Media Coverage for Seize the Night

The Preview Party at Happy Ending successfully entertained its guests and promoted the impending release of Seize the Night. Here is how the local media covered the event.

Guest of a Guest
GoG just published a piece on last week's party complete with incriminating pictures (you know who you are). And btw, the book does not devote an entire chapter to open bars...Five pages? Yes. A whole chapter? No.

NightSide
The NBC affiliate site turned a simple conversation in a converted steam room into me picking a fight with the mayor over the smoking ban. Oops.

SoHo Journal
A chic local paper decides that the STN Preview Party deserves mention as a cultural event…which it did.

Have fun.
Gamal

The Sally Shan Interview

New York Nights caught rising nightlife icon Sally Shan between parties to talk about creating unique experiences, standing out from the crowd and how promoters get such a bad rep...

Vital StatisticsName: Sally Shan
Group Affiliation: Solo
Hometown: New York, NY
Latest Project: World Domination
Next New York Performance: To Be Announced

NYN: I've heard being a promoter is like being a real estate broker. Do you agree with that analogy?

SS: I don't usually think about it like that, but I guess there are similarities. Both of us act as a bridge. I connect the patrons looking for a place to go and the clubs looking for people to come and party, brokers connect buyer and sellers. We both take care of a lot of the details behind the scenes so our 'clients' don't have to worry about them. And both a good promoter and a good broker can give you a much better experience than if you did things on your own.

NYN: You haven't been doing this long, but tell me the perception people normally have about promoters.

SS: I think the perception that people sometimes get about promoters is that they care more about numbers and email lists than taking care of their people. The biggest complaint I've heard about promoters is that they make going out more painful than it needs to be. First, they'll send you an email about a party and give you a great deal on the phone when you contact them. Then when you and your friends get to the club, they’re not there and you can’t get in. You were so excited to go out and you drove all the way to the club and you’re embarrassed that your friends are standing out in the street. All of a sudden the great deal they offered you turns into a really expensive night that is nothing near what you were looking for, but you take it because you feel like you have no choice. I’ve been on that side of the equation so I know exactly what NOT to do.

NYN: There are a lot of people out there promoting. How do you set yourself apart?

SS: I think there are two parts to standing out. First, you have to connect with the people you are entertaining. You’ve got to try as much as possible to interact with them beyond just getting them into the club. I can’t possibly call everyone I work with, but things like Facebook keeps me connected to them through updates and announcements and things.

The other thing that helps you stand out is offering a different experience. I’ve seen promoters try to sell the same bottles in the same clubs with the same music every week for months. I try to have different types of themes and invite different types of people to different venues every week. That way people have something new to look forward to and I don’t get bored either.

NYN: How does a person tell a good promoter from a poor one?

SS: A lot of it is word of mouth and referrals, so I guess it’s similar to a real estate broker that way too. If I throw a party and people have a great time, they tell their friends and post the pictures online and start asking about the next party. That encourages other people to contact me to help them create the next party experience they want to have. At the end of the day we’re providing a service, a unique experience, so the best marketing I can have is doing a great job for all the people on my list.

NYN: What kind of work do you have to do behind the scenes to prep for a party?

SS: There are several different components that go into a great party. It doesn't work if you just update your Facebook page, show up and get drunk. There is a creative element where you develop the theme or the vision behind the event. Then there is a coordination element where you work with the venue to nail down the specifics of what is going to happen. There is a marketing element where you let people know about the party and figure out who is going. Then there’s the execution, where you take care of people and make sure they have a great time.

NYN: You had a birthday recently. What advice would you give someone looking for a party?

SS: Well it’s great if you have an idea of what you want, that way it’s easier for the promoter to give you what you’re looking for. If there’s a certain type of experience, music, vibe or space you want to be in, let the promoter know. I have relationships with some of the best venues in New York so if you come to me with some idea of what you want, I’ll make sure you get it.

Have fun.

G

Photo by Stephen Shadrach

Where’s My Holiday Party?

By Gamal Hennessy

Last year I was offering advice on how to survive your office holiday party. This year the question is “will your office holiday party survive?” As companies fail and the market sinks, the lavish holiday party seems out of place this year. How can you keep the recession from ruining your holiday?

No one is surprised that companies are cutting back on holiday festivities. Event planning firms claim that 81% of all firms are planning an end of the year event. While this is a significant majority of all companies, it marks a 20 year low in end of the year activity, worse than both the period after 9/11 and the bursting of the internet bubble. This decrease in entertainment spending parallels a drop in bottle service that hit the nightlife industry this year as finance firms (one of the largest consumers of bottles) began to fail. Corporate perks are being cut on every level by large and small companies. It is only natural that the holiday party also gets hit.

