Hours: 8 pm - 4 am

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I pushed open the door to Bhoom and was transported into a 1950's science fiction movie.  The crowd was staring, completely focused on the front of the large lounge-style room.  Beers were arranged in front of the customers but eerily they stood untouched, slowly dripping condensation.  The bar area was empty, though the room was full, and the bartenders stood slack-limbed and staring in the same intent manner as the customers.

Clearly, something had seized the minds of the people in the room.  I immediately knew what I had to do:  I must grab the heroine, shake her and say to her "Wake up, wake up, it's me!" in an earnest Midwestern accent.  When she doesn't respond, I kiss her and in that perfect Hollywood moment the spell will be broken, once again proving that love conquers all.  Then, together, we will foil the alien being's nefarious plot obviously just about to take control of Taichung.

Lacking a heroine to kiss I had to satisfy myself with turning to an Australian gentleman at the door and gave him NT$300 and entered Bhoom, exiting my overheated imagination.

Moments later I found myself staring intently, completely focused on the stage in front of me.  Any thoughts of getting a beer banished from my mind.  I had fallen under the spell of Bhoom and performer Shannon.

When I later asked Bhoom founder Stu and long time Taichung resident what he wanted Bhoom to be, he answered "A comfortable lounge atmosphere where a cultured crowd can appreciate a performance". 

And that is exactly what I discovered.  It is a measure of the power of the performance and the atmosphere that Bhoom has created that during the show no one talked, drinks were hardly touched and not one person got up to buy more beer.  While there was drinking and socializing before and after the show, this was obviously not the main reason why this crowd was here.  Stu has achieved exactly what he set out to do.

On the 26^th of August Bhoom will celebrate its one year anniversary.  Bhoom originally started life as a gay/lesbian club in the building that Gringo's Grill now occupies, but in it's new location has grown into a place where all kinds of people can come together and enjoy a good performance.

When asked "What is Bhoom?", Stu answered "A feeling."  Bhoom is a greeting used by holy men in India as a blessing (no, the unibomber was not a holy man).  It is indeed a blessing to our local arts & culture scene.

If you appreciate live performances, Bhoom is well worth checking out.  Shows start just after midnight, when most of the Canal District bands have wrapped up their shows. 

Blue Water Cafe is the name of the place from Monday to Thursday, when it is a "talking bar" (IE, you pay for attractive girls to chat with you) under different management.