GFA supports performing artists, too! Two festival stages host music and performances by nationally recognized artists and some of the Tampa Bay area’s most talented acts.
Denis Phillips’ desire to be a television meteorologist began by seeing Santa on radar when he was 6 years old. It’s true… although severe weather really hooked him. Denis graduated in 1985 and got his first on-air position in Salisbury, Maryland, shortly thereafter. After stops in Gainesville, Providence, and Los Angeles, Denis finally ended up in Tampa. He says the Bay area offers all the challenges weather-wise he could ever hope for.
When it comes to work, I think the thing that surprises people the most about me is that I’ve done weather for 33 years…and I wore a jacket the first 20 years! Since 2004, I’m pretty much known as “Suspender Guy”. It’s kind of funny how that came to pass. When Hurricane Charley was heading this way, I came to work wearing my ONLY pair of suspenders. Yup, only one pair to my name. We were on the air 36 straight hours. It was crazy. Don Germaise doing his “hunker down” reports. All our anchors and reporters covering the storm better than I’ve ever seen a storm covered. And me? I was on straight through, jacket off, suspenders on. So, after the storm passed (and luckily missed us) the station did a ton of research. Questions like “who did you watch”. “Who did you trust”? “Who was the most accurate”? The overwhelming response? “I have no idea what the guys name was, but he was wearing suspenders”! My boss told me that’s my new “look”. I guess it stuck!
Yoga with Bella Prāņa
Izzy Bradburn
Boho sideshow
University of Tampa Dance
Joseph Mukeveri
Zai Alyenora
Pusha Preme
Breakroom Ent Theatre Group
Prizilla
Breakroom Ent Theatre Group
Fabiola Mendez
Yoga with Bella Prāņa
Mia Marlene
Commodore Improv
Nick Ewing
Spoken word – Growhouse Tampa
TV Breakup Scene
Spoken word – Growhouse Tampa
The Savants
Zai Alyenora
Blanket Approval
Start your festival day with intention and movement as Bella Prana Collective leads a complimentary morning yoga class at the Rising Star Stage from 9:00–9:45 a.m. on February 28 and March 1. Open to all levels, this energizing flow is designed to awaken the body, calm the mind, and set the tone for a full day of art and inspiration. Bring a mat, bring a friend, and begin your festival experience grounded, refreshed, and ready to explore.
Tampa Preparatory School features an active, student-driven rock band program led by Music Instructor Gilad Ben-Zvi, frequently performing at local venues like The Ritz Ybor. Recent, notable student performances include the Palace Rats band and various showcases in the school’s “Rock the Lot” tradition before senior internships.
Our music programs for kids in Tampa are designed to get students on stage performing, with the goal of building strong musical proficiency. Younger students at School of Rock Tampa who have participated in the Rookies program can move to our Rock 101 music program once they’re ready. Additionally, students (typically ages 8 to 13-years-old) can begin Rock 101 without any prior experience. The goal of this rock program is to quickly develop a basic competence on students’ chosen instruments before moving on to our famous Performance Program.
Our boutique New Tampa studio is the only music school in the greater Tampa area that is specifically geared toward bridging the gap between amateur education and professional musicianship. In addition to basic weekly instruction on high-end music equipment, we place a strong emphasis on big-production live performances, high quality studio recordings, digital worldwide music releases, and young artist booking and management – all included with tuition.
GrowHouse is owned and operated by 2 artists of color in Tampa, Florida. It all started when a seed was planted in 2017 by Spoken Word Poet / Visual Artist / Tampa Native, Curtis Davis – that grew into a monthly competitive event centered around the elements of Hip-Hop culture held at the Ybor City Barbering Company. He called it GrowHouse. Becoming more than just an artist but now an event curator, Curtis slowly shifted his mindset to that of an entrepreneurial one and decided to cultivate GrowHouse into a brick and mortar business for local poets and artists alike. In 2019 GH became an official L.L.C. after Curtis invited fellow Spoken Word Poet / Professional Graphic Designer / Best Friend, Dennis Amadeus to join his venture – merging with the successful ‘Ask Me To Do A Poem’ brand that Dennis had built over the years [www.askmetodoapoem.com]. Together the two have combined their knowledge and experience as traveling artists to put on some of the most creative and welcoming events for new artists, veterans, and art lovers.
Some have said this music is a bit bluesy pop folk, others have opined it is old soul with an indie feel. To all of the above, I say YES. This music is a bit of everything I love from jazz to blues, funk to folk. This music is me.
As far back as I can remember, sounds would mesmerize me. As a short haired girl freckled from head to toe, I would sit in the kitchen for hours just singing along with the constant hum of the refrigerator. As my red hair grew longer, so did my longing for art, for song.
Having been a part of great groups of musicians before, I have had the privilege to play in front of presidents, prime ministers, and foreign leaders both in the US and abroad. These were wonderful experiences and I am truly grateful to have had them.
But something was missing.
(Queue The Random Occurrence)
At the end of 2016, a chance encounter reunited me with a couple of longtime friends and musicians John Soler & David Diaz. They too have been in other bands and were working on their own unique & refreshing sound.
Immediately, I knew we had something special.
Something refreshing. Something real. Nick Ewing joined us shortly thereafter to provide a beautiful dynamic of ideas and talent with his violin and bow.
My hope is that, through this music, you feel me come alive. Come, share the pieces of my soul l leave scattered in song. Share a piece of me.
