Live music is coming back inside at one of St. Petersburg’s long-running lounges. Today, Ruby’s Elixir announced a September concert schedule featuring popular local songwriters (Connor Zwetsch, Brandon Santino), jazz musicians (Hiram Hazley) and a straight up B3 demigod (Shawn Brown, pictured).
The news comes after Ruby’s—located at 15 3rd St N. in downtown St. Petersburg—got its 509 food service license.
The 509 is a loophole offered to bars and breweries by the State of Florida in lieu of an actual plan to mitigate and track the spread of coronavirus. Critics of the loophole have called it a “gimmick,” but it does give bars a chance to bring in some money. Under the loophole a bar that serves any amount of food—it could be a Hot Pocket—can reopen at limited capacity.
Creative Loafing Tampa Bay asked a rep for Ruby’s about the new capacity at the space. We’ll update the post with any new information.
A press release says the Ruby’s light bites menu “will include various wraps, local smoked fish dip by What Are You Smokin’?, cheese and fruits, hummus and veggies, and pasta salad.”
Opening acts on the concert schedule perform from 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. while headliners play from 10 a.m.-2 a.m. On days when there's just one act, the music will run from 8 p.m.-midnight.
See the concert schedule below.
9/4—7:30 p.m.—Brandon Santino
9/4—10 p.m.—To Be Announced
9/5—7:30 p.m.—Connor Zwetsch
9/5—10 p.m.—To Be Announced
9/6—8 p.m.—The Family Funk
9/7—7:30 p.m.—Latraia Savage
9/7—10 p.m.—Shawn Brown
9/8—8 p.m.—Bob Hope
9/9—8 p.m.—Branson Welsh
9/10—8 p.m.—Hiram Hazley
9/11—7:30 p.m.—Brandon Santino
9/11—10 p.m.—To Be Announced
9/12—7:30 p.m.—Connor Zwetsch
9/12—10 p.m.—To Be Announced
9/13—8 p.m.—The Family Funk
9/14—7:30 p.m.—Latraia Savage
9/14—10 p.m.—Shawn Brown
9/15—8 p.m.—Bob Hope
9/16—8 p.m.—Branson Welsh
9/17—8 p.m.—Hiram Hazley
9/18—7:30 p.m.—Brandon Santino
9/18—10 p.m.—To Be Announced
9/19—7:30 p.m.—Connor Zwetsch
9/19—10 p.m.—To Be Announced
9/20—8 p.m.—The Family Funk
9/21—7:30 p.m.—Latraia Savage
9/21—10 p.m.—Shawn Brown
9/22—8 p.m.—Bob Hope
9/23—8 p.m.—Branson Welsh
9/24—8 p.m.—Hiram Hazley
9/25—7:30 p.m.—Brandon Santino
9/25—10 p.m.—To Be Announced
9/26—7:30 p.m.—Connor Zwetsch
9/26—10 p.m.—To Be Announced
9/27—8 p.m.—The Family Funk
9/28—7:30 p.m.—Latraia Savage
9/28—10 p.m.—Shawn Brown
9/29—8 p.m.—Bob Hope
9/30—8 p.m.—Branson Welsh
Tampa Bay venues and promoters need you to bug Marco Rubio about saving the live music scene.
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This article appears in Sep 3-9, 2020.