It was kind of a black-tie affair on Thursday night when 21-year-old songwriter Stephen Sanchez brought his retro blend of pop and doo-wop to Tampa Orpheum where fans of all ages (holy moly, there were a lot of hands with black Xs on them) came to sing and dance in the Florida winter air.

Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Stephen Sanchez plays Orpheum in Tampa, Florida on Dec. 14, 2023. Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern

Read his 2016 intro letter and disclosures from 2022 and 2021. Ray Roa started freelancing for Creative Loafing Tampa in January 2011 and was hired as music editor in August 2016. He became Editor-In-Chief...