Las Vegas: Come As You Are
September 27, 2009
“Can you recommend a club for my next visit?”
If you live in Vegas, visit with any frequency, or simply follow the city, you are no doubt on the receiving end of this question on a fairly consistent basis.
The problem is, the person asking will never get a consistent answer because there are basically two factions in the Las Vegas knowledge-sphere.
One group loves nightclubs and the subculture that goes along with it. The other group hates them and everything they stand for.
Even though I am more aligned with the latter than the former, I felt somewhat committed to actually patronize a club last night because, despite my protests, this is where a visiting relative decided to celebrate an event. For a couple of reasons I’m not going to name the specific club, but suffice to say that it is a popular place that is heavily advertised. I have been to a few of these clubs over the years, and they have far more similarities than differences.
Because of the nature of the group and the amount of money spent on their part, I didn’t have to stand in line nor did I have to pay for anything except for my gift and the gigantic ray of sunshine that is my personal presence.
While the people I was meeting seemed very happy with their surroundings, I was extremely uncomfortable.
It bothered me that I was waved to the front of a line filled with anticipatory people who obviously wanted into the venue far more than I did. It bothered me that I was in a “VIP” area surrounded by people in designer clothes and expensive bottles of booze. It bothered me that I was being treated better than other people who were as worthy as anyone else of excellent treatment. I felt both ashamed and embarrassed.
After brooding at a table for about half an hour, I was pulled to a common area, and this is where the “socializing” began. “Hi, where are you from, blah blah blah” people screamed over thumping music.
Here again, I don’t shine under these circumstances.
I’ve no interest in meeting completely random people. I already know far too many people as it is, and I barely speak to them. I’m still waiting to return voicemails that were left for me two weeks ago. What’s the point in meeting new people when you can’t even manage the ones you already know?
I nodded a lot, shook some hands, and then quietly slipped out after about an hour.
Obviously I was outside of my comfort zone.
When I was younger, “clubs” were places to get away from the consumerist trappings of the real world and were somewhat of an equalizer. It was where the dirtbag who didn’t bathe finally got a little respect. When you’re jammed into a space the size of a living room with 200 of your closest friends and the guy who leapt off the stage is heading your way, you don’t stop to ask what they do for a living or what kind of car they drive. If anything, the wealthier kids tried to play down that aspect of themselves.
Nothing like this happens on the Vegas Strip (and I’m too old anyway), but I still enjoy going to places like the Pearl, Joint, and House of Blues when certain bands are playing in town.
At the beginning of 2005, Pure Nightclub opened its doors in Caesars Palace and the city has never been quite the same.
Pure in Caesars Palace
I’m a huge fan of the art of DJ’ing. I’m old enough to remember neighborhood kids bringing belt-driven record players to the park, patching them together with a $70 Radio Shack mixer, and hooking a makeshift sound system to public utility poles.
With the B-side of the vinyl literally scraping across the cheap plastic turntable underneath, everybody used to try their hand at scratching and mixing. One time I awakened my mother in the middle of the night and she screamed at me to “stop making electric monkey sounds”.
It’s been a running joke ever since. Last year I popped “Paid in Full” by Eric B. and Rakim into her CD player and told her to listen for the electric monkey. She doesn’t mind it anymore since it brings back memories.
I remember seeing the Fat Boys and Trouble Funk at the Capital Center in an event billed as “Rap vs. Go-Go”. Back then, Rap was a mostly New York Phenomenon and Go-Go was the inner-city music of DC, and a friendly rivalry ensued.
My point in these anecdotes is that I’m nowhere near a DJ-hater. Technology has brought about techniques that we could not have imagined in a park 30 years ago. I’ve heard recent mashups that are great. I thought Z-Trip was a genius when he laid “Izzo” vocals over “Want You Back” .
What I’ve never quite gotten into, however, is the “unts unts unts” stuff, the bottle service, the dress codes for a hip-hop set, the bouncer extortion, and the arbitrary admission policies.
This doesn’t mean that I am completely stupid. I get the attraction of nightclubs for ultra-hot females. Free admission, free drinks, and all the flattering you can handle. If you’re lucky, you can get a million dollar abortion from the wayward NBA player who wants the embryo to “Stay in Vegas”, or maybe you can snag a sweet “Baby Mamma” job as it is now a valid career path. What’s not to like from the female perspective?
