In Touch With Their Id

Those who were fortunate enough to hang out at Hollywood’s Club Lingerie in the ‘80s and early ‘90s probably have more than a few fond memories of the gritty rock ‘n’ roll joint.

Back then, the big brick house hosted performances by the likes of Rage Against the Machine, Jane’s Addiction (who were 86’ed after lead singer Perry Farrell jumped on the bar and shattered loads of glasses) and Weezer, who often performed at Mary Nixon’s free Monday showcases.

There was no VIP section, just a balcony where you could watch the action or escape from it. It was a sad day for many when it closed down in the mid-’90s, reopening as a Korean discotheque.

Around that time I stopped in one night uninvited, and marveled at the ugliness--it was as if someone had purchased every hideous fixture they could find and set up shop. Didn’t like getting charged $10 for a glass of 7-Up either, but figured hey, to each his own.

Gradual Shift Back to Its Roots

Slowly but surely, established Hollywood promoters started moving back into the club and setting up shop when the club was available. The place started shifting back to its postmodern roots. The success of 360, a neighboring nightclub at the top of the Sunset and Vine building, allowed its owners to purchase the old Lingerie, and it recently reopened as Club Id, a new dance club with some distinct changes.

Gone are the tacky fixtures and furniture and the outside neon signage. In its place is a more subdued adult type of club. The exterior is flanked with dimly lighted sconces, and the inside has been redone in shades of red and gold. Spacious booths have been added around the dance floor area, and the upstairs balcony area has been sealed off to create a VIP section, allowing for two promotions to go on at once.

The upstairs, which is fairly well soundproofed from any downstairs activity, has its own bar and deejay, with a window looking out toward the action on the dance floor. Currently, Club Id manager David Stratton and promoter Danny B have set up dance clubs Tuesdays through Saturdays, with Saturday’s “High Society” event its strongest night. Predominantly fueled by house music, “High Society” attracts people from all backgrounds and ages and is a comfortable club for the singles set. Showing up dateless doesn’t seem to be a problem for many guests, who also seem comfortable dancing alone on the dance floor.

Although still a work in progress, with more renovations planned over the next few months, Club Id is going to have to work some magic if it’s going to have any longevity. The concept is fine, it’s just not particularly interesting. And it’s going to have some stiff Hollywood competition heading its way, with a few large-scale dance clubs scheduled to open in the coming months--from Bruce Perdew and Michael Stewart’s 500- to 600-capacity club at the Las Palmas Theatre to an 800-capacity space going up on Cahuenga to the new changes at the Probe. Club Id is still defining itself and it better unleash some ego soon, or it runs the risk of merely being a blip on the every shifting Hollywood radar.

BE THERE

Club Id, 6507 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, (323) 466-8557. 21 and over, cover varies.