New and Improved
I've always wondered how something can be both 'new' AND 'improved.' If it's improved, isn't it just a revitalized version of something we've already seen before and therefore, not truly new? I digress...
What I want to know is...have we really become so desperate for a change of VIP scenery in DC that the only thing club management has to do is take down an out-of-date sign to get us to scratch our way through the line-up of what we're coerced so transparently into believing is the 'new' hot venue?
Take Ultrabar for instance. It's still club Home without the word 'Home' shining in fluorescent pink from the front door. The neon key hole still graces the entrance, for goodness' sake. It's embarrassing that we're falling for the hype when literally nothing has changed.
Remind me again how this is 'new?' Not that the club wasn't suitable for Paul Oakenfold to absolutely kill it last night, but as I sipped my cocktail, I couldn't escape the feeling that I was just one of hundreds of 'hot spot' lemmings, corralled and bled by the hypnotic owners clinking crystal glasses and mocking our naivete over cigars and Johnny Walker Blue.
A word of advice to the owners of Play. Do absolutely nothing. Tell your promoters to spread the word that the club name has changed to 'Rewind.' Within a week the masses will be pounding down your door again, throwing around hundies by the dozens for the privilege of flaunting a store-bought importance and sitting at your crowded, second floor window tables with barely enough oxygen to breathe, because the club will be 'new' and 'hot.'
What I want to know is...have we really become so desperate for a change of VIP scenery in DC that the only thing club management has to do is take down an out-of-date sign to get us to scratch our way through the line-up of what we're coerced so transparently into believing is the 'new' hot venue?
Take Ultrabar for instance. It's still club Home without the word 'Home' shining in fluorescent pink from the front door. The neon key hole still graces the entrance, for goodness' sake. It's embarrassing that we're falling for the hype when literally nothing has changed.
Remind me again how this is 'new?' Not that the club wasn't suitable for Paul Oakenfold to absolutely kill it last night, but as I sipped my cocktail, I couldn't escape the feeling that I was just one of hundreds of 'hot spot' lemmings, corralled and bled by the hypnotic owners clinking crystal glasses and mocking our naivete over cigars and Johnny Walker Blue.
A word of advice to the owners of Play. Do absolutely nothing. Tell your promoters to spread the word that the club name has changed to 'Rewind.' Within a week the masses will be pounding down your door again, throwing around hundies by the dozens for the privilege of flaunting a store-bought importance and sitting at your crowded, second floor window tables with barely enough oxygen to breathe, because the club will be 'new' and 'hot.'
You're welcome... I'll see you there.
posted by DC Cookie @ 1:02 PM
10 Comments:
At October 11, 2006 3:19 PM,
Heather B. said…
You mean like how "Dream" is now called "Love"?? Even though it has the same EVERYTHING?!!
At October 11, 2006 10:36 PM,
Namaste said…
Meow! Cookie is on fire with this one!
At October 11, 2006 11:58 PM,
Asian Mistress said…
Well Love does have a redesigned rooftop/4th floor, and all new promoters etc... - but yeah...it happens.
Clubs and bars come and go in any city...but it just depends what you like and the company you keep!
At October 11, 2006 11:59 PM,
Asian Mistress said…
PS - for the record Heather I agree and think it's dumb that Dream is Love...but whatever. Sometimes you gotta do it to get a "new image" hah.
At October 12, 2006 8:14 AM,
tommy said…
LOL great post. Here in Indy we have a trend arising, where clubs are give the title of #'s. First was club "Six" (mainly titled b/c of it's address). Then came along a hotter club "Seven" . LOL I'm patiently waiting for 8, 9 and 10.
At October 12, 2006 12:26 PM,
KassyK said…
I could not agree more. You know what would be REALLY cool? If the club owners started new bars that actually WERE improved and FUN. FUN!!
At October 12, 2006 3:56 PM,
DC Cookie said…
Correction...WAS in town.
At October 12, 2006 3:58 PM,
Anonymous said…
Just had to add my two cents, as a person who works in the afore mentioned industry.
New and Improved: most of the new venues are old spaces that are basically renovated due to the ever decreasing amount of precious NW real estate.
Think: Fly Lounge,RNR,Posh,Lima to name a few..
In regards to Club Home(Ultrabar), new and improved is fitting, there is a new set of management and ownership in the venue. They have hired new staff and remodeled the basement level and added nice touches to the two above floors and remodeled completely the penthouse level that is now Chroma. To be fair to the staff a lot of has changed in regards to Ultrabar(HOME)when has top DJ's such as Paul O. or Deep Dish or Armin ever set foot in Home before the change in management.
Cookie funny you should say that owners should rename Play to Rewind, that was actually the name of their wednesday night party that never really took off. So they thought of that already.
In regards to Heather and AM, changing Dream to LOVE was not the best choice, but the matter was that Dream had got a lot of bad press in the past 3 years so change was needed. Heather they did change a lot when they changed the name, the tables on the first floor changed and they added a new help desk in the front of the entrance and a expanded vip room on the first floor complete with a full Kitchen and couches.
Love is truly returning to the glory days in the beginning. The dress code has been stepped up and the promoters have changed and the 4th floor has been renovated along with the 2 and 3rd floor now as well. Trust you will want to return to love in a few weeks. Just a fyi...good job on the post cookie...
mad1
At October 16, 2006 10:34 AM,
Carrie Broadshoulders said…
Typically if a space exists and is zoned to be a nightclub, it stays that way. Unfortunately there aren't places to put a lot of new venues in the city because of the Nazi ANCs who think that they should restrict businesses into only being open for two hours and all clientele must be muzzled on their way out the door. Oh and no smoking either. You see a lot of turnover simply because once it's a bar, it's a lot easier to keep it a bar than to start a new one somewhere else where one isn't already. Just ask the owners of BeBar, the new gay bar over on 9th street.
Basically, it's what happens when a city is run by socialists.
At October 20, 2006 11:10 AM,
Anonymous said…
Speaking of clubs, it was a pleasure to see and chat with you last night! May it not be so long until the next time, and thanks for the water! :)
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