The Ritz

Absurdly overpriced. Greedy management. Inept staff. The Ritz SUCKS. It’s supposed to be new and improved, but it’s really just renovated yet somehow shittier than ever. I’m really befuddled by all of the positive reviews saying this place is now a good venue. It’s not. Physically, the renovations have made it marginally better than it used to be in a few aspects, but that’s really not saying much. And it’s still operated by short-​sighted, greedy management and apathetic inept staff. Here’s my experience from last night.
I pull up to the Ritz and there’s a parking attendant.
Attendant: «It’s $ 5 to park.»
Me: «$ 5?! For what? The venue is right there. This is your lot. What’s to stop me from just parking on the street for free?»
Attendant:“You’ll probably get towed.“
Me: «Why would I get towed? There are a dozen cars already parked there and no signs that say no parking…»
Attendant: «I don’t know man. It might happen.»
Translation: Management told me to scare you about being towed so we can weasel another $ 5 out of you.
The ticketing fees were 40% of the original ticket cost making an advertised $ 20 ticket nearly $ 30 at the end of the transaction. We’re not downtown. Parking is not limited.
Get up to the entrance and there’s a barrage of redshirted goons doing pat-​downs and scanning tickets. It is not until after your ticket has been scanned that you are allowed near the door where there’s a small sign that says no re-​entry.
Me: «I have an extra ticket I wanted to sell.»
Goon#1: «You can’t sell tickets.»
Me: «It’s completely legal in NC to resell a ticket as long as I’m not profiting.»
Goon#1: «Well here, I’m telling you that you can’t. You can go stand in the street, but not on our property.»
Me: «But you just scanned me in and now I see this sign that says no re-​entry.»
Goon#1: «That’s right.»
Me: «So what you’re saying is I’m screwed and you don’t care.»
Goon#1: «That’s right.»
Yep…
Head to the bar for a beer…
Me: «Draft IPA please.»
Bartender: «That’ll be $ 10.»
Me: «$ 10?! WTF?!»
Bartender: «It’s 20 oz.»
Me: «A whole extra ¼th of a beer for double the price?»
Last time I checked, this is America, and when you buy goods in bulk the cost per unit is supposed to DECREASE. This is a dumpy venue in the industrial district of Raleigh. This is no Carnegie Hall.
Head to concessions for a snack…
Snackgirl: «We have previously frozen, microwaved, dried out slices of pizza about the size of your palm for $ 5. We have previously frozen, dried out hot dogs for $ 5. And we have previously frozen, dried out pretzels for $ 4.»
Yum.
I’ll go check the new balcony/​mezzanine. Hmm, no one is up there…
Mezzanine Guard: «It costs extra to walk up these stairs.»
No thanks.
Was hoping the music would sound good in this newly revamped venue. But you couldn’t hear the keys or 2^nd percussionist in the opening band. The other levels fluctuated for the rest of the show.
Exit the building and my car is right where I left it, not ticketed or towed. So I guess that was a positive aspect of the experience.
I told a few people about the experience and literally every single person said the exact same thing. «Oh yeah, the Ritz blows. We don’t go to shows there.»
I just don’t understand business owners who operate their businesses in this manner. It’s so short-​sighted and foolish to try and leech every dollar you can out of people. Sure, you’ll make a few extra dollars on that one beer. But you know what, many patrons will choose not to buy a 2^nd or 3^rd beer (or ever return to venue at all) because you’ve left a bad taste in their mouth. So long-​term you make less because there is no loyalty to your venue. It’s just another overpriced dump. Wouldn’t it make more sense to at least act like you give a shit that your patrons pay your salary and are the only reason your business exists? Scrap the parking fee, revise your re-​entry policy (or make it abundantly clear before you scan people’s tickets), adjust your drink prices, and train your staff to treat people like people and with some level of respect rather than the powertripping douchetastic attitude they all have now.
To the owners/​managers: If you had a close friend or family member come to your venue and had the same experience I did, would you be proud of your business? Good luck with that…

I have been here twice, once for a concert and once for a Unilocal holiday market. I really like how open it is, but I feel like the bar could be in a better area. Also, it is very expensive ($ 9 for a PBR) to drink there which is typical of livenation venues. I live very close to this venue so I will continue to go to concerts here.

