Clubs

[Sunshadow]

Now I am the type of person that goes by what people say and DBK & another friend of ours have told me about it and Im wondering what is it really like? The last club I went to was Cheek to Cheek in Kalamazoo and that was five years ago and I gotta say, I wish I wasnt there at that moment in time(bad experience). If anyone could give me a descripitive way of saying what its like there, it would be deeply appreciated. Have a great day and a goodnight.

[Scary Guy]

Am I allowed to answer this? :D

Well I'm going to anyway. It's a shithole! I can't for the life of me understand why people still frequent that place when there are so many other better clubs. Half the staff even agrees with me on this.

[sass_in_the_pants]

It's Bram Stoker's 'Cheers'.

[SuZQZ]

It's Bram Stoker's 'Cheers'.

[Troy Spiral (13)]

Depends on what level of description your looking for. If your not used to "these types of clubs." It a very basic sense its the same as any other "industrial" club anywhere in the world , if your not too familiar with the basic concept. (dark, lotta weirdos and booze)

In the specifics, its basically the "gothy/industiral club" version of a greasy spoon diner. It is fairly "run down" but that's just the building, typically people go to places more for the social aspects otherwise we'd all just stay home.

The key aspect of city club (and for most people, any club) is the people. Which, is largely the same people you see around here.

In terms of "having a good time" that's a lot more to do with timing and attitude than the actual club. 300 people would give you 300 different descriptions of what "kind of time" they had at X club on X date.

For many its not so much a "go check it out" type thing, as a regular place to meet & greet the same group of aquaitences over time.

[freydis]

Very dark.

[Hellion]

This might explain part of it.

[Fierce Critter]

I wondered if you'd get Scary Guy's opinion or mine first.

Here are the complaints most people make about it:

It's filthy.

The music sucks.

The sound system sucks.

It's horribly hot in the summer.

It's fucking freezing in the winter.

The bathrooms are terrifyingly nasty.

The drinks are overpriced.

The people are: snobs; poseurs; gothier than thou; slutty; skanky; idiots; etc.

Lemme see... did I miss anything?

And how I feel about the above:

It's only filthy if you touch things. So -, don't touch anything. And don't lick your boots.

The music is always going to be subject to opinion. I like it when they play stuff that most people think is overplayed and old-hat. Some people prefer new stuff, but not much gets played. They play more EBM than industrial or goth.

I have a pretty good ear. But the sound system doesn't bother me. Maybe it sucks, I dunno. Works for me.

Hot/cold - Yes, it's so hot right now, I won't go. You will sweat standing still. It's shameful. As for cold - goth/punkwear lends itself to cooler temps. So I like it colder in there. More comfy for dancing.

The bathrooms go through stages. Can't speak for the mens'room. But in my opinion and experience, people tend to complain about the bathrooms because they always have - in the past few years, I've experienced a continuous supply of toilet paper & soap available, and clean toilet seats, and just a modicum of water on the floor. Works for me. (Tip: grab napkins from the bar before you go in in case they're out of TP or you want them for drying your hands after washing.)

The drinks are overpriced. $8.00 and up for most mixed drinks, if not all. Beer is cheap, but I don't drink it, so I can't tell you anything except most people say it's watered down. Tip: Go to Marvin for mixed drinks (black guy near the left side of the bar). He tends to make things screamingly strong. I have been known to sneak in my own booze, but I have boobage that lends itself to that easily. :D

The people - I like them. There is a lot of promiscuity, which will either work for you or not. In general, it's the only place goths, punks, cross-dressers, rivetheads, bisexuals, homosexuals and other "sorts of the alternative ilk" can mingle generally without fear of insult or hassle.

Overall, I love it there. I don't have the problem with it most do. But I've learned to avoid the nasty and enjoy the... uh... enjoyable. It's a "legacy club" - been there forever, probably will always be there.

Oh, and it's cheap to get in. $3.00 before midnight (or is it 11:00?), $4.00 after. Fridays you can get in free with a code number, I'm not sure how you get that number.

[Troy Spiral (13)]

Oh and the humidity/heat is usually fairly high part is another key aspect of CC as aluded to above...

The humidity seems to have died down by several orders of magnitude in the last 2 weeks. I'd typcially associate that with "well its cooler outside" but i cant say that's a correct observation. Because, even in the dead of winter it can be a massive humidity mineshaft in there.

There's got to be more forces at work than just "well its a bit cooler outside" or "there was a few more or less people on X date".

I cant help but think there is some mystical mix of doors & windows being open or closed in certain combinations or some such. (cant be that they fixed anything , that's crazy talk hehe)

[HavokGurl]

I wondered if you'd get Scary Guy's opinion or mine first.

Here are the complaints most people make about it:

It's filthy.

The music sucks.

The sound system sucks.

It's horribly hot in the summer.

It's fucking freezing in the winter.

The bathrooms are terrifyingly nasty.

