Lifetime pursuit: Interview with a modern day Nazi hunter
As far as job descriptions go, few include tasks stranger or more dramatic than confronting a former guard at Auschwitz on a windy day in Chicago. That’s the kind of thing Eli Rosenbaum has done as the U.S. Justice Department’s longest-running special investigator of human rights violators living in the United States. A prosecutor at…
The birth of Black Amethyst, the return of BlueLucy
A promising new gallery and tattoo studio opens on MLK; Chad Mize and co. are back at it in nomadic fashion, for now.
Mud, barbed wire, great warrior wall, beer and music
The Mud Season begins this weekend in Central Florida.
Drink More Wine: A bridge to somewhere
Heighten your at-home recipes with food and wine in harmony.
Do This: The Weekend Top 10
Pirates, 3D art, fun fests, classic opera, surreal Super Bowl viewing and classic cult flicks.
What will they love? How to ensure Tampa Bay’s allure
At the core of Lightning owner Jeff Vinik’s $1 billion plan to transform Channelside are plans for a medical school and heart institute. Economic development advocates say the med complex is crucial to the regional economy, and are lobbying hard for state dollars. “You’re talking about a couple hundred medical students, several hundred physicians, faculty…
Sh*t happened 1/29/15: The State Fair ups security & the ‘Burg gets millennial love
Ah, Thursday. The very tip of the weekend is just barely in sight, like the first rays of the sun as they rise above the eastern horizon after a long night on an angry sea. Rejoice, and then, because you're human, give in to the temptation to look back at what you've endured. The Florida…
Update: Scott wants to cut 1,353 jobs – guess which agency suffers most (and where he’ll tout his plan)
It's been a tough month for Governor Rick Scott, what with people actually investigating the mysterious departure of the state's top law enforcement official. Scott's handlers will rush him through Tampa Thursday morning so he can talk about how great his plan is at a stiffly scripted press conference, then dodging media questions about the…
SCENE BREAKER: Preview shenanigans, helium hijinks and it ain’t over ‘til the fat lady twerks
Here’s what’s behind the curtain this week in Tampa Bay theater… THE PARROT SKETCH, BY AUGUST WILSON: Savvy, thrifty local theatergoers haunt preview performances ahead of opening night, in part for the cut ticket price and in part because they know said performances are technically dress rehearsals, wherein anything can and will happen. In the…
Restaurant review: Flavor explosion at Red Mesa Mercado
Downtown St. Pete’s Red Mesa Mercado adds more superb Mexican eats to its culinary portfolio.
Pinellas to tally homeless Thursday
Although some pretend they don't exist, there are scores of people sleeping in cars and, worse, on concrete in Pinellas County. Many are young children expected to go to school and do just as well on standardized tests as everyone else. Every other year, a collection of nonprofits and volunteers hits the street before dawn…
Forks & Corks: Sips, snacks & a little stumble
A first-timer’s take on Sarasota’s annual Forks & Corks festival.
13 Lucky Bets for Super Bowl Viewing Parties
A little more than a TV, some drunks and bowls of chips at these local venues.
Local festival news: Heatwave is just $28 (for now), Black Lips headline Spring Beer Fling, and Coastline got canned
Good deals, good bands, and a sad goodbye.
The Laugh Tract — who’s bringing the funny
A famous Russian (sort of), a Mad TV vet, the guy from Workaholics and more …
A Q&A with Tenderloins/Impractical Jokers member Brian Quinn
Q and the rest of the Tenderloins/Jokers crew bring their “Where’s Larry” tour to Tampa Theatre this Friday
Woman convicted for warning shot walks free – sort of
Marissa Alexander, the Jacksonville woman sentenced to prison for firing a warning shot near an abusive ex-husband, walked free yesterday, if by “free” you mean “under a judge’s supervision for 2 years.” And there probably won't be much walking on her part; she can only go "where her court-mandated GPS ankle monitor allows.” But the…
Trinity Cafe showcases a Feast for the Eyes in March
Tim Kennedy’s Feast for the Eyes portraits of Trinity Cafe diners to be featured at fundraising event.
