New York Nights: The Year in Review

Over the past year, New York Nights has offered a unique perspective on the issues that affect the culture and business of nightlife. I’m looking forward to offering you more insight and information in 2009 but if you’ve missed any of our weekly features, don’t worry. I’ve provided links to all of them below.

Let me know what you think; what you want to know more about, where you think nightlife is going in the New Year and what you enjoy about NYN. Thank you for all your support and have a great year.

The New York Nights Weekly Recap for March 28, 2008
The New York Nights Weekly Recap for April 4, 2008
The New York Nights Poll: How has the Smoking Ban Affected You?
The New York Nights Weekly Recap for April 11, 2008
The New York Nights Weekly Recap for April 18, 2008
Last Call: A New York Nights Special Report for April 25, 2008
The NYN Weekly Recap for May 2, 2008
The NYN Weekly Recap for May 9, 2008
The New York Nights Insider for May 23, 2008
The New York Nights Insider for May 30, 2008
The New York Nights Insider for June 6, 2008
The New York Nights Insider for June 13, 2008
The New York Nights Insider for June 20, 2008
New York Nights Insider: The Pride Issue
The New York Nights Insider: The Independence Issue
The New York Nights Insider: The Alternative Venue Issue
New York Nights Insider: The Turning Point Issue
New York Nights Insider: The Mid Summer Issue
New York Nights Insider: The Liquor and Sex Issue
NYN Insider: The Down Market Issue
New York Nights Insider: The Image Issue
The NYN Insider: The Common Sense Issue
The New York Nights Insider: The Outside Influence Issue
New York Nights Insider: The End of Summer Issue
NYN Insider: The Down Side Issue \
NYN Insider: The Economy Issue
NYN Insider: The Sub Culture Issue
NYN Insider: The Controversy Issue
NYN Insider: The Woman’ Issue
NYN Insider: The Food and Wine Issue
NYN Insider: The Future Issue
NYN Insider: The Experience Issue (with Election Update!)
NYN Insider: The Crime Issue
NYN Insider: The Election Holiday Issue
NYN Insider: The Music and Fashion Issue
NYN Insider: The Culture Issue
NYN Insider: The Perception Issue

Have fun
Gamal

How Safe Are the Clubs?

By Gamal Hennessy

There is a famous saying in entertainment that "any press is good press." If you don't believe that concept, just look at Paris Hilton. But nightlife operators might not agree with that statement. The past two weeks has produced one missing woman and a shooting associated with local venues. How can clubs maintain safety without sacrificing the party or their autonomy?

Nightlife is often associated with crime, even if the operators and the venue are not at fault or even involved in the actual incident. Plaxico Burress shoots himself in the leg with his illegal gun at LQ. Jennifer Garza disappears after spending time with a sex offender at Marquee. While these events could have happened anywhere, the stories frequently mention the clubs. It’s too early to tell if these incidents will hurt attendance at these venues in the long term, but previous violence with P. Diddy at Club New York was a contributing factor in its demise. Of course, mentioning where a story took place answers one of the basic questions of journalism (who, what, when, where and why) but it isn't hard to imagine that the nightclub angle is played up to 'sex up' the story and perpetuate the concept that nightlife is inherently dangerous.

The past two weeks have been something of an aberration. Compared with the number of people in New York clubs every year (the 2004 estimate is 65 million entries), the number of high profile incidents is low. Reasonable behavior from nightlife natives, a watchful eye by club security and a stiff police presence in some neighborhoods keep serious crime down. This fact is rarely reported outside of New York Nights. Stories like Burress and Garza stay in the public consciousness.

This perception creates a potential threat to the nightlife industry. If negative stories are all that are reported or remembered then that is the image that is going to stick, no matter how infrequent the incidents are. This can lead to liquor licenses being unjustly revoked, abrupt closings and ultimately fewer quality venues in the city.

Operators have to do several things to be successful. They need to attract people to their venue, provide hospitality service, entertain their patrons, make a profit and provide a safe environment. There is a limit to what they can do. They can't keep track of sex offenders who come to the club, they can't control things that go on outside the club and they are forced to tread lightly when it comes to celebrity.

But there are things that are done. Why don't we hear about that? Can the industry show that millions of patrons aren't injured when we go out? It might be helpful for the industry to show the public what is done to keep them safe. Not just after a clumsy athlete shoots himself, but on a constant basis. That way we have a balanced image of nightlife safety, not just the bad news.

Have fun.
Gamal

One Mic Nite: The Art of Giving Back

One of the major themes during the holiday season is the spirit of giving. There is one show in Alphabet City that is dedicated to giving back to the artistic community with money and inspiration. New York Nights is proud to present One Mic Night.

Vital Information

Websites:
www.MarcosLuis.com
www.ThirstNyc.com

Latest Project: is an Evening of One-Act plays/Comedies & live performance of the Soulfolk Experience (Band) followed by an Acoustic-style Open Mic

Next New York Performance: Monday 12.08.08 7:00PM

Hometown: Chicago,IL

1) NYN: Explain the concept and inspiration behind One Mic Nite.

