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

The Clearwater home of late jazz legend Chick Corea is now for sale

The home’s previous owner was John M. Donovan, the former CEO of AT&T, property records show.

by Colin Wolf and Ray Roa May 12, 2026May 12, 2026

A close-up studio portrait of singer-songwriter Jason Mraz posing against a solid, light beige background. They are wearing a tan fedora with a dark band and a blue denim button-down shirt that is slightly unbuttoned at the collar. Mraz is looking directly at the camera with a subtle, relaxed smile. The bright, even lighting highlights their casual wardrobe and creates a calm, approachable atmosphere.

Music

Interview: Jason Mraz talks okra, equality and more ahead of Clearwater concert

Gregory Page opens for the two-time Grammy-winner at Ruth Eckerd Hall this weekend.

by Ray Roa May 12, 2026May 12, 2026

A bright, outdoor daytime photograph of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor posing with a group of about ten smiling children at the Fair Oaks Recreation Complex. Mayor Castor stands in the back center, wearing sunglasses and a white top. The children, arranged in two rows in the foreground, are uniformly dressed in white button-down shirts, black bow ties, black pants, and dark sunglasses. Several of the children are proudly holding up white flyers or certificates. The group is standing on a paved surface under a park pavilion structure, with a green event tent, mature trees, and a clear blue sky visible in the background.

Photos: East Tampa celebrates Fair Oaks rec center opening with Mayor Jane Castor

by Ray Roa and Dave Decker May 11, 2026May 11, 2026

Music

Jimmy Eat World brings ‘Bleed American’ 25th anniversary tour to Tampa this fall

Hot Mulligan opens the show along with Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers.

by Ray Roa May 11, 2026May 11, 2026

A bright daytime exterior photograph of the historic Mirror Lake Community Library in St. Petersburg, Florida. The classic Beaux-Arts style building features a prominent light-colored masonry facade adorned with grand arched windows, decorative columns, and intricate classical molding. Wide concrete steps lead up to the main entrance in the center. The building is framed by lush green palm trees and a clear blue sky in the background.

Arts & Entertainment

St. Pete ‘Restoration & Design Expo’ includes free guided tours of the Mirror Lake neighborhood

by Ray Roa May 11, 2026May 11, 2026

Four people pose for a group portrait in front of a white draped backdrop. One person stands in the center back wearing a green bandeau top and a matching wrap, while three others are seated in front of them: one on the left in a tan textured suit, one in the center foreground on a red plastic crate wearing a white tank top and green trousers, and one on the right in a brown button-down set. They are positioned on a brown rug, and a potted palm tree is visible on the far left.

Music

Tampa Bay’s best live music happening May 8-14

Including Chuwi, Tunnel Vision, Sulynn Hago and more.

by Ray Roa and Josh Bradley May 8, 2026May 8, 2026

A close-up portrait photograph of musician Chris Kirkpatrick smiling warmly at the camera. They have short dark hair, a neatly trimmed beard with touches of gray, and are wearing a black jacket layered over a black top, accented by a thick silver chain necklace. The background is softly blurred with a shallow depth of field, revealing abstract shapes in dark blue and bright yellow, indicative of a brightly lit event or premiere setting.

Music

Chris Kirkpatrick from Nsync plays Busch Gardens Tampa Bay this weekend

LFO, O-Town and Ryan Cabrera are on the bill, too.

by Ray Roa May 8, 2026May 8, 2026

A wide-angle establishing photograph of a large crowd attending an outdoor concert at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park. In the foreground, dozens of attendees are relaxed in colorful folding lawn chairs, predominantly blue, spread across a massive grassy field. The crowd faces a large, distant stage structure set up for the performance. The scene is illuminated by late afternoon sunlight, which casts long, prominent shadows from the chairs across the grass. In the background, trees and the tops of Tampa's downtown skyline are visible against a clear, cloudless sky.

Music

The Florida Orchestra’s free Mother’s Day concert is back in Tampa

Bring canned foods, dry good, breakfast items and other donations for the Feeding Tampa Bay collection.

by Ray Roa May 8, 2026May 8, 2026

A horizontal promotional photograph of the rock band Bush standing together in front of a dark building exterior featuring a black metal roll-up door. From left to right: lead guitarist Chris Traynor wearing a black hoodie and a backward baseball cap; frontman Gavin Rossdale wearing a bold red and black flannel shirt; bassist Corey Britz, who has long dark hair, wearing a black button-up shirt; and drummer Nik Hughes, with short bleached-blonde hair, wearing a grey and green plaid short-sleeve button-down shirt. The four band members are looking directly at the camera with serious, relaxed expressions. The lighting is slightly underexposed, giving the portrait a gritty, urban atmosphere.

‘Razorblade Suitcase’ is 30 years old, and Bush will play a lot of it at Clearwater concert

Gavin Rossdale & co. play the BayCare Sound on Wednesday.

by Ray Roa May 8, 2026May 8, 2026

A moody studio portrait of musician Sulynn Hago sitting casually on the floor against a seamless grey backdrop. They are holding a dark electric guitar across their lap. They have dark, textured hair and are wearing yellow-tinted glasses, a black suit jacket over a dark shirt, black trousers, and white sneakers. With their legs splayed out comfortably, they rest one hand near their chin, looking thoughtfully off-camera to the left. The lighting is soft and dramatic, creating a quiet, contemplative atmosphere.

