Ybor City's Crowbar is king of Tampa Bay rock clubs, but wraps up its lease in 2026

It can be hard for a newcomer to get acquainted with their local live music venue, and in the new issue of Creative Loafing Tampa Bay on stands now, we mention must-visit rooms of every size from small to large. A staple of any good scene is the gritty rock club, and that's how we get toe Crowbar, located at 1812 N 17th St. in Ybor City.

The scene: Just under 300 people are allowed in Crowbar on any given night, and the venue with walls plastered in concert posters has long been a rock in the local scene. The room features two bars inside, a pretty cool “Merchland” area where bands can meet fans and an outdoor patio that’s home to a bar, DJ booth, art installations, and almost always a local cook making late night snacks.

Concertgoers include a diverse spread of local music junkies across literally every scene and the occasional we-got-a-babysitter crowd that makes it out for a national act playing an intimate sold-out show.

Sound: Rock, rap, DJs, pop, indie, pop...basically everything.
The scoop: Immortalized in the New York Times during the shutdown, owner Tom DeGeorge has become a leader at NIVA which lobbied for billions of dollars to save live entertainment—and helped launch DTour, an independent touring company that seeks to help artists and venues keep more of the money they make in their own pockets (instead of the bank accounts of giant concert promoters).

His room—which will see its lease end in 2026—is a survivor of a Ybor City district that’s seen many of its tried-and-true concert venues relocate or close altogether. Hip-hop, funk, soul and DJ night Ol’ Dirty Sundays has become a community staple, and the room has hosted legendary sets from the likes of Blackstar (which popped up after its set at Straz Center), plus secret performances from giants like hard-rock band Underoath and even Kenny Chesney.

Similar venues: The 300-capacity rock club is kind of a rare breed in Tampa Bay, but there are many similarly-sized rooms that a local music fan should know, foremost including Hooch and Hive, plus New World Brewery and even the Palladium Theater’s basement cabaret which holds just under 200 people for jazz gigs.

Upcoming shows at Crowbar include The Venus' vinyl release party, Discord Theory's album release, and Grrrls Night! Tampa. Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.

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