ML: Our community's desire for an elegant and pleasant social environment sparked a need for an alternative to the regular social gatherings and created a point where artists,engaged in music, theatre, spoken word, film,and other genres of art could interact. One Mic Nite was formed as an artistic industry evening, and became committed to giving back to the community with various fund raisers for City & National Organizations through its performances.

2) NYN: How did you move from being in front of the camera in commercials and film to behind the camera and hosting the show?

ML: When the show began, it was a small intimate evening of acoustic music with one singer, Maritri Garrett, and one guitar when I was a manager in a small chic West Village restaurant . As the nite continued each week, we invited our artist friends to network, listen and eventually participate. As the weeks progressed, the crowd grew and as the manager I was forced to re-locate the show to a bigger more accommodating venue. That move allowed me to incorporate more artists.

3) NYN: How did you feel the first night the show went on?

ML: The first night I hosted the show I was nervous, and happy. Nervous because I understood the potential of the show and happy that it had grown to such a beautiful thing. It was also an opportunity for me to step out and return to hosting a weekly show, which I hadn't done in years.

4) What have you learned about New York nightlife from hosting this show?

ML: NYC nightlife is exciting. It gives you a chance to meet and experience some of the most talented people in the world. It allows you an opportunity to be a part of a pop culture that many people can only experience from a distance. When you are here, you can connect to the audience & admirers in a way that is very personal, in essence you can become the personality of the event.

5) NYN: How did you meet the artists for One Mic Nite? If a new artist wanted to perform, what would they need to do?

ML: I have hear all the artists in one way or another. I review their webpages, attend their other shows and I'm always scouting for talent to perform. Our acts range from Grammy Award Winning Artist to polished amateurs, signed and unsigned. New artists & talent can submit website links, via Email to OneMicNite@Gmail.com for consideration.

6) NYN: What is your ultimate goal for One Mic Nite?

ML: The ultimate goal of One Mic Nite is to provide different art to the community on a regular and ongoing basis. It is important to continue to explore and expose the various genres of art to uplift, and help to stimulate more creativity. I want to use art as a means to give back to the community spiritually and financially, where artists participate in fundraisers for other organizations in need. Because art is based on interpretation, I hope each person that comes, leaves with a personal experience and hopefully can return to share a completely different experience the next time.

Please Visit for more Info on Events & Showcases.. http://www.thirstnyc.com/

Check clips of past Shows: www.YouTube.com/MarcAllen8

Have fun.
Gamal

Ceola: The Evolution of Nightlife Fashion

by Gamal Hennessy

Thanksgiving is next week, which means two things. First, the holiday party season is upon us. Second, the ladies will need something to wear to all those parties. If you're looking for some ideas that will set you apart from the crowd without ruining your credit rating, check out Ceola.

Ceola is a women's wear line founded and designed by Tanika Imani Smith. It combines Asian and Caribbean influences with flowing fabrics to create clothing that flatters a variety of body types.







Items in the current line can be used on their own or to enhance another articles like the universal little black dress. They work if you're relaxing in the lounge and they are light enough to dance in...

Now we might be in a recession, and there might be fewer parties this year, but nightlife natives don't let a little thing like money stop a party. If you’d like to add Ceola to your wardrobe, you can find the line at the Forest Boutique (242 W 10th Street, between Bleeker and Husdon).

Have fun.
Gamal

How to Get a Gig in New York City

By Gamal Hennessy

The idea of the aspiring musician or dancer who comes to New York to make a name for themselves is a classic nightlife story. How many movies start off with this basic premise? How many real people have left their town or their country with their guitar on their back, dreaming of packing the Garden?

Of course the reality has little in common with the myth. The world class producer is not going to hear you humming to yourself on the subway and book you for the Knitting Factory. Musicians, DJs or any type of performer faces stiff competition to perform in the center of the universe. While most of being a working musician in New York is about perseverance, personality and luck, we have some tips to help you along.

Love What You Do
The most important thing about performing in New York is your love for performing. It is the only thing that will keep you going when you are out there hustling. In the business of art, you have to love your art because the business aspect sucks. This isn’t because nightlife operators are terrible abusive people (though some of them are). It is because the level of competition and the size of the city itself will magnify your obstacles.

The Elements of a Gig
I’m not a musician, but being a DJ is one of my hustles and a lot of my friends are musicians. People outside those communities aren’t aware of all the work that goes into the show before the show even starts. This list will give you an idea:
· You have to find the venues where you can play.
· You have to contact management, set up the gig, deal with the contract (often there is no contract)
· You have to promote the gig (social networks like myspace and facebook help, but I think the response rate is still only about 10-15%, so if you invite 40, you might get 4, if you invite 100 and you might get 10) because playing to an empty room isn’t fun.
· You have to deal with your equipment whether you are setting it up after the last band went on, breaking it down before the next band goes on, watching it so it doesn’t get stolen, or the inevitable situation when some part of your equipment of the venues equipment doesn’t work.
· If you’re a DJ you have to find some way to handle requests, which is universally annoying.
· If the gig does pay (and many don’t) you have to go through the motions of getting paid. People often don’t run up to you with fistfuls of money. If you have other people in your band or other DJ’s that play with you, you have to pay them. When its all over you might realize that the cost of the gig was more than you got paid for it.