Dudes are a different story.
Standing in line and paying high prices for unts unts is probably not why they go. More often than not, it’s for a shot at the tail.
The problem with this is: The time and money you spent in the club trying to nail a 6 (and drinking enough to make her look like a 7) could have procured two 8’s and a 9 direct to your room.
This is why prostitution is illegal in Las Vegas. You get better quality for less money and the house doesn’t get a cut.
The feel of Las Vegas palpably changed when Nightclubs, “Ultra-Lounges”, etc hit critical mass, and while it’s just one guy’s opinion, I think the net effect was negative.
From 2005 through 2008, there was a mad rush to open more and more of these venues, and anyone who frequented Vegas during that time can attest that both the vibe and priorities of the town seemed to change.
Cathouse in the Luxor
ROK in NewYork NewYork
Prive in Planet Hollywood
While the 50 year old mid-level gambler from Springfield, Missouri was still welcome, they were hardly coveted anymore. Topless vegas shows seemed to close almost overnight, odds tightened, and the new emphasis was on nightclubs and the people who frequented them.
This had repercussions. The “look at me, I’m gambling like they did in Oceans 11 and I don’t care what the odds are” crowd gave the casino a short term profit spike, but this alienated the loyal and consistent gambler. Room rates also starting going up, and the “average” tourist started getting treated a bit worse.
Las Vegas used to be more of an “adult” place. And by “adult” I don’t mean over 21, I mean people with more life experience and an established identity, not club patrons catering to people who are thrilled to pay extra to be under the same roof as Paris Hilton.
Nobody had the foresight to realize that this crowd is not a stable source of revenue. Most kids are in debt up to their eyeballs in order to look like they have money, and their sources of income fluctuate more than that of an older person. These days, a truly liquid and positive net worth individual is more likely to drive a station wagon than a BMW.
Vegas’ status as a desirable tourist destination steadily grew for a long period of time, but when it became “hip”, it went downhill rather quickly.
It didn’t help that the LVCVA was running ads nationwide that portrayed a guy roaming from one club to another as he lied about his name and occupation while adding the whole “what happens in Vegas” slogan on top of it.
What has been the official message of Las Vegas for the past decade?
Pose.
Be something you’re not. Pretend. Fake. And when you get home nobody will be the wiser.
Sure 6:5 Blackjack is faux blackjack, but this is Las Vegas and nothing is real anyway.
At least partially through the club scene, we got what we asked for. We got people pretending to be gamblers.
What happened to the real gamblers?
Well, we forsook them for the pretenders, and sullied our name as the gambling mecca of the world. Perhaps irreparably but hopefully not.
The Strip bet on and staked its entire future on people who were actively encouraged to bullshit, yet we inexplicably expected their undying loyalty.
While I appreciate the talented DJ’s, this genre of venue bothers me enough that I don’t go to hear them with any regularity.
Aside from the stories of extortion and other patron abuse … when I see 50 people cued up like a human zoo at the reject rope in the middle of the casino floor, it genuinely makes me feel sad.
When I see younger and more attractive females get waved in front of these 50 people with a comped cover charge, it makes me even more sad. I understand it, but it turns me off nonetheless.
When I pass these lines, sometimes I wish I had both the money and the temerity to say “Hey guys, screw this, let’s go see the Melvins at the House of Blues. It’s only 25 bucks and they’ll gladly wave us in right away even though we’re all ugly as hell. If you think you’re having a bad hair day, just wait until you see Buzz Osborne.”
Of course I’m biased, but despite the blood pouring from their ears I think they’d have a better time.
Instead of prodding people to become someone else for the duration of their trip, I think we should reverse course and let them know that it’s okay to be a bus driver and to tell people you’re a bus driver.
There is a small city in Western Washington State which fell into decline and became a fairly inhospitable place after several blows to the local economy. This very city adopted an unofficial slogan after one of their most famous residents passed away, and they even attached this new motto to its entry sign.
It didn’t cure any of the city’s ills, but it did make the town slightly more welcoming to those who were discovering it for the first time.
Las Vegas. Come As You Are.
It’s probably the best slogan to date.
Maybe it’s time to give it a shot.
Written by mike_ch on September 27, 2009 at 10:20 am
Post of the year.
I think what they could do best at some point is slowly use these hip venues as alternate venues for music or whatever, that isn’t nearly as discriminating.
