ust like bar patrons, all bars start to look alike after 1:30 a.m. Clubbers become sexier and blurrier. Bars become smokier, more crowded and louder. It’s the loud part that sets the Shoe apart. Honestly, where else are you going to hear a hot band at full volume while you mortar in the final brick of tomorrow’s hangover?

Copious amounts of alcohol don't hurt if you are easily offended by trasy interior décor but try not to be too fazed by the riped vinyl duck taped booths - true rock and roll doesn't live at the polished clubs down the street. The sound is a hit or miss mostly depending on the amount of alcohol the audio tech has consumed before the band arrives on stage.

The patrons are a random smattering of Queen West hipsters looking for some up and coming talent, toothless locals who have been loyal to the Shoe since before you were born, and a few suits slumming for whatever reason (perhaps a stock market crash left them only with enough coin for a few pints here instead of the Brant House down the street). -E.J.