Tampa Bay Pulse Magazine
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pulsemagazinetampa.com Making People Laugh ROY JOHNSON Ducati’s STREET FIGHTER Steampunk Musicians ABNEY PARK Pulsearazzie Battle of the Salons | Creme de la Creme | Jacksons’ Anniversary Essentials New iMac | Motorola’s DROID | Oakley Elite | Blackberry Watch
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tampa bay's premier nightlife and entertainment magazine issue 4
Transcript of Tampa Bay Pulse Magazine
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Making People Laugh
ROY JOHNSON Ducati’s
STREETFIGHTERSteampunk Musicians
ABNEY PARK
PulsearazzieBattle of the Salons | Creme de la Creme | Jacksons’ Anniversary
EssentialsNew iMac | Motorola’s DROID | Oakley Elite | Blackberry Watch
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contents04Volume 1 Issue
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sixESSENTIALSLifestyle Accessories
tenGAMINGJack Black, Need for Speed Shift and more
fourteenTECHGeek Gear
sixteenMIXOLOGY901, Ty Ku, Ed hardy
twenty-eightMOTODucati Street FighterToyota Midnight Rider
thirty-sixTIMEPIECEBlack Belt Watch
fourty-sixSTYLEHugo Boss
fifty-twoPROFILEComedian Roy Johnson
fifty-sixMUSICSteampunk musiciansAbney Park
PULSARAZZItwenty-twoCreme de la Creme
fourtyBattle of the Salons
fifty-fourJacksons Anniversary
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We made it to a year! Times have most certainly been
hard, and the publishing industry hasn’t escaped the
effects of the economy. While national publications
were reducing their page counts, moving to the web or
shutting their doors, the idea of starting a local maga-
zine was exciting all be it a daunting task to undertake. The drama this little
magazine has gone through since day 1 would be enough to send most sane
entrepreneurs running for the hills or questioning their sanity. Tampa Bay
Pulse Magazine will not run for any hills and, well, our sanity has been in
question long before we published the first issue a year ago. In 2010 look for
Pulse to take the Bay Area by storm via print, web, multi-media and events!
Tampa Bay Pulse Magazine will truly become your source for nightlife and
entertainment.
Regards,
editorLetter from the
Chad Kirby
STAFF PUBLISHERH. A. World Wide Media Group, Inc.
EDITORChad [email protected]
DESIGNCK Graphic Designswww.ckgraphicdesigns.com
PRESIDENTHugo D. [email protected]
FINANCIAL DIRECTORAnthony McGeough [email protected]
OPERATIONS DIRECTORMichael [email protected]
DIRECTOR of WEBSITE OPERATIONSDiego Felipe [email protected]
LEGAL ADVISORDebra Belniak, [email protected]
SALESDon [email protected]
Kris [email protected]
MARKETING ADVISORSAnne Roggenbauer | AER [email protected]
Angye Fox | Ad Sizzle [email protected]
TRAVEL/EVENT ADVISORSTammy Levent | Elite Travel [email protected]
PUBLIC RELATIONSSonny [email protected]
SECURITYJ.R. Ruffer
OFFICE MASCOTSLuigi & Beanie
PHOTOGRAPHYEric Rivas | Twin Turbo PhotoDiego Felipe Alonso | 2night.com
PRINTINGK & D Marketing Group, Inc.
To advertise contact H. A. World Wide Media Group, Inc. 1-877-334-6569 ext 4
Vol. 1 Issue 4 Tampa Bay Pulse is published by H.A. World Wide Media Group, Inc. Tampa Bay Pulse Magazine is a registered trademark ofH.A. World Wide Media Group, Inc.. Tampa Bay Pulse Magazine is in no way responsible for loss or damage to unsolicited items. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited. Copyright 2009 by Tampa Bay Pulse Magazine and H.A. World Wide Media Group, Inc.. All rights reserved.
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Essentials
Whisky Stones by TeroformaNatural soapstone cubes. Freeze 3 or 4 stones for four hours before adding to your whisky. They will chill it slightly without diluting. Rinseable and reus-able. Will not work for larger volume beverages (soda, tea, juice); spirits only. 9 cubes in a gift box “to order” from Living Walls, Sarasota 941.957-4411
Whisky Stones by TeroformaNatural soapstone cubes. Freeze 3 or 4 stones for four hours before adding to your whisky. They will chill it slightly without diluting. Rinseable and reusable. Will not work for larger volume beverag-es (soda, tea, juice); spirits only. 9 cubes in a gift box “to order” from Living Walls, Sarasota 941.957-4411
Rubik’s TouchCube™
Rubik’s Cube®, the number one best-sell-ing game ever, has reached new heights—it has gone “touch” with the introduction of Rubik’s TouchCube™, the first completely electronic solvable Cube. The solution to the classic Rubik’s Cube puzzle, a global symbol of intelligence, used to be sev-eral turns away, but now it’s only several swipes away. Rubik’s TouchCube, features the same great game play of the Cube that has sold nearly 350 million pieces, and utilizes the very latest in touch and motion technologies.
Rubik’s TouchCube features touch sensor technology on all six sides, a motion-de-tecting accelerometer, and colored lights in every square. It even mimics the move-ments of the original 3x3 Cube—swipe a finger across three squares and the lights will follow, “turning” a side of the Cube;
make an “L” shape to turn the top face of the Cube a quarter turn. Rubik’s Touch-Cube’s motion-detecting accelerometer only recognizes moves made on the top side of the Cube, so that a player’s fingers won’t move the lights on other sides when holding it.
Solving the frustrations of hundreds of millions of Rubik’s Cube players, Rubik’s TouchCube also includes a built-in solver, so now anyone can easily learn how to solve the Cube step by step. Ask for a hint or watch Rubik’s TouchCube solve itself. Internal memory allows players to save their current puzzle so they can resume play anytime. Players can choose between modern or classic sound effects at varying volume levels to have a new or nostalgic Rubik’s experience as they swipe. Rubik’s TouchCube stands alone as a great desk accessory—the colors slide and change while it recharges in its display stand.
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Oakley Elite C-Six™
The premier frame in this exclusive eyewear fam-ily takes aesthetics to an entirely new arena, and it would not be possible without the world’s most ad-vanced structural technologies. Oakley Elite C SIX utilizes pure carbon fiber, a material thinner than hu-man hair yet stronger than high tensile steel. This breakthrough innovation from the aerospace indus-try is blended with resins and assembled into struc-tures more than 40 layers thick. Five-axis Computer Numeric Control machining carves and shapes the composite with a process that requires more than 24 hours of continuous tooling.
