Club Reports: Ember, Ritz Ybor, Barbarella, The Castle, Czar

One of the really beautiful spaces downtown is Ember.

On Fridays they have a guitarist outside followed by a live band.  On Saturdays they have DJ's playing Top 40 and EDM.

It can be a little toasty outside on summer evenings but that never seems to stop crowds from gathering for Happy Hour.  Good drink prices and ample food items to choose from.

If you're partying downtown and are getting an early start, Ember is the place to begin!

OK, over to Tampa for the Paul Oakenfold concert at Ritz Ybor.  WTF!

I did get an email but unfortunately it was received after I had already departed for Tampa.  I feel sorry for the girl who arrived next to me who said she had flown-in from Boston for the show!

Unexpected visit then to Barbarella, the I-Bar clone in Ybor City.

DJ Matt (Independent Bar) on the controls playing the Friday night Indie format.  Saturday nights are 80's New Wave/Old Wave just like at I-Bar.

Looks like an I-Bar logo has been added to the rear wall under the monitors!

Very light crowd during my early visit.

One can't visit Ybor without a visit to The Castle!

Friday night's "Midnight Mass" featuring DJ Sean on the boards.  He is now playing from a booth on the stage in the main room rather than from the DJ booth.

You can never go wrong with Go-Go girls!

Through the haze the floor stayed pretty full for Goth, Synth Pop and Dark Wave music!

I did not go into Czar, the Soviet-themed club holding their Friday night "Peoples' Party".

Long line waiting to get in before they opened at 10:30pm.

And still a long line to get in around 1am.  I'm told Czar has 4 rooms with different music styles including the main room playing House/EDM.  So I will definitely need to check this place out sometime. Твоё здоровье!