I’m a big fan of this venue. It’s spread out so you are not crammed next to a ton of other people (unless you want to be!) and you have some room to breath. There are three bars downstairs all conveniently located so you don’t have to go too far from your spot to get a drink. They also have people walking around mopping up spills through the entire show which can be annoying but is also an awesome thing so someone doesn’t fall and crack their head open. There are also bathrooms on each side which is really nice. The venue is wide rather than long so you are really close to the speakers so it can get kind of loud. If you don’t love that, I’d recommend taking earplugs. I’ve been there for two shows now and for each show they’ve offered an upgrade to sit upstairs which is a cool option, there are three different levels of upgrades so you can shell out whatever you choose. The parking and getting in and out of the venue is really nice too. There is a lot just past the venue that’s $ 5 a car (bring cash!) that I parked in both times and it was super easy to get in and out.
This venue is bringing in some awesome shows so go support!

I’m really happy to update my review of The Ritz. This is actually a good music venue now! The transformation over the past year has been pretty incredible. Don’t hesitate to buy a ticket if you’re thinking about a show.
I’m happy to report the weird wooden dance floor is gone (RIP), and it’s no longer a sauna inside. I will always fondly remember walking out with a drenched shirt into the cold winter air after the January 2011 Girl Talk show here.
A lot of the bigger tours will swing by The Ritz. It’s the next biggest venue in Raleigh after Lincoln Theater. Unfortunately, you probably need to drive to the venue because it’s just north of downtown in an industrial area. I think they charge to park now, so I’d recommend taking an Über if you can. It’s only about $ 5 from downtown.
Inside, there are full bars in every corner, and you can even get some food at them (like pizza?!). The sound quality is usually pretty good, but I’d still recommend some high-​fidelity earplugs to bring it down to safe levels for your ears.
Sadly, The Ritz is in a flood zone which will occasionally cause shows to be cancelled. I’m not really sure what they can do about that. If it’s storming out, make sure to check your email to see if your show’s still on.

I came here for a Ben Rector concert on Halloween weekend and it was great! The line went super fast, the ticket scanners and greeters were extremely friendly, and the views of the stage were decent from just about every angle. It was pretty clean too!
The only things that bothered me were the drink prices ($ 9 for a beer and $ 4 for a bottle of water) and that we couldn’t really understand what the artists were saying/​singing from the balcony. The best place to stand is on the floor, which was pretty crowded.
Overall, a great experience!

I must admit, I have not been here for a concert yet, but I did come to their Night Market in October. The inside of this venue is great, a large stage, as well as ample standing room on the first floor. Stairs up to the second floor lead you to upper level seating, as well as additional standing room. I can’t wait to come back here for a concert, I saw they are hosting Modest Mouse as well as a few other bands I would like to see. I am glad I finally visited The Ritz, I can’t wait to come back.

Saw Purity Ring here — the performance itself was awesome, the venue was okay. As a short person, it was very difficult to find a place to stand with a decent view. I had to move several times to be able to see. I prefer venues with floors with a slight incline so that you can get a decent view from multiple sections of the floor. There is a balcony, but it seems to get packed very fast, and I personally prefer to be in the crowd. The sound quality was good as others have mentioned. It was nice to be able to find free street parking around the corner. All in all, this venue is «fine,» nothing spectacular, but not terrible. I’d go back if a band or artist I really want to see is here.

The Ritz is fine. If there’s a band you want to see, the place isn’t bad enough to keep you away, and if you’re ambivalent about a show, it’s not good enough to warrant making a trip. Comfortably big, and the room is much wider than it is deep, giving a few good spots to chill on the floor as long as you steer clear of the massive pillar.
Parking is $ 5 or $ 10 depending on what you choose, but we’ve found street parking to be easy enough and a short walk, though be mindful of the many «don’t park here» areas.
Bathrooms were clean and trough-​free — a nice surprise. Beers were ridiculous at 9 $ for a tall boy PBR, but that’s somewhat to be expected. Staff were maybe slightly friendlier than an average club.
Sound system was okay. Bass heavy, instruments came through well, drums were actually a bit soft. Vocals were not good; both opener & main act were indecipherable, and there was feedback issues at least twice, each time lasting 5+ seconds and a lot of cringes. Kind of inexcusable during a song.
For me, Cat’s Cradle is the gold standard in the area, and given the option, will always find myself there, but really, the band is what drives decisions for concert venues.

