I've always wondered why those myriads of same-same bars don't somehow manage to merge their "talents", and thus for the area to truly become a "SUPERtown" rather than a collection of hopelessly uneconomic shops. They need economy-of-scale and they need to have variety and they need to have a decent environment. Those characteristics cost money, real money; I am really surprised that more bars have not closed in JC. The reason that Jim's BBB was successful is that he understood this concept and thus BT grew and prospered.
And I totally agree about the "numbness" of the current concept -- "sit and drink and gawk" -- that only goes so far to keep people's interest. You need energy and expectation and entertainment. I agree with GIP that gay bars are an anachronism, they are a throwback to the "hush-hush" era where we were all constrained and needed a place to "be free".
Japan is a good example of this. In those days of ore when I frequented bars in Shinjuku and Shibuya, the bars were small and you needed to be cleared by an all-knowing door person to even gain access to the bar. Once inside the "host" would then introduce you to each of the guys in the small (10?) crowd. It was because most of the guys in those bars were heading for the last train home to their wives, so you had to be fast!
