Answer a question for me

[djamnfx]

I've been hearing the argument that "club kids and underground people are bad for promoters because they never want to pay for anything". Promoters see people like all of you and think that they would rather get a bunch of glammers because they supposedly will pay the cover charge and buy a lot of alcohol.

NOW...

I went to Cedric's Derrick May party last Friday and saw a LOT of these "club kids" and "underground people", and the bars were blazing at 90 MPH with the bartenders serving drinks like crazy (and it was not open bar).

So I want to HONESTLY know...

When you reach the front door, are you:

a) one of those people that never pays cover, just because everyone knows you?

you find the way towards free entry via <A HREF="http://www.clubplanet.com/guestlists/" TARGET="_blank"> guest list</A> or RSVP, so you end up getting in free or discounted?

c) you just pay full cover all the time.

As for drinking habits, do you:

1) know someone working at the venue and he/she gives you free drinks all night?

2) buy one drink or one bottle of water, and that's it?

3) never buy anything, or hit a bar or hangout and get cheaper drinks before clubbing?

4) end up spending a small chunk of your paycheck on alcohol?

BE HONEST...I hopefully want to prove a point.

D-Jam

<A HREF="/cgi-bin/redir.cgi?url=http://www.osmag.com" TARGET=_blank> </A>

[kimberlyco]

I usually try my best to get on the <A HREF="http://www.clubplanet.com/guestlists/" TARGET="_blank"> guest list</A> via the web or friends, if I have to pay a cover I :

A) if I have the money: pay it

if I am broke: go somewhere where I don't have to pay

And the same goes with the drinks, if I am broke I don't get drunk and I go to the club sober. If I have money to waste I do.

Being a "club kid" is not the reason that clubs do/do not make money. It is the business environment that the club caters to. Yes, white star or some other yuppie place is going to make more money on their cover/drinks because of the upper class crowd they bring into their club. It is not the difference between the person, it is the money they make and then the money that they decide to spend on their entertainment. The thing about clubs that bother me the most is the amount of time the managers spend on deciding which crowd would spend the most money.

It is simple. It is exactly just like any other business. You have a place like Denny's you will get people that have ten bucks to spend on their meal... you have a place like Iggys (a downtown breakfast place, up scale, very nice) and you get the people that can spend twenty dollars on a meal... Plain and simple. I am a club kid, and I can afford to drop a hundred on at least two Saturday's in the month. Others can't.

Like shadow I prefer to give the bartender the money, but since everything is over charged it takes away from the tip money that I can give. Almost all people I know become a custom to drinking before hand, or going to the places that have the free bar beforehand.... You can't tell me that EVERYONE isn't a cheapo when it comes to free stuff!! To pay or not to pay... which one would you do.

So in a nut shell business logic comes into play with the club environment, as it should (tell some of those rude ass bouncers that the customer is always right) ... if the people have the money they pay, if they don't they find every means possible not to pay, and if they know someone, you better believe they are going to use them to get in or get free drinks.

Notice the "people" term... not club kids vs. upper classers? Cause if that were the stereotype that is given then I am just perceiving myself as a club kid... shit I don't want to be called a upper class white girl.

[back2basics-]

Originally posted by djamnfx:

NOW...

I went to Cedric's Derrick May party last Friday and saw a LOT of these "club kids" and "underground people", and the bars were blazing at 90 MPH with the bartenders serving drinks like crazy (and it was not open bar).

So I want to HONESTLY know...

When you reach the front door, are you:

a) one of those people that never pays cover, just because everyone knows you?

you find the way towards free entry via <A HREF="http://www.clubplanet.com/guestlists/" TARGET="_blank"> <A HREF="http://www.clubplanet.com/guestlists/" TARGET="_blank"> guest list</A> </A> or RSVP, so you end up getting in free or discounted?

c) you just pay full cover all the time.

As for drinking habits, do you:

1) know someone working at the venue and he/she gives you free drinks all night?

2) buy one drink or one bottle of water, and that's it?

3) never buy anything, or hit a bar or hangout and get cheaper drinks before clubbing?

4) end up spending a small chunk of your paycheck on alcohol?

BE HONEST...I hopefully want to prove a point.

<A HREF="/cgi-bin/redir.cgi?url=http://www.d-jam.com" TARGET=_blank>D-Jam</A>

<A HREF="/cgi-bin/redir.cgi?url=http://www.osmag.com" TARGET=_blank> </A>

All this list system over here is slightly different to the UK. In the UK you can't get on a <A HREF="http://www.clubplanet.com/guestlists/" TARGET="_blank"> guest list</A> just by calling a number you have to know somebody or be connected to the club in someway.

That said I have only really paid to get in to one club in the UK for a few years. Ironically that's back to basics but that's because It's a small club (500) and I know to pay for the DJ's they do need the cash.

