bay blogs bustin’ big
tommyPopulation Statistic tells us of two events slated to blow this whole Tampa area blogging thing sky-high. First off after weeks of waiting, Costa has inside scoop that the St. Pete Times list of local blogs will finally be published tomorrow.
The second thing is Weekly Planet wants you to vote for your favorite local blog. It is included on the ballot for the forthcoming “Best of the Bay” issue. This is the first year WP has included a blog category. There are lots of great local blogs to choose from, pick any one on my blogroll. Of course, some bloggers are attempting to sway your vote in various manners. Rachel goes for begging, Lisa leaves a not-so-subtle hint, Robert simply mentions the vote, and Costa attempts reverse psychology. Gonzonia wants you to pick Jobsite for best Theater Company. Seminole Heights wants you to vote for all places in Seminole. Here at Sticks of Fire, we would not use any sort of tricks to influence your decision. Here we simply tell you to cut and paste: Sticks of Fire - http://sticksoffire.com
Go to the Weekly Planet now to vote for the best tampa blog, as well as your favorite restaurants, reporters, and politicians.
Loading ...
July 18th, 2005 at 12:44 pm
weekly planet best of the bay is total bullshit. Vote all you want, but historically WP FKA Creative Loafing has done a large paragraph on whoever THEY felt was “best of the bay,” based on their litmus test of political correctness and trendiness. In small print, they will include “readers choice.” in one recent year, to their credit, they got credible professionals in their individual fields to comment on their choices for Best of the Bay. When they had noted experts in their fields, like Robin Zander, make their choices, it turned out a little better. Zander chose Greg Billings, who actually has major credibility as a local rocker, based on drawing huge crowds for 25 years. This was the first time, to my knowlege, that Billings, the bay area’s most popular rocker, had ever been mentioned (other than listings) in WP or its predecessor, Creative Loafing. To be more accurate, instead of Best of the Bay, it should be: “The politically correct entities, with whom we want to be identified, to whom we’d like to draw your attention, of whom you’d otherwise have never heard.” This is not to say that good people can’t win, or that those who win are not in some cases worthy of praise. Good luck to all who choose to participate.
July 18th, 2005 at 5:20 pm
I think you are going to win. If Wayne Garcia holds a lot of sway then (gulp) Blogwood will win.
July 18th, 2005 at 5:31 pm
With due respect to Johnny, who the fuck is Greg Billings? Was Billings actually bigger than the Headlights or Deloris Telescope? The best live band I ever saw was the Grassy Knoll Gunmen.
Tommy, you read Gina Vivinetto’s column lately? She’s coming out of the closet in her column. I wonder why. I wish Gina would get back on stage and sing. I don’t know if you ever saw Bulwinkle. Sloppy band, but Gina’s one of the best singers I ever heard. Period.
July 18th, 2005 at 5:59 pm
Best of the (Tampa) Bay
The Weekly Planet is taking votes for the Best of the Bay poll. One of the categories is best local Tampa blog. I so have no chance of winning this. I don’t even know if anyone at the Planet reads my site.
July 18th, 2005 at 6:26 pm
I voted JGLB for best local band! I’m guessing you did, too!
July 18th, 2005 at 7:23 pm
no disrespect to the Headlights or Deloris Telescope. Steve Connelly’s maybe the best guitarist I’ve ever heard in town, if Kacy Ross isn’t. both great bands. Grassy Knoll Gunmen were geat as well. (LOTS OF) people actually come to see and hear Greg Billings. I do feel the Planet is only aware of about 2% of what’s really going on in this town, and they are satisfied that that’s all they need to know. Other than that, I regret the tone and text of my previous post. Need 7 day cooling off period before I post what I write.
July 18th, 2005 at 8:02 pm
I guess we’ve seen: The Times didn’t come out with their blog directory today. You’ll note I said “probably” Monday (today), assuming that they’d include it in that day’s weekly Personal Tech section. But no dice.
I know it certainly is being compiled, and can’t see why it would be delayed much longer. If it’s not out by next Monday, I’ll be surprised.
July 18th, 2005 at 8:35 pm
Johnny, I actually linked your comment post. I liked it. As for the Planet, I miss John Sugg. He wrote some silly op-eds, but when he nailed something he was right on the money.
July 18th, 2005 at 9:06 pm
Der Sticks of Fire was voted by moi as the best local blog. Just cuz you kicks ass, Tommy
As for the TImes publication of local blogs - I wouldn’t be surprised if that actually ended up in the Floridian sometime (if it hasn’t already). Personal Tech does deal with web phenomenon but the Floridian deals with the culture of it all - I could easily see a feature article and blog rundown on there with an few local bloggers quoted before their actual list.
That might be the delay — they may not have compiled quotes or whatever for the story that will likely run with the Blog list., OR I could be dead wrong!
July 18th, 2005 at 10:06 pm
CT, I searched & searched (online) this morning. No dice, but thought maybe it was printed only… I’ll give ‘em another week. Then another after that one. Save a couple writers, the Tribune still pretends blogs don’t exist.
