What Makes you go out to a specific club?

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-- What Makes you go out to a specific club?

Posted by Jon Tremblay on Dec-30-2003 07:53:

What Makes you go out to a specific club?

Over the next few months, we will see new afterhours open up, and some current afterhours will revamp the clubs from ground up. So my questions is..what makes you attend your most frequent afterhours club, and what would you like to see happen to it or make you want to leave it.

For me...I can't mention the names of the clubs, but first and foremost, it's about the music on a crisp well rounded sound system and that's the one thing if anything I would change in most afterhour bars as some are just terrible. Having a wicked sound system, I want to hear dj's that are innovative, different from all the rest and deserving the booking (that doesn't mean to book only guests) The decor and layout should maximize the dance floor and be attractive to the eye, instead of a billion lights, screens with animated projections would be more attractive.As for the crowd, a non sausage fest, don't give a flying monkey piss about bad attitude dancing frenzy!

Posted by Endlesswave on Dec-30-2003 08:00:

Well said Jon. Second to the music which is obviously first I think a club has to have a vibe. Period. Going and hanging out at a club where people are just there to get fucked up on drugs or don't even know what the hell is going on around them is something that annoys me to no end. I remember hearing a story of Mark Oliver stopping the music in the main room @ Guv and asking people who were SITTING in the middle of the dance floor to move to the sides and let people dance! I mean that's what it's for! As long as the music is good, gets me moving, builds and actually goes somewhere in a certain direction is something that will keep me coming back. Also the look of the club through use of not only decent lights/lazers but screens that have cool visuals and vids on them, not just when a special vent is on. Overuse of lazers is also too much sometimes.

Posted by monishb on Dec-30-2003 08:25:

hmm let me think

Booze-check
women-check
alchohol-check
did i say women-check

OH YES !!! LASERS,LASERS AND MORE LASERS!!! AND A REALLY HARD THUMPING SOUND SYSTEM!!!

Posted by Skipper on Dec-30-2003 13:05:

The music, mostly. Even though there may be a good vibe at a club or event, you won't see me paying cover to go in and listen to music I don't enjoy.
Put it this way...I will drive to Montreal to hear a 3 hr Ben sims set, but I won't drive to go be part of the "vibe" when a DJ I don't really enjoy is spinning a 10 hr set.

Posted by Pixiechick on Dec-30-2003 15:58:

quote:
Originally posted by Skipper
The music, mostly. Even though there may be a good vibe at a club or event, you won't see me paying cover to go in and listen to music I don't enjoy.
Put it this way...I will drive to Montreal to hear a 3 hr Ben sims set, but I won't drive to go be part of the "vibe" when a DJ I don't really enjoy is spinning a 10 hr set.

Hmmmm... I think I'm somewhere in between the music and the people I'm with. Agreed that I won't go to a club and pay cover to hear music that I don't enjoy at all. On the other hand, I will still go to a club and pay cover if some of my friends are there and we're all just going out to have fun and be together (for the "vibe" I guess). Like this New Year's Eve, for instance. I'm going to Stereo mostly to be with friends I haven't seen in awhile, rather than for the music. Vibe is what it's all about. You can have the best DJ in the world spin at a club, but if everyone is just sitting there looking bored and pretty and won't give you the time of day, then meh...

Also: friendly staff improve the experience tremendously. I love System in that regards, and love that I can talk to various staff throughout the night, from the washroom attendant (Yay Veronica!) to the bouncers. Sounds like Boa might be the same in that regards, from reviews I read.

And I guess aesthetics are important too, but they're more towards the bottom of my list. Sofas and dark nooks are key though - just for lounging about of course And lasers are fun too, especially those @ Viva! And I like vid screens too - I wish System would make theirs more active, instead of just having DJ names up all night.

Oof... don't know if that made sense but anywho That's my two cents...

Posted by Skipper on Dec-30-2003 16:07:

^^^ So basically, everything matters.

Posted by lipstick on Dec-30-2003 19:38:

i agree with erika,, i also would like to see some new local dj's spin in the main room ocasionally, its nice to hear new sounds and give not as well known dj's a chance, id alsolike to see (at system specifically) instead of building a big pot smoking tree in the tiny breaks room that barely has enough room as it is, some air conditioning in there, its way too hot but the music is so good, so i cant be in there for very long without passing out. definitely a really good sound system is important.. everything else has pretty much been said.

Posted by MarkT on Dec-30-2003 19:43:

#1 - definitely the music...if the music absolutely sucks, I don't care how good the sound, lights, crowd, vibe, etc. are at a club/event.

#2 - the people I'm with...if the music is just "ok", but I'm with good friends in a decent place, cool crowd, etc. then I'll still have a good time. I can go out, roll my eyes at the crappy music, but get trashed and just hang out with my friends

#3 - the vibe...if I'm not comfortable there, or it's too sketchy, I probably won't have fun. Comfortable doesn't have to imply "high class", although a nice space is a plus (lounge or places to sit, chill, etc...big dance floor, etc). System is a dump in the main room, but the vibe in there is almost always good (if you stay away from the coke dealer area which is *sketchy*, lol) so I'm comfortable there. System also proves that the sound system isn't necessarily the deciding factor...although for epic trance, I wouldn't be happy there...you need Guv or KH type environment for that...but for prog or plain ol' dirty dirty beats (eg. Scumfrog), System is very appropriate.

