg, said customer loyalty has been “a big deal” for the store. Critical Hit, which opened seven years ago, was forced to close for six weeks in March 2020 at the onset of the pandemic and discontinued in-store gaming and activities for four months. The store offers a wide play space for events and communal gaming. “We would average between 30-50 players on Sundays and anywhere from 12-20 players on continued on page 31

“Storytelling as a group is just something that’s in us as humans.”

COURTESY OF ALEXA WINGATE

our pals have stopped in at a local bar after a grueling day at work. All you want to do is have a beer and chill out. In walks a group of goons, yelling and causing general havoc. Suddenly, one of the goons swings his fist into the face of another patron. The bar has broken into an all-out brawl. From above, you hear an omniscient voice: “Roll initiative.” This is Dungeons and Dragons (D&D)—a tabletop roleplaying game that dominates the weekends of people of all ages all over the globe. Originally released in 1974, D&D is a tabletop role-playing game which allows players to experience adventures through books, dice and imagination. Most adventures take place in a high fantasy setting, where players take on custom-made characters ranging from human to dwarf to dragonborn. The game is now in its fifth edition. With new material added regularly, D&D has thousands of pages of content—and that’s not including what’s created (or “homebrewed”) by players. “There’s so many books and dice and just paraphernalia, you want to buy and you’re just like, ‘I want that man, that’s so rad,’” 26-year-old D&D player Allen Haney told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. The newest expansion book for D&D’s fifth edition, Candlekeep Mysteries, was released March 16. It provides adventurers with 17 prewritten campaigns. D&D is not without controversy, as the game was seen as Satanic when it was first introduced. Since its conception, religious groups have seen the game’s use of demons, devils and other monsters as sacrilegious. The open-ended nature of the game was also seen as a way for children to explore ideas that were banned from the church. Then, it evolved into a game played exclusively by “weirdos” and “nerds.” Alexa Wingate, a 26-year-old St. Petersburg resident, has been a player since 2016. Wingate said her first knowledge of the game came from Facebook memes about its supposed Satanic origin, but playing the game proved that allegations wrong. “I was like, ‘This is not nerdy or bad or Satanic at all,’ ” Wingate told CL. “… I was like, impressed; I thought it was so fun. I love, like creativity, the improv, the camaraderie, the banter, the laughter. All of it was just such a good time.” Recently, D&D has moved to the forefront of pop culture, with online D&D shows like “Critical Role,” “The Adventure Zone” and “Dimension 20” gaining millions of fans through their tenure. Series like Netflix’s “Stranger Things” have also brought the game into the public eye.

players can chat and display game assets as if they were in person. Memberships (up to $99.99 annually) let players upgrade to a premium account and gain access to additional material. D&D Beyond doesn’t offer a play space but serves as a mostly-free virtual compendium of D&D materials. It allows players who may have limited access to written materials to manage their characters and resources. “I do miss the aspect of everybody being around each other,” Haney said. “It’s a lot more interactive when you are all together. But it’s not so drastic of a drop off on Roll20 that you just don’t want to play the game at all, because there are still those interactions and it’s still a whole lot of fun.” Wingate said she missed the in-person aspects of play as well. “I will say there’s something way more exciting about rolling a Nat20 in person with a physical die than there is doing it in the [virtual] game,” Wingate said. “Like, do we still get excited? Hell yeah. We all get excited, but it’s not nearly like when you roll that 20 with a die in-person, [at] a table surrounded by all your best friends.”

DIVE IN: Alexa Wingate, 26, wants new players to ‘lean into it’ and not be afraid of embarrassing themselves.

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SOPHIE OJDANIC

CRITICAL CONDITION: After seeing 30% growth pre-COVID, St. Pete’s Critical Hit is doing delivery to help combat last year’s 6% dip in sales. continued from page 29 Thursdays for Adventurer’s League tables,” Acker said. “Obviously, all of that had to stop.” Acker said that in response to store closures, Critical Hit opened an online store. “We actually started doing deliveries, like pizza, but instead, it was board game deliveries,” Acker said, noting that Critical Hit’s sales were down 6% in 2020. “That doesn’t sound like much of a loss,” Acker said. “But the first two months before COVID our sales growth was positive 30%.” Players don’t see the pandemic as hindering D&D’s growth over time; its appeal comes from stories and connection. Acker, who started playing using the first and second edition of D&D in 1991, said the possibility for original stories were part of the game’s mass appeal. “Even if I was to say we’re going to sit down and play ‘D&D Romeo and Juliet,’ it would still turn out different than ‘Romeo and Juliet,’” Acker said. “It would still feel different because … instead of reading Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ you’re taking a role. You know, what is it like to perceive that story as Mercutio?” Acker said the game’s involvement on shows like “Stranger Things” contributed to its popularity, but the biggest attractor was that “we can sit down and play whatever story we want…. My character is not limited to just what is on my action bar.” Wingate sees D&D’s growing popularity attributed to its human connection.

“The mass appeal is bonding and strategizing together and like that human connection, you know,” Wingate said. “And it’s cool to that being in COVID-19, we can still do it virtually … I don’t know what I would have done over the past year if I wasn’t able to virtually meet up with all my friends almost once a week. It’s so fun to have that lifeline. “A game could go really bad, or you could even have the worst rolls, but I won’t regret meeting up with all my friends to play a fun game. I never leave a game regretting it,” Wingate added. Haney said D&D’s growing popularity could be tied to the value of storytelling. “Why I personally believe it’s growing in popularity is, I feel like collective storytelling,” Haney said. “Storytelling as a group is just something that’s in us as humans. I mean, ever since we’ve had the ability to relay information to one another, we’ve been creating stories, most stories have been passed down. And I feel like something we’ve kind of lost,” Haney added. “We don’t partake in collective storytelling as much. I mean there’s gossip in there, you know, people enjoy that. People enjoy talking to other people and drama occurring in those conversations. They enjoy the intensity of those, so when you kind of transplant that into an unreal world and mystical world or a world that exists outside of your own that you can roleplay and exist in without the limitations of the current world it kind of appeals to everyone.”

