LIVE

Why anyone in Ann Arbor would want to to here is beyond me. Most of the people who go here are trashy people from the surrounding suburbs (weekends esp). It’s a lot of townie folk– the good Ann Arbor people know to avoid this place.

I came yesterday and they said it was free before 11 as opposed to the usual $ 5 but today the people at the door changed it at 10:45 when there wasn’t even a line. I asked to see a manager but a bouncer pretended to be one. Their drinks are all watered down, they don’t use the real alcohol brands, you’re better off drinking before you come here m. They also make their own sour mix which always tastes rotten. It sucks that this and Rush are the only dance options downtown Ann Arbor for 21 and up.

I’m not a club person. This place did not make me a club person. Expensive yet mediocre drinks, awkward crowd, trashy bartenders, and a lackluster DJ made what was to be a long night visit turn into a half hour visit.

SETTING:
A typical club venue. It’s not big at all so you will get the lay of the land very quickly, but it’s not small to the point that you feel boxed in. Two bars for getting drinks. A few booths, tables, and 2 – 3 VIP areas. Bathrooms are upstairs.
EXPERIENCE:
As with any club experience, its the people and the music who make it great. In general the crowd of 20 – 30 year-​olds was pretty tame. I noticed it didn’t get too packed until after 1am. Music was with a mix of trance, house, trap, with a tiny bit of hip-​hop sneaked in.
SERVICE:
$ 5 cover. Bar service was actually pretty fast, and the bar staff was very nice and efficient.
IMPRESSIONS:
I’m not opposed to coming here. Music was okay and the crowd was kind of mellow. I would only come if I had my good friends with me.

Great layout and good potential. However, the DJ kept playing unknown hip hop songs. Anytime anyone tried to request a dance song, his entourage (yes, he had an entourage) shook their heads to say «no, he doesn’t take requests.» The dancing just got pretty lame after midnight. It would be nice if they got a DJ that would play what the audience wanted to hear and dance to!

Save yourself the bad experience and take your party elsewhere. The guy at the door is a complete douchebag. I’ve come across a bad bar in my time but let me tell you, this place is the worst by far. I am a Michigan native and am ashamed to call this a local bar

The worst place you can possibly go to in Ann Arbor. The staff is insufferable, especially the guy that looks like a black version of the bad guys in the Matrix. Seriously, I live in Chicago and even there I complain about the bad service, this place totally lowers the bar. Please save yourself the bad experience and go somewhere else. You’ll thank me later

First of all, let me point out that I am not really into the club scene. You’d be more likely to find me at the bar of a brewery rather then hitting the club hot spots of a downtown. I have numerous girl friends who love to dance/​drink on Saturday night & I usually can talk my way out of going, but I am glad my friends have insisted we frequent this place. Yes, there is a cover charge at the door ($ 5), which did bum me out at first. However, you get what you pay for. There is a high level of security guards on the inside. As a woman I can appreciate feeling safe. I’ve never witnessed anything get out of hand there, but I’m guessing thats the preventative measure they have put in place. Also you’re going to pay cover at most clubs in Ann Arbor. They have an abundance of bartenders, I’ve never waited more than 5 min for a drink. The bar is stocked with beer and liquor (I’ve never tried to order wine there so I’m not sure if they have it). Also, I’d say the bartenders are spot on. I found a drink recipe that i LOVE and swear by if i’m going to consume liquor at all. The bartender actually made the drink in front of me and after I took my first sip asked me if that was indeed what i wanted. He would have started over from scratch if need be. That hand made beverage cost me $ 8 which in my opinion is decently priced. You would pay a similar price if you went to Last Word or Black Pearl for a cocktail. I was super impressed by that. The music playing that night was great. I love that they have throwback songs, and they also mix hiphop, pop and electronica quite nicely. I always get a good work out because I don’t want to leave the dance floor. The vibe there is definitely a club scene, however, I see people from all social groups in there. One complaint I’ve read from a few other reviewers is that they hate the location and presence of the bar. Its quite close to the first booth area of the place. However, the further you walk in the establishment = the more booths, tables and other seating is available away from the bar. Also there are other service bars around the corner, so you just have to walk around the first bar.= to find them (and they are not close to any tables). Honestly, you really have to take a lap around the place to see its size. They also have a stage with a live DJ spinning music. Every time I go its always packed. They are open Thursday, Friday & Saturdays 9pm-​2am (I would check their website for full hours — they are sometimes open other days). Getting there has never been a problem either. Its nearby a parking garage (which you can park in for free after 11pm as long as you get your car out before 4am). There is also free parking at the metered spots on streets of Ann Arbor after 6pm. If you walk in with a coat you can check it for $ 2. Now for a few cons: this place gets wicked hot in the summer when the crowd gets going. If you are in the back near VIP booths then you should stay hydrated. I could see it being like a sauna. No one with a background history of epilepsy can party here. I mean actually you probably can’t go to any nightclubs for fear of lighting induced seizures. The bathrooms are on the second floor. Thats not really a «con“per se but maybe if you are in heels you wouldn’t like it? They are clean and always have toilet paper in them when Ive gone (which is SO appreciated by any woman). LIVE tends to fill capacity quickly. Not so much when the students are out of town for the summer but I have definitely waited outside before to get in. I also did the dumb girl thing where you don’t want to hold onto your coat in the winter time, so you don’t bring one, and then freeze outside in line. Well, thats my fault really. I think I mentioned a lot of pros above so I will not rehash that. I didn’t mention above but appreciate that you don’t have to be in a dress and heels to get in. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of women are dressed up in here, but I am not a frilly girl. I prefer jeans and a cute tank top. Sometimes paired with heels or flats. Just don’t wear sweats or cut offs at LIVE or any other establishment on the planet. I obviously recommend it over other clubs in Ann Arbor. I do hope you found this review helpful.