#4 (a distant 4th) Bathrooms!!! LOL I *hate hate hate* places where the facilities are completely disgusting...I appreciate that many people are messy slobs, that some losers will puke, etc...but I don't want to see crap all over the place, no doors on stalls, etc. (eg. the old El Mocambo or Zen Lounge when it was Zoo Bar East...DUMPS).

that's it I'm looking forward to checking out Boa and Pulse...still haven't made it up to Viva either.

Posted by lipstick on Dec-30-2003 19:53:

i dont understand people puke in the bathrooms, and dont flush... well i mean do anything and dont flush,, deeeeeeeeeeescusting, i agree.

Posted by cap on Dec-30-2003 23:39:

depends why i'm going out...

If I'm a single at the time and lookin for some fun, I look for the guy:girl ratio

If I'm lookin to get my dance on and enjoy some sweet tunes, I look for the DJ

If I'm chillen with a group of friends, I look for a loungier type thing.

Posted by artie on Dec-31-2003 00:14:

mr DJ

Posted by j_spot on Dec-31-2003 00:20:

one thing in general Ive noticed about alot of TO clubs is lack of SEATING!!!
there is next to no where to sit and rest your legs. Its almost like they plan for us to be standing up and dancing (and needing drugs to keep us awake) and not sitting and drinking

I would wish for more seating, and crowd control, not being overpacks
but music alwasy is #1

Posted by TheHardOne on Dec-31-2003 04:21:

1)Music (DJs)
2)Women
3)Sound and Lighting
4)Atmosphere(Vibe)
5)Women

What i find in Torontos after hours is 5% of people are there for the music and 95% are they just getting fucked up.

Posted by Shaya007 on Dec-31-2003 04:37:

quote:
[i][b]
What i find in Torontos after hours is 5% of people are there for the music and 95% are they just getting fucked up.

It's very true and the sad thing is that %95 will tell you that they go there for the music

Posted by dallastar on Jan-02-2004 00:10:

THE FREAKIN" BEATZ!!~!!~!!~!!~~!!!~~!~!~!~!!!~!

hmmm, what makes me go is the crowd of people that would be there. the Dj playing that night - the amount of money that would be spent in a evening.. ummm and just as long as the people that work @ a club that i would go to are friendly and caring then all should be good. Lots of floor space to Boogie! Nice bouncers, and proper security - if they don't check for weapons then you may want to think twice about going to that club. I dunno hmmm What else???

I dunno - just for everyone out there in the party scene to be safe while clubbing

Cheers

be safe clubbing .com Wuv Dallas

Posted by Muff2K on Jan-02-2004 01:35:

music & atmosphere & crowd.

that makes u wanna go..

there used to be a club in St. Catherines called 15 James.

It was an old bank (with the huge safe still there!) redone into a club, 3 floors, main floor - dance floor, Dj booth. basement - chillout room, same music, but all couches & coffeetables. top floor - pool tables and shrooms painted on the walls. all black lights in the place too.

no booze tho.

Mike Conradi used to spin there, so the music was there.
turning a bank into a club - awesome
crowd - well, all my friends were there, so it was awesome enough

Posted by mute79 on Jan-02-2004 18:24:

drugs

that is all

Posted by LAYLA-KEKET on Jan-03-2004 07:12:

Afterhours eh! Well music is a definate, must be good. Bad music at noon can really bring my perky personality down. For goodness sake clean bathrooms, I can't stress this enough, were suppose to be a first world country. I also agree with more seating, lord knows you don't want to sit on the ground. I would like a clean environment, but will compromise for good seats and bathrooms. Shirts should be worn at all times, I can't stand it when sweaty naked people rub up against me. Definatly not packed, busy but not packed, who can enjoy themselves is they can't even move... I am sure I'll think of more later

Posted by Rocco on Jan-03-2004 08:28:

i've only seriously clubbed with TranceAddicts and i loved everytime i went out with TAs. Vibe is very very important (at least to me)

not only as a DJ but as someone who enjoys the music, the kinda energy that is released while at a club is just amazing. DJ, the music, the clubbers and the vibe are just so related to the point is they all fuel each other.

i would have to say it all mixes in together. For a night to be successful, the night first must start well @ door... how the patrons treat u at the door. It's only polite to get searched in a nice way. I know they're there for my security but bouncers are pretty much the first impression.

Right as u walk in, sound system comes into affect. I'm usually sober when i walk in a club so things like that are very very noticeable. Once i walk in, the vibe is one of the most primative things i notice. After coat checks and what's not, i usually look for the TAs. That's vibe right there. I just feel good around the TAs. Clubbing is somewhat of a scary experience for me specially since alotta shit can go wrong. After all that goes well, obviously the headliner is one of the thing i notice. By the time the headliner goes on, if everything i mentioned went ok, it becomes a very magical moment. This is what makes it a perfect night out.

so lets recap:
1) bouncers
2) sound system
3) vibe
4) headliner

very simple yet some clubs just get it wrong. IF anyone has anything to disagree with my opinion, please feel free to correct me. I'm a n00b to the scene compared to some of the hardcore clubbers on this board.

Posted by sufee_b on Jan-04-2004 22:31:

I couldnt care less about how elegant a club looks, as long as it is some what average.... especially at raves and such... i mean kinda funny when u got a club that attempts to be high class and elegant but half the crowd is in comatose over various drugs..... the music and beats make the club for me (not to mention a good sound system helps)