Mood (Oxford)

...its just quiet. But generally, Mood isn't ever quiet. I wouldn't say it's my fave place to go in Oxford but it's always been good and lively, even on quiet nights.

SITUATED
Mood is situated along George Street in Oxford, in between many other bars, clubs and restaurant looking - type - places.
From the outside, it looks small. All you can see is a brightly lit door, (usually with 2 or 3 hefty sized bouncers stood outside ...
.../>
PRICES
Mood is usually free before half 10, though sometimes I swear the bouncers make you pay at quarter past sometimes, just to annoy you. It varies between £4-£6, again depending on the bouncer's moods! They are quite strict on ID now, and many of the clubs practice an R U 21 policy, where if you look under 21, they will ask you for ID. Sometimes they don't, but just thought I'd warn you! They have cracked down on all the Teeny ... more

Oxford can go both ways in the "going out" department; it can either be really good fun, with every pub and club playing the music you like, and with people you like, or you get the yobbos out that ruin everything (usually after the football!) or its just quiet. But generally, Mood isn't ever quiet. I wouldn't say it's my fave place to go in Oxford but it's always been good and lively, even on quiet nights.

SITUATED
Mood is situated along George Street in Oxford, in between many other bars, clubs and restaurant looking - type - places.
From the outside, it looks small. All you can see is a brightly lit door, (usually with 2 or 3 hefty sized bouncers stood outside in fluorescent jackets) with stairs running down a level. Sometimes there's a queue, other times, it looks deathly quiet, hence the title of this review!
Now sometimes you may notice the queues are only of one sex…this is because on busy nights, they control the number of male/female ratio so it's more or less even. This is to keep the customers (and the bar staff I'm guessing!) happy and not feeling intimidated by a club full of men. Which, according to my friend, it was like up till about 4 years ago!

PRICES
Mood is usually free before half 10, though sometimes I swear the bouncers make you pay at quarter past sometimes, just to annoy you. It varies between £4-£6, again depending on the bouncer's moods! They are quite strict on ID now, and many of the clubs practice an R U 21 policy, where if you look under 21, they will ask you for ID. Sometimes they don't, but just thought I'd warn you! They have cracked down on all the Teeny Boppers that used to attempt it…so I'm just saying, don't even try!

The drinks aren't exactly the cheapest around, although you could get there early to make use of the buy one get one free and happy hour etc. The general price for a bottle of something is £3-50, whilst the cocktails are anything from £3-95-£5!!!!
The cocktails are well worth splashing out for though they're yummy!! If you're a student, I doubt you will be able to afford it here. No offence meant, it's just that if your looking for a cheap bar to get drunk in then Mood isn't for you. It's aimed at the "older" students I think, or at least people with a good deal of money to splash out with!

INSIDE
The first thing you see at the bottom of the stairs is the "VIP" Area, which is usually cordoned off and full of drunken people. Its not actually that difficult to get a VIP pass for Mood, all you have to do is call up a few weeks in advance and say its so and so's birthday can we please book a bit in the VIP Area! Not sure how much it costs though!
One of the good things about Mood is that there is a bag lady. No, not a smelly lady who goes through people rubbish, but actually a really pleasant girl who for a charge of £1 (which isn't really that much these days!!) will take you coat etc and hang it up for you in exchange you get a ticket, which you hand back at the end of the night. This is quite helpful because of the "compact" size of Mood, if you left your bag or coat to the side, it would most likely get trampled on!!!

Mood is actually quite small. The mirrors surrounding the dance floor area make it seem larger than it actually is. Never before have I ever seen so many people on such a small dance floor! The only downside to this is that there is only ONE air condition vent. This is about 4 inches square! So when the club is packed it can get very sweaty indeed. Not good if that's where you're starting your night out because you will feel hot all evening. My advice is get there before 10, it's not that busy then and you can shake your tail for a bit and leave when it starts getting busy.

There are a few seats dotted about that aren't in the VIP area, but these are usually taken with people that have probably been sitting in them for at least since lunch time just to make sure!!

Plus the toilets are really nice! Well I've only ever seen in the laydees, but they are clean, there are enough of them so you're never waiting long, and there are 3 big mirrors in there so you can do yourself up again after having a boogie!
There are not many places in Oxford with decent loos I tell you!

STAFF
The staff in Mood are really friendly, even the huge bouncers and the weird looking man with the camera, who will snap away at everyone dancing, drinking etc and ask you to pay him for the picture itself. Friendly, but he drools over the females a lot, which isn't that enjoyable!!
Most of the bar staff are DJ's too, and I have to admit they are all pretty easy on the eye too! Which helps :)

MUSIC
The music in Mood is mainly Hip Hop and R'n'B, so if that's what your into and nothing else, then Mood is definitely the place to go. Old songs, new songs, the lot, which produces a really nice atmosphere. Definitely a safe bet.
Sometimes you get people out on the street with little flyers advertising certain DJ's and offers. These people do try their hardest to get you to go right away, which usually means it's a bit quiet and they are all getting a bit bored.

CLIENTELE
Mood isn't really that popular with the students, mainly because of the prices.
Mood has a dress code, i.e. - no trainers or tracksuit bottoms (Actually, you wont get into a lot of places with that gear on anyway, but some places do!) and also tries to keep the male: female ratio even, which is quite amusing when you see a line of lads waiting outside while all the laydees are being let in!!
So the clientele are always smartly dressed. I think Mood aims at the more "beautiful" Oxford crowd, those who think they are all that and a bag of crisps.
I have never heard of there being big fights in there like you get in most places, but there are sometimes slight, umm, disagreements between rival groups! Usually with the laydees fighting over a man.
Oh yes, and then there are the "Boppers" the people that think they know how to dance but just stand and bop. But you don't really get many of them!

All in all; its small and you probably wouldn't want to stay there all night. Unless you like being squashed between what seems like 100 Hip Hop dancers. If your claustrophobic, don't go there, you will have a panic attack. If you like the music, and sipping cocktails, then Mood is definitely the place for you.

So, how does she know all this I hear you ask!? I spend half my Saturday night there every weekend, she replies! :)
 

...less