The folks at Straz Performing Arts Center are being good role models with their outside Chill Year’s Eve event on the Riverwalk stage. Presented by Roxanne Gallo and Zachary Hines—hosts of the Best of the Bay-winning streaming talent show Tampa Total Request Live—the event is being deemed a “safe and responsible alternative” to your usual NYE rager. I know there’s a lot of pent up rage that you’re dying to get out in the form of drinking and dancing until an Waffle House after-party, but save that for a year from now (hopefully).
A slew of Tampa talent will be entertaining including Ari Chi.
Last week, Chi collaborator Natalie Depergola told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that Chi’s “Hot Honey” was one of her favorite songs of the year, adding that the songwriter’s passion, drive, heart and musical mind is inspiring. “She scats/runs/riffs vocally in a way that sounds like a saxophone,” Depergola—who’s just released her own new single “Like the Players Do”—wrote. Chi’s prowess leads to multiple time signature and phrasing changes and without giving away the simple beauty of the songs and poetry of the lyrics. “She is also a genuine kind warm hearted human being who is spreading love and inspiring people all around.”
Chill Year’s Eve: Ari Chi w/His Hem/Rebekah Pulley/Steve Miller. Thurs. Dec 31, 9 p.m. $30 and up. Riverwalk Stage at David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa strazcenter.org
See a list of Tampa Bay’s “Safe & Sound” live music venues here.
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This article appears in Dec 17-23, 2020.