All this takes energy and effort. And keep in mind that while you’re doing all of this you actually have to practice your music and find some way to eat and pay rent, because performing might not pay your bills. Playing a gig in New York is equal parts hustle and talent. Actually, hustle might be more important than talent.

The Power of Advertising
If all of this seems disheartening, it might help to look at your gig as an advertisement rather than a paycheck. Consider this; if you are trying to build an audience, or sell your music, get better paying gigs or get discovered what better way to let people know about you besides actually hearing you play? Your show is a sample of your art. It is a path to build a following. So when you start out, play for exposure, not for cash. Cash can come later. Just make sure you have a job so you can eat while you’re waiting for your big pay day.

The Magic of the Moment
There are many aspects of performing in New York that are stressful. Many venues don’t pay musicians or DJs to play. Most nightlife performers don’t get discovered. But in spite of all that, there is still something great about having a good show. Performing is a rush. You can’t eat applause and a full dance floor won’t pay your rent. The people that you make smile or come up to you and compliment your set won’t get you on TV or buy your CD, but money can’t create the feeling of connection, pride or euphoria that comes from a good set.

Have fun.
Gamal

Did New York Nightlife Lose the Election?

By Gamal Hennessy

Clubs were full last Tuesday night celebrating the historic victory of this country’s first black president and began counting down the final days of our worst president. While the tears and champagne were flowing, few people realized that a new player is also coming to Brooklyn, one with a distinct anti-nightlife platform and powerful supporters. Did the election we celebrated give rise to a new enemy to nightlife?

On Monday I got an email from a nightlife operator with a link to Daniel Squadron’s Nightlife Control Plan. I didn’t know who Mr. Squadron was, but I read his plan and I didn’t like what he had to say. No one involved in nightlife, who has seen the rise in power of the community boards, or understands the arbitrary way some boards operate would take the position that CB’s need to have more power without accountability or capriciously decide that any area has “too many bars” and essentially cripple on of the few industries that can continue to bring revenue into the city during an economic downturn. I came to the conclusion that I didn’t support Mr. Squadron. I also quickly understood that my support didn’t matter all that much. I didn’t live in his district and I only found out about him a day before the election. There was no time to get the word out and mobilize support against his election.

So spent the next few days following Sun Tzu’s advice and started to find out more about the new state senator.

It appears that Daniel Squadron is the son of influential attorney Howard Squadron and the former aide to U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. His campaign against the 30 year incumbent Martin Connor received endorsements both from political heavyweights like Schumer and Mayor Bloomberg and from local community groups seeking change. The following is a comment taken from The Brooklyn Paper

Daniel Squadron has the endorsement of almost all the Williamsburg leaders and newspapers this week. Folks, we need fresh blood. The coming years will see budget cuts because of lower government incomes. We need young fresh faces that have no old liabilities to fight for our rights...Lets all come out en mass and vote Daniel Squadron

It also appears that Mr. Squadron has links to nightlife that pre-date his Nightlife Control Plan. Based on his account given in July of this year, he once owned a nightlife establishment in the city. This should give him an idea of the pressures and difficulties in owning a New York bar. It should also help him understand the perspective on the community boards and police in relation to the clubs.

But if he does understand what nightlife operators are going through, where does the Nightlife Control Plan come from? Why is it worded to help the community boards restrain bars, but doesn’t openly mention actual standards of proof for them? Does his plan offer the venues protection and support, recognize them for the cultural and financial impact they have on the city? Will his plan build on the strides made by police and operators to keep the city safe or will it drive a deeper wedge between the two sides?

Since Daniel Squadron is the elected senator in Lower Manhattan and he does have substantial political allies, it is not inconceivable that his Nightlife Control Plan will evolve into a law. We can hope that the state senate understands the benefits of New York clubs and reject overly stringent controls. We can hope that lobbyist from the nightlife industry deliver the message that nightlife needs support as well as control. And all of us, especially me, can keep a closer eye on the people who claim to speak for our best interests.

Have fun.
Gamal

Will the Recession Cause an Increase in Crime?

By Gamal Hennessy

Even with welcomed change in White House, the US recession is predicted to last well into 2009. In the past, recessions have led to a dramatic rise in violent crime. Nightlife specifically gained a reputation for being dangerous. Will history repeat itself? If so, what can natives and operators do to mitigate the problem?

Historical parallels
There is a historical link between economic stagnation and violent crime. “Every recession since the 50’s has led to higher crime” usually with a year lag between the economic trouble and the onset of the crime wave. While nightlife in New York experienced an injection of creativity during the last downturn, crime was also an issue. Nightlife was associated (and not always fairly) with muggings, rape, robbery and drug related crimes. Last week’s Trends report predicted an upswing in the nightlife industry. Do those same factors point to more crime?

