Interview: Byron Crawford’s new book looks back on his epic beef with Kanye
Hip hop’s smartest, funniest blogger goes in on his greatest nemesis.
Long Live the Gecko Queen!
Ruskin crowns a tomato queen. In Plant City, young girls dream of becoming the Strawberry Queen. Up in Monticello, just outside Tallahassee, the town names a Watermelon Queen. In Gulfport, royalty has a more reptilian feel. All hail the 2014 Gecko Queen. At the August 23 Gecko Ball, the 2013 Gecko Queen, Faun Weaver, surrendered…
Mitch Perry Report 8.28.14 – Will Florida Democrats unify for better results than 2010?
Four years ago, the Florida Democratic Party hosted a "unity" event in Tampa at the State Fairgrounds. Along with all of their Cabinet nominees like Alex Sink, Dan Gelber, Scott Maddox and Lorraine Ausley present, there were Dems like Dave Aronberg, whom Gelber had defeated in an intensely fought primary election, and Kendrick Meek, the…
Best of the Bay lowdown: How the beverage bizes are doing
CL‘s BOTB Readers Poll ends soon, but here’s how it’s lookin’ for the liquids.
Merchandise, it is personal this time
Last weekend I read that somewhat convoluted if evocative feature on the Tampa band Merchandise, newly signed to 4AD Records. The magazine called Tampa "America's corniest town,"— its author, Jenn Pelly, who's written about the band more than once, opted for the British spelling of "favourite" and characterized lead Carson Cox as "the crooning 28-year-old…
Searching for Morphine in Lost Lemuria: Paul Kwiatkowski’s Eat Prey Drug Continues Today
A Miami native rides the edge of the sublime.
An interview with Rory Lawrence, Tampa Bay Theatre Festival founder
It took an actor and director outside the Tampa Bay theater scene to organize its first ever theater festival.
What’s in store at the Tampa Bay Theatre Festival
Workshops, networking and entertainment opportunities highlight the Tampa Bay Theatre Festival premiere.
Buccaneers Preseason Football Finale
The atmosphere at Raymond James Stadium tonight, when the Bucs take on the Redskins, will be nothing like a regular season game. The stands will feel less like a viewing section for a professional football game and more like a parent-organized dance, with a spiked punch bowl, for all the kids who didn't get asked…
Florida Republicans blast expected lawsuit against school voucher program
The state's largest teacher's union released a statement on Wednesday saying that they are planning another lawsuit related to the state's school voucher program. The Florida Education Association will hold a press conference tomorrow in Tallahassee to discuss the case. But state Republicans aren't waiting until Thursday to express their indignation at the idea of such…
Life as we blow it: Digital outrage
A local musicians’s comments inspire ire, but do they matter?
HD 65 GOP Rep candidate Chris Sprowls cites study that says it’s better to have no insurance than Medicaid
Youth vs. experience, and likely lots of money vs. not so much, appears to be the scenario already forming in two Pinellas County House races taking place his fall between the Republican and Democratic Party candidates in House Districts 65 and 67. On Wednesday afternoon, the four candidates involved in those two races met at…
PSTA board stands firmly behind Brad Miller & Ken Welch
Meeting for the first time since their CEO, Brad Miller, had to humbly return $354,000 to the Department of Homeland Security, the PSTA board heard intense criticism from some members of the public this morning, with some calling on Miller and PSTA chairman Ken Welch to resign, saying that that they have abused their positions. Two…
CL’s Scene Breaker — Ned Averill-Snell’s theater column debut
More Cuckoo, unbreakable plates and Jews everywhere: Here’s what’s behind the curtain this week in Tampa Bay theater …
Foodie feast
Two sneak peeks at anticipated Tampa eateries in one night.
Restaurant review: Pimentón is the new black at Castile
Hotel Zamora’s Castile provides Spanish flavor at water’s edge.
Keen on peaches: Peach-Jalapeño Chutney
How to use up those extra, end-of-the-season peaches.
