Before Kaos opened in Cape Girardeau, 19-year-olds looking for a party on Friday and Saturday nights say they either had to drive to St. Louis, Memphis, Tenn., or Illinois to find a night club where they could get in without being legal drinking age.

But since Dec. 1, when Kaos opened its doors to anyone over 18, Michelle Hargus, Jamie Ware and Christine Pich, all 19, have come to Cape Girardeau instead.

Ware, who lives in Potosi, Mo., says Kaos gives her and her friends in Cape Girardeau a place to go on the weekends.

"It's better than hanging out at people's houses," she said. "That's what we normally would do before this place opened."

Mark Thorton, 20, from Dexter, Mo., said he used to have to hang out at friends houses, too. "This is one of the coolest places we've got around here," he said. "I like being able to hang loose and get a chance to play some pool until people start dancing and then go out on the floor."

From 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday loud music plays in the club's main room where smoke pours from the ceiling and bright colored lights flash across the dance floor.

In the back room club-goers play pool on three tables across from the club's second dance floor. There, large speakers blast music as psychedelic colors flicker to the beat of the music on a screen at the back wall.

Nate Ellett, manager of the club, said each night has different entertainment.

Two nights per week disc jockeys from St. Louis dominate the microphones from a booth about 20 feet above the dance floor. The other two nights local radio stations broadcast live from the club.

DJ Big D and DJ Dirtt, from Club Liquid in St. Louis, play Top 40 music on college night and ladies night every Wednesday and Friday, respectively.

Thursdays the club changes pace for country western night where dance lessons are taught from 7 to 9 p.m. and K103 broadcasts from 9 to close.

Saturday nights Mix 96.5 takes over broadcasting Top 40 hits.

April Ketner, 23, of St. Louis, stopped at Kaos Saturday night while she was in town visiting a friend. She said she's used to more crowded clubs in St. Louis, but thought Kaos is a good thing to have in Cape Girardeau.

"It's got a small town atmosphere," she said, noting she had seen several men in tight jeans and cowboy boots walking through the club. "I went to Truman University and we didn't have any clubs like this up there. I would have gone to a place like this if they did."

Ellett said even though the club has regular activities each week, like ladies night and college night, every once and a while they spice things up with foam parties and Metalfest.

Metalfest is held once every four months. Live metal rock bands play from 6 p.m. to close. The last Metalfest, held in February, had 20 bands.

Foam parties are held about every six weeks.

"It's crazy," said Ellett. "We've got this foam cannon that we stick up in the DJ booth that shoots foam out onto the dance floor. It's usually knee to waist deep. People just walk around with big wads of it in their hair. It's ridiculous."

Kaos is located at 823 S. Kingshighway.

hkronmueller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 128