According to Feutz, “When In Rome,” by the Promise, is one of the club’s most requested songs, compared to “Safety Dance” by Men With Hats and “Come on Eileen” by Dexy’s Midnight Runners ten years ago.

Every Friday night from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m., Riverwest’s staple nightclub, Mad Planet, offers customers a chance to recreate the eighties, at least through music, for four bucks. Leg warmers, spandex and three-inch bangs (heavily sprayed with Aqua Net) are optional. Because the DJs incorporate some music from the seventies and nineties in their sets in order to honor the requests of club-goers, what was formerly known as Eighties Night is now Retro Night.

“Anything that’s six months or older is considered retro nowadays,” quips Rob Feutz, who has been disc jockeying at Mad Planet since the club opened in 1990.

According to Feutz, “When In Rome,” by the Promise, is one of the club’s most requested songs, compared to “Safety Dance” by Men With Hats and “Come on Eileen” by Dexy’s Midnight Runners, which were popular ten years ago. Music selections range from dance pop, such as Cyndi Lauper and Madonna, to darker alternative rock and post-punk such as the Smiths, the Cure, and Joy Division. And what brings people to the dance floor quicker than playing “You Spin Me,” by Dead or Alive?

Feutz said he enjoys his job, and said it’s easy. He plays music to appeal to the Friday night crowd, instead of adding original remixes to his repertoire, as many DJs are known to do, which has earned him the playful label of “slut DJ.”

“People want to relive the past,” he said. “I play what they want to hear to make them happy.”

Owner Rosemary Silagy bought Mad Planet from its Chicago owners in 1990, and said she has been fortunate to have loyal employees and customers all along. Both DJs have worked at the club for over a decade, and most of the bartenders have been there seven years or more.

Craig, a regular club patron since its opening, said the decor is different now. The cage suspended from the ceiling above the dance floor is gone, the giant wall paintings—my personal favorite being the one with flying monkeys wearing red turbans next to the back bar—have changed and there are now steps and a platform next to the DJ booth. Due to suspicious activities on part of the clientele, Mad Planet stopped doing Teen Night years ago; the club is now 21 and older.

The inexpensive drinks, wide liquor selection, and friendly, prompt service have not changed. The Blue Planet, the club’s signature drink, is a bit pricey at $6.50, but the potent mix of blue UV vodka, lemonade, and other secret ingredients makes it well worth the money. The beer list is also substantial, with imports priced at $4-$5 and domestics at $3. On Fridays, Pabst Blue Ribbons are $2.

Unlike other Milwaukee nightclubs, Mad Planet’s dance floor does not take up all of the club’s space, which gives patrons the freedom to walk around without rubbing against complete strangers and nearly asphyxiating from the collective body heat.

If the dance floor gets too crowded, which is not unusual for Retro Night, people can sit at the front bar and watch whatever movie is playing on TV or grab a drink from the back bar, where lines are usually shorter. There are several comfortable couches and many tables, as well as a pool table, pinball machine and video games in the back, which provide patrons a breather from dancing up a sweat.

On Saturday nights, Mad Planet hosts live bands and other venues. The cover charge varies depending on the show, but it is generally under $20. “We have everything from burlesque shows to bluegrass,” said Silagy.

> Comments