Unclear Causes
Predictions are mixed because there are distinct differences between past financial crises and this one. Some experts say falling wages and fewer jobs will lead to higher crime as people become more desperate. Others claim that there are fewer potential victims today because electronic banking and video surveillance are so widespread. Mayor Bloomberg has used the specter of increased crime as one of the justifications for his rewriting of the term limits laws, but California has been embroiled in a prolonged financial crisis without seeing a rise in crime. Part of the reason that predicting crime is difficult may stem from the fact that some of the factors that link economics and crime are indirect.

It is easy to assume that if people lose their jobs, they can turn to crime as an alternative to work, but the more likely culprit in a crime spike will be stress not greed. When people suffer from large amounts of anxiety they are less likely to cope with situations in a rational manner. They are more likely to lash out as a way to release their pent up emotions. This lashing out can translate into more crimes including assault, domestic violence and rape. The crime isn’t committed to make money. It is committed without thinking. When the alcohol use increases to deal with the stress and the hormones inherent in nightlife are added to the mix, the threat of increased nightlife crime rises.

Complications
The threat of increased crime also brings new complications to natives and operators in the nightlife space. For the past year, venues affiliated with the New York Nightlife Association and the NYPD have been working together to create a safer nightlife environment. But recent friction between the police and the clubs is building. Within the past month, there have been reports of a major lawsuit from certain clubs against the police. If relations between clubs and the police deteriorate just as a crime wave is building, the results could be a decrease in overall safety for everyone and more animosity between the two groups. There are anti nightlife officials gaining power. They could be willing to use any perceived link between crime and nightlife as a weapon to attack our lifestyle.

Be aware, take care
Nightlife natives need to be aware of their own internal situations when they go out. Stress relief doesn’t need to descend into amateur displays of violence. Over indulgence will only make your situation worse.

At the same time, nightlife operators need to be aware of potential spike in both financial and stress crime and plan accordingly. The image your venue has might be more important as reality, since it will only take a few incidents to draw increased scrutiny.

Beyond the Vodka Redbull

By Gamal Hennessy

The New York nightlife industry is extremely competitive. There are more than 1,000 places for people to choose from and new spots open up every week. Venues are constantly looking for ways to set themselves apart so they don’t lose business. While they are not universal, specialty drinks are becoming a tool in this arsenal in the same way that music, décor and exclusivity can be used to offer people a different type of experience. This is creating an environment where the visibility of the bartender is on the rise.

The economics of drinking
Recent history has not favored signature cocktails. In the era of bottle service bartenders were little more than unseen warehouse attendants, fetching bottles and filling carafes so shapely hostesses could deliver the generic cranberry, orange juice and coke with the marked up liquor. But that situation is changing. The soft economy has put a dent in the bottle service concept and it is unclear if it will survive the downturn. If bottle service is going the way of Merrill Lynch, then clubs and lounges will need new tricks to get people in the door.

Many new venues are opening with a unique menu of signature drinks to break away from the pack. In this system, the bartender becomes analogous to the DJ blending fresh juices, berries and flavored liquor in the same way a DJ blends songs and beats to create something different. Similarity between drinks at different bars is probably inevitable in the same way different DJ’s in the same genre can all sound the same after a while but the opportunity for a distinctive reputation exists with signature drinks in a way that doesn’t exist with bottle service.

Signature drinks can also be a good source of revenue in a down economy. These new drinks normally go for $12-$20 each (while this is exorbitant outside of Manhattan, it doesn’t raise many eyebrows here) so a person who has three of these creations can easily be spending $50 without the tip. Add snacks into the mix and a night of cocktails for two can bring in almost as much money as a couple having dinner. While it won’t completely replace the revenue lost from bottles (it would take five people buying five $20 cocktails each to replace one $500 bottle of Grey Goose) it can soften the financial blow.

Winners and losers
Signature drinks offer something to customers, bartenders and to the club owners. It also signals a shift within the bartending market. No comprehensive study has been done, but anecdotal evidence suggests that some older bartenders who learned on the job over a period of many years are being replaced by younger, professionally trained, and often better looking “mixologists”. Can the older bartenders learn to make the new style drinks? Absolutely. But when presentation counts as much as the taste of the drink the younger bartender has a distinct advantage.

Keep in mind that there is a specific market for specialty drinks. They are primarily geared toward women who are willing to experiment. Guys aren’t usually interested in Asian pear martinis or chocolate cosmos, and there are women who will cling to their vodka red bull like a crack head to a pipe. But nightlife caters to women. Women will go where the drinks are. Men will go where the women are. Everyone will spend more money. Any thing that will bring more women through the door is worth a try. So more places will probably come up with their own specialty drinks…

Are the Clubs Planning to Take on the Cops?

By Gamal Hennessy

The struggle between the nightlife industry in New York and local government might be moving from the blogsphere to the courtroom. A prominent nightlife figure has reported a lawsuit planned by local clubs against the NYPD. Is this the beginning of a new period of freedom for nightlife, or is the struggle about to take a turn for the worst?

