Ritzy

Really cool live music venue above, of all places, a movie theatre. I came for an event called Gypsy Nights and the band was AMAZING. They're a recurring event (a Thursday each month?) so be sure to catch them if you can. The Ritzy has tons of free music events, as well as some parties with a small cover. Check the calendar to see what's going on.

The music venue is upstairs from the bar, so buy your drinks and mosey on up. It's pretty cosy up there with a bunch of sofas and long high tables in the back. There's a cool balcony at the very back where people would go out and smoke. They have a good menu but it looked pricey, so I would recommend eating before you come.

Me likey.

Compact and bijou and close enough to the musicians to see your reflection in the frets.

I was lucky enough to be guided here by someone who has great taste in music otherwise I would never have found it in a month of Sundays (or any day of the week really).

We were entertained by Adam Beattie & The Consultants and their guest for the evening was a lass called Josie who took centre stage whilst the boys grabbed a drink. She provided us with a perfect musical degustation from her repertoire and then there was a combination gig when the Consultants had necked their scoops. Brilliant.

Tidy little bar down the stairs that serves a solid pint of the Black stuff. On my first visit for drinks the baristas were a little coy, sullen, unenthused but a flash of the dimples and a bit of Northern banter seemed to spark them up and we got along just fine after that. So much so I almost missed my train home ... time flies when you go here with such great company.

There is a regular and varied music scene here (from Jazz thru Swing to Soul & House) and they have an open mic night for those of you who want to show us wot u got!! and they also have monthly comedy nights Ritzy Crackers Comedy on the 3rd Thursday of the month

I see a UYE coming ..... over to my host for the evening .....

Who'd have thunk it?

I knew the excellent Ritzy had another bar upstairs called... errr... Upstairs, but I hadnt' ventured up there before. With the lovely cafe downstairs spilling out onto the pavement, I've ignored it until now. But we checked it out this weekend and I've been missing out! Small, funky, intimate, with a wee stage on a mezzanine level. Plastered in movie posters, which I thought was a nice touch. Comfy seats to spend some serious time relaxing in, or the normal table and chairs for a quick one before a film.

The regular events here tap into the local culture - some hip-hop, roots and reggae nights mixed in with comedy, open mic and even speed dating. See the listings poster for each month.

I think this could be a great spot for a private party too.... just sayin'.

Lovely place upstairs with awesome music. I know they regularly have events on so loved coming upstairs after watching a film. Nice wine but very intimate surrounding. Bar but might be a little too small though where stairs are.

It's a funny thing to imagine, that a cinema would also have a mezzanine area "upstairs" that is used as a live music venue. However, some how it works.

My somewhat educated assumption is that screens 1-5 are tucked safely away on the ground and lower ground floors so not to disturb the films, but saying that, films are played so loud these days that I can't hear myself think. Or perhaps that's just a sign that I'm ageing... gracefully? Hmm!

Well anyway, as a music venue, it's small so it can get rather busy, so either get there early and grab a table or if you don't mind standing, be prepared to do so.

Recently I had the pleasure of heading down to be entertained by a Scottish folk band; the music was a joy (so much so I purchased a CD), and my company was exceptional. Not that my company was supplied by Upstairs at The Ritzy, but I have to say that it does attract some interesting, funky, arty (you know the kind), sort of people, which suits me just right!

Yep. Brilliant. Cheap entertainment, local stuff-- including science in the pub one Tuesday a month.

Worth it for almost anything htey have on-- often free.

First Friday of every month is open Mic. If you get the chance to go it's worth the time. Nothing beats local performers!

So you think you know about film? Hah. I can prove that you don't. Pop along to Upstairs at the Ritzy on the last Tuesday of every month and have a go at their quiz, You're Gonna Need A Bigger Boat. I work in the sodding industry and every month you'll find me banging my head on the table and wailing with frustration at my cinematic ignorance, wondering if I should have followed my dad's advice and done accountancy instead.

Then I realise that actually, I'm just a normal person (well, according to my mummy) but am pitting myself against a bunch of serious, serious, serious geeks. Because this is not just your average movie quiz. This is the creme de la creme of movies quizzes. I know this because my regular partner-in-crime is a colleague who is himself a massive nerd and knows the answers to questions more obscure than the name of the second cameraman from Hungary's award-winning 1928 silent short about ducks, and yet the highest we've ever come is third. Damn you, Mild Peril & Some Sexy Scenes. Why must you be there every month, stealing our thunder, with your indefatigable movie trivia knowledge?????

But on to the location. The bar itself isn't bad. It's not somewhere I'd choose to come on a regular night; the seats aren't particularly comfortable, the drinks and bar snacks are bog-standard and overpriced, and there are a couple of staff members with egos the size of a small country. But they do stage some deservedly popular events and one can only admire the dedication required to collect and stick up the movie posters which quite literally cover the walls. It's nice and close to Brixton station and obviously it's handy for when you've got time to spare before your film starts. But strip away the events and to be perfectly honest, it's nothing out of the ordinary.

Of course, if we ever come second, I'll blatantly award another star. Yup, I really am that shallow.

really cool and lovely place,, bar a little small for my liking but love the music and ambiance

A friend booked this out for a private birthday party. Really nice size with a private bar, private toilets- even our own doorman! Definitely book this out for a snazzy night to impress with lots of friends. My only warning is that the bar tab minimum is quite high, so make sure you will be there a while and/or your friends are drinking a lot!