2009: The Nightlife Year in Review

Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Every week, New York Nights strives to explore the business and culture of New York nightlife. If you have missed any of the over 45 newsletters posted in 2009, click on any of the links below to get caught up on the City That Never Sleeps.

If you want to stay connected to the nightlife news covered by New York Nights, sign up for our free newsletter. We look forward to offering you new information, insights and inspiration in 2010.

I’ll see you at the bar.

Have fun.
G

January 2009
The NYN Insider for January 13th, 2009
The Inauguration Issue
The Super Bowl Issue

February 2009

The Safety Issue
The Spring Awakening Issue
The Native New Yorker Issue
The Nightlife District Issue

March 2009

The Balanced Budget Issue
The Interview Issue
The Tax Scam Issue
The Joy of Drinking Issue

April 2009

The Smoking Ban Issue
The Bottle Service Issue
The Corruption Issue
The Jobs and Dating Issue

May 2009

The Nightlife Death Issue
The Social Issue
The Dance Parade Issue
The Summer Kickoff Issue

June 2009

The NPC Issue
The New Bar Issue
The Nightlife Murder Issue
The Health of New York Nightlife
The Pride 2009 Issue

July 2009

The Size Matters Issue
The New Trends Issue
The Struggle for 2 A.M. Issue

August 2009

The Single Life Issue
The Next Big Thing Issue
The Liquor Reform Issue
The Alcohol Abuse Issue

September 2009

The Taz Pagan Issue
The NYC Primary Issue
The Reputation Issue
The Female Safety Issue

October 2009

Keys to a Good Club Night
The Political Force of Nightlife
The New Venue Issue
The Daniel Squadron Issue

November 2009

The Election Day Issue
The Liquor License Issue
The Motivation Issue
The Thanksgiving Issue

December 2009

The New Year's Eve Preview Issue
NYN Insider for December 14, 2009
New York Nights Insider: The First Look Issue

Beatrice II, Bars Against Drunk Driving and Finance Trouble for the Community Boards

Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

…I hunt down the nightlife news so you don’t have to…

Industry Initiatives
Bars Against Drunk Driving
(Daily News)
Three hundred local venues form an association designed to prevent patrons from driving drunk

Coming Soon
Beatrice II
(Eater)
Last week Eater cited a rumor that the former hotspot would reopen in SoHo. The latest rumor claims it will be a new live music venue.

Community Boards
Budget Cuts

(NY Post)
Local CBs that are often a platform for anti-nightlife advocates are facing a severe loss of funds as City Hall looks for ways to save money.

Have fun.

G

Duvet, Provocateur and the Hierarchy of Operators

The New York Nights Club Report for December 16, 2009
Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

…I hunt down the nightlife news so you don’t have to…

Opening
Provocateur (inside the Hotel Gansevoort)

(Urban Daddy)
The former Ono space is resurrected as a model friendly indoor/ outdoor lounge

Controversy
Duvet NOT Closed

(Club Planet)

Apparently an alleged attack inside the Flatiron club was not enough to shut it down.

Insight
Nightclub Staff Hierarchy

(Eater)

Although it doesn’t mention anything about DJs, dancers or other performers who keep the party moving, Eater has provided a helpful flow showing who controls what in the world of operators.

Seize the Night

Seize the Night Cover Reveal
(New York Nights)
See the cover of the book that will shed new light on New York nightlife

Have fun
Gamal

The Sexual Cycle of New York Nightlife

By Gamal Hennessy

Nightlife is an atmosphere that revolves around sexuality. It is, in fact, a metaphor for sexuality on a city wide scale. You can understand the energy and flow of a New York night by examining it through the lens of a single sexual encounter. Looking at the night this way can help you figure out where, when and how you want to fit in.

Flirting: 4 - 7 p.m.
A typical New York night starts here with office workers moving directly from their boardrooms and cubicles to booths and bars stools. Drinks are normally cheaper during this period and the nightlife population skews to an older out of town set. Bars and some lounges are open, but the clubs will still be closed. Corporate events often start during this period, since it is relatively easy to get commuters to stop in for a few drinks before they need to catch their train home. Everyone here gets to play a little without doing anything that might make them feel really guilty.

