Music venue quits screwing around, gets serious

Things that start as casual notions can bloom into full-fledged ventures -- Ben Collins was just playing around by claiming to not be The Stig, and now it's his 24/7 job. Turning occasional gigs into a full-time thing, The Workshop, officially launching Thursday.

Not long ago, Old Street's Roadtrip tentatively turned its downstairs cold store into a secretive spot for one-off shows, an experiment so successful it merited conversion to a proper venue which, assuming you're reading this and haven't recently roofied yourself, is no longer a secret. Walk down a staircase wallpapered with vintage album covers, and you'll find a dark room glowing with blue & red neon strip-lights, and outfitted with a full bar, a stage, and recording-studio-quality soundproofing -- because no matter how good a band is, they have no right to interfere with the neighbours' enjoyment of Neighbours. Nightly entertainment will range from live music (upcoming shows by lauded soulstress Addison Axe, regular slots from rock chick Dirty Harry) to DJs, theme parties, and stand-up; booze ranges from dive-bar beers & shots (leaning heavily on whiskey) to standby cocktails including Manhattans, Mojitos, and Margaritas, the common thread being they all begin with M, and end with P.

The bar's retaining its Roadtrip connection, so you can snag "hearty" soups, plus salads and sandwiches made deli-style to your specifications -- even if all you long for is to once again experience the sweet taste of Hammon(d) rye.