greenie

What do you mean by a "mellow crowd?" Both OPM and Tao will be packed, but while the crowd at OPM is there for the music and the dancing, the crowd at Tao is there for the party. You'll hear a lot more girls shrieking and whooping at Tao; not hard to imagine many of them in a Girls Gone Wild video. (not saying this is a bad thing) If you mean you want more of a lounge atmosphere, and don't want a bumping, grinding, sweaty dance floor and a bombastic sound system, then you don't really want either OPM or Tao. On a Friday you might find a "mellower" crowd at Tryst than you would at either OPM/Tao. Not saying Tryst is mellow, it'll still be slammed, it'll still be a party, just not as crazy as OPM or Tao.

Like any other night at Jet. Hip-hop in the main room, electronic in the house room and full spectrum in the "rock" room.

On Thu/Fri/Sat Tao has hip-hop/mash in the main room and house in the lounge.

This week OPM is celebrating their 3rd anniversary and Ice has JunkieXL on Saturday. Those are the only bigger events that I'm aware of for this weekend... but it's not like all the top spots won't be rocking just the same.

Says the man who's asking anonymous users of a Web forum for nightlife advice.

For guest lists, it's hard to speak in absolutes; for example, a number of guest lists out there DO give faster entry in addition to no cover. I think the key word that needs to be repeated is "guaranteed." For example, there are some lists out there that guarantee faster entry, but you still pay cover (either reduced or full). As stated above, Vegas clubs are for the most part very, very good at specifying what is included with and required for guest lists. And if it's not spelled out after you're put on the list, ASK. Other notes regarding guest lists: Some clubs limit the number of people that can get in on a certain list... but will not limit the number of people that sign up for a list. For example, a list may be good "before 11pm OR until 300 people have entered on the list." Most clubs carry multiple guest lists on any given night, usually designated by who put you on the list. One list might give you free cover only, another might give allow you to go through the VIP entrance. Be prepared to tell them whose list you're on. Even though the door might quickly find your name on the list, it's not uncommon to deny entry (i.e. not find your name) if you don't remember who put you on the list. Or worse, answer wrong. Most guest lists will allow "plus one," meaning the name on the list is allowed to bring one person with them to get the same benefits. Other lists may allow more people -- for example, if you work with a host, you may simply be put on the list as your name "plus four." Bottom line is that any time you get put on a list, if you're not told how many others you can bring... ask. While it is generally safe to assume that any time you're on a list you can bring one with you, if it's a huge night and you're on the list because friends-of-friends are putting you there, you may be marked down as you only (aka "plus none").

OK. Kaydup said it.

Dude. Nobody said that. At least not as a blanket statement. Rain does excellent business and the majority of people that do go there have a great time. On the flipside, a lot of regular clubbers, whether Vegas locals or visitors, don't enjoy Rain as much as other clubs in town. Whether or not you'd have a good time there is a question to ask yourself. If you can't figure that out based on what people have said in this and other threads, then there's a good chance that you'll have just as a good a time at Rain as anywhere else.

1. Read the numerous other threads with words like "Review," "Recommendations" and "Itineary" in the title. 2. If you still have questions after reading through the other thread, then ask specific questions and be sure to provide detailed information about what you want.

Don't forget one of the best parts of Vegas hotel reservations... except in extremely rare circumstances, you can cancel any reservation with no penalty whatsoever provided you give them 48-72 hours notice. (and if you give less notice, you can usually talk them out of the penalty on on a busy weekend where they can re-sell that room for a much higher rate)

Not everyone can rock out in humble style like us hicks from Colorado.

I've gotten to know a share of doormen in town, and it's not roses for everyone. I don't want to give any hints because these guys still work at their respective clubs, but I know of three guys that are somewhat unhappy. Aside from having to deal with a lot of customers that give them no respect, they're often viewed as "little more than gorillas in suits" by their employers and many co-workers and potential for advancement (e.g. moving up to being a host) is limited. I've also heard from more than a few doormen -- both those who are happy and unhappy in their posts -- that while the job can lead to a fun, party-filled life, the money is mediocre in comparison to what you can make doing a lot of other jobs. I know a few day-shift bartenders working at moderately-priced restaurants on the Strip that swear they make much better money now than when they worked at some of the more in-demand clubs in town. Door tips can definitely add up, but remember that those are shared among the entire staff... and you've got a lot of guys working inside that don't see a single tip all night. It's like any job in the industry, it can all depend on where you work, who you work with, and what you personally want out of your job.

latenightempire.com makes no mention of the Rubber event... neither does their specific wanttickets.com page at wantickets.com/latenightempire/events.asp

You're only as white-bread as you think! I've never had a single issue going at OPM on a Friday or Saturday, even in the winter months when I'm a fairly pale individual. Shit, I've often gone there with my bleach-blonde hair spiked up with a bit of green (or blue or red) gunk and not once have I felt in any way threatened or otherwise uncomfortable. In my case, OPM represents a huge reason of why I love clubbing in Vegas so much: it's the perfect example of the attitude that it doesn't matter who you are, what you look like or where you're from; when you're in the same place as others with the same goal of having a great time... much respect. For all the surprised and confused glances I do get from time to time OPM, I've gotten many more nods, waves, handshakes and hugs. Maybe I'm just comfortable striking up a conversation and/or dancing with anyone, or that I don't feel like Wonder bread because I grew up in a part of Hawai'i where less than 5% of the population was white. Maybe it's because I recognize and get excited when the DJs drop the tracks you rarely hear in a club. Maybe the "upscale" dress code of OPM helps balance things out. All I know is that I have a daaaamn good time each and every visit I make to OPM.