Foreplay: 7 - 10 p.m.
As the drink specials end, many venues develop a vibe that is more about entertainment than social interaction. People park themselves in front of huge flat screens and watch different sports depending on the time of year. The musically inclined can catch live shows from every style of music in venues ranging from tiny piano bars to huge clubs. Late night oriented patrons often start their night here as well, eating, grabbing the first few drinks of the night and scoping out potential playmates.

Intercourse: 10 p.m. – 12 a.m.
Lounges are often in full swing now. You’ll find couples there who have transitioned their dinner date into drinks. Post game and post concert crowds will be basking in the after glow of their respective events. People start to loosen up as the drinks flow and the energy increases. Many clubs open their doors at 10 p.m., but the spaces are often empty for the first couple of hours, especially on the weekends. This is the time when serious dancers get the floor to themselves while hustlers and operators settle in for a night’s work.

Climax: midnight – 2 a.m.
If the promoter, doorman, DJ, bartenders and other operators have done their jobs then the venue is full by 12:30. This is the period when the population of the nightlife environment is at its height. You can see it inside the clubs and in front of many venues as people smoke and stand on line still trying to get in. Whether the main activity of the night is dancing, drinking, flashing cash, flirting, hooking up or just watching, it’s happening now or it might not happen at all. This is the period of release that often makes the whole experience worthwhile. The energy of the city is on full display here, stripping away any illusions about why we go out.


After play 2 a.m. – 4 a.m.
At a certain point in the evening, the energy starts to ebb. While many spots are still in full swing, a large number of patrons start to make their way for the exits. Maybe it’s because the Red Bull starts to wear off. Maybe it’s because her feet start killing her from dancing in four inch stilettos all night. Maybe he’s too drunk to stand up. Maybe it’s because questionable sexual decisions are being made through the haze of beer goggles. Maybe it’s because 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. are the periods when venues are required to close according to the terms of their liquor license. Whatever the reason, the message is clear; you don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here. Warning: This can be a clumsy, awkward and ugly time if you don’t really know what you are doing.

Separation: 4 a.m. – 8 a.m.
Nightlife fragments in the early morning hours. For those who still have some party left in them, this is the time to hit the after hours spot. For those who have a long commute back home, this is the time to make your way back to the outer boroughs and adjacent states. For operators and the very hungry it’s time to hit the diner. For anyone who left the club with someone they shouldn’t have, it’s time for the walk of shame. By the time this period is over most, but not all, nightlife people have given the city back to the working world. The night is over and its time to head back to reality.

Brunch: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
The rising sun doesn’t necessarily mean the end of the party. Brunch is the new nightlife in New York. Whether you are just getting started after a good night’s sleep or you are still out from the night before you can find breakfast, bloody marys, music and mimosas. At this point, nightlife brunch isn’t a huge phenomenon. Many people allow trivial things like sleep, work and normal life to intrude on what would otherwise be a 24 party. But if you don’t have to work, you might as well keep playing.

Of course, these are guidelines not rules. Some people start the pre-game drinking at noon. Some people are doing the walk of shame at 9 p.m. As with actual sex, some people decide to leave out some steps. But the majority of nightlife flows in this pattern. A nightlife native can jump in or out at any point of the night on any night of the week. She could even engage in the 24 hour marathon that is New York’s continuous nightlife cycle, but this isn’t recommended for most of us. Nightlife is a metaphor for sex and sex can be amazing all the time, but we all need our beauty sleep.

Have fun.
G

Death & Co, Neo-Speakeasies and Veranda

The New York Nights Club Report for November 11, 2009

Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Business
Venues on the Market
(Guest of a Guest)
If you’ve always dreamed of becoming an operator, and you’ve got some cash to invest, you might want to check out these properties…

Changes
Death and Company
(NBC New York)
The established speakeasy extends hours its hours for more cocktail goodness…

Opening
Veranda
(Urban Daddy)
The West Village is the site for the latest Mediterranean hookah lounge.