The drinks are overpriced.

The people are: snobs; poseurs; gothier than thou; slutty; skanky; idiots; etc.

Lemme see... did I miss anything?

And how I feel about the above:

It's only filthy if you touch things. So -, don't touch anything. And don't lick your boots.

The music is always going to be subject to opinion. I like it when they play stuff that most people think is overplayed and old-hat. Some people prefer new stuff, but not much gets played. They play more EBM than industrial or goth.

I have a pretty good ear. But the sound system doesn't bother me. Maybe it sucks, I dunno. Works for me.

Hot/cold - Yes, it's so hot right now, I won't go. You will sweat standing still. It's shameful. As for cold - goth/punkwear lends itself to cooler temps. So I like it colder in there. More comfy for dancing.

The bathrooms go through stages. Can't speak for the mens'room. But in my opinion and experience, people tend to complain about the bathrooms because they always have - in the past few years, I've experienced a continuous supply of toilet paper & soap available, and clean toilet seats, and just a modicum of water on the floor. Works for me. (Tip: grab napkins from the bar before you go in in case they're out of TP or you want them for drying your hands after washing.)

The drinks are overpriced. $8.00 and up for most mixed drinks, if not all. Beer is cheap, but I don't drink it, so I can't tell you anything except most people say it's watered down. Tip: Go to Marvin for mixed drinks (black guy near the left side of the bar). He tends to make things screamingly strong. I have been known to sneak in my own booze, but I have boobage that lends itself to that easily. :D

The people - I like them. There is a lot of promiscuity, which will either work for you or not. In general, it's the only place goths, punks, cross-dressers, rivetheads, bisexuals, homosexuals and other "sorts of the alternative ilk" can mingle generally without fear of insult or hassle.

Overall, I love it there. I don't have the problem with it most do. But I've learned to avoid the nasty and enjoy the... uh... enjoyable. It's a "legacy club" - been there forever, probably will always be there.

Oh, and it's cheap to get in. $3.00 before midnight (or is it 11:00?), $4.00 after. Fridays you can get in free with a code number, I'm not sure how you get that number.

Im inclined to agree with Troy. It is dependant on the atmosphere you are "feeling" that night.

I spent many nites there last summer and some were good, some not so good. It's great for people watching. The nithes I went they played ALOT of techno which I can deal with but dont care for. Sum it up, it's alright, it's fun, but can be a bit over-rated.

[Nienna]

I love the place in spite of it's filthyness, and intemperate climate. I've been haunting the place for a decade and it's always been fun for the most part. It also never really changes, which for someone like me, is a good thing.

[saechalyn]

It's not clean. Never sit down without checking for spills, and don't touch the floor if you can help it. I can't speak for the men's room but the women's has soap maybe 40% of the time, and never any paper towels. You get used to the staff yelling at you. The sound system is shitty to the point where I thought a song was in German for months because I couldn't make out any of the lyrics...it's always been in English. I like the music for the most part; some nights I can't drag myself off the dancefloor (shitty sound system notwithstanding) and other nights there's nothing I want to dance to. Check other posts in the forum for playlists to give you an idea. The DJs are very nice in my experience. I honestly don't find the drinks that expensive because while $8 may be a lot for a mixed drink it is EASILY as strong as 3 drinks in some other places. Be nice to the bartenders and tip them well, and they will be nice to you. I'd avoid the place if it is extremely hot or extremely cold outside because it's likely to be the same inside the club.

The crowd is always interesting. "Interesting" sometimes includes the morbidly obese sporting a thong and no shirt, but interesting nonetheless. Lots of different types go there, from the blue jeans and t-shirt crowd to standard-issue hot topic clad gothlings to a rare old school punk with full mohawk to people in head to toe latex. I've met friends, lovers, and people I hope I never see again there.

On a good night, there's noplace on earth I'd rather be. On a bad night, I ask myself why do I still come to this shithole. I'll admit I've sworn it off more than once, but I always wander back eventually.

Do NOT leave anything of value in your car. Many people (myself included) have had our cars broken into while there.

Photos here: http://www.lelandcityclub.net/

[Onyx]

Overall, I love it there. I don't have the problem with it most do. But I've learned to avoid the nasty and enjoy the... uh... enjoyable. It's a "legacy club" - been there forever, probably will always be there.

Oh, and it's cheap to get in. $3.00 before midnight (or is it 11:00?), $4.00 after. Fridays you can get in free with a code number, I'm not sure how you get that number.

In order to get the code for Friday nights you have to join the mailing list.

http://www.lelandcityclub.net/index.php?page=mailinglist

Sass - loved that Bram Stoker's Cheers comment. If only it were as nice a bar as that

I'd say it's worth going to see what you think. Go with several people if you can, not exactly a safe neighborhood to walk through, or go very early and park in the pay lot. Find the DGN crowd, usually to the right of the bar and you'll have lots of folks to talk to when you get there.

edited because I forgot the .net - mailing list is still there

[Onyx]

On a good night, there's noplace on earth I'd rather be. On a bad night, I ask myself why do I still come to this shithole. I'll admit I've sworn it off more than once, but I always wander back eventually.

