Machine in the Ghost uses computers to solve the mystery of artist statements
Selina Román Artists statements usually give gallery attendees an idea of where an artist was coming from when he or she was creating the work displayed. They can be insightful, confusing, and even an interesting combination of both. A new exhibition in Seminole Heights aims to use technology and human creativity to turn the notion…
Epically amazing classic arcade and pinball museum opening this weekend in Tarpon Springs
The cure for your smartphone-weakened thumbs has arrived.
Mitch Perry Report 9.18.14 – Bill Edwards deal with St. Pete on Al Lang goes south
A vote scheduled this afternoon at the St. Petersburg City Council that would have given Bill Edwards control of Al Lang Stadium for the next four years in exchange for $1.5 million is apparently off the table now, though there's no clear information about why that's the case. Blogger Peter Schorsch speculates this morning that…
Theater Review — Jobsite’s The Last Night of Ballyhoo
Identity struggles permeate from story to script, but Jobsite makes the most of it.
Tampa Bay’s weekly literary happenings
The monthly Oldsmar Alive Open Mic takes place Wednesday, Sept. 17, 7:30 p.m., Jack Willie’s Bar, Grill and Tiki. All performers are welcome. Calling all bards! Seminole Community Library at St. Petersburg College hosts Pause for Poetry Wednesday, Sept. 17, 7 p.m. Enjoy a supportive atmosphere where lovers of poetry share their works and/or read…
Do This: To Be Takei tonight at freeFall Theatre
Catch an intimate doc on the Star Trek star, social networking guru and activist.
SCENE BREAKER: Granny goes wild, an angel is not a duck, and tickets are going fast
Here’s what’s behind the curtain this week in Tampa Bay theatre… HARD OLD LADY FIGHTS SOFT MONEY: This Saturday only, Off-Broadway actress Barbara Bates Smith and musician Jeff Sebens will bring Go, Granny D! to Largo’s New Stage Theatre & Conservatory. Smith portrays real-life New Hampshire activist and author Doris “Granny D” Haddock, who between…
Bill Nelson’s bill to childproof liquid nicotine bottles passes first hurdle
Two months ago, Bill Nelson told reporters in Tampa that he would be considering sponsoring legislation that would prohibit the marketing of e-cigarettes to children and teens. But in the short term he'll accept a ban on childproofing liquid nicotine bottles available for purchase in stores across the country. Today the Florida Democrat urged his colleagues in…
Hillsborough County takes first step toward creating a domestic partner registry
The Hillsborough County Commission is on its way to creating a domestic partner registry — though it may never actually be called that. The board voted 7-0 on Wednesday to have the county attorney research similar registries in other parts of Florida that allow anyone, including same-sex couples, to designate a support person who could…
Obama lauds the troops at MacDill – and insists they won’t be fighting on the ground against ISIL
For years, conservative critics have assailed Barack Obama for somehow not loving America sufficiently. Specifically they've assailed him for not truly believing in "American exceptionalism." But if you listened to the President's 18-minute address at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa this afternoon, you heard him repeatedly give much love to the troops who have…
Restaurant review: N’awlins, nouvelle at Roux
Roux, a long-awaited addition to Tampa’s culinary scene, updates Big Easy flavors.
Best Beer Town contest lists Tampa as contender
A 10Best panel of beer experts pitted Tampa against 19 others in a Best Beer Town competition.
Mitch Perry Report 9.17.14 – House to vote on Iraq/Syria – but are ground troops inevitable?
President Obama finished up his briefings at CENTCOM at MacDill this morning here in Tampa, as the House of Representatives was poised to vote on a proposal to give Obama the authority to train and equip Syrian rebels to battle ISIL. But if you're following this story at all in the news, you realize that…
Best of the Bay 2014: Chowing Tampa Bay-style
A guide to frequent Best of the Bay-winning restaurants and bars.
Brazenly braising: White Fish with Bell Peppers & Sun-Dried Tomatoes
A quick and healthy main course for any time of year.
Tonight in live music: Ab-Soul, Carter Hulsey & Ryan Reid
A few live music happs tonight; videos included.
Rick Scott critics protest his fundraiser at Tampa’s Oxford Exchange
There were only about 16 demonstrators present, but they certainly were having fun protesting a Rick Scott fundraiser in front of Tampa's Oxford Exchange restaurant early Tuesday evening. Activists offered "Shady Rick Scott Hand Sanitzers" that promised to keep ones hands "free of dirty politics." When Attorney General Pam Bondi made her way down along…
Complimentary classics: Free burger, fries at Burger 21
Join Burger 21’s email club by Wednesday and land free grub.
