Tampa Calling

Kinobe and Soul Beat Africa

Camera in hand, I gently elbowed my way to the front of the crowd as Kinobe and Soul Beat Africa were setting up in the Cuban Club Cantina. If it wasn’t for the camera I probably would not have made it that close to the stage ’cause so many had already staked out that prime real estate, for what one woman informed me was, “the most cultural,” band at this year’s Tropical Heatwave.

I will spare you dictonary.com’s definition of the word cultural. But the comment made me smile, after a few songs I headed upstairs to the ballroom to check out Blair Carman and the Bellview Boys. In less than two minutes, three flights of stairs, I had gone from the rapt attention of beautiful laid back African jams to piano pounding swing dancing rockabilly. That variety is why I love Heatwave, and why it cracks me up when one person will tell me that one band is more, “cultural,” than another.

More pics after the jump:

Blair Carmin and the Bellview Boys

I know that if I had packed my raincoat, umbrella, or at least a plastic bag for the camera, it would not have rained. So, be it fortunate or unfortunate, the shows I saw were limited to how dry I could keep the camera. But I can’t complain. Every performance was rockin’ with energy and inspiraton. And, don’t forget the protests. The ACLU is against the use of video cameras in Ybor city. Law enforcement believes these cameras will aid their efficiency, but the ACLU shows examples of other cities where authorities have misused the cameras at the expense of the citizens’ civil rights. If you are a voter who hangs out in Ybor, you might want to look into this.

dancin' to BeauSoleil

Big Brother is Watching you 2009 not 1984

Thomas Wynn & the Believers

Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles, before the rain

Thank you WMNF for another awesome heatwave

Big Sam's Funky Nation

BeauSoleil avec Micheal Doucet

Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue

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