Area 51

User Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Good music, horrible atmosphere.: I have been going to Area for the past 5 years now. There is a large variety of people; downstairs you'll find the gothic/emo/80's crowd "dancing" to retro and industrial, upstairs is the more mainstream crowd jamming to top 40, rock, rap and techno. I love the DJ's upstairs, they always play the best music to get you groovin! With 2 dance floors, stages, and cages there is room for everyone.

The atmosphere is not pleasant. The place is dark, very dirty and run down. The bouncers are not friendly at all, I always feel like I am unwanted. It's pretty much a 50/50 chance that you will have a good time there. Half the time my friends and I end up getting kicked out for some bizzare reason (like being too sexy?). One good thing is they have a huge patio outside which is nice for catching some fresh air (especially because they allow smoking indoors with no ventilation).

Parking is a joke, so plan on walking. The price decent though, but dont let that fool you, drinks are outrageous and totally watered down!

For the most part (espcially if you are underaged), you will have a good time at Area if you dont mind the grungy environment.

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User Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

DJ with good taste: I checked this place out thanks to a Yahoo review I read earlier this evening. So, I hope this writeup encourages you to check out Area 51, too. I went alone because my LDS date backed out on me. I still had a pretty good time. I ventured upstairs around closing time just to see it. They were playing top 40 stuff all night (not my style), so I can't comment on the vibe up there. I stayed downstairs and danced to some groovy trance.

I was impressed with the DJ's lineup--no songs I recognized, but very, very danceable. Not that I think I'm the bomb or anything, but only two mildly entertaining people were dancing up on the platforms. I arrived at 12:15am--primetime, right?. I was immediately compelled to dance, and at the risk of flying solo amidst a bunch of folks standing on all sides of the dancefloor watching and, likely, judging me, I inspired a bunch of them to join in. Based on that situation, I surmised that everyone just wanted to express themselves to the DJ's excellent mix. Once they saw me messing around, they probably said to themselves, "Hey, I can dance better than that. Now I won't look so bad in comparison to him." I'm getting deep here, but EVERYONE in the world is insecure. Just get up there and shake your groove thing. No one cares!

The downstairs dancefloor is open to the 18+ crowd. If you like trance/techno, and want to dance to it, I hope you like kids. I'm 31 myself. I found a group of gothed out people to adopt me, so I spent a good amount of time getting to know them. They may look scary, but they're smart and super nice.

I am definitely going back to Area 51. The vibe is cool and friendly. Go there with your friends. You won't be sorry. Heck, go alone if you have to; you'll make some friends!

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User Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Truly a heavenly experience: A couple of guys and myself went to the club, Area 51, on Friday night after leaving the Tavernacle a bit early. They had both been there before, but for me, this was an entirely new experience...for this club, and for clubs like this in general. So my review is a virgin one, based on little past experiences in clubs like this. Please keep this in mind.

I'll admit that from the outside, this place is not impressive. It's in the heart of downtown salt lake city and appears to be nothing more than a giant warehouse type dull dark building with blue 'Area 51' glowing on one outside wall (but with two darkened letters when we went).

Parking seemed minimal and we ended up parking a ways away and walking up to the building...so my first impressions were not glowing.

Upon entering the building, my eyes were opened and I did a full 180 on my opinion of this wonderful slice of heaven.

Area 51 is a two story mixed age dance club/bar. It has sections designed for those 18+ (non drinking) and for those 21+ (drinking). They have a great stamp system (using a blacklight stamp) to prevent those under 21 from entering the actual alcohol purchasing areas and they do not allow any of the alcohol to leave the 21+ area so as to prevent minors from imbibing.

From the cool psychedelic plasma walls (constantly moving and appears that your looking out from inside of a large vein), to the strange naked mannequin light fixtures, from the light screen that allows you to see cool lights and shadows on the dance floor while your in the bar, to the awesome lights and sounds of the dance floor itself, this club is pure energy in a positive way.

The downstairs and the upstairs dance floors will typically play different themed music. My first visit had techno and dance mixes playing upstairs and since this was what I wanted, I never actually found out what was playing downstairs. They have an 80's night on Thursdays and I hope to experience that soon as I love the 80s music. The drinks were reasonably priced and rather tasty, the staff were very pleasant and smiling, and people appeared to be having a great time (I know that I was).

Now, because of the loudness level, this probably isn't the best place to pick up people...unless talking isn't required for your picking up. It is a great place to go if you want to get lost in dance and music, or if your with a group and just want to let loose in a fun/safe environment.

I wholeheartedly recommend this place to anyone, especially those needing a little 'me' time away from reality and their own minds. Was an unforgettable pleasant experience.

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