MAY JUNE 2017

MAY - JUNE 2017 

Magazine 

Safety Harbor 

Songfest 

Biker’s 

In Blue 

The Rosewoods 

Summer Camps 

Guide Inside… 

Backtrack Blues Band 

1 BUZZ Magazine May-June 2017


BUZZ Magazine May-June 2017 3

Publisher: Constance Hilton 

constance@baybuzz.org 

Sales: Pam Wills 

sales@baybuzz.org 

Assistant: Selena Clingan 

selena@baybuzz.org 

Editors: 

Bob Feckner 

Stephen Farrenkoph 

Contributing Writers 

Randall Owens 

Selena Clingan 

Keith Wilkins 

Colin Ward 

Contributing Photographers 

Colin Ward 

Pam Wills 

Johnny DiGrigoli 

Constance Hilton 

Welcome to the 11th issue of BUZZ Magazine. We’re really 

proud about this and that it’s been a year since we’ve brought 

Bay Buzz Music back to the Tampa Bay community. Thank you 

for all your love and support. You have helped make Bay Buzz 

a success! 

We are excited about this very full edition! We’ve been busy 

bees as we’ve covered a lot of ground to bring you news about 

what’s been going on! From the local music scene to festivals, 

charities, artistic expressions and food and dining – we’ve got 

you covered! 

We are also excited to tell you that the nomination process has 

opened up for BEST of the BUZZ 2017! So please nominate your 

favorite band or local musicians! The winner will be announced 

in early December! 

Maybe I should wait till the 12th issue to tell you this, but I have 

been really happy bringing you the news of local musicians and 

what’s happening in Tampa Bay. It’s awesome to meet and greet 

so many new talented people and make new friends! 

Bay Buzz Music welcomes all genres! Bands that have been in 

the area for years and the new bands that are trying to get 

noticed. And we’d really like to know all of you. So, if you’re a 

musician, I’m going to encourage you to fill out Musician’s 

Profile on our website! Your info is sacred, but help us help you 

get promoted! 

I’d like to wish all the mom’s and dad’s a Happy Mother’s Day 

and a Happy Father’s Day! Please continue to rock on! 

To comment on a story, please 

email comments@baybuzz.org 

Constance 

WWW.BAYBUZZ.ORG 



American Song Box 

Saturday, May 6 th 

Above the Salt Cafe 

428 W. Waters Avenue 

Tampa 

8pm 


CONTENTS 

LOCAL MUSIC 

Chris Sgamattos’s Student Showcase 09 

Steve Galvin 10 

Backtrack Blues Band 38 

The Rosewoods 24 

FOOD & LOCAL DINING 

Slyce Pizza 48 

From Mouse’s Kitchen 52 

ART 

Magical Happenings 20 

The Rosewoods 

EVENTS 

Biker’s in Blue 2 14 

Saturday Morning Market 22 

CD REVIEW 

Steve Vaclavik 10 

Safety Harbor Songfest 28 

Summer Camps 56 

IN EVERY ISSUE 

Birthday’s 17 

Music News 18 

Tampa Bay Music History 42 

On My Mind 60 

Out and About 51 

The Backtrack Blues Band 


E-Mail Your Nomination to bestofthebuzz2017@gmail.com 


Sgammato Student Showcase: 

Homegrown Edition 

On April 15th at The Crowbar in Ybor, a bunch of 

talented kids got together to showcase their talent 

and to show love to their amazing music teacher, 

Chris Sgammato. 44 students performed over 70 

Tampa Bay songs that are originals of local bands 

here in our bay. 

Songs from Applebutter Express, The Hip 

Abduction, Cope, Come Back Alice, Betty Fox Band 

and a lot more bands influenced this eight-hour 

marathon music event. 

Chris is a multi-instrumentalist performer, teacher, 

composer and producer of various styles of music 

and he shares his love for music with children of all 

ages. He likes to put a special emphasis on realworld 

performances, music theory and original 

compositons. He even has helped students write 

and record albums for worldwide digital 

distribution on over 200 streaming music 

platforms. It’s amazing to see one man give his 

time and talent to teach these kids how to grow 

into wonderful musicians. 

The day was a huge success as many people from 

all over Tampa Bay came to support the showcase, 

enjoy the music and be amazed by what these kids 

can do. 

Thank you Chris for all that you do! 

Photo by Matt Hillman 


National Bike Month with 

Purple Machine’s Steve Galvin 

By Selena Clingan 

What are you “riding” in May? What soundtrack are 

you riding to? May is National Bike Month. It was 

established in 1956 and is sponsored by The League 

of American Bicyclists. Conventionally, National Bike 

Month is promoted to entice Bay Area residents to 

consider the benefits of bicycling. Not a bad thought. 

Avoiding bumper to bumper traffic, feeling sunshine 

on your face, wind in your hair, with a soundtrack on 

your mind. And, if you take a good look around the 

community, you can see how Tampa Bay has adapted 

quite well to bicycling. 

can also be accessed with convenient apps for participant’s 

mobile devices, making it even easier for the 

up and coming generations to access and explore 

Tampa Bay. 

Making bicycling a mainstream daily ritual for some 

residents, the Tampa Bay area is thriving with “bikeshare” 

programs, like “The Coast Bike Share Program” 

(www.coastbikeshare.com), located in St. Petersburg 

and Tampa. Bike-share programs offer 

participants “social bicycles” which can be reserved, 

rented and returned at convenient locations throughout 

the community. Bike-share program information 

Millennial's are taking over the downtown area, riding 

trendy bicycles to access the local arts and entertainment 

districts. And while Bay Area residents are 

encouraged to ride their bicycle into work and/or 

school during the month of May, you won’t see Steve 

Galvin, guitarist for Purple Machine, on anything less 

than one of his sexy, two-wheeled, custom creations. 

They are works of art that capture the essence of a 

bicycle and goes a little faster. 

Steve Galvin is a Bay Area resident, and left-handed 

musician, who builds custom bikes. A custom bike 

is a motorcycle that has been modified with unique 

styling and structure changes, based on the designer. 

Unlike their manufactured counterparts (i.e., 

Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, etc.) produced in mass 

quantity, custom bikes are created one at a time. A 

10 BUZZ Magazine My-June 2017

custom bike is designed using a paradigm shift, 

where the artist looks outside the box for the blueprint. 

After a custom bike is created, the builder has 

the option to present their work at “Bike Builder” 

competitions throughout the United States. 

“Pipe Bomb”, which is the name of this red beauty, 

has an impressive custom bike award resume. “Pipe 

Bomb” wins an award each time Galvin enters “her” 

into a bike builders competition. Reaping the rewards 

of his ingenuity, some of “Pipe Bomb’s” accolades 

include winning The Full Throttle Bike Builders 

Invitational, Rats Hole Custom Bike Show Daytona & 

Leesburg, and Daytona Boardwalk Classic Bike Show. 

Galvin has an eye for detail and whimsy which is seen 

in his design. Galvin states “this bike is primarily a 

promotion bike to promote my business and illustrate 

my skills and imagination.” 

Ford, Clearwater (17556 US Hwy 19 N, Clearwater, 

FL 33764). Frank Walker commissioned Galvin to 

create the “Shelby Themed” Bike after seeing 

Galvin’s custom bikes at The Full Throttle Expo Biker 

Build Off. Each custom bike is envisioned and executed 

thoroughly. Custom crafted by hand down to 

every detail. Leaving the public with an opportunity 

to marvel at each bike’s individuality and charm. 

Galvin says “It’s a joy to me to build something and 

every time I look at it I can appreciate that I built it.” 

Working for four years at Harley Davidson, Los 

Angeles, Galvin says “Every actor in Los Angeles had 

to have a custom motorcycle”. It became evident to 

Galvin that “people got more attention on their bikes 

than in their lamborghinis.” When pursuing new 

projects Galvin says “I like to pick things out to push 

myself. I feel like I can build most anything.” 

When Steppenwolf released “Born to be Wild” in 

1968 did he know that his hit song would become a 

mantra for bikers across the world? “Born to be 

Wild” certainly elicits thoughts of riding against the 

wind with a rebellious spirit and the throttle of a hard 

engine beneath you and Galvin agrees, acknowledg- 

Galvin’s creativity is in full gear and presently he is 

working on a custom metric bike. A “Metric Bike” is a 

custom built motorcycle that has been built around 

an import metric based engine. Galvin keeps the bike 

industry on their toes with his current project on the 

bench. Galvin built a “Shelby-Themed” custom bike 

that is on display and open to the public at Walker 


ing “Music and 

motorcycles have 

always gone together.” 

“You 

can’t go to a bike 

show and not 

have music”. 

Driven by creative 

ambition, Galvin 

says “I would like 

to take the two 

worlds (custom 

bike building and music) and put them together.” 

Noting that the apparel is the same for both industries. 

Galvin’s “fantasy” is to “Open a store and call 

it Rock and Roll. It would house a music store and 

motorcycle shop. I always thought that would be a 

cool concept, a kinda destination place.” Galvin believes 

“Hard rock and southern rock have been partial 

to motorcyclists” for decades and he intends to make 

his musical contribution as often as possible. 

Galvin started playing the guitar in high school and 

recalls being musically influenced by his mother and 

sibling. Galvin shares that his older brother is a 

left-handed guitar player as well, and says “A guitar 

was always in our room.” Being a self taught musician, 

Galvin has played with bands all across the 

country and is currently with Purple Machine which 

plays throughout Tampa Bay. 

Galvin attempted to play the drums in junior high 

school and was later convinced by his family “to put 

down my drum sticks” after it became evident “that 

playing guitar was my gift.” Galvin says “I transitioned 

from drums to guitar because it’s much more 

difficult to practice drums than it is to practice a 

guitar that is not plugged in.” As Galvin grew up so 

did his dreams and ambitions, eventually landing him 

a gig with a progressive band playing the Hollywood 

Strip in California. What musician doesn’t dream of 

that gig? 

