I think, at least partially, the reason we don't often go to the club is because of the bands. In the past they booked shitty bands, often of the local "crapmetal" genre. However, they were at least shitty in an amusing human trainwreck sort of way. Nowdays most of the bands just suck, and even the good ones are saying they don't want to return (pig, misfits, et al) because of the management/band booking at the cont.
Between that and the other changes made by the new management I've been told by a ton of people that they just don't feel welcome or comfortable anymore at a club we've all been going to for years.
I'm sure the smoking ban won't help matters.

The entire thing is a very unfortunate state of affairs.