The nature of the conflict
In the nightlife blog Good Night Mr. Lewis, Steven Lewis recently wrote that clubs have recently decided to file suit against the police department. According to the post, the clubs will claim that vice cops staged phony drug buys in their venues in an attempt to implicate the club in the crime. The clubs will then claim that the NYPD abused the Nuisance Abatement Laws (NAL) by selectively choosing to enforce the law in a way that would do the most economic damage to the venues. The combination of these acts results in a situation where the police are “ruining lives and business” and violating due process. The damages sought by the clubs in this suit are said to range in the tens of millions of dollars.

These issues have been simmering for some time. Local nightlife leaders have been aware of this problem since the NAL has been more strictly enforced by the police. While they don’t argue the merits of the law, they think the current enforcement of this law is a problem because it is largely politically motivated.

Robert Bookman, the head of the New York Nightlife Association sees an entity behind the police pulling the strings: “Its not police directly but the Civil Enforcement Unit; they’re not talking amongst themselves. The precinct has no control over it [the closings]; the cops who may have given you the underlying summonses have no control over it. There’s a unit called the Civil Enforcement Unit, they’re the ones who get these complaints from the captains, you know, 'This is a place we want you to consider for NAL.' And it’s the attorneys in this unit that put the papers together, who go to court, get the judge to sign it and choose to serve it almost universally on Friday night. Having said all of that, the situation is better now than a year and a half ago.”

The manipulation of the law might go even deeper than the Civil Enforcement Unit. There is a sense in certain sectors of the nightlife industry that larger real estate developers are trying to manipulate the NAL, the community boards, and using other tactics to reduce nightlife in New York City to make room for more housing construction. If the suit is filed, then all these players and their motivations could potentially be brought to light.

Timing is everything
If this situation has been going on for some time, why are the suits being contemplated now? According to the NYNA, the number of NAL closings has gone down since 2007. The police and the NYNA have made progress in working together to make nightlife safer during that period. In the past, individual clubs were reluctant to take action against community boards, police, or city hall because the backlash could close them down through votes against their liquor licenses, more raids or higher scrutiny from the DOH. So why go to court now?

NYN can only speculate on the actual timing of the suit. It is possible that the recent real estate slump and the political concerns swirling around City Hall make this a good time to go on the offensive with the police, whether or not they are initiating the abuse or just pawns for another group. It could be that the clubs found a way to avoid retaliation, giving them more freedom to act. It is also possible that the economic slowdown makes repeated weekend closures under the NAL impossible to absorb. If clubs are closed for too many weekends they might not reopen at all.

New York nightlife needs the NYPD to maintain the safety of its customers and workers. A protracted court battle between the two groups could lead to a more friction that would ultimately be detrimental to the people who enjoy the nightlife lifestyle. Hopefully, the announcement of a potential suit will induce both sides to come to an amicable agreement before the issue gets dragged through the courts. No matter which direction this goes, NYN will continue to follow the story.

Have fun.
Gamal

Dancers Claim Abuse at Dollar Dance Clubs

By Gamal Hennessy

In the outer boroughs, there are clubs that are different than the lounges or nightclubs you might be used to. These are clubs frequented by immigrant laborers and staffed by women who are paid, per dance, to dance with the patrons. A new report and federal lawsuit claims that these women are abused on several levels. Is the situation different in mainstream clubs, or is the situation just a difference of degrees?

A report in last week’s Associated Press explained that dollar dance clubs exist in various Latin American neighborhoods around the city. While it is not a strip club, women are paid to dance with men. Men pay $2 for a single dance or $40 for an hour of company. Prostitution is not supposed to be part of the job, but workers frequently have to be protected by security from over aggressive patrons who want more than just a dance and within their communities these women are often viewed as prostitutes.

A recent crime has pushed these clubs into the spotlight. In December of 2007, a 24 year old dancer named Adriana Valderrama was shot and killed near the Tulcingo Café in Queens. The ensuing investigation revealed allegations of sexual harassment and unsafe working conditions inside dollar dance clubs.

The perceptions and allegations surrounding dollar dance clubs are not limited to the outer boroughs. High profile spots like The Box are also currently facing allegations of sexual abuse and trading female attention for money is a common practice in modern clubs. They call it dollar dancing. We call it bottle service. One practice is explicit, the other is only implied. The prices might be different, but the end result is the same. People (men and women) come to the conclusion that sexually charged social interaction can be purchased.

This is not criticism of sexuality in nightlife, or a condemnation of buying a woman a drink. It is a critique against the concept of buying company. It is easier to buy a dollar dance than to actually approach a woman. It is a display of social value to buy a bottle for female attention, even if the tactic lacks subtlety. But the closer the connection we have between money and sex, the more nightlife will be perceived in a negative light. There has been a link between money and sex since money was invented, but managing that perception is crucial to the image of the city’s clubs.

Have fun.
Gamal

Source: Christian Salazar: Associated Press

Bloomberg’s Nightlife Record

By Gamal Hennessy

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is expected to announce plans to run for a third term in office tomorrow. Various groups are weighing in before the official announcement and the outcome will be controversial no matter how it shakes out. Nightlife, as a distinct facet of the city, also needs to consider the implications of Bloomberg’s tenure. What has the mayor done to support or hinder nightlife during his term? Is nightlife better off with a new mayor?

