It's been a year and a half. Some people said it would never open. Some said it didn't exist. A popular joke was "Why do they call it Sound-Bar?" "Because all you ever do is hear about it" Har har. Well it's here, and I have to say, it's fantastic.
First impressions are vital in designing a nightclub. When you walk in the door, you should walk right into the mix of things. Sound-Bar flawlessly does just that. You enter by stepping up to a brightly lit loading dock in an alley off Franklin. Immediately inside the lighting level drops. You're greeted by the first of eight bars and a brilliantly clear sound system.
Right away I noticed how dark it was in the club, yet everything was lit properly. It almost seems like light radiates from every direction, but nothing is ever glaring in your face. You can see everything and everyone, but it's not distracting.
The main level has a well-designed dance floor with a glass low-walled elevated deck with chairs and low tables. The DJ booth is at the center of the deck. Floor to ceiling columns constantly change color in harmony with translucent screens displaying wild projections and a lighting system that electrifies the darkness. The sound system is clean and tightly focused. Two large blue bars flank the dance floor. A third round bar ( in a room of it's own ) has walls lined with low seating and tables.
Are you counting? That was four bars. On to the downstairs.
A staircase enclosed in glass leads you down to the lower level. It's cleverly designed with incredibly bright lighting and a mirror opposite the stairs to let you check your style as you float down the stairs. The insanely bright lighting also shocks you into consciousness from your drunken stupor so you don't fall. It works. Trust.
A second DJ spins tunes on the lower level above the second dance floor. To the left and right of the booth, two glass walled lounges, aptly named the Red Room and the Orange Room for their monochrome decor, offer comfortable seating and two more bars. Opposite the DJ booth, across the room, is the Yellow bar. Still counting? Seven bars, one more to go.
Just past the staircase you can find bar number eight in the Green Room. It's a small boxy room with a bar at one end and a huge speaker system for a tiny space. It was the right mix of seats and space with good sounds and laid back conversation. If it's open when you visit, be sure to check it out.
Sound-Bar has raised the club experience to a higher level than ever before. I've heard whisperings of a gay night coming soon. Keep your eyes and ears open for it.