I think the Hard Rock is more clued in. I’m hardly a personality, I’m hardly loaded, but a few times I’ve been to a concert at the Joint and came out and seen the madhouse and gambled a bit and left and felt like I had a (comparatively to normal) “crazy night at the Hard Rock.” I did not have to meet anyone’s gender ratio balance standards, “VIP” did not mean I blew a lot of money, it meant I got in line an hour before the doors even opened and so I’m the fifth guy in the door and got to be up close to the stage.
So while they have Body English, they also have facilities that will accept my ugly presence. And so I feel a tad more welcome there than I would at PURE where I’d never get in the door.
So I don’t know if it’s small concerts, or readjusting the place into a stand up showroom, or what, but these places need to find a way every now and then to let the “legendary” sexy nightclub be a place a normal person can walk into. Find a way to get normal people in there now and then to enjoy the facility. Don’t make a meat market dance hall like the other nights, find some other hook.
Single guys especially have been getting it pretty rough the past few years. While I’m fine to accept that the Designer Night at the hot clubs is not my scene, the nightclubs are taking up and more of the physical plant in the casinos. XS is huge, and the line to get in can be so jammed that it makes walking to Encore not worthwhile, and yet even then they want to open some kind of pool club I’ll never pass entrance to, either. (Wynn, in particular, seems to be doubling down on drunken poseurs when they’re upside down on their loans.)
It’s getting to the point where you have to beg some casinos to please remember to leave some room for the actual casino, because the clubs and bars are apparently raking it in faster. Social forums in which opportunities arise to chat up the opposite gender is where the money is.
Probably says something about the American psyche: we don’t care about winning a million dollars, we’d be happier just to have sex once.
Written by ColinFromLasVegas on September 27, 2009 at 10:43 am
Nice article, Rex. And you just pretty much explained what modern day Las Vegas is all about.
And I agree with you that perhaps we’re not heading the right way to attract tourists.
It IS all pose. And the problem with this is the people pose way too much. Even to the point of pretending they have the money to spend when they don’t. And this is basically kicking Las Vegas in the ass. We are a victim of our own pseudo advertising.
And you hit the nail on the head about the night clubs. The extremely sad thing about this is they will not contribute anything to encouraging tourists to come here. That’s not the intention, from everything I see. The only intention is money, money, money. Rake it in hard and fast.
These supposedly high end night clubs try to attract the wealthy naive young, dumb and full of…um…semen….and the so called “beautiful people.” And it don’t matter if they’re underage. As long as they have money. And these places all attract criminal predators there also to turn the patrons into highway robbery victims. And, even in a lot of instances, these money predators actually RUN the places.
I read an article recently about how the local “party girls” make trips to these places like crazy. And in this article, it really made me laugh because they made a similarity to the Alfred Hitchcock movie “The Birds,” in that they would fly in formation to a club, get free entrance, then hover in uniform flight at a table of high spenders, drink with them, conversation, dance, but when the alcohol runs out? BAM! They take wing and flock to another table that has alcohol. Nothing but an alcohol scorched earth policy left behind in their wake when they work the clubs for free liquor, dancing and a few laughs.
I think the same thing as you do when I see all those people in line. They are not in line because they are waiting to get in. They are in line because they want to be seen waiting to get into a trendy club. And the people running the night club and the ones you have to go through to get in NEED to have them wait in line. Not because it’s an ordinary safe progression of entrance into the club to prevent over crowding, but the reasoning is to give them a feeling they are waiting to become a patron of an exclusive club that everyone goes to and that you MUST be seen there if you are anybody. And the owners want this feeling instilled. The idea is that the longer you wait, the more they can rake cover charge money out of them, and even more out of the ones who don’t want to wait anymore. It’s a win win situation for them. Money, money, money.
It’s a lucrative business. Because the money flows and business is booming. Even though it’s plastic, people still do it. And it appears that even the clubs that are totally run the wrong way…get away with it.
I’m afraid that Las Vegas is stuck with this trend for a very long time to come.
Written by tully on September 27, 2009 at 11:19 am
For a couple years, it seemed like the Strip was courting the young, beautiful, and rich, while thumbing its nose at everyone else.
Suspect that a lot of those who had started feeling not as welcome began looking around for alternatives, and they found them. All sorts of casinos throughout the country, with gambling just as good (if not better) than the Strip. Throw in some decent restaurants, pleasant rooms, and appreciative casino employees,and some of these folks decided to thumb their noses at the Strip.
