Hillsborough County commissioners rejected a proposal Wednesday to recognize June as LGBT Pride Awareness and History month. Commissioner Kevin Beckner proposed the motion as a way to “come together and show solidarity” in light of the 49 victims who were killed in the Orlando mass shooting at a gay nightclub June. Beckner’s motion would have…
We were right there in the middle of it on the floor of the arena when it happened, when failed GOP presidential candidate and U.S. Senator from Texas Ted Cruz was forced to sport a shit-eating grin in the face of very loud detractors. It happened during his Wednesday night Republican National Committee speech, when…
At quadrennial major party political conventions, there are always going to be fringe groups spouting crazy ideas outside the big tent. On Wednesday, Day Three of the event, panelists taking part in the Policy Forum on Conservative Thought and Sustainability in a lecture hall at Cleveland State University trumpeted what is, to their colleagues, likely…
Zealots, Zionists, and Trump supporters, Oh my!
Alex Jones claims he was “attacked” by “communists,” but video shows what really happened.
For more than a day, Democrats have been laughing at poor Melania Trump after an out-of-work reporter noticed one passage from her Monday night speech at the Republican National Convention sounded a little familiar. On Wednesday, the campaign of her husband, The Donald, released to reporters the letter Meredith McIver, the Trump Organization (note: not Trump…
Florida man spouts religious diatribe at podium. On Day Three of the Republican National Convention, several luminaries from the Great State of Florida will shower us with words (though "Trump" may be among the least oft-uttered for the more ambitious among them). Gov. Rick Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio are…
‘Cause the only way to make it through a cycling class is with the promise of a beer after.
The film and television icon who filled America's entertainment canon with feel-good stories, Garry Marshall, died on July 19, 2016. He was 81. CBS reported his cause of death as pneumonia related to complications following a stroke. If you've ever watched a movie or TV show that made you feel good from laughing, odds are…
Ever question your sanity whilst wandering around an unfamiliar neighborhood, wondering why, despite a relative dearth of intoxicants in your system, a 12-hour day preceded by four hours of sleep preceded by a 15-hour day (etc.) you are still not only standing, but a little wired? We woke up on day two of the Republican…
OK, so, while the pundits and politicos in Cleveland were busy throwing up and making the party's nadir official, let's see what the hell else went on yesterday. Pinellas County came up with a list of 10 possible sites for a new Rays stadium in its bid to keep the team from moving to Hillsborough.…
Intrepid CL Photographer Joeff Davis was everywhere we wanted him to be. Below, some selections from RNC, Day 2. Stay tuned for more reports from our team on the ground and in the arena.
Make your own sweet tea vodka and turn that $12 bottle into a truly original drink.
I could never run with the hardcore dudes growing up; I was all frail and scared of getting my shaved head staved-in by a dude in Doc Martins at some obscure show in some guy's basement somewhere. But that's the legacy of hardcore punk; missing teeth, a flood of angst to make Noah himself worry,…
Anti-government types have been growing steadily bolder and more violent.
Ted talks — Ted Rall, that is.
If you are at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland this week, it might be a good idea to stock up on hand sanitizer. That's because some members of the delegation from California — an estimated dozen or so out of 550 delegates — have reportedly come down with norovirus and are currently under quarantine,…
The Bay area’s own Damon Fowler is slinging axe with the legendary Allman Brothers drummer.
8:15 a.m., Embassy Suites Cleveland, BFE Florida Secretary of Agriculture Adam Putnam reassured his hungover cohorts, members of the Florida delegation to the Republican National Convention, that their slog down to an Embassy Suites Cleveland banquet hall for an 8 a.m. "Florida Grown" breakfast would be well worth it. Besides, there was a bloody Mary…
“Mr. Trumpbachev, Put Up This Wall.”
Local Little Greek restaurants are offering a lineup of $5 pitas (and freebies) all week.
The first night of the Republican National Convention was devoted to xenophobia. Or, you know, making America safe again, or something. Featured speakers included sorta-actor Scott Baio, one of the Duck Dynasty dudes and, on a more somber note, survivors of the Benghazi attack, as well as parents who say they lost their children to…
The Black Crowes frontman brings his solo project to St. Petersburg
Well, friends, we are having the time of our lives here at the Republican National Convention. Our day began with pissed-off protesters, middled with pissed-off protesters and ended with…pissed-off rich people and pissed-off protesters. Let's have us a recap, shall we? Noon-ish? We arrive at a park called Mall A, which is best described as…
Tuesday: Appearing better than it is just by showing up after Monday since — crap, I dunno, the birth of the Gregorian calendar or whatever.(tm) Speaking of pecking orders: while Florida Governor (and possible Emissary of Reploid Doom) Rick Scott will be speaking at the Republican National Convention, he was assigned a less-than-glamorous slot on…
Passionate Trump supporters crowded a grassy slope along the downtown Cleveland waterfront to rally for GOP presidential hopeful outside Donald Trump. Given that the group Bikers for Donald Trump organized the event, many were clad in motorcycle garb — bandannas, jackets embroidered with bike club insignia. Others wore the "Hillary for Prison" t-shirts made famous…
It was a most colorful affair, but a peaceful one. An estimated 400 activists gathered at Mall A, a public square in downtown Cleveland Monday to voice their criticism of GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump. They came from across the country and comprised a broad swath of liberal and progressive organizations, including Code Pink, Black…
A (Spotify included) playlist of 15 new tunes to rocket you through your work week.
