I always take customer input seriously, and there are 2 things I've heard a number of times over the last few months:

#1 - Why don't you have DJs in the front room?

and

#2 - I've noticed a slight change in the music you play - recently you've been playing a lot of newer stuff. What gives?

The reason that I haven't had DJs in the front room is because when we were at Julie's Supper Club, people appreciated that the music was loud in the dance room, and softer in the bar area. It meant that people could talk, drink, and hear their conversations AND the music in the next room. It was very comfortable. When I first moved Strangelove to the Cat Club, we decided to continue doing that, and it was a smooth transition. But maybe people don't necessarily *need* comfort. If you wanted to be comfortable, you'd stay on your couch and watch Netflix. Maybe you go out because you want more - bigger, harder, better.

The increase of newer music is because I pay attention to requests - we've been getting a lot of requests for artists like VNV Nation, Apoptyma Berzerk, Blaqk Audio, Necessary Response, etc., so these artists have been getting played more often. Not a lot, and I definitely won't EVER turn my back on our core artists (Depeche Mode, Siouxsie, Skinny Puppy, Gary Numan, the Cure, Nine Inch Nails, the Faint, Kraftwerk, New Order, Sisters of Mercy, Wax Trax artists, etc.). There are some "newer" artists - like De/Vision, Seabound, and CombiChrist - that I've been blown away by, and have added to the list of Strangelove's favorite artists. But there are others that, if no one requested them, would never get played.

So, to address both questions, I've decided to hire DJs for the front room. We'll try it for a few months and see how the crowd and Strangelove fans react. The genres played in either room will change with each month's theme. For example, in September, the back room will be focused on electro-industrial for a NIN tribute, while the front room will feature classic goth and new wave. By "focused", I mean that you may still hear some classics in the back room, but the emphasis will be on NIN-related music. In October we will once again try something completely new - DJs Persephone and Merrick (back from LA for 1 night!) will play neo-folk and swirly goth in the front, while Melting Girl and Tomas Diablo play the usual Strangelove genres in the back.

It's all pretty exciting, and I invite you all to tell me exactly what you think.