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Gaming
BRÜTAL LEGENDlighter-flicking fun sure to melt your face offBrütal Legend tells the tale of Eddie Riggs, played by Jack Black. The ultimate roadie, Eddie is the first person anyone calls when they need guitars tuned or stages rigged, and has a love for hot rods and a photographic memory for every heavy metal album cover, and the lyrics those albums contained. One night, a stage accident knocks Eddie unconscious, and he awakens in a world that looks very strange yet oddly familiar, a world where every heavy metal album cover and lyric Eddie knows has come to life, and where the evil emperor Doviculus and his demon army, The Tainted Coil, have enslaved the last remaining humans. When an oppressed people request Eddie’s knowledge of modern warfare, he pulls from his own experience in the only occupation he’s ever had, a roadie for a heavy metal band, and under his command, this barbaric force of hot-rods, Marshall stacks, leather, and chrome will bring this ancient world into the age of metal.
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NEED FOR SPEEDSHIFTStart Your EnginesNeed for Speed™ SHIFT features 18 authentic race tracks and over 65 pixel-perfect cars including the one-of-a-kind BMW M3 GT2 that graces the cover. The spectacular SHIFT cover car is one of the fastest, most powerful cars ever to be featured in a Need for Speed game. Designed to deliver a true drivers experience, SHIFT boasts legend-ary cars from the past 35 years, each one modeled to deliver an incredible sense of speed and realism.
The cars in SHIFT cover a wide spectrum of the seminal performance machines in the world, including classic cars like the 1972 Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R, renowned tun-ers like 1995 Mazda RX-7, and ultra-exclusive exotic cars like the 2007 Lamborghini Reventón. The best way to show off these hot rides is to take them for a spin on the track. Need for Speed SHIFT features over 50 unique layouts across 18 tracks in-cluding real-world locations and fictional circuits. Players can race on world-renowned tracks like the grueling 20 km Nordschleife or meticulously-designed fictional circuits found in Glendale with its steep grades, hairpin corners and blind crests.
“Need for Speed SHIFT is about the intense power and emotion of being behind the wheel and this carefully selected list of cars and tracks was chosen to give players the ultimate driving moment,” said Patrick Soderlund, Senior Vice President at EA Games Europe. “SHIFT is the evolution of racing genre. We’re delivering the first truly immer-sive driving game by combining perfectly modelled cars and tracks with the dramatic realism of the true driver’s experience.”
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TATSUNOKO VS. CAPCOM:Ultime All-StarsTATSUNOKO VS. CAPCOM: ULTIMATE ALL-STARS pairs well-known characters from Capcom’s roster of games with some of Japan’s most beloved characters from anime powerhouse Tatsunoko Production. From Capcom’s 30-year history comes characters like Ryu and Chun-Li from the Street Fighter series, Morrigan from Darkstalkers and company mascot Mega Man Volnutt from Mega Man Leg-ends. Tatsunoko’s near half-century of Japanese animation excellence is represented by the likes of Ken the Eagle and Jun the Swan from the Science Ninja Team Gatchaman an-ime (known in North America as Battle of the Planets or G-Force), cybernetic warrior Casshan and comedic action hero Yatterman No. 1. All together, there are more than 20 colorful combatants to choose from in order to form the ulti-mate tag team combination.
Gameplay will instantly set fighting game fans’ fingers twitching, combining elements from Capcom games like Street Fighter and previous entries in the VS series, TAT-SUNOKO VS. CAPCOM ULTIMATE ALL-STARS is a fun fighting game designed for all levels of players. Players choose from the combined roster of fighters to create their favorite two man/woman/cyborg/robot tag team, rotating on the fly between the two players throughout the course of each match. Those new to the genre will appreciate the game’s bright visual style and simplified four-button fight-ing controls. Hardcore Capcom fighting fans will dig in to the game’s depth, uncovering huge Aerial Rave combos and unique Variable Assists, gorgeous Hyper Combos, and Variable Combinations that combine the capabilities of two members of the player’s tag-team to unleash huge dam-age. •••
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Tech
iMacIs this the best desktop computer in the world?
Apple® has unveiled an all new iMac® line fea-turing brilliant LED-backlit 21.5 and 27-inch wi-descreen displays in a new edge-to-edge glass design and seamless all aluminum enclosure. The new iMac line, starting at $1,199, is the fastest ever with Intel Core 2 Duo processors starting at 3.06 GHz, and Core i5 and i7 quad-core proces-sors for up to twice the performance.* Every new iMac ships with a wireless keyboard and the all new wireless Magic Mouse, the world’s first mouse with Multi-Touch™ technology pioneered by Apple on the iPhone®, iPod touch® and Mac® notebook trackpad.
“The iMac is widely praised as the best desktop computer in the world and today we are making it even better,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With brilliant LED displays and the revolutionary Magic Mouse, the new iMac delivers an amazing desktop experience that we think customers will love.”
The new iMac features stunning LED-backlit dis-plays with a 16:9 aspect ratio, ideal for watch-ing high definition movies and TV shows from iTunes®, or editing and watching your own videos or photos using iLife®. The new 21.5-inch iMac features a high resolution 1920-by-1080 pixel dis-play. The 27-inch iMac features a beautiful 2560-by-1440 pixel display that offers 60 percent more pixels than the previous 24-inch model. Both 21.5 and 27-inch displays use IPS technology to deliver consistent color across an ultra wide 178 degree viewing angle.
The iMac comes standard with a wireless key-board and the new Magic Mouse featuring Apple’s revolutionary Multi-Touch technology. Instead of needing mechanical buttons, scroll wheels or scroll balls, the entire top of the Magic Mouse is a seamless Multi-Touch surface. Using intuitive ges-tures, a user can easily scroll through long docu-ments, pan across large images or swipe to move forward or backward through a collection of web pages or photos. The Magic Mouse can be config-ured as either a single button or two button mouse, according to the user’s preference. The wireless keyboard and Magic Mouse work seamlessly with the iMac’s built-in Bluetooth capabilities to provide a clean, cable-free desk top.