Opinion
Kill the Neo-Speakeasy
(Guest of a Guest)
Billy Gray argues that speakeasies have passed their prime. I think the concept might have taken a wrong turn, but it can still be saved.

Personalities
New York Nightlife Icons
(Good Night Mr. Lewis)
Steven Lewis offers his list of today’s A-list operators.

Have fun.
Gamal

Why Do You Go Out at Night?

By Gamal Hennessy

(Adapted from the upcoming book Seize the Night)

If you are a sane individual then you usually have reasons for doing the things you do. You go to work to make money. You eat because you’re hungry. You fall asleep on the train because you’re tired. You may not consciously know why you do certain things, but if you stop and think about it, you can usually figure out the reason.

So why do you go out at night? It can deprive you of sleep, money and the chance to watch reality TV. If you spend time in bars and clubs, you put in time, money and energy. Do you get anything out of it?

I think there are as many reasons for going out as there are people who go out. After years of non-scientific, anecdotal, and random observation, I’ve devised eight broad categories to explain our motivations. Seven of them can be lumped under the concept of “having fun,” and one is almost a burden (but still much better than being in the office). Take a look and figure out which category fits you best.

Acceptance (The group we belong to):
Many of us have feelings and lifestyles that don’t fit the image of what is “normal” in American society. Maybe it is the way we want to dress or the way we want to act or who we are attracted to. When you go out during the day, you have to hide it. When you’re at home with your family, you might have to repress it. But you can find a party or a scene in nightlife with people who see the world in ways that are similar to yours. And that can make the rest of your existence much more bearable.

Consumption (The things we take in):
For some people, it’s beer. For others, it’s dirty martinis. Some of us want to eat sumptuous food and some of us want things that perpetuate the war on drugs. It doesn’t really matter what your particular poison is, a big part of nightlife is about eating, drinking and smoking freely. The reason specialty venues like wine bars, micro brew bars and hookah bars do so well because we are willing to pay good money to satisfy our hunger to imbibe.

Connection (The people we meet):
You can meet a friend at a bar for a drink when she wants to talk. You can go out for happy hour after work with your co-workers to bitch about your boss. You can have girls’ night out or you can cruise the hotel bars looking for cougars. Humans are social creatures. We have a need to connect with one another. At work and at home, you are constrained in your behavior and limited as to the people you can interact with. When you go out, the walls come down. You can talk and act more freely. You can meet people for a minute or forge bonds that last for years. The connections might be intense or shallow, but the energy is different at night than it is during the day.

Entertainment (The things we see and hear):
The chance to see, hear or feel something is a huge part of nightlife. You might be listening to an unknown comic one night and be part of the insane crowds at a Danny Tenaglia concert the next night. Nightlife entertainment can be something as innocent as watching a baseball game at a local bar or as corrupt as the champagne room at a local strip club (actually, it can get much worse than that, but you get the idea). It’s been said that one man’s pornogrpahy is another man’s art, and no time is that more true than at night. What you want to see and hear at night actually says a lot about how you see yourself as a person.

Flash (The wealth we display):
There are people who want to be seen spending big money on bottle service. They want you to see their Mercedes SUV. The idea of getting a discount or going to happy hour makes them cringe. Why? Because they are living the glamorous life and they want you to know it. Consumption here isn’t as important as being able to afford the consumption. If you have the money (or just want to look as if you do) you want the car, the clothes and the Grey Goose. What better place to display your status than in the club?

Obligation (The social debt):
There are times we go out when we don’t really want to. Your client is in town from Kansas. Someone has to take them out. Tag, you’re it. Your girlfriend’s brother is having a birthday party. She’s going, so you’re going. Tag, you’re it. Your friend just got fired, dumped or rejected for the cast of Real World 37. He or she wants you to meet them for a drink. Tag, you’re it. This is the only reason for going out that might not be much fun, but compared to being stuck in your office or bored at home, it’s not that bad, is it?

