The Vogue is one of my favorite places to see live music because it is small, intimate, and honestly close to home (as opposed to making the trek out to Deer Creek. . . .oops I mean Verizon Wireless). What most people overlook is the unique history of the Vogue, which originally opened its doors in June of 1938 as a premier movie house. The most interesting part of the story is in the 1970's when the Vogue became an X-rated movie theater. Can you imagine if it still was one today? It would definitely not be the same Broad Ripple we all know and love. It would be more like grab a bagel at Scholar's and hit the next showing of (insert any Ron Jeremy film here). Luckily, the Vogue did not stay an adult film theater. On December 31, 1977, it opened its doors as a nightclub. So many great musicians have graced its stage: Johnny Cash, the Flaming Lips, Keb' Mo', and the show I saw a few weeks ago Medeski, Scofield, Martin, and Wood.

While the Vogue has a well-stocked bar, meaning they can provide you a mixed drink or shot and a good selection of brews, it is tricky to find what you actually want. For those who have never been to the Vogue, let me tell you that there are actually four bars: two downstairs and two upstairs. The two on the bottom serve the normal stuff - mixed drinks and beers like Heineken, Newcastle, Corona, and Budweiser. Now here is where it gets complicated: Let's say you want say a Sierra Nevada beer. You must travel upstairs to the "Import Bar" where there are Woodchuck ciders, Delirium, Frambroise (a raspberry cider of sorts which is worth a try), and really good beers like Sierra Nevada. My guess (and my experience) is that by the time you figure out where these beers are coming from they are already sold out of them! Therefore, my suggestion to the Vogue is to stock all four of your bars with all the same beverages so that I do not have to play "Find the Drink!" and miss a portion of the show I am seeing.

My biggest grievance was the bathroom. I grew up with two brothers, so I know what a gross, dirty, unsterile environment looks like. The Vogue's disgusting bathroom may be second only to the bathroom at the Alley Cat (another real winner). You should probably enter it wearing a biohazard suit and then be hosed down with Purel afterwards. I say this because A) you can just tell by looking (and smelling) and B) the stall I visited had lovely handwritten notes all over it, and to top it off, someone's empty beer bottle next to the toilet. Classy, but hey at least they have a coat check! What bar can boast that!? I am going to give the Vogue a 2.75 out of 5 Pints. . . ..Clean up the restrooms, get all the beverages out to each of the bars, and keep having great bands play.