Goodnight Mr. Lewis: Two Articles On Bottle Service That Are Completely Clueless

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Vibe

I came across a great article by the legendary Steve Lewis in his column for Blackbook Magazine. In his piece, Lewis lays out simply and eloquently the reasons why bottle service is here to stay and why nightlife is best left explained to the people who are in it! His explanation details the changing nightlife scene in an ever-changing New York. The following is taken from Blackbookmag.com. Enjoy!

There have been two recent articles professing the end of bottle service that I am being asked to weigh in on. The first:an article by Hardeep Phull on NYPost, and a story by Megan Willett from Business Insider. Both profess a “Chicken Little” approach to bottle service when all that’s really happening is an expansion of existing formats, not a quantum change. I contributed to my pal Hardeep’s article with a quote taken out of context from a much larger dialogue. He has it wrong, but compared to Megan’s take he is spot-on. Megan is clueless.

Marquee’s approach to dance was a calculated take on the market and their place in it. Their approach signals an internal decision to re-brand the NYC Marquee to be relevant to the Vegas Marquee, the highest-grossing nightclub in the country. They also have a Marquee in Australia. The NYC Marquee, after six years of wonderful and a few more of OK, needed a redux to bring it up to speed. I helped with the plan and the layout, but not the design. It was made clear from the start that it was all about the music, with some areas to accommodate big spenders who also cared about the music. It was also designed to be fairly non-competitive with their other NYC properties Avenue and Lavo, where bottle service thrives. Marquee made a smart move using their international DJ booking connections to create cachet. It doesn’t signal a trend of the end of bottle service in any way. Avenue and Lavo are bottle-selling machines. In that regard, the stories are just straight inaccurate.

Output in Brooklyn is as irrelevant to a larger social club concept as Cielo, the joint that spawned it. I love Cielo – did from day one. Its design, sound system, and bookings have made it one of the premier dance clubs in NYC. It has never been part of the larger club culture and has seen no need to be a part of it. Its new Brooklyn outpost should be a winner but it does not signify a trend. It’s merely serving dance aficionados in an ever-expanding Brooklyn scene. The trendy hipsters sipping $15 cocktails and eating $30 entrees at nearby hot spots in the new Williamsburg may never go to Output, and Output’s patrons may never go there but both will coexist in BBurg’s new world. Both are enjoying the transforming neighborhood which recently got a movie theatre and a Duane Reade and The Meatball Shop, and all sorts of other entertainment/distraction choices previously only found elsewhere. Output doesn’t signal the end of bottle service, but merely the expansion, or perhaps the gentrification of BBurg. On a side note ,I find it fascinating that a “no dress code approach to door policy” was mentioned or sited as portending a trend. I live in Williamsburg and basically everyone dresses the same here anyway.

Nightclub Space Ibiza is on its way to New York. It will be big, it will be grand, and it will compete with the other Ibiza-based mega club that thrives in NYC: Pacha. Webster Hall, a little as well. I go to Pacha on occasion, although not as often as I would like. I love Pacha. Eddie Dean and Rob Fernandez are magnificent at what they do. They find new talent, book established stars, and have created a mega club where you can dance and chat and buy bottles of booze or just plain water. They know their patrons and have a social scene that’s unique. They thrive and survive and have vast experience in the market. Space will be coming in and have to learn a lot quick. Big clubs attract big enforcement and scrutiny. They are off-the-beaten-path, but so was Crobar/Mansion before it was pummeled to death.

Will there be competition? Of course. Will Space mean the end of Pacha? OMG, no. Space is a natural development. As EDM spreads to the masses, clubs will embrace the trend. More dance floor is needed to accommodate more dancers. These dancers are not being drawn away from bottle service. These clubs are not in competition with those clubs. EDM DJs command salaries in the high five and even six-digit ranges, and mega clubs are the only places that can afford them consistently Space, Pacha, and Marquee have relationships with these superstar, rock star DJs as they are all international brands. The big club experience is enjoyed by many and shunned by many as well. I loathe EDM but I am confident that EDM heads would loathe my Ministry and Stones and Zeppelin DJ set.

One of the things I particularly disapproved of in these articles and the comments that followed in social media was the comparison of these clubs to the mega clubs of yore. Palladium and Limelight and Tunnel all had door policies that culled crowds of 5,000 down to 3,000. Without getting into a discussion of the merits of door policy, those clubs had highly-developed social scenes at their core. We strived to book the best DJs available and had multiple, sometime six or more dance floors working in the same joint. We mixed crowds from all social strata, races, and creeds. Does EDM appeal to a mixed racial profile? Hmmm, I have not observed that. To me it seems to be white boy shee-it and that’s that, for now.

The articles also failed to recognize that EDM is a genre of music. There are many other genres of music. All have a place in our city which does include people of many ethnic backgrounds and classes and ages. EDM is expanding, but from my point of view it appeals mostly to a certain demographic and has not completely taken over the mindset of NYC clubs. Hip hop, mixed format, rock, pop, salsa and all sorts of other genres still pack them in. Sitting or standing or dancing with friends around a bottle is part of our club way of life. Marquee played a huge role in that development. Bottle service isn’t dying, going away, or being replaced. The writers just didn’t understand what the…. what they were talking about. No offense.

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Billionaire Buys Into EDM Scene

Posted on September 14, 2012 by Vibe

Robert F.X. Sillerman, the billionaire who “revolutionized” the radio and concert industries in the 1990s, has set his sights on the electronic dance music scene. His recent acquisition of Disco Donnie Presents and Dayglow, both promotion and production companies responsible for more than 125 annual EDM events in the United States, is Sillerman’s first venture into the electronic music scene and quite possibly a sign of things to come to the scene as a whole.