Sums up my thoughts well also.

[DJ Saint]

The sound system is shitty to the point where I thought a song was in German for months because I couldn't make out any of the lyrics...it's always been in English.

THIS cracked me up! Thanks.

[Scary Guy]

Do NOT leave anything of value in your car. Many people (myself included) have had our cars broken into while there.

Don't leave it in coat check either. If it's really nice it's bound to get "lost".

The following items should be taken:

Identification

Money

keys

clothes

The last two are pretty much optional.

[Homicidalheathen]

You know those movies, like Blade......for instance........where they show all these edgy people in a dark, dingy place.....but everyone is having a great time......and it looks real cool........

Its kinda like that but not as good.

Best to go on Halloween or NeW Years if you want to pretend your in a movie.

Otherwise it might be dead. And you won't be able to fake it.

[Homicidalheathen]

Oh and take extra tissue cause they run out of tp and dont sit on the seat. Just hope you dont have to poo in there.......I usually dont eat much the day I go lol

[pomba gira]

I'm with Fierce Critter on this one. I love the place. Yeah it's a dive but I like dives... and honestly, as dives go, CC is pretty mild. OK, it's dirty, but it's too dark to see the dirt anyway. And I've been in MUCH filthier places in my 30 years of nightlife. The ladies' room is really not bad as dive rest rooms go... there is usually tissue and the sinks are always functional. The drinks are a tad pricey given the ambience (I usually pay $6 for a Jack & Coke) but if you tip the bartenders the drinks will be potent enough to justify the price. Added bonus for me is being able to get a room upstairs in Detroit's own Chelsea Hotel, the historic Leland House. I live in Lansing and driving back after a night of carousing is not an option for me. Nice discount at the hotel for club-goers. Same goes for the Leland as for the club... it's vital that you be able to take things for what they are. Just keep repeating "kitchenette suite for $80... kitchenette suite for $80" and things will fall into perspective.

I will however second the caveats about parking. Go early so you can get into the lot. If you park on the street it's only a matter of time before your vehicle is broken into. Even parking in the paid lot behind the hotel lot is better than street parking. The immediate area is scary looking if you aren't the hardcore urban type, but is much, much safer than the area around Harpo's. Come to think of it, though, downtown Baghdad is prolly safer than the area around Harpo's. Use basic urban common sense, don't leave items of value in sight in your car.

Overall, it's definitely worth a trip, and if you're the openminded sort you'll prolly have a smashing time. But again, you have to be able to accept the place for what it is... a dive where merry changelings can frolic unmolested by normals.

[darkboi13]

Its hit or miss. Usually miss.

[Falstaff]

Been going there on and off for around 10 years or so. Maybe more. I actually don't remember, but I think I started going at the end of high school.

It hasn't changed since I started going, I know that. It probably hasn't been cleaned since then, either.

Yep, it's filthy and the sound system sucks. I usually can't tell where one song ends and another begins. I've never had a problem with the alcohol content of the drinks before, though. Pretty much every drink I've bought there has been made fairly strong.

Other than that... I don't really know anyone there, unless I go with someone, so I'm really not there for the social scene. I usually just sit in a corner, drink, and once in awhile get drug onto the dance floor by random people. Me on a dance floor = horrifying.

Plus, I don't 'dress the part', either. Usually just jeans, a black shirt, and a black jacket or a Tigers jersey.

I actually can't think of any real reason I go. I just feel the urge every once in awhile.

Speaking of which, it's been awhile.......perhaps I need to go this weekend.

[DJ Nocker]

If the place got a better sound system and they tried a little harder to keep it clean, I would love the place. BUT they dont try at all to fix the problems.

I go there rarely, also, unless you have friends there or are going in a group, good luck with social interactions.

[damagedangel]

I go there rarely, also, unless you have friends there or are going in a group, good luck with social interactions.

bah!! I talk to almost everyone that I walk by when I'm there...Once you get past the angsty exteriors, they're just soft and mooshy.

lol

[Shade Everdark]

bah!! I talk to almost everyone that I walk by when I'm there...Once you get past the angsty exteriors, they're just soft and mooshy.

lol

Those exteriors aren't just angsty, they're crusty.

Like a scab.

Ew.

[Scary Guy]

If the place got a better sound system and they tried a little harder to keep it clean, I would love the place. BUT they dont try at all to fix the problems.

Exactly, because they don't NEED to, people come regardless. This is why I frequent Mephisto's and Luna where they'll actually update equipment once in a while and they actually CARE about their customers, who aren't just walking dollar signs.

If you have an issue at City they just throw you out, both parties, no questions. If you have an issue at either of the other two I just mentioned they'll work with you to try to sort it out if they can.