But it's kind of a a game for some people in the UK not to pay. I have done all sorts of things to get out of paying. The best one, which I use all the time is to ring up the club and say you are calling on behalf of ______ (fill in name of minor celebrity). Say they want to visit the club and want a list setting up for 4 people, most clubs are happy to have a celeb. seen in the club. Don't pick anybody too famous or alarm bells start ringing. Then go down to the club on the night and say you are on this person list, never failed for me... always work in the big London clubs.

The thing is sometimes these celebs don't show, but the list is still valid so if you ever get asked just say they are coming later.

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I want to go out blazing..not fade away.

Trust in the currency of relationships, it's hard to earn but easy to loose - back2basics

[tranceaction]

When I first moved to Chicago, I'd pay full cover to get in anywhere, and slowly as I started getting to know more people, <A HREF="http://www.clubplanet.com/guestlists/" TARGET="_blank"> guestlists</A> and comps were easier to get.

Now, I'm currently watching my spending habits so I usually dont go anywhere I have to pay more than $10 to get in.

I believe clubs have to find the right mix between cover charge & drink charge & clientele.

Charge too low a cover or too little for drinks and while you'll get more people inside & spending money, you'll get a completely different type of crowd - aka any place on Division st.

Personally I think the Derrick May party was incredible and more clubs should work something like that..

[diesel77]

I dont consider myself a "clubkid" or ummm "underground" Far from it.

I usually pay some $ for cover, i like paying my way through, even if i know ppl.

Same with drinks, if i get hooked up ill overtip etc. But i always pay my way...

tommy

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"Nobody picks on a strong man." - Atlas

[der]

You know, I was gonna say something like tommy said. There's gonna be conflict whenever there's judgement passed on a stereotype that hasn't been clearly defined. What the hell is a clubkid or underground person? I'm just a regular guy. Whatever is bad for promoters anyway? There's no way in shit you can have a perfect crowd and there's no way you can aim your advertising so it misses all the people you don't want at your events. It just sounds like people are looking to place blame on a certain crowd for bad things happening in the electronic music scene.

[cfugitt]

1. i would never pay to get in a club in chicago. in nyc, maybe. i have lived in chi my whole life and know pretty much everyone in the scene, and if i don't, one of my friends will. so for the cover, no way.

2. as for the drinks, it goes both ways. often i drink free, but i pay to drink too. either way, i spend money either on drinks or on tips. personally, i prefer to give the money to the bartender as a tip.

[scratchapella]

I'm one of those cheap biotches that will try to anyway possible not to pay or pay cheaply. But that's b/c I'm poor (relatively, seems like everyone else can drop 100 for one night out). But I still really want the same quality music and service. I think what Red#5's got going on is a good thing. (Or maybe props should go to Pure for all the talent and sane prices? Whatever.)

Anyways, drinks really don't matter some nights b/c I liked to get loved up for hard trance nights. Chicago's club scene's doesn't seem to have many users (which CAN be a positive thing).

But I was just wondering how promoters and clubgoers in Chicago feel about rolling at clubs? Do you welcome these folks b/c they add to the "scene" or would you rather kick them out on site? (even if they're behaving well)

[p-poppin]

What does RedNoFive have going on? They still charge a cover that's up there with the rest of them. It's always 10-20$ a pop. They do have some good talent in there most nights, but they aren't anything special as far as cool doormen, or cheap drinks. I think clubs like Rive Gauche, and Crobar have the idea, you can sign up for the <A HREF="http://www.clubplanet.com/guestlists/" TARGET="_blank"> guestlist</A> on line and get free admission before midnight, hell Crobar even throws in a couple free drink tickets on some nights. Now that is how it should be. Some clubs put passes in the chicago reader, but those are kind of hard to get in the suburbs. I do understand that clubs have to charge covers, to pay DJ's or what not, but do they have to rape us for 20$ just to walk in the door? I think not. I will go out of my way to find a way on to a <A HREF="http://www.clubplanet.com/guestlists/" TARGET="_blank"> guest list</A> . I get loved up too. But think, if you get in free, you can spend that much more on other things....

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[culo77]

When i go to clubs I usually know somebody at the front door or a bartender. But I dont try to get in for free,I pay the extreemly high cover.I just dont want to wait. I HATE waiting in line so I use my contacts so i dont have to wait in line to get in or wait to get a drink! Then i usually tip the doorman and overtip the bartender.

Mabye thats why i am always broke on monday?

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Wow are those real? Can i touch them?

[bmitch1114]

I'm just like anyone else, if I can find a something for free then why not go with it but since I usually can't then I don't mind paying.

If I plan on drinking more than a few that night then I'll try getting some drinks in before heading out, just to save a few pennies once inside, but once the drinks start flowing, so does the cash. Why is it when you start to get drunk you suddenly think you're rich? Anyways.

As for cover charges, I'm always paying but not necessarily by choice. I very rarely know anyone who can help me out, but if I did then I would go for free, why not?

Basically, I love the the music and the atmosphere so much that I'm more than willing to pay, it's worth it, but if I can save myself a nickel here and there, then I will.