Anti-fracking activists led by actor Mark Ruffalo tout new report
Two months ago, the Dan A. Hughes Oil Company dropped its plans to drill an exploratory well adjacent to the Golden Gates Estates development in Collier County in Southwest Florida. That was big news to environmental activists throughout the state who feared that Hughes Oil was considering using an "enhanced extraction" procedure considered synonymous with fracking,…
Taste of Punjab reopens in Largo Wednesday
The region’s missed Taste of Punjab’s North Indian fare for nearly nine months.
Survey USA poll has Scott at 44%, Crist 39% and Wyllie at 7%
A Survey USA poll conducted for WFLA-News Channel 8 shows Rick Scott with a solid five-point lead over Charlie Crist in the race for Governor of Florida, with Libertarian candidate Adrian Wyllie in third place with 7 percent of the vote. Nine percent said they were undecided. That bulge of five percentage points is one…
New Music Tuesday! (September 16): Asteroids Galaxy Tour, Barbra Streisand, Generationals & more
Releases out this week; audio & video included.
Concert review: Erasure brings thumping club music to Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg
A look back at the Sun., Sept. 14 show.
CFO candidate Will Rankin introduces himself to Hillsborough County Democrats
Will Rankin addressed the members of the Hillsborough County Democratic Executive Committee Monday night, where he asked for their vote in November. But first he addressed the question that you may be asking yourself right now: Who is Will Rankin? He's the Democrat running for Chief Financial Officer against Republican Jeff Atwater, but he began…
Mitch Perry Report 9.16.14: Hillsborough County about to join the 21st Century on LGBT issues?
What a difference a decade makes. When George W. Bush was running for the presidency in 2004, he and other Republicans were aided by the fact that bans on same-sex marriage were on the ballot in 11 different states, spurring conservative voters to come to the polls. At the Democratic Convention that summer in Boston,…
Small Plane Crashes, Narrowly Misses Posh Condos
Ellen Kirkland Piper Cherokee Crashes at Vinoy Point in St. Pete Breaking: A single-engine Piper Cherokee airplane crashed within feet of the posh Stouffer-Vinoy Hotel and adjacent condominiums in St. Pete around 10:00 AM on Monday. The crash was caused by engine trouble, according to witnesses at the scene. There was a loud noise, followed…
Tonight in live music: Hail to the Sun, Mad Caddies
A few shows for your Tuesday live music planning… Hail The Sun with Stolas, Icarus The Owl, Samurai Shotgun, Rising Down A few acts repped by Blue Swan Records – the label owned by Will Swan of Dance Gavin Dance – are featured on this multi-act tour headed up by post-hardcore/prog outfit Hail to the…
Doug Guetzloe is getting more involved in the anti-Greenlight Pinellas campaign
(Updated with new information below). Orlando-based anti-tax crusader Doug Guetzloe, chairman of the "Ax the Tax" political committee that was involved in the movement to defeat the Hillsborough County transit tax in 2010, is about to be getting more involved in the effort to knock out the Greenlight Pinellas transit tax swap in Pinellas County. Guetzloe says…
The Well-Played List, 9-15-2014: Mitch Murder, Elephant Stone, Slow Magic, Analog Son & more
Find out what the CL Team and local tastemakers are jamming this week; audio, video & Spotify Playlist included…
Savage Love: Quick and dirty
I am a man who tends to ejaculate prematurely. Not all the time — but at least 50 percent of the time, I’m good for two to three minutes and then I REALLY have to be careful. I’ve learned to manage it and work around it (like, stop if I’m too close and eat her…
Anti-domestic violence advocates come together in Tampa
A week after the release of a videotape showing now-suspended Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice savagely punching his wife in an Atlantic City hotel room elevator, the attention surrounding domestic violence has never been more magnified in America. So Congresswoman Kathy Castor today seized on the heightened focus to remind the public that such…
Kathy Castor is hesitant to arm Syrian rebels but says the alternative is worse
Kathy Castor says she's "concerned" about arming Syrian rebels to counter ISIS, but says it's the best option going to stop the Islamic terrorists, of which there are presumed to be about 31,500 roaming in the Middle East. "I am concerned about the capacity of Syrian rebels the Free Syrian Army," the Tampa-based Democratic Congresswoman…
Tampa event asks: Who are the real victims of the war on terror?
