The seventh annual Ladyfest takes place this Saturday, Sept. 30 from 5 to 11 p.m., featuring 10 bands and two DJs on two stages, and numerous Island food and retail vendors.
Larkin Stallings, the owner of the Ritz Cafe in Oak Bluffs, realized his prospects of becoming a famous bass guitarist were grim shortly after opening his first music club.
Pubs that have remained closed for much of the winter prepared this week for a St. Patrick’s Day opening, wiping down bars, sweeping floors and arranging stools in their rightful places.
Larkin Stallings, owner of the Ritz Cafe in Oak Bluffs, opened his first club in 1976. It was called My Oh My, and sat at the intersection of Homer avenue and High street in Palo Alto, Calif.
A mainstay Martha’s Vineyard nightspot year round, the Ritz Cafe will shutter effective Jan. 1, with plans to reopen March 9, following approval from the Oak Bluffs selectmen Tuesday.
It starts quietly. A few flannel-clad regulars sitting at the bar, sipping on whatever suits their fancy, which, despite it being called the Ritz, is never fancy.
The Ritz Cafe has a new name and new menu, but promises to keep the old vibes. The Ritz SoulKitchen and Barbecue opens Thursday night after being closed since the beginning of March for refurbishing.
On most nights, live music greets you at the door of the Ritz Cafe and a friendly bartender fills drinks for a wide sampling of the Island population. New owners Larkin and Jacqueline Stallings have pledged to keep the soul of the place, while bring some new Southern spirit.
