Uploaded April 2008 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The Ritz was big NYC venue in the 80s. Sorry this is all I have of the spot. Don't have a clue about the original "rap" used in the track. I believe some of the concert footage was shot at the Ritz, the clip sample frame shows Kraftwerk, who I saw there (great show!) The venue scaled up a club format pioneered by Hurrah, Danceteria and the Mudd Club. Earlier prototypes might be the Dom and Avalon Ballroom. This from wikipedia...
The Ritz was founded in 1980 by Jerry Brandt on 11th Street between Third and Fourth Avenues in the East Village neighborhood of New York City. Formerly a ballroom known as Webster Hall, The Ritz still retained some of its previous incarnation's Art Deco style. As a venue, it focused primarily on live performances, often of newer acts, but also featured dancing. The Ritz was one of the first clubs to incorporate video into the club experience. In its heyday, top acts including Tina Turner, Madonna, Eric Clapton, Guns N' Roses, Prince, Sting, KISS, B.B. King, Slayer, Parliament-Funkadelic, The Cure and 10,000 Maniacs performed on its stage. In 1986 it became the home to Chris Williamson's Rock Hotel club. Many bands such as The Ramones, Dead Boys, Bad Brains, Leeway, Exodus, Venom, Death, Agnostic Front, U.S. Chaos and The Cro-Mags appeared there. Mainly due to concerns over their liquor licence, they relocated to the larger 254 W.54th Street, the former home of Studio 54, in 1989. The 11th Street location was reborn as a dance club, reverting back to its original name, Webster Hall.
More on the club scene of the time.
squattheatre.com/article04m.html
The Ritz was big NYC venue in the 80s. Sorry this is all I have of the spot. Don't have a clue about the original "rap" used in the track. I believe some of the concert footage was shot at the Ritz, the clip sample frame shows Kraftwerk, who I saw there (great show!) The venue scaled up a club format pioneered by Hurrah, Danceteria and the Mudd Club. Earlier prototypes might be the Dom and Avalon Ballroom. This from wikipedia...
The Ritz was founded in 1980 by Jerry Brandt on 11th Street between Third and Fourth Avenues in the East Village neighborhood of New York City. Formerly a ballroom known as Webster Hall, The Ritz still retained some of its previous incarnation's Art Deco style. As a venue, it focused primarily on live performances, often of newer acts, but also featured dancing. The Ritz was one of the first clubs to incorporate video into the club experience. In its heyday, top acts including Tina Turner, Madonna, Eric Clapton, Guns N' Roses, Prince, Sting, KISS, B.B. King, Slayer, Parliament-Funkadelic, The Cure and 10,000 Maniacs performed on its stage. In 1986 it became the home to Chris Williamson's Rock Hotel club. Many bands such as The Ramones, Dead Boys, Bad Brains, Leeway, Exodus, Venom, Death, Agnostic Front, U.S. Chaos and The Cro-Mags appeared there. Mainly due to concerns over their liquor licence, they relocated to the larger 254 W.54th Street, the former home of Studio 54, in 1989. The 11th Street location was reborn as a dance club, reverting back to its original name, Webster Hall.
More on the club scene of the time.
squattheatre.com/article04m.html
