You feel the resonating bass as soon as you walk through the door. Past the security guards, the coat check, the line for the ATM, into a large metallic tunnel, on the other side, it hits you in a rush of sound and air. Music is everywhere, the dance floor is packed, and it's not even 11:30 p.m. yet. The lines at the bar are at least three deep, but no one seems to mind. This is the place to be in Boston. This is the Avalon's Avaland.
The Avalon exudes a presence several blocks before it is visible. Streams of couples, groups, and singles - nicely dressed for an ordinary Friday night - head toward a small street pressed tight against Fenway Park. The streets surrounding Avalon are empty and dark, but Lansdowne Street is bright from the headlights of cars dropping off the night's shift of clubbers. On the corner, a man sells glow sticks of every possible color, shape, and size. The Avalon itself is painted black, and there isn't a sign proclaiming the club inside. Everyone still knows where to go, though - after all, this is where the lines are the longest.
Avaland, the Avalon's creation, is undoubtedly a unique experience. Avaland features well-known DJs from both the US and abroad every Friday and Saturday night, with decorations to match. The theme changes each weekend: last week clubgoers danced under a sign proclaiming, "Four legs are good. Two legs are bad." The theme was Animal Farm, and this included a man in a pig suit, a life-size fake horse, and dancers dressed up in jeans and cowboy hats. Neon animal faces hung from the ceiling. According to Lauren Crucius, systems director for the Avalon, "this is where you come for huge, world- renown DJs. Everything changes each week for Avaland to give the club a new and different feel."
Crucius is right about the world-renown DJs. Fatboy Slim, Paul Oakenfold, Dave Seaman, Armand Van Helden, and Basement Jaxx have all performed there.
While the decorations make Avaland a visually-pleasing experience, the most important part is the music. It is safe to say that Avaland lives up to its name as "the ultimate sound experience." It takes restraint not to dance. The music is loud, but not overbearing, and the bass is at just the right level to be felt through your whole body.
Like any club, the Avalon's intention is to sell as many tickets as possible. As a result, the wait to get in is not that bad: a little over 15 minutes. The coat check system is also surprisingly efficient. One of the longer lines is at the lone ATM, however, so get cash beforehand.
The Avalon is laid out to optimize the dancing area. Two bars line the walls of the club, each with five bartenders. There are seven bars in total; the others are spread throughout the rest of the club. But alcohol is not the only thing on sale at the Avalon. There is also an oxygen bar for those who want to invest in some fresh air after dancing in the surprisingly smoky club.
The club next to the Avalon, the Axis, is also open for Avaland. Buying entrance to either of the two clubs gets you access to both. The Axis has its own DJ spinning as well.
At the Avalon, there are two dance floors: one main one, and another, smaller floor. By the time the night gets going, this floor is completely packed. But the smaller floor has plenty of room for people who want to bust a move. For those who need to rest their tired dancing feet, there are three places where chairs are available. The largest rest area is upstairs, with a view of the dance floor and the DJ. It is fascinating to watch the DJ spin his records and switch from song to song.
Avaland is the main attraction at the Avalon - it has been selling out since its conception - but the club also holds concerts on a regular basis. Concerts can happen any night of the week. Crucius recommends going to a concert on a Friday or Saturday night, when, after the band leaves, the DJ spins and Avaland commences. "The night turns over to the dance, and the main thing is it's the most unique part of Avaland," Crucius said. The concert-goers mixing with the clubbers create an interesting blend of newcomers and diehards.
Getting to the Avalon is no hassle whatsoever. Next to Fenway Park, the club is near the Kenmore Square T station on the Green line. Getting back to Tufts, however, can be a bit problematic. The T's Night Owl bus service is a good idea in principle, but the buses only run every half hour. By the time the Avalon closes at 2 a.m., there is only one bus left to catch before they stop running at 2:30 a.m. That bus line stops at Government Center, leaving the unfortunate Avalander in search of an expensive taxi ride home. Most choose to take taxis home directly from the club, or drive themselves down and back and fight for parking.
The Avalon is Boston's premier nightclub, and with good reason: it showcases the hottest DJs in a unique setting with a few thousand other college students. "This is the way to culture yourself on DJs," Crucius said. "If you are into this scene, this is the best place to go."
