Olé Schmolé!
What: The Flamenco Show Where: Columbia Restaurant, 2117 East 7th Ave, Tampa (Ybor City) When: Mon. – Sat. @ 7 pm and 9:30 pm Must-Do? Says Who? Everyone and his or her mother, including the old Must-Do list (and its mother). Casualties: $6 for the show. Too much for the meal. Notable Quotable: “Olé!†Yeah…
Jason Isbell, formerly of Drive-By Truckers, shines on soulful debut
Here's my lead Spin that will run in the Creative Loafing that hits newsstands Aug. 1. Sirens of the Ditch JASON ISBELL New West The Drive-By Truckers have spent the past decade destroying stereotypes with Skynyrd-inspired songs that thoughtfully detail what it means to be raised in the Dirty South. A member of the Truckers…
Update: The Table
We broke it open yesterday and here's The Table's official press release released today (after the break).
Creative Loafing expands into Chicago and Washington
A message from Ben Eason, chairman and CEO of Creative Loafing, Inc.: Creative Loafing Inc. completed an acquisition on Monday that nearly doubles the size of our company. Two of the nation’s most outstanding alternative newsweeklies — the pa-St. Petersburg and Sarasota. This is a big step for us. I’m confident it will enhance our…
The Short List
"I'm not a child, Madam. I'm a midget with bad habits!" — from the 1966 film The Trouble with Angels. After being held in Libya for eight years, the Bulgarian medical staff accused of intentionally giving Libyan children H.I.V. are freed. Then there are those adventurous Americans trying hard to get into Libya… Adults really…
No More Public Access?
Democracy for America? The Keg Show? Straight From Da Streets? As of Sept. 30, you may no longer have your share of these and 97 other alternative programs on Pinellas County’s public access TV channel. As you may have heard by now, the Pinellas County’s communications department head Marcia Crawley has submitted a budget to…
Brian gets shortchanged; Ted gets shortcake
What: Breakfast at Skyway Jack’s Must-Do? Says Who? Must-Do I; the pig at the side of the road Casualties: $12.00, including coffee; Brian's beard Notable Quotable: "I'll have what he's having." At the outset of a mammoth day, we wanted hearty breakfast in a roadside joint with hundreds of pig effigies on the walls and…
Good times, better oldies at the Wagon Wheel
What: the Michael Jayne Project Where: Wagon Wheel Flea Market, 7801 Park Blvd., Pinellas Park When: Mid-day on a Saturday Must-Do? Says Who? Billy Leather and a bunch of drunk bikers Casualties: Possibility of death-by-laughter. You might enjoy yourself that much. Ted and I approached building B at Wagon Wheel Flea Market with high hopes…
Don’t try this at home
What: Ravage the Town Where: St. Pete, Palmetto, Pinellas Park, back to St. Pete, then Pinellas again, then Ybor City When: Dusk to Dusk Must-Do? Says Who? Only those with a strong constitution Casualties: 2 $1.00 tolls, 2 $25 parking tickets Saturday, July 21st, 2007 is a day that will live in infamy. We awoke…
So much to do…
A lot of people from all over have been telling us what we have to do while we're in Tampa. Let's just say our daily planners are filling up. For the benefit and edification of all, here's some of the stuff we've recently been ordered to do. Having spent a good deal of time in…
Harry Potter: the waiting
Creative Loafing Events Editor Leilani Polk is vacationing in Mexico. But that didn't stop our Harry Potter-loving staffer from sending us her account of acquiring perhaps the most highly-anticipated book since the advent of the printing press. BY LEILANI POLK In my mind, it was easy: I’d arrive Barnes and Noble on Tyrone Boulevard in…
Taqueria on Wheels
What: El Taconazo Taco Bus, 913 E. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa Must-Do? Says Who? CL Tampa Casualties: Roughly $5 for a full meal, though it depends on your flavor Key feature: Sink, complete w/ soap dispenser, on front of bus It was that perilous time of day when collective tummy rumbling makes it impossible to focus…
Turning The Table On Downtown St. Petersburg
Just confirmed that The Table, one of my favorite restaurants in Sarasota, is planning on giving birth to a twin in downtown St. Pete. The new place will be on the 500 block of Central — although I haven't yet driven by to see what space they're taking over. Anyone not familiar with the "Atlantic…
Bad Religion stay feisty with old-school punk
Here is Senior Editor Eric Snider's review of Bad Religion's performance at Warped Tour will run in the Creative Loafing that hits newsstands July 25. Bad Religion at the Warped Tour, Fri. July 20, Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg Walking out of Vinoy Park at about 8:30 p.m., I heard someone from the last band standing…
The Short List
"In the morning I'd awake and couldn't remember/What is love and what is hate?" —The Flaming Lips, "In the Morning of the Magicians" Senator Robert C. Byrd, wearing a tie with puppies on it, chews Michael Vick on the floor of the House like a beef-flavored rawhide. Daniel Radcliff speaking about his 18th birthday today:…
Beyonce’s big production boring