Music, Show Previews, Tampa Bay Journalism Project

Sulynn Hago, one of Tampa’s best guitar players, comes home for Thursday concert

Her band includes TGH’s Chief of Emergency Medicine at Tampa General Hospital, Jason Wilson.

by Ray Roa May 8, 2026May 8, 2026

Crowbar owner Tom DeGeorge has launched a new podcast, ‘Current Conversations’

It takes place on the Tampa Water Limo.

by Ray Roa May 7, 2026May 7, 2026

A dark, high-contrast live concert photograph of punk singer-songwriter Laura Jane Grace performing on stage. Captured from the waist up, they stand in front of a microphone stand with their wet hair completely obscuring their face. They are wearing a black harness-style top over a white shirt with a blue graphic, and their heavily tattooed arms are illuminated by cool blue stage lighting. Directly behind their head, a brilliant red-orange stage light shines directly into the camera lens, creating a striking halo and starburst effect against the pitch-black background.

Music

Photos: Laura Jane Grace plays Ybor City’s Zodiac nightclub

Black Guy Fawkes and Lung opened the show.

by Ray Roa and Dave Decker May 6, 2026May 6, 2026

A direct-flash, nighttime photograph of four smiling concertgoers posing together during Static Fest at The Moontower. From left to right: an individual with a mustache wearing a black graphic t-shirt that reads 'PUNK SAVES'; a person with dark hair and red bangs wearing a black top; an individual with glasses wearing a reddish-brown t-shirt that reads 'LET'S SETTLE THIS LIKE ADULTS'; and a person wearing a black-and-white zebra-striped short-sleeve button-down shirt. Behind the group, the venue's industrial background is visible, featuring a corrugated metal roll-up door on the left and a brick wall on the right.

Music

Photos: Everyone we saw when Static Fest sold out The Moon Tower at Dunedin Brewery

Wes Hoffman & Friends were joined by a host of homegrown punk bands.

by Ray Roa and Ryan Metcalf May 4, 2026May 4, 2026

A vibrant promotional portrait of the artist Young & Sick seated in a dark blue chair against a digital backdrop of outer space filled with stars and purple nebulae. They have short brown hair and light stubble, and are looking thoughtfully off-camera to the right. They are wearing a brightly colored, heavy knit cardigan featuring bold stripes of blue, yellow, red, and purple with thick fringes, layered over a white t-shirt with black line-art graphics. Their outfit is completed with black pants patterned with abstract white shapes. The bright, even lighting highlights the rich textures and eclectic mix of patterns against the moody cosmic background.

Music

Young & Sick among bands coming to Ybor City for last-ever ‘Hot Dog Party’

Legendary Tampa concert venue Crowbar will close before August.

by Ray Roa May 4, 2026May 4, 2026

A horizontal, behind-the-scenes photograph of four individuals wearing dark green hard hats standing beneath metal scaffolding during a tour of the Tampa Theatre. In the foreground, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay co-owner James Howard, wearing a black t-shirt, glasses, and a beard, smiles at the camera. Behind them stand co-owner Anthony Carbone in a white button-down shirt, and spring 2026 interns Kailey Aiken and Jasmin Parrado. The group is standing on an elevated platform surrounded by grey metal construction poles. In the background, the theatre's historic, ornate gold-and-red painted walls are visible to the left, alongside a uniquely textured ceiling structure to the right.

Arts & Entertainment

Tampa Theatre hard hat tours allow members to touch the sky inside the historic venue

May tours are sold-out, with June dates to be announced soon.

by Ray Roa May 4, 2026May 4, 2026

A daytime portrait photograph of former professional soccer player Clyde Best standing in the stands of a stadium. Best is wearing a black baseball cap, a dark zip-up sweater, and a green, yellow, and white Tampa Bay Rowdies scarf draped around his neck. He is looking directly at the camera with a relaxed expression. In the background, rows of empty green and yellow stadium seats rise beneath a shaded concrete overhang, characteristic of Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg.

Arts & Entertainment

Documentary celebrating Rowdies and West Ham legend Clyde Best makes East Coast debut in St. Pete

The Bermudian who brought a Soccer Bowl championship to the Bay will be in attendance on May 7.

by Ray Roa May 4, 2026May 4, 2026

Op-ed: Asked how many felons have had their voting rights restored since he took office, Florida’s Attorney General talked about guns instead

AG Uthmeier didn’t touch my other question about Trump.

By Elizabeth CorwinMay 4, 2026May 4, 2026

A low-lit, wide-angle photograph of three individuals smiling and posing together on an outdoor patio during a Dyke Night event. The scene is heavily tinted by moody red ambient lighting and overhead string lights. In the foreground, a person with bright orange hair wearing a dark red top sits next to an individual with long dark hair wearing a sheer, patterned black top. Behind them, a third person playfully poses while holding up an open, black-and-white patterned folding fan. In the background, other attendees mingle near a textured red stucco wall covered in framed posters, capturing the lively, alternative nightlife atmosphere of Crowbar in Ybor City.

Arts & Entertainment

Photos: Dyke Night St. Pete’s goth party sells out at Crowbar

Yes, there were clams.

by Ray Roa and Dave Decker May 4, 2026May 4, 2026

A wide live concert photograph of Laura Jane Grace & The Mississippi Medicals performing on a dimly lit stage. In the center foreground, Laura Jane Grace, featuring dark curly hair and heavily tattooed arms, smiles widely while playing a black electric guitar and wearing a black tank top. The scene is illuminated by striking white beams from above and warm orange stage lights, with a packed crowd visible in the background.

Music

Tampa Bay’s best live music happening May 1-7

Including Laura Jane Grace, Tampa Riverfest, and more.

by Ray Roa May 1, 2026May 4, 2026

A dynamic, live concert photograph of punk singer-songwriter Laura Jane Grace performing on stage. Grace is captured from the waist up, singing passionately into a microphone stand with their mouth wide open. They have curly dark hair, heavily tattooed arms, and are wearing a black graphic tank top.

Music

Laura Jane Grace returns to Ybor City for Tuesday concert

UPDATE: This show has been moved to Ybor City.

by Ray Roa May 1, 2026May 4, 2026