Release (The temporary escape):
Sometimes you need a break. You can’t sit in your cubical anymore. If your boss calls you one more time about TPS reports, you’re going to cut someone. You’ve tried to like Glee and it’s just not working for you. You need to dance. You need to spend time with your friends. You need to get away from the desk, the Blackberry and the TV for a few hours. Going out isn’t as long as a vacation, but you don’t have to be frisked by Homeland Security to get into the club.

Sex (The common theme):
Expressions of sexuality can be found in almost every aspect of nightlife. The clothing is tighter and more revealing. The conversation has more carnal energy. Inhibitions are lowered with alcohol. The movements on the dance floor don’t leave anything to the imagination. Nightlife is a sexual metaphor on a city wide scale. It can be simple or elaborate, fun or dangerous, satisfying or forgettable, mysterious or revealing, expensive or cheap. Whatever the experience, sexuality is the main reason why so many people keep coming back night after night.

Nightlife is a cultural setting that can be many things to many people. What you find when you go out depends a lot on what you’re looking for. The magic of New York nightlife is that, no matter what you are looking for, you can find the spot or the scene that fits your tastes. All you have to do is find it.

Have fun.
G

Beatrice Inn, Drop Off Service and The Manhattan Inn

The New York Nights Club Report for November 5, 2009
Complied by Gamal Hennessy

Opening
Manhattan Inn
(Time Out New York)
Greenpoint gets a gastropub of its own...

Developments
Beatrice Inn
(New York Magazine)
The recently closed West Village hotspot might be looking to resurrect itself further downtown…

Drop Off Service

(Urban Daddy)

The newest cocktail menu combines infused liquor with OTC cold remedies to create the Flu Menu…

Have fun.
G

Greenhouse, La Villa Rouge and Q

The New York Nights Club Report for October 22, 2009
Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Opening

La Villa Rouge
(Nelly List)
A French Moroccan lounge opens in the LES this weekend.


Downtown Galway Hooker
The midtown Irish sports bar spawns a clone in the West Village

Q
(Black Book)
A new performance space rises out of Quo in West Chelsea

Controversy

Greenhouse
(Gothamist)
A new lawsuit claims the TriBeCa lounge engaged in a racist door policy

Female Safety in the Nightclub Environment

By Gamal Hennessy

There are 65 million entries into nightlife venues every year. The vast majority of the patrons who go into our bars, clubs and lounges make it home safely every night. Unfortunately, on rare occasions, predators and fanatics prey on the isolated and the defenseless. The results are terrible for the victims and negative for the industry as a whole. The recent case of Luis Zambrano highlights both the need for awareness in an adult environment and offers guidance on the best way for ladies to protect themselves at night.

Last week, Inside Edition ran a story about a man named Luis Zambrano. Mr. Zambrano went to Marquee, isolated a 23 year old girl, dragged her out of the club in full view of the crowd and the operators, took her back to his apartment and raped her. Because the entire incident was caught on Marquee’s security cameras, Zambrano was arrested and pled guilty to kidnapping and rape charges.

Experts state that this contained several elements that predators look for. First, the victim was separated from her friends. Second, the victim was either drunk when Zambrano met her or she accepted drinks from him that were laced with GHB or similar substances. This combination gives predators the ability to overpower and move a victim out of the venue. If she is too drunk or drugged, she’s not conscious enough to resist or even speak. Other random patrons can’t tell if the man carrying a woman out of a club is her boyfriend or her rapist. The bouncers can’t tell if they are best friends, if they just met or if they never met. The predator preys on animosity and isolation.

There is no practical way for women to alter or eliminate predators or fanatics in nightlife. It is often very difficult to even identity a potential threat in the chaotic environment of a club. But there are five steps that women can take to deter and avoid assaults while they are out; group movement, designated watchers, deterrence images, retained awareness and responsible indulgence.

Group Movement: Lisa Friel is an ADA for the sex crimes unit in Manhattan. She has experience with cases of sexual assaults that begin in clubs and end in the predator’s apartment or car. She advocates that women use the concept of group movement, meaning that the ladies go out together, remain in the same general area and leave together. This prevents any one woman from being isolated and abused. Ms. Friel isn’t saying you shouldn’t dance, meet boys, exchange numbers and generally have a good time. She isn’t saying that the whole night should be one huge exercise in cockblocking. She is saying that there is strength in numbers when it comes to preventing sexual assault.

