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Alphabet scoop

By RICK GERSHMAN
Published June 2, 2007

The entertainment scene around Tampa Bay can be tough to navigate. So what could be more useful than an A-to-Z list of arts and entertainment venues and providers? (Well, maybe a geographic list could be more useful. Or one by theme. Or by price. Or ...) Well, too bad. This will make it easier to use the Yellow Pages at least. So here's a guide to entertainment places and people around Tampa, A to Z.

A

AMERICAN STAGE THEATER

Respected theater in the heart of St. Petersburg. When departing, keep your Taser ready to ward off those kids coming from Jannus Landing/State Theatre/any alleyway.

B

Brass Mug

Tiny, smoky dive with live music in north Tampa, sadly a dying breed. The jewel of E Fletcher Avenue. (Okay, that and the Amscot.)

C

Club Skye

Draws national hip-hop acts to Ybor City and is a big dance destination. Also, Crowbar: A cool new spot in Ybor for burgeoning rock bands. (And as Ybor clubs go, they're pretty safe.)

D

Dali Museum

Houses the largest collection of Salvador Dali works outside Europe. Bonus: It's right by the water in St. Pete. Dali-cious.

E: EVERYONE

I know will demand an apology for the "Dali-cious" joke. Legitimately. So, sorry.

F

Ford Amphitheatre

Controversial early on for noise issues, but attracts huge acts to Tampa. And the lawn seats are (usually) a great deal.

G

G Bar

Formerly Bar Tampa, Ybor City's relatively new gay/lesbian dance club is quickly becoming the same-sex destination in the area. Bonus, as my friend Erika says: "If you're a straight gal looking to dance your face off without getting hassled, this could be your place."

I

Improv

The Centro Ybor comedy club attracts a wealth of nationally known comics. And, on unfortunate occasion, Pauly Shore.

H Hub

Technically "The Hub, " but we're drowning in "T's". Noted here for its killer jukeboxes, its proximity to Tampa Theatre and "artistic" bathroom walls.

J

JOBSITE THEATRE

Tampa's most lauded small-theater company, bringing interesting work to TBPAC.

K

Karaoke

We won't list 'em all, goodness knows, but there aren't many places in Tampa Bay where you can't hear about 10-too-many renditions of Low Places, Baby Got Back or Ice Ice Baby. Could karaoke ever have existed before alcohol? We're guessing - and hoping - not.

L - Good Luck Cafe -

Another cheat? (Sure - you try doing an A to Z list.) It's worth it to mention another Seventh Avenue haunt on Ybor, a restaurant that offers jazz on weekends.

M

TAMPA MUSEUM OF ART

A slight cheat, but come on, people. Hopefully Version 2.0 will finally get built and be as spectacular as advertised. (Or, heck, just get built at all.)

? N ?

Need something to put here

Which is going to be embarrassing when we get 17 e-mails from 17 places, bands and others with names beginning with "N." (Sorry, Nastyland. Better luck next time.)

O - ORPHEUM -

Another great venue that draws tons of cool bands, and if anyone there ever found my red leather Fight Club style jacket, I'd really like it back. Just saying.

P

Palladium Theater

This small St. Pete venue is invaluable to those who enjoy community theater, dance and other, well, "non-mosh pit" diversions.

Q

Quesadilla

Because I've just covered 16 letters, I've got 10 more to go, and I'm hungry. Have a better idea? Great, you find a Tampa music connection to Quinquagesima. (It's the Sunday before Ash Wednesday - which, thankfully, goes by the name ... Ash Wednesday.)

R

Reax Magazine

Painfully full of itself, and far too many of its contributors' submissions can only be the product of cats running across keyboards. (Specifically, drunk cats.) But this free local 'zine deserves credit for its focus on spotlighting local music.

S

Skipper's Smokehouse

Great outdoor venue, best place for folksy acts and casual entertainment. Also, State Theatre, where tons of cool bands play in downtown St. Pete (again, grownups: Taser alert.)

T

TAMPA THEATRE

Of course, a great place for films and concerts, plus a huge organ. And the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center: The place for big productions, from The Producers to Wicked to Spamalot - you name it.

U USF SUN DOME

Mediocre acoustics (to be generous), but its capacity - roughly half that of the Ford Amphitheatre and St. Pete Times Forum - make it a good site for music acts that draw large but not enormous crowds.

V - Vinoy Park -

St. Pete's big green space on the water - perfect for music festivals ranging from blues to rock to alternative. I got a tooth knocked loose there and I still dig it. Take that.

W WMNF

Tampa's community radio provides not only true alternative music and other programming, but puts on the Tropical Heatwave and other events. Preprogram it into your Hummer just to freak people out at stoplights.

X

(97X)

The primary station for (radio-friendly) alt-rock, emo and the like. (We would have cheated to go with talented singer Geri X, but she recently moved to Wisconsin.)

Y

Ybor City

Fine, call it a copout, but Ybor remains - despite its sketchier elements - a prime location for music, film and art. Plus, I saved the copout for last:

Z

Zellwood Sweet Corn Festival

I never heard of it either. Zellwood apparently is a little north of Orlando. A stretch? Sure. But there's your Z.

Rick Gershman can be reached at rgershman@sptimes.com or 226-3431. His Ill Literate posts appear online at blogs.tampabay.com/juice/.

[Last modified June 1, 2007, 22:16:26]