Triumph & travesty: a primary election round-up
Unlike spirited Democratic Party gubernatorial encounters in 2002 and 2006, there was little suspense going into this week’s primary election between Charlie Crist and Nan Rich, with the former Republican poised to easily defeat his sole challenger for his new party’s nomination. But in the days leading up to Tuesday’s vote, GOP strategists began touting…
Mitch Perry Report 8.27.14 – We now return to the Crist-Scott bash-athon, already in progress
You have to forgive the casual political observers in Florida this morning, who are waking up to headlines informing them that the Charlie Crist-Rick Scott battle is now "on," as opposed to what's been happening since springtime. Well, Crist is now the official nominee, for one thing, so the story for the next couple of…
Live and Local Spotlight: The Mojo Gurus Album Release Party
The longtime Tampa rockers present a fourth full-length at a WMNF-hosted event
Traveling with Erin Tracy and her Foreign/Familiar Cities
Erin Tracy’s “Foreign/Familiar Cities” is the third in the Studio@620’s exciting Doris Duke Foundation-Funded Project GenYes! series of jazz, dance, and theatre performances from emerging artists. Tracy debuted the performance at the Studio Aug. 23-24. Perhaps the area’s most celebrated young dancer, Tracy literally stretched the horizon of her ambitions through this ambitious new multimedia showcase. Recordings…
Highlights from the sensational Wearable Art X
Beautiful creatures — some scary and very strange — graced the runway of Dunedin Fine Art Center's biggest event of the year Saturday night. The 10th anniversary event offered a wide range of designs, worn by models of all ages and body types. Lina Teixeira's enchanting and otherworldly tree nymphs and birdlike figures in her…
Ed Narain topping Sean Shaw in intense HD61 race
In a race that has one candidate labeled a carpetbagger and the other a "Rick Scott Republican," AT&T area manager Ed Narain is beating attorney and former state insurance consumer advocate Sean Shaw in the House District 61 seat, which encompasses parts of downtown Tampa, Ybor City and Seminole Heights. With 324 of 347 precincts…
Veg-friendly meet: Tampa Bay Veg Week in the works
Plant-based diets to be celebrated during Veg Week in November.
Ed Hooper crushes Norm Roche in Pinellas GOP District 2 County Commission race
It's been a controversial four years for Norm Roche on the Pinellas County Commission, and the Republican electorate in Pinellas is turning him out of office in humiliating fashion Tuesday night. With 287 of 299 precincts reporting, outgoing Clearwater-based state Representative Ed Hooper is leading Roche by 28 percentage points, 64-36 percent. Although he ran…
Pat Kemp wallops Mark Nash in Hillsborough District 7 race – looks forward to taking on Al Higginbotham next
Environmental activist Pat Kemp is flush with momentum over her stunning defeat of Mark Nash in the District 7 Hillsborough County Commission Democratic Primary Tuesday night. Considered a toss-up going into Tuesday night, Kemp is leading Nash 65-35 percent, and with 283 of 347 precincts reporting, actually was taking in more votes than her GOP…
Alex Sink praises Charlie Crist, says Rick Scott is full of “Bullsh*t”
Although some in the Democratic Party establishment have been hesitant before the results of tonight's gubernatorial primary election to embrace Charlie Crist, the party's 2010 nominee, Alex Sink, is exhibiting no such restraints. "We know Charlie Crist. He's been the governor before. We saw the kinds of issues that he was engaged in. Charlie is…
USF students showcase inventions and innovations
The Cirque du Student Success is not your typical academic celebration
Tampa Bay’s weekly literary happenings
"> Carla de Souza Campos There are several open mic nights scheduled in the Tampa Bay area this week. The Clearwater Writers Meetup Group gathers at the home of its organizer in Belleair on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 7 p.m. Discuss publishing trends, blogs and websites of interest to writers, and receive constructive criticism of your…
New Music Monday & Tuesday! (August 25-26): Ariana Grande, Merchandise, Elephant Stone, Ty Segall & More
Releases out this week;; audio & video included.
Ryan Adams has 30 minutes of new rock & roll that’ll save your workday
If you don't already own a copy of Ryan Adams' 1984 7-inch, then you probably never will. The physical copies of one of the more raucous records from the the 39-year-old singer-songwriter sold out long ago, but at least you've got the Interwebs to bail you out as far as hearing it goes. Other outlets…
Rick Scott doesn’t want to talk about Jennifer Carroll’s new book
Rick Scott and wife Ann were in North Tampa this morning, visiting the governor's field office on Ehrlich Road, the second of four visits they were making across the state pump up the vote on this Primary Election day. Florida's First Couple spent over 20 minutes shaking hands with volunteers before sitting down and making a…
Audubon fires back at Ed Turanchik over Schultz Preserve
The escalating feud between Ed Turanchik and Audubon of Florida doesn't appear to be ending anytime soon. Just hours after we published a story Monday quoting Turanchik as saying that the environmental group is off-base in their criticism of using the Fred and Idah Schultz Preserve as a terminal for one part of his proposed high-speed ferry project…
66th Emmy Awards recap — moving, meh and awkward moments
A look at the hits and misses at last night’s awards.
