In 2006 two music venues died and one was born. Tom DeGeorge worked at the CrowBar in State College, Pennsylvania while attending Penn State in the 90’s, starting as a doorman and ending as floor manager. He moved on to the Masquerade in Atlanta and ultimately took over as general manager of the Masquerade at the Ritz Theater in Ybor City. In 2006, both music venues closed, and as an homage to the State College venue, he opened the Crow Bar in Ybor, where it has become an institution. He plans to close on its 20th anniversary in 2026.
Influenced by older Ybor bar owners, Don Barco (King Corona) and Richard Boom (Dirty Shame), Tom learned to fight for the local business owners, taking on the local government when they proposed to fence off Ybor City for Guavaween. Together they formed the Ybor Merchant’s Association to serve as an advocate for the local businesses.
In 2020 when Covid closed live music venues across the country, Tom and a group of 40 members of the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) got together to lobby the federal government to provide grant money to sustain live music venues until they could reopen. In a short period of time their efforts, including 1.5 million emails, resulted in $17 billion in federal grants allowing not only live music venues but museums and theaters to remain in business until the crisis was over.
The CrowBar puts on several live music shows per week, holding approximate 400 people. It also hosts events like Old Dirty Sundays and an annual hot dog eating contest on July 3. Two Weeks with Tom, a documentary produced in 2019 about Tom and the CrowBar, https://www.amazon.com/Two-Weeks-Tom-DeGeorge/dp/B08NTP97D6, captures the personality of Tom and his venue. It was followed up by Hot Dog Party, in 2021.
Tom is currently working on several projects with his friends in the independent music venue industry to allow places like The CrowBar around the country to have access to quality live music acts without having to do business with Live Nation and Ticket Master. His efforts are also designed to help the music ecosystem nurture up and coming artists.
You can buy tickets for shows at www.crowbarybor.com, along with a selection of CrowBar merchandise. It’s located at 1812 North 17th Street in Ybor City.