Ray Roa

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 in August 2019. Past work can be seen at Suburban Apologist, Tampa Bay Times, Consequence of Sound and The Daily Beast. Products and media for review consideration should be sent to 204 E. Henderson Ave., Tampa, FL 33602.

rroa@cltampa.com

Musician Chuck Ragan of Hot Water Music performs with intensity at Underbelly in Jacksonville. He is mid-shout while playing a black electric guitar, wearing a black t-shirt with a white graphic. The stage is captured with a wide-angle fisheye lens, illuminated by dramatic green and red stage lights.

Music

Chuck Ragan brings Tim Barry and Cory Branan for one last Crowbar singalong

The trio brings Revival Tour vibes to Ybor City on Sunday.

by Ray Roa January 6, 2026January 6, 2026

n aerial view of the Peace Memorial Presbyterian Church in Clearwater, Florida. The Mediterranean Revival style building features pink stucco walls and a prominent tower, situated near a body of water with a large bridge and city buildings in the background.

Music

Clearwater’s beautiful Peace Memorial Church hosts a Duke Ellington tribute on Sunday

James Suggs and Bryan J. Hughes lead a 3 p.m. matinee.

by Ray Roa January 6, 2026January 6, 2026

Music

Whippersnap festival is still a month away, but this weekend’s St. Pete superjam features three scene giants

Delvon Lamarr, Joe Marcinek and Jason Hann come together at Bayboro Brewing Co.

by Ray Roa January 6, 2026January 6, 2026

Musician Mason Jennings stands in front of a weathered wooden fence. They have dark, curly hair and a mustache, wearing a teal t-shirt under a tan cardigan with a vibrant geometric pattern in orange, red, and blue. Sunlight filters through trees in the background.

Music

Mason Jennings brings 20th studio LP to St. Pete on Friday

It’s his Bayboro Brewing Co. debut.

by Ray Roa January 6, 2026January 6, 2026

A stylish portrait of two men in dark suits and sunglasses. The man on the left wears a pinstriped suit and heavy diamond jewelry, while the man on the right has a red beard and wears a double-breasted jacket.

Music

Tampa rappers Tom G and Sam E Hues release ‘Cuban Links’ at midnight on Thursday

The video was filmed at Alter Ego, J.C. Newman Cigar Factory, and the Ybor City dry docks.

by Ray Roa January 6, 2026February 20, 2026

A high-contrast, moody film still featuring a man with a grit-covered face and damp skin. The lighting is low and atmospheric, casting deep shadows across his chest and the mechanical fixtures behind him, creating a sense of tension and exhaustion.

Arts & Entertainment

St. Pete’s Second Screen Cult Cinema kicks off 2026 season with ‘Blade Runner’

The 2007 director’s cut is on tap at Green Light Cinema.

by Ray Roa January 6, 2026January 6, 2026

A person with grey hair tied in a bun is pictured smiling while speaking at a microphone, with a projected "Ybor City" graphic visible in the background.

Arts & Entertainment

Creative Loafing editor to kick 2026 season of ‘Salud and Happy Days’ improv show

Yours truly will try not to bomb at The Commodore.

by Ray Roa January 6, 2026January 6, 2026

A live concert photograph features Morrissey singing into a microphone on stage, accompanied by a guitarist in a pink shirt playing a yellow semi-hollow body electric guitar.

Music

Morrissey’s St. Petersburg concert is still on for now

Mo’ is supposed to play Mahaffey Theater on Jan. 20, but just canceled his first shows of the new year.

By Ray Roa and Stephanie Koithan / San Antonio CurrentJanuary 5, 2026January 5, 2026

Musician Daniel Donato sits on a fallen log in a grassy field, wearing a white cowboy hat and a patterned blue shirt while playing a seafoam-green Fender Telecaster guitar.

Music

‘Mind-expanding’ cosmic-country songwriter Daniel Donato is coming to Largo this spring

His show at Cowboys dance hall is among the best new concerts coming to Tampa Bay.

by Ray Roa and Josh Bradley January 5, 2026January 5, 2026

A person wearing a blue and red baseball cap with white stars and dark sunglasses looks intently forward while holding up a small Venezuelan flag. A large red flag is visible in the background.