Designated Watcher: Ms. Friel also supports the use of a designated watcher. Similar to a designated driver, the watcher drinks less than the rest of the group and makes sure that no one falls unconscious, gets overcome by a group of fanatics, or stumbles out of the club at 4:15 without any idea of where they are or how they are getting home. Again, this isn’t an invitation for a wet blanket to play morality cop and ruin everyone’s night, but if you go out in a group and the whole group gets blind drunk, then the security of the group isn’t that effective.

Deterrence Image: If you are separated from your group, or if you are the designated watcher, you will need a way to drive off people who might cause problems. Sexual criminals in nightlife are similar to predators in nature. When choosing someone to attack, they often choose the person who appears the least likely to protect themselves. They target the weakest of the herd. In a nightlife context that means they will target people who are drunk, preoccupied, confused, or who project weakness through non verbal signals in their body language. Victimology experts Chuck Hustmyre and Jay Dixit suggest that attackers are less likely to choose targets that are organized in their movement, confident in their posture and comfortable in their surroundings are less likely to be singled out. The evidence supports this theory. Zambrano didn’t target the women who were full of energy and dancing around him. He went after the one passed out on the couch.

Retained Awareness: The Zambrano crime also shows that it is very hard to get out of a situation that you are not aware of. If you are surprised, caught off guard or blindsided, you are more likely compound your problems. If you’re going to get so drunk that you don’t know where you are, you are more likely to wind up someplace that you don’t want to be. A stumbling drunk identifies herself to every fanatic in the room as an amateur and a potential victim. Maintaining awareness of your surroundings as you party is an integral part of being a nightlife native. You can have a good time and keep your eyes open, but you have to make that choice up front.

Responsible Indulgence: The basic concept that women can use to protect themselves is responsible indulgence. It isn’t about being afraid to go out or going out looking for trouble. It is about knowing your limits and being familiar with your environment so you can deal with a potential problem if it arises. There is such a thing as too much to drink. There are activities that aren’t worth the risk. You can enjoy everything nightlife has to offer and still remember it in the morning. Predators seek out nightlife amateurs and avoid nightlife natives because the amateur is easy prey. As more women become natives, sexual assaults against women will be even more atypical.

Sexuality is at the core of the nightlife experience. Women are the linchpin to the majority of nightlife business and culture. But that doesn’t mean that they need to feel uncomfortable, threatened or afraid when they go out. It does mean that they need to take some precautions to deter the Zambrono’s of the world.

Have fun.

G

Berry Park, Bia Garden and Bongo

Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

The New York Nights Club Report for August 6, 2009

Opening

Berry Park
(Urban Daddy)
Now that we finally have hot summer days, Brooklyn obviously needs a new beer garden.

Bia Garden

(Thrillist)
Another new beer garden for anyone who doesn’t want to go to Williamsburg…

Bongo

(Thrillist)
Go for the oysters and cocktails after you’ve strolled on the Highline.

Opinion

Drinking on the Job

(The New York Times)
Read professional opinions concerning drinking as part of your professional life.

Hot Girls as an Economic Indicator
(New York Magazine)
Where do all the cute bottle hostesses go when the demand for bottle service dwindles?

Have fun.
Gamal

Bounce Deuce, Home, Guesthouse and Der Schwarze Kolner

The New York Nights Club Report for July 30, 2009
Complied by Gamal Hennessy

Opening
Der Schwarze Kolner
(Thirllist)
Brooklyn gets a new beer garden to quench our thirsts

Closed
Bounce Deuce
(New York Magazine)
An East Village sports bar fails to make the cut.

Home/ Guest House
(Good Night Mr. Lewis)
A pillar of Outer Chelsea collapses under the weight of gentrification.

Have fun.
G

Cellar 58, Marquee and Lounge Poker

The New York Nights Club Report for July 9, 2009
Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Opening
Cellar 58
(Thrillist)
A haven for rare wine opens in NoHo.