Where to start, where to start. Okay, the location. The most interesting thing I encountered on my way here was video/​DVD store that also sold «novelties,» which I assume is code for jelly dildos that will give you a bacterial infection and fuzzy handcuffs. If you want a bite to eat before the show, there aren’t any options. If you’re at kings or cat’s cradle, there are lots of great restaurants in walking distance. There’s just warehouses and car dealerships near this venue. And an Applebee’s, but you don’t want to eat there, do you? That’s what I thought. There’s also a McDonald’s, but have you read fast food nation? Because my mom’s book club read it, and she won’t shut up about it, and now I can’t patronize fast food establishments without feeling like I’m disappointed my mother, and I already disappointed her in so many ways. Let’s not add to the list.
Now let’s discuss the sound. Are you in a fuzz or shoegaze band scheduled to play here? Leave your distortion pedal in the van, because you won’t need it! Remember that time when the Internet didn’t exist or I guess it did exist when I was a kid but only people at the pentagon had access but remember that time? Well, kids had to find ways to amuse themselves, and sometimes we put wax paper over a comb and sang into it. That’s kinda what the vocals sound like.
And if your band uses a fog machine, you can also leave that in the fan because befogged! A thick cloud of vape smoke hangs in the air. And thank you Martha Stewart for tweeting about being befogged and having to land your hot air balloon in the horse paddock, because I am a better person for having «befogged» in my vocabulary.
And how about how absurd the idea of a VIP area is in such a venue. This place is anything but ritzy, and they want to charge you a not insubstantial amount to sit on a stool in the balcony? Hard pass. They also overcharge for drinks. You can manage to get crumby $ 3 beers at other triangle venues and mixed drinks but the cheapest option is 5 bucks here. I ordered a jack and Diet Coke, and it cost $ 10, and they used a 20 oz bottle of Diet Coke, which is pretty low budget. The back room @ cat’s cradle charges $ 7. A warm bottle of Aquafina water will set you back $ 4, and I would prefer to drink toilet water over Aquafina or Dasani. It’s literally filtered tap water, which I can drink at home. I have a Brita. Plus they nickel and dime you if you want to park! $ 5 or $ 10 if you want to park closer to the exit. And then there’s the ticketmaster service fees too! I hate excessive service fees! It’s pretty much the only thing I have in common with Eddie Vedder.
Also the crowd was super low key. I mostly came for the opening act, mikal Cronin, and pretty much everyone was standing still. Like, he’s pretty great, and «weight» is one of the best songs of the ‘10s, so maybe you can at least nod your head a bit. Or maybe you’re as disappointed as I am with the ritz and can’t muster up the energy to move even a little bit under the crushing weight of your disappointment, in which case I can’t blame them.
The reason I gave this 2 stars and not 1 star is because they do keep it really cold, and I guess that costs a lot since this is literally a warehouse. Kudos to them for actually keeping the ac on, because some of the earlier reviews made me kinda nervous for tonight. I didn’t really sweat even though they really pack people in here. I bet sold out shows here are miserable. Maybe that’s why they charge for parking. Gotta pay those bills.
Driving to Raleigh from chapel hill for shows is kind of a pain, so I don’t think I’ll return. I would be more inclined to go to kings, and I once got hit in the head with a beer can at a ty segall show, likely thrown by one of the several inebriated frat bros present. In all honestly, I did go back to see thee oh sees and I saw a drunk frat boy urinate on himself and then get kicked out. There were drunk frat boys here too, and two of them got rowdy in he front row and engaged in a shoving match, which father John misty put a stop to.
The only thing that can save this night is if father John misty yells at us. Fingers crossed someone up front films the show despite the gigantic «no photography» neon sign! Maybe the show talkers who shouted over mikal’s set will keep yelling «what» at each other each other for the rest of the night!
Update: people took photographs but there was no rant. Oh well!
And I almost forgot! If you smell popcorn, don’t worry, you’re probably not having a stroke (or is it the smell of baking bread that signals a stroke? I don’t know). They get around north carolina’s antiquated Bible Belt law by selling popcorn and soft pretzels now, I guess. I don’t know how much they charge for it. If they charge $ 9 for a PBR y’all boy, maybe a pretzel costs $ 20.

