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Review by Maggie Anderson
Come One, Come All
Last week, my friend shared a conversation she had had with her mom. When her mother asked
her what she liked to drink at parties and bars, she responded that beer was her number
one choice. Her mother was disgusted. "What ever happened to a good old Harvey
Wallbanger?!" I had never even heard of this concoction -- but the name of it was
pretty funny. Ironically, I visited Circus a week later, a venue where it seemed
appropriate to try a Harvey Wallbanger.
Circus is
a nightclub located on Weed Street, surrounded by other popular clubs such as Joe's and
Crobar. You know it's got to have spunk to survive in that area. Upon entering the dimly
lit club, one is greeted by an enormous ceramic clown face. However, it was not a clown
like Bozo; it was more modernized. One might imagine Circus to have a Ringling Brothers
theme, but it was more of a Cirque du Soleil place. There was a mural on
the front wall of red and green and blue faces -- an extraordinary work.Indeed, the entire
club was decorated with artistic flair. The bottles behind the front bar were evenly
spaced with about a foot between each one. Behind the back bar, each bottle had its own
shelf, and the shelves were sporadically positioned.
It was easier to order drinks from the front bar. Everyone in the club seemed to be
drinking wine or martinis, so
I decided to order a mixed drink rather than my usual bottle of Miller
Lite. "I'll have a screwdriver, please."
"Have you ever tried a Harvey Wallbanger?" I almost burst out laughing.
"No - what's that?"
"A screwdriver with a splash of Galliano." "Sure, I'll try it."
The bartender juggled the bottles, then poured the liquor from high above the glass. Up
and down, up and down. Mesmerizing. "It's all a show here," he said with a
smile.
There are tables to stand at and tables to sit at. (The high-backed art-deco booths are
actually quite comfy.) And there are crystal candles on each tall table. The Friday night
crowd seemed to range in age from mid twenties to mid thirties. And the dress was jazzy --
like a New Year's Eve ball.
The Cynthia Rowley
Fashion Show started promptly at 11:00 P.M. By this time, Circus was crowded, but not so
crowded that you had trouble moving or felt claustrophobic. The show was interesting to
watch. There was a rotation of five female models and five male models. The walkway was
positioned directly in the center of the dance floor and the music for the show had a
strong beat. (As did the music played before the show -- songs like Around the World and
Do You Believe?) The summer clothing selection
was too bright and pastel for my taste, but I still appreciated the willingness of Circus
to sponsor events like the Cynthia Rowley Fashion Show.
If you're looking for strong beats and a night of dressing up, go
to Circus, for the greatest show on Earth.