Galvin’s musical influences growing up included: The 

Allman Brothers Band, Grand Funk Railroad, Cream, 

Led Zeppelin, Queen, and Aerosmith. Galvin moved 

from California 

to the Tampa 

Bay 

area for 

love. After settling 

down and 

getting married, 

he 

auditioned 

with the band 

Purple Machine 

and landed the 

part. Galvin has 

been playing the 

electric 

guitar 

with Purple Machine 

for approximately 

ten 

years. Galvin states “I’ve been so happy. I didn’t 

realize how much I missed being in a band. Just 

getting into a room with four other guys and playing 


music you really enjoy, that’s comradery.” Also, 

noting that “Everyone in this band is a top quality 

musician. There is no weakest link in this band.” 

Purple Machine is a Deep Purple Tribute Band dedicated 

to preserving the original sounds of Ritchie 

Blackmore. “Deep Purple is a damn good band and 

we've made a niche in rock 'n' roll history. Maybe not 

a huge one but enough to be very proud of.” -Jon 

Lord 

Purple Machine can be seen rocking the show at 

Quaker Steak and Lube and Harley Davidson Dealerships 

throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Recently, 

Purple Machine began incorporating White Snake 

covers into their repertoire for their high energy, 

electrifying shows. Purple Machine makes for the 

perfect back drop for Galvin’s creativity. Recently, 

fabricating, painting and customizing a 24 fret “Purple 

Pearl” guitar that Galvin proudly showcases during 

his performances. Who does that? A custom bike 

and a custom guitar! 

Purple Machine consists of Mike May on Lead Vocals, 

Steve Richards on Keyboards, Rafaello Tazmaco 

"Taz" Siacca on Bass Guitar and Vocals, Steve Galvin 

on Electric Guitar and Mike “Looch” Luciano on 

Drums. Purple Machine provides a soundtrack that 

inevitably transports a person back to an era that 

some view as an “old school” decade of classic rock. 

And, if one is lucky, they may find Purple Machine 

performing, coupled with one of Steve Galvin’s Custom 

Bike creations, at a community bike builder’s 

showcase. For additional information on Steve 

Galvin’s Custom Bikes, please contact him at 727 

637-7114 or via email wikkedsteel@gmail.com. For 

additional information on Purple Machine’s upcoming 

events, or to book a show, please visit their Facebook 

Page at www.facebook.com/PurpleMachineBand/ or 

contact the band via telephone at 727-457-2654. 

In retrospect, showcase your personal style during 

National Bike Month. Pull out those cute beach 

cruisers, ten speed bicycles, or even your custom 

creation. Save money on fuel, or admire the Bay 

Area residents that role model this ergonomic mode 

of transportation regularly. Step outside of the box 

and get in tune with the artist in you. Ride with pride 

and ride to a soundtrack that moves you! 

Send comments on this story to 

comments@baybuzz.org 


Bikers in Blue 

Autism Speaks 

On April 15 th , bikers joined at PJ Dolan’s 

Irish Pub and Grille in Tampa to bring 

awareness and raise funds for Autism 

Speaks. 

It didn’t matter if you didn’t have a 

motorcycle, you could follow the run in 

cars, jeeps, trucks, vans, limousines and 

even scooters. Everyone was welcomed 

to take part and also to enjoy the live 

music and festivities. 

Our reporter for the day, Pam Wills, met 

with many of the supporters, the 

musicians and learned more about this 

cause. Dave “Flash” Morgan from Tampa 

Bay’s Q105 FM was there along with the 

Krewe of Blackbeard’s Revenge and many 

of his biker brothers and sisters. “We have 

several folks in our crew that have autistic 

kids or grandkids, so we do this every 

year. Last year’s event was very successful. 

This year, we have a nice poker run 

planned today that will cover three or four 

counties.” 

Dave Morgan explained that he is part of 

the Krewe of Blackbeard’s Revenge as he 

proudly calls himself the Krewe’s DJ. “We 

do a lot of fundraising and events for 

autism, breast cancer, helping the 

homeless and more. It’s always about 

giving back,” he says, “Our motto is 

‘Always pay it forward’”. 

Pam Palmer, who is involved with KBR, 

which is a group of pirates that come out 

in swarms to help raise big money for 

charities, was there selling raffle items. 

“The raffle baskets are each worth at least 

fifty dollars and they were put together 

by the people in the Krewe.” Pam wants 

everyone to donate to your favorite 

charities. “We need to help one another,” 

she says, “We are big brothers and big 

sisters!” 

Jackie McLeish, of Florida Autism Center, 

was there to represent the new center that 

is opening across from USF in Tampa. “We 

are a center-based behavior analysis. We 

focus on early intervention, social skills, 

communication, toilet training and 

basically anything you want your child to 


learn.” Jackie informed us. “We accept all 

insurances including Medicaid.” 

Stephanie Folsom-Stringer (aka Contessa 

of the Krewe of Blackbeard’s Revenge) is 

the creator of this event. She was inspired 

by a breast cancer charity where Pirates 

in Pink helped cause awareness. “I wanted 

to hold an event for bikers in blue for 

autism because most of my friends in the 

community are bikers and philanthropists 

and they give a lot not only locally, but 

globally.” Stephanie tells us, “I do this 

event because it comes from my heart. It 

means a lot to me because I have kids 

with autism.” 

The Krewe of Blackbeard’s Revenge is not 

just a parade group, but a crew for the 

community and the people. “We will help 

anyone, anytime!” Stephanie says. 

Next we spoke with Carlton Travis, from 

the Carlton Travis Band, who performs at 

this event every year. “I am very proud to 

be here. KBR is a great organization full 

of great people and I have been part of 

the Krewe since the beginning,” Carlton 

said. When Carlton is not playing music, 

he’s busy with construction work, but his 

first love will always be music. Visit him at 

www.carltontravisband.com. 

We also got to speak to Shawn Rymer 

from Orlando, who is the founder and 



lead singer for the 

band Sugarless. 

Not only a 

musician, but also 

an ESC Autistic 

teacher who 

works with autistic 

children, she finds 

her work challenging but also very 

rewarding. “We use music every day for 

math, social skills and sometimes 

behavior skills in our lessons.” She 

explains. Sugarless was invited by Brian 

Theozman to perform at Bikers in Blue 

after seeing the band perform at “Autism 

Speaks” in St. Augustine a year ago. You 

can find them on Reverbnation and 

Facebook with older material as they work 

hard to put their second CD out next year. 

“Our music has changed a bit and grown. 

It’s unique and now more of a harder rock 

sound than before.” 

The days event was a successful one as 

many participated. If you would like find 

out how you can help spread the 

awareness of autism, please contact The 

Krewe of Blackbeard’s Revenge or visit 

Florida Autism Center. 

Pam Wills was invited personally by Brian 

Theozman from Pirate Party 102.1FM to 

cover this event. Brian showcases local 

musicians on his show every Monday from 

1pm to 3pm. He is a big supporter of the 

local Tampa Bay music community and a 

brother to all bikers. You can listen to his 

show at Party Pirate and you are welcome 

to call in to the studio and chat with him 

live at 813-756-6444. 


CD REVIEW: 

TATTOOS AND TATTERED HEARTS 

BY STEVE VACLAVIK AND THE WOEFUL ONES 

Reviewed by Colin Ward 

Steve Vaclavik has been part of the Tampa Bay 

music scene since 1994. He was part of the March 

2017 Bay Buzz’s Buzzfest festival and brought 

his CD to share. Tattoos and Tattered Hearts is 

not hot off the press but it is Steve’s most recent 

recording. The CD is credited to Steve Vaclavik 

and The Woeful Ones but unfortunately the band 

is no longer active, due in part to the passing of 

Chris Harmon who played lead guitar and other 

stringed instruments. Steve is presently a solo 

performer. 

In some ways, the name Woeful Ones is 

misleading because most of the songs sound 

anything but woeful. Think upbeat and 

energetic. Genre? These days, bands are 

pigeonholed into micro-genres that many of us 

have never even heard of. In Steve’s case, 

Americana fits the bill - stir up a mixture of 

bluegrass, singer/songwriter, rock and country 

and you will get the idea. But primarily Steve is 

a teller of tales. The stories are fascinating and 

could well have come from personal experiences. 

Many of them are woeful which is no doubt where 

the band name originated. A little Bob Dylan 

influence creeps into the vocals, along with a bit 

of Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt. The album 

is built around acoustic instruments with Chris 

Harmon’s tasty electric guitar to add spice when 

needed. 

harmonica, and it’s easy to imagine the band and 

backup singers grouped around a microphone 

performing it live in one take. To quote the 

story, “Henry found out the hard way, you can 

do your best and still lose your way”. Henry 

unfortunately came to an abrupt ending despite 

his lucky shamrock tattoo. 

Keeping the woeful theme alive is song two about 

a relationship breakup, there’s nothing to show 

for it but a “Broken Heart and a Cat”. After 25 

years in a relationship, it’s a tough way to go and 

Steve brings the “car wreck of our lives” to life. 

Tom’s songs are influenced by the blues and a 

western theme pops up in a couple of them. “If 

That Ain’t the Blues” is a traditional 12 bar with 

some skillful harmonica and electric guitar by 

Tom and the band. 

The other songs on Tattoos and Tattered Hearts 

are both woeful and enjoyable and each one 

stands on its own with enough variety to keep us 

listening all the way through to the end. Bass and 

background vocals by Mike Worrall and solid 

drums and percussion by the ubiquitous Bill 

LaGrandier complete the band. Tattoos and 

Tattered Hearts was recorded very well at Pro 

Star studios in St. Petersburg and is 

recommended for anyone who likes story songs 

with an Americana flavor. 