Issues
Marquee

(Village Voice)
The iconic club has been linked to a sexual assault…

Trends
Lounge Poker

(Black Book)
The speakeasy trend is bringing back more than specialty cocktails. Card games are breaking out all over the city…

Beer Cocktails
(New York Times)
If you can never decide between a beer and a cocktail, now you can have both…

Opinion

Best Strip Clubs

If you’re looking for a better quality of pole dancer, look no further…

Have fun.

Gamal

Best Bartenders, Independent Spirits and Super Dive

The New York Nights Club Report for June 18, 2009

Complied by Gamal Hennessy

Opinion
Best Bartenders in New York
(Forbes)
As mixology becomes more prominent, Forbes has picked these professionals as the top of the pack…

Opening
Superdive
(Urban Daddy)
The Lower East Side gets a better quality dive bar (if that isn’t an oxymoron)…

Events
Independent Spirits Expo
June 24th 6PM-9PM at Touch
(Thrillist)
The CMJ of liquor hits New York next week so you can find the rising stars of alcohol…

Have fun.
Gamal

Zagat Takes the Pulse of New York Nightlife

By Gamal Hennessy

The first name in restaurant reviews moves into its 40th year with its annual nightlife guide today. In addition to a broad based look at venues in all five boroughs, the book looks at the trends emerging in both patron behavior and new venues. While some of the data reflects the impact of the recession, the overall picture shows that New York remains a prime location for nightlife.

Zagat started in 1979 as a collection of reviews for New York restaurants. Over the next four decades the company has expanded to dozens of cities and offers books and websites on shopping, dining and nightlife. The 2009/10 Zagat Nightlife Book used a survey of 6,000 nightlife patrons to determine that while people have changed their behavior because of the economy, nightlife as an industry has proven resilient to the downturn.

According to Zagat, New York City currently has more than 1,300 nightlife venues, including 100 new venues added in the past year. This finding is supported by our own Club Report that has continued to track new venues opening almost every week in spite of the economy. While there is no mention of how many venues were lost in 2008, the number of new venues is remarkable considering the economy and the stiff competition for drinking dollars. When you look at the contraction of other local industries in the past year, the Zagat data shows the strength of nightlife as an economic force in the city.

When it comes to the behavior of nightlife patrons, there is a definite shift toward less extravagant evenings. People are opting to go to less expensive venues, ordering fewer drinks when they go to their normal venues, or going out about half as much as they used to in an effort to save money. There was no information on the impact on bottle service, but anecdotal conversations I’ve had with promoters and other operators back this up this finding. In 2007-8 the average spent per person on liquor used to be $50-75 per night, now that number is down to $25-40.

The Nightlife Book also tracked other trends. It found that rising areas of popularity for nightlife include LES, Harlem, Park Slope and Williamsburg. It found that more new venues are underground speakeasies as opposed to the rooftop bars that have been in vogue for the past two years. It also found that the speakeasy trend is supporting a parallel rise in mixology in both new and established venues.

The 2009/10 Nightlife Book is available today and www.zagat.com has updates that can be delivered to your handheld.

Have fun.
Gamal

Angels and Kings, Avenue, The Gates and Le Souk

The New York Nights Club Report for June 4, 2009

Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Opening
Avenue
(Urban Daddy)
The successful Marquee crew bring a new lounge to Chelsea

Re-Opening

Le Souk
(The Villager)
A judge decides to give the Alphabet City lounge another liquor license.

Closed

Angels and Kings
(People)
Pete Wentz’s East Village bar was closed for serving liquor to minors again

Review
The Gates
Address: 290 8th Avenue
Website: http://www.thegatesnyc.com/default.asp

Space: 3
The interior design of the Gates is upscale and luxurious. Everything from the bar fixtures to the seating looks expensive. The minimal space is maximized for bottle service and being seen. The physical location of the space is isolated from other nightlife venues. It’s between the West Chelsea strip and the Flatiron venues which will either raise its exclusive status or hinder its attraction for club hoppers.