On Saturday, members of Friends of Human Rights, The Committee to stop FBI Repression and other organizers held a public program at the First United Church of Tampa. They called the event "U.S. War on Terror", and the question posed was, who are the real victims? Mass incarcerations in the U.S. are no secret, but…
Mitch Perry Report 9.15.14: Obama about to step up on Ebola
President Obama comes to Tampa tomorrow night, and on Wednesday morning he'll get a briefing at Cent Com at MacDill AFB regarding his strategy for "degrading and destroying" ISIS, or ISIL. (Would it be too much to decide on one specific name for this terrorist organization?) Before he makes it to Tampa, however, he'll stop…
Cluck if you’re hungry: Pollo Tropical offers free food with a twist
Diners can score a free quarter chicken meal at Pollo Tropical restos if they “cluck” their orders.
The Laugh Tract — who’s bringing the funny
It's a pretty full slate this weekend, with theaters, comedy clubs and independent venues all putting on stand-up comedy shows. If you're looking for laughs, you should have no problem finding them this week and weekend. Here's what's on the schedule this week: Theaters Jay Mohr at The Straz. Even if you don't know Mohr…
Concert review: Ty Segall tears through the Skatepark of Tampa
The California wonderkid laid a hot heap of raw rock on the SPOT.
Photo review: Lily Allen brings Sheezus to the House of Blues, Orlando
Drunk Camera Guy I'll admit that I was a little worried when I walked into the House of Blues this past Wed., Sept. 10, and saw the stage decked out in giant baby bottles. Lily Allen's new album is a strange dichotomy of self-conscious mom and bad-ass bitch, and the decor had me worried that…
Sparks fly at the Tampa Tattoo Arts Convention
The three-day event brought ink and a freaky sideshow to Tampa.
Congressional progressives Bernie Sanders & Barbara Lee get rare Sunday morning facetime
Chuck Todd's recent ascension to host of NBC's Meet The Press has generated a lot of attention to what had been considered the crown jewel of Sunday morning public affairs television until the past few years. Not only does a new host bring new juice to the moribund franchise, but new energy in its programming…
Relatably endearing comedy — Gypsy Rep’s The Year of Independent Living
Local director and Gypsy Repertory Theatre Artistic Director Lil Barcaski penned The Year of Independent Living, selected recently as a Main Stage play at the Tampa Bay Theatre Festival. The play is a pleasant jaunt overall. The story follows Sal Hannigan, whose wife gives him an ultimatum over breakfast: Either his father moves out, or…
On the menu: Dunedin Restaurant Week commences
Eleven Dunedin eateries will serve up restaurant week eats and deals to gastronauts.
Champagne in the morning for Della’s After Dark
Della’s After Dark is set to offer Sunday brunch for six weeks.
Do This — the Weekend Top 10
“Wild” fun for kids and grown-ups, Spathalicious, art on both sides of the Bay, Taste of Dunedin and more.
This weekend in live music: Washed Out, Tiger! Tiger!, Erasure, Super Freestyle Explosion & more
A jam-packed weekend of live music. Breakdown below… SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 Heatstroke Hot Rod Hoedown 11 with The Downshifters, GoToHells, Ober Rivers and his DUIs & more The annual underground music fest has plenty of diversions to keep your Saturday occupied: hot rods, roller derby grrls, food and brews, and nearly a dozen rag-tag Central…
Tampa immigration advocates hail one victory, but want more
Advocates for immigration reform in Tampa and around the country haven't had a whole lot to cheer about of late, but they'll take any little victories they can, which is why the group Raíces en Tampa held a press conference in front of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office in Ybor City on a blisteringly hot morning…
The Hip Hop ABCS: Letter V
It is nearly impossible to get a bunch of passionate hip hop fans to agree on anything. But I tried anyhow, starting with a series of polls on Facebook that aimed to figure out which emcee or group was the best in the game as driven by the letters of the alphabet. No specific rubric…
Buckhorn announces for re-election in Tampa
To the surprise of absolutely no one, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn announced at a morning press conference today that he will be running for re-election in 2015. "I'm running. I'm running hard. And I'm running to finish my job," he declared before taking questions from a handful of reporters outside City Hall. But finishing that…
New Granada reissues 1996 Braid/Pohgoh split 7″ with new artwork, liner notes
Reissue with resurgent Chicago emo icons and beloved Tampa indie outfit limited to 200 copies on clear green vinyl.
Breweries to expand with ease through Brew Hub
Brew Hub in Lakeland’s partner brewing concept is practical for some craft breweries at capacity.