With mixed feelings, Venezuelans and protesters take to Tampa streets after capture of Nicolás Maduro [PHOTOS]

The latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau puts 334,415 Venezuelan immigrants in Florida.

by Ray Roa and Dave Decker January 4, 2026January 5, 2026

A close-up group shot captured with a wide-angle lens, creating a distorted, high-energy effect. The subjects are dressed in vibrant extraterrestrial costumes and makeup, standing in a dimly lit nightclub. A glowing neon "PHOTOS" sign and streaks of colorful light from a digital screen create a festive, party atmosphere in the background.

Arts & Entertainment

Photos: Every fabulous ‘Space Slut’ we saw ringing in the new year at St. Pete’s Cocktail gay bar

Blast off.

by Ray Roa and Dave Decker January 2, 2026January 2, 2026

A high-contrast concert shot of a vocalist mid-performance on a dark stage. A single spotlight highlights the musician as they shout into the mic, with one hand visible on the fretboard of a guitar in the lower right corner.

Music, Show Previews, Tampa Bay Journalism Project

18 Tampa Bay concerts to kick off 2026

Including Roc Helton, Geri X, California Honeydrops, and more.

by Ray Roa December 31, 2025December 31, 2025

A dynamic photograph of a musician with green-streaked hair wearing a small hat, singing passionately into a microphone while playing an electric guitar on a dark stage.

Music

Geri X kicks off Ale & the Witch residency on Thursday

It’s been 15 years since her first show at the St. Petersburg venue.

by Ray Roa December 30, 2025December 30, 2025

A high-energy group portrait of a six-member band and a large crowd of fans in an outdoor urban plaza at night. The band members in the foreground wear colorful patterned shirts and sunglasses, while the audience behind them cheers with hands raised against a backdrop of white buildings with illuminated arched windows.

Music

Road To Nowhere Talking Heads tribute celebrates 4,000 shows this weekend

The group plays a no-cover gig at The Ale & the Witch.

by Ray Roa December 30, 2025December 30, 2025

A scenic wide-angle photograph of the Straz Center for the Performing Arts at twilight, taken from across the Hillsborough River. The building's modern architecture is illuminated by warm interior lights and a glowing purple fountain in the foreground, with its reflection shimmering on the dark blue water.

Music

$5,000 and an Opera Tampa role up for grabs this weekend at Straz Center

The D’Angelo Young Artist Vocal Competition seeks to build opera stars of the next generation.

by Ray Roa December 30, 2025December 30, 2025

A close-up of a musician with salt-and-pepper hair and sunglasses, singing into a microphone while playing an acoustic guitar. They are wearing a black track jacket with white stripes on the sleeves over a grey t-shirt.

Music

Al Anderson’s Original Wailers play Ybor City this weekend

He played with Bob Marley’s Wailers until the reggae legend’s death.

by Ray Roa December 30, 2025December 30, 2025

A long, low, light-blue building with a flat roof sits along a paved parking lot at dusk. A bright yellow and red sign on the facade reads "The World Famous Tiny Tap Tavern," and several small windows are visible, one featuring a neon blue palm tree sign.

Tampa’s fabled Tiny Tap Tavern has finally sold, but don’t expect much to change

Now former owner Casey Powell says its new caretaker plans to ‘keep the party going.’

by Ray Roa December 30, 2025January 6, 2026

A wide-angle, fisheye photograph of a three-piece rock band performing on a dimly lit stage. A guitarist in a black t-shirt and glasses sings into a microphone in the foreground, illuminated by bright blue stage lights, while a drummer and bassist perform in the background.

Music

‘Beginning of the End’ concert kicks of Crowbar’s final year in Ybor City

The storied Tampa venue will see its lease run out this year, after 20 years in the historic district.

by Ray Roa December 30, 2025December 30, 2025

A full-length outdoor portrait of three individuals standing on a leaf-strewn grassy hill under the shade of trees. The person on the left wears a black and red jacket and blue jeans; the central person has blonde braids and wears a black turtleneck with jeans; and the person on the right wears an off-the-shoulder black top with a dark skirt.

Music

The Bends’ no-cover show, Donna the Buffalo, among best NYE concerts in Tampa Bay

Plus gigs from Sofi Tukker, Afrojack, Acraze and more.

by Ray Roa December 30, 2025December 30, 2025

Music

Rock the Park Tampa hosts free New Year’s Day concert

Whale Feral, Max Norton, and Bauxmonk are on the bill.

by Ray Roa December 30, 2025December 30, 2025