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| The first time I went to Karma, I promised myself that I would return
as soon as I could to this outstanding new club. I finally made my return, found a few
changes, but found Karma to still be one of the more unique and coolest clubs in downtown
Chicago. |
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The first time I went to Karma, I had a hard time finding it. There is no neon sign in bright letters shouting out where Karma is. I had to search for the only markers of the place - the address 318 W. Grand and a line waiting to get inside. This is truly a club where you should be respected for just finding the place. |
| I walked into Karma (10 bucks for guys, and the Friday night I went on women were entering for free) and descended down to the first of Karma’s rooms. We were immediately greeted by people at a table that were trying to get women to sign up for "The Girlfriend Club." Signing up gives women free admission on Fridays and a free drink for the cardholder and a guest. In this ever PC society, Karma also allows female impersonators into the girlfriend club (look out men who do not want to hook up with female impersonators, you could be easily fooled in the darkness of Karma’s dance rooms.) |
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room you first enter into looks like your buddy’s basement with a small bar, a few
chairs and a couch, and a few tables. The first time I was here, there was also the
standard for all dance clubs: a lady giving a seance. At first, I thought that this room
was all there was to the Karma club that I was hearing so much about. We laughed and
laughed at Karma and kept yelling to the psychic friends to contact Houdini, Princess Di,
or John Denver. Then we saw another stairway we went up the stairway and stopped joking. I walked into the main floor of Karma, the Temple, and I was impressed. There was a good sized dance floor pumping some really loud techno/industrial/underground music, a large bar by the side, and another lounging type area next to the dance floor. The room was barely lit, with many smoke machines going and most of the lighting coming from the laser show on the dance floor. The lack of sight led to a real underground/privacy feel; you could do whatever you want because no one would ever know it was you. |
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The details in the club that are visible are very interesting. Karma tries for a new-age religion type theme. I have been there when they have had a couple of strangely dressed up (I hope they are dressed up and only putting on an act) fortune tellers/psychics contacting spirits for all the club dwellers who are interested in their services. The club is also decorated with strange new-age religious-like sculptures which really makes you feel like you are in a weird Shirley Maclaine religious temple. After hanging out for a while in the Temple, we went up another staircase into the "Serpentine," another floor of Karma. On this floor, there is another dance floor that plays disco era type dance music. I guess they have performers up in this room sometimes like guest DJs and Sonny and Cher look-a-likes. In addition, there is another bar and another private type of room with several chairs and tables where you can hang out and talk to someone if you want to. They have a good variety of drinks on this floor as well as all of the floors, and they are all at the usual downtown club prices.
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Overall, Karma is a really diverse club with the techno-ish Temple, 70’s-ish Serpentine, and the lounging type of areas available, so there should be a room that appeals to anybody. The people there seemed pretty cool, although I couldn’t see them, it seemed like a 20-something crowd. I really like Karma, it is just the place I’d want to spend a night out at - dancing with someone I can’t see with a beer in my hand while my ears bleed from the blasting music. If you go there, you’ll have a good time and you’ll experience some good Karma. |
318 West Grand
@ Orleans~Chicago~60610
312-321-1331