Located a stone’s throw away from both the Seattle Space Needle and the EMP (Experience Music Project) is the oldest and unquestionably busiest operating punk rock club in Seattle. The Funhouse hosts live music shows every day of the week, providing exposure to a wealth of regional talent. Bands in every denomination of rock, from metal to grunge to punk, have taken the stage at one time or another.

The Funhouse is open from 3pm to 2am daily, available to 21+ exclusively. The club features an outdoor patio with comfortable seating arrangements, overhead cover and a basketball hoop (which gets a markedly high amount of use, though often by unfocused eyes). Even though the club has a very distinct rock feeling and image, it ends up accommodating many different types of people.

“We have a very diverse cliental base…partly due to our location; we get a lot of different people coming in here during the day,” Bobby Kuckleberg said, the Director of Operations at the Funhouse.

However when the evening hits and the show starts, rock and metal enthusiasts begin filling the club (apart from occasional hip-hop sets). The Funhouse features primarily Northwest bands, although some touring acts make an appearance, notably the Australian bands UV Race and Total Control on September 5.

As a testament to the Funhouse’s interaction with the regional scene, two compilations have been released, entitled The Funhouse Comp Thing and The Funhouse Comp Thing II. Both of the two-disc compilations feature rock/punk bands exclusively from the Northwest, who are either emerging or still fighting to open the garage door.

For many of the years following the 90’s, punk and rock remained strong in the Seattle scene. However about three years ago a shift occurred, according to Kuckleberg, and currently hip-hop holds the Seattle music scene’s seat of power. In addition, Electro has undergone a minor explosion on the local scene, notably in the case of experimental grind/house/visual four-piece Truckasauras.

“Everyone wanted to be a rock star… now they’re doing their own thing, which is a good thing,” Kuckleberg noted, reflecting on this interesting dynamic.

However, the Funhouse remains strong, providing an abundance of live music, cheap drinks, and the almost nostalgic atmosphere of a 90’s rock club. Despite having a genrefied identity, the Funhouse is highly accommodating and essentially a fun house.

“[Come here] to see a slice of Seattle rock and roll… we have been doing this since 2003,” Kuckleberg said, looking around at punk rock’s hidden abode.

For information as to the Funhouse’s up-coming shows look here, to purchase their second compilation in hard copy or as MP3 look here.