While the majority of firms are planning a party, that party will not have the same level of extravagance as last year’s party. Many venues that host corporate parties are offering substantial discounts in order to lure budget conscious planners through their doors. Last year I was hired to be the DJ at an ad agency party. I spun in the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton on 6th Avenue, ate like a dog and made more money in a couple hours than I do playing all night at a bar. Something tells me that this year I’ll only be making bar money…if I get hired at all. And all those parties I wandered into even though I didn’t work there…that probably won’t be happening very much either.

But our recession does give us the chance to rediscover a fact that all nightlife natives intrinsically know; the price of the party has no relation to having a good time, and having a good time is the point of the party. Maybe you can’t drink so much free Grey Goose and Cranberry that you pass out in your cubicle, but can still enjoy time out of the office with your co-workers and friends. You can still appreciate the things you have instead of regretting parties of the past. And maybe this year you’ll be able to remember everything the day afterward.

Have fun.
Gamal

The Right Price for Your Party

By Gamal Hennessy

A wild week is over and you need a drink…or three. The good news is that the federal government paid off billions of dollars of your company’s bad debt, so you still have a job. The bad news is that using the corporate card to order bottle service is not a good idea right now. So how can you put together a party in a club without taking out a second mortgage?




And if you want to find out more about what's going on in New York nightlife, sign up for NYN Insider. It's free.

Summer Solstice: The Party with a Purpose

Interview by Gamal Hennessy

Not every club night is an excuse to lose your mind on the dance floor and get hammered for no good reason. Sometimes, there is a very good reason.

This June 21st, will give you a good reason to party. The longest day of the year is going to set the stage for the Summer Solstice Party, a nine hour benefit for muscle disease research. DJ Haze, the organizer of the event took some time to speak with New York Nights about the party and his connection to it.

NYN: First, tell us about your music and how you became a New York DJ.

DJ Haze: In college I was in a ska & reggae band and when we all graduated we went our separate ways – I didn’t have the time during my 1st job out of school to go to rehearsals and gigs so I started producing music on the computer where I could be the entire band and on my own time. From there I started finding other producers who were making compelling house music and naturally progressed to spinning my own tracks along with the stuff I was discovering. After a while I realized that the other producers were much better than I was and that I was much better at blending records. That was when I made the switch over to DJ.

NYN: What is your connection to the Keith B. Hayes Foundation for Muscle Disease Research and what is your connection to Keith?

DJ Haze: My brother Keith passed away last september at the age of 20 as a result of an undiagnosed neuro-muscular disease in the family of diseases known as Myopathy. In order to carry on Keith’s legacy of giving my family and I founded the charity in his memory in the hopes that one day people with similar ailments and disabilities can be treated.

NYN: What can people expect at the Summer Solstice Party in terms of music, activities and atmosphere?

DJ Haze: The fundraiser is a loft party in a really cool penthouse space with 2 roofdecks and will feature an open bar sponsored by Right Gin and Kubler Absinthe. So there will certainly be a festive vibe. The music will range from hip hop and funky in the early evening and during this time there will also be a silent auction. After midnight, the music will turn to deep and electrohouse and will definitely be dancing.

NYN: How will the donated money be used?

DJ Haze: Donations from the event will be used for 3 immediate goals: first it will help fund an academic scholarship for a deserving disabled student at Ramapo College in NJ (where Keith was attending). Secondly it will provide support for families and young people with muscle disease and similar disabilities in their lives such as the donation of wheel chairs, psychological support, and social awareness. Most importantly, the money will be added to the fund to provide medical grants for doctors and scientists who are researching muscle diseases. The foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation and therefore all gifts are tax-deductible under the extent of the law.

NYN: What else do you have planned for the Foundation after Summer Solstice? Will this be an annual event?

DJ Haze: The solstice has always been a day of importance to people throughout the ages from ancient egypt to the builders of stonehenge to the Inca, Maya and Aztec. Keeping with this theme we are planning a winter solstice party benefit to celebrate the longest night of the year – and hopefully these solstice parties will become annual events that draw bigger and more diverse crowds.

And if you want to find out more about what's going on in New York nightlife, sign up for NYN Insider. It's free.

Editors Note: New York Nights is indirectly involved in Summer Solstice because I’m one of the featured DJ’s for the night.

