The Viper Rooms

[Angles]

Did anyone else go over the weekend? I went on Friday. Some thoughts:

 

I have been anticipating the re-opening of Cellar 35 for ages (pretty much since it closed down over a year ago). I used to have some really good times there and always liked the vibe of it feeling a little swanky but also credible and underground with a smart layout under the two arches. My only grumble with it was that it had much more unfulfilled potential and if you looked beyond your first impressions there was still much work to be done. The previous owners were a bit cowboyish and had taken the place as far as they could. It was time to see what these new big time owners (Nexum Leisure) had done with the place.

 

The upstairs room (formerly Ruby Lounge) has done a good job of keeping what worked previously but with a few noticable tweeks and additions to make it feel "re-born". They've knocked down the dj booth in the middle of the room so the room doesn't feel as chopped up. Theres some sexy new black carpet, new booths and glass railings dotted about too which look pretty swish. They've done a good job with it I reckon. But for all that, most people I know see Ruby Lounge as "That nice bar above Cellar 35". It was Cellar that really put the place on the map with music ranging from House to Dubstep to Indie to R&B depending what night you went and somehow the music didn't seem to matter, the vibe was usually really good regardless. With this in mind it was time to get downstairs and see what they'd done with one of my favourite club spaces.

 

The answer?

 

NOTHING (practically).

 

I was so dissapointed! Same tacky fibre optic chandaliers (including the one on the dancefloor that someone ripped out half the optics back in the cellar 35 days so that it clearly looks damaged). Same extremely basic lighting system. Same weak soundsystem. (Which they tried to remedy by bringing in a stack of speakers but it still sounded pretty off compared to the installs at most clubs and it took up a chunk of dancefloor space). And in a step backwards the wall lights were just plain white lights, they used to have fancy coloured halogen bulbs! Not even a smoke machine in sight to help add some atmosphere. I can't believe such an opprtunity has been wasted. It seems odd they have spent more effort on the upstairs than down. I'm sure it's downstairs that holds the licence to print money.

 

When Paris opened I was really impressed with what they had done with the place as it was a complete dive as Orchis/Uniq. But they worked with the space they had and delivered with great sound, lighting and decor. Also look at FWD where Nocturnal used to be, it's changed massively for the better now with a new lay-out and lighting. These changes and upgrades have really set the standard for Sheffield Micro-clubs in the 2010s and I wrongly assumed Viper Rooms would be joining the leading pack, especially since Cellar needed/needs much less work doing to it than either Orchis or Nocturnal did. Effectively the goalposts have moved and Cellar 35 hasn't.

 

The only positive I can say about downstairs is that it's good to have the place back open, it does represent an extra choice on a night out for those looking for somewhere not filled with drunken teenagers. It's still better than a lot of bars/clubs in the area and there was a sign mentioning that work on an internal staircase was ongoing for the next three weeks. Maybe work on downstairs wil also be done in that time? Fingers crossed!