Have you ever been to a “silent disco”? Did you ask yourself, once inside, why you have been to a silent disco? I know I did. I have yet to attend a more pointless themed night at any nightclub, and I have attended 80s night, “back to school” nights, beach discos and anything else you even care to make up on the spot. The idea behind this “silent disco” was that you enter and choose to either adorn headphones, into which the DJ’s set is piped, or to walk around, talking eerily as you would in a library, and promise not to disturb anyone. I was not there alone, and was in a state in which anything should have seemed funny, but this just seemed strange. And, indeed, the environment is in no way conducive to meeting anyone you may (or may not, more than likely in this case) be interested in. Steer clear.

When you are between the ages of 18 and 25 and looking for a place to meet new people, who indeed could be something more than just a new friend, it can sometimes be difficult to find the right place. Attitudes of those that go to certain places can be annoying, stagnant, aggressive, or just unattractive, to name a few traits of some nightclubs. I hope, in my continuing series, to help people within the demographic of 18 - 25 year olds ascertain early on, without having to stay too long in a place, whether it’s worth your time looking there. I want to address this post to students. I’m sure you’ve all been out, on both sides of the atlantic, and felt like either you can’t stand one place or you love another. Whatever your preferences, you are not going to find anything worthwhile other than drinking games in clubs designed to market themselves to students. In the UK in particular, where we have all developed an incredibly unhealthy attitude to alcohol (for numerous reasons I’m sure most won’t even consider which I won’t go into here), you need to look further than the dingy, ...

The Shelter and MILK Night Club * Wednesdays/Saturdays * 1037 Broadway * Denver, CO 80203 * (303) 534-0222 *21+ * www.myspace.com/sheltersat Every Saturday @ The Milkbar is one of Denver's most infamous Goth clubs - Shelter/Milk. DJ MFR (Mike Rich) spins retro 80's in the milk bar while DJ's Fleisch and Ivo spin Dark Alternative, Ebm, Electroclash, and Industrial in the Jazz Bar. Both rooms, downstairs of Bar Standard. Strong and great drink specials with $2 wells until 11:00pm. It's free cover till 10:00 pm, and only $5 after. Has an outdoor smoking patio. Downstairs is a basement decor with exposed brick walls, vaulted ceilings, wood and tile floors with steel surfaces throughout the house. They have a state-of-the-art sound system that often projecs house/electronica/hip-hop upstairs, with rock and goth downstairs. Occasionally the upper smoking patio has DJ'ing too. Also has a roof-top patio (not often open) upstairs with great views of the Denver skyline. Goth Saturdays and Wednesdays are fabulous with some of the best music being spun in Colorado. Rating: 5 stars out of 5.

Danse Macabre * Thursdays * The Rocket Room * 230 Pueblo Avenue * Colorado Springs, Colorado * 719.447.4990 A great new goth/industrial/neo-folk night in the Springs area. Each thursday at the infamous Rocket Room. Free cover, 21+. Medium size venue with a very tiny dancefloor, but excellent drink prices and service. The mesmerizing compilations dj'ed by Blue Girl enchants your soul and puts you at peace. Its a new spin to the Goth/EBM/Industrial club selection in that Blue Girl specializes in new and old school Goth, Dark Wave, Industrial, Neo-Folk, and Pagan music. Its a perfect mixer and evening to start your weekend early or build up your energy for the weekend. My most favorite weekly night in the Springs. Rating: 5 stars out of 5.

"Timeless" New Year's Eve Fetish Party @ the UndergroundThe Underground Club * 110 North Nevada * Colorado Springs, Colorado * 719 - 578 - 7771 * undergroundbars.com or www.myspace.com/fetishes Another fun-filled fabulous fetish event put on by the Underground and Mistress Satori - with the committment to excellence that we've come to know them for by improving the night, the venue, the entertainment, music, and acts as they have with each and every fetish night since they began. This event's theme was "Timeless" as we celebrated with bidding farewell to 2008 and a welcoming to 2009 with kinky fun and frolic. Live DJ's in both rooms spinning the best of 80's, goth, industrial, EBM, Synth-pop, and Old School by the Anti-DJ, DJ Fiend, DJ Gypsy, and DJ Sky (upstairs apparently didn't work out since it was below freezing for the night instead setting up in the main bar) and downstairs in the boiler room with a sizeable spectacular dance floor we've come to love. Local artists like Gary of Vernal Goddess Studios, vendors, drink specials, live shibari by Pasha, bodypainting by Leaf and Doug of the Tree Leaves' Oracle, and bdsm performances by Mistress Satori, "V", and LHS throughout the night ...

