The energy from the roaring crowd, the vibrancy of all the lights, and the bass from the music are just a few things The Ritz has to offer when providing you with a killer show. That’s definitely what was given off at famous DJs, Steve Aoki’s show on Friday, Jan. 25.

  Located on 7^Th Avenue in Ybor, on concert nights at The Ritz, doors usually open at 10 p.m., but if you already have a ticket then you should be okay to arrive around 10:45 p.m. since artists don’t come on until 11 p.m.

  Tickets range from $20.00 to $50.00, depending on how popular that artist is, but The Ritz also offers many free shows if you stay up to date with their calendar and RSVP your name on their Facebook page, @theritzybor, the day of the show.

  As soon as you walk into the doors of the Ritz the employees greet you with smiles to know you’re welcome into the venue. Looking around, there’s an overflow of EDM lovers eager to step foot into the main room, straight ahead of the entrance, where Steve Aoki will be performing the set of his newest album, Neon Future III.

  While waiting for the main artist to appear, there’s a smaller room to the right of the entrance where local DJs perform their remixes of top 40 radio songs. It’s a great way to pass the time but also have fun.

  As soon as main doors open, the crowd rushes in, hoping to get an up-front spot right near the stage.

After a few minutes, Aoki’s first song Neon Future III (intro) beings to play and the crowd roars with excitement. When hearing the bass start to rise, you can hear the enthusiasm within the crowd as they can’t wait to start headbanging and jumping to the beat of the music. After the second the beat drops, the audience becomes a giant wave of hands in the air and bodies flailing back and forth. If you’re claustrophobic, a show like this might not be for you as you become scrunched in between hundreds of people jumping up and down.

  Regular Ritz attendee, Sydnie Flick, who was also at this specific concert, expressed that she loves being around so many other people who share something in common with her. The person she went to the concert with, Alejandro Rodriguez concluded that the Steve Aoki concert was the best concert he’s ever been to at The Ritz. (quotes??)

  After hours of electronic music, Steve Aoki has this tradition where he will “cake” any audience member of his choosing. Meaning he’ll throw an actual cake in someone’s face in the crowd. The audience goes insane when he brings it out, hoping they’re the one he chooses to “cake”. (Who got caked).

  In all, The Ritz is a great venue for EDM concerts or if you’re just looking for a night out with friends, it’s a top location to go.