“I haven’t laughed so hard, ever in my life, like I do playing D&D.”

cltampa.com | MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2021 | 31

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STRAND BY ME: The great Redington Beach pilot whale rescue is getting the documentary treatment.

CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM

Whale tale

Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s new movie, plus other attractions news. By Ken Storey

s its brand-new whale exhibit opens, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) has announced an upcoming documentary following the rescue of five stranded pilot whales. “Stranded: A Whale Rescue Tale” will debut this summer. The doc covers the pilot whale rescues that took place on Redington Beach in 2019. The aquarium’s animal hospital is just 14 miles from where the stranding occurred. Using original footage from the beach and the events following, “Stranded” documents each step of the rescue and research into why it occurred. The team at CMA is no stranger to cameras. Bay area locals know the aquarium is famous for another rescue, the dolphin Winter, who inspired a book and a Hollywood-backed feature film, “A Dolphin’s Tale.” A sequel to the film covered another rescue at the aquarium, a dolphin named Hope. The “Dolphin Tale” films, released in 2011 and 2014, brought a spotlight to the aquarium that few animal facilities experience. The rise in attendance and interest in the nonprofit animal care facility has resulted in a massive $80 million expansion, including a brand-new dolphin habitat, and saw public areas at the facility increase fivefold. Development of a rehab facility, also funded through the aquarium’s sudden popularity in

the 2010s, was to be kept under wraps for a late summer 2019 reveal but the rehabilitation efforts surrounding the pilot whales forced the aquarium to share details on the facility. The first animals at the new facility were two of the pilot whales. SeaWorld San Diego, Marineland of the Pacific, and Marineland near St. Augustine were hot spots for film and television throughout the 20th century. More recently, reality shows focused on veterinary care have highlighted the work done at a handful of zoos and aquariums. Some of those initiatives have resulted in popular reality shows showcasing day-to-day operations. But such success stories remain rare in the industry placing CMA into a category with juggernauts like the Bronx Zoo, the San Diego Zoo, and Georgia Aquarium. The field continues to increase. ZooTampa is featured on “Secrets of the Zoo: Tampa” and Disney+ released the Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom series last year. Both of those series are through National Geographic. Even as the genre grows, only an elite few are tapped to join it. Clearwater has already seen publicity that few facilities ever enjoy. It’s success so far has been mostly thanks to the “Dolphin Tale” feature films based on the rescue stories at the facility. “Stranded” will trade those Hollywoodstyle movies with one more akin to the animal

ATTRACTIONS

care shows that have become popular over the past decade. Also changing this time is how consumers will enjoy the movie. While “Dolphin Tale” and its sequel saw wide theatrical releases, “Stranded” will be released on streaming services. But first, the film will have its premiere at the aquarium’s theater which was built as part of a “Dolphin Tale”-funded expansion.A premiere date has yet to be announced, but it should take place this summer. The aquarium will be releasing more information on where to screen “Stranded: A Whale Rescue Tale” in the coming months. Disney reveals new details about immersive Star Wars resort In celebration of Star Wars Day, Walt Disney World announced new details about its intergalactic, immersive two-day vacation experience, including a new lightsaber reveal exclusive to resort guests. According to a Disney blog, guests will be transported to another galaxy at the “Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser” terminal, where they’ll enter a launch pod that’ll convey guests to a Halcyon Starcruiser. They’ll be met by rooms with cinematic views of space and Star Warsthemed décor. Characters from the series, old and new, can be spotted aboard, including the ship’s charming captain, eccentric ship mechanic, and a resident galactic superstar who will perform inside the Crown of Corellia Dining room. Guests can enjoy breakfast and lunch at the dining room before its transformed into a luxe site for a full-course menu dinner in the evenings. Aspiring Jedi will have the chance to train in

the ancient knowledge of the force, take a trip to planet Batuu, and get a first look at a new type of lightsaber in action. The hotel will be located on the south side of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, giving guests the chance to fully immerse themselves in the supernova universe with the upcoming Star Wars resort and the “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge” area. Although plans for the hotel were initially announced in 2018 at the D23 expo, the hotel is expected to debut in 2022.—Melissa Perez-Carrillo Walt Disney World and Universal will stop requiring temperature checks Local theme parks Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando are both phasing out temperature checks as part of their respective COVID-19 safety protocols. Universal Orlando went first, ending temperature checks across the board May 6. Universal also eased up on physical distancing requirements at the park, reducing the distance from 6 feet to 3 feet. This is in line with physical distancing guidelines in Orange County, which were changed by Mayor Jerry Demings from six to three feet at the end of April. Walt Disney World, on the other hand, ended mandatory temp checks for employees on May 8; park visitors won’t need a temp check starting May 16. Temperature checks for park employees and visitors had been mandatory for entrance since both theme parks reopened last summer. Face masks are still required at both parks.— Matthew Moyer These articles first appeared at our sister publication Orlando Weekly.

cltampa.com | MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2021 | 33

34 | MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2021 | cltampa.com

OPEN YOUR EYES: ‘Fried Barry’ is an elevator ride to hell that you’ve never experienced before.

