Roma by Night - Not just about the penguin

Now here comes a novelty: we are writing this at the place it's about. That's right, we are at the very famous Linux Club Italia in Roma. Earlier in the evening we attended a session of some of the worst karaoke ever at another place called Funnel Pub (via Ostiense 137), with Italian songs that probably were contestants at one time or another in the Eurovision Song Contest. All this while enjoying our meal and trying to talk, which proved very difficult given the quality and loudness of the singing. Crying our hearts out because we didn't get a chance to speak to the awesome waitress (a very well preserved 30+), we then decided to go to Via Libetta, 15 to experience our second new concept of the night.

At the entrance we were asked for a member card which we didn't have. It cost 5 Euro and since you can't do anything in this city for less than that, we went for it and we are now proud members of the Linux Club Italia.

Inside, well, it looks like a mixture between the Matrix ship - including movable screens hanging down from the ceiling -, our University computer room, your average bar and a central round DJ area surrounded by sofas and, of course, the dance floor. Or at least, a place where people dance.

95% of the people are dressing in black, they have leather pants, leather jackets and probably leather underwear. In the t-shirts passing by you can find bands like Alien Sex Fiend and Joy Division. We know many friends who would love this place. The sound reminds the alternative avant-garde goth scene of the 80's and 90's. Somewhere near us was someone similar to Robert Smith (from The Cure) and another one from a band which could be Moonspell.

Throughout the place there are 5 machines one can use to access the Internet and apparently they all have different Linux distros. We have found RedHat, Gentoo and Debian so far. Other than the several small hanging screens, there is also a projector constantly showing some kind of hardcore concert.

Now about girls...herein we find italian punk and gothic girls. Most of them so far have a pretty face and one reminds us Kate Moss (punk version). I personally enjoyed the girl at the entrance and the one at the bar. There was also a blond who danced a bit but we lost the trace on her after a spontaneous idea of approaching a RedHat 4.0 Linux to do a telnet to towel.blinkenlights.nl and watch Star Wars ASCII version.
Looks like we're geeks after all %-) !!

We have to go now... they're playing Ministry :P