The Amphitheater
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Where: 1609 E. Seventh Ave., Tampa (Ybor City)
Hours: 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. Wednesday and Thursday; 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday
Cover: Wednesday, $3; Thursday and Friday, $5; Saturday, $12 general admission, $17 VIP.
What to wear: Amphitheater may be Tampa's quintessential nightclub, so dress like you own the place. Guys wear designer dress shirts, nice shoes and jeans. Ladies already know what's hot, so you know they'll look good.
Signature drink: The Speedball, which is a combination of Absolut vodka and Red Bull - fitting for a high-energy dance club.
The scene: This is a club that knows how to put on a show. The bouncers are strict about appearance, so upscale style and attitude are abundant. If you aren't feeling the dance vibe, escape to the posh VIP room, where the elite sip brandy while relaxing on velvet couches.
The crowd: The Amp attracts a VIP crowd that appreciates posh treatment from a professional, A-list club. Expect to find yourself surrounded by local celebrities, athletes and partygoers drunk on energy from high-octane dance music.
The specials: Wednesday features a summer bikini competition and mixed drinks (everything except top-shelf liquors) for $3. Thursday is college night, featuring $3 bottled beers and cocktails, with ladies drinking free until 1 a.m. (The VIP room also features an open bar from midnight until 1 a.m.) Friday is ladies night, so women get in free until midnight and drink double all night.
The scoop: John Santoro opened the Amphitheater almost six years ago to bring the traditional Vegas and Miami nightclub to Ybor City. The club is pure entertainment with more flair and excitement than a traveling circus. Manager Jimmy Brothers has been hard at work, bringing in some of the biggest DJs in the electronic music business. Booking the likes of Paul Oakenfold, Sasha, and Paul Van Dyk, Amphitheater has become known as the premier dance club in the Tampa area.
But the club has more to offer than just music. The Amphitheater features a 30-foot revolving dance floor and a $1.5 million sound and light system. It also has a 10-canon cryogenics system that blasts the dance floor with liquid carbon dioxide to cool the median temperature by 20 degrees in five seconds. Dancers are featured on pedestals around the club, while Lamount (the "Human Volcano'') performs his fire breathing act on stage. The Amphitheater might be the place to be seen, but the club itself is the real show.
By Doug Van Sant
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