Bouncy dance floor - nuff said! (The Ritz (Manchester))

Member Name: hot_rock_chick

Product:	The Ritz (Manchester)
Date:	22/02/01 (202 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap entrance, fairly good music

Disadvantages: Being crushed in a mosh pit

I've been going to the Ritz on a Monday night for 3 or so years now, and I must admit nowadays I feel very old when I go in (I'm 19). You can spot the 13 year olds trying desperately to look older than they are, and it is very obvious that they are barely out of nappies but I think that is just accepted in the Ritz. (actually some fo the funniest moments occur when mothers turn up dragging their kids out by the ear...)

There is no dress code, but turn up in pink lycra and you will regret it. Turn up in trainers and black, and you will fit in.

The music itself is a blend of Rock, Hip-hop, goth and occasionly a bit of dance (electronica kind of thing). The stuff they play is on the commercial side of Rock, hip-hop though (Eminem, Limp Bizkit, Wu-tang clan) so don't expect anything that unusal. The quality can also flucuate, some weeks it will be fantastic toons all the way (sometimes the DJ's even play 5ive, Shaggy, Britney Spears or Robbie Williams for pure comedy value, promise) some weeks it will be loads of B-sides and general dull-ness.

You can request your tunes of course, you will definately get a nod, but rarely do they put anything too specific on. The venue is also a big place, with a balcony you can walk around, and a lot of space surrounding the dance floor, and lots of general corridors to wonder around and do naughty things (for god's sake they're only 12!!!). There is also a stage, which you can sit on, but heaven forbid you dance on it, cos the DJ will shout irrepeatable insults at you, then the security will grab you very hard. Unless you have glowsticks that is, or have some other entertaining feature to amuse everyone. Then there is the bouncy dance floor........

This is where the sense of community, which there is in the Ritz, comes out on top. People dance generally in a similar way - put it this way, less is not more. More is more, and the more you thrust various body parts ab
out and whack innocent bystanders, the better. On certain tunes as well, everyone will bounce at exactely the same time, so if you stand still you can feel the rather funky trampoline effect taking place. There is no other club where everyone will move in such perfect unison.

There is also the regular mosh pit, depending on the song of course. Certain tunes, anything by Rage against the machine, Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, Limp Bozkit tracks will get people forming a mosh pit. Be careful though, and either dance somewhere else or just round the rims, unless you really do want to be trampled on (whatever takes your fancy really!)

It's only 2 pounds after 10.30pm to get in, there is often a bargain drink, but all other drinks are extortinately priced, at around £3 each!! If you want to drink a lot, I recommend going round the corner to 5th Avenue and getting drinks for a pound then heading for the Ritz, because el cheapo it is not.

The Ritz is always fun though, even though if your over 17 you will feel old, and there isn't much left for you in terms of totty....but still the Ritz is a place to dance in anyway you want, because there is not room for pretentious dancing styles there.

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