The venue is smaller and the seats are closer together, so not being close to people is impossible. Plus, the stage is literally right in front of you and the artists can leave the stage and walk around the audience. I saw Mint Condition at Yoshi's in SF and just loved them. Being close to stage is an entirely new experience, you can really feel the energy of the performers and the music. Also, Amel Larrieux, the lead singer from Groove Theory, did amazingly well in the Yoshi's scene... she is my absolute favorite show there so far! She sang to her husband, who was in the back of the room. I sort of felt embarrassed because I could tell there was something unspoken going on between Amel and someone else in the room (I didn't realize her husband was there until after the song). Because of the set up in the venue, little details are more visible and the senses are heightened.