As the people of Tampa eagerly await the passing of yet another blazing summer, the onset of fall delivers an added chill to the air.  October comes complete with the most auspicious of dates, and on this year’s Friday the 13th, the citizens of the bay area will be able to maniacally celebrate in an entirely new way.  Dirty but Sophisticated will unleash its’ third installment in Ybor City on this fateful night, and with a punch that greatly resembles a sledgehammer to the face, the driving forces behind this production couldn’t have picked a more appropriate date.  Judging by the attendance for the previous events (DBS two brought out over 1,400 people) most of you already know this, but founders Brandon Dunlap, Vanessa Fernandez, Jay Giroux and DJ Blenda have something entirely new up their proverbial sleeves.

The idea behind Dirty but Sophisticated is simple; organize a large group of Florida’s most talented creative minds in the fields of fashion, art and music then celebrate whilst showcasing their collective talents.  This in turn creates a cross pollination effect between the artists involved and the people in attendance, largely made up of the growing supporters for Tampa’s burgeoning creative scene.  The collaboration has yielded huge returns thus far from rather humble beginnings as Dunlap explains, “Jay and I had done a few events together with some other people here and there in the past.  Although we had a lot of positive feedback, we knew the potential to do something really unique to the area was there. DJ Blenda was organizing events all over the place too, and he had been friends with Jay for a long time.  We started talking over some drinks and came up with the description Dirty but Sophisticated, which pretty much defined our interests in music and art and our group of friends. Vanessa had an art-related background and came aboard; she seemed to be the missing piece to the puzzle.”

Putting together a gifted crew of local artists is great, and the creative talent behind the events will always be the main draw.  The simplicity of the idea behind the scenes can’t be forgotten though, and ideas of collaboration are meaningless without a strong sense of team, which DBS has created with its’ tight-knit board of directors.  When asked about her entry into the fray, Fernandez says, “I got brought into the first DBS to help Jay curate the art show.  Using our experiences from the first time around, we defined each of our responsibilities for DBS II, in such a way that we felt our strengths would be best utilized. Blenda would handle the live music and DJ's, Jay the fashion, Brandon the artists and I the PR, promotions, and general organization.”

The strategy has certainly paid off, as the crew saw the original turnout for Dirty but Sophisticated doubled by the second event.  “Seeing 1,500 people crammed into Czar and a line still snaking around the corner, will always be surprising for me. Even though we worked our butts off and promoted like mad, there is always a moment before a show when you wonder if anyone is going to come. I guess I'm the worry wart of the group,” Vanessa explains.

I asked Brandon if the response they have generated so far has been surprising in any way, “Sure, but I was more impressed by people's reactions than the sheer amount of bodies. I remember talking to some of my hip hop friends as well as my rock-n-roll friends, and everyone was really happy with the whole vibe. People were hanging out, looking and listening, having a good time. We successfully brought a diverse crowd together and got people interested in something new to them,” he states.

The programs for past Dirty but Sophisticated efforts have included some incredible talents such as; Auto!Automatic!!, Breakdown, The Spam All Stars, Ranmecca, D’Visitors and a large group of local painters, graphic designers, photographers, DJ’s as well as fashion shows by Sauver Apparel and Gioia Designs.  This fall’s line-up promises to live up to the lofty standards set by their predecessors featuring music by Geri X, Locos Por Juana, Summerbirds in the Cellar, Gwan Massive and Mouse Fire, along with DJ’s Mega, Craig, and FunkJesus.  Artists include Monte Montantez, Eleanor Grolsch, Anthony Zollo, Tristin-Henry-Wilson, Jill Trilling, Bask, Josh Taylor, Lynda Bostrom, Phil Holt, Ryan Prado, Jaisen Crockett, Dolla Bill, Angelo Nales, Horsebite, Huggsmugglers, Red Labor, Daniel Williams, Jeff Srsic and Chris Kelly.  This event will also include a fashion show from Sauver Apparel and some live painting action courtesy of Dustin Orlando, Jay Giroux and Dolla Bill.

DBS newcomer Gerri X will be bringing her unique brand of indie folk rock to the stage inside Czar and is quite excited to be a part of it.  When asked how important it was to be involved with an event that is almost solely responsible for creating what is quickly becoming a very close creative community she gushed, “As far as I know, it’s been the only successful one so far.  Not just with art, but music too.  In that, it’s bringing together all the different genres and factions.”  With a genuine tinge of excitement or perhaps disbelief, she looks at me and says, “I’m still waiting for someone to tell us that they are all booked up and that we won’t be able to play.  But regardless, I’m going to be at the show either way.”  And that is what Brandon, Jay, Vanessa and DJ Blenda have created, an event in which nearly 2,000 people can’t wait to attend and be a part of.  An event of such importance that one of our best, young local acts is worried there won’t be a spot for her, which I assure you there will. 

As some of you may remember, the DBS event in the spring was quite an undertaking, but Vanessa has promised me that they will be better prepared this time around, “We have worked out an arrangement with Czar to use the defunct night club next door to the Czar building for the night.  That will essentially double our capacity and we will be able to have two entry lines (hopefully alleviating the ridiculous line problem) and two other fully stocked bars.  The live music will be in the main Czar room while the Fashion Show and live painting will take place in the new space.  Everyone will be handed a program of events for the evening so nothing gets missed.  Patrons will be able to float between the two buildings and hopefully be a little less squished than last time.”

I asked Brandon what the future holds for Dirty but Sophisticated and he replied, “Everyone has their own lives or careers to deal with too.  We all work well together and support one another's separate endeavors. We definitely don't ever want it to ever get stale. Maybe twice a year is a good; we want it to be exciting for everyone involved.”  Vanessa adds, “Art is good for the soul and absolutely crucial, especially for a young city like Tampa.  Growing up in New York, I took for granted the accessibility that everyone has to art.  The ballet, theater, symphony, museums, public art, fashion were all part of my upbringing.  I just want to bring a little piece of that to Tampa.  We've got quite a way to go, but we have also managed to come a long way too.”