The rating is the most difficult bit of this review. It no way reflects the fun I've had in this venue, it's just... I kinda have to be honest and review it as a facility rather than the quality of the individual nights I've had here.... I will explain..
Firstly I should mention I don't live in Sheffield and have probably been to Corp in the region of 8 to 10 times. Some of those were for gigs, some for club nights and three times for Resistanz festival. It's relatively easy to find in the depths of Sheffield (situated about 5 minutes from The Moor) and puts on a plethora of gigs and events throughout the year.
I actually really like the exterior. It gives the feeling of a dirty warehouse club and is spot on for what you'll find inside. There are tables outside which come in very useful if you're at a gig (and the courtyard isn't open). You can't take your drinks outside the venue, but this is perfectly fair (as there are plenty of places to stash on the inside of the door).
This particular time around, the smell of vomit really hit me as I went in through the dingy corridor. In fact, I had to go straight outside again so as not to be sick myself. I understand that with the cheap drinks prices and the clientele it tends to attract on certain nights that people probably do drink to excess, it's just never been as bad as any other venue I've ever been to (and that includes Snobs in Birmingham!).
Once you get used to the smell, you can hit the bar. On a club night the drinks are ludicrously cheap (70p a single vodka and coke)... That is, if you can call it Vodka. I steered clear on my last visit and stuck to the £1.50 cans of Cider (which my body seemed to thank me for). There are 3 rooms inside (side room, main room and upstairs) and each comes with it's own bar. There is also a separate club area (called Local Authority) attached to the venue and a very large courtyard.
Now... If you're a visitor to this venue, you know I HAVE to mention the state of the toilets. They should come with a health warning, seriously. If you have a toilet seat, a lockable door, toilet roll AND handwash; you are in the minority. Normally you might get a max of two of these essential elements. On a side note, Local Authority seems to actually have half decent toilet areas so the venue really needs to pull it's socks up on this.
The sound can be quite hit and miss for live acts. It's been excellent for some gigs and terribly poor for others. It can really depend on the sound tech's whether you get an enjoyable aural experience. However... I guess sometimes it just doesn't matter. When you've had enough 70p vodkas on a club night, you probably wouldn't notice.
Another quick warning; watch your drink! Everyone should always be wary in clubs, but I've seen spiking quite prominent on some nights at this venue. The security are actually pretty good and seem to keep an eye on everything, but I guess that says more about the clientele that use this venue on selected nights.
Oh! And make sure you take enough cash out with you! There is a cash machine in the venue, but it was charging £2 for withdrawals last weekend (which could really hit you if you're on a budget).
Finally, no goffick's life would be complete without at least one trip to Corp. I have always had a great time here (despite the toilets and the smell), but that's largely down to the nights I frequent. Don't let this review put you off visiting as the atmosphere can be electric (and worth suffering all the other stuff). Go, visit, enjoy and write your own review. read more