SHUDDER

Barry good

expectations by showcasing a series of increasingly gory and body-shredding exploits. Green, with his bulging eyes and jutting jaw, is revelatory in a role that should in a perfect world be showered with accolades. He completely commits to such a degree that he comes off as otherworldly from the instant that his body and mind are invaded, and it’s an absolute blast to behold. The resulting elevator ride to hell that forms the basis for Barry’s seeit-all, do-it-all descent into decadent South African nightlife and depravity is so surreal and unpredictable that you’re barely fazed when he goes bareback to orgasm with a local prostitute, who immediately, instantly gets pregnant and gives birth to his alien-human hybrid. Trust us when we say you ain’t ever seen anything quite like this.

feminist perspective, Tj Marine’s feature debut, “At Night Comes Wolves,” serves as a stark, unapologetic reminder that true horror can be found in a home where the “man” feels superior in his demand for fealty from the “woman,” regardless of his cruel nature. It’s also a prime example of why the best horror mash-ups are the ones that make you sit up and shout, “What the actual fuck?!?” “At Night Comes Wolves” is one of those little gems that asks its audience to fill in blanks with their imagination, but the basic thrust follows Leah (Gabi Alves), a dutiful wife trying desperately to please her brutish, backwards-thinking husband, who eventually hooks up with a tiny cult-like band of believers who are convinced they have uncovered a way to end misogyny through a ceremony that will basically make them immortal. It’s a wild, unpredictable ride that culminates with one of the best in recent memory twists that literally catches you so wholly unprepared that you can’t help but clap enthusiastically from your couch.

At Night Comes Wolves ★★★½ 76 minutes, streaming, Blu-Ray and DVD Much like the recent “Lucky” and “Burn It All,” two stellar genre films told from a decidedly

Bloodthirsty ★★★ 84 minutes, streaming Fright director Amelia Moses had quite the output during the global pandemic that

The best and worst movies to stream at home right now. By Jon W. Allman

ids as young as 12 can now get the Pfizer vaccine, according to the CDC, and Florida’s weekly average coronavirus cases have been decreasing for the last two weeks, all positive signs if you’re looking to get out of the house. If you’re not, we don’t blame you. And if you want to stay inside forever, then here’s a new, supersized roundup of the best and worst new movies you can stream at home right now. Watch trailers and see more of what’s available by finding this post on cltampa.com/magazine. Fried Barry ★★★★ 99 minutes, Shudder All hail “Fried Barry,” a glorious mindfuck that reimagines the traditional Hollywood bodyswapping comedy as a subversive screed on hedonistic excess as seen through the eyes of an intergalactic alien whose consciousness somehow melds with the body of a drug-addicted lowlife ne’er-do-well named Barry (Gary Green). Writer-director Ryan Kruger has created an instant cult classic that hails from an unlikely place, South Africa, but which transcends your

FILM & TV

sacked much of 2020, delivering a festival favorite (“Bleed With Me”) along with “Bloodthirsty,” a poignant coming-of-age tale of a singer, Grey (Lauren Beatty), besieged with nocturnal visions of her tearing into flesh and gorging on blood. If you notice similarities between “Bloodthirsty” and “Ginger Snaps,” you’re not alone, but whereas “Ginger Snaps” stands as one of the best werewolf movies ever made, “Bloodthirsty” is more concerned with Grey’s artistic transformation than her literal one. It’s a solid entry into lycanthrope lore, but more than anything, “Bloodthirsty” reaffirms that Moses has a very bright future with likely her best work still to come. Death Ranch ★★★ 78 minutes, streaming, Blu-Ray and DVD You can thank “Get Out” and “Antebellum” for sparking a renaissance in Black-centric genre movies focused on our racially-charged past that sadly remains a constant in our current social climate. “Death Ranch,” however, doesn’t aspire to be a movie that will make you think after the credits roll. Its sole focus is to deliver an hour-plus sizzle reel showcasing three Black protagonists fighting back with brutal, gory results against a horde of white-hooded Klansmen in the 1970s. If you’re continued on page 37

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sensitive to racial epithets and imagery steeped in the blood and hate of our country’s darkest period (until now, at least), then you might want to avoid “Death Ranch.” But if you dig hardcore practical effects that spotlight extreme damage to the human body, coupled with a spot-on retroBlaxploitation vibe, then you should be pleasantly surprised. Initiation ★★½ 96 minutes, streaming Let’s give “Initiation,” the feature-length debut of director/co-writer John Berado, a little credit for trying to goose the slasher genre with a healthy dollop of 21st-century social media commentary, but his ambition exceeds his ability to stick the landing when it comes to making a point about the connection between our collective desire to be liked, our not-so-irrational fear of being slut-shamed and forever marked online by cyber bullying, and the potential for ill-advised tweets to spark real-life violence. “Initiation” is watchable, and mostly enjoyable, with a decent twist reveal in the final frames that seems designed to leave the door cracked for a possible sequel (of course!), but it’s nothing you haven’t seen before. Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse ★★½ 109 minutes, Amazon Prime After nearly two-dozen appearances in Tom Clancy novels, and supporting appearances in two films based on Clancy books about Jack Ryan, Amazon Prime is taking a big swing in debuting the first full-length feature based on the character of John Kelly, a highly-skilled and lethal Navy SEAL, who eventually changes his name to John Clark. With a well-regarded director (Stefano Sollima) a script co-written by Taylor Sheridan, the modern-day equivalent of Cormac McCarthy, and Michael B. Jordan as Kelly, you would think that “Without Remorse” would crackle with urgency and spit out bits of bone fragment like an unstoppable Goliath. And it does, at times, but too much of this origin story into the traumatic circumstances that forced Kelly to abandon his given name and become an avenging vigilante doesn’t connect or resonate the way you might expect. “Without Remorse” is a decent actioner that could have been a lot better, but the end result falls far short of the benchmarks from previous standout projects that Sheridan and Jordan, especially, have left fans expecting. Oxygen ★★ 100 minutes, Netflix French genre director Alexandre Aja has delivered four exceptional movies in his career, including two of the best remakes in modern-day