Sh*t happened 1/28/15: Zombie Cat, drunk driver slams into the Independent & more
How was your Tuesday? Well, if you're not Zombie Cat or someone given to hanging at the Independent on weeknights, quit yer bitching. A Bay area cat buried after being hit by a car dug its way out of its grave five days later. The Humane Society of Tampa Bay is nursing the animal back to…
Flesh and Bone Records will re-release Brother Cephus’ Wounded Hearts 1&2 on limited cassettes
Tampa brothers will celebrate with a free show at The Bricks Ybor on Feb. 6
Tonight in live music: Banditos, Napalm Death
Concerts this Wed., Jan. 28
Tensions visible between police, black community at south St. Pete forum
The strained relations between residents of predominantly African-American south St. Petersburg and the city's police force have been the source of distrust at best and deadly violence at worst. St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman said a key reason he ran for mayor was to try to mend it. "What I saw and I heard was…
On the menu: Ybor City Wine Bar’s weekly tasting
Head to Centro Ybor for a public wine sampling with the Ybor City Wine Society Wednesday.
Take a deep breath — lineup announced for Gasp! The Gasparilla Fringe Festival
A wide range of performing arts styles can be enjoyed at the multifaceted event.
Do This: Electronics Alive VIII at University of Tampa
The biennial will offer a variety of wonders throughout February.
Hot damn!: TIA says nearly a fifth of flights have been canceled due to nasty weather
While our fellow Floridians take to social media to gloat about our lovely sunshine to our poor northern neighbors (though admittedly today it's pretty chilly for this reporter's tastes), all that gross snow we're avoiding is impacting us in a more subtle way. Basically, those uptight families you saw walking along Beach Drive or wherever…
Sh*t happened 1/27/15: Scientology, law enforcement and ol’ 3 Boobs is back, sorta
As the rest of the East Coast hunkered down and prepared for the worst, we just sat here and let the winter winds blow back into our lives all we thought we'd left behind. Like this chick: Jasmine Tridevil, the Bay area woman who made viral-news waves last year with her fake third boob, was…
Theater Review: 50 Shades — the Musical Parody
A raunchy show where the laughs never stop.
Italian bites in a jiffy for the Super Bowl
Go all out during Sunday’s Super Bowl XLIX with recipes for snacks and mains.
Tonight in live music: Merle Haggard, Alestorm
Concerts this Tue., Jan. 27
New Music Tuesday! (January 27): Gov’t Mule, Dodos, Jamie Cullum, Pond, Doomtree & more
New music out this week; audio & video included.
Bula on the Beach grand opening, snazzy sandos at Pom Pom’s & more
Seven joints, including Bula on the Beach and Pom Pom’s, have the latest in food and drink news.
Medical marijuana backers to Sen. Brandes: we knew you were cool
State Senator Jeff Brandes, a Republican from St. Pete and your new favorite Florida politician, filed a surprising (in a good way) bill Monday. Senate Bill 528 would make medical marijuana legal for patients suffering from certain conditions. It comes nearly three months after voters barely rejected a state constitutional amendment that would have legalized medical…
Do This: Radio Theatre Project Live!
Radio Theatre Project Live — The Studio@620/WMNF-88.5 FM-presented live-broadcasted radio show — offers more old-timey fun with plays read live on a soundstage with sound effects galore at St. Pete's Studio@620 space. Be a part of the studio audience and see/hear “The Continuing Adventures of Noel Berlin, Cabaret Detective,” starring Paul Wilborn, then the RTPLive!…
Sucky idea of the week: Housing Authority decides to sell Woodson African-American Museum
You know what not to do ten days before the start of Black History Month? Decide to put a property on the market that happens to be the site of a museum celebrating the triumphs and trials of a city's African-Amerian population still dealing with racism and de facto segregation. But that's what the St.…
Sh*t happened 01/26/15: Kriseman, SkyMall, panthers and arson
So the weekend rushed by, blown by heavy winds and the kind of screwed-up weather that's come to define this winter in Florida. There was barely time to make fun of anything, hardly at all. FRIDAY, JAN. 23 Airplane Lord of the Rings-ring-and-heated-welcome-mat-and-fake-rock-to-hide-your-key-in catalog SkyMall filed for bankruptcy. Finally. Those of you who hope to…
Tonight in live music: Yonatan Gat at New World Brewery
The Israeli avant guitarist livens up this Mon., Jan. 26
Kriseman: Despite clouds, Sunshine reigns in St. Petersburg
The sun broke through the clouds over St. Petersburg City Hall at exactly 10 a.m., and when Mayor Rick Kriseman began his first State of the City address moments later, it seemed a perfect metaphor for Kriseman's rosy message about St. Petersburg: The sun shines here. Whether or not everyone agrees with that message didn't…
New Port Richey teacher to appear on Pit Bulls and Parolees season premiere
The heartwarming segment will help kick off season 6 of the Animal Planet series.