July 18th, 2005 at 10:25 pm
It definitely hasn’t run yet. It could run in the Floridian section, but since it’s been promoed in Tech, I’m assuming they’ll debut it there. I’m not sure if they’re doing any edit to support it; my impression was that it was just going to be a listing, with a short intro.
I can say for sure: It’ll feature both the Times’ current in-house blogs, plus the locals. Stay tuned.
July 19th, 2005 at 9:31 pm
I actually voted for sticks of fire. I always thought it was a bit tacky to vote for yourself
July 20th, 2005 at 7:22 pm
I would have voted for you, but I don’t really have a problem voting for myself, though!
Sorry!
August 27th, 2005 at 3:26 pm
Kacy Ross is my uncle.. I was too young to go watch him back in the day, but it still makes me feel awesome that so many people love him and his talents…
August 30th, 2005 at 12:15 am
But, I AM singing in a band - the Peabodies — and have been for four years. Just have kept a low profile because I was the big pop critic
but since I’m not anymore, we are gigging a lot
and we aren’t sloppy like Bullwinkle. and the songs are very good.
Jeff Wood plays drums.
Curtis Ross (critic at the Trib) plays guitar and we are ” in between” bassists.
We’re playing Sept 17 at New World in Ybor
Oct 2 at Skippers
Oct 8 at Skippers
and sometime soon at wherever the Music Spot is going to be next
Come see us!
ps– the coming out in the paper wasn’t for any special purpose, it just worked for the article and everyone knows anyway, so I went to print with it.
xoxo–
gina
September 15th, 2005 at 11:16 am
[...] We have a wonderful community of bloggers here in Tampa Bay, and I’m glad to have met a few of them. The publicity we are all getting by the more traditional media is deserved by all of these talented folks. [...]
September 27th, 2005 at 5:33 pm
Have lived in Fla for 26 years, and can honestly say my 3 favorite local bands that I would go out of my way to see were/are:
Deloris Telescope
Rock Bottom and the Cuttaways
Johnny G Lyon Band
Haven’t seen Johnny in many years (hey, we’re all gettin’ older,) but, I really miss Rock and DT.
September 29th, 2005 at 3:26 pm
[...] I need some help. “Of course you need help, tommy. You ain’t right!†I mean I need someone to help me with Sticks of Fire. “Yeah – those colors… did the same guy pick the Bucs original uniforms?†No – the colors are fine. I mean I barely have time to update the thing, yet I am compelled to update every day. “You don’t update every day. In fact, I don’t recall any posts on any Sunday.†There was one. But anyway, that just goes to prove my point. I’d like to have something new every day. Do you think other people would want to write on Sticks of Fire? “I doubt it. People don’t even want to read Sticks of Fire.†Hey, c’mon, it’s the most popular blog in Tam— “Relax, I was just joking. I’m sure someone out there has something to say. Why not on SoF?†So, I just ask other people to write stuff and they will send it in? “You could just open it up, and let anyone post anything.†Well, I do have my own personal ‘stinging satirical wit’ to consider. “Whatever. They could have said ‘constantly forgets headlines,’ which is actually true.†Thanks a lot. “No problem. Hey, the other guys indicated it was ‘more than just a blog‘– and isn’t that the idea?†Absolutely. But making it ‘more than just a blog’ takes a lot of time. “So, invite other writers, and be an editor.†An editor. “Yeah, an editor, idiot.†I don’t even know how to properly write, much less ed… editoriali… uh, be an editor. “Fake your way through, just as you have for the past year and a half.†You do have a point… I guess. “Now, about these colors…†[...]
April 18th, 2006 at 12:27 am
what about eddy totten-used to play in the toad’s and also king nasty.Now with the butch ryan band?
June 20th, 2006 at 11:41 am
Best Bay Bands? (I am partial.)
1. RICH RAGS
(Kacy Ross, Mark Scott, Nancy Sebek, John Donniacuo, Lee Steel, Billy McConnell, Jeff Levy)
2. Deloris Telescope
Need more info?
http://www.bagtwo.scottunes.com
July 23rd, 2006 at 10:12 pm
hi everyone
my name is gweedo.
st. pete. native.
the way i see it the song by billings (stranger) .” i see you in panarama, you got high fidelity, i see you in colorama, look again your in 3D” , was as bid as a hit gets. nationally. so i dont even see greg as a local act.
hes a national act from tampa bay to me.
but kc ross and dt was magic.
when kc ross came to town things changed.
rock music changed. his playin and singin was the best this towns seen to date.
i am in awe of that music and allways will be.
i would ask the neice of kc to tell him we miss him, and we miss deloris telescope.
one last thing that i think is cool.
many of you mite know goerge the guitar player for greg billings band.
the first time i saw him i noticed than he reminded of kc ross, the way he holds himself, the way he moves head, the way he held the guitar, strumed the guitar. so i told him one night ” man you remind me of kc ross” and he tells me ” oh me and him were roomates for five years, so that was wild to hear.
you can go to ggb web site and see a pic of him.
ok
bye .
gweedo
October 1st, 2006 at 10:30 am
Steve Connelly, Kacy Ross and George Harris are still my favorite guitar players of all time. Steve & Kacy’s talents are nothing short of genius. George’s technical strength is amazing. Gina V. is the best thing that ever happened to the bay area.