And that’s a problem. LV desperately needs for these former visitors to feel welcome and return–preferably in droves. The question is, are the casinos and LVCVB willing to do what it takes to bring them back? The city’s future success will depend on its ability to be a desirable destination for a wide range of people—-creating a false aura of “exclusivity” is an experiment gone sour, and needs to left behind,
Written by sblacke on September 27, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Dear Rex,
I’m a poser. If the motto for Vegas was “Come as You Are”, I’d stay home. I hate who I am at home.
When I come to Vegas, I lie about my age, what I do for a living, and where I’m from. I stare at cocktail waitress’s cleavage. I drink like a fish. I go to see T
Written by RG on September 27, 2009 at 5:46 pm
“Come as you are” was a slogan for Las Vegas in the 1950’s. Look it up this is true. It was in response to the common people feeling unwelcome in the “carpet joints”. El Rancho Vegas and many downtown casinos used it quite prominetly
Written by wrxrob on September 27, 2009 at 6:48 pm
A club promoter buddy of mine did an experiment at a well known techno club in DC.
Take an area of a club that is in a corner where people rarely hang out, put in two couches, and a red rope around it. Now, have two security guards make sure that no one ever gets past the red rope. In the first night of doing this, people were trying to bribe the guards with benjamins to get in, or asking what they need to do in order to get past this red rope. Some were telling the guards how they know someone high in the chain, and how they will have the guard’s job for not letting them in, etc.
Back to your post. Thanks for putting this one out there. I’ve been saying this ever since we stopped staying on the strip in 2006. They don’t want to cater to the middle class. Therefore, we haven’t stayed on strip since then. Downtown was, and is, where its at. Sure, we might stop by the strip to take in a free show like the fountains at the B, but we just point and laugh at the 500 sheep waiting in line to a club that will never let them in.
Written by Hawaiianmark on September 27, 2009 at 7:06 pm
Nice read Rex.
Truly, I bet you can come as you are, and yet be someone else if you care to. This past June, we atteneded the FleetwoodMac concert at the MGM. After the show, the consensus and attitude of the crowd exiting thru the maze of MGM was one of complete satisfaction.
I dont think those exting the club scene get that same feeling.
Again, nice perspective on things LV as usual.
Aloha.
Written by Jim on September 27, 2009 at 7:09 pm
hey Rex,
only been a few times to the clubs. you mentioned the drawback to these clubs has always been how loud the music is. It can be tough to even hear someone next to you. any comments on the Playboy Club at the Palms? Rex, for your aviation fix you might want to check out the latest copy of Airways magazine. Saw it this weekend here in Orlando at a Barnes
Written by jim on September 27, 2009 at 7:21 pm
contd……at a Barnes
Written by Carlos on September 27, 2009 at 8:07 pm
You are the man Rex, another great article. It’s pathetic to see a long line of people waiting to get in these clubs. It’s really the herd mentality at play once more.
Jim – Interesting about “Come as you are” being used in the 50’s, they should’ve stuck w/ it.
The ampersand curse hits again. I see a few comments getting cut off due to the “ampersand symbol”. You guys need to spell it out as “and” or your comment gets cut off at the ampersand.
Written by Calipso on September 27, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Perhaps one of the most truthful insights to Vegas today. I was going to stop by LAX at the Luxor because I know a person who is a bouncer there. My g/f and I were invited. After noticing the line at the club, I just couldn’t do it.
Coming from Boston, we have the same club issue here. I’d rather just go to a friendly bar or club where everyone can chill and have a good time. The exclusive feel is a turn off. I do, however, want to hit up Mix and Foundation Room at Mandalay Bay next time. Not for the overpriced drinks, but for the beautiful vegas view and some supposed ambiance.
Love your blog Rex, keep telling like it is.
Written by LizzieGirl on September 28, 2009 at 6:38 am
Rex: In a blog where each post seems more thoughtfully and intelligently written than the last, this one is a true standout.
Written by tombrokaw on September 28, 2009 at 12:48 pm
I appreciate your point of view, but here’s one from the other side.
