Compiled by Gamal Hennessy
Events
The Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival (July 11-16)
Tribe Called Quest front man and prominent DJ Q-Tip is hosting a celebration of hip hop culture this summer.
Crime
The NYPD Rape Case
While the incident and the details of the 2009 attack have been in the news for several months. The verdict has been handed down by the court. The aftermath is still in the news. But the important lesson from the NYPD rape case deserves more attention. As nightlife patrons, we ultimately have to protect ourselves from predatory behavior. We can’t get drunk and assume that a bouncer, a cab driver or a police officer is going to get us home. They might, since New York is full of decent people. Then again, they might break into our apartments and abuse us. If you are outraged at the cops, remember that anger when you go drinking. That way, you’ll make sure you can go home without them.
Health
Lowering the Drinking Age
Last week I posted a piece about the motivations for underage drinking. Now a new report from the American Council on Science and Health released a study arguing that the legal drinking age of 21 might create more social problems than it solves. At the heart of this argument is the concept that increased enforcement stringent will merely drive it into the shadows instead of stopping it. The author recommends removing the mystique around drinking through sensible exposure. While it is political suicide for anyone to suggest reducing the drinking age, the idea that responsible indulgence can be tied to age is a weak one at best.
Trends
Beer Gardens
Along with rooftop bars, tiki bars and speakeasies, the beer Garden has been a growing trend in New York nightlife for the past three years. This summer is starting off with six new locations in spots as diverse as Chelsea, Harlem, Grand Central and Midtown West. Brooklyn is probably still the king of the beer garden boroughs, but who knows how long that will last.
Concert Tickets
Real time price chances could make concert ticket prices resemble the stock market
Concert sites like Live Nation and Ticket Master have seen their profits go down in the face of competition from companies like Stub Hub. In an effort to reclaim some of that lost revenue, Live Nation is testing a system that would increase or decrease the price of tickets based on demand. This could lead to a chaotic system where two people could both buy their tickets online and be sitting next to each other at a show but one paid two or three times as much for their ticket. Secondary businesses are sure to pop up as a result when speculators buy tickets in bulk when they are first issued then sell them at a mark up when those tickets become scarce.
New Venues
Dream Hotel
The newest entrant into the rooftop bar market is opening in the Dream Hotel Downtown this month, complete with a private entrance, a mini beach and a bottomless pool that can be seen from the lobby below.
Have fun.
Gamal
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