The Castle
While some prefer its low-key, classy downstairs bar, The Castle´s upstairs dance floor really draws the crowds (and apparently, the votes). Here, patrons enjoy a large, L-shaped bar, dancers on pedestals, and four projection screens with visuals to accompany tunes varying from one evening to the next. The fun begins on Monday with Old Wave Video. DJ Rob Pittman spins a mix of ´80s alternative music that attracts a diverse crowd, misfits mingling with college kids for the low price of $2 a head ($3 for ages 18 to 20). Pop ´N´ Wave Thursdays feature anything from Justin Timberlake to The Cure ($3/$5), and DJ Tom Gold digs up, dusts off and spins old-school Goth and industrial favorites on Friday´s Coffin Classics and Beyond ($4/$5). The week concludes with Communion After Dark on Saturdays, presenting various DJs playing the latest electro, industrial, future-pop, power-noise, dark wave, synth-pop, cold wave and pretty much any Gothic music out today ($5/$6). Folks seem to genuinely like The Castle, which means that you probably don´t have to be part of the Goth crowd to enjoy yourself. So, check it out if you haven´t already — you might get lucky enough to see The Senator twirling around in his pink tutu.
The Castle, 2004 N. 16th St., Ybor City, 813-247-7547.
This article appears in Sep 22-28, 2004.