cinematic history, but he’s also missed the mark on occasion, too. His latest, the science-fiction thriller “Oxygen,” falls firmly on the wrong side of his resume next to “Mirrors” and “Horns,” and lacks any of the brutal imagery or visceral gore that defined his personal best in classics “High Tension,” “The Hills Have Eyes,” Piranha 3D” or 2019’s “Crawl.” “Oxygen,” which stars Mélanie Laurent as Elizabeth Hansen, quickly wears out its claustrophobic trappings despite its above-average set design and high-brow concept. Basically, Hansen wakes up in a cryo chamber with no recollection of where she is or what’s happening around her with a polite built-in AI system that counts down the minutes until her oxygen levels completely deplete. In the past, Aja has rebounded following his occasional missteps with something truly visionary. Here’s hoping that history will repeat itself once again. The Little Things ★½ 128 minutes, streaming, Blu-Ray, DVD What do you get when you parachute three

Oscar-winning actors into a gritty yet overwrought serial killer thriller? “The Little Things,” which apparently exists to imagine what might have happened next in “Se7en” if Somerset had allowed Mills to kill John Doe. It has been a long, long, long time since I felt like I was watching a long, long, long movie, but there really are not enough words to convey just how painfully, inexplicably slow “The Little Things” is or how redundant it feels, despite the presence of A-list talent like Denzel Washington, Rami Malek and Jared Leto. The Resort ★ 75 minutes, streaming It’s probably the most frustrating scenario for both a film fan and movie critic to see a great location and set-up for a horror movie be so wholly and completely wasted. “The Resort,” a new paranormal would-be frightfest, envisions a world where a luxurious, oceanfront destination getaway in Hawaii has been completely abandoned due to fears that a vengeful ghost was terrorizing vacationers and making dozens of people disappear. And, of course, the ones who decide to sneak

into the resort are a foursome of friends celebrating the birthday of a social media influencer obsessed with the legend of the Half-Faced Girl, who gained urban legend fame upon the nowvacant resort’s shuttering. Even worse, “The Resort” is told in flashback from a hospital bed through the tired trope of a police detective interrogating the lone survivor. Wrong Place, Wrong Time 0 star(s) 85 minutes, streaming We’ve seen some ridiculous mashups in our day, but “Wrong Time, Wrong Place” might just carve itself a spot near the top of the bargain bin heap. Basically, this is “From Dusk Till Dumb,” with a story involving an elite team of mercenaries trying to steal millions from a Mexican cartel who find themselves holed up inside a mansion that’s become home to an ancient vampiric evil. Nothing really works, and every opportunity to add some tension or chills falls flat due to a cast of cardboard characters who aren’t allowed to show even a hint of genuine emotion or terror. Avoid at all costs.

EMPIRE/DARK TEMPLE

continued from page 35

KLAN KILLERS: ‘Death Ranch’ showcases three protagonists fighting back with brutal, gory results.

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Temple of La Piña: ‘Robbed’ Album Release Gat$ w/Scxtt Aye/DJ Wally Rios Saturday, May 15, 8 p.m. $10-$15. Hooch and Hive. 1001 W Cass St., Tampa. gats813.com

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Become the sun

Pain is the foundation of a new, hopeful album from Gat$. By Ray Roa Mom’s hospital stay and his brother’s passing comprise just some of the pain detailed on Gat$’ new album, Robbed, set for release on May 14. The songs were meant to see him through the bereavement, not for the public to hear. Gat$’ colleagues at Ybor City’s Five 5 Studios, where he’s studio director, helped convince him otherwise. There’s a verse on

IRREVERSIBLE: Gat$’ new LP wasn’t meant for the public, but there’s no turning back now. the opening track, “Laugh With God,” where the treble is totally panned down, rendering lyrics indecipherable. “I needed to get that out, but it’s really for my brother. It was my personal eulogy for him,” Gat$ explained. It’s the only opaque part of a 34-minute album that wears deeper bruises than Robbers, but without the padding of production meant for crowds ready to party.

a community actively avoids oppression in a world where property is sold off to developers and municipalities, effectively closing the book on a family’s land ownership. Houses are either being torn down or rehabbed on the song, but always sold for profit, leaving the original homeowner out of the cycle of generational wealth. As a teenager, Gat$ took advantage of an opportunity to work at a bank where he now spends his days training to be a financial solutions advisor. Being around people who have some money, others with no money and the lucky few with heaps of it not only taught him the difference between clients on 50th Street, in Palma Ceia and in the suburb of Brandon, but also how financial literacy is passed down, and how it plays out in real life. And on tracks of longing like “Lauren London,” he raps about all of that—plus inequity and police reform—in a way that’ll leave you humming the hook while also thinking about the message long after the record wraps. But even while blasting cops on MAGA patrol and painting pictures of people hanging from trees (“Bad News”), Gat$ still manages a balanced album that doesn’t explicitly tell you what to do. Instead, he asks a lot of questions, inevitably inviting listeners to rethink their worldview. “It’s super easy to say, ‘Fuck the police,’ but why?,” Gat$ said, explaining the way Robbed can be simultaneously dense and lit (like on “NRA” when he has choice words for Marco Rubio). On this new album, he talks directly about issues without superfluous messaging. “I don’t want to be preachy or whiny, I just tried to find the voice to rap about the things that bothered me; on the other hand, I feel like opening up conversations about those things are the actions that lead to resolving those things.” And at the end of the day, in spite of all the pain that is the foundation of Robbed, Gat$— who’s been to more funerals than weddings, baby showers and birthday parties over the last five years—still finds hope. On aforementioned album highlight “Bad News,” Gat$ raps that he “Ain’t got time to cry.” But in real life, he actually does it all the time. “It just comes out at the most inopportune moments, like in traffic,” he said. With the kind of year Gat$ had, tears might just come out in Miami. We all suffer differently, but Gat$ rolled his pain out so we could address ours, too. It’ll be OK to cry with him when he’s onstage; we’re all just laughing with God anyway.