Editor's Note: Award-winning photographer Joeff Davis is an old hand at covering political conventions (I think this one's his sixth). CL Tampa (along with our sister papers Creative Loafing Atlanta, where he's based, and the Nashville Scene) is getting the benefit of his fine eye in Cleveland and in Philly this summer. Here are a few…
Parkshore Grill and Restaurant BT are the first to face off during the Epicurean’s Epic Chef Showdown.
There are no words, really. But here are some anyway. FRIDAY, JULY 15: A Tampa woman was accidentally shot and killed by her daughter, after the daughter discovered her son had brought a handgun into the house. *nation shakes head, tsks, remarks on the misfortune of the situation, does literally nothing else about it* SATURDAY,…
Dog and pony show. Clown car. Big tent. Hucksters. Circus metaphors are everywhere in American politics. The word "circus" itself seems like an apt description of the way we elect our leaders — especially this year. In Cleveland, The Daily Show is inviting politicos to take in a "sideshow" attraction to coincide with the Republican…
It's Sunday, and there's music happening! Here's a breakdown of highlights for this Sun., July 17… G-Eazy with Logic, YG, Yo Gotti, Kodak Black Following the success of his second studio LP and major label debut, When it’s Dark Out, producer-turned-rapper G-Eazy takes his hip-hop entourage on the road and lands in Tampa on this…
During his speech officially naming Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his running mate, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump managed to stop talking about Donald Trump long enough to mention Pence, whom he praised as a "solid, solid person" whose leadership he discovered after crushing the guy Pence endorsed in the primary. Trump took the stage…
6:33 a.m., Terminal C, Gate 45, Tampa International Airport Be careful, they say. It'll be the time of your life, they say, but be careful. Boarding begins in about half an hour for my flight to Cleveland, the site of the Republican National Convention, and friends and colleagues have been telling me for weeks what…
Check out the concert highlights for this Sat., July 16 below… Creative Loafing’s Record Fair & Music Issue Release Party 2016 This paper you’re holding in your grubby hands right now? It’s the 2016 edition of the Music Issue, and we’re throwing our third annual vinyl pop-up party in celebration. We’re moving from our own…
Art, food and music or, as you could call it, heritage.
When it comes to this kind of bowling, we’re all paws.
A panel of clergy, police officers and community members came together Thursday in hopes of finding a solution that will prevent fatal police shootings like those that have recently made national headlines from occurring in Tampa. Over 100 people came to the forum at Beulah Baptist Institutional Church. Many stressed the importance of community policing,…
The Seminole Heights location for Revolution Ice Cream Co. opened earlier this week.
Despite the lack of a major political convention within close range, some politicos say the Tampa Bay area — Hillsborough County, in particular — will again be ground zero when it comes to presidential politics. The county, after all, is something of a microcosm of the the country as a whole in terms of demographics; the…
This weekend, find your inner Charlie.
So yesterday was National Hot Dog Day. No, the nitrate lobby totally isn't in cahoots with the poop-stop/poop-go arm of Big Pharma at all. Wake up, sheeple. Hillary Clinton's people opened a "Hillary for Florida" campaign office on 7th Avenue in Ybor City. Clinton herself didn't attend the opening, though rumor has it a familiar-looking…
This weekend has us sipping while learning, scoring a free drink at Reggae Island and other shenanigans.
A breakdown of concert highlights for this Fri., July 15, plus a peek at the weekend ahead.
Most Cleveland things ever.
Was it the “open-carry Jesus” comment of “assless chaps” that caught your eye?
From reality MTV fame back to Tampa, John Jacobs is putting in the time to help build the scene.
Similar to the story of Pinocchio, O’Hara transformed clay into “real life.”
Main Street Boys is churning out empanadas, sandwiches and more off Fourth Street.
Susan Glickman talks about why the Sunshine State isn’t a shining beacon for solar energy.
Catch the Gaspar’s Cubano on the big screen during a watch party Sunday.
