Making my way through St. Petersburg’s EDGE District last Saturday, I could hear the faint sounds of the Spice Girls and the raspy voice of Cam Parker, aka Painkiller Cam.
The spunky Tampa artist — whom I greeted with a four-pack of PBR tallboys, a staple on his Instagram feed — made headlines in 2017 for his mural of Lady Gaga in Tampa Heights (ICYMI: He got to hand Gaga a photo of the mural, in person, before she closed her set at the nearby Amalie Arena). But Parker is also known for his bold, graphic style, which allows him to capture larger-than-life personalities and transform them into equally iconic paintings.
What’s more, he boasts a colorful palette, which is fitting, because his next subject is that acclaimed pitmaster with an unmistakeable look: Ray Lampe, aka Dr. BBQ.
A Barbecue Hall of Famer and niche celeb who’s cooked in more than 300 barbecue competitions throughout his career, Lampe has teamed up with Suzanne and Roger Perry of Tampa-based Datz Restaurant Group to develop the eponymous restaurant, Dr. BBQ, which will bring New American barbecue to the EDGE when it opens in July. Leading up to the anticipated launch at 1101 First Ave. S., Parker is lending his creative vision to the exterior of the St. Pete smokehouse with a 35-by-55-foot portrait of Lampe.
The doctor is in, indeed. Well, OK, almost.
“The mural is a huge image of me in front of an American flag, but it’ll be done in a style that only Cam Parker can do,” Lampe said. “Cam and I hit it off right away so I think we’re both very excited about what he’ll come up with.”
According to the pitmaster, diners and passersby alike should notice shadows and smoky drawings worked into the flag, including a globe. That represents the international inspiration behind the restaurant’s ’cue.
“Our menu is traditional barbecue/fire cooking with some fun and interesting additions. Every cuisine around the world uses fire and smoke, so it’s just natural for us to incorporate some of the global flavors,” he said of the food.
Locals will come to Dr. BBQ for a photo-op in front of the new mural, no doubt. They’ll stay, however, for Lampe’s signature technique and tastes — with a Datz influence.
Upon my arrival, Parker was atop a scissor lift dressed in an unbuttoned flannel, low-rise joggers and a straw hat, attempting to remove the machine from a mud pit. He says he’s honored and elated to be working with the Datz team and Lampe.
“It is a big-ass blessing,” Parker said. “My mural assistant, Chris Williams, has helped slice this undertaking from what could have potentially been three weeks into a week and a half. The community has been so supportive and helpful throughout the entire process. It’s so fulfilling to engage with the neighborhood and give them something funky and fresh to be excited about!”
The mural process has been less than ideal due to rain (thanks, summer), but Parker hopes to complete the giant portrait by the end of June, or early July at the latest.
Either way, though, both the restaurant and mural are prime real estate for food-obsessed folks around the region. Something tells us the finished product will be what Dr. BBQ is shaping up to be — worth the wait.
This article appears in Jun 21-28, 2018.