greenie

If a club is getting bottles of of Grey Goose for $5 each, they're not only buying in bulk but they're buying with cash out of the back of a truck.

Depends on the level of "hot" and what you mean by "not much of an issue." Remember the golden rule, someone who might be considered an 8 in most other cities is closer to a 6 in Vegas. Besides, "with the right connection" any group can get in to any club. That's the whole point of getting the hook-up.

BE features a mash of (mostly modern) hip-hop/rap and rock. If I listened to the track selection on its own I'd say it was a bit mainstream for my tastes, but inside BE it's absolutely infectious, largely because the crowd is so great and responsive. DJ Vice has really been killing it with his sets lately, really keeping things hopping right until closing.

Drinks at the bar are no different, $12 on a cocktail that cost the bar about a dollar to make. Less, if they pour it weak. I agree with everything else you've said lately, but as someone who's been a limo driver in Vegas for all these years I'm a bit surprised that you dismiss tables almost solely on the grounds of cost. By that argument, why would anyone take a limo when they could get somewhere for less in a cab -- or for free by walking? It's all about service, convenience, speed, style, image, whatever. If you really want to obsess over math then 20 drinks at the bar plus cover for 6 will cost less than 2 bottles. Of course, that's not taking into account skpping the line, having a place to sit, not fighting for space at the bar, etc. (FWIW most joints are spending closer to $15-20, and sometimes less, for those $350 bottles)

Is this a trick question? BE kicks ass. Check through some of the other threads on the board, specifically the ones mentioning things like "Review of Vegas" and "Trip Report"

The simple answer is that bottle service isn't for everyone. Personally, if I'm spending 4+ hours at a massively popular club then getting bottles with friends is a no-brainer. The benefits far outweigh the cost, which in truth really isn't that much higher than what you'd otherwise spend on tips to skip the line, door cover and drinks at the bar. I prefer having room to dance at (or in the case of Jet last Saturday, above) my table compared to the sardine-packing of the floor. I like having a place to sit. I like professional service. I like not having to fight my way to the bar. I like the ability to have my drinks as stiff (or weak) as I prefer. I like having a spot that is mine, all night long. And I most certainly like having such a great opening line: "would you ladies like to join us at our table for a drink?" Among those who prefer bottle service, everyone has different reasons for enjoying it. Last weekend I brought 5 buddies of mine to Jet for bottles; only one of them had ever done bottles before, some of them had never even been to a serious club before. They each did their own thing that night: one at the table all night, just talking to people; one who bounced from room to room to room, only coming back to the table for refills; one who "held up the column," spending the night in a blissful state, just digging the music and watching people; the one with a bachelorette-party-fetish; and the one who reeled in any women that came within 20 feet of our table. End result for everyone was the same: grinning ear-to-ear every day since, all agreeing it was the best night out they've had in a long time. Bottles aren't for everyone, but it certainly worked for them.

Extremely well said -- and exactly why I don't hesitate to work with hosts every time I get a table at a club. In the grand scheme of things, it's a very small price to pay. Two things I'd add to your statement about working with a good host: 1. The best hosts will get you the best tables, in much better locations than you generally get when you try to work with the club directly. 2. A good host will be honest and not try to sell you their services when it's not necessary. For example, if you want to get a table at a club on a dead night, a good host will (a) tell you that it's going to be a quiet night and ( put you in touch with the venue directly.

When Tao first opened in October I did a table on the floor and it really kicked ass... but the last three times I've gone, the crowds around most of the tables seem to be getting more and more packed. No fun to be chilling at your table and constantly get bumped by people as they squeeze through. Those skybooths are awesome, no doubt -- but I've heard they require 4+ bottles to reserve them. The general feeling I get from Tao and Pure these days is that they're in the mode where they're just taking advantage of their massive popularity to the point where they have no problem fitting in as many people as they're legally allowed... and then squeezing in another 200.

To warmup for Empire, if you're willing to drop the cash then I can't imagine a better way to start the evening than getting a table on the deck at Pure. Solid house, a good crowd, and right under the lights of the strip... awesome. Dance floor of the main room is a bit too crowded for my tastes, and a bit too male-dominated, but the roof, incredible. For your other big nights, I'd recommend Body English and Jet. For a club that has both electronic and hip-hop under one roof, I've grown extremely fond of Jet. Get a table in one of the side rooms (one has house, one mash-up) rather than the main room, and you'll be up to your elbows in good times. Main room is just too packed these days, even for tables. (and overcrowding is why I don't recommend Tao) Body English on Sunday night this should be a definite, especially if you're doing bottles. You'll be quite happy with the women there, and DJ Vice has the entire club on its feet the whole night. Get a table on the balcony and you'll be in heaven. Tryst is a gorgeous club with gorgeous women, but I've only been in there once and for one drink (before being paged to a table elsewhere) so I'll leave comments on the music and overall vibe to others. Finally, for an earlier evening spot I'd definitely recommend your group kick things off with a few cocktails at Mix. Perfect vibe for starting the night, just the right size of crowd, plenty of beautiful women, the second best view of the Strip in town, and really solid mellow-yet-funky house beats. BTW, you're gonna fucking love Morillo at Empire. Now that they've upgraded their sound system, the joint is SICK.

