The plan was to throw open Radio 12 Inches’ doors to the public last Friday to the sounds of a real, live French Rockerz party. Supposedly it’s all the rage in Paris and Radio 12’s managers – of Kult fame – thought it would be cool to bring the movement to Moscow.

The only hitch in the plan was that the club isn’t really opening its doors. In fact, at present the club has all the atmosphere and intimacy of a high-school gym. Oh sure, the walls are painted, the bartenders are doing their jobs and the DJs spun some pretty wicked tunes, but half the club was still blocked off with signs reading "Under Construction."

"We plan to open in October," the club’s promoter, Alexei Nikolayev, told this rather miffed correspondent. "We’re going to have an entirely new menu, a whole new interior and all new staff."

So, take everything you read here with a grain of salt. From time to time, Radio 12 plans to throw parties before the "real" opening date, taking advantage of what few facilities are available.

It’s unfortunate they decided to get the public so excited ahead of time. In fact, I felt a little cheated and deceived by what was billed as the opening of a hip new venue. The management was responsible for the cafe/club Kult, a LifeStyle favorite with a laid-back atmosphere, good food and excellent music, so we had high hopes for "Radio 12," which everyone seems to call it. Perhaps the "inches" reference inspired too many penis jokes?

When it’s finished, Radio 12 Inches will be a mid-sized club/cafe situated in the same building as 35 mm movie theater, as far as I can tell.

People generally get the wrong impression when they hear of places like Kult and Radio 12 Inches referred to as clubs. Rather than flashing lights, pulsating music and alcohol-infused drinks, they tend to just be cafes with regular DJs.

Music is of the utmost importance to the people who run this place and admittedly the French DJs played a pretty cool funk selection. Sadly, there wasn’t much of a crowd. However, as always the Muscovites on hand didn’t let the lack of people get them down and danced to the beat anyway. Several local DJs made a point of stopping by to check out the scene – one of them was even convinced the Rockerz had stolen his latest compilation.

As for the menu, I can’t really tell you what’s there yet. Food wasn’t an option for opening night, just drinks. Prices are moderate. A small (33 centiliters) Nevskoye beer costs 60 rubles and is the only Russian beer on the menu. Cocktails and other fare are in the 100-ruble to 200-ruble category and cover all the basics from rum and cokes to gin and tonics.

Presently, the cafe shares a coat check with the movie theater. In fact, the movie theater is the best part about the cafe. Word on the street has it that Radio 12 will go on working even before the opening date as just a cafe. So, it may make for a cheap place to stop for a drink before a movie. Local DJs will probably also try to turn it into a regular venue as well, but to be honest, it’s still hard to tell what will happen.

But hey, what other paper can tell you the "in" place to be, more than half a year before it even opens? •

Radio 12 Inches

47/24 Pokrovka Ul.

Metro: Kitai-Gorod

Tel: 917-1883