Service: 4
The doorman, host and bartenders were quick, courteous and professional. But keep in mind I saw the place during a press party, so everyone might have just been on their best behavior to avoid bad reviews. Still, I’ve been to press parties will poor service, so we’ll give credit where it’s due.

Sound: 3
The music selection of the evening seemed to be Top 40 hits from the 50’s and 60’s. While some of the men in the crowd might have been alive or recognized this music, I’m sure almost none of the twenty something women in attendance knew any of those songs. Having said that, the DJ worked the system enough to fill the room but not too much to keep people from talking…and he scored points for being different.

Cost: 2
I paid $16 for a Black and Coke. I’m under the impression that all the drinks cost $16, no matter how simple or elaborate.

Overall: 3 out of 5
The Gates might succeed as a high end lounge if enough the patrons want to get away from the other club areas and enjoy opulence behind an impressive façade.

Have fun.
G

Cooper Square Hotel, Warren 77 and Mixology Degrees

The NYN Club Report for May 19, 2009
Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Opening
Warren 77
(Urban Daddy)
A sports bar that isn’t worried about tonight’s game opens in TriBeCa.

Conflict
Cooper Square Hotel
(Curbed)
Local residents have decided to disrupt lounge patrons with a bull horn. Now that’s classy.

Recession Effect
Rise of Mixologists
(Wall Street Journal)
Diego and Zagat team up to train unemployed I-bankers to be the next generation of bartenders.

Bell House, Hudson Terrace and Scores

The New York Nights Club Report for May 13, 2009

Opening
Bell House
(NY1)
The brains behind Union Hall bring a spot to Brooklyn with something for everyone.

Reopening
Scores
(Good Night Mr. Lewis)
West Chelsea gets its strip club back.

Update
Imette St. Guillen Case
New York Times
The murder case for the woman allegedly killed by a bouncer began this week…

Review
Hudson Terrace
Address: 621 West 46th Street
Website: http://www.hudsonterracenyc.com/

Space: 5 The rooftop lounge across the street from Pacha is a good sized open air space designed for mingling and drinking. There isn’t a distinct dance floor, but there is enough space for spontaneous gyrations when you’ve had enough to drink.

Service: 4 HT is exclusive, which means the door is tougher than most of the spots in the city. Unlike other exclusive spots, the staff can be friendly, courteous and professional even when they are rejecting you.

Sound: 3 The music vacillated erratically from chill out to house to Top 40 to 80’s all in the space of 45 minutes and the volume was a little too high considering the focus of the crowd was mingling and flirting as opposed to dancing. The DJ knew his trade, I just wish he made up his mind.

Cost: 3 A Jack and Coke cost me $13 on a Tuesday night. Plan accordingly.

Overall Score: 3.75 out of 5

If you want a piece of the Hamptons or SoBe without the trip or the cost, come here. The transplant is a success.

The Politics of Dancing

By Gamal Hennessy

This Saturday marks the third annual New York Dance Parade. The festival is a celebration of all forms of dance, the cultures that shape them, and contributions they make to the diversity of New York City. It is also a grass roots attempt to expose the double standards that nightlife faces, specifically the law that makes it illegal to dance in most New York clubs.

Since the 1926, there has been a New York City law that makes it illegal for a bar or club to have more than a few people dancing to music unless it had a license for that activity. The reasoning for this law comes from the social and political climate of the era. The 1920’s saw a rise in the then perceived evils of women’s liberation and interracial dating. Jazz clubs were seen as a flashpoint for these trends. The law gave the powers that be the tools to shut down the venues that promoted behavior that they didn’t like. Luckily, the law didn’t stop the flourishing of jazz, greater rights and independence for women or interracial dating, but it stayed on the books for almost 80 years before it was enforced again.

The Giuliani administration began to use the law to shut down clubs under the pretense of avoiding disasters like the Happy Land Social Club fire. His real aim was to shut venues that didn’t conform to his “quality of life” crusade. As it always does, nightlife found creative ways to get around the law and keep butts moving. Venues used lookouts, warning lights and DJ’s would instantly switch from dance music to soft rock whenever the ‘dance police’ were spotted in the area.

