Shemekia Copeland, who plays Tropical Heatwave 2023 at The Cuban Club in Ybor City, Florida on May 6, 2023. Credit: Photo by Victoria Smith
Last summer, Tampa Bay community radio station WMNF 88.5-FM announced plans to revive its revered Tropical Heatwave music festival—and now we know who’s in the lineup.

WMNF released the show poster today, and it’s topped by Alligator Records’ blues powerhouse Shemekia Copeland, Idaho songwriter Eilen Jewell and Louisiana soul-rock favorite Seratones. Blues duo GA-20 (playing in town this week) is also on the bill along with Detroit funk and soul specialist Laura Rain & the Caesars.

The 16-band lineup headed to Ybor City in May includes a host of locals, plus a rare set from Tampa new wave-rock band Glove., which has spent the last year opening for outfits like Spoon, A Place To Bury Strangers, Nation Of Language and Jack White. Old school ska favorite Magadog is also among local highlights.

Tickets to WMNF Tampa 88.5-FM’s Tropical Heatwave 2023 at Cuban Club in Ybor City on Saturday, May 6 go on sale Wednesday, Feb. 1 and start at $40.

Schedule and stage info has yet to be released. See the full lineup below.
Tropical Heatwave 2023 lineup

  • Shemekia Copeland
  • Eilen Jewell Band
  • Seratones
  • GA-20
  • Glove
  • Have Gun, Will Travel
  • Laura Rain & The Caesars
  • The Snozzberries
  • LPT
  • Vodkanauts
  • Rocket 88
  • Cottondale Swamp
  • Synergy in a Cup
  • Magadog
  • Talk to Mark
  • The Gulfport Gecko Amalgamated Marching Band

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This article appears in Jan 12-18, 2023.

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...