“It was my personal eulogy for him.”

JAN-MICHAEL REYES

his summer, Robb Ferdinand plays his ninth stadium show. The set is part of the second rescheduled date for the July edition of Rolling Loud, a Florida-born hip-hop festival where the 32-year-old better known as Gat$ has played stages with A$ap Rocky, Future, Kid Cudi and Cardi B in cities like Oakland, New York and Miami. At Hard Rock Stadium on July 24, the Tampa rapper is on a bill that includes headliner Travis Scott along with Young Thug, Wale, Roddy Rich and more. Had the festival happened as planned last May, Gat$ would’ve been supporting his 2020 album, Robbers, a collection of songs he made knowing Rolling Loud and South By Southwest (also canceled) were on the calendar. The effort is marked with Gat$’ familiar social commentary, but some cuts find him rapping about suicide, then something completely hedonistic in the very next bar. It’s a fully-transparent LP with open wounds wrapped in bandages of bombastic beats designed for the festival stage. Still, having Rolling Loud—inarguably the biggest hip-hop festival in the world—postponed twice due to coronavirus had a silver lining. Gat$ told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that last spring kicked off a “pretty, pretty bad time,” for him. Truth be told, the entire last half decade has been rough. After the release of his 2016, jazz-riddled, boom-bap-driven album By Any Dreams, Gat$’ sickle cell anemia—a diagnosis he received after being wrongfully pegged for various other ailments since the age of 12—grew so dire that he publicly asked fans and friends if they could be a match for a bone marrow transplant. His younger brother Elijah ended up being the one, but tests found that attempting the operation left Gat$ open to a 10% chance of dying. Even the doctor wouldn’t do it. In the years since, Gat$ has been skipping chemo, opting instead for a good diet and less stress to control the disease poisoning his blood. Then, on March 14, 2020, Gat$’ older brother died of a heart attack. Three days later the world shut down. With Rolling Loud canceled, Gat$ was forced to be alone. “Henry was my protector and really my sense of grounding,” Gat$ said. A week after his brother’s funeral, Gat$’ mom got COVID-19; she ended up with a port in her chest.

Robbed is a rare record that, in three acts, confronts darkness—both societal and internal, sometimes not exclusive of each other—while retaining a sense of hope not just in the way it makes room for loving sentiments and a sense of longing, but in how it approaches the ills addressed on its most cutting tracks. On “Moonlight,” over a restless piano sample, Gat$ references H.P. Lovecraft’s ancient winged god as he raps about American norms that often paint Black men as superthugs, criminals and generally devious

beings no matter how much they move vertically through society. “The Cthulhu line has a lot of meaning, as it’s a tentacled being that physically shifts and a monster of lore that has had many interpretations over time, [and] Lovecraft was a racist so there’s that,” Gat$ said. Elsewhere, like on “Black Nationalist,” Gat$ asks why the country’s biggest gang enjoys qualified immunity, while also pondering how

cltampa.com | MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2021 | 39

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BRITTON PLAZA, TAMPA

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THU MAY 13 –WED MAY 19

C Designated Safe And Sound Venue On Tuesday, the state reported 3,263 new coronavirus cases and 49 deaths. Florida Politics recently reported on a new estimation which says that more than 50,000 have died from COVID-19 in Florida, higher than the state’s official count of 35,783. Still, there are some bright spots. The more than 65,000 tests processed Monday came back with a daily positivity rate of 5% (The World Health Organization recommends that areas remain below 5% for two weeks before lifting virus-related restrictions—we’re not there yet). What’s more is that more than 1 million people have been vaccinated in Hillsborough and Pinellas combined. But the local concert scene is finding ways to try and stay on its feet. We’ve marked the gigs at venues that have joined a Tampa-based and city-recognized “Safe & Sound” initiative that pledges to strictly enforce limited capacity, mask wearing and social distancing—and tried our best to explain COVID-19 protocols at venues that not able to join Tampa’s “Safe & Sound” program.

THU 13

Orange Blossom Jamboree w/Uncle John’s Band/The Black Honkeys/ Ajeva/Dead Set Florida/Anthill Cinema/ Guavatron/Electric Kif/S.P.O.R.E./ GoldenEra/The Applebutter Express/ George Pennington/Oxford Nolan/ Tony Tyler Trance/more The OBJ folks are once again back putting the jam (band) in “Jamboree” with this long-weekend full of juicy goodness that’s got camping to boot. The fest starts with alternative-rock by Riverview’s Lucid Wake Thursday afternoon and ends with Bay area funk-outfit The Black Honkeys on Sunday just before sunset. There are three stages full of a variety of music, some not even that jammy, like the Seminole Heights’ hip-hop act GoldenEra playing Friday and Plant City indie-rock duo Oxford Nolan playing Saturday, both on the Clementine Stage. Besides music, there are yoga, songwriting, tai chi and other classes, plus a stacked activity schedule in “Kid Row” for the wee ones. Tickets come with primitive camping spots—all the electric hookup options are sold out. And though COVID-19 rules in Florida are dwindling away, there are still a few in place at the outside festival. Masks are only required when checking in though they are recommended when in close proximity of people not in your group. If you are concerned with social distancing, you can request a special pink wristband that lets people know you want your space. Temperature checks will also happen upon arrival, and OBJ is asking you not to share drinks, cigarettes or “etc.”—so puff, puff, don’t pass. (Sertoma Ranch, Brooksville)