To get a better picture of how the mayor has impacted nightlife recently, NYN went through all of its past coverage to find Bloomberg’s influence, even though all these events cannot be directly tied to him. Here is a sampling of his programs affecting nightlife since 2003.

Supporting the nightlife industry

October 2007: New York Nightlife Association and New York City Police Department create a new plan to improve security conditions after two separate nightclub murders.

October 2007: New York City launches multi-media campaign to attract tourists to various aspects of New York City, including nightlife.

February 2008: NYC expands its free condom offering to bars and restaurants in the face of rising HIV rates.

July 2008: Mayor signaled willingness to rescind the cabaret law, although that willingness has not been backed up by actions at this point.

Opposing the nightlife industry
March 2003: New York City institutes a smoking ban in bars, clubs and restaurants. While smoking rates have gone down citywide and anecdotal evidence suggests that non smokers now go out more, the ban has amplified issues between local residents and clubs.

June 2007: Mayor’s plan for congestion pricing in midtown threatened to create residual traffic jams on nights and weekends when the tax wouldn’t be in effect.

September 2007: Arguments between the city and local taxi drivers over GPS, credit card, TV screens in the back of all cabs boil over into a cab strike.

April 2008: The NYC Department of Health targets select gay clubs for violations while possibly ignoring a majority of others

Real Estate Issues
The mayor enjoys support in the voting community and in the business sector. Their basic argument is that the extraordinary economic times that we live in call for a mayor that has the business experience to see the city through this difficult time.

When you look at how business has fared in New York recently, it is worth noting that the real estate sector, which experienced a boom under Mr. Bloomberg, is in full retreat now after years of wild profit speculation and uncontrolled growth. It also makes sense to point out that the encroachment of residential real estate into formerly commercial areas where nightlife thrived added to the conflict between clubs and local residents who didn’t want to have their illusion suburban quiet disturbed while they slept in the middle of the city. A more balanced investment by the city between more residential real estate and more support for local nightlife might have been the wiser business strategy.

It is easy to see how Mayor Bloomberg’s term in office was more beneficial to New York nightlife than Mayor Giuliani’s, since Rudy would have preferred to close all clubs. It is difficult to say that his impact on New York nightlife has been wholly negative, given some of his actions. It is impossible to tell if nightlife would be given more support to thrive under a new mayor because we don’t know who the opposing candidate might be. But it is possible to see that he is willing to impose his own lifestyle on others and circumvent or rewrite laws to achieve his goals. If that kind of brazen cowboy attitude to power fails miserably on a national level with Bush/Cheney, what makes us think it will work better on a city level?

Have fun.
Gamal

Source: Michael Barbaro: New York Times

Give us your opinion on what’s going on. Use the comments space below to tell people what you think.

What’s Going on Inside the Box?

By Gamal Hennessy

The future looks uncertain for the downtown cabaret known as The Box. Once seen as a symbol of a new era in nightlife, it quickly became known for celebrity bottle service and risqué burlesque shows. Now it is under attack from local residents and its own staff. Will it weather the current storm? Do we want it to?

Originally conceived as dinner theater and not a club, The Box opened in offering high priced sexually charged performances like “Twincest” from the Porcelain Twinz and other members of the Hammerstein Beauties. It quickly became a magnet for celebrities and celebrity watchers.

But less than two years after its opening, the club (or if you prefer dinner theater) is under siege. From the outside, community board 3 has made threats against its liquor license, claiming that the traffic problems and noise that the Box generates make it undesirable. From the inside, there are threats of a lawsuit from the Twinz who claim the Box has “…unsafe working conditions, prostitutes on staff, in house drug dealing, open drug use throughout the club, and coerced sex with management as a condition of continued employment…”

The owners of the Box have issued a public defense of what they describe as their creative practices, and they are working with the community board to resolve the outstanding issues before their application goes back before the board in October. While a member of the board has stated that the possible employment suit is brought to the attention of the State Liquor Authority, it is not brought before the board in relation to the license.

Is the Box a victim of disgruntled workers and anti-social residents? Or is it an abusive pit of sex and drugs? Or is it both? The problem with cases like the Box is that the truth is often at the mercy of personal perception and it might be impossible to find out. New York Nights is an advocate of the nightlife industry, but we only support venues that add to the quality of nightlife in the city. Clubs that leave our nightlife open to public attack need to close. Anti-nightlife advocates create their own reasons for wanting clubs closed. We don’t have to help them by playing into their stereotypes.

Have fun.
Gamal

Source: Allen Salkin: New York Times

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Is Hipster Rap the Future of Hip Hop?

by Gamal Hennessy

Twenty first century pop music is hip hop music. Eight out of the top ten Billboard Hot 100 for this week are hip hop tracks. If you go most mainstream clubs on the weekend you will hear hip hop. As this music becomes more universal, a new subgenre labeled ‘hipster rap’ attempts to recall hip hop’s golden age. Is the music bubbling up out of this underground a renaissance, a backlash, or minor blip on the cultural radar?