The NYN Guide to St. Patrick's Day

by Gamal Hennessy

The Confusion of Fashion Week

The Confusion of Fashion Week
By Gamal Hennessy for New York Nights

I’ve never covered Fashion Week before, but one thing is clear. Trends are in the eye of the beholder. It doesn’t really matter in the end what designers throw down the runway, people see what they want to see.

Kate Betts of Time magazine saw designers playing it safe and came to the conclusion that they were dressing women for the recession. I don’t think designers are really thinking about the subprime crisis when they are making clothes, but I could be wrong.

Robin Givhan at the Washington Post saw an industry ready to take chances on new designers while established houses struggled to keep their fans. Taking a chance on a new product isn’t exactly the behavior of frightened consumers, but fashionistas might not make the best economists.

Other fashion writers didn’t read any gloom or struggle in the collections. The coverage of the Baby Phat, Betsey Johnson and Anna Sui shows all focused on sexy, slinky and short. As the new kid on the block, NYN could only get into one show, Iodice, and we didn’t see anything pessimistic in the very short skirts. It looked like a party to us.

In the end, I guess fashion and style are just as much about what you bring to it as what you buy. It will be your attitude that makes you look good in the end, not the clothes.

Have fun.
Gamal

For additional coverage: See Prince of the City 2: What I learned during Fashion Week.

Learn to Enjoy Your Office Holiday Party

The office holiday party is a modern tradition in corporate America that is often more obligation than celebration. But if you work it the right way you can have some fun. We’ve got 7 easy expert suggestions on how to make the most of the night and avoid an uncomfortable conversation with your boss the next day. Use the image to read our Enjoy the Holiday Party article.

Only from New York Nights

List Your New Year's Eve Event with New York Nights!

If you are a club owner, promoter or performer and you’d like your New Year’s Eve event listed in New York Night’s NYE special report, please send us an email with the following information:

Name of the event:
Web Site:
Address:
Price Range: (please list lowest price ticket and highest priced ticket)
Type of Music:
Special Features:
Contact Information:

The last day for submissions will be Monday December 17th. No exceptions

The Halloween Party Guide

A New York Nights Special Report

So you went out and got the slutty flight attendant/ nurse/ vampire costume and now you need someplace to wear it, right?

You can’t go trick or treating. You’re about 15 years too old for that and you can afford your own damn candy.

You could go to the Halloween parade in the Village, but what about the weekend before? And what are you going to do after the parade, just go home?

The answer here is simple. You need a party. We can help.

New York Nights has compiled a list of the major Halloween resources in the city. Use this as your one stop shop for finding parties, buying tickets and planning your night.

Halloween 2007 List
Clubplanet
Going.com
Joonbug
Myspace Events
New York Magazine
Parties This Week
Shecky’s
Time Out New York

After Halloween, you can use our Lifestyle page to find the latest events on a regular basis.

Now you’re ready. All you need to do is buy some candy.

Gamal

The Reasons We Go Out (A NYN Editorial)

By Gamal Hennessy

People usually have reasons for why they do things. We go to work to make money. We eat because we’re hungry. We fall asleep on the train because we’re tired. We may not consciously know why we do certain things, but if we think about it, we can usually figure out the reason.

So why do we go out at night? It can deprive us of sleep, money and the chance to watch reality TV if we don’t turn on the TiVo. We put something into nightlife. Do we get anything out of it?

I think there are as many reasons for going out as there are people who go out. But after three years of non-scientific, anecdotal, and random observation, I’ve come up with seven broad categories to define why we go out. Six of them can be lumped under the concept of ‘having fun’, and one is just closer to work (but much better than being in the office). Take a look and figure out which category fits you best.

Consumption: (The things we take in)
For some people its beer. For others it’s dirty martinis. Some of us want to eat and some of us want things that the DEA would bust you for. It doesn’t really matter what your particular poison is, a big part of nightlife is about eating, drinking and smoking freely. The reason wine bars, micro brew bars, and hookah bars do so well is because we are willing to pay to satisfy our hunger to imbibe.

Connection: (The people we meet)
You meet a friend at a bar for a drink when she wants to talk. You go out for happy hour after work with your co-workers to bitch about your boss. You might have girl’s night out once a month. You might cruise the hotels bars 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 in 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 connection might be intense or shallow, but the energy is different at night.

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 or garage band one night and part of the insane crowds at a Police or Danny Tenaglia concert the next night. 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 worse than that, but you get the idea). It’s been said that one man’s porn is another man’s art, and no where is that more true than New York 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 table service. They want you to see their Mercedes SUV. They want to drop a couple hundred on a cover to a place the rest of us may not be able to get into. The idea of a discount or happy hour makes them cringe. Why? Because they are living the glamorous life. Consumption here isn’t as important as being able to afford the consumption. If you have the money (or just want to look that way) you want the car, the clothes and the Grey Goose. What better place to display your status than in the clubs?