Steve is not the only songwriter or lead singer on 

the CD. Tom Stephens, who remains active in 

Tampa Bay, is the creator of four of the ten 

songs. Tom’s songs blend well with Steve’s and 

Tom has apparently had his share of woeful 

experiences too. Tom also plays some mean 

harmonica which is a nice addition to the stringed 

instruments that are predominate. 

The lead-off song, Shamrock Tattoo, deservedly 

won the Song of the Year Award at the Deland 

Original Music Festival in 2016. It has a strong 

bluegrass influence despite the percussion and 

16 BUZZ Magazine May-June 2017 


comments@baybuzz.org

Birthday’s Rock! 

Grant Peeples - Wendy Rich - Mike Luna 

Jun J. Bustamante - Traci Tuesday 

Steve Vaclavik - Kimberly Skye 

John Porth - Chad Ade - Kyle Biss 

LuAnn Morris - Rusty Ellison - Vince Longo 

Savi Fernandez - David Knoll - Shana Smith 

JC Rice 

Happy Birthday 


American Song Box is proud to announce that their 

original song, “Play With Love” will be featured in the 

upcoming Indie Film, “Wanderlust” which will be 

released later this year. #wanderlust 

Follow American Song Box on Facebook and visit 

their website! 

Congratulations to Kayla Korpics on 

winning the Festa Italiana Ybor’s Got Talent! 

M U S I C N E W S M U S I C N E W S M U S I C N E W S 


Holey Miss Moley is happy to announce the 

release of their first live album featuring their set 

from Hometeam New Years Rally, which took 

place in December of 2016. 

You can purchase/stream from Bandcamp, 

iTunes, Spotify, Amazon and YouTube. 

In eget sapien vitae massa rhoncus 

Congratulation Holey Miss Moley! 

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commodo gravida, tincidunt sed, turpis. Aenean ornare viverra est. Maecenas lorem. Aenean euismod iaculis dui. 

Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Nulla quam. Aenean 

fermentum, turpis sed volutpat dignissim, diam risus facilisis nibh, sit amet iaculis est turpis non tellus. Nunc a 

mauris. Proin eget ligula. Nam cursus libero. 

Vestibulum velit orci, bibendum eget, molestie eu, sagittis non, leo. Nullam sed enim. Duis ac lorem. Lorem ipsum 

dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Suspendisse potenti. Sed tincidunt varius arcu. Mauris vitae arcu sit 

Music Tampa Bay has formed a new 

partnership with Zoo Studios , New live 

programming will be heard featuring an 

all volunteer staff. This marks a historic 

step forward for MTB and 96.7FM. 

amet quam condimentum pulvinar. Aenean arcu elit, accumsan id, 

Congratulations Rick Crandall! 

www.musictampabay.com 

Tropical Disturbance is raising 

funds for their CD project. 

Please visit their GoFundMe 

page and support their project. 

All who donate will get a signed 

copy of the CD along with a 

personal invite to the release 

party (date to be set). 

The band truly appreciates your 

support! 

M U S I C N E W S M U S I C N E W S M U S I C N E W S 


Magical Happenings 

By Selena Clingan 

A phenomenon is “a fact or situation that is observed 

to exist or happen, especially one whose cause or 

explanation is in question.” (Wikipedia) A 

phenomenon can stimulate reflection and leave a 

person feeling humbled by the experience. Aleisha 

Prather has a rather unique way of creating a 

phenomenon with her artwork. Aleisha encouraged 

her guests at “Magical Happenings” to view her 

artwork wearing a pair of aurora lenses. The lenses 

add an element to her art pieces only visible with the 

aurora lenses on. Prather states “The purpose of my 

artwork is to not only entertain my viewer visually but 

also by physically transcending them into a fantasy 

world to ignite inspiration and imagination. I use 90% 

reclaimed materials, repurposed from lost or 

abandoned woods in order to create magically inspired 

creations. Time is the most valuable material I use 

within my artwork. Searching and working with natural 

materials is by far the most challenging aspect of my 

medium; however the results are the most rewarding.” 

Prather scouts for reclaimed/repurposed materials and 

states “I like to take things that others see no life in 

anymore and bring life back to that piece while it is still 

here.” 

from USF in Fall 2017. “Magical Happenings”, which 

debuted April 8, 2017, is Prather’s first solo show at 

USF. Prather created “Magical Happenings” with the 

intent to draw in new clients and help fund her 

upcoming summer semester in Paris (May 31st 

through July 6th, 2017). 

is an advanced art student at The 

University of South Florida (USF). USF is a sand 

castle in the Tampa Bay community that is treasured 

by residents for their outstanding academic 

achievements nationally. Prather takes pride in being 

a student at USF and is on the rise with notoriety for 

her artwork around Tampa Bay. Prather is an 

inspiring artist and teacher preparing to graduate 

Prather is more than excited about the opportunity 

to walk in the footsteps of artists such as Leonardo 

Da Vinci, Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh and visit 

the world’s capital of art. Prather created a Go Fund 

Me account (https://www.gofundme.com/aleishasgoing-to-paris-and-venice) 

to raise funds for her 

studies in Paris this summer and says “This program 

provides an opportunity for the irreplaceable 

experience of intercultural travel—exposing me to 

the monumental aspects that Paris has to offer, 

including exploration of its museums, galleries, 

architecture, streets, parks and culture. Paris is the 


global center for art and studying in France will 

expand my appetite for knowledge of the arts as well 

as to draw inspiration influencing my own artistic 

development.” 

Prather is currently working on a art mural located at 

the The Blueberry Patch (4923 20th Ave S, Gulfport, 

FL 33707) and it is catching the attention of local 

residents. In Prather’s efforts to raise funds for Paris, 

she is raffling off a “tabletop tree prothstetic”. 

Everyone who makes a contribution to Prather’s 

GoFundMe link will be entered into a drawing for an 

Aleisha Prather original. Prather will announce the 

winner before she leaves for Paris on May 31, 2017. 

Prather wants the Tampa Bay Community to know “I 

am eternally grateful for the show of support”. 

Prather notes “I could not have done any of this 

without the support of the community.” 

Prather’s work ethic, vision and inspirational artwork 

has been woven into the Tampa Bay community. 

Prather took part in the “Pillars for Passion” Project 

and collaborated with other artists to create a mural 

that is showcased in Pinellas County. The mural is 

located on the Pinellas Trail in the Jungle Terrace 

Neighborhood (7569–7599 35th Ave N., St. 

Petersburg 33710). Prather had the exciting 

opportunity to work with Dr. Ed Carlson, President 

of The Jungle Terrace Civic Association, and her 

“good friend” and artist Audrey Short. The Jungle 

Terrace Mural was recently finished, and a dedication 

ceremony took place on March 30, 2017. 

An artist inspired by magic, light and fantasy, utilizing 

materials that some would overlook and/or see as 

debris, Prather is breathing life into the community 

with her work as an artist. Prather’s motto is “You 

can change the world by changing how you see the 

world.” Live vicariously, support your local artist, and 

consider looking at the Tampa Bay community with a 

new pair of lenses. For additional information about 

Aleisha Prather’s artwork, please visit her website at 

www.aleishaprather.com/ or visit her Facebook Page 

at https://www.facebook.com/AleishaPratherArt/. 

To make a contribution to Aleisha Prather’s summer 

studies in Paris please visit: 

https://www.gofundme.com/aleishas-going-to-parisand-venice. 




The Saturday Morning Market 

By Constance Hilton 

If you drive down 1 st Street (south east) on a Saturday 

morning, you will notice a lot of locals and visitors 

at what you may think is a festival. With the aroma 

of cooked onions floating through the air and the 

melodies of live music happening, it must be a 

festival. But you’d be wrong. Welcome to The 

Saturday Morning Market in downtown St. 

Petersburg! 

“The St. Petersburg Market is successful because we 

blend elements of what are typical parts of a festival 

formula with the market formula,” Mark Johnson, 

the Market Director explains. “By the end of the 

second year we were the largest market in the Tampa 

Bay area and by the end of the third we were the 

largest in the state of Florida. By the end of the fifth 

year we were the largest in the south east and west. 

We are one of the best markets in the country. By 

the feel of the place, there isn’t another market like 

this!” 

music provides, provides a backdrop that goes ‘I feel 

happy! This is a friendly place!’ 

The style of music that have been included in past 

markets include The Urban Gypsies, The Empty Hats, 

The Gulf Coast Jazz Band and Bus Stop. 

Another thing is we have three times more seating 

space than any other market in the United States! 

We also have the widest choice of ready to eat food 

and have stand up tables as well. 

BB: Tell us more about the food! Please. 

MJ: Well, the variety of food that you can eat right 

now is the widest selection of ready-to-eat food of 

any market in the United States. 

BB: So what makes a market like this successful? 

MJ: There are very few markets that have live music. 

This is a combination of full bands, not just duos – 

and we choose the music extremely carefully to set 

the tone for the whole place. The mood that the 


. Unlike most market where you 

shop, get your produce and leave, here people know 

they are going to get something to eat and the result 

of that is that they spend over an hour here. And the 

result of that is that you know you’re going to run 

into friends! 

BB: How do you choose your vendors? 

MJ: To vend here is kind of like applying to be on the 

grocery store shelf. It’s all about the mix of products. 

If you want to be a jewelry vendor well, I have 200 

applicants for that. But if you’re selling art or a food 

product that you can’t buy from a specialty store, I’m 

all over it. But you’ve got to be good, unusual, 

execute well - because this is the best vending spot 

in Central Florida and the hardest place to get in in 

Central Florida. 

BB: Let’s talk more about the music…. Every 

Saturday I can come here and listen to a new 

band? 

MJ: Oh, absolutely! I have over a dozen bands that 

I’ve carefully vetted and they have filled out the 

calendar! Furthermore, when the bands take their 15 

minute break – on any given Saturday - I might have 

another band perform, like the St. Pete Opera. 

