Kiki K.
Yelp
Alchemy has been open for only a handful of months now in downtown PVD, but it seems to already be hosting hoards of events. The venue is newly, nicely renovated in the space that once was PVD social club/Jerky's. The renovations seem to have been applied all around including the stage, bar area, pool table, and VIP/seating area. Nothing fancy but an upgrade for sure if you have ever frequented this location in the past. The vibe is pretty casual.
I love the variety of events that they book. I've seen so many musical genres represented here (reggae, ska, funk, punk, techno, trance, electro, hard dance...just to name a few!) and have found interest in many shows (one of my fav bands, Bella's Bartok, has played here) as well as weekly nights (such as the underground dance weekly, Freq Fridays). I think it would be safe to say that there is something for everyone here, depending on the night. They seem to be doing pretty well with staying booked and making sure that there is always something good going on.
On a good night, the bartenders are pretty on top of things and super sweet. When the good ones aren't there, it can be less than ideal. Those are the nights that I stray from getting a cocktail and opt for a beer. There is an ample amount of bar seating. I'm not sure that I've seen any beers on tap, every beer I have had here has come in a can/bottle.
The dancefloor is clean and roomy and allows for enough space to dance even with a decent amount of people in the room. (This is so important. There is nothing worse than wanting to dance, but not being able to due to lack of area!).
The bathrooms are a little cramped. The girls room has 3 stalls and if there is a line you WILL hit someone waiting in it when opening the door. Saying "Oops" and "Sorry" is not a problem for me but fair warning, you might catch a tiny bit of claustropobia. Sinks are shared between sexes in the hall.
Overall this is a sweet spot for dancing and music and I think the new space looks great!