The iMac features improved graphics across the line with NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics or ATI Radeon HD 4670 discrete graph-ics in the 21.5-inch model, and ATI Radeon HD 4670 discrete graphics or ATI Radeon HD 4850 discrete graphics in the 27-inch model. The new iMac line now also features 4GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 memory and capacity up to 16GB across
four SO-DIMM slots. Every iMac features a built-in iSight® video camera, mic and stereo speak-ers integrated into the thin aluminum and glass design. iMac includes built-in AirPort Extreme® 802.11n Wi-Fi networking, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, Gigabit Ethernet, a total of four USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire® 800 port and a new built-in SD card slot.
Apple today also announced that the Mac mini, the world’s most energy efficient desktop,** is now faster, offers more storage and comes standard with double the memory. Starting at $599, the en-try level Mac mini features a faster 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and 2GB of DDR3 1066 MHz memory, a 160GB hard drive, five USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 800, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics and a SuperDrive®. The $799 Mac mini features a 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of memory and a larger 320GB hard drive. Apple now offers a $999 Mac mini that is specially configured with Mac OS® X Snow Leopard® Server. Mac mini with Snow Leopard Server features two 500GB hard drives for a total of 1TB of server storage in the tiny 6.5-inch square by 2-inch tall Mac mini enclosure.
Continuing Apple’s commitment to the environment, both iMac and Mac mini extend their leader-ship in green design. iMac and Mac mini meet the new, more stringent Energy Star 5.0 require-ments and achieve EPEAT Gold status.*** The new iMac now features LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. Both iMac and Mac mini use PVC-free internal components and cables, contain no brominated flame retardants, use highly recyclable materials, and feature material-efficient system and packaging designs.
Every Mac comes with Mac OS X Snow Leopard, the world’s most advanced operating system, and iLife, Apple’s innovative suite of applications for managing photos, making movies and creat-ing and learning to play music. Snow Leopard builds on a decade of OS X innovation and success with hundreds of refinements, new core technologies and out of the box support for Microsoft Exchange. iLife features iPhoto®, to easily organize and manage photos; iMovie® with powerful easy-to-use new features such as Precision Editor, video stabilization and advanced drag and drop; and GarageBand® which introduces a whole new way to help you learn to play piano and guitar. $1199-$1999
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DROIDMotorola’s answer to the G1
Verizon Wireless, the company with the nation’s largest wireless 3G broadband network, and Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT), a pioneer in the mobile industry, today unveiled DROID by Motorola, the first smartphone powered by Android™ 2.0. DROID by Motorola features the brainpower and breakneck speed of a modern smartphone, designed to outperform where other smartphones fall short.
“We’re proud to work with Verizon Wireless and Google™ on the first smartphone to feature Android 2.0,” said Sanjay Jha, co-chief executive officer of Motorola and chief executive officer of Motorola Mobile De-vices. “DROID by Motorola delivers a rich consumer experience with warp-speed Web browsing, a mam-moth screen, and Motorola’s expertise in design and voice quality. Combined with Android’s open, flexible graphical user interface and the power of Verizon Wireless’ 3G network, DROID is a smartphone that simply doesn’t compromise.”
“This is an exciting announcement for Verizon Wireless, as the DROID by Motorola is the first device that we are bringing to market under our ground-breaking strategic partnership with Google,” said John Strat-ton, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless. “DROID by Motorola gives customers a lifestyle device with access to more than 12,000 applications that will help them stay in touch, up to date and entertained, using the best 3G network in the country.”
DROID by Motorola has a solid exterior, intelligent interior and is one of the thinnest full-QWERTY slider phones available. It is a no-fuss, high-tech, location-aware, voice-recognizing, over-the-air updating, multi-tasking machine – and it is available just in time for holiday wish lists.
inPulseSmartwatch for BlackBerry®
inPulse is the perfect BlackBerry smartphone accessory - it’s a watch which connects wirelessly to your phone by BlueTooth®, alerting you in-stantly to incoming emails, SMS and calls. inPulse extends the function-ality of your BlackBerry smartphone, so when you’re in a pinch you can check your inPulse instead of fumbling around with your phone.
Using your inPulse, a glance down at your wrist is all it takes to discreetly check recently received email and SMS messages. New messages are pushed directly to your inPulse. Instead of pulling out your phone to figure out who keeps texting you, just keep an eye on your inPulse.
Have you ever missed a call because you didn’t hear your phone ring-ing or couldn’t feel the vibration? inPulse has a built-in vibrating motor which alerts you immediately to incoming calls. Glance down at inPulse to quickly see who is calling.
inPulse lets you stay connected if your hands are full or if your phone is tucked safely away in your bag or purse. But there are millions of other times when you might wish to see you messages on your wrist.
inPulse features an elegant user interface with 1 button interaction. It grabs important information like, caller ID, text messages, email titles, calendar alerts and displays it on a colour OLED screen. The watch body is crafted from high-grade materials and is fitted to a custom wrist band.
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Mixology
It’s the moment when evening ends and your night begins. 901 Silver Tequila celebrates the official launch of its highly antici-pated triple distilled, ultra premium tequila. 901 is the catalyst that not only gets the night started, but keeps it going. It marks a new level for ultra premium tequila, introducing an upscale, so-
phisticated and fun brand. “We wanted to bring a superior product with exceptional taste to the market, but most importantly we wanted a tequila that delivered an ultra smooth finish,” said 901 Silver Presi-dent, Kevin Ruder.
In order to maintain the highest level of quality, 901 Silver is produced us-ing only 100% Blue Weber Agave. Produced by Tequilera Newton, in the heart of Jalisco, Mexico, 901 Sil-ver is triple distilled using the most innovative distillation methods avail-able for fine tequila. Perfected with over three generations of craftsman-ship and more than 60 years of ex-perience, 901 Silver is hand crafted in small batches allowing greater quality control of the tequila. Deliv-ering a fruity nose and finishing with exceptional smoothness and subtle hints of agave, 901 Silver provides the perfect balance. Our master dis-tiller ensures that no matter where or when you experience the tequila, It’s Always 9:01.