Meh. When I heard The Ritz had gotten a makeover, I was interested in checking it out, since it’s a convenient location for me. That being said, it’s going to take a lot to convince me to go back.
The show itself was great — no sound issues!
The inside looks nice — lots of bars scattered throughout the venue, so there weren’t many lines. Drinks are overpriced and weak, which is to be expected.
The ONLY way you can even hope to sit down is if you have a VIP pass to go upstairs. There are literally no seats downstairs. No benches, no stools, nada. This is unlike any venue I’ve been to, where you can at least grab a seat for a few minutes at the back of the venue if you really need it. Isn’t this a safety issue? What if someone was injured or got dizzy, etc.
There’s more expensive «in first out first» parking fir $ 10 and then $ 5 regular parking in the back of the building. I’m glad we didn’t spring for the extra parking, because there didn’t appear to be any advantage. Parking personnel was giving everyone equal time at the exit. If you plan to go to this venue DO NOT spring for the extra parking, definitely a scam!
I wouldn’t come back here unless there was a show that a show I REALLLLY wanted to see. And even then, I’d check to see if they are going to be at a venue I wouldn’t mind traveling to like The Orange Peel or The National.

Overall, I thought this venue was nice but, there are some things that need to be addressed. First of all, I knew going in that drink prices would be high. It’s a fact of life these days when hitting a venue or event like this. Keep in mind that we fuel the cost by buying drinks! A nine dollar bud light? Yup. I am not going to bash them for this.
The establishment is nice. Yes, it is just a warehouse building but, they renovated it on the inside and the warehouse look lends to the whole industrial feel. The colors are dark and the place is clean overall. Even the restrooms were not bad. I liked the layout and the VIP lounge and bar were comfortable. In the VIP lounge there are trays of fruit and finger sandwiches and little desert thingys. There are several comfortable sofas to relax on also. The VIP section is roped off and there is an event staff person there guarding the entrance however, this does little good since squatters can come up the back stairs and slip in at the opposite end were there is no staff. This really pissed me off since I paid an extra $ 45 a ticket for VIP seating and service only to have some «interlopers» in the VIP area that didn’t pay the extra money. The dedicated waitstaff for the VIP area is pretty non-​existent. In the five hours I was there I was asked twice if I wanted anything and it was much easier for me to walk over to the bar and get my own drink.
Another area that needs improvement is with communication when trying to actually acquire VIP tickets. It took three weeks and up to the last minute before I even knew of we were going to get VIP tickets. I will say that after getting the tickets and meeting the actual person who manages that was nice. Rachel was great in showing us all the VIP areas and to the seats. She was really sweet actually.
Upstairs in the VIP area, there really is no bad seat. If you do not have a VIP seat you will be standing the entire time.
Nice venue overall but, with a few kinks that need to be worked out. I had an enjoyable time and would probably hit this venue again for the right artist.

I was THOROUGHLY surprised by this venue! I went to go see Adventure Club, and I was somewhat shocked to discover that they were able to get a pretty big time DJ to come to Raleigh.
I really liked the venue itself. The dance floor was huge, the stage was nice, and the bar was on point. The lights were also decent as well. People were also pretty respectful and not pushy, like a few other concert venues I’ve been to. I really liked the setup of the bar. The cash registers are on the bar, so people literally line up in front of the registers instead of playing the endless game of trying to flag down a bartender. It’s small for a concert hall, but I really liked how intimate it made the whole experience. I was shocked at how I got to be so close to a famous DJ duo in my hometown for only $ 30, and I even bought my tickets the day of! The one thing I didn’t like was the huge pole jutting up from the middle of the floor. I actually plan on coming back in a few months to see another DJ as well. Great experience!

