NIGHTLIFE
New York nightlife is a volatile industry, always on the look out for the next thing. You can rave about a club one week, but it may not even exist the next. With this video, Vice releases its second video installment serializing different aspects on the NYC party scene. Here, we listen to David Byrne, Peter Gatien, Amy Sacco and other pillars of nightlife talk about their experiences and predictions on the future of nightlife. You can watch the first part of the series, here, which focuses on club design.
Taste, by its very nature, is a subjective entity. A cultural litmus test which dictates—by those shadowy arbiters of the latest zeitgeist—what is essentially what. The old adage “history is decided by the victors” very much applies in matters such as these. What will forever be remembered is contingent upon a consensus—not of majority—but of metaphysical social hierarchy.
For fear of digressing, let us return to the topic on hand: what defines a quality evening out? What mixture of characteristics is universally lauded as “successful” by a species so enamored by the subjectivity of personal opinion? It is a slippery slope, yet scale it we shall, for within this conundrum lies the kernels of the human psyche—the highly stylized engine of experiencing revelry.
Exclusivity is part of life. One need only harken back to the clique-ish social webs of their youth to recall the fickle nature of social interaction. Gaining admittance is a rite of passage of sorts—a bildungsroman of the social strata—that requires one to leave their humble beginnings in hopes of grander pastures.
Cracking into the mercurial night scene is no different. As is the wont of life, the most enticing offers always lie behind gilded, heavily muscled doors. The velvet rope acts as a line demarcating the fashionable from the socially inept—the “in crowd” from the spectators. Are we all doomed to repeat the tortures of adolescence, like some cosmic form of social purgatory? The answer is “No”—there is hope!
Sometimes, you want to do more than just drink at bar. Say hello to Chalk, Sobe's latest nightlife endeavor by managing partners Robert Chalk, Sayra Moto and Joseph Blount. A Grand Opening celebration will kick off this Thursday, January 5th with a private, invitation-only ribbon-cutting ceremony officiated by Miami Beach Vice-Mayor Michael Gongora at 9PM. The party continues all night, opening doors to the public at 10 PM. (RSVP: RSVP@chalkmiami.com.)
Don't you just love living in Miami where it's still warm enough in October to wear whatever you want? Whether your costume is creepy, creative or kinky, here is where to see and be scene this Halloween.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22nd
'Hula-ween' Luau at Solé on the Ocean: The ultra-contemporary boutique hotel in Sunny Isles Beach celebrates Halloween early with a pumpkin carving, paddle boarding, limbo contests (win a weekend stay) and a beachside Polynesian pig roast. A Mai Tai, valet and music by DJ Dutch and the Aloha Boyz are included in the price of admission. Festive attire is encouraged and will be rewarded. For reservations, call 786.923.9300 or email alba@soleoto.com. 5:00pm to 10:00pm, $25 per person.
Everything about Vlada Bar—fittingly located on West 51st Street in Hell's Kitchen—guarantees kitschy, fabulous, fun times. With over twenty different in-house infused vodkas, New York's only 30-foot ice bar, tasty get-the-job-done food offerings and a list of always entertaining, oftentimes weird events that'll make your head spin as fast as the bartenders' tailor-made martinis, Vlada is a must-see for New Yorkers looking for a decidedly different bar experience.
New Orleans will be getting its yearly dose of Halloween weekend madness with this year’s VOODOO Experience. An annual celebration of music, art, and the Big Easy nightlife, VOODOO 2011 will make its way down to Louisiana from Oct. 28-30.
The weekend’s biggest names will take to the stages of Le Ritual in New Orleans’ City Park. Famous for featuring a melting pot of the hottest artists from past and present, this year’s lineup includes Blink-182, Soundgarden, Snoop Dogg, and Fatboy Slim. House heads can make their way over the Le Plur, VOODOO’s space for electronic dance music where acts such as Claude VonStroke, Craig Richards, Tanner Ross, and Wolf+Lamb will keep crowds entranced throughout the night. Last but not least, Le Flambeau will be the place to go to pay tribute to the roots music that helped shape NOLA into the musically rich city it is today. Every night of the sensory-assaulting weekend will be capped off by Deja Voodoo is Verboten, a series of after-show parties that will feature prominent DJs spinning from midnight to 6 a.m. including Cassy, Danny Howells, Deniz Kurtel, Lee Burridge, Maya Jane Coles, Soul Clap, and Voices of Black.
If you haven’t taken a cue from the candy aisle at CVS, then you’ll be pleasantly surprised to hear that Halloween is fast approaching. Practically a month away, and we have to say, this Halloween is going to be the ghoul-fest yet. But before you stock up on those awesome tickets, or fill your schedule with endless costume parties, you need to read up on what to do to ensure the greatest night possible in this jungle of a city. Here are your survival tips for Halloween 2011.
Brando's Speakeasy, the quaint downtown establishment, boasts an intimate lounge with an unyielding supply of dancing, drinking, and karaoke. The doors open at 10:00am daily and don’t close until 2:00am (3am on Saturdays). Between those hours, the friendly staff tentatively welcomes patrons of every background into their warm, cozy, and dim atmosphere. The bar is the perfect setting for reunions, a girls' night out, or, if you're brave, you can finally live those fantasies of singing "Don't Stop Believing" outside the shower.
One of Brando’s most notable attractions is their raised platform and well-tuned karaoke machine at the head of the speakeasy. The machine is plum-loaded with 250,000 songs: lyrics and music loaded for anything from 1960’s ballads to present day hits. When you decide to take a seat, the MC/DJ plays a rotation of dance-inducing music and nod-worthy soundtracks.
Sitting across from Brian Thurm, aka DJ FLO, at posh hookah lounge, Le Souk, you’d never suspect that you were talking to an upcoming worldwide sensation. Wearing a Throbbing Gristle t-shirt and fitted jeans, FLO is far from most of the pretentious disc jockeys found in New York City. And with his down to earth attitude, gorgeous green eyes and cute smile, his success was, well, inevitable.
He began his career in the 6th grade, with DJ Jonesy! after realizing how much he loved hip hop. “In the late 90s, the hip hop movement was huge and because I grew up listening to it, I’ve always had beats in my head. Even at a young age, I remember beating on things.”
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