Mitch Perry Report 8.26.14 – Florida closed primary system to indie voters – suck on it!
Ten days ago I voted early in downtown Tampa. But as I made my way to the elevator in the County Center, I realized my ballot didn't contain a couple of local races that I've been paying particular attention to, such as Attorney General and the HD 61 race that has become quite intense. Come…
Theatre Tampa Bay announces its 2014 award nominations
While the rest of America watched the same TV shows and stars win the same Emmys, Theatre Tampa Bay convened local actors, directors and other stage professionals to announce the 2014 Theatre Tampa Bay Awards at Tampa Theatre. (Say that 10 times fast!) The awards show will take place Oct. 6 at the Palladium Theater…
Nadine Smith challenges 3 gay-marriage critics to take the Ice Bucket Challenge
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge continues to rage on, with the ALS Foundation reporting today that it has received just shy of $80 million ($79.7) in donations compared to $2.5 million during the same time period last year (July 29 to August 25). These donations have come from existing donors and 1.7 million new donors.…
Kevin Beckner unveils a community plan to prevent violence in Hillsborough County
On December 14, 2012, in Newtown, Connecticut, 20-year-old Adam Lanza fatally shot 20 children and six adult staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School. It was the deadliest mass shooting at a high school or grade school in U.S. history, and the second-deadliest mass shooting by a single person in U.S. history, eclipsed only by…
Charlie Crist says he’s taking nothing for granted going into Tuesday’s primary election
Although the polls don't close down for good in Florida's Primary Election until 7 p.m. on Tuesday, some GOP strategists have been trotting out the mantra that Charlie Crist must somehow take 80 percent of the vote in his battle with Nan Rich, or else he's in trouble going into his contest against Rick Scott…
Babyfaces of Death: The well-adjusted headbangers of Southern Darkness Fest.
How did heavy metal get so . . . hip?
Good. Better. BEST!
Sooo, did ya’ll enjoy Beer Fest? We had an absolute blast! We were going non-stop the entire night—from handing out oodles and oddles of free stuff to getting your hands on some of the snazziest beer tees we’ve ever seen—but what an event it was! Now that Beer Fest has come and gone, it’s time…
Ed Turanchik says Audubon’s objections on ferry plan have “no basis in fact.”
An environmental study analyzing the proposed public/private high-speed ferry service in Hillsborough County that ultimately could make its way to St. Petersburg is due to be released soon. Supporters of the proposal hope that its results will alleviate concerns registered by County Commissioners last week, when they voted to have the organizers behind the proposal search…
Mitch Perry Report 8.25.14 – Rick Scott listening to the people on education?
Unless you've taken a vacation from reading about education this summer, you know that the federally mandated "Common Core" standards that are being implemented into most public school districts around the country have been severely derided by conservatives like Glenn Beck over the past year. But with some governors (like those in Oklahoma & Louisiana)…
Tampa Dream Defenders demand justice for Mike Brown
The Tampa Dream Defenders led a protest in solidarity with the residents of Ferguson, in a rally calling for Justice for Mike Brown. They made their demands at the Lykes Gaslight Square Park, located next to the Tampa Police Department’s main headquarters, with City Hall standing across the street. Their list of demands included an…
Best of the Bay lowdown: Which eateries are dazzling voters?
There’s about a week left to cast votes for your favorite food joints in CL‘s BOTB Readers Poll.
Photo review: Birthday girl Tori Amos gives Ruth Eckerd Hall a gift
Tori Amos spent her 51st birthday with a crowd of fans in tiaras and feather headbands this past Friday night at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater. While the coke-bottle glasses may have belied the fact that this was her 17th tour, she still sounded like she did when I was in high school, and she…
CannaDay in Tampa Bay
On Friday, the Florida Cannabis Coalition hosted "CannaDay Tampa Bay", an all day seminar at The Cuban Club in Ybor City. The event was co-hosted by Tom Quigley and Pete Sessa from the Florida Cannabis Coalition. It was aimed on educating the public about marijuana and all of it's glory. It was fronted by some of…
Doing the ALS Bucket Challenge (with qualms)
According to its website, the ALS Association has received $62.5 million in donations compared to $2.4 million during the same time period last year (July 29 to August 23). These donations have come from existing donors and 1.2 million new donors to The Association. Make yours truly the latest, as I was "nominated" to take…
Do This: The Weekend Top 10
Wearable Art X, Toons, the Gecko Ball, an ambitious dance multimedia show at Studio@620 and more.
