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In remembrance of a regular

By JULIE GARISTO
Published April 13, 2005

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Known by many as an affable fellow who rode around Seminole Heights and Ybor on an orange scooter, 34-year-old Tampa resident David "Rat" Anderson had a cheerful disposition, beloved by many who regularly attended music shows at New World Brewery.

What Anderson did not have was a reputation for picking fights, but as fate would have it, he found himself in the middle of a fatal one early morning Oct 24, 2004, at an event organized by close friend John W. Kennedy.

Anderson was fatally stabbed while attempting to come between David Decker, 31, of Valrico, and Christopher Bellamy, 36, of Gainesville. Bellamy has since been charged with second degree murder and Decker has recovered from the stabbing-related injuries he sustained.

"Dave Rat never met a stranger," Kennedy says. "You always knew where you stood with him. He was a very special person and touched many people lives positively. We should all be so fortunate.

"Kennedy, 35, had booked a 20th anniversary party for his South Florida punk band Nuclear Beer. With a few hundred people in attendance, the night had gone well up until the fight broke out shortly after midnight. Bellamy, an old acquaintance of Kennedy, reportedly got angry at Decker and pulled out a knife.

Decker, a guitarist for bands Clairmel and Vagina Sore Jr., reportedly drew attention to himself by jumping around close to the stage, singing along and grabbing the mic. His behavior, almost inconspicuous to the New World regulars around him, went unnoted. Bellamy, however, noticed and tried to stop Decker from touching the gear and a fight ensued. Anderson was one of many who tried to break it up.

"The night of our 20th anniversary show went from the best show we ever had to the worst night of my life," Kennedy says. "It was senseless. Basically one of my oldest friends killed one of my best friends and coworker. It was a really, really, really, really bad night. I grew up a lot that night. I retired the band that night. It just didn't seem right, not what we were about.

"There was an outpouring of love for Dave," owner Steve Bird says. "It really was a random thing. You know, this stuff happens at Radio Shack, Subway and everywhere else. It's a terrible shame."

Bird, a member of the Ybor City Development Corporation, says it was really tough to go into the organization's board meeting the week after the incident. "I almost didn't go," Bird says, "but everyone was so supportive. They knew because of our longevity and how we've operated over the years, that (the incident) is not a reflection of the way we do things.

"According to Bird, New World Brewery has such a low record of incidence that the Tampa police officers investigating the stabbing said they didn't even know the bar was there.

Kennedy still frequents New World but not without sadness and regret. "New World is one of the only places in Ybor that I can tolerate," Kennedy says. "All of my friends go there. The place is just a good hangout."

New World Brewery now features two noticeable tributes to Anderson's memory - a memorial sign painted on a drum above the stage and a framed 8-by-10 photo of Anderson and New World bartender Joanne Silvera, which hangs on the wall next to the bar.

[Last modified April 13, 2005, 17:59:12]

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