Went to Handsome Furs on Friday night (very good, really enjoyed it) and hung around for the club afterwards. It was the first time I'd done that since it reopened and I was shocked at what I heard, a good chunk of the music was from the last 18 months or so. I didn't hear any Pixies or Smiths which was nice but all the same a bit unsettling after years of going there and being bombarded by them. Have they instituted a new music policy to go with the new building? I hope so. Or perhaps the builders lost "THE CD" and they're having to start from scratch.

What do you make of the new layout. The bit to the left of the stage doesnt make sense in a gig context. It only makes sense for the night club after wards... Im not sure I like it to be honest..

i have never been to a whelans club-night... i turn into a pumpkin past midnight...

...intrigued by the new layout though... guess i'll see it at the stars of the lid gig...

Yeah you're right on the money. The wall that was there was a good spot for leaning against but still having a good view. I'm not sure on the new layout for gigs at all, the place seems to have lost a little bit of character but that might change if they do the wall up like they used to be or something similar, they look a bit plain at the minute.

100% agreed on that. Surely the folk standing in the front 1/3 of the new part are gonna get a great view of the speakers and not much else. To make sense as a venue now, they'd need to move the stage to either of the side walls and doubt that's gonna happen. It's a strange one...

was there someone DJing Unicron?

Apparently the DJ was the booker for the place a couple of years ago.

Was there for a saturday or two ago. Stood upstairs and watched the gig.

I liked it. I agree that the bit to the left of the stage is strange, by the fact that if you stood there you wouldn't be able to see s*it.

They could make the bar area smaller so there is more room on the floor.

Its those bloody steps up to the bar that cause most hassle really. Now that they got rid of the toilets down the back, more people are being forced through that bottle neck and all..

The layout changes just seem odd overall.. There are corners and areas which just dont seem to make up an overall picture if you know what I mean.

"Its those bloody steps up to the bar that cause most hassle really." completely agree. If they took and the end bit of the bar away, it would open the place up completely. It gets so crowded and annoying around there.