The iconic packaging features a one of a kind shape in a tall, stylish bottle. 901 Tequila’s bold print logo is front and center, adorning the length of every bottle, which is fitted with a metallic silver cap.
it’s always
9:01
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TY KU Premium Liqueur invites you to“Sip Your Superfruits”™The perfect blend of traditional Asian spirits with delicious superfruits and teas, TY KU Premium Liqueur is single-handedly creating a new category of beverages for consumers who care about what they put in their bodies. Clean and crisp with a refreshing citrus flavor profile, TY KU combines premium all natural ingredients including: yuzu (vitamin C), mangosteen (antioxidants), Tibetan goji berry (18 amino acids & vitamins), honeydew (potassium and vitamin C), green tea (antioxidants) and ginseng, all har-moniously blended with soju, a low calorie Asian vodka which enhances flavorful ingredients without the need of added sugar. The result is a low calorie, low carb and low sugar* liqueur that is delicious chilled straight, on the rocks or combined with practically any other spirit of choice, allowing you to create great tasting cocktails such as the martini, margarita, and mojito for under 100 calories!
TY KU has been quickly gaining nationwide buzz, being featured in Men’s Health “Booze with Ben-efits” and InStyle’s “Celebrity Hip Sips”. People in-the-know have been captivated by both the unique premium taste and its sexy award-winning design. The TY KU bottle is a true show-stopper as it is the world’s only illuminating bottle™ and actually lights up when it is poured! Its striking design is also the recipient of multiple awards including the Five Star Five Diamond Award, BIN gold medals, and the IF product design award. The TY KU bottle is an instant conversation starter whether it is seen glowing green in the hottest nightclubs and bars or during a quiet evening at a spirit aficionado’s home bar.
TY KU Premium Liqueur has quickly developed a broad fan base of tastemakers that include: Jay-Z, Gisele Bündchen, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jeremy Piven, Jamie Foxx, Todd English, John Mayer, Jennifer Garner, Terri Hatcher, Dwyane Wade, Rosario Dawson, Ne-Yo, Jessica Simpson, Bon Jovi and Michael Phelps.
With age-old premium spirits and ingredients combined with a unique modern flavor profile and striking, sexy package, TY KU blends Eastern tradition and Western ingenuity, embracing the company’s Mantra of “Respect Tradition, Embrace Tomorrow”.
Known as “The Drink of the Gods”, TY KU Sake elevates the timeless tradi-tion of sake brewing for the 21st cen-tury palate.TY KU Sake is changing the perception and experience of tradi-tional Japanese sake with its superior quality, taste and style. TY KU Sake blends the best of ancient Japanese brewing techniques with a modern edge to bring this timeless beverage to today’s health conscious consumer. Beyond producing an exceptional tast-ing beverage, TY KU strives to enlighten consumers of the many benefits of sake.
TY KU Sake is a Super Premium Junmai Ginjo, which is one of the purest beverages on the planet, made from only four all natural ingredients: pristine iron-free water, specialty sake rice milled more than 40%, proprietary yeast and handmade koji. Specially brewed in a craft style with no additives or preservatives, the end result is a refined, smooth flavor profile with a soft fruity aroma and a fantastic finish.
Shattering the stereotype that sake is a generic beverage served hot and limited to Asian restaurants, TY KU Sake is an extremely versatile drink best enjoyed chilled or as the perfect base in pre-
TY KUVery Much
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mium cocktails. Poor quality sake, served in many restaurants, is heated to mask the impurities and undesirable flavors, gen-erating common misperceptions of this category. TY KU Sake is super premium, with a quality and taste that should be celebrated, not hidden with heat.
TY KU Sake’s refined flavor profile bal-ances peach on the nose with a subtle hint of spice underneath. It is soft and creamy with a rich texture that coats the palate resulting in a long finish which ends crisp. The depth and body pairs well with lighter Western fare (grilled white meats & cooked fish), yet is dry and delicate enough to complement Asian cuisine.
Packaged in TY KU’s iconic sleek and sexy matte-black bottle, TY KU has the distinguished honor of being the only sake to ever receive the prestigious Five Star Diamond Award.
Following the mantra, ‘Respect Tradition, Embrace Tomorrow’, TY KU Sake will not only change the way you drink sake, it will change the way you drink.
The Crown Jewel of Sake™ TY KU White represents the pin-nacle of Ultra Premium Japanese SakeTY KU White is simply the best in the world. A rare special designation Junmai Daiginjo, TY KU White is created for true connoisseurs with discriminating tastes, painstakingly hand crafted and bottled in small batches–making production quantities extremely limited. With less than 5% of all sakes in the world reaching the elite Junmai Daiginjo classification, experiencing TY KU White is a distinct honor reserved for a select few.
Crafted with the world’s finest 100% pure all natural ingredients: rice, water, yeast and koji, TY KU White is produced using traditional Japanese brewing techniques under the watchful eye of the most decorated sakemaster (Toji) in all of Japan, Yoishio Koizumi. Within the walls of a revered sakery over 2,000 years old, the Toji oversees the final selection for bottling to ensure only the absolute highest quality sake earns the ability to be called TY KU White.
The rare designation, all handmade process, extreme care and knowledge of craftsmanship are not the only reasons TY KU White is the Crown Jewel of Sake. The true excellence lies in the details of each of the four ultra premium ingredients, all of which represent the gold standard in their respective categories.
TY KU is the only sake with the distinguished honor of being the recipient of the Five Star Diamond Award. Each individually numbered bottle of Ultra Premium TY KU White is showcased within a locally sourced and renewable bamboo box, complete with laser-etched Japanese-styled foliage.•••
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Is a world class super premium spirit distilled and filtered 5 times to assure unsurpassed quality and taste. It is made in France in Cognac region . Every bottle is hand made by skillful glass makers who bring to life the concept and designs of the brand. The tall, rectangu-lar distinct bottles with the signature Ed Hardy tattoos makes this bottle unique and very pretty Imported from France, this exquisite Vodka promises to offer your taste buds an experience like never before.Recently awarded silver medal on Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition.
Ed Hardy Vodka
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The adversity and challenges of life, especially in business, are hard to take on by one-
self, but with the help of a good team of friends, it becomes just that much easier. It is
very essential to have your team’s destination clearly in sight, even before the venture
begins. As a leader or mentor, you must have the will power to lead by example, even
when times get tough. Because, I can promise you that there will be times when even
you need a shoulder to cry on. That’s when you have to be able to keep preserving
the belief inside of you that, even during current negative conditions, your dreams and
goals are still possible of achieving.
As time takes its course and another year flashes by me, I always like to take the time
to give back to a city that has given me so much. Growing up in humble beginnings,
has taught me the essence of giving back. That’s why every year I like to celebrate
my birthday @ venues that incorporate the Tampa nightlife with the idealism of giving
back. As the celebration of another year was underway, I partnered up with some very
talented friends and venues that have the same philosophy.
