So What is Denver's longest running club night. While there's been a few hiatuses here and there over the years as the night transitioned from venue to venue, for the most part, So What has been an ongoing concern for twenty years. Twenty years! On the surface, that might not sound like that admirable a feat, but in the world of nightlife, twenty years is a lifetime -- several lifetimes, if you want to know the truth.
See also: - So What! The club turns twenty this Saturday - Photos: So What at Beauty Bar - Peter Black on growing up around music, So What! and the importance of community
What makes this run even more impressive is that you have to consider that when So What! was founded in the early '90s, the Internet as we know it today basically didn't exist. Social media? Pffth! There was no social media to rely on to get the word out about your night, which meant that you had to rely solely on word of mouth to build your crowd -- unlike today where a brand new night like Denver Disco, which debuted at Bar Standard last month and officially kicks off this weekend, can purportedly draw 400 people right out of the gate.
Even more daunting, although the night was launched at City Spirit, it didn't stay there. To wit: So What! moved from there to 9th Avenue West (now La Rumba) and then A Bar, Rock Island, Rise, Lotus and on to its current home at Beauty Bar, and stunningly, somehow DJs K-Nee and Big Styles somehow convinced folks to follow them. Aside from crafting a night worth following, the So What! crew employed more grassroots efforts and pounded the pavement, promoting the night with handbills and fliers. If you haven't already, check out the first batch of fliers we posted yesterday, and keep reading to see some more fliers.
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