Restaurant and store chains have already become commonplace in Moscow. A new tendency, however, is for popular Moscow clubs to branch out. The O.G.I. chain has been the most evident and aggressive expander, but now Bunker, one of Moscow's oldest clubs, has unleashed its massive B2 project, which is unparalleled in the capital's booming network of clubs.

B2 has been partially open since the end of July, but only recently has construction been completed and the scale of the project really sunk in. A snake-like tunnel a good 50 meters long runs from the entrance on the Garden Ring near the Mayakovskaya metro station to a high-ceilinged four-story building. A circular staircase leads through four spacious floors; roomy bars and restaurants make up the first three levels, while the fourth has become one of Moscow's biggest concert halls, holding up to 800 people.

The original Bunker closed in the mid-‘90s, only to reopen in 1998 at one of Moscow's prime locations on Tverskaya Ulitsa. Since then, the club has gained a steady reputation as a small but prestigious rock venue and a cozy place for a good, cheap meal in Moscow's center.

B2, on the other hand, has expanded Bunker's cafe menu and now boasts its own sushi bar and a smorgasbord. The first floor will soon feature another, more expensive restaurant. The cafe prices are in the low- to mid-range as far as clubs go – a sizable dinner goes for $20 or less per person – while the sushi bar provides inexpensive snacks, with sushi rolls costing upwards of 35 rubles. Half a liter of draft beer sells for 75 rubles, while a shot of whisky can be had for 90 rubles.

A club novelty is the homely movie room, which was unveiled at the end of October. It will feature DVD projections of some of the out-of-the-mainstream movies that have been shown over the past few years at the 35mm Movie Theater. Two different movies will be shown a couple of times a week.

While Bunker always concentrated solely on rock music, B2 will offer greater variety. The everyday music events will still predominantly consist of Russian rock and alternative bands, but the club will also occasionally feature gigs by popular foreign musicians representing a wide range of musical genres.

The first of these took place a few weeks ago, when German electronic duo Mouse on Mars performed to a full house supported by on-screen art projections – reminiscent of some of the best European clubs. The concert demonstrated a Moscow rarity: a combination of high-quality sound, pleasant milieu and good organizational policy. The next major events happening at B2 will be the ska festival on Nov. 22 at 11 p.m. featuring Cabernet Deneuve, Distemper and Markscheider Kunst (St. Petersburg) and a performance by rock group Spleen Nov. 23, also at 11 p.m.

B2
8 bolshaya Sadovaya Ul.
Metro: Mayakovskaya.
Tel: 209-9909.
Hours: 6 p.m. to 9 a.m.
Cover: Varies.