The Ritz (rock club)

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The Ritz was a New York City rock club in the 1980s.

Contents

History [edit]

The Ritz was founded in 1980 by Jerry Brandt in the historic Webster Hall ballroom and concert space on 11th Street between Third and Fourth Avenues in the East Village neighborhood of New York City. The address was 119 East 11th Street. The Ritz focused primarily on live performances, often of newer acts, but also featured dancing. The Ritz was one of the first clubs to incorporate video screens into the club experience with a 30' screen and a projector which cost $120,000. MTV made its debut at The Ritz. In April 1989, The Ritz moved to the site of the former Studio 54, where it was called "The New Ritz" and continued to host concerts for several years[1]. From 1990 onward it reverted to the name "The Ritz." The space is now again known as Webster Hall.

In its heyday, top acts including The Birthday Party, The Pretenders, Tina Turner, Madonna, Eric Clapton, Guns N' Roses, Iron Maiden, Living Colour, Prince, James Brown, The Police, Sting, KISS, The Cult, B.B. King, Slayer, Parliament-Funkadelic, R.E.M., The Cure, The Residents, Suzanne Vega and 10,000 Maniacs performed on its stage. Alternative, metal and punk-rock bands appeared, including Ramones, Motorhead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fugazi, Mötley Crüe, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, Rage Against the Machine, Jane's Addiction, Iggy Pop, Stormtroopers of Death, Dead Boys, Bad Brains, Sonic Youth, Misfits, The Exploited, The Cro-Mags, The Dictators, Slayer, Alice in Chains, The Black Crowes and Soundgarden, among others.

Public Image Limited appearance [edit]

The club received national attention after an antagonistic performance by Public Image Limited on May 15, 1981. The band was more interested in creating performance art than giving a traditional concert. To this end, they appeared onstage deliberately obscured by a projection screen and played their records through the club's public address system while playing entirely different music onstage. Taunted by lead singer John Lydon (formerly of the Sex Pistols), the Ritz's unhappy patrons rioted, throwing bottles and garbage cans, and pulling on the video screen that covered the front of the stage.[2][3][4]

MTV's "Live from The Ritz" [edit]

MTV aired a series of concerts called "Live from The Ritz" on Saturday nights in the 1980s. Performers included Guns N' Roses, Gene Loves Jezebel, The Cult, Nik Kershaw, The Smithereens, Julian Cope, Great White, Hoodoo Gurus, White Lion, Iggy Pop and Eurogliders.

Notable [edit]

  • Klaus Nomi performed "Total Eclipse" at The Ritz in 1980 for the new wave/post-punk film Urgh! A Music War.
  • U2 performed their first live show in the United States at The Ritz on December 6, 1980.
  • The Dictators recorded a few tracks at the club circa 1981, eventually released on their live album New York, New York.
  • Duran Duran performed at The Ritz in September 1981 during their first U.S. tour.
  • "Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight?", the only live track on the Misfits' Walk Among Us, was recorded at The Ritz in 1981. Parts of Evilive were also recorded there in 1981.
  • Rick Derringer recorded a Ritz show in 1982, released in 2009 as Rick Derringer's Rock Spectacular: Live at The Ritz, New York 1982, featuring guests Ted Nugent, Tim Bogart, Karla DeVito and Southside Johnny.
  • Depeche Mode made their American debut at the Ritz in January 1982.
  • Ozzy Osbourne recorded a live album of Black Sabbath material, titled Speak of the Devil, at The Ritz on September 26–27, 1982.
  • Run-DMC taped an early MTV appearance at The Ritz in 1984.
  • Sting made his solo debut at The Ritz on February 26, 1985, prior to the release of his first solo album, The Dream of the Blue Turtles.
  • Little Steven (aka Steven Van Zandt) filmed a Ritz concert in 1985 for broadcast in Japan, at which Bruce Springsteen made an appearance.
  • Bo Diddley recorded Live at The Ritz with Ronnie Wood in 1985.
  • The second disc of British metal band Venom's live double album, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, was recorded at The Ritz on April 4-5, 1986.
  • Iggy Pop recorded Live Ritz N.Y.C. 86 at the venue in November 1986.
  • Great White recorded a full Ritz concert for MTV in 1987.
  • D.R.I. recorded "Live at The Ritz" on June 27, 1987.
  • Guns N' Roses recorded Guns N' Roses: Live at The Ritz, a full concert for MTV in 1988, as well as the live footage used for the "You Could Be Mine" music video in 1991.
  • White Lion made a television recording at the club in 1988. This concert was released as the second disc of the 2007 compilation The Definitive Rock Collection.
  • Danzig filmed music videos for their songs "Mother" and "Twist of Cain" at the club in early 1988.
  • "Memories Can't Wait" from the Living Colour EP Biscuits was recorded live at the club on April 22, 1989.

References [edit]

  1. ^ http://dasitron.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-ritz-nyc.html
  2. ^ http://www.fodderstompf.com/GIG%20LIST/rit81.html setlist + Sounds review/pix of Pil @ The Ritz.
  3. ^ http://www.furious.com/Perfect/pil.html Ed Caraballo's account of Pil @ The Ritz.
  4. ^ http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/rstevus/pil2.html&date=2009-10-26+01:52:31 Rolling Stone review + other remiscensenses of Pil @ The Ritz.

Further reading [edit]

External links [edit]

Coordinates: 40°43′54″N 73°59′21″W / 40.73175°N 73.98912°W / 40.73175; -73.98912

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