Thanks for posting the link, Randella. For all its hype about the new clubs opening, somehow this article was not very encouraging. The best thing about the article was reading how the local community board was -- for once -- powerless to stop all these clubs from opening. That's refreshing to hear, and more power to the new entrepreneurs who are trying to make a difference, forge ahead and reinvent the nightclubbing experience.
David Rabin once again shows everyone what an asshole he is by lamenting the hard times of the dot-comers, as if he had any true understanding of what makes a club cool to begin with. His corporate approach to nightclubbing, with its emphasis on the Hamptons wannabe-bottle service-Hilton sisters crowd, is the very antithesis of what makes a great club great. Furthermore history has shown that the state of the ecomony is hardly a barometer of a successful club scene. Nightlife can thrive during prosperous times, like most of the 80s, but it can also thrive during economic crisis too, like NYC's fiscal bankruptcy of the late 70s or the recession of the Dinkins era early 90s. So Rabin is completely full of shit and himself as usual. I say death to V.I.P. rooms in general, its such a tired concept that should be swept away like last night's used plastic cups and cocktail napkins. The powers that be behind Avalon sound so behind the times and pathetic. I agree Hattie that Crobar has the best chance since the owners are getting back to basics (as well as the new owners of the old Twilo space -- sounds interesting).
And what's with this bit about downplaying the 20-somethings and ravers? Wake up. Sure, there are plenty of older people and old schoolers (like myself) who still go out to clubs and support them. Such people add history, inspiration, and variety and shake up the mix. But by and large the 20-somethings are the driving force behind most club cultures here and across the world, the people with energy to burn, who don't have kids or mortgages, who can handle partying all night and still bounce off to work at 9 a.m. the next morning, who don't yet have big careers to manage, who are hungry and want to be stars, who have just left Mom & Dad's house and want to experiment and try new things. The punk movement wasn't started by "mature" people, it was the kids. The electroclash movement may have been launched by old schoolers like Larry Tee, but it was largely the kids who bought it and kept it going. Hell, partying your ass off is what you're supposed to do when you're in your 20s -- it's natural. Downplaying their influence and participation and alienating them is a stupid mistake if you ask me.
And again we have the obligatory anti-drug crusade honorable mention. I'm so over that. While I personally don't need to do drugs to have fun and party, the fact is drugs are inexorably linked to the institution of nightclubbing and always will be. People are kidding themselves if they really think the squeaky-clean version of nightlife that is currently being peddled to us is really going to fly. First and foremast, it's a PARTY. And when people want to party, they really want to cut loose, get wild and completely, totally relax. You can't have a cool club in an atmosphere where the police and city government hyper-regulate and micro-manage everybody up the ass and padlock everyone's pussy. I hate to sound like a bitter pessimist after everything I've said on these Boards about contributing to nightlife and trying to make a difference. I honestly do salute everybody out there trying to launch new things and for all our sakes I hope it works. But frankly until the crackdown climate at City Hall changes and a sense of real freedom returns to the bar experience, I really don't see the club scene improving much. I hope I'm wrong.
[This message was edited by Luxury Lex on 11-09-03 at 01:48 PM.]