Hipster rap describes a style of music that gets its inspiration from the hip hop that was dominant in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. The themes are less about living the player lifestyle and more about paying tribute to the culture that made up hip hop’s golden age. It has been described as self referential, ironic and less polished than the production values that you find in mainstream rap. The fashion sense of these acts is reminiscent of School Daze with a heavy dose of bright colors and tight pants. While there are rappers at the top of the charts who tap into the hipster rap vibe like Kanye West and Lupe Fiasco it is mostly a genre of underground acts who all seem to use the word “kidz” in their name.

There are two major critiques against this form of music. The first is that the people who are making it don’t have first hand experience with their muse because they weren’t even alive during the golden age of hip hop. They are accused of insincere mimicry as opposed to artistic reverence. There is also a claim that since the music is not designed for mainstream audiences, it isn’t radio or club ready so it won’t last.

The critiques don’t carry much weight if you look at them in relation to other trends in popular music. Several major genres of music have their nostalgia phases. In the 80’s, rock looked back to the 60’s which revived the careers of the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and other acts. The kids who gravitated to this music weren’t alive in the 60’s, but they ate it up. In the 90’s R&B looked back to the 70’s, which is how we got the neo-soul movement. Maybe hip hop has matured enough for this generation to look back at the golden age whether they were there or not.

And if hipster rap isn’t commercially viable, how does that explain an act like Kanye? It could be that he mixes mainstream and hipster sensibilities in a way that is palatable to the clubs. Perhaps if more hipster acts want mainstream success, they need to follow his lead. But I think that would be missing the point. To the extent that hipster rap is a movement it doesn’t want to conform to mainstream concepts. It might be looking for the mainstream to conform instead.

Will hipster rap become the next big movement in hip hop? I doubt it. It will probably remain marginal with a small cult following in the same way Native Tongues and similar bohemian rappers have always had a small loyal following. But I didn’t think gangster rap would take off the either, so I’ve been wrong before. Maybe hip hop has room in it for the drug dealer aspirations of gangster rap, the alpha male posturing of mainstream rap, the fading appreciation of old school rap and the adopted nostalgia of hipster rap.

Have fun.
Gamal

Source: Jon Caramanica: The New York Times

Rise of the Wagonistas

By Gamal Hennessy

There are three categories of people when it comes to drinking. There are those who drink, those who drink too much, and those who don’t drink at all. It has recently come to light that influential people in traditionally liquor soaked industries are avoiding liquor as part of a long term career strategy. But is any kind of extremist stance is a good idea?

There is no official definition of a wagonista, so I’m going to make one up. A wagonista is a person who frequents parties, clubs, concerts and other social events, but does not drink at those events. A wagonista chooses not to drink primarily because they want to avoid the negative social and professional effects of a hangover.

If you’ve ever worked in fashion, media, advertising or entertainment then you know that going out for drinks after work is part of the work. You may have also experienced a distinct lack of productivity in the hours and days following successful “meetings” over drinks. You might even be the person who has embarrassed themselves in front of clients, subordinates and superiors during a drunken binge. If you are one of these people, then it makes sense to go to the bar, but skip the Cuervo shots. Notable New York players including Anna Wintour, Diane von Furstenberg, Barry Diller and Donald Trump have all come to the conclusion that going to the party is fine, but drinking at the party is bad for business.

People choose to avoid liquor for a variety of reasons besides their careers. Health and cost are important factors too. Recent studies show that U.S. alcohol consumption is down, for reasons tied to physical and mental health. Our current economic woes are reigning in out of control bottle service, so not drinking can be cheaper when you go out, if you happen to be paying for your drinks at all. Liquor is poison and there are many reasons not to drink too much, but the key here is too much.

It’s probably a good idea not to drink yourself into a stupor every time you go networking, but is the opposite extreme any better? If you don’t drink, maybe you won’t get invited to the late night soiree where you can rub shoulders with the big dogs. If you don’t drink, people might mistrust you, freeze you out, or otherwise undercut your image.

The problem here isn’t drinking, its binge drinking. Wagonistas want to avoid being sloppy in front of colleagues and be productive at work the next day. But there is no rule that says you have to get drunk when you go out drinking. You don’t have to get a hangover after every night out. If you chose to drink heavily every night or you chose to reject social drinking entirely, you are taking an extreme position. New Yorkers by and large take a very dim view of extremists, religious or otherwise. Choosing responsible indulgence instead gives you the chance to socialize, sip the champagne and be good for work the next day. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. You can have both.

Have fun.
Gamal

Source: Annie Karni: New York Post

The Beginning of the End for Bottle Service

By Gamal Hennessy

The state of the financial markets has a ripple effect on New York nightlife. The most immediate impact will probably be on the pervasive practice of bottle service. Certain clubs are already scaling back their bottle service promotions. While it might not disappear, bottle service won’t be able to survive as a widespread practice. How will the nightlife landscape change if the bottle goes the way of Lehman Brothers?

When you order bottle service, you’re basically paying for temporary prestige in a club. You and a few of your friends get to skip the line and sit at a table instead of standing. Your one (or more) bottles of liquor and mixers are served by an attractive waitress so you don’t have to fight for drinks at the bar. Your area is often defined by a velvet rope so you don’t have to mingle with commoners.

