It's the good clubs that are hard to write about. No matter how many bodacious adjectives or ripping verbs I cram into a review, I feel I can never do a good club justice. The good clubs always deserve more, more than this tiny column can give.

And as far as good clubs go, The Swiss in Tacoma is up there with the best.

The Swiss's interior consists of three expansive rooms, each with at least one spot to purchase drinks. A mix of typical pub decor and Northwest flair create a unique, welcoming environment. Ornate blown glass by Dale Chihuly rests on high shelves above the main bar. A framed portrait of Cosmo Kramer sits behind The Swiss's stage. Of course it's not the blown glass or the high ceilings that draws the weekend partier - it's the boozin' and cruisin' - but a fun, warm interior is always a good thing. 

I arrive at 9:30 p.m. and KRY, a modern music cover band, is already rocking the joint - as they do almost every Saturday night. Donning Chuck Taylors and faded jeans, the band wails out some of my all-time favorite guilty pleasures: Bloodhound Gang, Everclear and, I'm embarrassed to admit it, Fall Out Boy. KRY's heavy use of a fog machine and questionable choice of certain songs (again, Fall Out Boy) might not please Tacoma's harshest music critics, but I'm a sucker for an energetic performance. I'm not the only one stoked on the band, either. Ladies of all ages crowd the floor and groove to the crunchy guitar riffs.

By KRY's second set, The Swiss is totally packed. Every kind of patron, from working men with beat-up grey hoodies to fancy women in dresses, crowd The Swiss's multiple bars. The single ladies on the dance floor are quickly discovered, and by the time KRY breaks into Harvey Danger, The Swiss is filled with couples grinding, head-banging and throwing up the horns. I leave before KRY finishes their second set; my ears ringing and my neck soar from rocking. A show to remember indeed.

Yeah, the good clubs are always tough to write about. The Swiss might be the toughest yet. 

The Swiss

Open daily 11 to 2 a.m.
Free pool daily
1904 Jefferson Ave., Tacoma
253.572.2821