An overwhelming majority of our interviewees want MORE. More diversity, more clubs, more dancing, more fun, but most of all they want more variety.
"There are over 35 bars," said one frustrated patron, "and they all offer the same thing. There's no disco; no `80s or blues clubs. We need more options."

Young people want more dance clubs but slightly older folks want more venues for them. Many of you want more live music, more nonsmoking establishments, and more places that will stay open later.

Many of you enjoy smaller neighborhood bars "where everyone knows your name." And while  40 percent of our survey respondents said that Salem's nightlife is only "So-So," 15 percent less of you are traveling to Portland for fun and entertainment than last year.

Salem's nightlife has been a long struggle between competing interests who all want something different from our fair city and some of you say this struggle has prevented nightlife from thriving.

Many people said that conflicts between business owners and young people have been the norm, with Salem Police Department responding to trends or complaints with crackdowns on loitering and noise problems, as well as more serious crimes. With more residents being added to the mix, particularly downtown, some of you worry that the conflicts will become more heated and that Salem's growing nightlife will come to a screeching halt.

"Everytime there's an upswing," said one frustrated patron at a local bar, "the cops come in and crack down. Places have to shut down early and eventually they go out of business. That's what happened in the `90's with Webers."

The nightlife scene was thriving at that time he told us, noting Webers, Black Angus and the Night Deposit, as well as "The Gut," which was the name given to the area of Salem where young people with no place to go cruised up and down the street.    
The Gut moved from one part of Salem to another in response to pressure from law enforcement, and everywhere it went residents and business owners complained about traffic, kids loitering, noise and other problems.

But many people we spoke with maintain that this "street life" is part of a thriving nightlife scene.  

A task force was created in 2001 to investigate the clash between business owners and young people. Business owners wanted benches removed from areas of downtown to prevent young people from hanging out on the street. The panel recommended several steps the City could take to remedy the problem, including fostering respect between merchants and youth and creating better pedestrian access.

The City used volunteer foot patrols who work as liaisons between merchants and visitors downtown, and who could identify problems as they occurred on the street.

Recently fights and disturbances at clubs such as Sapphire Lounge in South Salem and Big Kahuna downtown have troubled other patrons and have drawn the attention of Salem police.

While taking surveys, Salem Monthly heard several complaints from young people who hang out downtown in the evenings and who feel they are harassed by police.

One young respondent said nightlife in Salem used to be better.

"People were out everywhere but now they don't come out as much. The cops need to let up on people on the street."

Salem Police Lieutenant Dave Okada said the department is proactive and looks for trends before too many complaints from residents and businesses are filed.

"We try to anticipate problems before they become a trend. We try to stay on top of things and ahead of issues as they develop," Okada said. "It's a livability issue. There is a lot of demand with limited resources and that leads to conflict."
Regarding situations like the Sapphire Lounge, Okada said the Community Response Team works closely with the owners of a nightclub or business to identify those problems that can lead to disturbances. Together, they work out a plan of compliance to prevent further problems.

With Salem's burgeoning population, the growing pains will continue but Salem's nightlife may evolve into something different.

Limelight!
There were fewer new clubs this year than in the past. But the good news is that -- surprise, surprise -- some of last year's new clubs are still around and going strong. Here are a few that could soon become old favorites.

Amador's Alley
Last year people told us this little club was making Salem's nightlife better. It appears to have cooled off a bit, but it's still going strong. Check this place out if you're into djs, dancing and the club scene.

Copperjohn's
This downtown hotspot has built a strong customer base by catering to the "older" (i.e. over 25) crowd. Copperjohn's offers a mix of danceable live music and dj mixes in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Check this place out if you're old enough to know better, but young enough to party.

Sapphire Lounge
Located on South Commercial, the Sapphire has become the it-spot for Salem's hip hop population. And apparently it has one. This place was hopping (pun intended) when we arrived. By the time we left there was a line out the door. According to the door guy any legal/cop trouble they were having is now under wraps. Check out this joint out if you're aching to bust out your hip hop.

Newbies
Okay, okay, There are a couple new spots. Here are a couple that are worth mentioning. But the long and short of it is that there just isn't much new out there this year. Which could explain why the majority of you said that the nightlife scene has gotten worse.