The cost of this prestige has no realistic relationship to the actual cost of the liquor. A $70-$80 bottle of Gray Goose can easily go for $500. When you buy bottle service, you’re sending the social message “I am a VIP. I can afford to be extravagant.” Club owners have profited from people’s need for prestige. One owner said that bottle service accounted for up to 70% of his bottom line revenue.

Bottle service has been a staple in nightlife for more than 10 years. It survived the bursting of the internet bubble and the war on terror. When the housing market began to soften, bottle service was still a widespread practice fueled by hedge fund managers, i-bankers, and corporate sponsored credit cards. The fall of several key financial houses in the past two months will probably dry up money available to FIRE workers (finance, insurance and real estate), who make up 20% of the nightlife patrons, so bottle service might not be able to withstand the current storm. It will be difficult for bottle service to survive if there the only people who can afford it are movie stars, drug kingpins and oil barons.

The backlash has already started taking shape. Prominent clubs like Prime are announcing a retreat from bottle service and a renewed commitment to ‘catering to the customer’. Prominent nightlife insiders are predicting that the overall club market will contract as poorly run clubs die off and well run spots adapt to the new environment. While the economics of bottle service compensate for the realities of operating costs, clubbers like me (who can’t justify the cost of bottle service) see a positive change for the better. The average club customer who couldn’t afford a bottle may no longer be treated like a second hand citizen. Clubs might become more about pleasure and less about posturing and prestige. History has shown that people continue to drink during bad economic times, so even the i-bankers will still belly up to the bar. They just won’t be able to separate themselves from the commoners.

Have fun.
Gamal

Smaller Clubs Could Cripple Nightlife

By Gamal Hennessy

The New York nightlife landscape has evolved. The former dominance of mega clubs has splintered into specific niche markets where micro communities can party in relative isolation. Many see this as a natural progression in entertainment, similar to what we see happening in music, TV and movies. But some within the industry feel that these niche markets can’t survive on their own and if New York nightlife is going to thrive again, we need more mega clubs.

It’s easy to make an analogy between the fragmentation of modern entertainment and nightlife. It used to be that we only had a handful of television stations to watch. Now we have 500 channels of cable television and sites like YouTube and Hulu. We once listened to radio or watched MTV to get our music. Now we can bypass radio completely with digital music, internet radio, and ipods. We used to have mega clubs like Palladium, Limelight and Crobar. Isn’t it natural for lounges and smaller clubs to develop in an attempt to cater to smaller markets?

Steven Lewis, an established authority on nightlife for the past several decades, disputed this line of thinking in one of his latest articles. According to Mr. Lewis, a mega club that caters to different crowds on different nights has the ability to fill the room every single night and by extension make more money. A smaller venue that only caters to a specific demographic group has a harder time during off nights. If it can only make money two or three nights out of the week, it might not be able to survive.

Mr. Lewis is clearly working from an informed perspective, but even if we need more mega clubs to enhance the quality of nightlife there are substantial hurdles in getting them. Real estate costs and the current financial turmoil might make it hard for developers to open profitable mega clubs in the short term. Anti nightlife community boards might also attempt to block larger clubs from opening by rejecting liquor license applications. Can clubs service diverse crowds on different nights without being large? Some spots like Sin Sin or Bar 13 try to do that now. Can large clubs emerge in New York’s financial and climate? Mansion and Marquee are still fixtures in the industry, in spite of what’s going on in the market. Are the niche venues the best alternative under the circumstances? Maybe the new Limelight will be the next evolutionary step in nightlife.

Have fun.
Gamal

Source: Good Night Mr. Lewis

Drunkorexia: This Season’s Eating Disorder

by Gamal Hennessy

New York is already a haven for models and its exclusive parties. Fashion week gives both of them center stage. Some promoters and clubs make a point of inviting women to come and drink for free, knowing that these ladies will draw the type of man who will spend $400 on a bottle of Gray Goose. When you take women struggling with their weight trying to stay in this world and combine it with alcohol abuse, you get two disorders for the price of one.

Drunkorexia is not a medical term. The word is a combination of drunk and anorexia. It is supposed to describe a person who has a more traditional eating disorder like bulimia or anorexia and uses alcohol to either reduce their body image stress and/or as their major source of calories. Like most eating disorders, it hits women more than men. Unlike other eating disorders there isn’t an established treatment program available because the condition is seen as a fairly new phenomenon. It does have its poster children though. You might know them by their first names…Lindsay…Paris…Britney…

Whether drunkorexia is a by product of cultural pressure and the publicity that Lindsay and Paris get every time they wind up with their head in a toilet is a matter for social scientists. We know that liquor is poison. It is soothing and refreshing and delicious poison, but like fire, it is dangerous if not handled correctly. Drinking without eating isn’t the right way to play the game. Responsible indulgence is the key. The classic phrase is ‘eat, drink and be merry’. If you skip a step, you run the risk of sitting next to Lindsay in rehab…and that is not a good thing.

Source: Sarah Kershaw: The New York Times