How sweet the sound

Ever get down in the house of God? They do it in Denver at The Church. The former church is now one of the city’s most popular nightclubs, and the Denver tour stop for big names like Sasha and Deep Dish. The club houses three dancefloors, a wine bar, a sushi bar, a cigar room, and an outdoor patio. The main dancefloor features house and techno, while the two on the lower level are for live and alternative music. You can hang in the wine bar if you’re in the mood for a classy time and light conversation; or if you’re feeling the mod secret agent vibe then you can light up in the Cigar Bar with the other Bond wannabes. But be warned: The Church still looks exactly like a communion-granting, guilt-inducing house of God, with stone surfaces, high ceilings, and low stairways.
We sent the NightStalkers to Boulder to find out if The Church is worth a confession.

NightStalker #1

Forgive me Father, for I have sinned . . . and in Denver no less. Despite the steep cover charge and the pricey drinks, it was worth it to be able to order a beer in a place where people used to come to be forgiven for such things. I would have gotten down and dirty on the dance floor, to add more fuel to my sinful fire, but it was a bit too crowded by the time I was ready to give the dancefloor a whirl. The Church has a unique look to it, but the sound suffers because of the architecture. Clearly, this space wasn’t designed with a nightclub in mind, but the crowd still enjoyed it. I got the sense quickly that The Church attracts Denver’s “trendy” crowd, but the energy was high, considering we were in a place that is designed to be a little dark, and it wasn’t uptight. Overall, I had a good time, even if I felt a little guilty for letting myself go in a former church. Does that mean I’m in spiritual trouble? Club Systems better find me a priest, just in case.

NightStalkers #2

There were all kinds of kids at The Church, from your garden-variety clubbers to your tourists and suburbanites looking for something a little different. The Church is a one-of-a-kind club in its area, it certainly was unique for me. I’m not into religion, and even I was worried about going to hell when I first walked in, but at the same time it’s a really cool experience. It sort of has its own spirit, like it’s holding on to the remnants of a time when it was an actual church. Once the dancefloor filled up though, it was hard to hold on to that haunting feeling, but the music was pumping and your mind went somewhere else. And even better, the bathrooms were super clean – they smelled like cleaning products and not what they usually smell like! I liked hanging out in the lounge areas and getting away from the crowded dance floors, but I think they need more actual bar areas, and drink specials. It’s pretty expensive, and this is a place where wine used to be free!

NightStalker #3

The line outside was too long, and the bouncers at the door need to check themselves instead of me. The cover was kind of steep for this neighborhood, but once I was inside I understood why. Not only was the music amazing, but the building was beautiful too. This place has three dance floors, a classy cigar room, a sushi bar, two patios, a balcony overlooking the main floor, couches, and stained glass on top of all that. The Church is a cool place to hang out, or just dance the night away. And some nights they have the most amazing DJs, like Carl Cox and Deep Dish. I have to admit, the staff could be rude at times, but I didn’t go there to hang out with them. The atmosphere was, in my opinion, the coolest part of this club. The lighting wasn’t exactly up to par, I think they need more lights in there. I would imagine that it was difficult to install the sound and lighting in such an oddly shaped place.