FRI 14

C Blake Daniels w/Connor Zwetsch In a week or two, all the finishing touches on a new album from Tampa Bay songwriter Blake Daniels will be done. Daniels works like Elliott Smith and Kurt Vile in the way he writes and records the music himself, and rough mixes of songs from Break The Cycle update the Mellencamp-y vibe of past material with a splash of saltwater and extra bells (“On and On”), cultivate his penchant for writing harmony-rich soft rockers (“Sum Blues”) and revisit the classic harmonica-boosted Americana many fans have come to love Daniels for (“Marlon Brando”). On Friday at what’s become thee downtown Tampa venue to see live original local music each weekend, Daniels is joined by friends—Connor Zwetsch on guitar and bass, Josh Barbour on lead guitar, keyboardist Anthony Saunder and drummer Dillon Reader—as they run through all 11 tracks of the effort. Zwetsch pulls double duty and opens the show. Look for an official album release show next month. (Hooch and Hive, Tampa)—Ray Roa Clay Walker Concerts at the Bull predictably and predominantly feature two kinds of music: country and western. Songwriter Clay Walker is no exception. Walker got famous in the early-90s when his first single “What’s It To You” hit no. 1 one on the Billboard country charts. The Nashville-by-way-of-Texas singer has been steadily working ever since, with no real scandals under his huge belt buckle— except for maybe divorcing a rodeo queen to marry a model. The previous “Health & Safety” section of the venue’s website is no longer easily accessible, and a Facebook post has an employee telling a guest there is not a mask policy. Though no mask requirement seems in place, du rags and baggy clothes are not allowed, so WTF. Creative Loafing Tampa Bay reached out to Dallas Bull to confirm its policies, but has yet to hear back. (Dallas Bull, Tampa) C Riverwalk and Chill: Mountain Holler w/Noan Partly/J’nelle The Tampa Total Request Live (TTRL) folks are back with Riverwalk & Chill—their outside, sociallydistanced concert series featuring some of the best Tampa musicians. This week, hosts Roxanne Gallo and Zachary Hines bring neo-soul and contemporary R&B singer J’Nelle to the stage set up on downtown Tampa’s Riverwalk. Check out her 2020 single “Number 1” to get a taste of the massive talent to expect. Also on the lineup is Lakeland singer and banjo player Noan Partly, who’s been popping up everywhere with her funky folk. Tampa’s getting a real treat this weekend, too, because alt-folk singer Mark Etherington aka Mountain Holler flew in from Seattle for the weekend, first hitting the Straz outside stage Friday, Orange Blossom Jamboree Saturday afternoon and the Indie in Seminole Heights on Sunday. Tickets are sold by tables of two, three or four people. The Straz Center still acknowledges the

CONNOR ZWETSCH

By Stephanie Powers

Blake Daniels pandemic happening and requires masks, temperature checks and social distancing. (Riverwalk Stage at David. A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa) Tommy Emmanuel Certified guitar god, Tommy Emmanuel invites you to take a seat— literally—in the Jannus courtyard this weekend. Emmanuel doesn’t sing, but he doesn’t need to. The 65-year-old’s guitar playing is more layered than most vocalists out there. Listening to the Australian musician’s most successful single “Angelina” brings more serenity and peace to my mind than an hour of yoga class. Throughout his 50-year career, Emmanuel has garnered a couple Grammy nominations, performed at the Olympics and was given the “Certified Guitar Player” title by Mr. Guitar himself, Chet Atkins. Tickets for the Saturday night show are sold by four, five or eight-person tables, so grab a couple friends, or several, and get your tranquility on. “Face coverings and/or masks are strongly encouraged when indoors or social distancing is difficult!,” at this downtown St. Petersburg venue. (Jannus Live, St. Petersburg)

SAT 15

Kim Richey Country-folk singer Kim Richey wrote big ol’ hits for other artists like Trisha Yearwood (“Believe Me Baby (I Lied)”) and Brooks and Dunn (“Every River”) in addition to cuts in her own

successful catalog. Richey’s first single, “Just My Luck” from her 1995 self-titled album, hit the Top 50 of the U.S. Country charts and is exploding with that “Reality Bites” meets “Felicity” soundtrack vibes— except a little more country. Jason Isbell fans might recognize Richey’s vocals, too, as she harmonized with Isbell’s wife Highwoman Amanda Shires on songs from his Southeastern album. Though this gig is a tabled event, you can buy individual tickets—you might just have to sit with some strangers. Masks are required, and expect a temperature check at the door. (The Attic at Rock Brothers Brewing Co., Ybor City)

SUN 16

$not Pegasus Night Club welcomes rising rap star Edy Edouard, aka $not (stylized $NOT, pronounced “snot”) to the room for a 16 & up show. At 23 years old, the West Palm Beach emo-rapper has already landed impressive press including a 2019 article in the Los Angeles Times that claims Billie Eilish is a fan. Edouard’s ghostly single “Gosha” has over 162 million streams on Spotify and 16 million views on YouTube alone. Surprisingly, there are still tickets available to this sleeper show and you can pay extra for a meet and greet. No COVID-19 protocols are listed, and CL has reached out to the Pegasus but have not heard back at time of publishing. (Pegasus Night Club, Tampa)

cltampa.com | MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2021 | 41

Where the vinyl is: a list of Bay area record stores

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) mid-2019 revenue report said streaming music accounted for 80% of total industry revenues, which rose 18% to $5.4 billion. Vinyl album revenue grew 13% to $224 million, but the RIAA also pointed out that sales of wax still only accounted for 4% of total revenues. Rough translation: Yeah, people are buying more records, but your local shop still needs you more than ever. If you’re reading this page, then you probably already know this, but you need your local shop, too. So many of the spaces listed to the right are so much more than stores. They’re community centers for ArtPool Records (2030 Central Ave., St. Petersburg) 727-433-5195, artpoolrules.com Asylum Sights and Sounds (6566 Central Ave., St. Petersburg) 727-384-1221 Bananas Records (2887 22nd Ave N., St. Petersburg) 727-327-4616 ext. 1, bananasrecords.com Bananas Records Warehouse (2226 16th Ave. N., St. Petersburg) 727 327-4616 ext. 2, bananasrecords.com Blue Moon Antiques, Books & Music (1413 Cleveland St., Clearwater) 727-443-7444 The Clearwater Record Shop (1610 N. Hercules Ave., Clearwater) 727-755-1201, clearwaterrecordshow.com