We had tickets to go see In This Moment, but after reading some reviews I was a little skeptical about this venue. The Ritz was actually very nice. They canceled the meet and greet but they did comp us with fast lane passes so we ended up being front row. I bought my husband and I a beer and they were $ 10 each. Expensive but kind of expected at a concert so no big deal. We were able to do VIP to meet Maria Brink (holy sh** that was AMAZING) so overall we had a great time and a concert we will never forget.

My husband and I went here last weekend to see Interpol (incredible, by the way). Having read the reviews on here first, we were a bit nervous about what we’d find. We were pleasantly surprised.
Parking was very easy, and the attendants were helpful and cheerful, which was a nice experience. The process to get inside was simple, with a check to see if we would be drinking (we didn’t plan to that night), a bag check, and then a ticket check. Everything moved very smoothly. Once inside, the establishment was very clean, and surprisingly, the temperature was very moderate. It was in the 80s outside, and they had all the fans running. I saw a conversation between two staff members about closing a couple of the doors to keep the cold air in, so that was nice to see.
I am a very short person, so we headed upstairs to find a spot to watch the concert from. Up there, we saw there was a VIP section, and were curious about that. The woman running the show there said that each stool (on the front row of the middle and left side of the upstairs area) ran $ 50, and each tall stool at a table right behind the first row ran $ 35. This was my birthday present from my husband, so he decided that we’d pay for a table, which cost us $ 70. It turned out to be really worth it as the place filled up. We were given wristbands, which let us leave to get drinks/​snacks/​merchandise/​go to the bathroom, and then come back to our reserved table. We had an unobstructed view over the heads of the people on the stools in front of us, so it was really great. It also wasn’t half bad to be able to sit for those hours!
The staff was incredibly helpful and friendly! The venue in our hometown is run by a lot of really pissed off types, so I was pretty shocked by this. One of the staff members even took the time to have a friendly conversation with us. We constantly saw them patrolling to make sure that everyone was safe and having a good time.
The one complaint I have is the sound quality. You can hear the instrumental parts perfectly, but if I didn’t know the words to the songs, I would not have had any idea what was being sung. From other reviews, this seems to be a common issue, so I hope they get it sorted out soon.
We decided that if we ever find that a band we love is playing here again, we’ll make the 4 hour drive to see them. This really is a great venue, and it seems like the new owners have put a lot of money and attention into the structure and how it is run.

Wow, when did the Ritz become an awesome venue? I’ve been hearing the rumors that the Ritz had a makeover, but I didn’t realize just how much of a change could happen in a year. I went to my first show here (Chvrches) last year in April 2014. A year later seeing Interpol this past weekend and I felt like I was in a different venue. When we saw Chvrches the venue was crowded, HOT, hot HOT!, a poor selection of overly priced beer (I’m talking Bud and Tecate people) and terrible sound. We were standing in the balcony during the performance and were very unlikely to rush back to this venue.
A year later and the Ritz is definitely making a new name for themselves. Not only have they fixed the AC problems, but they’ve put in a spiffy lounge upstairs, «box» seats and a VIP section, a much better beer selection for the same price as the crappy beers before and an AWESOME sound and lighting system. Now, I could see some complaints towards the additional $ 35-​$ 50+ to sit directly in front of the stage in the balcony, but hey, get there early enough and you might be able to snag a spot off to the side. The Ritz has just risen to the level of Cat’s Cradle but with much more room. I hope past musician that have performed here give it another chance, as well as patrons that have seen a band here before the renovations. Plus, the parking isn’t bad and it’s walking distance (about 15 minutes brisk walk) to Big Boss Brewery ($ 4 Über!). I’m taking The Ritz out of the dog house!

