A Discussion On Lava

[lava p.]

But there was that perfect sweet spot just at the top of the steps' date=' behind the barrier and next to the old sound desk that gave you a perfect view of the band, perfect sound and good view of the pit![/quote']

yeah, but it can be a problem for some people

[medichi]

Not a dig at you Paul - saw some ace bands at Kef/Lava/Glow over the years - CapDown, Hundred Reasons, Sikth, Minus, Liberty 37, Skindred - and I wish you all the best. Haven't seen too many exciting gigs being lined up for a while though, so hope the competition kicks everyone into overdrive!

[lava p.]

Not a dig at you Paul - saw some ace bands at Kef/Lava/Glow over the years - CapDown' date=' Hundred Reasons, Sikth, Minus, Liberty 37, Skindred - and I wish you all the best. Haven't seen too many exciting gigs being lined up for a while though, so hope the competition kicks everyone into overdrive![/quote']

its cool, I know your not having a dig,

to progress onto the new market I need to know what you and people like you are really thinking, your opinion like every other opinion is required

and greatly appreciated.

[Rachie]

I think upstairs should go back to how it was in Lava days. Well the balcony with the round the wall seating. I use to go to gigs at Lava at least once but it lost all atmosphere when it turned into kef.

Same' date=' Lava was where my friends and I went nearly every Friday. While the booths make it fun as a bar, it's just not the same as a venue, at least to me it isn't.[/color']

[Hog]

Downstairs bar was the best suggestion IMHO.

[Rach_69]

Get rid of the booths, bring back the balcony and seating. I agree about the downstairs being a pain in the arse being in two sections but it is good for us short people who can't see the band because of all the tall bastards at the front

[Rachie]

Get rid of the booths' date=' bring back the balcony and seating. I agree about the downstairs being a pain in the arse being in two sections but it is good for us short people who can't see the band because of all the tall bastards at the front [/quote']

Exactly.

[Ross]

But there was that perfect sweet spot just at the top of the steps' date=' behind the barrier and next to the old sound desk that gave you a perfect view of the band, perfect sound and good view of the pit![/quote']

We (us old Lava goers) used to call this "Old Man's Corner!"

[Camie]

I can't rally comment much on the old lava but I know there are a few people in Aberdeen who never knew that Kef still did gigs- that's what i've been getting from some people i've spoke to before.

[Stripey]

I can't rally comment much on the old lava but I know there are a few people in Aberdeen who never knew that Kef still did gigs- that's what i've been getting from some people i've spoke to before.

I've never seen a live band at Kef/lava/glow whatever you want to call it, what I love about it is all the other stuff that goes on between 11 and 3, i had no idea they even had live bands playing.

[Cloud]

What would make Kef better to me?

It depends on the amount of money available - beig self financed, I presume there isn't the money there to make full scale alterations, so working with the existing setup - no point throwing money at the venue if there's nothing left in the pot for the bands, so let's see.

I would follow people's suggestions as far as leaving some of the booths near the door, but taking out the other ones. I would build in the ability to let people see the bands from upstairs, as contary to what people are saying, I wouldn't have a bar downstairs as it just takes up valuable space. If it's possible (not sure what the back area of downstairs is built on), as you come down the stairs, the whole area would be flat apart from a raised area at the very back for the sound desk. What I'd do is leave the existing stairway in place and not build in additional stairs - and as you came down the stairs..this is hard to describe, but as you come through the door facing the sound desk now, there would be stairs to the right and left so people could go down onto the dance floor.

A bigger dance floor is a good thing as far as club nights go, and would eliminate the problems that people have with seeing. It would also give a bigger capacity on the actual floor, which would be a good thing - at the minute, it's very claustrophobic.

As for upstairs, I'd carpet the area (it feels very cold with the stone floors) and get some seating in - and if possible, let people see what's going on from upstairs. If people stay upstairs, so be it, it's the bands job to get people downstairs anyway.

Last thing I'd do is just brighten the place up. The paint scheme as you come in is awfully...i can't describe it, but it's not welcoming.

[Stripey]

I wouldn't have a bar downstairs as it just takes up valuable space.

the bar downstairs doesnt take any space up, it's always been there behind the shutters in the past. I think the reason downstairs is so empty is partly because of the lack of the balcony, and partly because of the bar - lets face it, people tend to gravitate towards the bar in any club, and to me it makes sense to have one downstairs again, because at the moment it draws people upstairs to buy drinks and once they are up there they are cut off from the experience of being downstairs. Bringing back the balcony and reintroducing a bar downstairs would really help the place function better.

[Rachie]

As for upstairs' date=' I'd carpet the area (it feels very cold with the stone floors) [/quote']

Wouldn't end up a little like Moshulu-sticky-floors-due to drink spillage?

[Frosty Jack]

the bar downstairs doesnt take any space up' date=' it's always been there behind the shutters in the past. I think the reason downstairs is so empty is partly because of the lack of the balcony, and partly because of the bar - lets face it, people tend to gravitate towards the bar in any club, and to me it makes sense to have one downstairs again, because at the moment it draws people upstairs to buy drinks and once they are up there they are cut off from the experience of being downstairs. Bringing back the balcony and reintroducing a bar downstairs would really help the place function better.[/quote']

Seconded. Maybe it's just me, but I have actively been put off going to gigs because I know I'll have to trail up and down those stairs all night for the sake of a pint. And the balcony thing sounds good to me. The booths just didn't work.