42 | MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2021 | cltampa.com

music lovers. Some of them are venues for local bands. The staff at most of these shops have more musical knowledge in their left ear than you’ll ever have in your entire life; they’re willing to share it with a smile on their face, too. Patronize these brick and mortars… frequently. Make friends with your neighbor behind the counter. Your wallet might be a little lighter, but your mind will be happy in return. You don’t have to stop streaming — let’s face it, no one will — but opening an app will never live up to the feeling of opening the door at your local record store. —Ray Roa

Daddy Kool Records (2430 Terminal Dr. S., Side B, St. Petersburg) 727-822-5665, daddykool.com

Kingfish Records (Main Store) (26024-B US Highway 19 N., Clearwater) 727-351-5177, kingfishrecords.com

Sound Exchange Tampa (14246 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa) 813-978-9316, soundexchangetampabay.com

Disc Exchange (6712 Central Ave., aSt. Petersburg) 727-343-5845, thediscexchange.com

Kingfish Records (Flea Market) (180 Race Track Rd., Tampa) 727-455-9923, kingfishrecords.com

Dunedin Records & Audio (757 Main St., Dunedin) 727-423-4108, dunedinrecords.com

Microgroove (906 N. Florida Ave., Tampa) 813-667-7089, microgroovetampa.co

Sound Exchange Pinellas Park (66th Street N and 86th Avenue N., Pinellas Park) 727-545-0042, soundexchangetampabay.com

Dustin’s Vinyl Shop (180 Race Track Rd., Booth F25 W, Oldsmar) 727-678-6829, facebook.com/pg/dustinsvinylshop

Mojo Books & Records (2540 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa) 813-971-9717, mojotampa.com

Green Shift Music & Comics (5713 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa) 813-238-4177, greenshiftmusicandcomics.com Hello Darlin’ Records (Roving VW Camper) 727-479-6783, hellodarlinrecords.com

Patrick’s Book and Record Store (15215 US Hwy.19 C, Hudson) 727-868-3168, patricksbooksandre.wixsite.com/patricks Planet Retro Records (226 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N., St. Petersburg) 727-218-7434, planetretrorecords.com

St. Pete Records (6648 Central Ave., St. Petersburg) 727-490-8861, stpeterecords.com Steelworker Records (708 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Tampa) 813-666-4933, steelworkerrecords.com Unique Music & Collectables (123 Main St., Dunedin) 727-240-0757 Vintage Vinyl (38874 U.S. 19 N., Tarpon Springs) 727-940-8301, vintagevinyl.biz

cltampa.com | MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2021 | 43

44 | MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2021 | cltampa.com

Dramatis personae By Dan Savage

I’m someone who does gay porn for a living. How do people who do gay porn meet someone who doesn’t just sexualize or fetishize them? I can’t eat, sleep, and breathe my work constantly but the guys I meet want me to live out the “porn persona” version of myself all the time. How does someone who does porn know who you can be yourself with?—Aiden Ward @aidenxxxward “Living with two identities is definitely a balancing act,” said Devin Franco, an awardwinning gay porn performer. “Being in porn means juggling the ‘real world’ person I actually am—a person who has to navigate rent, healthcare, bills, and a social life—and a porn star alter ego. And these days our porn alter egos don’t just have to perform. We also have to do a lot of our own shooting and our own PR while maintaining our images. It’s a lot. And reality always comes knocking no matter how much fun you’re having. The bills always come due.” Franco’s first bit of advice is to remember that you are not your alter ego. “It’s a beautiful and sexy part of you that you have the opportunity to show to the world,” said Franco. “But it’s not all of you. That will help you stay grounded.” It also helps to remember that being “porn famous” doesn’t mean everyone knows who you are. “A lot of people you meet will have no idea who you are,” said Franco, “which means a lot of the time you’ll get to choose when you want to introduce yourself as your porn alter ego or when you want to just be yourself. This makes it easier to create boundaries between your real life and your porn life. Knowing you get to decide when or even if you want to introduce yourself as your actual self or as that fantasy version of yourself—your alter ego—means you can control how a lot of people perceive you.” So even if you get as porn famous as Franco is, Aiden, you’ll still have lots of opportunities for people to get to know the real you—not the porn persona—before you tell them what you do for a living. As with so many things (being HIV+, being trans, being kinky, being polyam, etc.), when you tell a guy you do porn, Aiden, you’re telling him one thing he needs to know about you—but his reaction will tell you everything you need to know about him. If he starts shaming you about what you do—or if he goes from seeing you as a person who is also an object to seeing you as just an object—that’s really all you need to know: don’t see him, unfollow him, block him. “Now lots of the people who fetishize and sexualize you are your fans—they’re your audience, they’re the ones who pay your bills, and you have to recognize that and you do have to

