Foundation Nightclub has been one of the top nightclubs in the city of Seattle for the past three years. They have been voted into the Top 100 clubs in the world every year they’ve been nominated. Artist after artist has lauded the nightlife spot as the place to be on a weekly basis, and yet still, no club is perfect.
So why did Foundation close its doors for three weeks to remodel? Because the owners wanted to re-imagine how club life should be and at the same time, address every concern every patron has ever offered. We can tell you that with out a doubt, many of those concerns have been addressed.
Let’s start with the physical layout of the nightclub. The middle bar area that had created a choke hold has been relocated as an inset bar on the left-hand side of the venue. This has opened up the whole floor and given guests way more room for activities.
The DJ booth, which used to be on the right-hand side as you walked through the doors of the club, has been moved to the back of the venue. By doing this, Foundation Nightclub has essentially gotten rid of the infamous pole that stood in the middle of the dance floor. It was a clever way to make something that could not be removed into a non-factor.
In terms of stage production, we have one word: Lasers. Four lasers to be exact. They have become a permanent feature behind the DJ booth, and will be present for every show moving forward. The trademark LED screens behind and on either side of the booth remain as one of the holdovers from the old design.
Previously, CO2 cannons were mounted atop of the old DJ Booth and aimed above the crowd. Now they’re attached to the ceiling and aimed directly at them. If you have ever been in a hot nightclub before, then you know how awesome it is to be instantly cooled down by a jet of CO2. To wit, the unsung hero: A brand-spanking-new HVAC system that’s far more powerful than the previous one.
Are you thinking about getting some bottle service in the VIP sections? Do it. They’ve added another VIP area where the DJ booth used to be and decked it out with some really nice decor. As for the “Cove” VIP, that has been extended further down the length of the club. On top of that, they kicked out the low ceiling of that space and created a much more open feel. VIP host staff has also been increased to ensure all patrons are served in a timely manner.
The one downside: the bathrooms. Unfortunately those are the same and haven’t been renovated … yet. As we said before, Foundation has taken every consideration seriously and tried to meet everyone’s demands. Management has told us that there simply wasn’t enough time to expand the bathrooms, but that it will be addressed in the future. We can’t say when, however.
As for the dreaded lines: Every venue has a problem when it comes to getting patrons in. Foundation’s solution is a new queuing system. There are two lines for ticket holders (one for digital, and one for physical), and a separate line and entrance for guest list. This should speed up the pace at which people move through. Additionally, the club will no longer be issuing re-entry stamps until after 11pm, so keep that in mind when you show up early.
Overall the new design is something different, yet just familiar enough at the same time. It maintains its warehouse atmosphere and still offers world class service. If you’re planning on going out at all this weekend, this is the place you want to be. To kick things off, our friends over at YourEDM even hosted a massive live stream on Saturday night for the M Machine and Ghastly. Overall, we couldn’t have been more impressed with the giant step forward for a mainstay in the Seattle nightlife scene. To see for yourself, you can grab tickets to any upcoming show over in this direction.
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