The Terlatophiles: Napa winemakers talk vintage, more in Tampa
An Epicurean gathering spilled wine expertise from Napa’s Kimberlee Nicholls and Elizabeth Vianna.
This weekend in live music: Iris DeMent, Bruiser Queen, Rumpke Mountain Boys & more
Concerts this Sat.-Sun., Jan. 24-25
First debate offers glimpse of likely themes in Tampa Council races
From Lightning owner Jeff Vinik's sweeping downtown development plan to thawing U.S. relations with Cuba to the possibility of baseball moving into the city, Tampa has kind of a lot going on right now. Probably less prominent in the public psyche at the moment is the group of people who will be seeing the city…
Do This: The Weekend Top 10
From down and dirty comics to retro flicks and Second City high jinks, this weekend’s list truly runs the gamut.
Lucky 7: Panel narrows St. Pete Pier proposal list
At a blearily early Friday morning meeting of the Pier Selection Committee, the panel tasked with reviewing design concepts to replace the St. Pete Pier weighed the ability of each proposal to be built within the city's guidelines — and budget. Perhaps unsurprisingly for many, the only project that was dropped from the roster was…
20 Penny Circus: Send in the clowns — and the nail guns
A cutting-edge variety act blends comedy, vaudeville, stunts and more at the Improv this Sunday.
Spring Arts Music Preview 2015, from Elvis Costello to Tune-Yards to The Who
A breakdown of noteworthy concerts hitting the Tampa Bay area between January and May, 2015
Ask The Locals: Monica Varner
The owner of Elan Event Studio and a partner at Big City Events, NJ native Monica Varner arrived in Tampa 15 years ago and the city’s social scene has not been the same since. A 40-year-old South Tampa resident and mother of two, Varner is the organizing muscle behind the Tampa Bay Margarita Festival, Bourbon…
Meet the Brewers: Ben Romano of Angry Chair
Angry Chair Brewing’s beer and style echo Seminole Heights’ DIY ethos.
Sh*t happened 1/23/15: Scott again, abortion bill stalls and oh, the humanity
Thursday skated across the fragile skin of the world like the breath of some exotic, forgotten animal that, over time and distance and neglect, degraded into a mild breeze; not many noticed. Did you? Two men were found shot outside an apartment way out there on the way to Plant City. What’s interesting about this…
Tonight in live music: Wild Adriatic, Arlo Guthrie Alice’s Restaurant 50th Anniversary Tour & more
Concerts this Fri., Jan. 23
Rocker Andrew W.K. and author Phillip Crandall coming to State Theatre Jan. 29
The prince of partying set to appear with the author of the acclaimed 33 1/3 book.
Brass Tap pours for Ybor, Florida Cane Distillery’s new gin & more
The Brass Tap, Florida Distillery and Harbor Dish Cafe have the latest in food and drink news.
Is sh*t getting real in the Rick Scott FDLE saga?
If you're reading this, there's a better-than-solid chance you didn't vote to reelect Governor Rick Scott. Though judging by the anemic turnout last November, there's also an excellent likelihood you didn't vote at all. But that's all water off a duck's back now. The important thing is, Governor Rick Scott is catching grief over last…
Spring Arts Preview — January/February
A curation of major events happening in the arts this season.
