Now that the windows have been painted black, the guessing game surrounding the interior of soon-to-open club Chop Suey (formerly the Breakroom) has been taken up a notch. While the club is still coming together, I do know for a fact that it features several band-friendly elements such as a swanky backstage area, complete with a private bathroom and a DSL hookup so touring artists can check their e-mail. There's also a chandelier! As far as crowd amenities, there is a spacious coat check where you can order a can of beer to tide you over for your long trek to the actual bar (a journey of about 30 feet, but who's counting?).

The club is shaping up to be a studied mix of sophisticated and street--and the stage? It looks like a big ol' pagoda. After much speculation and fanfare, Chop Suey is set to open to the public on Tuesday, April 2.

***

I want you all to take a gander to the right of this column and note that Barsuk has no less than four albums in our Top 20 Northwest list. Oh, and looky there... Sub Pop has a whopping three. Speaking of Sub Pop, and I surely do, the label has sealed a one-album deal with Iron and Wine, an astounding one-man acoustic act out of South Carolina. I listened to a demo of Iron and Wine songs back in the summer of 2000, and I've been a huge fan ever since. Congrats on the collaboration, Sub Pop, and I can't wait to hear Iron and Wine's local debut.

***

How embarrassing! Sascha Konietzko of KMFDM was thrown out of his own dang CD- release party last Saturday night at the Mercury. Attak was released on Tuesday, March 19, but the album was celebrated at the Union Street club a few nights before that. Witnesses claim that a thirsty Sascha tried to take cuts in the drink line, and when bartenders told him to wait his turn like everyone else, the singer threw his empty glass and got thrown out. Those in the KMFDM camp claim that Sascha didn't see the drink line, someone bitched him out, and the singer bitched back and was unjustly ejected. I hear the cops were called and that Sascha is thinking of pressing charges. I'm sorry (especially because the dashing and sexy Bill Rieflin is in KMFDM these days), but how prissy is this story? Cutting in line was the singer's god-given right that night, but the idea of pressing charges (or even just thinking about it) for getting thrown out is just plain flouncy.

kathleen@thestranger.com