I can and I am. Admittedly the last time I was at Rain was February '05, and they didn't have either a resident or a strong guest DJ that night. But I remember vividly that the music was very, very weak that night, and it hadn't been much better on my two previous visits. Multiple tracks repeated (I'll never forget hearing "Lean Back" three times within two-plus), nothing but straight album/radio cuts, not a single track/mix that was new to my ears, no creative mixing or bridging between songs. Like I said, I haven't been there in over a year. But everyone I know who's been there in the past year has said the same thing: weak to average music, bad male/female ratio, and overcrowded dance floor. That's not to say that Rain isn't a good time for a lot of people. As I've written elsewhere on this board, Rain still does a great business and I'm damn glad they continue to pack 'em in.

Don't forget that even at the most popular joints, it's only a matter of how early you're wiling to get in line. Having a few warm-up cocktails in line while waiting from 9:00/9:30 until the club opens isn't such a bad thing, there are always lots of ladies that line up early too. Just don't tell the doorman "ten" when he asks how many in your party. Otherwise I'd say the spots below are probably your easiest best to avoid the biggest lines, and save on cover if you and your buddies sign up for a free guestlists (e.g. the ClubPlanet list for Ice on Friday). However, on Thu/Fri you're gonna have some kind of line no matter where you go. Thursday: Rain Friday: Ice Sunday: Tabu Also remember that you can hit up Mix any night before 10pm and you'll avoid both a line and a cover. Bit more of a lounge than a club, it's one of my favorite pre-party spots.

He'd never be considered a trance DJ, but he's not a stranger to sets that are primarily trance and progressive... although there's not a lot of DJs I know who do such a great job (especially live) mixing in funk, rock, whatever seems to cross his mind right in line with a deep, heavy electronic beat. JunkieXL is kind of all over the board. I've seen him about 4 times and each set has been radically different... sort of like Fatboy Slim or Moby in that he's got roots as a basic house DJ, but nowadays really goes with a full range of styles. Personally I think the guy is a fantastic DJ to catch in a live performance, especially at a place like Ice. He dances and jumps around in the booth just as much as anyone on the floor, but best of all he really pays a lot of attention to the crowd and pretty much lets them dictate the directions his set will take.

Top three reasons I don't like Rain much, based on the last 3 times I was there: 1. Male-female ratio felt like it was 80-20 2. No crowd control on the central dance floor 3. Purely MTV-friendly music selection At least in my case, this has nothing to do with how "trendy" the club is.

JunkieXL is at Ice that Saturday.

I wasn't there but I had written down that Pete "shaker" Bones was headlining that night. Haven't seen him in a long time, but your description sounds like his style and since the headliners for Empire usually don't start until 4:30 or so, would make sense.

If you don't mind lining up early then you can get in to most clubs on any night without waiting 2+ hours. Question is whether you mind getting somewhere at 9:30-9:45 for an 11pm opening. Otherwise I'd say it depends on what kind of scene you're looking for. Everything will be nuts and packed on Saturday. So you'll have to line up early pretty much anywhere. Not many parties can compare with BE on a Sunday. This night is seriously packed, so if you'd rather not deal with the crowds then Tabu is a damn fine option. Monday is the only night that Foundation Room is really, really rocking. On two other occasions I was taken by a member on other nights; one was mellow but a good time, the other was almost dead. Other solid option on Monday is Jet, which is an entirely different vibe. Massive club, big crowd, big party. Foundation is a bit more chill. Same goes for Tuesday. If you want the big, in-demand party then hit up Pure... again, line up early. If you want a funkier, more mellow atmosphere, the new Tuesday party at Tao sounds like a great option. And if you really felt like bouncing around, you can also hit up 54 and Tabu.

Friday and Saturday are both excellent nights at OPM. Friday is packed, Saturday is slaaaaaamming! My personal preference is Fridays; the main floor/area of the club will be packed and the rest of the club busy, but not not wall-to-wall like it will be on Saturday. Of course, if you do bottles then the packed-factor is not as big a deal. My personal preference for the three-night sequence for the past 4 months has been OPM Friday, Jet Saturday and BE Sunday. (plus at least one trip to Empire, usually late Saturday but depends on the DJ) Big factor for me with Jet on Saturday is Joey Mazzola in the House room, and he puts on some sweeeeet sets there. Always draws a good crowd in the room that loves his work, so it's usually a very active and responsive dance floor.

Only thing I'd say about your schedule is that you're sort of going in the opposite direction in terms of the biggest clubs... that is, you're starting off with Pure, dropping to a lower rung on the ladder with Tangerine and then even lower with Rain. Not that people don't have a good time at Tangerine or Rain, but the overall experience at those places may be somewhat diminished if you start off at Pure. Not a lot of options on Wednesday so Tangerine is pretty much your best bet there, but since you're talking about Pure Tuesday, I'd strongly consider Tao or Tryst for Thursday. 54 is decent on Tuesday nights, largely because of DJ P, but I agree that if you're starting at Pure you really shouldn't leave to go to 54. If you want to club-hop on Tuesday, do it the other way around. Unless you're doing a big afterhours night, Pure isn't exactly a warm-up spot.

Glad to see this happening. I'll be in town the Tuesday after MDW so I'll be sure to stop on by. I wish you guys the best of luck, hope it really takes off!

The meaning of "guest list" is different from venue to venue, night to night and more importantly, list to list. Being on a list can mean no cover but you wait in line, sometimes it can mean you skip the line but pay cover, sometimes it means reduced cover. Also I think it's worth pointing out that you shouldn't expect to approach a good nightclub the way you do double-coupon days at the supermarket. Don't plan on using a line pass you got from one person at the same time you're trying to use a comp admission you got somewhere else. Hey, you're welcome to give it a try. Just don't bank on it. In any event, you shouldn't be asking us what an advertised service means. Ask whomever is trying to sell it to you. Buyer beware.