History Channel to feature old-timey relic from the lobby of Tampa Bay hotel
You may not know it, but there was a time when phones weren't something people constantly stared at; a bygone era where people used them to actually (gasp) talk to one another. In fact, some of them actually had small structures around them to create privacy and eliminate noise during said non-text conversations. One of…
WTF, WFTS! Ch. 28 gives Lakeland plane crash 747-size “breaking news” coverage
Action News Ch. 28 was first on the scene with breaking news coverage of a small plane crash into an empty building — a former plastics facility. According to the news report, the crash occurred around 8:20 a.m. at 5300 Allen K Breed Highway. "A flight instructor and student were on the Piper PA 23,…
A Q&A with Tennessee-based roots rocker Matt Woods
CL correspondent Andy Warrener caught up with Matt Woods during the first Tampa-area stop on his "Loud Mouth Lookers" tour with Nashville-based Rachel Kate. Woods' 2014 release With Love From Brushy Mountain was nominated as Saving Country Music.com's 2014 Album of the Year. The Southern rootss-country rock crooner set off from East Tennessee in early…
Concert review: Ben Howard lands at Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
A look back at the Brit’s Tues., Jan. 20 show
Poet’s Notebook: Hawaiian sigh
I Kaka’ako m?kou ‘Al ana I ka pipi stew He mea ma’a mau ia For you and I That ungrammatical “For you and I” always grated when we heard Israel Kamakawiwa’ole (sensibly called “Iz” in Hawaii) sing it repeatedly in one of his hit songs. But that guy could sing. When we first saw him,…
The Arts Economy: Paint by numbers
With its recent profusion of murals, downtown St. Pete seems to have a level of vibrance that wasn’t there in, say, 2007. Something about these works, done by muralists like Sebastian Coolidge, Bask and Jennifer Kosharek, makes the place seem more alive than it once was. They’re the visual equivalents of the music spilling out…
Sh*t happened 1/22/15: Ferguson, measles and bears, oh my!
Wednesday! Twenty-four hours that make or break the human spirit. Assuming, of course, that shit didn't crumble under the weight of reality years ago… Multiple sources have reported that federal prosecutors will not be charging Darren Wilson in the death of unarmed black teen Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO back in August, saying there isn't…
Tonight in live music: Antibalas and Zap Mama, Keller Williams, Shovels & Rope + more
Concerts this Thurs., Jan. 22.
Spring Arts Preview: April & May
APRIL 1 Swans Since re-assembling in 2010, both of this experimental rock outfit’s full-lengths have earned spots on Pitchfork’s “Top 100 Albums of the Decade So Far 2010-2014,” including the critically acclaimed To Be Kind. State Theatre.3 tUnE-yArDs The latest high-quality act to require an O-town road trip is the project of New England-bred songstress…
Spring Arts Preview: January & February
JANUARY 21Radio Golf In August Wilson’s final play, an African-American developer wants to replace historic properties with a bright commercial complex. Should the past be obliterated — or treasured? Jan. 21-Feb. 22, American Stage. 27 Electronics Alive VIII UT’s electronic arts biennial features digital animations, interactive programs and virtual spaces by artists from around the…
Spring Arts Preview: March
4Orlando That connoisseur of metamorphoses Sarah Ruhl has adapted for the stage Virginia Woolf’s gender-bending novel about a person who lives for hundreds of years, changing sexes and carrying out romances with the likes of Queen Elizabeth I, the Russian princess Sasha, and Marmaduke, the longed-for pinnacle of Victorian manhood. Woolf wrote the novel as…
Spring Arts Preview 2015: It’s Ekphrastic!
CL’s calendar of must-sees for the spring.
Theater Review: Twelfth Night and Buffalo Kings
Two must-sees from Jobsite and freeFall.
Spring Restaurant Preview 2015: Spots opening soon
Eateries on tap around the springtime on both sides of the bay.
Restaurant review: Fodder & Shine’s grub is straight outta history
Authentic no-fuss cracker cuisine is dished up in a charming setting at Tampa’s Fodder & Shine.