Dancefloor at Sanctuary (Club 23 West) Sanctuary Saturday @ Club 23 West * http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2321964024 * 1st/3rd/5th Saturday every month @ Club 23 West: 23 West Cordova, Vancouver, British Columbia Ah, back in the day when I first moved to Vancouver, this was the only Goth/Industrial club I could find in Vancouver late as Y2K was taking place back when it was at the Purple Onion. This fabulous night was established in 1997 and is the longest-running night in Vancouver that's dedicated to the Goth/Industrial/Underground and alternative music culture. DJ Pandemonium who started the night is still keeping it alive and beating serving the best of alternative/synth/electro/new wave/80's/90's/rock/goth/industrial/ebm/ and synthpop. Now joined with DJ's R-Lex, Vortex, Contrasoma and periodic guests; its taken hold on Saturdays instead of Sundays in the infamous thriving ground of Sin City at its home in Club 23 West. Doors at 9 and the party lasts til 3 am. Free before 10, students free till 11, and two-for-one's with cab receipt all night. $6 cover after 10, $1 off if dressed to impress. I've been a fan of this night since early 2000 attending every year since then, when I lived in Vancouver it was a weekly ...

Ruin Hollywoodhttp://www.myspace.com/ruinhollywood@ The Monte Cristo * 3100 Wilshire Blvd * Los Angeles CA 90010 Just East of Vermont/Wilshire * Entrance through back lot * 10:00pm-2:30am - 21+ (ID Required) * $8 Entry (and various discounts) Ruin broke in the 4th of July celebrations with DJ Xian and Darren Revell, and guest DJ Jason Farber in the main room, while late night out on the patio awe-strucken patrons were treated with fire breathing, swallowing, and spinning fun by Cherchez la Femme and Ted Shred. The music was fabulous and stunning while mixed with a genuine absinthe bar. Occurs every friday night at the Monte Cristo. Darkwave, Ethereal Danse Macabre, Tribal, and Medieval. Excellent musical blends. The ambience, the setting, the music, the lights, the patrons, victorian decor, the art ... all make this one of my favorite Goth clubs. Fantastic job Xian! A must visit. Rating 5 stars out of 5. Tribal fusion dancing firespinner at Ruin

Perversion Perversion HollywoodBoardners * 1652 Cherokee Ave, Hollywood, California * Thursdays * 2 Dance areas * Industrial, Goth, Alternative, and Bondage * 18+ * Full Bar * 10-2 It's been a few years since I've been to Perversion. They are now at a much better location - Boardners, the home to the infamous Bar Sinister and the new location suits Perversion so much better than many of the previous locations I attended. Packed wall to wall with Goths and those dressed in black, it was a madhouse meat market of the gothic array. The Bondage show is back if full spectrum with Sal from the Dungeon at Blue, an Absenthe lounge upstairs, live performances, sexy doms, and incredible dance music downstairs with Bractune and Amanda spinning the main room with industrial techno, dark tekno, and noise. Bruce spins out on the patio a nonconformist mix of Goth, Dark Wave, Alternative, and Indie. The downset to the night is how crowded it often is, at least the evening of 7/3/08 where it was packed and space was difficult to find or obtain on the dance floor to get your frustrations out. The bars as well were packed, and drinks often hard to ...

  BackTrax * 110 N. Nevada, Colorado Springs, Colorado * 719.578.7771DJ Gypsy spinning the retro sounds of the DISCO 70's and Rockin' 80's in the Boiler Room All Night Long. 10:00 pm - 2:00 am; Ages 18-20 $5.00 cover, 21+ free. The Underground's start of a positive trend with a new (potentially monthly) fabulous night called "BackTrax" specializing in the fabulous tunes of the alternative 70's/80's with one of Colorado Springs' hottest DJ's ... DJ Gypsy. The atmosphere was stepping back into the past with patrons dressed up in their 80's attire. The music spectacular, and the dancing fanatic. Fun was had all night long. Lots of drinking and flirting all around. I hope this night stays as it would certainly be a blessing to Colorado Springs. Kudos all around to DJ Gypsy and the Underground. Rating: 5 stars out of 5. Friday 9/22/2008.