I would like to respond to the bar review article concerning Taboo in the Feb. 7 edition of the Emerald (“Downtown club Taboo serves a small crowd with its spacious dance floor”). Taboo is a dance club dedicated to showing our patrons a good time while providing a fair price for our drinks. The reporter who wrote this article visited us on a night when we had an unusual drink special. On Thursday nights, our patrons can pay $12 at the door and drink all they want from 8 p.m. until midnight. This was our second week of the promotion. From the tone of the article, a person can tell that our reporter friend did not have a good time, which does not surprise me as a dance club atmosphere is not for everyone. Let me respond to certain comments as they appear in the article.
First, the author writes that our bar was under-staffed and as a result people felt that they did not get their money’s worth. With a full club of more than 700 people, I staff four bartenders at three bars. This is more than adequate, as I have a very skilled bar staff. On Thursday night, we had two bartenders for less than 170 patrons, and as the reporter did not interview everyone, I assume that those who were unhappy with our service were a very small minority.
The Emerald reporter also wrote that some patrons were unhappy with the music being played. At Taboo we would like to play music that everyone will enjoy; but, as we cater to a wide selection of people, their taste in music is likely to vary. We have one of the best DJs in the Northwest. DJ Tekneek is respected from here to Seattle and beyond. If our patrons would like to hear a particular song they are welcome to make a request, and Tekneek will do his best to play it. If the Emerald reporter would have come back on Saturday, he would have seen a crowd of more than 600 patrons who were almost hypnotized by Tekneek’s work.
All in all, I believe that the Emerald reporter picked an atypical night to write his piece. A dance club typically does its best business during the weekend, and while we welcome any input from our patrons, I resent the unfair tone and spin of this article. It is pretty obvious that the reporter prefers a night spot with an alternative atmosphere such as John Henry’s, but I would like to invite him back on a Saturday to get a true feeling for the club. I would also encourage anyone who was dismayed by the article to come in and judge Taboo for themselves.
By the way, Barb and Johnny Black were very happy with the praise they received in the article; if this reporter comes back on Saturday, I will buy him a plate of ribs.

Jim Bachelder is the general manager of Taboo