Tampa Calling

I hate to perpetuate a rumor, but this is a juicy one worth mentioning: Tupac is Alive in New Orleans! No…. freakin’…. way!

BallerStatus.com reports:

We’ve always heard that the late rapper was hiding on some island somewhere, locked in a studio, recording all the music you’ve heard released following the years after this death.

But, that’s all not true. He’s alive, and has been hitting the town.

TMZ obtained a few photos of the Tupac, alive and well, drinking and have a good ole time at Hand Grenades in New Orleans.

Click below to see the pics…

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In my latest Bar Tab column I admit to being seduced by the mighty Wii for the first time. In fact, it was the first time I had played a video game since my crazy (lazy) college days. I enjoyed myself. But I still think the idea of wasting time on manipulating a fake, plastic instrument when you could be making actual music on a real guitar, is ridiculous. Yeah, I’m talking to you, Guitar Hero geeks. Anyway, here’s a bit from my column:

But my favorite part of the weekend — well, except for, y’know, giving thanks and spending quality time with the fam — was discovering the awesomeness of the Wii. Which is odd, because I have major issues with video games. In fact, a large part of me believes they are the reason this country no longer dominates the world the way we did in, say, 1956.

Continue reading “Wine Women and Wii: Wade has a new vice.”

New World Brewery on a Saturday night boasts a healthy built in-crowd of conversationalists and music lovers.  Even with the threatening cold snap on the horizon and very little local media coverage, quite a few people made it out to support the local post-punk rock band Dumbwaiters and show promoter New Granada Presents.

With the audience drinking cold beer while huddling, humping or gyrating near conveniently located space heaters on the New World patio, I wondered how many people got drawn away from this local show to see the moldy blues rock of Johnny “I played at Woodstock” Winter at Jannus Landing or Guns N’ Roses’ heroes Nazareth crust rocking at the Largo Cultural Center.  Probably none, but our continued cultural emphasis on these old bohemoths roaming the lands and garnering top dollar for performances of contrived, dated music marketed for the sake of nostalgia gets under my skin…

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It has been another rowdy weekend and I haven’t even made it over to Buck’s place yet for a Sunday afternoon cookout. Yesterday, I attended Ribfest, which runs through today, among several other places serving alcohol in St. Petersburg, and was thoroughly impressed by the sights and sounds being offered by country newcomer Natalie Stovall. Here’s what I wrote in my new Bar Tab column posted on the Daily Loaf:

By the time Kristin wanted to venture out for some kettle corn, new country hottie, singing and fiddling sensation Natalie Stovall had taken the stage. The blond Tennessee babe blew the audience away with appealingly poppy twang originals and ace covers of “Fancy” and “Orange Blossom Special.” Her adorable accent and the way she worked a pair of painted-on jeans made her performance extra memorable. In fact, I was so mesmerized by Natalie’s corn-fed fineness I didn’t notice the humongous dark cloud rolling in like that alien spaceship in Independence Day.

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Bar Tab: Ribfest, Ex-Mormon reunions and Crown Royal