Here's a rough draft of my Beyonce concert review. It will run with Eric Snider's critique of Bad Religion's performance at Warped Tour and Arielle Stevenson write-up of the recent Mickey Avalon show in the Creative Loafing that hits newsstands July 31. Here's my Beyonce concert review that will in the Creative Loafing that hits…
Response from ‘The assholes at Creative Loafing’
Keith Ulrey, who helms Tampa indie label New Granada Records and is a member of the local band Zillionaire, recently sent a missive that began: "To the assholes at Creative Loafing." In it, he criticized my music coverage, particularly my local music coverage. He also pointed out an error in my write-up of the New…
Top 10: Songs for fighting
Some friends and I stopped in at the Green Parrot Pub in North Tampa two Fridays ago and things got ugly. We were faced with the kind of asshole that lives to start shit. And my buddy Buckman isn't the kind of fellow who readily takes shit. The incident became fodder for my latest Bar…
Side Dishes
Name of Kama Sutra Position: Side Dishes (Pressing, Churning, The Boar’s Blow and Sparrow Sport) Position: Contrary to what these names imply, nobody should get hurt in either of these positions. They should be considered exclamation points during sex play. They could be used to wake your partner up if they have fallen asleep, but…
The Short List — Fri., July 20
Loyal readers, I'm off next week. Please don't send letters demanding my return; I assure you I will be back handling the daily Short List by the end of the month. In my stead, Editorial Assistant Dawn Morgan will be filling in, compiling all the news links you need to read. Have a good week,…
Nasty boy
Here's a review from new contributor Arielle Stevenson. CONCERT REVIEW BY ARIELLE STEVENSON Mickey Avalon, Wed., July 18, Orpheum, Ybor City He's not the boy to bring home to momma, but Mickey Avalon, along with cohorts Dirt Nasty and Andre Legacy, easily entertained a nearly full house Wednesday at the Orpheum. Avalon’s graphic, drug-touting lyrics…
The Short List — Thurs., July 19
Can someone please make Harry Potter go away? Don't make me beg! Scientists think they finally have a handle on what's killing North American and European honey bees. OK, who's the wise guy who threw away the surface-to-air missile in a Tampa junkyard? Larry Flynt claims his fishing expedition for congressional philanderers has netted 30…
Later, Gator
What: Canoeing on the Hillsborough Must-Do? Says Who? Ben Eason, CEO, Creative Loafing, Inc. Casualties: $96 for two canoes; one (1) sunburned knee; and, predictably, a fire ant attack. Notable Quotable: “But mom, how come he gets to pee off the bridge?" We'd been showing Gino and Leslie a good time on the town, whisking…
Jannus Landing: Too good for tribute shows
Some of my most cherished concert memories are from Jannus Landing. Billed as "Florida's oldest and largest outdoor concert venue," it is, in my opinion, the jewel of downtown St. Pete. Yeah, The State Theatre has its charms as well, but nothing compares to standing in the courtyard under a canopy of stars, getting down…
Show us the Green…
What: "Look for the green flash at sunset." Where: We're not sure—the horizon? Must-Do? Says Who? #100 on the first Must-Do List Casualties: Just one of those simple pleasures without any casualties So after work yesterday we booked it to the beach, hoping to catch this mysterious "green flash." We chased the sun and caught…
Yummy Yummy Yummy House … Yummy!
Here's a report by our own Taylor Eason, who has gushed so much it sounds like an ad: Oh my… amazing Chinese food as been uncovered in Tampa Bay. Absolutely the best Chinese in the city, bar none: Yummy House, located in a drab strip mall on Waters Ave. in Tampa, just east of Armenia…
Must-Do 2
Last year, Creative Loafing (then Weekly Planet) dared to sum up Tampa Bay in 100 bullet points with “The Must-Do List: 100 Things You Gotta Do to Be a True Resident of Tampa Bay.†We received lots of praise for that story, but also lots of letters, emails, and questions — questions like, “Why wasn’t…
Don’t eat the brown acid
Just in time for the Warped tour: Things not to do at all-day, outdoor summer concerts By Wade Tatangelo Published 07.18.2007 http://tampa.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=271552 Despite all the common-sense evidence stacked against them, all-day outdoor concerts in Florida still exist — and people still attend them. The older you get, the idea of joining 20,000 people in a…
Bern, Baby, Bern!
Where: Bern’s Steakhouse, 1208 S. Howard Ave., Tampa Must-Do? Says Who? George W. Bush & family Casualties: Dinner—$238.37; Dessert—$42.53 Key Abbreviation: MacNut I never saw the dining room at Bern’s. My family, Ted and I were relegated to the lounge because my brother wasn’t wearing pants. He did have shorts on, however, which I thought…
Fair is Foul and Foul is Sweet
What: Yanks-Rays at Tropicana Field Must-Do? Says Who? Chaim Bloom, Assistant, Baseball Operations, Tampa Bay Devil Rays Casualties: $0, thanks to Chaim; shredded vocal chords, thanks to B.J. Upton; stinging right hand, thanks to the foul ball. Notable Quotable: “If you fuck up any foul balls, try to screw over the visiting team this time. 
