Not every band can fill the Tampa Bay Times Forum, and thank the music gods for that. Because there’s nothing quite like the intimacy of a rock and roll show in a smaller venue, and every larger city needs a staple venue for this type of experience.
Tampa has The Ritz, located just two miles from UT in Ybor City. Just big enough to book larger indie groups like Manchester Orchestra and Taking Back Sunday but small enough to allow for a great concert experience from anywhere in the venue.
The Ritz Ybor was a shoo-in for our staff pick for Tampa’s prime concert spot.
The Ritz’s Director of Marketing and Events, Okesene “Okie” Tilo, emphasised the venue’s mission statement.
“The RITZ Ybor is a unique, multi-purpose, historic venue that strives to provide a memorable experience for all of our guests and patrons,” Tilo said.
The history of The Ritz Ybor goes back as far as 1917, according to theritzybor.com, when the venue was opened as a playhouse and sold theater tickets for a fraction of a dollar. The current incarnation of The Ritz opened in 2008 after some major renovations.
The Ritz is especially good at booking artists to please a wide variety of music fans––even Lady Gaga made an appearance at the venue as she rose to prominence in 2009.
“There is not a specific music genre that we gear ourselves towards,” Tilo said. “Our entire management staff are music enthusiasts themselves, so we are all constantly keeping an eye out for any new and emerging acts to book.”
Jordan Walsh can be reached at jordan.walsh@theminaretonline.com.