Tampa has been good to me this year.  I just won a Best Of The Bay
award from Creative Loafing.  The TBT listed me among the top ten artists of the
year.  At 36 years old I’m still young enough to have the entire world at my
feet.  Many people might seize this moment to move on to a bigger city to win
different awards from different people.  Our modern society is about movement. 
Perhaps the most popular cure to boredom and jadedness is to move to a place
full of fresh faces that haven’t disappointed you yet.

Sure Tampa has
disappointed me but it has also provided me with countless moments of
inspiration and the most comfortable, easy life I could ever hope for.  When
seeking out creativity there has never been a shortage of talent.  I wonder if
people would like Tampa more if someone put “I LOVE TAMPA” on a thousand coffee
mugs and t-shirts.  People believe what they read.  I love Tampa even though it
doesn’t say that on any coffee mugs.

With “Liiisten” I’d like to be the
glue that brings together a lot of the fragmented scenes in Tampa Bay area.  I
am in love with the singer/songwriter scene.  I am in love with the noise scene
in St. Pete.  I love some of the drag and circuit party creativity that is
coming out of Gaybor.  I want to offer a stage where all these fragmented
subcultures can rub elbows and appreciate each other. 

Every week I will
spotlight a featured artist.  These artists will get a half hour spot to perform
and get a Joan Rivers-style sit down interview with me on stage.  Occasionally I
will have co-hosts to banter with.  I view my night as a live talk show.  In
addition, there will be slots for musicians to show up, sign up, and perform.   
Sign up is from 9-9:30.  The open mic itself will be from 9:30 til 1am.  I have
to end the night early so I can get in a late night dance at Czar.  Everyone is
welcome.  Everyone.  Make sure to “like” the Liiisten page on Facebook…I will
be offering early sign-up online sometimes.

Being someone that moved
around a lot when I was younger I am self aware enough to know that no matter
where I live I will end up becoming disgruntled, reclusive, and irritated at how
shallow, materialistic, and dependent on instant gratification our culture is. 
Unless something amazes me and shakes me deep to the soul (which has never
happened to me  while visiting a large trendy city…unfortunately people are
people everywhere) in Tampa I will stay.  Because I am here I wouldn’t feel
right if I didn’t do something to contribute to the local arts
community.