BB: You move the festival to Williams Park in the 

summer… what can you share about that? 

MJ: It’s about 50 vendors and a thousand customers. 

There isn’t live music though. The whole point of the 

summer market is to stay alive and to stay true to 

our customers. 





Meeting the members of The 

Rosewoods made for a fun 

night at The Fubar! They were 

playing at the downtown St. 

Petersburg venue on a recent 

Saturday night, and I was able 

to steal about fifteen minutes 

of their time before they had 

to set up their gear for a rockin’ 

show. 

The Rosewoods is a rock band 

that includes Elliot Dickinson 

(electric guitar), John 

McDonald (drums), Greg Baker 

(bass) and Kristina White (lead 

singer). They came together in 

2011. “When Greg joined the 

band, that is when things really 

started to happen,” Elliot told 

me. “It was my idea to start the 

band, but John was the first 

one on board with it. We were 

in a Ska band at the time, and 

we really wanted to branch out 

and play new music.” 

“I met them at Howl-O-Scream. 

I was an actress and Elliot was 

a stilt walker,” Kristina shared. 

“They were like, ‘Hey, I heard 

you can sing, let’s start a band!’ 

I said OK!” 

Elliot explained that the band 

began as a casual thing and 

how it was more about fun. 

With the Dead Weather and 

Jack White as their inspirations; 

they knew they wanted to play 

rock music. “Our music has 

grown into something more 

unique. It changed pretty 

quickly to something that more 

identifiable to us and not to 

our influences.” 

Kristina has been singing since 

she was five years old and has 

become the band’s main 

source for songwriting. “Some 

of the songs I have written the 

lyrics and melodies too, but 

other songs the guys have 

collaborated on.” 

“Most of the songs are the 

genesis of an idea of Kristina’s,” 

Greg said, “A couple lyrics, a 

melody and we’ll piece it 

around that.” 

“We had a relatively 

streamlined process for writing 

songs, and you milk that for all 

that it is. But after a while, you 

need to come up with a new 

process – because if you don’t, 

you will continue to get the 

same results if you stick with 

the process. It may work, but it 

might be the sound that you’re 

tired of.” Elliot explains. “It’s 

become less about the notes 

or the instrument or anything 

physical; but more about the 

state of mind you’re in.” 

For the show at Fubar, they 

planned on an all-original set 

with the exception of one 

cover. Three of those songs can 

be heard on their eponymous 

EP. 

When asked about any 

upcoming projects, John 

announced that they have 

plans to get into the studio. 

That is when Elliot shouted out, “Oh 

my, he announced it! You heard it 

here first in BUZZ Magazine!” 

“We got an opportunity to go into a 

home studio and record. So we’re 

going to go in and cut some tracks. 

We’re going to spend the next 

couple of months focusing on that.” 

John told me. “Plan on doing some 

new material as well.” 


“Let’s give them a shout-out, 

it’s Dark Matter Recording. 

They have an amazing home 

studio!” Elliot graciously told 

us. They plan on production to 

begin in the summer. 

Check this band out at 

www.therosewoodband.com 

and on their Facebook page. 

“Come out and here us live!” 

Elliot exclaims. 

“And talk with us!” Kristina says. 

The Rosewoods will be 

performing at The Blueberry 

Patch on July 7 th for the 40 th 

Anniversary celebration. Be 

sure to come out and say hello! 



Elliot Dickinson 

Kristina White John McDonald Greg Baker 




Safety Harbor 

Songfest 

2 Days! Live Music! Let’s Meet the Artist! 

The very first SongFest was held in 2014 with 

hopes to raise money and awareness for the 

Safety Harbor Art & Music Center. With its 

success, Debbie Sutton, Brenda Shirer, Bobbie 

Dusenberry, Todd Ramquist along with a strong 

team keep it going to celebrate all types of art and 

music of all genres. Now in its fourth year, the 

weekend of April 1st was loaded with live music 

performed by nationally touring musicians. Live 

art performances, a multitude of Tampa Bay's 

renowned food trucks, craft beer and the spirit of 

community were in full support as they packed the 

Safety Harbor Waterfront Park. 

The weekend began with morning yoga followed 

by Joe Craven who performed on the Waterfront 

stage. Joe is a unique artist from northern 

California. He can make music out of things you 

wouldn’t normally think of being an instrument, 

such as a tin can, cookie tins and even shoelaces. 

“I was raised in community theater and I learned 

about improvisation where historically that is 

where improvisation comes from. It doesn’t come 

from music, it comes from an idea. Having a basic 

framework for something and telling the story 

differently with that framework every time it’s 

presented, which is basically the architecture of 

what came into music, especially when it has 

nothing to do with being scripted,” Joe describes his 

inspiration. “That spirit of being in the moment and realizing 

it’s not the car, it’s the driver, which means music lives with 

me and not the tools. So if I can learn to be musical on a waste 

can or a bed pan, that keeps me in touch with the essence of 

what music is all about.” 

Joe is also known to reach out to schools and other 

organizations to work with kids of all ages through his Arts, 

Education and Outreach program. “To get involved in any of 

the classes I offer, I encourage you to visit my website to learn 

more. Sometimes I do community workshops that you can be 

part of. If I come to an area to do a concert, I’ll offer a 

workshop as well. I call it a bundle where it’s a performance 

and an education side to do it too. You can learn more at 

www.joecraven.com. 


Daphne Willis 

Daphne Willis, who is originally from Chicago but now lives in 

Nashville, TN is a seasoned musician whose genres range 

from roots-rock to pop, hip hop and electronic dance music. 

She began with writing poetry, literature and stories in 

elementary school and in high school she began to play guitar 

while putting her lyrics to music. She attended DePaul 

University while playing in bars and open mics until her lucky 

break came. “I had a recording of mine being played on the 

American Airlines flights and the president of Vanguard 

Records was on the flight. His iPad died and he plugged his 

earphones into the armrest and my song was playing. The next 

thing I knew I was being signed,” Daphne said. “I started 

going to Nashville to co-write and began spending more and 

more time there and made it my life.” 

Daphne plans on putting out her new album, Freaks like Me 

this coming summer. She released the single “Somebody's 

Someone” in March and is happy to announce that it has hit 

5.3 million views on Facebook. To listen to her music and find 

where she is playing next, please visit www.daphnewillis.com. 

Joshua Reilly 

Joshua Reilly has laid down roots here in Florida and is known 

for his Americana music. He also hosts the featured 

songwriting nights at Crooked Thumb Brewery in Safety 

Harbor on Tuesday nights. Playing guitar for most of his life, 

he is proud to announce that he will be releasing his upcoming 

album, Mercy on the Strange soon. He plans to celebrate the 

release of the CD at Crooked Thumb, date to be announced. 

Check him out at www.facebook.com/jreillymusic. 


Trevor Green 

From California, Trevor Green is a spirited musician 

that describes his music as healing. “It has taken me 

into far deeper spaces of my being that I don’t think 

I would have access to otherwise. The information 

comes through and the music helps me to process 

myself moving forward.” 

“My music is prayer and ceremony.” Trevor told us 

of a place called The Bolsa Chica Wetlands which is 

a preserve in Huntington Beach, California where he 

spends a lot of his time writing and meditating. “I was 

calling in native energies and they started showing up. 

It was the wisdom I was asking for. So the native 

culture really infused itself in the music.” 

Voice of the Wind (which was originally going to be 

named The Red Road) is Trevor’s 5th studio album. 

It captures the journey of his inspirations with telling 

songs like “Rainbow Medicine” and “Let it Go”. To 

find out more about Trevor’s story and to hear his 

music, visit www.trevorgreenmusic.com. 

Victor and Penny 

Victor & Penny is made up by Jeff Freling and Erin McGrane. 

Together they deliver a modern twist on the prohibition era 

style jazz, hot jazz and gypsy jazz. Jeff plays electric guitar and 

Erin plays ukulele. Before deciding on something to call 

themselves, they were playing a lot of the prohibition era of 

jazz and looking for a title that was more invocative of that 

era. Through mutual friends from a play they were both 

involved in, they were given ideas for their band’s name. One 

was Victor California, but it didn’t seem to fit. Another was 

Penny Arcadia. Combining the two first names gave them the 

feel of old time jazz and it stuck. 

Electricity is their latest album. It was recorded in Nashville 

and was released in March 2016. It has been debuted on the 

Folk Radio DJ charts and provides a rainbow of emotions. 

Please visit them at www.victorandpenny.com. 


Emily Kopp 

Emily Kopp is originally from Florida but now finds herself 

traveling the country playing venues and festivals. Playing 

music was not a decision but a part of Emily’s life like 

breathing. “I decided to pursue music full time after graduating 

from college,” she said. “Quitting my day job was probably my 

proudest moment!” 

Emily’s CD, Serendipity Find Me released in 2013 has songs 

that embody special experiences of her life. You can find her 

music on Spotify, Pandora, CD Baby and other social media 

streams. Visit her at www.emilykoppmusic.com. 

Davin McCoy 

Davin McCoy is a solo artist from Atlanta, Georgia. After 

taking time off from the road to spend with his family, he plans 

on his new album to be released soon. The album is a 

reflection of his quiet side and also what he calls, “the bad 

actor” side which is a bit louder and full of the things we 

distract ourselves with. “It’s all original music that is a bit folk 

and soul.” 

Birds of Chicago 

Birds of Chicago began in 2012. Since then they have been 

sharing their raw and soul-rich music with many fans. JT Nero 

and Allison Russell are a husband – wife duo. “We’ve talked 

about co-writing, but writing is really a separate thing. But 

then everyone has input in the arrangement of the songs.” 

Allison explains when asked about their writing process. 


