New ‘Do For Rams Head

Officials at a club in Annapolis, Md., could be adding about 100 seats to the venue during a 10-year tune-up of sorts.

The 240-seat Rams Head On Stage recently got the OK from the Annapolis Planning and Zoning Department to expand its room. Although specifics haven’t been nailed down just yet, VP of Rams Head Erin Brunst told Pollstar officials are hoping to begin construction this fall in anticipation of the club’s November 10th anniversary date.

Brunst said On Stage was Rams Head’s first leap into the venue biz and after 10 years, the owners have gained a better understanding of the infrastructure that needs to be in place to make the club run well.

"With Rams Head On Stage, that was our first entry into the national entertainment world," Brunst said. "Until you’re right in the midst of it, you don’t learn everything that is needed and necessary to make a wonderful experience for not only the artist but also the customer."

Front-of-house renovation plans include enlarging the stage, adding seats and a VIP box / experience area and moving the kitchen to a quieter area of the building. For artists, the club is planning to build an addition backstage next to the standing green room and will enlarge an existing half-bath to a full bathroom.

Rams Head On Stage has shows booked almost nightly in the months before the anniversary, which could present a bit of a challenge for the club’s construction plans.

But Brunst said the renovations wouldn’t affect the scheduled performances.

"We’re very creative so we’re looking to be doing a lot of these renovations in the evening, after the shows, to have people work from 12 midnight until the early morning," Brunst said. "We’re definitely continuing to book and we’re going to do everything we can to continue the artist experience."

Upcoming shows on the books include The Yardbirds, Lloyd Cole and The Ditty Bops, among others.