Mitch Perry
Last month marked the 30th anniversary of the legendary Live-Aid concerts that took place in Philadelphia and London. One of the breakout stars of that historic occasion, Boy George, apparently will be in the Tampa Bay area this weekend.
That’s right: Culture Club is headlining a group of ’80s and ’90s bands that will be playing all day this Saturday at R.O.C. Park, a new facility filled with softball parks located in Madeira Beach.
I first heard of this show when listening to WMNF DJ Joyce Rumfola‘s program Tuesday, but somehow it didn’t register. But the Times’ Jay Cridlin has all the details this morning.
Where to begin?
Well, let’s start and end with the fact that this event is being held outside. An all-day concert in August usually doesn’t happen for a reason in Florida — because, well, you might die. Obviously I hope for all concerned that there isn’t a rain event at any point of the day, which could cool down the elements, but also make it miserable to enjoy the music.
Cridlin writes that the promoters will generally charge $5 for a bottle of water, but that will “come down” to $3 a bottle for Saturday. That’s outrageous. I dig how the promoters need to make their nut, but you can’t do it by compromising people’s health. Coachella, America’s biggest pop music festival, ensures that water costs no more than $2 a bottle, because people need to be hydrated, or bad things will happen. $5 a bottle? Say it isn’t so.
Intriguing that one of the ways people will enter and exit the facility will be “valet parking.” Hmm. That should be fun to wait for your car when the show ends.
Look, August is the “off-season” in Florida for a reason.
In other news …
Twenty-four-year-old Democratic Party activist Aaron Darr is a young man in a hurry. Read about his story as he attempts to become a city commissioner in Largo next year.
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John Kerry goes to Cuba on Friday, the first time an American Secretary of State will visit the island since 1945. But he’s getting increasing calls to meet with dissidents. Will he do so?
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Marco Rubio is against the legalization of marijuana. The United for Care group wants a medical marijuana constitutional amendment passed in Florida next year, which obviously isn’t the same thing. Yet UFC is arguing that Rubio’s attitude would do … what exactly?
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Both Bob Buckhorn and Adam Putnam are considered to be potential players in the race to succeed Rick Scott as governor in Florida in 2018. Someone’s doing better in the political fundraising at this point, however.
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We also wrote up a bunch of polls Tuesday. The thrust of all of them? Marco Rubio and especially Carly Fiorina are up after last week’s debates. Donald Trump is leading, but that lead may be tenuous here in mid-August 2015, more than five months before any voting takes place.
• • •
Both Bob Buckhorn and Adam Putnam are considered to be potential players in the race to succeed Rick Scott as governor in Florida in 2018. Someone’s doing better in the political fundraising at this point, however.