Matthew Pezzullo | Imax Theatre & Dolce Vita
Sonny Glover | NEO & Groove Productions
Don Bethell | Tampa Prints
Heidy Leal | Fox Models
Each event was dedicated towards sponsoring a specific cause or foundation. From
such causes like the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, to the Children’s
Home, we dedicated the month to not just having a good time, but giving back, while
doing it in style.
Once again, I want to thank you for listening. Enjoy the Pics, and as always……
”Stay thirsty my friends!”
Very Respectfully,
Hugo D. Aviles
Birthday Celebration for Charity
Teaming Up With Tampa’s Own
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Moto
STREETFIGHTERSoul of a Superbike, Attitude of a Fighter!
ducati’s
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Living up to its name, there was little doubt that the Ducati Streetfighter would score a round one knock-out when it en-tered the ring for the first time at the 2008 EICMA Show in Milan. Making an immediate impact on the international press and the public, it was nominated “most beautiful bike
in show” and raised the bar for extreme nakeds by creating a new point of reference in the market.
The Superbike soul of the Ducati Streetfighter combines aggressiveness with the refined elegance of a naked and just one look at the bike provokes an intense rush of adrenaline and excitement. Stripped to the bare essentials, its combination of state-of-the-art race technol-ogy, skeletal styling and contemporary design takes Ducati’s big naked concept to the very top of the fighter food chain.
The true Ducati spirit is captured by an incredibly powerful Desmodromic L-Twin 1098 “Tes-tastretta Evoluzione” engine producing 155hp with an incredibly wide spread of power thanks to 85lb-ft (11.7kgm) of torque. The Streetfighter’s power and precision is further maximised by weighing in at just 368lb (167kg) (S version) and further benefits from technology derived directly from Ducati’s MotoGP and Superbike projects. Ducati Traction Control and Data Anal-ysis, racing-style braking system, fully adjustable suspension and forged wheels all come as standard equipment on the ‘S’ to complete the battle-ready package.
As orders from all over the world flood into Ducati’s factory in Bologna, the Streetfighter and Streetfighter S models go into production.
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STREETFIGHTER MADE GOODThe Streetfighter culture was born on the backstreets of Northern Europe dur-ing the late 70s and 80s. If the Café rac-er movement had taken traditional bikes and transformed them to establish out-and-out sport bikes, then Streetfighters were definitely anti-establishment. They evolved by removing the fairings from sport bikes, fitting higher bars and cus-tomising to create high-performance, over-the-top nakeds. Now, Ducati have taken that concept and applied their own Italian sophistication to a stunning, factory-prepared Streetfighter.
The Ducati Streetfighter is equipped with everything that made the Superbike a legend: Awesome L-Twin muscle with brutal, big-bore torque, thoroughbred chassis technology, beautiful single-sid-ed swingarm, planet-stopping Monobloc brakes and pure, sophisticated class.
While the tank and seat shapes leave no doubt as to the Streetfighter’s roots, it is the upright and commanding riding position that really starts to shape the character of this ultimate naked. New, minimalistic controls, instrumentation and headlight design leave the front looking clean and mean, while twin-stacked right-side mufflers at the rear leave the tail-end high and sharp. No other Ducati has ever achieved such an aggressive stance while providing a comfortable, empowering, controllable and enjoyable ride.
Ducati’s ‘S’ treatment of the Street-fighter takes its sophistication way off the scale. Superbike spec Öhlins sus-pension front and rear with lightweight forged Marchesini wheels add street credibility when in town and that all-im-portant ‘feel’ when exploring the Street-fighter’s sports soul.
Add the awesome street-going Ducati Traction Control and Ducati Data Analy-sis as standard equipment and it’s clear that the Streetfighter S is not just mus-cle – it’s intelligent too.
LIFESTYLEDucati’s Streetfighter project was in-evitable. The passion to build the most successful Superbikes ever, mixed with
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the desire to create iconic, naked motorcycles was a rush of adrena-line just waiting to happen. Who else would create a bike for out-and-out purists to celebrate naked power in all its forms? A bike with muscle-engine performance, ag-gressive chassis engineering and intelligent electronics all laid bare to appreciate, respect and enjoy? Ducati build bikes for enthusiasts – for bikers who appreciate the details that come together to make an awe-some bike, for perfectionists who instantly recognise excellence when they see it.
Ducati motorcycles aren’t just a means of transport, they enable a lifestyle that sets their rider apart from the rest of the world. They’re an extension of character and the ultimate personal statement. The Streetfighter is built with pure Ducati passion and it’s ready to impress, whatever the lifestyle. If you’re riding
downtown, the Streetfighter is sure to make the coolest arrival. If you’re out of town carving a line through the curves there’ll be nothing more exciting than the Streetfighter.
Ducati have captured the essence of all motorcycle lifestyles with the Streetfighter and it now takes own-ership of the naked category. It’ll be a tough act to follow so get ready for Desmo domination.
TAKE CONTROLThe Streetfighter riding position is empowering. The lightweight alu-minium, tapered bars are higher than on a Superbike, but still flat enough to ride hard, so machine control is enhanced and the rela-tionship with the front-end remains intact. Considerable study on seat, footpeg and handlebar position has maximised comfort without losing the feeling that you’re aboard an ex-
treme naked Ducati.
Showing attention to detail typical of all new Ducatis, the handlebars are gripped by beautifully shaped clamps that flow sleekly into the bar-risers. Even the switchgear has been revised to represent minimal-ism at its best. The slim-line bod-ies house easy-to-use switches and buttons with new features like the unique weapons-like ‘trigger catch’ that slides down to cover the starter button when activating the kill-switch. Symmetrically-mounted remote brake and clutch reservoirs are small, low and compact and feed slim, radial master-cylinders by Brembo to complete the clean and uncluttered controls arrangement.
The Streetfighter’s instrumentation continues that same clean look with a new compact shape that blends into the aggressive line of the head-light. Information additional to the
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default read-outs is managed from the left-hand handlebar-mounted switch gear, al-lowing the rider to scroll through and select from various menus. The display presents rpm and speed, with the former displayed across the screen in a progressive bar graph. Additionally, the instruments display lap times, DTC status and level selected (if activated on Streetfighter S) time, air temperature, coolant temperature, battery voltage, two trips and a trip that automati-cally starts as the fuel system goes onto reserve. Warning lights illuminate to signify neutral, turn signals, high beam, rev-limit, low oil pressure, fuel reserve, DTC inter-vention (if activated on Streetfighter S) and scheduled maintenance. The instrument display is also used as the control pan-els for the DDA and DTC systems as well as listing lap times recorded by using the high-beam flash button as a stopwatch.