Last day to bid on violin works at Florida Craftsmen
Bidding ends today at 5 p.m. for Florida Craftsmen's art violin auction, presented in conjunction with its Finely Tuned exhibition, which is also coming to an end. The idea for the auction started when Canterbury School ordered violins for their Suzuki Program but the violins were too large for the elementary school children. Florida Craftsmen…
This weekend in live music: Janiva Magness, Welcome the New PA with The Pauses, Tony Touch & more
A look at what's happening in live music this Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 23-24. (The Pauses!!) SATURDAY, AUGUST 23 Welcome the New PA with The Pauses, The Pals, The Patients New World has a new PA, have you heard it? Pretty nice now that all the operational kinks seem to have been worked out (hey,…
Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s new splashy plans
Remember the aquarium from Dolphin Tale — that movie filmed in Clearwater a few years ago about the dolphin born with a plastic flipper or something like that? There’s a sequel coming out soon. In the film, the aquarium that little dolphin lived in looked a little suspect — real small and stained. Every time I saw…
Fabulous Independent Film Festival in Sarasota this weekend
Celebrate diversity in the LGBT community this weekend with the best in world cinema. Sarasota’s Fabulous Independent Film Festival takes place Friday, Aug. 22 through Sunday, Aug. 24 at Burns Court Cinemas. This three-day film fest is organized by broken rules productions in association with the Harvey Milk Festival, a non-profit organization. This year’s event…
Movie review: When the Game Stands Tall
This feel-good story never really gets to the details behind its triumphs.
Savage love: Object transference
Everybody’s favorite sex & relationship advice columnist Dan Savage dishes down.
Reasons why the Rowdies are a must-see event
So, I typically write a preview on the Tampa Bay Rowdies home matches with the generic need-to-know gibberish. On this day, I choose differently, because attending a Rowdies game is more than just showing up to watch what happens on the field and relating it to standings. With that being said, here are five reasons…
Honey, the Ethics Commission wants to speak with you on the phone
That's probably what Susan Hagan said to hubby, Hillsborough Commissioner Ken Hagan, when the Florida Ethics Commission called to alert them that Hagan is now under investigation for ethics violations. The charges stem from Hagan's alleged failure to provide full disclosure regarding his assets, as required annually by the Florida State Constitution. Article ll, Section…
Libertarian Party Lieutenant Governor nominee Greg Roe is making the rounds
Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Adrian Wyllie continued his statewide craft brewery tour Wednesday night in Tampa's Seminole Heights, holding a meet and greet at the Florida Avenue Brewing Company, where he was joined by his new running mate, Greg Roe. The 58-year-old Roe hails from Dade City and was a lifelong registered Republican until a year…
Saturday’s lineup of booze & beyond
A crowd-pleasing crop of drink events throughout the day.
Ferguson solidarity rally draws out Bay Area activists
Protesters outside of the Tampa Police Department As the situation in Ferguson continues with little progress on the legal side of the Mike Brown murder, activist group Anonymous called for a nationwide “Day of Rage” on Thursday to show solidarity with those protesting in the St. Louis suburb. Thirty-seven cities were selected as points of…
Tampa Mayor Buckhorn’s ALS ice bucket challenge — do over?