Depending on whom you ask, when Bloomberg came into office he either tried to repeal the cabaret laws or use it to permanently roll back the closing time of New York nightlife from 4 AM to 1 AM. Nightlife advocates, who lobbied for several years to have the law taken off the books, rejected the 2004 proposal because of the connection between dancing and closing times. A subsequent legal challenge by grass roots organizations like the Dance Parade and Metropolis in Motion failed when a judge ruled that nightlife dancing is not protected form of speech under the 1st Amendment. The law currently remains in place. Out of the 1,100 nightlife spots in New York, only 200 currently have a cabaret license.

The cabaret law is a prime example of attacking culture and expression in the name of public safety. It is arbitrary and nonsensical to conclude that music is a protected art form, but dancing is not protected. It is hypocritical and pretentious to see ballet and ballroom dancing as high art but reject salsa and break dancing as artless. It is repressive and inhumane to require a license for something as fundamental as the expressive movement of the human body. While there are issues of overcrowding, ventilation, emergency exits and other security measures in certain clubs, prohibiting dance doesn’t solve any of these problems. People can be packed into a bar tighter than a rush hour subway without dancing. If you try to stop people from dancing, you will not stop overcrowding. You will not make anyone safer. You won’t even stop people from dancing. The only goal that can be reached by forcing a cabaret license on us is undermining one of the pillars that make New York a world class city.

Have fun.
Gamal

Hudson Terrace, The Gates and Plumm

The New York Nights Club Report for April 23, 2009
Compiled by Gamal Hennessy

Opening
Hudson Terrace
(Thrillist)
Drink specials and a Hudson Riverview opens up on 46th Street.

The Gates
(Urban Daddy)
Ultra high end lounging drops into Chelsea

Very Closed
Plumm
(New York Observer)
A judge has ordered management out of the Meatpacking venue due to unpaid rent.

Have fun.
Gamal

Above Allen, Private Loft and Santos Party House

The New York Nights Club Report for April 1, 2009


Opening
Private Loft
(Thrillist)
Strippers unite to create an alternative erotic entertainment location

Review
Above Allen (Inside the Thompson Hotel)

Location: 190 Allen Street(Corner of Allen and East Houston )

Space: 4

In any other hotel this lounge would be an after thought that guests of the hotel probably wouldn’t use. But with nice views of uptown and two balconies an otherwise average spot becomes pretty nice.

Service: 4

I expected a much more surly and obnoxious service. I didn’t get that at all. They might not have been nice, but they were professional and sometimes you can’t ask for more than that.

Sound: 3

I didn’t get the impression that AA was designed for constant performances from DJ’s or musicians. They have space to set up a DJ system and they allowed the DJs free reign on the night we went, but don’t expect that every night.

Price: 3
I paid about $12 per drink, which is pretty normal for a hotel bar but it might not be what you want to pay on a Wednesday night

Overall: 3.5 out of 5

AA is a cool spot for a little conversation and a little skyline watching, but you can skip it if the two doormen give you a hard time.

Review
Santos Party House
Location: 96 Lafayette St (Corner of Lafayette and Walker)
Link: http://www.santospartyhouse.com/

Space: 5

Santos has taken a large space in Chinatown and tries to make the most of it. VIP areas are available that don’t limit the dance space on either floor and the multiple bar set up means you don’t have to wait long for a drink

Service: 4

If you’ve spent any time at Crobar, APT, or Lotus then you’ll recognize a lot of the staff. I got the impression that all of them are laid back, professional and maybe just a little bit jaded, but that won’t stop you from having a good time.

Sound: 4

People go to Santos to dance to old school hip hop. Because Q-Tip is attached to the spot they lean heavily on tracks from him and his contemporaries. My only caution is that sometimes the DJ goes off on a obscure tangent that knocks you off your rhythm.

Price: 3

Friday night prices hover between $12 and $15. If you work up a sweat on the dance floor, quenching your thirst can get expensive in the long run.

Overall: 4 out of 5

It is easy to go to Santos and have a good time. If you can dance, it’s great. If you can’t dance you can still bob your head and appreciate the music

Have fun

Gamal