By Alex Updike
One of the newest, and trendiest, places in the Coachella Valley is Bart Lounge in Cathedral City. Located just above Upper Crust Pizza, if the delicious smell of a large pepperoni with extra cheese is not enough to draw you in, some of the most fun, and original, events found in the Valley certainly will. From scary movie nights to Mortal Combat X tournaments, owner Michael Murphy has put his stamp on the local scene with his outside-the-box ideas and fun events. Having opened less than six months ago, Murphy has seen steady increases in numbers and overall popularity. “People have been amazed with our attendance during off season,” Murphy said. Much of that, one must believe, is due to the atmosphere created by Murphy. “I grew up with things like The Simpsons, Tim Burton, and NickToons,” Murphy stated, “so I’m not necessarily trying to make something artsier than other bars or nightclubs, but rather create an environment that my generation can connect, respond to, and feel comfortable in.”
Comfortable is a great word to describe the atmosphere at Bart, and anyone who has frequented the establishment, I imagine, would have to agree. With soft lighting paired perfectly with the vintage Simpsons arcade game and art depicting characters one would have to imagine jumped straight out of Tim Burton’s imagination, Bart creates an original atmosphere one can be both amused and entertained by while feeling comfortable and relaxed.
However, relaxed is not what Murphy will be striving for this Friday, October 23rd. This is the date of Bart’s 80s costume party and the place is sure to be rocking. As Murphy stated, his whole goal was to “create a fun, themed party that no one will remember.” The party’s soundtrack will be provided by one of Murphy’s favorite DJs, Noemi Rodriguez, known more commonly by her stage name DJ Sugarfree, who will be transporting party-goers back to the 80s all night. “I like to focus on playing hit songs from the 80’s that I know people will definitely be familiar with. I want them to get that good feel of the 80’s as if they are traveling back in time. To me, that’s special,” Sugarfree said. And there is sure to be music for every fan of the 80s who attends. From pop to rock, new wave to darkwave, and even some Spanish rock and popular songs from 80s movie classics mixed in for good measure, Sugarfee plans on playing it all in order to appeal to the wide range of musical tastes sure to show up. But do not be surprised if the mood gets a little dark. After all, it is Halloween. “Me and Michael [Murphy] are more into darker genres. I think it’s perfect for the setting at Bart and of course for Halloween,” Sugarfree said.
So if you love the 80s, and more specifically the music from it, this is a party you will not want to miss. “I believe anyone who loves 80’s music will be excited for a night dedicated to this awesome decade,” Sugarfree said. “There were just so many amazing bands back in the day and so many great films which people will definitely think about when they hear a song from their soundtrack.” And for those of you who love to take advantage of a holiday which allows one to dress up in ridiculous outfits, Bart lounge has got you covered as well. A $200 reward will be given to the attendee with the best 80s costume. So put on your Michael Jackson glove, pull that shirt off of one of your shoulders, and dust off those neon leggings and head on over to Bart this Friday night. The party starts at 9 P.M. with costume judging at 1 A.M and music all night long by DJ Sugarfree.
If you like what you experience at Bart, be sure to check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bartlounge for more fun and exciting events. And if you like the music you hear (which we all know you will), be sure to give some love to the DJ. Sugarfree will be playing again at Bart on October 31st, as well as at the Date Shed on November 13th and at Synergy Musical Festival on November 14th.
