My favorite spot

Everyone has their favorite spot in the club.

After getting through the door at Slowdown, saddling up to the bar to order a few PBR tallboys and hitting up the bathroom, everyone heads to their favorite spot. Maybe it's the balcony. Maybe it's one of the high tables near the bar. Perhaps the row of seats that surround the "pit" area.

I know this because I do it. And in "my spot," I run into the same people a lot. And I know others that have "their spots."

It's a weird phenomenon, really. My spot isn't because that's where it sounds the best (That's usually by the front of house, kids. Front of house = that booth with the sound guy and all of those knobs and switches.) Most people have no particular reason for their fav location.

At Slowdown, it's slightly stage-right, about 10 feet back because I like the view, but I'm not right in it. For Slowdown Jr., it's usually right at the bar, about halfway down so I can get drinks easily and it's not as crazy loud as in front of the stage.

At the Waiting Room it's usually right by the front of house because I don't like wading through a crowd of (usually) teenagers. At the Qwest, I prefer to sit in the sections to the right or left, not the floor (the floor usually gets kinda nutty and you get some annoying superfans down there).

At Sokol Underground, I like to be in the back, usually to the right so that stupid pole in the middle of the audience is out of my way. Upstairs at Sokol, I'm usually left side, near the wall of mirrors (I hate the balcony there... you can never see anything).

Where do you like to sit? Let me know in the comments.

On a slightly related note, I think the best sound in a rock club is not actually in the normal crowd area.

Call me crazy, but I think it's always the bathroom. (Don't believe me? Go into the bathroom at Slowdown in the middle of a show and just listen for a minute. Sounds great.)

A few reasons behind that: The sound is piped in there over the speakers, but not at that ridiculous concert volume. Since it's the bathroom, no one is talking, which means you actually understand it. Since you're behind a few walls, it also filters out some of that wild volume, making it more listenable.

Of course, you didn't come there to listen to the band. You came there to see them. To feel the kickdrum slam into your chest. To have the band sign your new vinyl after the show. To buy the show to prove that you were there, man.