Went here for 90s night last night, but I’ve been a few times before, also. It’s a fun club and the drinks are mostly reasonably priced. Last night I ran to the bathroom and when I came back, my friends had been invited to dance on stage… Security wasn’t letting more people up but someone else convinced them to, so that was fun. Free drinks up there too!
I didn’t really like how the 90s music was interspersed with so much non-​90s stuff but oh well. Cover was $ 5 and they have a coat check for $ 2 if needed. Usually LIVE is a fun time and the music is good.

So I’m from Los Angeles and did not expect to be clubbing in Ann Arbor. I’ve seen a lot of bars but really no clubs. And a friend didn’t have a good time at Nekto. Got dragged here after Bar Louie and Mash around midnight. Five dollar cover. Two dollar coat check. Good thing I had cash but they’ve got an ATM. Drinks at the bar but I’d already had enough so I don’t know pricing. Good dance floor! Good DJ! Hip-​hop and dance music all night. My group and I got our groove thang on! Left when club closed about 2:30 but definitely enjoyed it and will be back when I need to get my club fix.

Love this place for dancing. Candy Bar nights on Thursday are super fun! Great music, great drinks and great atmosphere. Their staff are also super friendly and my fave bouncer even bought me a shot of fireball last time I was in which really sweetened up my night!

It’s just so small. The bar area has like, a two foot walkway between the bar and the booths. It was, however, playing awesome throwback songs.

Simply put, LIVE is Ann Arbor’s best 21+ Nightclub.

There’s a nice big bar, drinks are decently priced, but you have to pay a cover to get in, so that’s not really a win-​win
I came here on a Friday night because people said it was the best night… what a disappointment. There is a spacious dance floor, too bad the music consisted of bad techno and house. It was basically the same beat song after song. If you like hip hop music, this is not the place to go. For a better night, I recommend pregaming.

This is by FAR the best club spot in Ann Arbor! There was a GREAT crowd– full but not completed overpacked– and fun dance music that was not the mind-​dulling techno of some other spots I have tried. We were there on a Saturday night from midnight to 1:30am and it was a great scene. No wait to get in, but cheap beers and cool tunes inside! I can’t wait to go back again!

I’ve been here a handful of times — here’s my ‘need to know’ rundown:
— There’s usually a cover ($ 5)
— Lines after 10pm on weekends, prepare yourselves
— Music is dance-​style popular music
— Different DJs different nights, some fun themes/​special nights
— Average to expensive priced drinks
— Avarage bar selection
— The main attraction is the dancefloor — there are places to sit/​stand, but it’s generally WAY too loud and/​or crowded for that to really matter
— Feels like: undergrad scene, for the grad/​adult crowd
My tip: If you stay out late, it’s just a short walk to the Fleetwood Diner (24H) for some late-​night eats!

Live has really made a comeback since the new ownership took over last year. The dance floor is back to being packed on friday and saturday night, good dj’s spinning music i could get my grind on to. It is one of the few dance clubs in ann arbor you can still go to with out being hoarded masses of undergrads. Drink specials are not quite South U prices, but still very reasonable compared to most of the main st area. Overall the quality of the crowd has really picked up in the last year and it has re-​established it’s self as one of the go to spots in the city.

WOW ! this place really surprised me !
Dj Chill Will was on thee 1’s n 2’s on Friday night — I guess he is the local resident DJ for Fridays — he played a nice mix of upbeat jams house and hip hop!
pretty big dancce floor that was packed with ppl bumping and grinding — there was a VIP area with a back bar !
$ 2 coat check right when you walk in, theres a strip of booth tables facing a long bar !

Unpretentious and ’boutique’-sized venue. Trendy, clean interior with nice ambient club lighting. We went on a saturday for a ladies night out and although it was empty when we got there (yes it was early, around 10:30), after a couple rounds of drinks it got filled up, but not unbearably so (I’m *so* past the days when I thought ‘wall to wall’ people was a fun thing). The crowd is young professional, not college, so not drink-​dropping rowdy, and unfortunately there was a few lone stragglers that only went there to watch the dancers (they get blocked out of view once the crowd got going). I like what another reviewer (Matthew C.) said: «fun, stupid dancing.» People are here to have a good time and dance; aren’t too serious about themselves. All for it. I really liked the DJ, he played a mix of pop/​radio music and hip-​hop.
BTW, I have to mention the bartenders were inventive. We didn’t have exact drink orders, only saying «give me something fruity» or «coconutty» or «surprise us.» I enjoyed every drink they made us (4 rounds?). However I never knew the price of anything, we all just took turns handing our credit cards for each round. They were probably giving us top shelf stuff, which is partly why the drinks were so gooooood.
Great time with the gals, will be going back there again!

Pretty empty dance floor. Even when the bar is busy, no one dances.
Drinks are okay.
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For the record, this is the first place I saw someone make it rain in AA. Picked up $ 2 heck yeah!