Fair criticism if all the guys in the "battle" were nothing special... but it's not really fair to compare them to P, is it? Like you've said (and I've heard and seen), the guy is phenomenal, and he should blow away the room when he steps up. Serious question now... I don't know this at all as I'm not a local, but I'm curious, how many local (v)DJs would have fared better in this "battle?"

Don't hate the players, hate the market. I'd be no different than you, if I showed up to a "DJ battle" and saw everyone using Pioneer CDJ decks, I'd be pissed off too, but not at the DJs. The contestants weren't the ones calling it a DJ battle -- it's the promoter, venue and sponsor. Sounds like it should have been called the "Pioneer CDJ Battle." I'm curious about the DVD stuff you mention -- was there a video? If so, then the event was mislabeled even more than it seems...

Because my mid-march and MDW trips aren't gonna be enough to feed my addiction (might die from the shakes if I don't come out in between), I'm trying to figure out a good weekend for late April or early May. Holiday weekend or not doesn't matter to me, but I see rates for Easter are already higher than surrounding weekends. Never been out that specific weekend... but since it's not your usual holiday/travel weekend, I'm curious if it's notably different than say, a week or two later. Aside from the rising temperatures, that is. Any thoughts?

Amen!

If you look at the Hard Rock website for hotel rates over March 16-20, they're listing rates of $999 per night from Thu-Sat... and that's for the bottom-line, "mountain view" room. Most likely an error but quite funny nonetheless.

My personal advice and opinions... speaking as non-local who makes 9+ trips a year... I guess I could have just referred you to a different thread, but oh well, I type pretty damn fast... LOL In general I will say that if you're crusing with a group of guys, you're going to have a much better experience if you dip into the pockets a bit more and work with a host. Ghostbar: I've still enjoyed it on occasion, but it's usually when I'm already at the Palms -- either following dinner at N9NE and/or if my group is playing (blackjack & poker) into the evening hours. Nice being out on the deck, but the view doesn't compare to what you get from Foundation, Mix or Pure. Passes from eBay, ClubPlanet/NN guestlists (etc): If you tell us what kinds of deals/passes you got from what clubs, there are many on this board who can give you a great idea of their relative strength and what time you should arrive. Passes that offer you a line skip only allow you to skip the "general" line, which means you get in a different line instead -- those who have the same pass as you. It may be a shorter line, but it's not unheard of to see the "VIP line" be just as long as the "general line." The only definite way to skip the line at a popular club is to work with a dedicated VIP host. Arrival time: For any of the more popular clubs I wouldn't get there any later than 10 (unless you've worked with a dedicated VIP host). For the very popular clubs on their big nights, you may want to consider 9:00-9:30. No harm in at least planning on arriving at the club early and then going elsewhere in the resort for 30 minutes if the line is non-existent (unless you're going to ICE, that is)... not to mention you can enjoy a few cocktails while you're waiting in line, meet a few people, etc. Ladies:Having ladies with you will definitely help overall, but don't assume it'll make it any easier to skip the line entirely, because it won't. What it will do is gain you favor in line over guy-only groups and (often) allow your entire group entry at once (e.g. three guys with three or more gals). No Ladies: If your group is bigger than 3 guys, plan on going in to the club in separate groups. Unless you've got a table reserved, NEVER tell the doorman or line host that you're a group of 4 (or more) guys. That's when they look over your head and let in groups of guy/gal combos and even pairs of guys. I can't begin to count how many lines I've flown through simply because I've gone to a club solo. Dress to impress: It's as simple as that. The better you dress, the more respect you'll get from the door. Especially when you're trying to take advantage of passes and lists.

What clubs/packages/deals are you referring to? All depends on what you want, what you're being offered and who is offering it to you. General rule of thumb is that if it's a popular club, guestlists and line passes (e.g. the kind of stuff anyone can get for free) can't be counted on 100%, especially on big nights, and the door will always have the final say. You get what you pay for... so when it's free, better make sure you get there EARLY.

Definitely skip Ghostbar on Monday and do Jet or Foundation Room instead. Do the former if you want more of the mega-club scene, latter if you want a more laid-back, hang-out approach. Given you're doing BE Sunday and Pure Tuesday, Foundation may be the better option as it's a truly unique venue. And to echo Masterweb, with those passes you got, DEFINITELY get to each place as early as you can.

Bally's does have bigger rooms (although in truth the difference isn't that massive) but the (slightly) higher prices, distance from your room to the Strip and fairly weak pool drive me to other options. No doubt Hard Rock is a fun place during pool season, but weekend/convention prices are ridiculous given the size/quality of the rooms. That said, if you get on their mailing list you can get alerted to some really sweet deals for Sunday nights, which makes for a killer stay if you like the Rehab-BE-Rainbow combo. Agree on the Wynn, it's pure class. One thing I forgot to mention in my first post was that if you want to be center-strip and spend a bit more than the Bally's/Flamingo range but still be less than Bellagio/Wynn/Venetian, I'd strongly recommend staying at Paris.

Damnit I wish this event was a week later!

