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

St. Petersburg musician Mountain Holler (Mark Etherington) singing passionately into a microphone while playing acoustic guitar during a live performance.

Music, Show Previews, Tampa Bay Journalism Project

Mountain Holler and Billy Mays III come home for one-off concert in St. Pete

Mountain Holler has a handful of dates booked on this return home.

by Ray Roa February 19, 2026February 19, 2026

Music

Brooksville’s four-day Whippersnap music festival kicks off Wednesday

Karl Denson is among the headliners for the camping throwdown set for Feb. 18-21.

by Ray Roa February 18, 2026February 18, 2026

Olympic medalist Meb Keflezighi at Fred Ball Park in Tampa, Florida. The legendary American distance runner is pictured in a white hat and glasses during a Plant High School track team practice.

Arts & Entertainment

American running legend Meb Keflezighi helps Plant High School athletes redefine success

His winning attitude, and commitment to consistency, has clearly caught on.

by Ray Roa and Dave Decker February 17, 2026February 18, 2026

A medium shot of two people posing closely together in front of a glass-walled building. The person on the left is wearing a blue and white checkered button-down shirt, and the person on the right is wearing a white top and holding a grey folder. Both are smiling warmly at the camera.

Tampa City Councilwoman Naya Young files for re-election

The 33-year-old became the youngest woman elected to council in last fall’s special election.

by Ray Roa February 17, 2026February 20, 2026

A person with tattoos on their arm plays an acoustic guitar and sings into a microphone during a live performance in a dimly lit venue with colorful wall art.

Music

Photos: Michelle Shirelle and Jason Paul play St. Pete’s Potion Portal

Earthgirl and Vic Alvarez played support.

by Ray Roa and Ryan Metcalf February 16, 2026February 16, 2026

A vibrant, live performance shot of a musician playing a teal-colored six-string electric bass guitar. The person is smiling broadly with their eyes closed, wearing a black long-sleeved shirt with an intricately embroidered, colorful "dashiki-style" collar. They are performing on a stage with a bright, abstract red and yellow light display in the background, with a stack of black amplifiers visible on the left.

Music

Dead & Co.’s Oteil Burbridge is coming to play Dunedin Brewery’s Spring Beer Jam

The no-cover, four-day, festival weekend kicks off March 26.

by Ray Roa February 13, 2026February 16, 2026

A view from behind a crowd of people gathered outdoors for an event at a white, single-story building. In the center, a person stands on a porch next to a black sign that reads "BLACK HISTORY MATTERS." Attendees in the foreground wear colorful summer clothing, including a bright patterned dress and a purple t-shirt, while one person on the right holds up a smartphone to record the scene. The setting is lush with large oak trees and palm trees under a clear, sunny sky.

‘You can’t erase truth’: Black History Month events around Tampa Bay

by Ray Roa February 9, 2026February 9, 2026

A high-energy, close-up shot of a shirtless drummer performing on a dark stage. The individual has a shaved head, is wearing large black headphones, and is shouting into a microphone with a wide-mouthed expression of intense focus. They are holding wooden drumsticks mid-performance, with the scene illuminated by a dramatic blue spotlight in the upper right corner.

Music

Photos: Sex Mex brings Texas flavor to Bradenton

Pet Lizard, Wolf-Face, and Spanish Bombs opened.

by Ray Roa and Ryan Metcalf February 9, 2026February 9, 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

Chuwi, the secret sauce on ‘Weltita’ by Bad Bunny, will play a Tampa concert this summer

Puerto Rican music’s moment comes to Ybor City in May.

by Ray Roa February 6, 2026February 6, 2026

Music

Photos: Bad, Bad Things and Emo Night Tampa rip Rock the Park

by Ray Roa and Ryan Metcalf February 6, 2026February 6, 2026

A dynamic, close-up live performance shot of a musician playing a white electric guitar under intense green stage lighting. The person wears a striped t-shirt and a black headband with white text, their face partially obscured by bright, starburst-like light flares. The background is dark with a warm orange glow visible on the left, capturing the high-energy atmosphere of a concert.

Tampa Bay’s best live music happening Feb. 5-12

Including Emo Night Tampa’s Rock the Park takeover, a J Dilla memorial, Digable Planets, and more.

by Ray Roa, Selene San Felice and Josh Bradley February 5, 2026February 5, 2026

Four people stand evenly spaced in a horizontal line on a stone ledge overlooking a vast, calm body of water under an expansive, cloudy blue sky. They are all wearing dark, casual clothing, including t-shirts and jackets, with three of the four wearing sunglasses. The individual on the far left has a full beard and a leather vest with patches, while the individual second from the left has long wavy hair and camouflage pants.