[Flash@TMB]

No change it back to radars. (only kidding)

okay' date=' some of you are probably aware that kef is going to be refurbished, it looks like the booths are gonna be removed and a couple of other things will happen.

out of interest, can you let us know what you liked about lava and why we should change it back to lava.

shall we re open the balcony?

did anyone like the seating along the back walls?

be honest, be open and tell us what you really think and why.

thank you.[/quote']

[Cloud]

Wouldn't end up a little like Moshulu-sticky-floors-due to drink spillage?

Maybe, but carpet is indefinitely more warming than a cold stone floor.

[Guest Bob]

any reason in particular for the refit?

They do it like clockwork and the refit is always accompanied by a name change. It's like a "system" they have. Anyway, I'm sure a refit and a name change will bring in new punters out of curiosity.

I think they should get rid of the booths completely and turn the back section into something more comparable to Siberia. That way it'd have a better atmosphere in club nights. When the refurb was done, Vodka Bar became far superior and Lava went in the opposite direction.

The seating along the walls in the old club was 'chummy'... people could budge up on it and you could sit large groups or just with one friend if you squeezed in. Versatile is the word. Bring back the balcony... I liked guaging whether I wanted to come down or not... and if not just have a drink and ignore the band as much as possible.

Make the place social again, gigs aren't just about the music.

[God]

wots the bit just in the entrance to the right all about? i'v never been in there

[Tav]

The seating along the walls in the old club was 'chummy'... people could budge up on it and you could sit large groups or just with one friend if you squeezed in. Versatile is the word. Bring back the balcony... I liked guaging whether I wanted to come down or not... and if not just have a drink and ignore the band as much as possible.

Make the place social again' date=' gigs aren't just about the music.[/quote']

I think thats a good way of putting it. Upstairs was always a good area to be between bands <and in some cases during> having it segregated into booths really limits people moving about I think? It looks likes the general consensus here is that the area upstairs being open is much better than the booths. I do think booths are an ok idea...but I think in a club they would make a better addition rather than occupying such a large area.

There was always the problem with people just staying upstairs which is their choice really. I remember a few threads about it appearing on the forums back in the day. Its a shame really as the more people down stairs the better the atmosphere usually but hey...what can you do!

I must say I prefered Lava to Kef and that's probably reflected in how often I go to gigs at Kef. Once in a blue moon really. We used to go many times a month...and this is before we were of drinking age...which brings me onto the point; I am not entirely sure as wether or not this is just down to the interior...and like other people have said maybe to do with the line ups? Maybe I just need to keep my eyes open more?

Whatever happens I think your relaunch night should have some great line up of bands to get everyone to go along...some of the best gigs I have been to were at Lava. It does have a good layout...the PA sounds strong and when it was packed it was a great place to be.

[catherine]

the seats aloone the wall should come back. it made it more friendly and more room for people to stand about sociallising. and it meant you could be upstairs and see and hear the band.

[Stuart]

A few people have hit the nail on the head, i guess. Lava's appeal was the atmosphere. You could sit down, you could go down and watch bands, or you could sit down AND watch bands. There was just something about the balcony type thing that was very appealing. I frequented Lava many a time, and am actually quite upset to say that Kef just doesn't do it for me.

The owner, or whoever is paying for this refit needs to do some serious thinking about the primary function of Kef. As a gig venue, Lava was designed and layed out alot better. As a club, Kef's design and its odd concepts gave it quite an individual appeal. Which ever of these, venue or club, can bring in the most money should be focussed on. If the club makes more money as Kef than the gigs at Lava did, then it shouldn't need too much of a refit, as I said, it's quite an individual little place. If the primary use for "new" Lava is to be as a gigging venue, then the owner/funder has a lot of work to do. Lets face it, its pretty clear (although I obviously don't know the figures) that the gigs aren't pulling in what they used to (I apologise if I'm wrong) due to the lack of atmosphere, and a combination of other things such as The Moorings and Moshulu coming into their own at around the same time as the Kef change over. This isn't solely because of the increase in competition though, Kef just... well... it isn't quite Lava, is it.

I don't know if I've made any kind of point as i intended to, because I am too tired to read it all through again. But aye, thats what I think... ?(

[soundian]

Since Cloud suggested sticking the sound desk at the back I'll reiterate the points I made before the last refit.

Putting a sound desk under a balcony is a terrible idea, it really fucks with the sound.

Engineers need to see the bands, as 99.9% of the time the monitors are done from FOH.

(note that the lighting guys have less of a view of the stage than the sound guys from the back, perhaps a little cause and effect there as regards lighting)

Engineers only had two options, run about like a blue arsed fly (impossible if it's busy) or stand back and hope for the best. Neither option is a preferred way of working for anyone.

I can't see how you could move the stairs and have the sound desk at a reasonable position, putting all that fairly delicate (and aging) equipment on the bouncy castle is a non-starter.

[Jimsin]

I used to go to Lava quite regularly, but stopped going when it changed to Kef. The reason for me was the booths ... I go clubbing to socialise & meet people - you'd go in with a group of people, find a booth - and everybody would stay put for fear of losing it.

Always felt strange going to a club to sit in a booth with the people you came in with. You could leave the booth & then poke your head into another booth to see people glaring at you for invading their booth.

The dancefloor always felt rather far away - people didn't want to leave their precious booths & at the end of the night when the lights came on, you were left wondering why you didn't just have a party in your own living room instead of a booth.

So yes - I guess I wasn't too keen on the booths

[Guest MDP]

i think you need lots more over 14 gigs *nudge nudge wink wink*

[Sue Denim..]

My advice is keep the beer cheap and I'll keep coming.

I'm easily sold by a cheap pint.