The first week of school in a new town. You don't know very many people at all, so if some fellow graduate students invite you to go out with them it's a welcome opportunity. The girls wanted to go dancing, and not being a stranger to the dance floor I agreed that I would go.

So we went out and headed downtown trying to find something fun to do. First we went by the Strathcona Hotel across from the harbour, which houses no less than four clubs and bars (The Sticky Wicket, Legends, Clubhouse and Big Bad Johns). However, these places were overcrowded and popular as made evident by the block long lineup to get into Legends. So we remembered what Lesley Matheson (my fellow Saskatonian here at UVic) had said that there was a really cool place down on Yates called Lucky.


The signage outside of Lucky in downtown Victoria (courtesy their website at www.luckybar.ca)

Anton, my dad and I had walked by the place early one evening while looking for a restaurant. It looked pretty cool to us, being a Mod bar specializing in British and Indie music. But I didn't think much of it again until last night. We walked up to the door and there was now a small line of people going in and New Order's seminal club classic "Blue Monday" was coming from inside. As a New Order fan I was enthused. We all agreed that it seemed like a happening place. Inside it was fairly small, but the crowd was actually into the music and the atmosphere was charged. The DJ looked like he knew what he was doing and when the second song came on and was "Hate To Say I Told You So" by the Hives I was even more excited. Imagine a bar that actually plays bands I like! The idea of this in Saskatoon was beyond comprehension. After that they played "Take Me Out" by Franz Ferdinand and I was hooked. I knew I was in a place that was made for people with my tastes. People who like rock, electronic, Brit Pop, and New Wave and like to dress in suit jackets and drink import beer.



A shot of the bar from the leftside of the dance floor.

The next few songs included "Last Nite" by the Strokes, "Atomic" by Sleeper, "Lust For Life" by Iggy Pop, "Mr. Brightside" by the Killers and more Brit Pop and 80s classics. "Such Great Heights" by The Postal Service closed it out for me and my crew (and made Meghann very, very happy). Those of you who know me know that I'm not one to rave about clubs or spend tonnes of time in bars, but Lucky was a cool place that I hope to have a chance to go to again. My only regret was that I knew how much Anton and my friends at home would enjoy the place and I wish I could share it with them.