The Accidentals 

The Accidentals is made up of two amazing young girls and a 

lot of energy. Savannah Buist who plays acoustic guitar, violin, 

banjo, mandolin and bass and Katie Larson on cello make 

music a celebration. They are joined by Michael Dause who is 

their drummer. “Our music,” Savannah tells us, “has been 

described as genre-blending. We love that idea to combine 

genres! Gypsy jazz, rock, folk… it’s a lot of fun!” 

Their album, Parking Lot was recorded last spring and was 

self-produced and self-released. The title track, “Parking Lot” 

is an inside joke within the band. “After high school we hit the 

road doing 230 shows a year. When we started touring the 

west coast, we found out the some venues have rules where if 

you’re not 21 years old, you’re allowed to go inside and set 

up, sound check, but you have to wait out in the parking lot 

until it was your performance time. So we spent a lot of time 

in parking lots,” Savannah laughs, “but now we’re out of the 

parking lot!” To find out more about the band please visit them 

at www.moreaccidental.com. 

Charlie Mars 

Charlie Mars, originally from Mississippi, says he writes music 

to connect and to share with everyone. His CD, The Money 

which is the final volume in the Charlie Mars’ Texas trilogy 

was released in 2012 and has been described as solid from 

beginning to end. 

Following that, his new album, Beach Town was recorded in 

Texas and has more of a country feel than he’s ever done 

before. It will be released in August. You can find more at 

www.charliemars.com. 


Kristin Diable 

Kristin Diable has an album called, Create Your Own 

Mythology. “A lot of the songs on this CD are traveling 

songs,” Kristin said. “I feel like when you’re outside your 

day-to-day life, you become a different person.” With such a 

love for songwriting, she has a project she calls, 

“Commissions,” in which she talks with fans about their 

experiences and she writes the song. “You want to do their 

story justice, but it’s very rewarding.” To find out more visit 

her at www.kristindiable.com. 

The Urban Gypsies 

The Urban Gypsies of Florida describe their music as tribal 

disco gypsy bluegrass. “I really dug back to my roots of 

bluegrass and Cajun,” Barney the leader of the band said. 

“And I’m excited to announce our summer tour along the East 

Coast doing house concerts. People want to pay, listen, feed 

you and be nice. It’s like I’ve died and gone to heaven.” They 

will be traveling all the way up to Cape Cod and then turning 

around to return to Florida. They are excited about bringing 

the music to others and if you’d like to see where they are 

going, please visit www.urbangypsiesofflorida.com. 

Timothy Hutchinson 

Timothy Hutchinson is a musician originally from Ohio, but 

has set roots here in Florida since 2010. His music is 

predominantly original songs but he likes to pay respect to his 

inspirations such as Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley. 

“I’ve been a musician since I was four years old. I feel like it’s 

my purpose in life,” Timothy says. 

You can find his music on Soundcloud. 


Chasing Lovely 

Chloe and Taylor are sisters who live in Nashville and are both 

amazing musicians. The name, ‘Chasing Lovely’ came from a 

fashion blog that Taylor started and it means to chase things 

that are lovely. Simple as that! And what’s lovely about this 

duet is their perfect harmonies and catchy melodies. Check the 

out at www.chasinglovely.com. 

Fantastic Negrito 

Fantastic Negrito has recently won a Grammy for best 

contemporary blues album for The Last Days of Oakland. “It’s 

a great feeling to know that you’re in a small group of people 

– out of all of them you won the award. It’s a great honor. I’m 

grateful to the Academy and everyone who voted for me.” 

He describes his music as “black roots music for everyone”. 

“Music came from a place and we pick from that garden and 

we make it part of our culture,” he tells us. “It came from one 

place but it goes out to everyone.” 

Negrito is currently working on another album and traveling all 

over the globe sharing his music. You can visit him at 

www.fantasticnegrito.com. 


Alex Wald 

Alex Wald is making his living playing music all over the 

Tampa Bay area. Inspired by life, nature and love, his music 

is enjoyed by many. 

He also enjoys playng music with his band, “I Heart Cats 

Band” and can be heard on Soundcloud. 

Dan Rodriguez 

Originally from Detroit, Dan Rodriguez is now based out of 

Minneapolis. Though he sing a few covers, his true love is 

original music. He performs solo and also with a band. He has 

put out four albums along with a Christmas album. He likes to 

call his music Americana-White Guy- Soul. Inspiration comes 

from the need to write about life, relationships and famly. 

You can find him www.danrodriguezmusic.com. 


The Backtrack Blues Band 

Interview with Sonny Charles 

BB - Sonny, you are the man that put this band 

together back in 1980. What were your dreams 

for the band then? 

Sc - When we started Backtrack Blues Band in 1980, 

there were almost no blues bands in Tampa Bay. 

Rock music was king, and blues was looked upon as 

a less important genre of music. Of course, we 

disagreed with this, having spent years listening to 

Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Albert King, Sonny 

Boy Williamson II, etc. So, our initial goal was to 

play authentic blues, as true to the masters as we 

could achieve. Then later, we wrote lots of songs, 

and focused more on playing original music. We 

still focus on song writing today and our goal is to 

take our music to Europe and to major blues festivals 

around the world. This summer, we head up to 

Canada to play the Donnaconna Blues Festival and 

some other concerts up north. 

Our band is fortunate to have five guys who all get 

along well and truly respect one another. Of course, 

there's lots of musical talent among the fellows, but 

I think I value our friendships even more than the 

music itself. Any musician who has kept a band 

together for a long time will understand my sentiments!! 

BB - Please tell us a little more about the individual 

members of the band, their instruments 

and anything unique or interesting about each 

one. 

SC - My focus is on singing, song writing and blues 

harp. I've never played other instruments and believe 

I could play harmonica for a lifetime and never 

fully master that instrument. It might look simple 

....but it isn't! 

Our drummer, Joe Bencomo , is a masterful jazz and 

blues drummer. We recruited him to join us and I'm 

sure some of the Jazz cats were upset because Joe 

can play complex jazz drums amazingly. But as a 

blues drummer, he's really solid and keeps our 

backbeat going strong. 

Little Johnny formed the band with me and we go 

way back to our college days in Chapel Hill, NC 

playing blues together. Johnny has a rhythm style 

of guitar playing that you almost never hear anymore. 

I think most guys want to get busy on the 

guitar sounds. Johnny keeps it simple and "in the 

groove" and lets our lead guitarist show his amazing 

Texas blues guitar work. 

Kid Royal is my favorite blues guitarist in Florida. 

He's studied the history of blues guitar and has a 

clean, biting Texas guitar style reminiscent of Jimmie 

Vaughan or Ronnie Earl. I love standing on 

stage next to him, enjoying his incredible guitar 

solos. I should be paying for that privilege! 

On bass guitar, we have Grammy Award winner 

Stick Davis. Stick is a rock solid bass player that 

really knows how to pound out the groove. He’s 

played with B B King, John Mayall, Al Green, and the 

Amazing Rhythm Aces. We consider Stick to be the 

band "historian", as he has the inside scoop on 

blues and rock history and personalities. 


BB - You have just released, 

“Way Back 

Home” which features 

songs, “Tell Your Daddy”, 

“Your Funeral, My 

Trial” and about 8 

more. Where do you 

get your inspiration 

songs like these? (By 

the way, they are very 

good!) 

SC - Our "Way Back 

Home" album was released 

in September, 

2016. That was a breakthrough 

CD for us. It just took off, charting at # 8 on 

Roots Music Radio Charts and it was selected as 

one of the world's top 50 blues albums for 2016. It 

was added to syndicated radio programs in the 

USA and Europe and got rave reviews from music 

critics around the world. Those reviews are archived 

at: backtrackbluesband.com. 

BB - How long does it take to complete a CD? 

Writing, arrangement, rehearsals, studio time, 

mastering? You get the idea! 

SC - Six of the tunes on the CD were Backtrack 

originals, with four covers from our heroes like 

Sonny Boy and Little Walter. The record took us 

around a year to put together. George Harris mixed 

the music and Mike Fuller mastered the project. 

Those guys are tops in the business so the sound 

quality really helped our goals of getting broader 

airplay. 

noisy, feral roosters down there. My friend was 

complaining about the early morning "crowing" 

and threatened to shoot the bird! Well, we never 

hurt the rooster but it did give me the idea for one 

of our new songs "Shoot My Rooster". 

Our newest project is the release of a live record 

and DVD from a show we did at the Palladium 

Theater this year. We had five cameras there and 

Buddy Winset oversaw the shoot. We think it's 

going to be an amazing, super high-quality video. 

Keep an eye out for that later this summer. 

BB - Is everyone a family man? How does the 

band maintain a balance between the music and 

personal lives? 

SC - All the guys in the band have personal lives 

that fit well with the band. Most of us are married 

and several have children. Our spouses do support 

the band, and they all dig live music so it's generally 

a very positive vibe. 

BB - What advice do you have for people who 

want to form their own blues band? 

SC - For those who are bold enough to start their 

own blues band, I'd say be prepared to hang in 

there for a while. Success doesn't come overnight 

for most musicians and the blues genre is a bit 

tough, since many folks don't actually spend 

enough listening to and understating blues music. 

That's a shame because blues is the foundation of 

ALL contemporary western music. There would be 

no jazz, no soul, no rock n roll, no R&B, and no pop 

BB - What is the songwriting process like? Do 

you keep the handy notebook available for 

when the inspiration hits? 

SC - As far as song writing goes, I usually get 

inspired by a theme or image and then build lyrics 

to express that perspective. For example, I spend a 

good bit of time in the Virgin Islands, and we have 


music without blues. It's truly that important. Blues 

music is one of the great gifts that African American 

culture gave us, and that gift changed all of us in so 

many ways. It's both powerful and foundational. 

BB - What does it mean to the band to be the 

longest running blues band in Tampa Bay? 