Music

Georgia band Insomniac brings meditative metal to Tampa on Wednesday

Its debut LP is called ‘Om Moksha Ritam,’ folks.

by Ray Roa February 5, 2026February 5, 2026

Four people stand together framed within a stone archway of an overgrown, ivy-covered ruin. On the left, a person in a tan jacket and yellow shirt leans against the stone. In the center, two people stand close together—one in a dark blue jacket and the other partially obscured behind them. On the right, a person in a bright blue-and-purple jacket and a camouflage cap looks toward the camera. A weathered wooden fence is visible on the far right against the mossy stone walls.

Theremin-wielding Ohio punk band Dana plays no-cover St. Pete show on Wednesday

Permanent Makeup is among the openers at The Bends.

by Ray Roa February 5, 2026February 5, 2026

Music

Tampa producers to honor J Dilla on the 20th anniversary of his death

Heads pay homage this Sunday at an open aux event.

by Selene San Felice and Ray Roa February 4, 2026February 5, 2026

A dramatic black-and-white, high-contrast action shot of a shirtless person with short hair and glasses. They are captured mid-movement with one leg kicked high into the air toward the left of the frame and one arm raised, their muscles tensed and expression focused. The background is entirely black, making the subject appear spotlighted in the darkness.

Music

Jay Reatard-channeling Texas band Sex Mex comes to Bradenton on Friday

A gig well worth the short road trip from Tampa or St. Pete.

by Ray Roa February 4, 2026February 4, 2026

A person with long blonde hair lies horizontally across a tufted, cream-colored chaise lounge. They are wearing an all-white suit and black high-heeled slingback shoes, with one leg bent upward resting on the back of the sofa. They are holding a violin and bow across their torso while looking directly at the camera. The background consists of a dark, textured brick wall and a grey concrete floor.Bronwyn Keith-Hynes

Music

Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, former fiddler for Molly Tuttle, brings solo project to St. Pete this weekend

Travelin’ McCourys fiddler Jason Carter is on the bill, too.

by Ray Roa February 4, 2026February 4, 2026

An overhead shot of a shirtless person with long dark hair lying on their back in the snow. Their eyes are closed, and their arms are bent upward at the elbows with palms facing up. Several small tattoos are visible on their torso and arms, and they are wearing bracelets on both wrists and dark nail polish.

Music

Nashville songwriter Jef Bjarnson brings Inner View project to Tampa on Thursday

TV Extra, a new electro project featuring Nathan Heck, opens.

by Ray Roa February 4, 2026February 4, 2026

A live performance shot of two musicians on a dark stage illuminated by a bright blue spotlight with a starburst flare. In the foreground, a person with long hair and a white graphic t-shirt plays a black bass guitar. Behind them, another person in a grey shirt plays an electric guitar. Both are focused on their instruments, with various effect pedals and cables visible on the stage floor.

Music

Bill., a Tampa band of indie-rock lifers, releases loud, unforgiving debut LP

The band supports ‘Wimmer’ when Emo Night Tampa takes over Rock the Park on Feb. 5.

by Ray Roa February 4, 2026February 4, 2026

A portrait of a person with curly auburn hair standing in a dry, grassy field at dusk. They are wearing a tan suede jacket over a dark top with a patterned scarf and brown trousers, posing with their hands in their pockets. The background features a vast horizon under a pale blue sky with soft, streaking clouds and a distant line of trees.

Music

Americana star Kathleen Edwards, now living in the Tampa Bay area, plays hometown show on Thursday

She’s at The Skipperdome for WMNF.

by Ray Roa February 3, 2026February 3, 2026

Two shirtless people celebrate in the stands of a large, crowded outdoor stadium at night. The individual on the left wears a white Tampa Bay Lightning baseball cap and sunglasses, holding up a black shirt and making a "rock on" hand gesture. The individual on the right wears a white bandana around their neck, a patterned headband, and teal-framed sunglasses. In the background, thousands of fans fill the stadium seats under bright arena lights, with a large video scoreboard visible in the distance.

Arts & Entertainment

Photos: At NHL Stadium Series, Tampa Bay Lightning fans get the best game ever

by Ray Roa and Nicole Abbett February 3, 2026February 3, 2026