A CHASSIS BORN TO FIGHTAt 373lb dry weight for the Streetfighter and 368lb for the Streetfighter S, both come to the fight with the highest power-to-weight ratio in their class and the need for rock-solid handling and well-planted front-ends to match. A purpose-built Trellis frame takes care of business at the front-end by using 25.6° of rake compared to the Superbike’s 24.5°, and a 35mm longer single-sided swingarm at the rear ensures the Streetfighter’s acceleration need never be compromised. The longer, beautifully created aluminium swingarm follows the same dual construction detail as the Su-perbike models and is anodised finished in black.
The lower triple-clamp also gets more mus-cle development. Formed in a strength-enhancing gull-wing shape for even more rigidity, it maintains a vice-like grip on the fork legs, giving a precise and solid feeling through the bars on fast direction chang-es.
The revised rake, longer wheelbase and cross-mounted steering damper ensure stability even under the extreme acceleration of Ducati’s incredible L-Twin torque.
POWER HOUSEThe world-beating 1098 Tes-tastretta Evoluzione needs little introduction. Debuting in 2007, it went on to form the basis of a motor that
powered Ducati to Super-stock and Superbike World titles that left the competition stunned. Now, its massive bore, short stroke and incredible torque powers Ducati’s most extreme naked and the results are equally as stunning.
Producing a ballistic 85lb-ft (11.7kgm) of torque and 155hp (114kW), the Streetfight-er’s awesome 1098 power house fears nothing of the naked sports competition. The L-Twin, Testastretta Evoluzione en-gine gives both the best power-to-weight and the best torque-to-weight ratios in its class.
New features include enhanced detailing on the cam belt covers and the magnesium dry clutch cover as well as a new black fin-ish for the main outer casings and carbon-grey finish for the crankcases, which em-ploy the same weight-saving technology used for the 1198.
The vacuum die-cast process used to make the crankcases ensures consistent and precise wall thickness and increased strength from absolute material purity while
reducing weight an incredible 3kg (6.5lb) compared to those of the 1098 Superbike engine.
Using the Testastretta narrow valve angle, super-straight intake ducts and specially shaped combustion chambers, the Des-modromic motor continues to breathe through MotoGP-derived elliptical throttle bodies and four large diameter valves per cylinder to achieve its incredible spread of torque.
A high performance six-speed box and racing-style dry clutch makes sure the transmission package delivers 155hp as efficiently as possible.
The Streetfighter’s power house is pro-tected by twin coolant radiators, carefully curved in pure naked style for optimum performance and engineering beauty. The upper radiator is assisted by lightweight, high flow electric fan assemblies while the lower sits in the front of the belly pan, which also houses a highly efficient oil heat exchanger.
NAKED DETAILMore attention to detail than ever before has gone into creating the Ducati Street-fighter. Repositioning many of the com-ponents usually hidden by bodywork and continuing to keep them out of sight was a major challenge for the design and en-gineering teams, but they’ve pulled it off with impressive results. Add to this details such as the perfectly formed passenger seat cover, a rear hugger fitted as stan-dard equipment and the pre-minimalised licence plate holder, and it’s plain to see that Ducati have gone that extra step to achieve the highest level of finish.
Streetfighter SDucati’s ‘S’ treatment of the Streetfighter pushes its tech spec to the red line. Öhlins suspension front and rear and lightweight Marchesini forged wheels stack up seri-ous credibility, while the front fender and cambelt covers in super-light carbon fibre help reduce the dry weight to an extreme 368lb.
But the ‘S’ sophistication doesn’t end there. Awesome street-going Ducati Trac-tion Control and Ducati Data Analysis are standard issue, making it clear that the Streetfighter S is not all muscle – it’s intel-ligent too. •••
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The Midnight Rider Tundra Tail-gater by Brooks & Dunn is a tribute to the legendary coun-try music duo’s career that has spanned over 20 years.
The Tundra full-size pickup has been a sponsor of Brooks & Dunn for the past three-plus years and the Tundra Tailgater is Toyota’s way of celebrating the music duo’s upcoming 2010 farewell tour. The concept for this one-of-a-kind Tun-dra Tailgater was developed through Toyota’s partnership with Brooks & Dunn. Inspired by the music duo’s large truck-devoted fan base, Toyota wanted to push the boundaries of bed utility and capture the imagery of the truck trucker. Built by The B.A.D. Company, the customized Tundra CrewMax Limited full-size 4x2 V8 pickup was a perfect fit for the ulti-mate tailgating vehicle. The Ultimate Tailgating Experience® oc-curs when you slide out the tailgate, ex-posing a Grill N Chill® cooking area from Go! Products. The pull-out Grill N Chill features a cooking space with counter-tops, infrared barbeque, beverage tap and ice chest. An electronically operat-ed tonneau cover enhances your tailgate party with a bed-installed 42-inch flat screen TV and sound system by Kicker. The sound system features a dual sub-woofer system and a separate amp, four two-way speakers with tweeters and
separate cross-overs, and dual t w o - c h a n n e l amps with sepa-rate equalizers and speaker control units. On the outside, the truck features custom black paint treated with silver metal-lic flakes. The exterior is ac-cented by custom western-engraved silver door handles, a front grille adorned with a chrome Brooks & Dunn logo steer skull, a chrome-ac-cented steer skull tailgate handle, and a hand-tooled black saddle leather-trim tonneau cover surrounded with custom Brooks & Dunn silver conchos, all creat-ed by noted silversmith, artist and horse-man, Clint Mortenson of Mortenson Sil-ver & Saddles. Also added is a Brooks & Dunn license plate frame recognizing 20 years of hit music. The exterior is topped off with 20-inch Mickey Thompson “Clas-sic Lock” polished aluminum wheels with 35-inch Mickey Thompson “Claw” off-road tires, Bushwacker bolt-on fender flares, a three-inch suspension lift, and Toyota accessorized chrome tube steps.
