Born Free Pub & Grill
110 E Waters Ave., Tampa
One of Tampa Bay’s best new music venues has abruptly closed after less than two years on the scene. Born Free—a biker bar located at 110 E Waters Ave. in Tampa’s Sulphur Springs neighborhood—quickly established itself as a prime venue for metal and hardcore. It hosted bands featuring members of Municipal Waste, up-and-coming bands in metal, and even tried-and-true independent favorites like Norman Westberg of Swans and Lydia Lunch. “The outpouring of support has been overwhelming, and we want to bounce back,” said owner Afzaal Deen to CL. “I know there’s a big need for a venue like ours in Tampa.”
Photo by Dave Decker Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
In December, recently-reformed Tampa hardcore band Yield To None released a six-song demo in conjunction with the outfit’s slot opening for New York-based legends of the genre, Agnostic Front. Just a few weeks ago, Yield To None also opened for another NYC hardcore band, Gel.
For this one, Yield To None literally yields to nobody and headlines a gig where St. Pete ass kicker Razor and the Boogiemen plays support along with Tampa cybergrind duo Scissor Blade (which has a killer cover of Peaches’ “Fuck the Pain Away”).
Read his 2016 intro letter and disclosures from 2022 and 2021. Ray Roa started freelancing for Creative Loafing Tampa in January 2011 and was hired as music editor in August 2016. He became Editor-In-Chief...
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