SC - We've been playing for over 35 years and 

continue to believe that our best work lies ahead of 

us. For anyone who saw Buddy Guy perform at the 

2017 Tampa Bay Blues Festival, they'll understand 

that some blues artists just continue to improve 

with age. We hope Backtrack Blues Band can tap 

into Buddy's magic that keeps him going strong 

into his 80's. So in that spirit, we are setting our 

sights beyond Florida and hope to be playing blues 

music festivals all around the planet! 

BB - Thank you for taking the time to talk with 

us. Is there anything else you’d like our readers 

to know? 

SC - Thank you for coming out to our show and for 

your support of original, live music!! 


By Keith Wilkins 

The Explosion, 1980’s – 1990’s 

The 1980's would prove to be a 

very important time in history 

for the Tampa Bay music scene. 

The Tampa Bay music scene 

simply exploded wide open in 

the early 1980's, ushering in the 

second "golden age" for the local 

music scene which would peak 

around the mid-1980's through 

the mid 1990's. During this time, 

Tampa Bay become a huge hot 

bed of talent, comparable to the 

L.A. music scene around the 

same time. Leading the way 

throughout the 1980's were two 

rock bands, Stranger (formerly 

known as Lynxx, and later 

Romeo), and Savatage (formerly 

known as Avatar). Both bands 

would eventually sign major label 

deals during the 1980's, Stranger 

signing with Epic/CBS Records in 

1981, and Savatage signing with 

Atlantic Records in 1985. This 

would open the doors for other 

bands, both locally and 

nationally. 

During this time, bands were 

forming all over the Tampa Bay 

area, to the point where it 

started to seem like musicians 

were a dime a dozen. In addition, 

countless bands were relocating 

to the Tampa Bay area from 

other parts of the country, all in 

the hopes of having a better 

chance of getting discovered and 

signing with a major record label. 

Following the major label 

signings of both Stranger & 

Savatage earlier in the 1980's, 

two more Tampa Bay bands 

would also see major label deals 

in the late 80's and early 90's as 

Bleeding 

Hearts 

well... Roxx Gang, who signed 

with Virgin Records, and The 

Hazies (formerly known as 

UROK) who signed with EMI. 

Other prominent Tampa Bay 

bands who made a name for 

themselves during the 1980's and 

early 1990's 

included The McCarr Brothers 

and Momentum, Four in Legion, 

Blade, Multi Color House, 

Bleeding 

Hearts, Arazmo, The Damon 

Fowler Group, Deloris 

Telescope, Freaks Rule, Intice, 

DeeForce,

Powersurge, Noiz, and Men 

From Earth... just to name a few. 

Bars & music venues started 

sprouting up all over, showcasing 

some of the best talent the Bay 

area had 

to offer in all forms of music, but 

especially in rock music. It was 

usually standing room only, no 

matter what venue or which 

band you went to see... the clubs 

and venues were always packed. 

Venues such as the Rock-it Club, 

ML Chasers, Alley Cats, Brass 

Mug, Killian’s, Bourbon Street... 

They all were hugely 

popular, and showcased a lot of 

great original bands. During this 

time, the only "cover bands" you 

would find would be either some 

house band, or some lounge act 

playing at a local Holiday Inn 

somewhere. 

This area was rich with "original 

bands". You couldn't go into a 

venue to listen to a local band 

that didn't play all, or at least 

mostly, original material. Most of 

the venues would only gig bands 

that were original. 

This area became so rich with 

original talent that A&R reps 

from all the major record 

companies started looking in our 

direction, heading down to the 

Bay area to scout all the local live 

music bars & venues, just 

drooling at the possible prospect 

of being the first to sign the next 

big band. 

Along with the A&R scouts 

coming down here from all the 

major record labels to tap the 

well of talent Tampa Bay had to 

offer, Independent record 

companies started popping up all 

around the bay area as well. The 

record companies that were 

here already now had a much 

larger pool of talent to wade 

through. Some of the local 

independent record companies 

(just to name a few) that were 

prominent in 

the area include: Blue Heart 

Records, BSP Records, Concrete 

Cargo Music, Deep Cut records, 

and Little 

Leaque Records. 

Along with the record 

companies and the saturation of 

bands came a demand for 

recording studios and 

rehearsal space as well. New 

ones started popping up, and old 

ones started getting much more 

business 

than they ever could have hoped 

for before. Some of the local 

recording studios (just to name a 

few) 

that were here were: Anything 

Audio, Atlas Recording Studios, 

Axium Recorders, Bay Sound 

Recording, 

Morrisound Recording, 

HouseQuake Recording Studios, 

Labyrinth Studios, Infinity 

Studios, Panda 

Productions, and Slam Studios. 

Rehearsal studios were popping 

up as well, but couldn't keep up 

with the high demand. There 

was such 

a high demand for the limited 

rehearsal space that even the 

air-conditioned storage units 

started 

advertising rehearsal space for 

bands in the media. Public 

Storage (or PS for short) was 

one of the more 

popular ones that would actually 

advertise as rehearsal 

studios...believe it or not. The 

local media 

started also writing editorials 

about the problem of bands 

using storage spaces to rehearse 

in that 

weren't air conditioned. The 

news media was actually 

publishing public service 

announcements in the 

papers and on TV, warning about 

the dangers of practicing in a 

non-air conditioned storage unit. 

Some 

of the more popular rehearsal 

studios were: Apple rehearsal

Studios, Circle Rehearsal 

Studios, Northern 

Lights, Studio 18, and Atlas 

Rehearsal Studios. 

Of course with the explosion of 

the local music scene, came the 

need for talent management. 

Management was a "necessary 

evil" in most musicians eyes, but 

in an area where original 

musicians and 

bands were a dime a dozen, they 

needed an edge. Local 

management companies were 

more than 

willing to fulfill those needs, and 

in return, scoop up the rewards. 

After all, back then there was no 

internet which meant no MP3, 

no downloading of music, no 

myspace or facebook, and no 

websites. 

There wasn't even public email 

yet. So self-promotion back then 

was extremely hard to pull off 

successfully...especially in an area 

that is bursting at the seams with 

other talent that was potentially 

your competition. In order to 

make it big, bands needed 

management & promotion. 

Bands had to work 

extremely hard to build up a 

solid following. With no internet 

back then to get the word out 

about their 


band and music, they had to "pay 

their dues" by using flyers and 

gigging as often, and at as many 

places, 

big or small, as possible. Hiring a 

management agency would take 

some of the work and stress load 

off 

of the band, and was an outlet to 

get their name and music in the 

hands of A&R Reps on the 

national 

music scene. Some of the local 

management agencies (just to 

name a few) that were in the 

area were: 

Chrystallis Management, Keith 

Collins Management, Capstone 

Music Group, and Steele 

Management. 

Tampa Bay became so much of a 

music oriented area during the 

1980’s & early 1990’s, that even 

other 

professions were trying to 

capitalize on it. Area music 

attorneys started advertising on 

television and in 

print ads all over the bay area. 

Another outlet that was available 

to help the local music scene at 

the time was the organizations 

like the 

local branch of the "AFofM" 

Musicians Union (American 

Federation of Musicians), and the 

"Florida 

Musicians Association". 

The support for the local music 

scene and the bands in general 

from the print media, radio 

stations and 

the record stores was 

phenomenal! Most of the record 

stores at the time had separate 

sections in their 

stores that were reserved for 

selling albums solely released by 

unsigned local artists. Record 

stores like 

Specs Music & Video, Peaches 

Music & Video, Bananas Records 

& Tapes, Ace's Records, Vinyl 

Fever, 

Vinyl Museum, and Asylum 

Records & Tapes all were great 

supporters, and featured local 

artists & 

bands in all their stores. 

The local instrument stores 

were doing their part in helping 

all the great talent as well. 

Seminole Music 

& Sound, Paragon Music, Bringe 

Music, Music Mart, and 

Thoroughgood Music all played a 

huge part. 

Many of these stores would 

constantly feature on site 

performances by the local bands. 

Bleeding Hearts

would perform on several 

occasions at both locations of 

Seminole Music & Sound, and 

would pack huge 

crowds each time. 

Record stores and instrument 

stores weren't the only great 

supporters of the local bands 

either... the 

scene was being highly 

promoted on the airwaves as 

well. Unlike most other parts of 

Florida, Tampa Bay 

was one of the only areas where 

local radio stations were setting 

aside pockets of precious air 

time in 

order to showcase our great 

talent in the form of an hour or 

so of playing nothing but songs 

from local 

artists. These stations would also 

broadcast in-studio interviews 

and performances with local 

artists & 

bands as well. WXTB (98ROCK) 

had their "Tampa Bay Rocks" 

show hosted by Jeff Zinda from 

9:00pm - 

Midnight on Sunday nights. 

WMNF 88.5 FM had their "Local 

Music Show" hosted by Ron 

Boyko on 

Thursday nights from 11:00pm - 

Midnight. 95ynf also did their 

part in promoting the local music 

scene 

as well, airing the "95ynf Radio 

Clash" every Sunday night from 

9:00pm - 2:00am. Hosted by 

Charlie 

Logan, the "95ynf Radio Clash" 

broadcasted local bands 

performing live from Morrisound 

Recording 

Studios in Tampa. 

The radio dial wasn't the only 

place you could find Bay area 

talent showcased... television 

was lending a 

helpful hand as well. There were 

several cable access shows that 

were dedicated to showcasing 

local 

bands and clubs... "Trax" - hosted 

by Cathie Lucas, "Tampa Bay 

Players Live!", "Metal Masters", 

and 

"Dave's Garage". Hosted by 

Cathie Lucas, "Trax" was a 

weekly cable tv show that 

focused mainly on the 

local music scene. On her show, 

Cathie would interview local 

bands and artists, play music 

videos by 

local bands and artists, and 

report on the local music scene 

news. "Dave's Garage" was A 

cross between 

the "Tonight Show" and "Wayne's 

World". "Dave’s Garage" would 

feature local bands performing in 

the 

studio, as well as conduct 

Interviews with the local talent. 