The city of Tampa has given us a nice double PR punch this morning by promoting Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn taking part in a mad-viral charity stunt and promoting Tampa's new splash pad at the Water Works Park at Tampa Heights' waterfront. He seems to get off easy with the water mostly falling behind him…
Mitch Perry Report 8.22.14: Fun with fundraising
Thank God it's Friday, we say this morning. Why, you ask? Was it a particularly trying week? No, it's because candidates running in Tuesday's primary election can no longer ask you for money for that particular contest. Many candidates were reaching out at the last hour yesterday, but none more egregious than the folks in…
The Gaily News: Federal judge declares Florida’s gay marriage ban is unconstitutional
A federal judge in Tallahassee ruled Thursday that Florida’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Robert L. Hinkle’s ruling overturns Amendment 2, which prohibits same-sex marriage in the Sunshine State and was approved by voters in 2008. Like the four state judges who ruled in the favor of marriage equality earlier this…
A different type of thunder strikes the Times Forum tonight
With the Tampa Bay Rays fading fast and the Buccaneers still trying to find some punch to their offense, the Tampa Bay Times Forum will offer a boxing event that will have plenty of action on Friday night. Teaming up with Panda 5 Star Productions, the Forum presents Thunder at the Forum: Round 2 presented…
Tonight in live music: Tori Amos, Crocodiles, Donavon Frankenreiter & more
A jam-packed Friday. Check out what's happening below. Tori Amos The fiery-haired piano-banging songstress was the first female artist who grabbed my heart — were Little Earthquakes and Under the Pink really so long ago? — and she’s also responsible for my first real concert experience, at Tampa Theatre, age 14; I wasn’t really allowed…
Sipping soirée: Ybor City gets its first wine festival
The inaugural Ybor City Wine Fest will feature more than 100 wines, local food pairings and more.
El-P and Killer Mike announce new Run The Jewels album, share first track, “Blockbuster Night”
Zack de la Rocha, Travis Barker and others enlisted for new album out October 28.
Bill Nelson wants more U.S. military engagement in Iraq & Ukraine
Senator Bill Nelson, fresh off a fact-finding trip to Ukraine, said today that it's time for the U.S. to supply lethal weapons and "up to the minute" intelligence to that Eastern European nation in its fight against separatists it says are backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. "I know our government has been reluctant to…
Of primary concern
Pat Kemp vs. Mark Nash: Hilllsborough County Commission, District 4 (countywide) “I’m Pat Kemp running for County Commission. Do you live in the county?” It’s early yet at the Ybor City Saturday Morning Market, with just a few customers straggling through. So Kemp, who’s running against Mark Nash to be the Democratic candidate for Hillsborough…
Poet’s notebook: On foreign shores
Deutschland, Deutschland, über alles, Über alles in der Welt… (Germany, Germany, over all, Above all in the world…) —from Das Deutschlandlied, German national anthem, music by Franz Joseph Haydn, lyrics by August Heinrich Hoffman von Fallersleben (1841) When I heard this stirring music, written by the great composer Haydn, played over and over as the…
Movie Review: Sin City: A Dame to Kill For suffers from stagnation
What seemed groundbreaking a decade ago now seems dated, and can’t be saved by the arrival of Josh Brolin and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
Those Darlins, Matt Butcher, A.J. Vincent lead Plan B Festival initial lineup
A post-Anitiwarpt world isn’t so bleak after all.
Summer Jam 10 schedule released
The last gasp for this beloved Ybor City mini-fest is gonna be a good ‘un.
Free Robin Williams tributes for fans
When an artist passes away, there's a natural tendency to revisit their work. Robin Williams' death is no different, and there's a wealth of material for fans to sit back and watch again at home. But if you'd like a true theater experience, local venues are running some of Williams' best movies, and some of…
Cowabunga, Simpsons fans! Record-breaking marathon begins on FXX today!
Care to take a trip back to Springfield and binge on Bart, Lisa, Marge and Homer d'ohnanigans? FXX is airing all 552 episodes of The Simpsons in the longest single-series marathon in TV history. The network can be found on ch. 120 on Bright House, 191 on Verizon FiOS and 259 on DirecTV. The marathon kicked…
Tonight in live music: Jazz Benefit for Linda Nash at Palladium Side Door
Several jazz-rooted artists come together to play in support of a longtime local jazz flutist
Tonight in live music: Steel Pulse
Video included.
Fall Arts Preview 2014: Music
A look at noteworthy concerts hitting Tampa Bay this fall, August through December
Fall Arts Preview 2014: Etcetera
A look at comedy shows, festivals and other arts and entertainment.
Fall Arts Preview 2014: It’s all new
New faces, new fests and more for Tampa Bay’s fall arts season.
Fall Preview 2014: Talking with Tampa Bay’s newest arts execs
On filling big shoes, finding audiences, and making art in a tough cultural climate.
Fall Arts Preview 2014: The who, what and where of Tampa Bay’s new arts leaders
A bumper crop of new leaders is in place as the Fall 2014 arts season begins. Creative Loafing spoke with them at a roundtable discussion Aug. 14. Here are their vital stats — including their new titles, their predecessors and their choices for must-do's this season. The photos are by Todd Bates. Tony ArmerExecutive Director,…