Do This — art events on both sides of the Bay this weekend
From big and crowded to intimate and weird, there’s plenty of inspirational eye candy to check out.
Mitch Perry Report 9.12.14: Arthur Hayhoe, RIP
The Tampa Bay area is a major media market. In fact this week it jumped over Seattle to becoming the 13th largest Designated Market Area in the U.S. But in some ways it doesn't seem like a big media market, at least from a news reporter's point of view. Case in point? The issue of…
Tonight in live music: Ty Segall, WMNF Birthday Bash, Method Man and Redman & more
A rather impressive and eclectic Friday night of music, from Pitchfork-approved indie garage rock to WMNF birthday shennanys to hip hop, country, blues and even some grindcore, too. Ty Segall with Wand, Jensen Serf Co. This show has been so hyped up and tickets moving well enough that it’s been moved from Epic Problem into…
Video: Benjamin Booker gives Florida good love in ridiculous interview with Nardwuar
Skipper’s Smokehouse, Rachel Goodrich, and community radio all get shout outs in Booker’s interview with the Human Serviette
Does your nonprofit need a boost? Leadership St. Pete may be able to help
This just in: The Leadership St Pete Class of 2015, a program of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, is looking for a non-profit organization to assist for its class project. LSP class members provide planning, fund-raising, and physical labor to execute a facility improvement project for a local nonprofit each year. The last…
Theater review: The Chosen at American Stage
American Stage’s production will move more than a select few.
9/11 and the Zeitgeist of Déjà Vu
The German as well as the French language have imbued the English language with some succinctly descriptive “catch all” nomenclature. Philologists will concede that some words in certain languages encompass more information than the sum of their parts. The second word in the title of the article, Déjà Vu, is no stranger to native English…
Sunshine State survey shows high marks for local govt., but not so much for the feds
Floridians are feeling a lot better about their local governments these days, and are more critical than ever about Washington D.C. Those are just some of the takeaways derived from the Sunshine State Survey administered by the USF School of Public Affairs and Neilsen, and released on Thursday morning. The survey of 1,800 Florida citizens shows…
Two-day Locale Market job fair kicks off Friday
Up to 200 positions for Locale Market are to be filled during its two-day job fair.
Tampa’s 9/11 Fallen Heroes Memorial is unveiled
Today in Ybor City, in remembrance of all the first responders and the nearly three-thousand who lost their lives in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington on September 11, 2001, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Department unveiled its new 9/11 Fallen Heroes Memorial, donated by New York City’s Port Authority. The long iron beam was salvaged from…
High on Style: Tampa Bay Fashion Week preview
If the Emmys can switch from Sunday to Monday, Tampa Bay Fashion Week can host its runway show on a Wednesday — Wednesday, Sept. 17, to be exact. Perhaps it’s part of the event’s seven-year itch. In any case, this year’s schedule resembles, in theory, a pineapple upside-down cake, with the most delicious part (the…
Greenlight, red light? The battle over Pinellas’ transit tax initiative continues to heat up
Earlier this spring Dr. David McKalip, one of the leading critics of the Greenlight Pinellas transit tax that county voters will decide on this fall, said that he felt something was amiss after watching an ad that PSTA, the Pinellas transit agency, ran with a disclaimer at its conclusion mentioning Department of Homeland Security grant…
After-hours grub: New Night Owl menu at Ella’s
Pickled deviled eggs and fried spam among the offerings on the Ella’s Night Owl menu.
Dark & Sinful: My Secret existence
So I get an unwanted email from an ex-boyfriend. I launch into my standard, “Ugh. Men. What’s wrong with men? Jesus. Men.” I’m defeated. I’m crying. I’m the woman scorned. To cool down, I take the dog for a walk and stop at the mailbox. Riffling through the Penny Saver and the water bill and…
Live and Local Spotlight: The Bricks & SPoT Ybor Four-Year Anniversary Party
Surfer Blood has already been in town twice in the last year. The West Palm-bred purveyors of salty, noise and scuzz-addled beach pop headlined St. Pete’s Whigfest in February and got the same top billing treatment at downtown Tampa’s Spring Beer Fling a month later. The boys still haven’t partied Skatepark style, though. Frontman John…
Tonight in live music: Papadosio, Fortunate Youth & more
Concerts, Thurs., Sept. 11
Local musicians hold benefit for Ybor institution Cephas’ Hot Shop
The festivities happen tonight at Crowbar.