MIDNIGHT RIDERTundra TailgaTer by brooks & dunn
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Inside, The B.A.D. Company complements the exterior of the Tun-dra Tailgater with black leather trim seats and silver accents. Also added is a hand-tooled silver cupholder faceplate and custom saddle horn shift knob highlighted with a silver cap. The interior features a Toyota navigation system and rear seat entertainment. Audio was upgraded with Kicker speakers including one subwoofer, one two-way speaker with separate tweeter crossover in each door, four more separate tweeters mounted throughout the cab, and three amps with an equalizer. In addition to celebrating 20 years of great music, the vast exposure of the Tundra Tailgater at the 2009 SEMA Show and the Brooks & Dunn farewell concert tour allows Toyota the opportunity to gauge consumer reaction towards the various interior treatments and bed utility, which can help influence future design possibilities. •••
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Timepieces
BLACK BELT WATCH, THE SPIRITReflects and honors the 7 virtues associated with Bushido, a powerful greeting to praise the courage of all black belt holders across the world, who, for centuries, have embodied the samu-rai warriors code through the initiation and practice of an ancient martial art.
BLACK BELT WATCH, THE CONCEPTDeveloped and manufactured in Switzerland, the Black Belt Watch is solely reserved for black belt holders, regardless of the martial art style. Each practitioner has to provide an official rank certificate.
BLACK BELT WATCH, THE PROJECTBlack Belt Watch supports the “Little Dreams” foundation and donates a percentage of its sales to the “No Difference” cause, a program that aims to grant young people with a handicap, the chance to realize their passion for a martial art.
BLACK BELT WATCH, THE TEAMAs a tribute to the Bushido code of conduct and its 7 virtues, the black belt fighters, Claudio Alessi and Yvan Arpa, teamed up with Swiss watchmakers and created a timepiece cloaked with Gi Rectitude – Yu Courage – Jin Benevolence – Rei Respect – Makoto Honesty – Meiyo Honor – Chugi Loyalty.
FOR BLACKBELTS ONLYTHe FirsT WaTCH in THe World THaT Money Can’T buy!
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The renowned Martial Arts master, Claudio Alessi gained the World Championship title along with those of several European and Swiss Championships. This multi style Sen-sei who is a Mixed Martial Arts instructor has also developed a specific technique to teach Martial Arts to disabled people.
After 14 hard fought karate final matches, with and against his friend and competitor,
Yvan Arpa decided to leave the tournaments’ tatami mats and join the challenging Swiss watchmaking scene. His sharp marketing vi-sion fueled for success Sector No limit, the Hublot Big Bang and Romain Jerome, where he created an overnight sensation with the “DNA of Famous Legends” concept. He produced two collections “Titanic-DNA” and “Moon Dust-DNA”. Both became bywords for innovation, daring design and superb
craftsmanship. The Black Belt Watch’s is an eloquent expression of his creativity, brim-ming with symbols and emotions.
BLACK BELT WATCH, SWISS MADEImagined, designed and manufactured in the total respect of the Bushido values. •••
Claudio Alessi and Yvan Arpa.
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BATTLESALONS
OF THE
The infamous Battle of Salons is finally over!!! The compe-tition took place in the course of a 12 week period. With the 4th and final event ending in excellent fashion!
The first 3 events were a competition period that consisted of 3 hand-picked stylists/Salons and 1 overall theme and style. They were judged by a panel of 3 Judges and the applause of the audience. The Winners of each of the 3 events went on to the Finale which had a theme and style as well, and judged in the same manor.
Stylists were responsible for bringing their own model and products. They were provided a space to work with elec-tric outlets. The winner of the overall competition, Adiel Rivera from Bentley Salon, was awarded a GRAND PRIZE EDITORIAL AND PHOTOSPREAD in Tampa’s Own Pulse Magazine!
If you have any questions please contact Anne Roggen-bauer at 813-784-9949 or email [email protected]
9 local stylists battle it out To Prove Which salon is best!
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Style
HUGOBOSSInternational Plaza | 813-342-3790
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Profile
Roy Johnson demands constant attention. Whether he is on stage ranting about vegetarians (“if God didn’t want us to eat meat he would have made pigs taste bad and cows move faster - end of discussion”), hanging out at gay karaoke at Crowbar in Ybor (and being asked, “wait, you mean you’re not gay?” after try-ing to hit on a leggy brunette), or sitting at his table outside of Java and Cream
on Davis Island (where he drinks a six espresso shot iced mocha latte every morning), Roy gets noticed. It is easy to picture him as a hyperactive child sitting at his family’s dinner table in Tulsa, Oklahoma trying to keep all the attention focused on himself. “In my family,” he admits, “it wasn’t about being the smartest or the fastest, or even the nicest. . .it was about getting the biggest laugh.” By the age of ten, he had listened to Steve Martin’s comedy al-bums so many times that he could recite them verbatim (even though he didn’t understand all of it), and his obsession with making people laugh grew. — By William Blair
Love Notes from the
TRUE ROMANTIC
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These days, Roy is a comic force of nature. He tours the country playing at comedy clubs and dive bars, usually driving all night to gigs in his trusty black Hyundai. He obsessively works on new jokes, staying up late to scrawl ideas on the eight foot tall whiteboard he has propped against his bedroom wall. Even in general conversation, you get the feeling he is constantly playing with new material, throw-ing out one-liners and experimenting with the rants that make up the majority of his work. He admits that he is “more comfortable talk-ing to 500 people than one-on-one”, and his intense eyes never stop moving while he is talking. However, when he does lock his dark eyes on yours, it can be difficult to break the connection; he is direct, powerful and very passionate about his work.
Roy’s viewpoint of the world is blatantly hon-est, slightly neurotic and absolutely hilarious. He has an opinion about everything, espe-cially women. Even though he considers the perfect woman to be “a blend of my mother and one of those whores on Cimemax”, he calls himself a romantic. His first comedy CD is titled “Love Notes from the True Romantic” and it contains his best known bit, a five min-ute lesson on how to be the most romantic man in the world for less than $10 (“flowers $4, card $2.50, getting f”*&ked like a porn star, priceless!”). Women in the audience try to be offended, but instead find themselves laughing and looking at their dates critically. Although Roy can come across as a sexist pig at times, he is actually very much in touch with his feminine side (his favorite TV show is Gilmore Girls); this insight into women, as well as his dark eyes, Jack Nicholson eye-brows, and raw sex appeal (he made me add
that last bit) has helped him acquire a large female fan base.
After being one of Tampa’s favorite comedi-ans for eight years, Roy is moving to Los An-geles. I met with him at Java and Cream on Davis Island to ask about his time in Tampa, his upcoming move to L.A., and why he con-siders himself a “true romantic”.