Obligation: (The social debt)
There are times that we go out when we don’t really want to. The client is in town from Kansas. Someone has to take them out. Tag, you’re it. You’re girlfriend’s brother is having a birthday party. She’s going, so you’re going. Tag, you’re it. You’re friend just got fired, dumped, rejected for the cast of Real World 37. They want you to meet them for a drink. Tag, you’re it. This is the only reason for going out that might not be 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 Deal or No Deal and its 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 and the Blackberry and the TV for a few hours. Going out isn’t as long as a vacation, but you don’t have to get 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, all at the same time. Maybe that’s why so many people keep coming back to it night after night.

Of course, many of these categories overlap. Any of us might have several goals on any given night, making any club night an exercise in multi-tasking. But if you think about why you go out, you’ll have a better idea of what kind of place you want to go to and finding the right place for you will be much easier.

Have fun.
Gamal

Nightlife News for October 9th, 2007

Nightlife News for October 9, 2007

New Club Book Released (Anna Vander Broeck- Forbes)
Rob Fitzgerald, a bouncer at one of the Westside megaclubs has moved from a popular blog to a new book entitled Clublife. The book is a description of how Rob became a bouncer and how his job shapes his perception of New York nightlife. If you have ever wondered what a bouncer is thinking when you walk up to the velvet rope and try to hustle your way in, this book might be for you. If you want to know how NOT to act when you are trying to get into the club of the moment, this book is probably for you. Just don’t make the mistake Ms. Broeck does of using this book to paint a negative picture of every club in every major city in America.

City Could Face New Cab Strike (Chris Dolmetsch- Bloomberg)
Yellow cabs in New York City went on strike last month (see the Sept 6th edition of Nightlife News) to protest against the GPS/ video/ credit card systems that are now required in all cabs. In spite of the fact that the last two day strike did little to alter the city’s position and the fact that a judge has rejected their claims are an invasion of privacy, cabbies are planning another strike on October 22nd. I understand that drivers don’t want to be tracked (who does?) and they don’t want to pay the $6,000 it costs to install the equipment, and they don’t want to listen to Al Roker every 48 seconds, but let’s face it; being able to pay your fare with a credit card is a great idea. It leaves you with more singles to tip your bartender/ waitress/ exotic dancer of choice. (Additional coverage from NY1)

Crobar fighting to reopen (Daniel Maurer- New York Magazine) Local community boards are continuing their quality of life push. Last week, Local Community Board 4 asked the State Liquor Authority to reject the clubs new liquor license application. Miami’s Opium Group, the new owners of the space) claim that they are going to run the space differently from the previous owners and avoid all of the violations that got it in trouble in the first place. With all the spaces closed down on the west side, and the downfall of Forty Deuce, the city is making it harder and harder to get rejected at the velvet rope and pay $12 for a drink. Can anyone say lounge?

Have fun
Gamal

The Art of Happy Hour (An NYN Special Report)

By Gamal Hennessy

There are a lot of profound and complicated issues in the world today. Understanding happy hour isn't one of them. Happy hour is actually a place where we can go to get away from work, school, home and the stress of our every day lives. Life is meant to be easier (and cheaper) during happy hour.

Like anything else, you can enjoy happy hour more if you know just a little more about it. And since you don't read New York Nights for coverage of the 2008 presidential race, this is probably the proper forum for this discussion.

Happy hour in New York usually starts around 4:00 PM and ends around 7:00 PM. While the majority of bars, pubs and some early opening lounges have some kind of happy hour pricing, most nightclubs and lounges don't either because they aren't open during that time slot or they don't make their money off that kind of volume.

The classic business rule says buy low and sell high. But a bar during happy hour works on a slightly different principle; it's buy lower and sell low. Often, their goal is to serve cheaper well liquor at reduced prices in the hopes that people will stay after happy hour is over (when they will start paying full price for drinks) or reject the well liquor for top shelf spirits (and agreeing to pay higher prices), or order food (which may not be discounted). As a business, a bar exists to make money. Happy hour gives them the ability to bring people into the bar during a time when it would otherwise be dead.

That's great (for the bar) but happy hour can cause its own share of problems. The main potential problem is overdrinking. This can lead to illness, hangovers and questionable decisions made under the influence of alcohol (if you don't believe me, just think about the time your friend told you the story about how he woke up next to that midget after going to happy hour. You don't want to be that guy.)

