Brass Mug

Opened in 1982, this live music venue is known as "Tampa Bay's Music Core." Although it once headlined bands like pre-stardom Green Day and No Doubt, The Mug is now a punk/metal scene popular among locals and University of South Florida students. Located in a strip mall in north Tampa, the facility is a dimly lit hole-in-the-wall, so don't expect frills (but who wants frills at a metal concert, anyway?). The stage is huge so the bands are happy and that's the most important thing about this venue. Make sure to bring earplugs so you can get close enough to feel the stage thumping.