In a figurative sense, we've all got a plane to catch. In a much more literal sense, I really do have a plane to catch, so here's yesterday's news. A man was arrested for calling 911 and reporting a hoax shooting at a Clearwater Hooters that happened to be across the street from a hotel…
Pretty slim pickings on this Thurs., July 14, at least as far as concerts go. Take a look at the breakdown below. Tour of Two Wolves with iVardensphere, Cyantoic, Iszolos Ever have a friend try and describe industrial music to you? It usually goes something like “Oh yeah, there’s this huge droning, repetitive beat, and…
MEMBERS: Katherine Kelly (guitar, vocals); Michael Murphy (drums, electronic percussion); Greg Ferris (synthesizer); Morgan Soltes (bass, keys) Rising like a phoenix from the ashes of late band Sons of Hippies to new heights of aural intrigue, Sarasota-based songstress Katherine Kelley has definitely shifted gears in PLEASURES. Her vocals still have that razor sharp sweetness, but…
MEMBERS: Chris Cardon aka Big Brew (bass), Trevor Mustoe aka Skrimp (drums), Drew Giordano aka Jah Bless brew (guitar, vocals) Formerly joined by Drew’s twin bro Dane (currently of Miami-based Plastic Pinks), Sonic Graffiti pushes grimy, voodoo-soulful blues-punk and garage that’s a calculated explosion of guitar fuzz, reverb and screaming solos paired with heavy bass…
MEMBERS: Brennan Taulbee (lead vocalist, keyboards); Alexander Schultz (vocals, multiple instruments); Danny Agosto (percussion) St. Pete-based Polyenso grew from late post-hardcore band Oceana, and this “new” project finds musicians who are virtual scene vets deeply dedicated to delivering their own unique sound and vision. Impressive sophomore effort Pure in the Plastic dropped earlier this year,…
MEMBERS: Jordan Esker (guitar, vocals, keyboard), Vincent Montemarano (drums, vocals), Matt Raspo (keyboard), Emmit Dobbyn (bass) Jordan Esker & The Hundred Percent was originally just Jordan Esker; the rest of his band came together carefully over the years, a quartet of fine instrumentalists that currently stand among the area’s most soulfully rocking acts around right…
Jasmine Deja has been writing material for her Soapbox Soliloquy project since she was in her first band, the late Article 47. Three years later, the 21-year-old multi-instrumental songstress juggles membership in a few groups (Selectric and Veiny Hands) while self-producing Soapbox Soliloquy songs in her bedroom’s Rhombus Window Studios. She has a few LPs…
MEMBERS: Alexander Charos (vocals, guitar), Philip Charos (drums), Chase Swan (guitar, lap steel) St. Petersburg-based New Granada Records-repped Alexander and the Grapes have been active in Tampa Bay for upwards of six years, producing recordings from the Charos brothers’ home-based Yoko Phono studios for half that time – both their own material, side and solo…
MEMBERS: Chris Sgammato (lead vocals, saxophone, key, rhythm guitar, kazoo), Tucker Sody (drums), Vinny Svoboda (bass), Sam Dobkin (guitar) Among Tampa Bay’s abundance of jam scene acts, Displace has continued to rise and thrive with an ever-evolving sound, two LPs that showcase it admirably, and relentless performing that includes local spots, festival slots and a…
QueenofEx (Carter) originally moved to Tampa Bay to go to college for fashion and marketing, but a music career that bloomed in her native Greensboro, N.C. took hold after QueenofEx finally settled here and brought her original creative waxings to the stage in an open mic battle showcase. Her name has been popping up on…
Trump campaign events are rich experiences — haunting if his politics scare you. But the playlist (which he apparently chooses himself) is almost endearing. Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” and the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” mellow tunes that seem to contrast the anger and divisiveness at the core of his candidacy.…
A baker’s dozen of local artists on the verge, and a farewell to our Music Editor.
MEMBERS: Dallas Eubanks (electric guitar); Phil Oliver (bass); Evan Eubanks (drums); Jackson Davis (lead vocals, keys) The project helmed by ivories-stroking singer-songwriter Jackson Davis is only about a year and a half old, but comprised of musicians who’ve been grinding the scene for at least a half-decade. Davis and Evan Eubanks have been playing together…
MEMBERS: Emmy Pankau (writing, vocals, production); Jordan Patrick (beats, production, TRAPFØNE arrangements) Betty “Emmy” DawL is a turntable commander and galactic rap goddess of style who has a distinct K-pop-meets-trap swagger — her voice is sweet but fierce against thick bass-heavy hip-hop-rooted productions. Her latest TRAPFØNE album, PROB JUZ SUM SHAPES, finds an open, mature…
A look at one local artist that broke big — DJ Midnight Tyrannosaurus — and one that almost did (Tears in the Sahara)
St. Pete’s hip hop rockers relate the behind-the-scenes play-by-play of their battle to get into Brooklyn’s AFROPUNK Festival
Denver International Airport has landed a Tampa-based concessions group: Pangea.
Urban Provisions, a condiment line at its core, is morphing into Urban Deli and Drafts in St. Pete.
Oldsmar’s Casa Cosenza offers a homestyle Italian trattoria experience.