Probably the longest lasting, and 

more popular of the TV shows 

was "The Mike Pachelli Show". 

This 

show was hosted by local Tampa 

Bay musician, Mike Pachelli, who 

fronted the band, "The Mike 

Pachelli 

Group". The TV show aired In 

the 80's and 90's. Pachelli hosted 

his television show on the 

Warner Bros. 

Affiliate WTMV for 10 years on 

Friday and Saturday nights in the 

Tampa/St. Petersburg/Orlando 

market. 

The program boasted a 14 

million cumulative audience. 

Mike would often have guest 

musicians from 

the local Tampa Bay area, as well 

as national artists, jamming on 

the show in between skits, 

interviews, 

and showing music videos. 

It wasn't just the local music 

television shows that was shining 

the spotlight on the Tampa Bay 

music 


Arazmo 

scene... we were getting 

attention on a national & global 

level as well. Savatage was 

featured, and even 

hosted MTV's "Headbandgers 

Ball" on several occasions. In 

addition, The "Tampa Bay Metal 

Awards" 

received recognition on MTV as 

well. 

The publicity didn't end with just 

the radio stations, TV stations, or 

record stores either. The print 

media 

was covering the bay area in the 

form of both fan & trade 

magazines as well. Tampa Bay 

had plenty of 

print media coverage in locally 

published magazines such as: 

Thrust Magazine, Players 

Magazine, Focus 

Magazine, JAM Magazine, Tampa 

Bay Spike, River Rag, and the 

Weekly Planet. These 

publications were 


purely dedicated to the local 

music scene, complete with 

editorials, interviews, show 

schedules, band 

press releases, album reviews, 

and musician classifieds. 

The local music scene became so 

huge during this time that even 

the bi-weekly, 100 page Jam 

magazine 

wasn't enough, so once a year 

the publisher of JAM magazine 

would publish a special edition 

magazine 

called "The Florida Music 

Directory". This special addition 

of the magazine was a nearly 200 

page who's 

who in the local music business. 

It was, by all practicality, a trade 

magazine that offered 

descriptions and 

contact information of everyone 

in the Tampa Bay music industry. 

it listed not only the local bands 

& 

artists, but also Contract 

Songwriters, Promoters, 

Agents/Managers, Radio 

Stations, Music Attorneys, 

Sound/Lighting, Transportation, 

Venues, Video Production, 

Media, Record Companies, 

Distribution, 

Recording/Rehearsal 

Studios.....and much, much 

more. 

Tampa Bay played host to 

several large scale events during 

this time as well. 98ROCK 

started the 

popular, annual multi-day event 

& concert known as "Livestock" 

back in 1990 to showcase both 

national 

and local bands. Tampa Bay also 

had several annual awards shows 

to honor all the local music scene 

professionals as well. The three 

more well-known ones being the 

"Bay Area Music Awards", 

"Tampa Bay 

Music Awards", and the "Tampa 

Bay Metal Awards." 

As the mid 1990's were coming 

to a close, and with the late 

1990's just on the horizon, it 

seemed like 

nothing would slow down the 

music scene here in Tampa Bay. 

The Birthplace of Death Metal 

During the period of the 1980's 

& 1990's, a new genre of heavy 

metal music

If you’re a fan of the beach, a lover of live local 

music and you love pizza and craft beer, then 

most likely you have been to Slyce Pizza on 

Indian Rocks Beach. It’s such a well-known place 

and so busy that owner Ken Gillespie decided it 

was time to branch out and open a second location 

on Madeira Beach. “We needed to ease the 

pressure,” Ken explained. “The Indian Rocks Beach 

location is always packed. We love that but we 

wanted to serve our customers better and not have 

them wait over an hour for a table. We wanted to 

open another location that was close enough so 

we could still treat our customers and give them 

the choice of going to IRB or Madeira Beach.” Ken 

told me he would like to open a third location 

when the restaurant on Madeira Beach becomes 

too busy. 

When asked what the key was for running such a 

successful restaurant, he laughed and told me he 

can’t give the secret away. But after a good laugh, 

he told me that people keep coming back because 

it has the feel of family. “It’s not about just serving 

food and getting you back out the door. People 

come to enjoy the music and stay for hours!” 

Slyce Pizza is great at promotion as well. “We want 

to do big things that make a big statement! We’ll 

throw big bashes with 5 to 6 piece bands and 

activities for the kids such as a petting zoo and 

jump houses. We make it fun and we make it big.” 

Ken says, “It is very family oriented. From free pizza 

for the kids to having our neighbors from across 

the way come and hang out with us.” 

Another way Slyce to gives back to the community 

is through their outreach program. “We have a 

foundation called Slyce Life and we do events and 


fundraisers and tie them to a certain cause. So if 

we do a big Labor Day bash and we make $18,000, 

we’ll donate 10% to what charity we are supporting 

at that time.” 

They have supported causes for LiFT Academy, The 

Joshua House, local churches and the Indian Rocks 

Food Pantry. “Every first Monday of the month is 

Food Pantry Day where we give them 10% of what 

we make that day.” Ken tells us. 

You may be familiar with The Sitton Supreme, 

which is made up of Applewood smoked bacon, 

pepperoni, Cajun sausage, crimini mushrooms, 

fresh spinach, red onion, fontina and fresh 

mozzarella cheeses. But perhaps you don’t know 

the story behind the pizza. “This is a fundraiser for 

the family of a man who died in Afghanistan. He 

left behind his wife and son. We were thinking of 

ways of contributing to the family that would be 

long lasting instead of a onetime charity event. So 

we created a great pizza and when it sells, we 

donate two dollars to this man’s son.” 

The fundraiser has been amazing. With over 30,000 

Sitton Supremes sold, Ken expects the final dollar 

amount to be in the hundreds of thousands of 

dollars as it will continue until the child reaches 18 

years old. 

Other best sellers you may want to try if you’re into 

serious hot food is the Sunburn pizza– made up of 

hot soppressata, Cajun sausage, hot Italian 

sausage, pepper jack cheese, jalapenos, green 

olives, fresh Serrano chiles and green onions. 

“Every time I ate out and saw something on a menu 

that said ‘hot’ – well it really didn’t live up to the 

name of being hot. So I decided to create a really 


hot pizza. People drive from Orlando to have 

this pizza!” 

Another thing that Slyce offers is beer that 

compliments the season. “We have several 

guys on staff that are beer (or wine) freaks 

and we talk about beer and wine all the time,” 

Ken explains. “What is trending with beer 

now is like music -meaning it changes with a 

new style and people are trying to mimic it. 

There are always new crazy beers and we try 

to find the ones that work. But we don’t want 

to be gimmicky. The beer has to pair perfectly 

with the food we’re serving. So we decide on 

the beer for the season.” 

At Slyce pizza, there is always live music! 

Mostly solos and duets which are found by 

their booking agent, Matt Winter. (Also 

known for the Matt Winter Band). “You can 

call him and tell him you are looking for an 

eight-piece band with a three guitars, 

saxophone, trumpet and a banjo and he can 

make it happen. He’s the best music 

organizer in Pinellas County.” Ken tells us. So 

how does a musician go about getting 

booked at Slyce? “Call Matt.” Ken says, “He 

likes to view a Youtube video or if you are 

playing somewhere, he might go out and see 

you.” 

Friday and Saturday are the busiest nights 

which Ken says have three times the amount 

of business on any Monday. “We’re hiring!” 

Ken says. So if you’re looking for employment 

in the food industry, give Slyce a call. They 

will even employ under 18 years old for part 

time positions. 

And to keep their name and awesome 

reputation you will find Slyce Pizza involved 

with local festivals such as The Kingfish 

Tournament, Phil Fest, Octoberfest, Beauty 

and the Beach and The Taste of IRB. 

“We are a different place. We have games for 

the kids, live music and more.” Ken tells us. 

“It’s not like Dominoes. This is a big 

experience! “ 

With your choice of two locations, you’re sure 

to have a great time. 

Indian Rocks Beach: 311 Gulf Blvd. 

Madeira Beach: 662 150 th Avenue 

www.slycepizzabar.com 

Some of the local musicians you will see are 

Shelly Starks, Este Loves, Jason Parker, Chris 

Walker – just to name a few. You can see their 

full calendar at 

http://slycepizzabar.com/upcoming-livemusic/. 




ASKEW 

Sean Hartley and Elliot Dickinson 

Performing at The Pesky Pelican in St. Petersburg 

Photo by Constance Hilton 

We welcome you to submit 

photos of musicians and bands 

that you see play out. 

Please include the bands name, 

band member names, the 

venue they were playing out 

and what city. 

Credit for the photo will be 

given to you! 

Please email your photo to 

baybuzzmusic@gmail.com 

JCT 27 

Rebecca Michela, Joe Krivanek, Bill LaGrandier 

& Russell Roush 

The Green Moon Frog Festival 

Sacred Heart - St. Petersburg 

Photo by Constance Hilton 


4 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar 

2 Tbsp Honey 

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice 

Pinch of salt and pepper 

½ Cup Olive Oil 

1 Cup of fresh Blueberries 

1-2 Tbsp Sugar 

• In a small bowl, add vinegar, honey, lemon, salt, and 

pepper, whisk until blended. While whisking, slowly 

pour in oil, whisk until well blended. 

• Using a blender or food processor, blend blueberries 

until thoroughly blended. Pour blueberries into a 

small saucepan and simmer on medium-low heat for 

approximately 3-5 minutes. Add 1-2 tbsp’s of sugar 

and mix well. 

• Pour the blueberry mixture into the blender or food 

processor and add the vinegar/honey/lemon mixture. 

Blend until both mixtures are thoroughly blended 

together, approximately 3-5 minutes. 

• Pour mixture into a mason jar or wine bottle with a 

cork for properly sealing. 


