The Townhouse

 

30

41

Magic M.

Sacramento, CA

I've driven passed this place for years...
"Isn't it a gay bar (not that there is anything wrong with that)?"
"Is it ever even open (there is always shutters on the windows)?" Well, I finally went for "F@ck Fridays" a DJ dance party thingy, where Magic Salon (where I work) was giving out free Jell-O shots and it was themed Masquerade. It was so dang fun!

Upstairs has it's own bar, it's own restrooms, comfy couches lining the walls, and a great checkered nicely sized dance floor. The DJ (Rodger) was spinning retro tunes and the floor was packed!

The downstairs dance floor is big and sectioned off with half walls so you can really pack in,  while bi standers are kept off the floor and outta the way. You can still people watch from the counter that wraps around the half wall. Shaun Slaughter was the DJ playing a kinda Techno set (complete with fog machine) that was awesome for dancing, so much so, that I got blisters on my feet!!

The staff was great! Even the bouncers were  friendly and didn't give off that "power" attitude. They seemed to like what they're doing and it really translated to the nice vibe.

I would've given  5 stars, but the parking isn't great and it's only open Fridays and Saturdays...well...maybe that's a good thing.

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23

64

Erinn L.

Sacramento, CA

I had my "club" days.  Looooong ago when I was considerably less rotund and, well, obviously younger...and they didn't shoo me out like a lost grandma.  These days I generally avoid them, but The Townhouse is different, I'll put on my club to go there.  The wasband had put himself through college bouncing at the best places in LA so I got to go anyplace...and one thing I learned is that the Good Clubs weren't decorated by interior designers (The Park *cough.*)  I mean, would you want to go someplace Paris would go, let alone sit somewhere her unadorned nether region had been?  Didn't think so.

The neon sign is nostalgia at it's finest.  And it's big.  Real big.   No matter how packed the place is I've never gotten that anxious "I'm going to kill someone if they touch me one more time" thing.

Some guys had given us a flyer for a party there last April (nothing says, "oh we should totally go" like having a bunch of dudes hop out of an Escalade and say, "hey wanna go to a party next weekend?")   C didn't go.  I ended up dragging my buddy Silent and someone else I can't recall along, I think some dude from LA who couldn't believe I ditched Santa Monica for Sactown.  Then again he lived in Natomas so I could get his confusion.  

It's dark downstairs and (I think) the floor is checkerboard linoleum upstairs, with some red thrown in someplace.  It's a place to drink and dance, not a theme.  The party was for that new tattoo parlor on the corner so there was a Misfits cover band and assorted other punk/rock shit.  Good music, really good music.  I was in love with at least half the dudes there (helloooo tattoos!)  It doesn't take much.  

This last weekend it was house/techno (I'm not cool enough to know the exact genre) downstairs with a fog machine and upstairs Elvis Costello, Blondie, Clash, etc.  I was upstairs.  Duh.   I still really like the crowd.  Eclectic, not too young...maybe it's a "club" for us geriatric types still holding on to the last vestiges of...something (stupidity?)  No pretense either so waaaay fun.  You could dance with whoever and everyone was having fun.  There wasn't a stripey shirted frat boy in sight.  

I don't actually recall paying for my Jameson upstairs but some dude had semi-followed from Tavern so maybe that was it.  I know the beer I'd bought downstairs was $3.50 and they were working on getting draft.  So it was Sierra in bottle.  Not highway robbery.  

Look for those flyers around town or keep your ears open.  It's a great option when you want to dance and just can't deal with the B & T types.

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