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Manhattan's Lower East Side is the last bastion of downtown gentrification and the latest neighborhood to be adding a hipster nightspot practically every month. The newest addition is The Delancey, a three-level 6,000 square foot nightclub overlooking the Williamsburg Bridge. Surprisingly out of the way, it's a trek for even the most intrepid night crawler, which is part of its allure. If you find the place, you're definitely cool enough to be there. It has been host to a number of ubercool events, including parties for rebel bible Vice magazine and the Quicksilver/Fader bash that was an oddball mélange of the usual East Village rocker types with too much product in their hair shmoozing with suntanned surfers from Orange County. The giant wall of surf video reflected in the windows looking out on bumper-to-bumper traffic only adds to the location dysphoria.  Anyway, this isn't a poser wannabe celebutante club. It's as close as you're gonna come to anti-nightclub clubland in the suburban mall that Manhattan has become. It even lets in the serious freaks, offering a home to the new monthly BYTE, presented by Xris, of SMack! fame, and his fetishy friends. Thus, we are holding out high hopes for the future of this venue!You enter on street level and can take a right into the main floor bar and lounge or descend into the basement, where the live bands perform. It feels a little cramped down there, though there are a couple of roomy banquettes in the back. The downstairs bar is tiny, giving it the feel of your parent's wreck room, which is cool. And the alarmingly haphazard sound and lighting rigs make it appear jerry rigged enough to not be taken too seriously.  Back upstairs there's a loungey space with windows overlooking the sidewalk, but your view will be obscured by smokers, penned into a red velvet rope gulag after rooftop hours are over (at 11pm on weeknights and 2am on weekends). There's a huge video screen for projections and easy access to the long bar that extends past the raised DJ booth and go-go-type stage. In the back of the room is a small lounge that could be a VIP room, if needed. It served quite well as a dungeon space for the domme in charge at BYTE, and can be physically closed off by a wrought iron sliding fence. Nice! Watch your step, though. We saw more than a few ladies neglect to notice the stairs and come tumbling out of the room. Not very glamorous!All the way at the back are the restrooms, spacious and new (thus far), with a co-ed sink and mirror situation. So if you're one of those who needs to check their face every half hour, you might want to pack a personal mirror in your pocket or purse and do your adjusting while you piss.  And through an unmarked door is the stairway to the rockin' rooftop deck, complete with contemplative koi pond that gives smokers a much-needed sanctuary. The evening we visited there was a lovely breeze and a starry (for NYC, anyway) night that was just wonderful. There's a tiki-esque bar and lots of foliage, creating the illusion of a country club or tropical resort. That will certainly change as the winter winds start to blow, but you can bet they'll be utilizing that space right up until the first blizzard. Not only is it excess square footage, but it is also the aforementioned smokers' refuge.Every night of the week has a slightly different tang. Monday nights they have a messy rock scene with live bands and tight jeans, put together by John Lennon (Can you imagine that being his REAL name?). Tuesdays are open at the moment, but probably won't be for long. Wednesdays will be "Death Disco," premiering September 8. Thursdays you'll find "Up," presented by Kerrie Bomb, Boy Racer, Daniel Collas and Spencer Product. Fridays promise "an ass-grinding good time featuring live bands and guest DJs." (Translation: The club doesn't want to give Fridays to ANY promoters, but it'll still be packed with sexy sling back shoes and expensive jeans.) Saturdays are "Social Suicide," presented by Sarah McGovern, Casey Zap and Nathan Jude. And Sundays you can get live bands starting early (7:30) and a free barbeque on the rooftop garden at 5:00. (The barbecues began as a palliative to the neighbors who were complaining about noise. They've been reduced to only one as of press time. Pretty impressive what a few charcoal briquettes can accomplish in the wacky world of New York real estate!) Promotional director Georgie Seville, perennial glam rock promoter and producer of Motherfucker, says that Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays are generally hipsterville, with the club packed full of the beautiful people, so we'll be sure to avoid those nights! But even those nights will be better than anything you'll find in the enormous anonymous warehouse clubs of Chelsea. Drink prices are reasonable, even for a nightclub. Budweisers are only $4 and well drinks are $6. Of course, you're welcome to look like a real swell and order top shelf to impress your date. And it is more expensive than the numerous divey Lower East Side bars you'll pass on your way down to the place. So feel free to get drunk en route if you're on a serious budget. They say they don't want press, but that could be because they were written up in the New York Times Styles section the first week they were open. Also, given the current anti-club atmosphere, it's possible that they'd like to try and remain below the radar as long as possible Of course, with the city so starved for authentic nightlife, every new club immediately generates a fervor, making that somewhat impossible. Whatever it is they're looking for, we're sure they'll find it. The Delancey is a welcome addition to the downtown scene.
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