Razzles II
This underage club has recently opened in the basement of Liberty Plaza. This is a welcome addition for Salem's underage crowd who told us loud and clear that they want more places to hang out.

Ultra Six Lounge
This posh, upscale dance club is in the old Moonbaker's building.  Ultra Six offers dj dance mixes, strong drinks and an urban atmosphere. Many people noted this place as an example of how Salem's nightlife has improved in the past year.

Karaoke
It's here to stay, folks. Whether you consider yourself the Karaoke King or you scoff in the general direction of all things karaoke, there's one thing that's for sure: It's an integral part of the nightlife scene, especially here in Salem. Lefty's offers live band karaoke every Wednesday, which is an interesting twist. No, the singers aren't any better, but they do have a pretty decent band backing them up, making the whole experience more enjoyable. Also the decor at Lefty's is not as prom-like as some of the other karaoke joints. If you're on the fence about karaoke, check these guys out. If you're already a diehard fan, then the rest of it doesn't really matter and there are a myriad of places from which to choose. Most offer a pretty relaxed atmosphere and even if you're no Tina Turner you'll probably get a nice round of applause after your song. Here are some venues where you can sing your heart out:

A.J.'s
5048 River Rd., Keizer (503) 393-1250

Big Kahuna

Gaslight Bar & Grill
2865 Liberty Rd., Keizer (503) 399-8282

Hollands Bar & Grill
2155 Silverton Rd NE (503) 581-6900

Jammer's

Lefty's Pizzeria & Blues Club

Liberty Spirit Bar & Grill

Player's Lounge

Shooter's Saloon
4615 Silverton Rd. (503) 371-1911

Silver Inn

South Liberty Bar & Grill

Von's Corner
3095 Portland Rd. NE (503) 585-1825

Comedy
What's not funny about comedy? Even if the performer sucks there's still something entertaining about the whole situation. Lefty's offers a comedy show about once a month, as does Chinook Winds. At Lucky Fortune you can usually catch it twice a month. New to the Salem comedy scene is the Coffee House Cafe, who have started offering shows once a month. Comedy is good alternative to the drinking/dancing scene. Here's to hoping it keeps growing. Here are some places you can catch a show:

Chinook Winds Casino
1777 NW 44th St., Lincoln City
(888) MAIN-ACT

Coffee House Café
135 Liberty St. NE (503) 371-6768

Lefty's Pizzeria & Blues Club
1230 State St., (503) 371-3855

Lucky Fortune
1401 Lancaster Dr. NE (503) 399-9189

Willamette Queen
(503) 371-1103 WillametteQueen.com

Outside Salem
After you've seen and done everything Salem has to offer, the natural next step is to go elsewhere. Many people head north to Portland or south to Eugene. But there are several spots in between that are worth a visit. Mac's Place in Silverton is a hot little blues bar that pumps out live music on the weekends. They bring in some great acts and sport a good dance floor as well as plenty of tables and decent bar food. McMinnville is home to Hotel Oregon, which is part of the McMenamin's chain. The atmosphere is relaxed and funky and the food and beer are excellent. (We would expect no less from a McMenamin's.) Live music happens on Fridays and Saturdays.  In Corvallis there's a little downtown bar called Squirrel's Tavern that caters to a mixed crowd and has what the bartender called, "a hippie atmosphere." They serve local, organic food and offer live music on the weekends. Here are some other places to visit in your travels:

Bavarian Haus
115 Church St., Mt. Angel (503) 845-9466

Frank-N-Stein's
185 E. Charles St., Mt. Angel (503) 845-2633

Grand Lodge
3505 Pacific Ave., Forest Grove (503) 992-9533

Hotel Oregon
310 NE Evans St., McMinnville (503) 472-8427

Lenora's Ghost
114 S. Main St., Independence
(503) 838-2937

Mick & Mom's Pub & Eatery
255 N 3rd Ave.,
Stayton (503) 769-2333

Rumors Restaurant & Lounge
282 N 3rd Ave.,
Stayton (503) 769-3162

Squirrel's Tavern
100 SW 2nd St.,
Corvallis (541) 753-8057

Wooden Nickel
1610 Pine St., Silverton
(503) 873-9979
108 N. Center St.,
Sublimity (503) 769-8181