My girlfriend and I are pretty much the kind of people you are talking about. We don’t “pose” or at least we don’t lie about what we do or anything like that. We dress a little better, but I think that’s reasonable. We hit up Vegas 3-4 times a year and clubbing is the main attraction for us (with poker a close second for me). We don’t have any problems getting into clubs and it would be dishonest of me to say that the exclusivity isn’t part of the appeal. We don’t go the whole VIP route and we don’t pretend we can afford it, but apparently we are attractive/desirable/clever enough to get in without. If we are out with the right group of friends and the male/female ratio is correct, we get in no problem. If we don’t want to wait in line and don’t want to pay for vip service there are front of line passes we can buy for most places.
The exclusivity and the attempt to limit clientele to “the beautiful people” is what makes the vegas club scene appealing. Clubs in other cities attempt this, but Vegas seems particularly good at it. We enjoy the validation. People are needy and shallow animals. If a club let all the “ugly” people in I wouldn’t want to go there, or at least I wouldn’t travel to vegas for it.
Bottom line, these places were designed for people like me and my girlfriend. I understand that in order to do so they have to alienate others. But from what I’ve seen in vegas and the people I’ve seen in vegas I think the city does a pretty good job catering to everyone and I would hope that continues to be the case. You can have a great time without getting into these clubs and in fact for most people these places are an unpleasant experience.
I want vegas as a whole to be an inclusive, fun experience, but at the same time I don’t think having one segment of it being an exclusive form of fun detracts from that. There’s plenty to do and see in this city.
Written by defanman on September 28, 2009 at 4:20 pm
My wife and I are long from being the beautiful people. As a matter of fact we would be one of those herded to the middle of the casino floot with nary of a chance to ever gain entrance into one of those Vegas Exclusive clubs.
The truth is we could care less. Yes we are one of those dumpy looking couples with a pockefull of money that the club wants. Instead we are content to play our craps, do some slots, have a nice meal, grab a bottle of wine and go back to the room and enjoy ourselves.
Instead of playing games.
Written by james on September 29, 2009 at 7:31 pm
tombrokaw…i hope your post is a joke, because if not you are an ass hole…..i dont wait in line either, never have, but i dont think im better than those who do….the clubs are only interested in making money, and they let in whoever they think they can make the most money from…most of the people standing in line are viewed as a non asset to the club, either no money or not a lure for people with money, its just that simple. so you think you are special because you get in….all the drug dealers, whores, pimps and friends of employes get in also….the rest (including you) are the fish, they represent the best odds for the clubs to make money…you are not special you are a “mark”…maybe you dont spend much money in the clubs, i dont know, but i do know that if the clubs thought they were not making money off you then you would be standing in line also…you are not better, or special, you are just a dollar sign to the clubs….money is the only thing necessary to gain entrance, no matter how ugly you are, money will always get you in….or at least the perception of having money….jim
Written by SPRUNT on October 7, 2009 at 1:19 pm
“Las Vegas: Come As You Are” would be good if that’s the way they truly operated. As it stands now, “Las Vegas: Rape Me” is much more fitting.
‘Course, with all the nuggetry on the strip, you could also use “Smells Like Axe Bodyspray.”
Written by tombrokaw on October 19, 2009 at 9:19 am
lol is this what happens when I don’t check up on my posts?
James, no duh clubs are ultimately only interested in making money. If the most proven method of making money at a club were letting in troglodytes and homeless people I have no doubt that’s the clientele you would see. The fact is however, that the de rigueur method for making money is to engender a reputation as a “hot” club with hot people. Let in attractive women for free, watch guys with money and/or credit follow them and blow a wad on overpriced drinks. They don’t screen at the door for hot girls and guys with the look of money for the innate pleasure or intrinsic value of having such people. The ultimate priority of a club as a business doesn’t change the fact that such standards are set and that meeting them does satiate a shallow sense of self.
If I had a friend in the army who wanted to meet the elevated standards necessary to join the special forces, and he met them – should he not feel satisfied on some level for having met a different set of standards? According to your logic, he should not, because the US Army doesn’t give a rat’s ass about him as a soldier. They don’t really care if he’s a good soldier or even if he lives or dies. What they care about is winning wars. Having good soldiers just happens to be the most expedient way to achieve that goal. If tomorrow, the best way to win a war was by using robots or pixie dust, you can be sure that’s what the military would be using.
Doesn’t change the fact that the system in place set standards, some people meet them and some don’t, and it’s human nature to be pleased when you’re in the “in” group.