I like to write songs about mfs who break my heart so I’m like Taylor Swift except I’m Black and Better. Set the (Tone). Be the Example (I.E)
Tha Banned is a jazz band consisting of Alejandro “Chach” Coronado (Trumpet), Malachi Elmore-Davis (Trombone), Kingsleyiii (Bass), Jeremiah “Yogi” Warren (Drums), Lincee St. Amand (Vocals) and Johnny Champagne (Keyboard). As a collective of Tampa based musicians and songwriters that started as a jam band in an auto shop, they are committed to spreading the spirit of live music and community.
Wülfgang Amadeus is a band that hails from Tampa comprised of poets. They blend music and spoken word to create an intense brew. As they self-describe:
“A Poet and Drummer meet at a bar and Wülfgang Amadeus is born! Now united, the Wülfgang is finally ready to shred their bohemian rhapsody across the ages with their timeless lyricism, classic riffs, inspiring Melodie’s, dynamic sound and talents that span multiple genres of performance art.”
Mountain Holler is the cavernous alternative-folk project of Seattle, WA based musician Mark Etherington. The music of Mountain Holler is a meditation on nature, the shadowed side of the human experience and the dream-like music born from explorations through his own mind. There is a very heavy influence from Tolkien lore, Led Zeppelin and Eastern spiritualism. Mountain Holler’s live show consists of multiple acoustic guitars in unusual alternate tunings, electronic drones and powerful vocals that provide the listener a sweet invitation to join in on one human’s experience of this world and our shared connection to nature.
Etherington moved from St. Petersburg, FL to Seattle, WA in 2021 after spending over half his life cutting his teeth in the Tampa Bay area music scene. Still watering his deep Florida musical roots by returning multiple times a year to perform , a Mountain Holler show is not one to miss. The Tampa Bay Times says of Mountain Holler ,” Refreshing and unpretentious, his music is spacious and etheral, conjuring visions of wide-open spaces, actualized through open tunings and a sea of reverb.” (Aaron Lepley). The Stranger writes that Etherington “murmurs, moans, belts, and croons ethereal yet powerfully-charged melodies that sound as if they were hewn from some rocky outcropping before their journey to the heavens.” (Leilani Polk)
He has since been steadily releasing new music to his bandcamp and self released his two newest singles ‘Trying to Connect’ and ‘Rolling Thunder’ on all major platforms in early 2024.
Born in Brazil from Bolivian descent, Nelson grew up in Tampa and began musical performance at the age of seven. Starting with piano, drums, trombone and tuba in middle school, he finally ventured into the world of guitar at 13. After a year in training, Nelson auditioned and was immediately accepted to Blake High School of the Arts. There, he entered classical guitar instruction with esteemed educator John Michael Parris. In 2004, Nelson won the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts’ Merit Recognition Award. He graduated to study classical guitar at Florida State University’s College of Music under Professor Bruce Holzman. While at FSU, he began exploring jazz composition with Joel Johnson and Leo Welch. In 2005, Nelson attended New York University’s Guitar Intensive Program to further explore jazz theory. He began teaching private lessons during his senior year and, in 2008, earned his BA Music degree. Nelson came back to Tampa to continue teaching and has delighted venues around the region with his solo classical guitar, ceremonial ensembles, acoustic guitar duo/trios, and full electric bands.
Tim Balajadia was born and raised on Guam, USA. Tim has been writing, composing, and performing original music since 2001. His laid-back acoustic vibes with powerful alternative vocal tone fit him right into the progressive reggae scene. Tim holds firm to the essential values of Positivity, Peace, Equal Rights, Unity and Love. With people playing cover songs on Guam, Tim Balajadia left the tiny but mighty Pacific island inspired to create more conscious and impactful music.
Fire branded in the Chicago blues circuit, roots rocker and bluesman RJ Howson picked up his skillful guitar chops & powerful vocals performing and sharing the stage with blues icons and fellow musicians at Buddy Guy’s Legends, Rosa’s Lounge, Kingston Mines, BLUES on Halstead and many other clubs in the Windy City and playing countless shows all over the Midwest.
Somewhere between just enough and way too much, Discord Theory blends honest introspection, raw pop punk energy, and gritty post-hardcore intensity with breakdowns designed to move the room. Formed in sunny Tampa, FL in 2017, the band is led by Ecuadorian frontman Luis Giler’s commanding vocals and subversive songwriting, alongside Anthony Rogue’s groove-heavy bass, Sydney Reinfrank’s razor-sharp guitar, and Tyler Austin’s hard-hitting drums.
Bulgarian-born Geri X is a composer, a musician and a singer hard to put a label on. Fans and critics spotted it from the moment she broke onto the Tampa Bay music scene: Geri is an artist with a singular sound you have not heard before. What started with a classical training in piano, guitar and voice, evolving out of a broad and eclectic blend of influences, has become wonderfully her own.
Much like the kids walking along the train tracks in the 1986 film Stand By Me (the initial inspiration for the band’s name), the members of Florida’s HAVE GUN, WILL TRAVEL set out on a life-defining journey of growth and discovery. Principle songwriter and singer-guitarist Matt Burke enthusiastically leads fellow bandmates; brother and bassist Daniel Burke, guitarist Scott Anderson, keyboardist Edward Stork and drummer Sam Farmer through a catalog of songs that run the gamut from foot-stomping front-porch spirituals to strum-punk rave-ups, hill-country historicals and indie-rock anthems. With six full-length studio albums under their belts, the “Silver Sounds” ep was released May 23, 2022 on silver 10” vinyl and the companion “Voyager Golden” ep on gold 10” vinyl released Dec 5, 2025, so HGWT show no signs of slowing down. In December 2022, the band’s hometown of Bradenton, FL awarded Matt Burke and Have Gun, Will Travel the key to the City of Bradenton for their contributions to the arts in their community.