St. Bart’s and Chateau Prive Finally Kicks The $5000 Bucket + Ceviche News
South Tampa’s St. Bart’s and Chateau Prive closed down on July 13. The restaurant was formerly owned by Ceviche’s Gordon Davis, but was taken over in 2005 by Ocala businessman Phillip Glassman, who had plans to turn the restaurant and adjoining building into an exclusive private club. With membership fees quoted at $5,000 per year,…
Ryan Adams: Download this Paris show
Here's a Spins entry that will run in the Creative Loafing that hits newsstands July 26. DOWNLOAD June 3, 2007, La Maroquinerie, Paris, France RYAN ADAMS Answeringbell.com, Aquariumdrunkard.com Even casual Ryan Adams will want to download this outstanding (both in terms of performance and sound quality) bootleg of a recent show in Paris. Adams and…
The Short List — Wed., July 18
In a change from every newscast ever, I'm leading with the good news before moving on to the bad. The good news: al-Qaeda in Iraq's highest-ranking member captured. The bad news: That same al-Qaeda "leader" is telling U.S. military interrogators "a prominent al Qaeda-led group is just a front and its leader fictitious." The even…
Hey There, Tampa Bay!
We’re looking for some help. You see, we’ve been in Tampa for over a month now, yet it feels as if we haven’t really gotten to know the place. Our taskmasters at Creative Loafing keep us slaving all day long, and most of the time we’ve been too tuckered out to do much urban exploring…
See & Do Planner
Weekly Events
You talking to me?
Fists almost fly at the Green Parrot Pub
She knows
I damn-ass better see Cheryl again
The Price (Tag) of Tolerance
Budget cuts claim St. Pete’s anti-discrimination division
La Vida de Frida
Theater Tuesday, July 24
Society Sculpture
ArtWednesday, July 25
Don’t eat the brown acid
Just in time for the Warped tour: Things not to do at all-day, outdoor summer concerts
He is a Rock
Mike Gravel’s gay-rights stance is off the charts, even if his poll numbers aren’t
An Alternative to the Classifieds
Special Event Monday, July 23
Herb’s Highlights
Art Friday, July 20
Upcoming concerts
Ben Kweller, Incubus, Def Leppard
Cyberdyne Systems Model 101
Bush, Hitler, shrinking Americans
Elusive Synchronicity
The Police play it close to the vest
A Sunday Pop Spree
The Format, Vans Warped Tour, Beyoncé
The Score: Food Stamps
Maximum amount of total personal assets an individual can have and still remain eligible for food stamps $2,000 Maximum per-month income for an individual $1,037 Average gross monthly income for food stamp households $648 Maximum monthly food stamp benefit for an individual $155 Maximum for a family of four $518 Percent increase in the Food…
LINDA OBERHAUS
Advocate for battered women (and men)
Keepin’ It Cool
Art
Spins
Ryan Adams, Jaco Pastorius, Toby Keith
The Blotter
Bizzare crimes from Tampa police reports
Soundtrack of Power Pop
Music Thursday, July 19
Dancing queens
Hairspray gets updated as an inoffensive ode to nonconformity
What ever happened to the Axis of Evil?
Your War Questions Answered
The Gregg Allman Tour
GREGG ALLMAN
Mitt: Go South, Young Man
The once-moderate governor woos conservatives in Florida
Amen to artists
The story of Canvas: An arts fest hosted by a church, no strings attached
Lodi rules
The California region is at the forefront of sustainable wine growing
Sporting Satire
Irma Vep offers the fun of watching two actors race to play all its roles
United By Music
2007 Global Youth & Music Summer Benefit
Fat and Female — On the Inside
Film Saturday, July 21
The food stamp diet
Living on white bread is tough for a week. But try doing it year-round.
Creative Loafing expands into Chicago and Washington
Acquires Chicago Reader and Washington D.C. City Paper
Red Room Cinema
Red Room Cinema
Outtakes
In Theaters
Poli-Dicks
"Several years ago, I asked for and received forgiveness from God and my wife in confession and marriage counseling." –—Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), Giuliani co-chair, speaking to the Associated Press last week re his admission of using the services of the "D.C. Madam" 'I'm a lot more like Lorena Bobbitt than Hillary. If he does…
Utopia revisited
A state park that preserves the spirit of Koresh (not that Koresh)
Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out
The Police
Wedding Bell Blues
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry
The Choys is yours
One’s downscale, the other more formal, but both offer tasty dim sum options
Cl previews upcoming shows
Motion City Soundtrack, Safety, Reel Big Fish
Irritable with Words
Music/Spoken Word Sunday, July 22