I’ve actually always been a fan of this venue. As far as space and sounds it’s terrific I’ve seen many shows over the years and enjoyed all of them.
What’s improved at this venue is the amazing staff and updates. Live Nation recently took over this venue and as you can tell from the amazing list of concerts coming up they are doing a great job booking some awesome talent. I got a chance to see Delta Rae this weekend and everything was fantastic.
The staff collecting membership (yes you need to pay $ 1 for a membership it’s an NC law) were very friendly as well as will call, and all the bartenders. The drinks may be pricier then your average bar but it’s not different then any other large concert venue.
The Ritz is two floors with a balcony looking over the stage. For a shorty like me it’s easy for me to find a place where I can see the stage in this venue. There are bars stationed all over the venue so you never have to wait in a line for a drink.
Ignore the poor reviews of this place as I mentioned it’s recently been taken over by new ownership and they are doing a great job! I look forward to checking out another band here soon.

This is a standing room only venue, which I’m not particularly fond of. However, there is VIP seating upstairs. I chose the VIP route and was pleased. The sound and view of the stage were both great. I went to see Jazmine Sullivan and the concert was great! I would suggest that you arrive a little early for parking. Traffic can be a little hectic turning on to Industrial Blvd. The staff was extremely helpful.
I would see another show here, but only in VIP.

I think it’s time for a name change at the olé Ritz. This is one of the worst music venues I’ve ever been to — and not Ritzy in the slightest. It’s a giant warehouse in an industrial looking part of town, with very little around it. It seemed a little shady to me but I’m used to city places.
When you go in it’s a 3-​part process, tickets, searching, and membership. Wait, membership? Yeah, you have to get a membership card for $ 1 in order to drink? So strange. Once you have your membership card and wristband, you’re free to enjoy one of their overpriced beverages. They have a bunch of bars on all different sides which is nice but two domestic beers for $ 20? This is a warehouse in the middle of nowhere, not a bar in DC.
The show itself started crazy late. I know a lot of concerts start late but this seems to be a running theme in a lot of the reviews on here — and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t because of the band but I won’t get into that. But once the music started, that’s when I knew I’d probably never return. It has horrible, horrible, sound quality. No matter where you stand, front back, middle, right by the sound booth — it’s atrocious. The poor sound guy was running around with his iPad trying to make it better all night but you just can’t make a giant ugly warehouse have good acoustics. It simply wasn’t meant to be.
The night I was there it appeared that there was more staff than attendees. There were literally packs of them all over which makes you feel a little awkward — like a fish in a fishbowl.
I’d recommend seeing what other cities your favorite band is playing in and skip their stop at The Ritz. It’s not a great experience, even if you love the band.

I recently saw Bush (the band) at the Ritz and the show was great, and I thought the venue was a great size for this type of show. I think the low reviews are for when the Ritz had previous ownership. My understanding is that Live Nation is actually the management group now and they put a lot of money into renovations. I can’t compare to how the place used to be because this was my first visit!
When there is a large crowd it does get hot, but they have overhead fans which helped some. There were some meathead bros doing some slam dancing when Bush played which was annoying, but overall the crowd was well behaved and very enthusiastic to the band and music.
With the renovations you are probably going to pay more for beer (I paid $ 9 for a bud light), but they have two bars downstairs and I didn’t have to wait in line very long. Also when I arrived I had to pay $ 1 and buy a membership which was somewhat annoying, but was painless for the most part.
I think the Ritz serves Raleigh well as a small venue where you can see well known bands up close and personal, and I would visit there again.

I think they have recently renovated. I have never been here before Umphreey’s McGee concert. It was a rather quick entry. We printed our tickets online and got right in. They do now charge for a membership. $ 1 and I got a $ 1 off my first drink. It still is a large warehouse building with the balcony upstairs. They have several bars upstairs and down. Upstairs bars has couches and seating but you wont be able to see the show from there. They also offer a coat check. They accept cards!
Drinks are expensive but I have found that every venue I go to is. It was hot in there but not unbearable. They did have fans running. Seeing can be rather difficult unless your tall, get up front at first, or on the sides of the stage. I never waited long for the bathroom which was awesome!
It was a great concert and I would defiantly go back.