By Brent Michael, Rock At Night Tampa Senior Correspondent
Venue: The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City/Tampa, Florida–October 18th, 2025
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Band Websites: Goalkeeper, Hunny, Cartel
Band Facebook: Goalkeeper, Hunny, Cartel
Did someone forget to tell me this was a sports event? No, seriously. I mean, the first band was Goalkeeper, and I was half expecting guys in hockey masks to take the stage…I guess because it’s Halloween season, and being at The Ritz Ybor always makes me think of GWAR, since I have seen them twice here. And then there’s the state of our country right now, which is pretty scary, and today was also No Kings Day, and about the scariest thing I can think of is having a Mango Moron in charge of this country for his lifetime! But today, the scariest thing I encountered was the outrageous heights of the parking fees!
Once I settled into a space and found my way into Ybor’s classiest establishment (no sarcasm here, they even have clean restrooms!), I made my way to the soundstage where Goalkeeper was rattling the bones of those gathered in the name of all that is rock! They hail from Philadelphia, PA.; Ryan Beebe (Singer/Bassist), Marc Juliano (Guitarist), and Cody Ritchie (Drummer) formed a “not-so-sad pop-punk band ” in 2016, and has been scoring with aplomb ever since. They provided the perfect warm-up for the eager crowd, followed by the sweet sounds of…
Yes, I know it’s a bit punny, but that’s just how I’m feeling! Keeping up the sporting theme, Hunny‘s latest album is Spirit, released September 26th of this year, features Jason in football gear – including a cheerleader. You’ll just have to see it for yourself. The band hails from Los Angerles, CA., formed in 2014, and currently runs as a solo project of lead singer/frontman Jason Yarger, although he has a couple others on tour with him. A pop-punk outfit, he’s regularly put out music including two previous albums, four EPs, and eleven singles.
And then came Cartel. Sports connection? Well, their next tour is a doozy, supporting State Champs, plus the lead singer wore a baseball cap during the entire show! Current members of the band include vocalist/bassist Will Pugh, lead guitarist Joseph Pepper, and rhythm guitarist Nic Hudson, from Conyers, GA. joined by Alex LeCavalier on bass and Kyle Adams on drums. Will, Nic, and Joseph met in high school, and the rest, as they say, is twenty-plus years of history. (It’s scary to think that, ten years after I graduated high school, these guys were just being born!)
Kicking things off with “Let’s Go, Faster Ride, Fortunate, Say Anything (Else), Honestly, Runaway, Burn This City,” they played all the songs from Chroma, (re-released with additional artists on its 20th anniversary) and more, to a crowd that often turned every song into a singalong!
Photo Gallery
When not in custody, I've been involved with music, photography, and writing my entire life. Ever since I was a young boy and played those silver tunes, I've had the beat, but being a drummer didn't suit me so I became a lead singer, which lasted a few years. Settling down, sort of, I translated my knowledge of audio and glib tongue into mobile emcee work, and my training as a photographer and videographer into a living in the wedding, party, bar/bat mitzvah, and entertainment industry. During this time I also managed to bamboozle my way into a master's degree in writing, worked for a couple of magazines (yes, I took photos for a nudist magazine!), have photographed hotels, done commercial work (shot the cover of Tablet and Capsule magazine), published a few articles, hosted some public access shows (a couple times in drag, but that's another story), and generally made a nuisance of myself until I landed here.
- Goalkeeper Lets Hunny and Cartel Score Major Points at the Ritz Ybor! - October 21, 2025
- Mid-Florida Brings New Found Glory to Jimmy Eat World, The Offspring Result! - July 15, 2025
- Dwellings Open at Jannus Live, Belmont Appears, Then The Home Team Says Dance Gavin Dance – and They Do! - June 10, 2025