VIP on the roof at Pure will put you in heaven, epsecially if Faarsheed is on the decks. Great music, beautiful women, unbelievable atmosphere for tables. For afterhours if you want another table hit Drai's, or if you want to turn it up on the floor then hit Empire. You'll probably be happy with the amount of good looking women no matter where you go...

Big question I ask is what do you plan on doing around town, namely, what clubs and bars are you thinking of hitting up? Not knowing what you want, I'll tell you my preferences. If I'm dropping extra cash or if I'm traveling with a lady, I prefer THEhotel at Mandalay. It's expensive but not quite on the level of the priciest joints in town, and I think you get much more than what you pay for. One of those places where every little touch is outstanding. The staff is exceptional from desk to concierge to housekeeping to valet, and the line for cabs is always small to nonexistent. If you're on a mid-range budget then I think Flamingo can't be beat for the balance of price, quality and location. Having Pure, Tao, Jet, Tangerine, Tryst, Drai's and Empire (not to mention the dozens and dozens of bars/lounges) within a short walk is killer convenience, especially if you're hopping. Nice bonus of the Flamingo is that you can get from your room down to the Strip in half the time (or less) than any other neighboring joint. I don't mind the expense of cabs, I just can't stand most of the taxi lines in town, so Center Strip is where I stay the most often. Would rather walk 20 minutes than wait for a cab that same amount of time... and I've met a hell of a lot more people by walking around than I have waiting at a cab stand. I do stay at MGM Grand about 3-4 times a year, but only when they offer to comp me in advance (I play just enough blackjack during non-clubbing hours). Huge place, fun place, but if you're putting out the cash, for the same rates you can be better located on center strip, or you can pay 15% and stay at THEhotel. Grand is nice, but THEhotel is much, much nicer. Super-cheap I can't say, but I will tell you that most of the people I know that try to go the extreme budget route wind up spending just as much money because of the extra cab fares. Not to mention many of the cheaper hotels have very, very poor cab service (read: wait 30 minutes for a taxi to show up).

P is definitely the shit. I've got a couple of the mix albums he's released (both in his own and doubling up with someone) and saw him at Studio 54 a while back. If I wasn't so damn addicted to BE on Sundays I'd be at Slide every time...

Would you prefer a club with a single main room that plays a particular type of music, or a club with multiple rooms and music types? And what's your definition of "hassle?" Effort, money, or both?

I have nothing but ultimate respect for Freeze, both for or his unquestionable role in hip-hop history and for what he's promoting at Tabu. Despite the extremely large number of well-financed clubs on the Strip, Slide Sundays remains only single night that really attempts to embrace the original vibe that made hip-hop explode onto the scene. His passion for the true culture and meaning hip-hop is extremely admirable, however his insulting and often exclusionary approach on this board is off-putting, to say the least. I don't know what goes on in the business of Vegas clubs. I don't know if or how often Freeze has tried to work with other clubs to create other hip-hop nights like Slide Sundays. All I know about Freeze and his pursuit of "trying to teach people the true meaning of hip-hop" is what I see here, and that is Freeze relentlessly going after someone like DJ MasterWeb. At the same time that he blasts OPM for its hip-hop ignorance, he repeatedly refers to his being honored by VH1. He can't stand the mainstream for its bastardization and misuse of the term "hip-hop," yet doesn't hesitate to take part in a crappy MTV reality show. OPM may not be ideal for Freeze's tastes, but there's a reason for it's massive popularity, especially its massive growth in the past few months: OPM offers what no other club on the strip does. They promote themselves as a hip-hop club because they provide what the public considers to be hip-hop. They advertise on a radio station that refers to itself as hip-hop because its listeners will refer their music selection as hip-hop. Whether right or wrong, this is what hip-hop has become in the 21st century. This is the evolutionary path that it's followed. DJ MasterWeb is a businessman who caters the public's idea of hip-hop music. He and his crew at OPM promote their events without resorting to slander. They've identified a need among Vegas clubgoers and have nailed it on the head. It's no coincidence that the club has become so popular that their guestlist no longer offers free entry before 11pm, no coincidence that Sunday Night Hype has exploded. If Freeze really believes that "It is not about me being better than you or you being better than me" then he'd stop the personal attacks and just be proud of what he's done in his life and what he's got at Tabu with Slide Sundays. As a member of Rock Steady Crew, he of all people should know that when you're the best, you simply maintain and progress on your own -- until someone attacks you. Battling happened when an MC or a crew needed to prove that they were better than the top dogs -- at least, those who were top in the public eye. Put on a better show than the next guy and gain your respect. Simple as that. Freeze won't prove anything by talking, he's got to prove it by building his own following. Otherwise he's no better than the wannabe MCs round the way who would always claim to be the best without proving it, offering to take on any challenger... provided they came to them. Who knows. Perhaps Freeze will someday realize that OPM just might represent the best opportunity to educate people about the "true" hip-hop, to reach out to the same crowd that grew up with it. Or maybe he'll find a way to get a second weekly event going. There's still tons of room on the club schedule, and with new spots opening left and right there's potential like never before.

Let my people go! LOL Classic stories, man.