keep them interested,” said Franco, “but you don’t have to give them all of your time and attention. Because at the end of the day, it’s your work and you’ve got other shit to do. You will meet people both in and out of the industry who recognize that you are a real person, with a real life, and who will get to know the real you,” said Franco. “And you’ll sometimes find that some of the people who fetishized you at first don’t anymore once they get to know the real you.” Franco shared your question with CagedJock, another high-profile porn star that Franco works with regularly, and CagedJock shared his strategy for finding guys he can be himself around: “I like to hang out with people who work in the same industry,” said CagedJock, “because they don’t sexualize me. Devin and I have been friends since 2019. He’s super sexy and I adore him. While other guys might only see him only as a fantasy figure, I don’t. Because I know our work doesn’t define us 24/7. We’re friends.” Follow @devinfrancoxxx on @ cagedjock on Twitter. I’m a gay male in his 30s and during the pandemic I stayed with a straight male friend and his girlfriend. He’d periodically been flirty with me over the years—sending me nude photos and drunkenly telling me that he loved me. When his girlfriend was away visiting family we got drunk together. He bought all the alcohol, he mixed it, and he served it. During this time we had a series of drunken encounters. The first time he took out his cock and asked me if I wanted to play with it. There was some brief licking and he grabbed my hair and finished on my face. He hugged me and rubbed my back after. The next two times were less serious, but he took off his shirt and pants. On one of those occasions his girlfriend called and he put his clothes back on, took the call, then came back and took his clothes off again. All three times it happened he was fully engaged and communicating his wants and initiating things. His girlfriend eventually found out about one of the incidents. After a month of drama, he told her everything and they broke up. Shortly after he claimed that I took advantage of him and claimed he was too drunk to give consent! I am not sure what to make of this. First, he is the one that supplied the alcohol and made us

both really strong drinks. He also drinks a lot regularly, so his tolerance is much higher than mine, but we drank the same amount and I was much drunker than he was. Third, he continued to hang out with me until his girlfriend found out. I am deeply hurt. I’ve lost two friends—which I admit that I am partially to blame for. I knew they were together. But I don’t know what to do about the accusation that I forced him to be sexual without his consent. I have played events over and over in my mind and I don’t understand how he could say this. He supplied the alcohol, he was an active participant, and when I asked if he really wanted to do this, he said yes. I am not sure if he is gaslighting me or if he honestly remembers things differently.—Boy Lost And Hurt

At some point in our gay lives every gay man learns not to mess around with a friend’s drunk straight-identified boyfriend. No matter how many dick pics they send us, no matter how much they claim to wanna, when it comes to shit—as it invariably does—the gay guy is gonna get the blame. It’s a lesson most of us learn earlier in life (I was 16 when I learned it), BLAH, but it’s a lesson most us learn after messing around with the drunk straight-identified boyfriend of a friend. We fuck around, we find out. Anyway, your male former friend obviously wanted to mess around with another dude—he wasn’t sending you dick pics by accident—and the drinks he made were as much about lowering his inhibitions and yours (about cheating with him) as they were giving him some plausible deniability (“Man, I was so drunk last night!”) if the worst should happen. And it did: you fucked around, she found out. But after you guys got caught—which almost everybody does—instead of taking responsibility or coming out as bi or bi-curious or at the very least heteroflexible, BLAH, your former friend weaponized the toxic stereotype of the predatory homosexual against you. It’s understandable that you’re upset. If it’ll make you feel better—and it would certainly make me feel better—you could send screengrabs of the dick pics he sent you to him and his girlfriend. Because if anyone was making passes here, it was him. If anyone was taking advantage here, it was him. You could send those screengrabs, but you shouldn’t—as wrong as it was of him to weaponize antigay stereotype against you, BLAH, using his dick pics against him would also be wrong. And probably a crime under revenge porn statutes. But you have every right to push back against the accusation that you forced yourself on your former friend—and while you have the receipts and he knows it, BLAH, you shouldn’t produce them. Maybe just knowing you have them will make you feel better. Contact mail@savagelove.net, Follow @ FakeDanSavage on Twitter, and bookmark savagelovecast.com.

SAVAGE LOVE

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46 | MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2021 | cltampa.com

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NEW PATIENT SPECIAL - $99

Employment/Help Wanted

63 73

• Specializing in chronic pain • Now Accepting NEW PATIENTS • Auto Accident

cltampa.com

58 62

SOUTH TAMPA URGENT CARE CENTER

to advertise: phone - 813-739-4800 email - acarbone@cltampa.com

There IS Help.

Suffering in Pain?

Work in TV Commercials, Films, Magazines, etc. All types, sizes, races & ages.

Call/Text NOW: 1-800-863-8865 TonksTalentNetwork.com

SOMEONE A BOUDOIR PHOTO GIFT!

MASSAGE

Female Therapist 7 DAYS! 9AM-5PM, $40 In-Call Sandy

727-822-4020 MA23220

Requires a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Math or Engineering + 24 months experience as a Software Engineer with a laboratory or clinical information systems vendor.

LIFE IS GOOD!

Please submit resumes by mail to SCC Soft Computer ATTN: Human Resources 5400 Tech Data Drive, Clearwater, FL 33760.

Call 727-403-3544

A Warm Lotion Therapuetic Massage. Once is not enough. Lic# MA33860

HARDCORE ADULT TALK Busty Babes, Ebony Hotties or Older Ladies - Ur Choice! 866-515-3699 Only $10 Per Call

METROSEXUAL CONNECTIONS STRAIGHT, GAY OR BI 800-538-2428 Only 20 Cents Per Minute!

DELUXE PACKAGES STARTING @ $199

Licensed Massage & Spas A PROFESSIONAL

EROTIC PHONE CHAT REAL Fun Singles! 800-SEXY-GAL 800-739-9425

(813) 774-1640 Business Opportunity

STATE CERTIFIED FISH HATCHERY

FOR SALE WITH AQUAPONIC STOCKING

RECESSION-PROOF BUSINESS

IN PORT RICHEY - $200K CALL

727-415-6334

Trans Model Yazmine:

813-508-1441

cltampa.com | MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2021 | 47