GET DOWN, DOWNTOWN
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| FREEK NITE DANCE PARTY AT SNAFU |
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| DANCERS AT DAVIS’ |
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| DJ PRISTINE AT DAVIS’ |
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| THE AUDIO SCHIZOPHRENIC AT SNAFU |
We take our dancing seriously. Out at the clubs, it’s not dancing to pass the time, or dancing to pick up chicks, it’s more like D-A-N-C-E, 1-2-3-4-5. The only thing a dance floor must provide is a high FUN factor. Throughout the past summer and fall, Indigo District held the FUN trophy (hence we picked it as the “Best New Dance Floor” in last fall’s Best of Eugene issue), but then it became a victim of its own success. Once a dance geek and hipster hideaway, the Indigo is now filled with a cologne-drenched crew of university miscreants and Taboo graduates. OK, fine. Whatever.
Which is why we welcome a downtown dance renaissance. Leading the charge is John Henry’s ’80s Night. Sure, JH’s has Reggae vs. Hip Hop, a packed orgy of cheap drinks and crazy mash-ups of bomb raps and low-down rasta, on Wednesday nights, but what really gets people moving with arms-in-the-air, mouth-the-lyrics excitement is the Thursday night mainstay. We recommend you have a few drinks in you to brave the shock of entering JH’s, but once inside there’s plenty of niches to squeeze just about any fanny’s fancy. Like to lounge? Grab a booth in the stadium seating section. Like to shoot pool? Head for the back. Like to watch? Line up with the other gawkers along the ramp leading onstage.
A good plan for serious dancers like us (a good 60-70 percent of the customers on a given Thursday, which is damn good!) is to start on the floor and then move closer and closer to the stage. When Prince, Journey or that “99 Luftballons” song hits, jump up onstage, mount a speaker (if the current occupant doesn’t snap at you), say hi to DJs Chris, Jen and John, and the night will hit a crescendo when you look out on the jubilant crowd and realize why they call this the “legendary dance party.”
When your stomach sours from too much Madonna, stumble across the street to the open, airy dance floor at Davis’ Restaurant, home to vocals-free beats from DJ Sunday Smith (Wednesday), Gaia Tribe (Thursday) and DJ Pristine (Saturday), primarily laptopping a world beat, house, techno and hip hop centered mix. One of the few dance floors that you can preview from the sidewalk, Davis’ provides a full bar, great late night menu (dancing makes us hungry!), a soft, easy-on-the-knees wood floor and the cleanest bathrooms of them all.
For those afflicted with intense bouts of self-consciousness, Davis’ large windows will probably do you no good. Perhap you better stray over to the “gay and straight friendly” SNAFU, located behind Lazar’s Bazaar. Our token gay friend succinctly summed up SNAFU as a “tiny, perfect box, [playing] techno and everybody on everybody.” Sweet! They aren’t open Thursdays, but check out Saturday’s Freek Nite, another soon-to-be “legendary” dance party, hosted by the eclectic, French disco lovin’ DJ Audio Schizophrenic. Shoot, what day is it? Time to dance! — Chuck Adams