Whole Pineapple (Pineapple should be 

a yellowish-green color when it’s ripe) 

1 Cup Pineapple, Diced 

1 Cup Peppers, Diced (use all 

combinations of red, green, orange, and 

yellow peppers for color) 

1 Cup Roma Tomatoes, Diced 

1/3 Cup Cilantro, chopped 

¼Cup Onion, Minced (Use red or sweet 

onions for the best flavor) 

2-4 Tsp Lime Juice 

Salt and Pepper to taste 

1-2 Tsp Jalapenos, Diced (Optional) 

• To make the pineapple bowl: cut about 1/3 of the 

pineapple off leaving the stem fully intact on the 

larger piece for a festive appearance. Make a cut 

around the outer edge of the pineapple bowl and 

make cuts across the middle too. Be sure not to 

puncture the skin of the pineapple so that it doesn’t 

leak once you put your ingredients in it. Using a 

metal spoon, loosen and scoop out the pineapple 

chunks. Pour the extra juice out of the pineapple 

bowl so that it’s empty. 

• Dice enough of the pineapple chunks to make 1 cup 

of diced pineapple. Save the remaining chunks and 

use as decoration around the pineapple bowl. 

• In a small bowl, mix together diced pineapple, tomatoes, 

peppers, onions, cilantro, lime juice, salt and 

pepper. Transfer the salsa mixture to the pineapple 

bowl for serving. Refrigerate for at least one hour 

before serving. Store leftovers in the fridge but keep 

in mind that the pineapple bowl will age and not look 

as attractive as it did when it was fresh. 


Tomato Spinach Chicken Spaghetti 

28oz can of Hunt’s Diced Tomatoes with Basil, 

Garlic, & Oregano 

2 tbsp Olive Oil 

½ lb Boneless, Skinless Chicken (Breast or 

Thighs), chopped 

¼ tsp Red Pepper Flakes 

¼ tsp Salt 

¼ tsp Pepper 

4 Roma Tomatoes, chopped 

¼cup Fresh Basil Leaves, chopped 

8 oz Fresh Spinach 

3 Garlic Cloves, diced 

2 tbsp Sugar 

6- oz Spaghetti or Angel Hair Pasta 

3 tbsp High Quality Olive Oil (Optional) 

Parmesan Cheese (Optional) 

• Add Diced tomatoes and 2 tbsp’s of olive oil to a large frying pan on medium-low 

heat. 

• Add chopped chicken, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and cook on medium heat 

until the chicken is cooked all the way through, no longer pink. Approximately 5 

minutes. 

• Add chopped tomatoes, basil, spinach, sugar, and garlic to the frying pan. Cook on 

medium heat for about 3-5 minutes until spinach wilts just a little and the tomatoes 

release some of their juices. Remove from heat and cover with a lid. 

• Cook pasta according to directions on the package, al dente is preferred. Drain and 

add 3 tbsp’s of high quality olive oil and mix thoroughly. Make your plate(s) and 

sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired. 


Camps offered: 

Vocal Discovery Camp 

Recommended Ages 6 - 10 

July 10 - July 14th 

Monday - Friday 9am to 12pm 

Beginners Welcome 

No Vocal Experience Necessary 

Tuition $105 plus $15 Materials 

Performance Program: 

Session One: June 19th - June 23rd 

Session Two: July 10th - July 14th 

Session Three: July 24th - July 28th 

Monday - Friday 9am - 3pm 

June 19th - June 23rd 

Monday - Friday 9am - 3pm 

Musical Theatre Camp 

Recommended Ages 7 - 11 

June 19 - 23 

Monday - Friday 9am to 12pm 

Beginners Welcome 

No Experience Necessary 

Tuition $105 plus $15 Materials 

Band Petting Zoo 

Recommended Ages 5 to 9 

June 5 - 9 and July 24 - 28 

These 2 weeks are Monday - Friday 

from 9am - 12pm 

Tuition: $140 

Rock Band Camp 

Monday to Friday from 9am to 12pm 

June 12 - 16 

Ages 13 - 18 

July 17 - 21 

Ages 8 - 12 

Session One: June 5th - June 9th 

Session Two: June 12th - June 16th 

Session Three: June 19th - June 23rd 

Session Four: June 26th - June 30th 

Session Five: July 10th - July 14th 

Session Six: July 17th - July 21st 

Session Seven: July 24th - July 28th 

Session Eight: July 31st - August 4th 


Rock Camp 

June 5th - June 9th 

Disney's Beauty and the Beast Jr. 

HAMILTON & MOANA 

Wizard of Oz 

Beatles vs. Nirvana 

Hip-Hop Super Heroes and More.. 

Musical Theater Camp 


Teen Rock Camp 


Rock Camp 

July 10th - July 14th 

Camp Broadway 

Ages 11 - 14 


Camp Broadway 

Ages 6 - 10 


Camp Creative 

2nd Grade - 5th Grade 


Creative Kids Camp 

Kindergarten or 1st Grade 

June 13th & June 15th 

Musical Theater Camp 


Routes of Rock Tour 

June 2nd - June 9th 

Rock Week 


Rock Studio 4.0 


2 Week Rock Band Camp 


1 Week Ukulele Camp 


9am - 3pm 

(Early drop off available) 


Classical Camp with an Unclassic Twist 

Strings 

June 26th - July 14th 

9am - 12pm 

Band 

June 26th - July 14th 

1pm - 4pm 

Morning & Afternoon Sessions 



Grand Central Growing In Entertainment Opportunities 

By Randall Owen 

I remember the first time I played some songs at a backyard 

party. I had been practicing my list and had enough songs to last 

the evening. All in all, I was received pretty well and kind of got 

that “star” effect for a couple brief moments. Sometimes a 

singer would join in or another instrumentalist and we'd get 

into a groove that was very entertaining and fun. I would 

venture to say most performing artists at any level have 

experienced moments of joy, of comfort, and sharing which 

gives us a buzz, a natural one too. After it happens a few times 

it can become a driving force for some, but for most of us it 

becomes an infrequent joy as we find other things which give 

us a rush and take up our precious time. 

Frequently, I look for guitars online at Goodwill Industries or 

E-bay and I see a lot of 1970's era guitars for sale. Makes me 

wonder what ever happened to all the players and poets who 

used hang out at the spots around St. Pete where we could get 

a little louder, and wilder; places like Gandy Beach and Shell 

Island. But life has moved rapidly on for this picker and because 

I have found so much good music online lately, music I like, I'd 

have to say the itch to play my old Yamaha FG-180 started to 

bring me back. Whether it an instrument you play, or the words 

you say, the way you dance, or tell a joke, it seems that old 

feeling of joy returns every so often to most us. Maybe it's 

passion. 

We are fortunate here in the Downtown area of St. 

Petersburg. The Grand Central District runs through the heart 

of St. Petersburg and is a burgeoning art and music scene 

which offers a wide variety of live entertainment venues for 

performing artist. The District located just west of downtown 

from 16 to 31 st Streets and between First Avenues North and 

South. According to the website StPete.org, “This District 

houses a unique blend of galleries, antique stores, specialty 

retail, as well as Florida’s largest new and used bookstore, 

Haslam’s . Host to many special events and festivals 

throughout the year, including one of the largest LGBTQ 

parades in the nation each June, the Grand Central District is 

surrounded by historic neighborhoods for those wishing to 

live, work and play in St. Petersburg.” Not only has a retail 

district emerged down Central Avenue but many of the 

services required to maintain more patrons, like restaurants, 

bars, and coffee and tea houses. It is now bringing performing 

artists into many of the new venues to help the customer 

experience. 

There are four great venues in the Grand Central District for 

emerging performing artists to find those moments again, or 

to hone your skills for becoming your own act or show at one 

of the music venues. Punky's Bar and Grille on 31st Street and 

Central Avenue has a well-run Open Mic on Mondays, “Magic 

Mondays” hosted by local artist DeLaren Withers and has 

guest shows on weekends. All varieties of art, from poetry to 

rap to solo instrumentalists are welcome at Magic Monday. 

The Hideaway Cafe, known for its vision of asking for original 

material to be performed and its status as a “listening room” 

make it a quality place to perform and view local creative acts. 

The Hideaway is located on Central Ave. at 17 Street No. and 

has an Open Mic Night each Thursday evening. At 24 Street 

and Central Avenue, The Queenshead Eurobar has 

performances on selected weekends and a continuing Open 

Mic on Thursday hosted by Steve Isaac. This venue is more 

inclined to acoustic guitars and vocalists with both covers and 

originals material. The Cage Brewing Company on 21 St. and 

First Avenue So. also offers a mixture of Open Mic Nights and 

guest acts. The Wednesday night Open Mic show is hosted by 

Barry Ertel and offers full band equipment, drums, bass, 

guitars. etc. Afterwards a jam session usually gets going too. 

Finally, a new building and location has combined to offer up 

and exciting venue for solo acts, duos or bands. The Sawgrass 

Teahouse and Performance Venue offers a full staged PA with 

monitors, a drum set, and other options. The old warehouse is 

a good size area for patrons, and the building has its own 

natural acoustics which offers a great sound. Previously on 

Central Ave. the Sawgrass Teahouse and Performance Venue 

has relocated to 2460 Emerson Avenue So. 

Both the Sawgrass Teahouse and The Cage Brewing Company 

have jam periods and encourage performers to work with and 

interchange with each other and learn new sounds or find the 

one they are looking for. Great places to start your Open Mic 

life. 

So, if you’re looking to get out and finally perform the act 

you've had in your head all these years or hone one you've 

been working on then check out the venues which are growing 

up within the Grand Central District of Downtown St. 

Petersburg. And if you want good local talent to enjoy in the 

future then help us by getting out to any of the shows and 

supporting the establishments which are growing in The Grand 

Central District. 



aybuzz.org

MAY JUNE 2017

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