Ritz Theatre

Does that mean we weren’t allowed to take pictures. Oh well!!!!!

Farmersdtr

LETS HEAR IT….WHAT"S ON THE BACK OF THE TICKET

Although this doesn’t compare to a woodstock ticket….But it falls within your time frame and NYC Venues.
Almost… entirely intact.
ROSELAND
JOHN SCHER PRESENTS
THE KINKS
FRI. DEC 30 1983
$15.00 GEN ADM

Farmersdtr

Thanks yet again for the list of dates and bands. I’m a ticket stub collector.( My primary collection is Fillmore East stubs). But I also put together a small collection of of stubs from every major rock venue in New York City from the year 1971, the final year of the Fillmore East).

I acquired a pair of ticket stubs from the Ritz on Ebay about 8 years ago. I had never seen a stub before or since. Unfortunately, the stubs are hand stamped with the dates, and when the ushers tore them, the stubs were left with only the month intact. Since almost every show at the Ritz occured in 1971, I assume these to be 1971. Is there any chance your brother (being a former usher) has any stubs, or any recollection of what the stubs looked like? I’d like to get his opinion on what I have. I’m happy to send scans to him and/or you. As I said in an earlier posting there is little information on the venue, and even less surviving memorabilia. The posters are precious evidence of that short but fabulous window of time. Maybe the stubs are too.

Somoman,
According to the poster: All information taken directly from poster:

Mountain – April 11th
Richie Havens and the James Cotton Blues Band – April 17th
Chambers Brothers – April 24th

Tuesday May 5th
Jefferson Airplane
Jamming as Hot Tuna

Sunday May 10th
The Hollies – First & Only Time in N.Y. One show 8:30pm

Saturday May 23rd
Canned Heat
Pig Iron

Will post story about Grace Slick in a second. Have to check spelling of YK name first!

Hey Farmersdtr

I’m thrilled to see some more in depth information on the Ritz. It is one of the most under-documented venues in the history of the NY music scene. Perhaps its location on Staten Island contributed to its obscurity. The Unganos were no stranger to the business, and yet very few know that it was the Unganos who operated the Ritz. I was fortunate enough to see the Allman Brothers play there. In an amazing coincidence the band entered the front of the theater along with the rest of the crowd, and there they were right in front of my buddies and me. At age 16 it left quite an impression.

In any case can I impose on you to quote the actual dates of the concerts as they appear on the posters.

Thanks

I remember seeing Three Dog Night at the RITZ. Have photos of that performance, somewhere.

some of my memories of the ritz might not be exact, for several reasons. one thing i do remember clearly though is my first concert there as it was my first concert experience. it was a show with mountain as the headliner and rhinoceros before them and maybe a local act opening. that i am not sure about.i really went to see rhinoceros. i loved their song appriot brandy. my friend who was more experienceda concert goertold me i would love mountain. mountain climbing was not yet released and i did not get to hear leslie west before the show, which actually was best i think. after rhinoceros i turned to my friend owen and said “how can they top that”? well, as they stated to clear the crowded stage of all the equipment and started to to expose the three sets of double stacked sunn amps on both sides of the stage (i only learned a few years ago the the sunns were pa amps and speakers that had pre-amps built in that really helped with the extreme volume sound of mountain at that time. they stumbled into them because they could not afford marshalls) i stared to think it was getting possible for mountain to be something i would like. then the tech people (roadies) started sticking drum heads that had a kick that i could only relate to the sound of a nitro funny car at englishtown i knew i was in for some thing special. i had also only smoked pot twice before and hadn’t really gotten high before and that night we had some pot, didn’t know how to roll it , so we ate it earlier. the pot was kicking in as they came on stage and then they let it rip. i am not sure what song they statrted withbut we jumed out of our seats and i think i nearly over the balcony’s edge. the song was probably “blood of the sun”. in all my subsequent mountain shows 99%opened with either “blood of the sun” or “never in my life” and that was on the yet to be released climbing album and would be likely worked in later. well i was hooked that night to them. i am not the most dedicated of concert goer, but do know what i like and don’t. i can’t read or play music but can tell a off night from a great one and how i feel about guitarist’s is “ that leslie west is the best and then there is eric clapton and then all the rest”. this is just my opinion. in the “all of the rest” is many great players and i know everyone has their own way of looking at tings. well, for now that’s it miketars

I saw some concerts at the Ritz. Two that I remember, mainly because I saved the ticket stubs by taping them on my albums (although the albums are long gone now) were:
Allman Brothers Band (the 11/26/71 show posted by BillFitz)
Savoy brown, Fleetwood Mac & Long John Baldry

I own Gemini Lighting Tv productions formally Gemini Light Shows. I did Lighting and light shows for the Ritz during all the concerts. I was also head tech and usually stage manager as well. I had equipment behind screen onstage as well as in projection booth where I controlled all the lighting and effects. In the 45 years I worked and toured with bands the Ritz was my favorite. Any photos of the concerts would be appreciated.
Richard Borders

Hey guys, a little kindness please. Here we are… chasing our fondest memories and sure enough it’s become a pissing match. Thank you both for your generous efforts to supply us with more cinema treasures.

I added the Victory, which was number one. I figured you wanted to add the other dozen or so. All yours.