Bottle Service Just Killed the Club: Changing the Idea of Fun & Fly in Nightclubs
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Once upon a time, a time known as the 20th Century, going to clubs meant one of three things:
Getting to the club early enough to avoid a long wait
Knowing a bouncer/promoter/owner to get preferential treatment at the door
Paying a “little extra” to get through the door faster
All things considered, this is still the case today but there’s now a fourth condition that has solidified itself as the norm in most nightclubs – Having a table reservation aka “poppin’ bottles.”
The DC nightclub scene is on life-support and solely money-driven. When you get denied entry for wearing a white v-neck then watch guys wearing Blac Label (in 2013) get in, clearly, there’s trouble in paradise. Most people would be unpleasantly surprised at what fly really looks like. Few have expressed that the idea of denying club entry based on “flyness” is awful and that no one likes to feel left out. While that’s true, what’s more awful is seeing not-so-fly and not-so-cool people in the club. Now do understand this isn’t an anti-money rant. I want people drinking as much as their bodies can handle because that’s what keeps the lights on. However, a high quality nightclub environment seems like a better time investment and experience to remember. Somebody has to have better taste out here.
The bottle service concept was great for DC at first, but over a decade later, I now have a growing concern with the nightlife standard. I’ve been involved in party promotions but have always incorporated aspects that conveyed a message of individuality. Leading with great music to create the desired look instead of leading with a flyer and dress code. People had a great time and kept drinking. A party I helped launch in DC as a former member of Rock Creek Social Club was called Good Life Tuesdays, or #GOODLIFEDC. It was my best effort at achieving the “individual meets great music” message. While the host club had a bottle service policy, it wasn’t such a mandate since we had the party on Tuesday nights. Good Life Tuesdays was a major exception to the rule and every promoter or nightclub who has since attempted the same quickly went back to their tried and true method of thick pockets & popular music. Honestly speaking, a $10K - $20K night in bar sales due mostly to bottle service will always have everyone leaving happy. When I got involved with party promotions, I envisioned a selective door policy as a great concept for DC nightlife.
Here’s how it would work:
Your income or your level of popularity is never considered, only your style and demeanor
No cover and the door man, not the bouncer, determines who gets in; the bouncer is just there to keep the peace
There’s always a great DJ (I only book great DJs for my events)
You can buy bottles from the bar but there will be no cocktail waitresses on staff
The best times had as a patron in recent years (in those establishments) were always in the VIP section, although I never felt any more important than the person making money from the party each of those nights. I had better times when bottle service was involved because I had a bit more space and the option of sitting when I was tired of standing and 2-stepping. You can’t do that in general population and I stop dancing as soon as a song I don’t like comes on.
This condition has created a glass house environment within nightclubs, perpetuating the idea that you’d have to be an amateur partygoer to enjoy hanging in general population all night. If you’re not engaged in bottle poppin’ you must be unwilling to/unable to spend what is usually a 300% - 500% markup on booze you can buy for $40 a bottle at the liquor store to have a seat at the table – All in the name of having a good time.