The Ear Drum

University is lined with a variety of musical and dance clubs, catering to all palettes of entertainment. 1982 helps cater to the rock, punk and indie crowd ver nicely.

On the outside, 1982 is nothing special. A drab front with curtained windows, one door and a red sign that says 1982 in bold letters. If the letters weren’t there, the place could easily pass as abandoned.

Inside, it is much more lively. 

The venue is colored in reds and blacks, but it does not feel overly aggressive. Static filled TVs, with overlays of the 1982 logo, sit around the entire place.

The venue is split into two distinct parts, being the stage area and the bar.

The bar is well lit and wooden, with plenty of space of patrons. Above the bar is a set of TVs, but only one of them plays movies.

That is one of the cooler things about 1982: they have video games hooked up to certain TVs around the venue. So if you are waiting for a show or having a drink, you can play a little Duck Hunt.

The systems available are NES, SNES, Genesis and even a N64, each with their own games. They are entirely free to play, and as stated before, a good time killer.

The venue is spacious, and the stage is able to hold a five to six piece band comfortably. The venues sound system is very good, as they have four monitors near the front of the stage.

The place is filled with plush couches and chairs, and has a generally relaxed feeling. The staff is also very kind and sociable, being very easy to get along with.

There are a few marks against 1982, though.

For one, it is not the cleanest bar. It’s not overly dirty, but the place just looks kind of worn and ragged.

Furthermore, if you value personal space while you are “doing your business”, don’t use their bathrooms. The male bathroom, which is about the size of a dorm room bathroom, has two urinals and a toilet.

Regardless of that, 1982 is a cool venue that often puts on great, and cheap, shows. They also put on various events such as a Magic: The Gathering night and karaoke, so it is not all beer and music.

For more information, go to http://www.1982bar.com/