Happy hour is still a great place for pre-parties, after work meetings, or just for those people who don't want to pay $10 for a drink. The question is how do you satisfy your need for inexpensive drinks and let the bar satisfy its need to make money?

We've got a few tips that might help you navigate the treacherous waters of happy hour without injuring your wallet, your liver, or your reputation.

1. Happy hour times can vary. Ask the bartender or waitress when you get there when happy hour ends, so you're not drinking up a storm after happy hour is actually over.
2. Some places offer special drinks during happy hour that go beyond well liquor. Again, it pays to ask questions.
3. If your happy hour spot offers food, get some. It can help you deal with your the increased alcohol intake.
4. Make drinking part of a larger activity. Maybe you're playing pool, or watching the game, or talking about what an asshole your boss was today. It doesn't matter. If you drink while doing something else, you can have a good time for less cash. If you're just drinking because it's cheap, don't be surprised when you're dry heaving over the toilet.
5. Bring friends. Happy hour is early enough for the B&T commuter to have a drink and still catch her train home. It's usually cheap enough for the intern or the student to drink without forcing themselves to eat Ramen noodles until they get paid again. You can use happy hour to connect with people that you won't see in the clubs on the weekends. An added benefit is the more people you bring to the bar, the better the bar does in terms of money, and the better they feel about you. This can lead to good things later. It always helps to be in good standing with your regular bartender.
6. If you are staying at the bar after happy hour is over, try to close out your tab and start a new one. This will help to remind everyone you're with that the prices have changed and it avoids any potential problems with your bill later.

Happy hour can easily live up to its name with a little planning and a couple of questions. Whether you just grab a drink before watching Survivor: China or you're having a pre-party before a long night on the town, happy hour in New York can be the best way to start the night.

Have fun.
Gamal
gamal@newyorknightsonline.com

New Event Sites from DKNY and NYN (Nightlife News)

We've Got News about New Club Sites from NYN and DKNY in the October 2nd Issue of Nightlife News




Always free and only from New York Nights

Finding Your Nightlife Style (A NYN Special Report)

...Only from New York Nights

Nightlife News for September 25th, 2007

Stay in touch with your world.

Read the September 25th Issue of Nightlife News!

Click on the banner to stay informed.




Only from New York Nights

We Help You Find the Perfect Drink... and Cabfare.

Find out all the tools you need for the perfect night in the September 20th edition of Nightlife News!

Click the banner for more information




Only from New York Nights

Skipping the Line (New York Nights Special)

Do you love going to clubs?

Do you hate standing in line to get in?

Then read this article and find out how to skip the line...




Its free and only from New York Nights

CMJ! Underground Comedy! Television on the Ceiling (Nightlife News)

Festival Time is ready to hit New York and we've got the details for you in today's Nightlife News!

Click on the banner for the September 18th Edition...

New York Nights Launches Nightlife Lifestyle Portal

For Immediate Release

New York, September 14, 2007 Online magazine New York Nights www.newyorknightsonline.com launched to the public today. Its perspective and content sets it apart from its competition and builds its reputation as a nightlife expert.

New York Nights (NYN) is a nightlife lifestyle portal. It covers the people, issues and trends that impact the bars, lounges and nightclubs in the city. This week’s launch offers a variety of articles targeted to both the frequent and occasional bar patron.

Gamal Hennessy, President of Nightlife Publishing, sees NYN as a new source of information on an exciting, but often criticized, topic. “New York nightlife is a constantly evolving source of entertainment and popular culture that often suffers from a one sided image in the general public.”

NYN offers a variety of different content to encourage a more complete view of this environment. The Trends section will have in depth articles, interviews and advice on getting the most out of your nightlife experience. Nightlife News will provide a central hub for stories that come out of or influence the bar and club scene. Connections will be a social network specific to nightlife. Updates will offer links to local weather and transit information. Finally the Bar Locator will be a location search engine that allows users to search more than 1,700 locations and find exactly the type of experience they are looking for.

“Our goal is to be more than a listing of specific events, more than a tabloid for celebrity club hopping, and more than a general entertainment magazine with occasional club stories. We want to deliver a magazine that enhances your nightlife experience.”

For more information, visit www.newyorknightsonline.com or contact Gamal Hennessy directly at gamal@newyorknightsonline.com

About Nightlife Publishing:
Nightlife Publishing is a New York based company and publisher of New York Nights. Our operational focus is the development of content related to local bars, clubs and lounges. The major area of emphasis is currently online and we have plans to move into mobile content delivery in the near future. Our long term strategy is to develop the NYN brand in New York and then expand our coverage into other major nightlife cities worldwide.