You call yourself “Tampa’s Comedian” but you are moving to L.A. – why?Tampa has really neglected their comedy scene. The Tampa/Orlando area has some of the funniest comedians in the country right now, but unless you are famous you are overlooked. Tampa has run its course for me; there is nothing new here. I have done Davis Island, I have done Ybor and SoHo. There are only so many nights you can end up at the Hub.
So is your main goal as a comedian to be-come famous?Comedy is an art form, it is the purest form of art. There are no musical instruments, no props, nothing to hide behind – you are naked before the world and completely vulnerable. It is just you on the stage using your words to elicit emotions from hundreds of people. People who headline clubs are usually big names from TV or movies – the big names sell the tickets even though the opening acts are often funnier because those are the peo-ple who are really striving and working hard to be funny. I want my name to be famous so that I can sell out shows. I don’t really want fame and fortune, I just want to be able to pay my mortgage.
How did you get your start as a comedian?Back in 2001, I was serving tables and living in a shitty apartment on Davis Island. I would go play my guitar and sing during open mic at Yeoman’s Pub on Wednesday nights. I sang “Purple Rain” really, really bad – it was so bad that people didn’t know if I was being bad on purpose or not, but I would keep singing until I had everyone in the bar laughing and singing along with me. One night, someone from the Improv approached me about doing open mic night there. At that time, I was think-ing about going back to school to study ac-counting. After I did the open mic at Improv, I told my mom that I was going to forget about school and become a comedian. She said, “Of course you are – you have always been a comedian.”
You’ve been an Improv favorite for years, headlining and being a part of shows such as the Home Grown Show, the Average White Guy Show, and The Demolition Men. On No-vember 4th you performed for the last time as a Tampa Comedian at the Improv – your Hollywood or Bust Show. Do you credit The Improv with giving you your big break?I have to pay homage to The Improv. It is my favorite place on earth – it is a cathedral to comedy. There is no place that I feel more comfortable than on that stage doing a show. The first night that I performed there, I went up to the manager afterwards and asked him how I did. He told me that I sucked, but then as I walked away he pulled me back and said, “but someday you are going to be a rock star.”
Your first CD is called “Love Notes from the True Romantic” – what inspired that title? I love women, adore women, but I still have issues with women and wanted to show that even though I can be critical of women, I still think that falling in love and being in love is the greatest thing on earth. I think of myself as a romantic because I think sex is better with romance, love and passion.
You teach a Comedy Boot Camp at the Im-prov – any advice for aspiring comedians? Don’t worry about trying to write funny mate-rial because you are not going to be funny at first. It takes time to get comfortable with being on stage – just be yourself. •••
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TAMPA LOVES SPACEFEATURING WORLD SOUNDS
JACKSON’s ANNIVERSARY PARTY 2009Presented byPMNOCTEM EVENTS & PIED PIPER PRODUCTIONS
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Music
During Tampa’s MetroCon, I had the opportunity to meet up with Abney Park. What is steam-punk you ask? Accord-
ing to wikipedia, steampunk is a sub-genre of fantasy and speculative fiction that came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. The term denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century, and often Victorian era England—but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or real technologi-cal developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date. Other examples of steampunk contain alternate history-style presentations of “the path not taken” of such tech-nology as dirigibles, analog comput-ers, or digital mechanical computers (such as Charles Babbage’s Analyti-cal Engine); these frequently are pre-sented in an idealized light, or with a presumption of functionality.
Now that we are all on the same page, lets continue.
Im sitting at home, having been denied press credentials to the show from MetroCon organizers. They claim they have given out all the
press passes and there isn’t room for media...at the Tampa Convention Center. Hmmm...last time I was there it wasn’t standing room only. I check my email and there is a message from Captain Robert, lead singer of Abney Park. The band wants to meet before sound check, which at time of reading the email, was an hour away. To the Batmobile! I jump in the car and speed to downtown. I mentioned to the Captain that I was denied press passes and he agreed to meet me outside and get me in. Seemed he was none-to-thrilled with the organizers.
As I sit in downtown traffic, I see remnants of the Con. Young adults dressed as Anime (Japanese anima-tion) characters walking to and from the direction of the Center. I park. I call. I meet.
As i walk thru the throngs of cosplay characters, I am looking for Captain Robert. I know him from photos and from his feature on G4 TV’s Underground segment. As we swim through the crowd, he appears on the horizon. I’m shocked by how tall he is, and how normal he looks com-pared to everyone else in the room besides myself. We shake hands, and then hurry off to the green room...remember the clock is ticking down to sound check.
ABNEY PARKAbney Park comes from an era that never was, but one that we wish had been. An era where airships waged war in the skies, and corsets and cummerbunds were proper ad-venturing attire. They’ve picked up their bad musical habits, scoundrelous musicians, and anachronistically hybridized instruments from dozens of locations and eras that they have visited in their travels and thrown them into one riotous der-vish of a performance. Expect clockwork guitars, belly danc-ers, flintlock bassists, middleastern percussion, violent violin, and Tesla powered keyboards blazing in a post-apocalyptic, swashbuckling, Steampunk musical mayhem.
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Once the doors to the green room close, the noise and mania in the Convention Center is silenced. The male members of the band are all present. The two females are manning the merch booth upstairs.
So which came first, the music or the image? hailing from a little known music city called, Seatttle, Abney Park was formed in 1997 by “Captain” Robert Brown. Initially the band was more goth than steampunk both musically and visually. Over the next few years the band released several albums with various members. In 2006, after the release of their album The Death of Tragedy, the band again went through a line-up change. It was during this time Abney Park reinvented itself as a band, creating fictional identities for the members com-plete with a background story that describes the fictional history of the band as the crew of an airship named the Ophelia.
Kristina Erickson
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As you can see from their photos, Abney Park are a very visual band. Embrac-ing the art, style and culture, Robert and crew have become full-on spokes persons for the steampunk movement. Most obvious is their gear. The blend-ing of old-world futuristic styling is at the heart of steampunk, and I sat staring in wonder at these guys. I was not sitting down with performers in costumes, I was in a room with Air Pirates from future past. Don’t get me wrong, once the interview began there was no character playing going on. Robert, Nathaniel and Daniel didn’t speak in some medieval or swashbuckling pirate dialects. And thank god because just outside the doors there was plenty of that mess going on. No, these were just great, down to earth guys who love doing what they do and expressing themselves both musically and visually. •••
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