Sillerman began in the radio business, where his SFX Broadcasting owned and operated more than 120 radio stations. In 1997, five years after starting SFX, Sillerman sold the company for $2.1 billion, keeping the live music portion of the company, which became SFX Entertainment. This company went on to acquire numerous regional promoters and their operations, becoming the world’s largest live entertainment company. In 2000, Sillerman sold SFX Entertainment to Clear Channel Communication for $4.4 billion. Clear Channel is the American mass media giant that has spun off such live music staples as the Ticketmaster and Live Nation merger, whose events attendance outnumbers that of the NBA, NFL and NHL combined.

Beginning in 2005, Sillerman acted as the chairman and CEO of CKX Inc., which owns the name, image and likenesses of such figures as Elvis Presley and Mohammad Ali, as well as the company that created the TV show American Idol. In 2010, CKX was renamed Core Media Group and Sillerman remains the company’s largest shareholder.

Some friends of mine are close family friends of Sillerman and I had the chance to spend a bit of time with him several years ago. As a general music enthusiast, I found Sillerman to be an interesting man, however, he is also quite certain of himself (maybe rightfully so) and his opinions seem to surpass those of the group around him. I found that Sillerman looked at music, and hence all art and culture, as a commodity that should be bought and sold for the sole purpose of making money.

He is quoted as saying, “There’s a wave of interest in attending concerts that have less to do with the specific music and more to do with the experience attached to the music…Our thought is that the experience of attending an individual event can be perpetuated and made better by connecting the people, not just when they’re consuming the entertainment but when they’re away from it.”

I have a few reservations with a billionaire taking the reigns of the EDM scene and how it’s presented to the public, despite any experience and qualifications. The scene was birthed in the secrecy of the underground and I don’t believe multinational media giants would or could carry the same spirit.

Josh Baron, the editor of the music magazine Relix and co-author of the book “Ticket Masters: The Rise of the Concert Industry and How the Public Got Scalped” stated that “He [Sillerman] brought together promoters who were archrivals, and he brought Wall Street to the rock business.” In a time when the public opinion of Wall Street is at an all time low and the public interest in EDM is at an all time high, it is hard to imagine the two worlds working with one another. The idea that Wall Street billionaires now plan to cash in on EDM is but a clear picture of their ruthless nature of their industry and one should be wary of the authenticity of the dance events in our future. Remember…real recognize real.

A Week In The Life: Independence Day Is My Favorite Holiday

Posted on July 9, 2012 by Vibe

It has been a crazy week for me, filled with non-stop parties, events, and loads of fun with friends and the family. On a diet of lobster rolls, hamburgers, hot dogs, and the occasional salad (not to mention a few Modelos at times), I had one of the greatest weeks in the Hamptons in my recent memory. I truly believe this is turning out to be a great summer and I’m excited to enjoy the rest of it.

Georgica Mondays was the busiest night Georgica has ever had. Our continued collaboration with the Jonny Lennon’s Goldbar Funday crew has helped to make Mondays an enormous success. Shouts to DJ Sinatra, DJ Theory, and Julian Cavin for keeping everybody dancing all night long. Additionally, I’m sure the limited edition T-Shirts will be one of the most sought after clothing items of the summer. Thanks to our great hosts Augie, Mole, Kinney, Killie, and Ruddy Rock. I can’t wait to see the photos from KirillWasHere.

Wednesday, I honorably took part of, “News at Muse,” held in a quaint little restaurant in Sag Harbor. Josh “The News” Newberg, Sean Kinney, and Sean Killie hosted the party along with legions of Sag Harbor’s most faithful party people. What was normally considered a quiet restaurant at the edge of town was quickly transformed into a den of fun and revelry. Despite all of this, Muse’s staff loved everyone’s positive spirit and we will be looking to do something like this again real soon. Thanks again to Matt Guiffrida, the owner and executive chef of Muse In The Harbor.

Thursday, I was the guest DJ at SL East, alongside their resident DJ Biggie. I wasn’t very sure on what to expect, but when I arrived the whole place was packed and people were going nuts and swinging from the rafters (banquets?). Despite having archaic equipment to work with, we kept the place rocking all night long. The crowd was great and enthusiastic (the best kind!).

Friday, it was off to Montauk to Gurney’s Inn for a sunset barbecue and bonfire, hosted by my friend and favorite chef, James Cruickshank of Whitmans, Matt Kliegman and Carlos Quirarte of The Smile and Westway, and Chef Sez. The burgers were “off the hook.” The tireless and their western native friends ventured on to Rick’s Crabby Cowboy Café for The 10th Annual Shark Attack Sounds party hosted by my friend Ben Pundole, Ben Watts, and Mazdack Rassi, with DJs Zen Freeman, Chelsea Leyland, Carl Kennedy and Victor Calderone. Congratulations to you guys for consistently throwing such a great and epic party year after year.

Saturday, I hosted Sinatra & V-Rat at my crib and had an amazing dinner at Sotto Sopra courtesy of my man Josh Newberg. The food was delicious and the service was friendly and on point. After a few shots of espresso, it was off to SL East. The phenomenal music came courtesy of Sinatra & DJ Politik. The energy never dipped and I remember running through the club with six packs of Fiji water and Red Bull, and some knock off bottle of fancy tequila.

Sunday, we held the weekly reggae party I do with Mole at the Southampton Social Club, featuring music by The Skadanks & Ras Droppa with DJ sets from DJ Gravy and myself. The previous weeks we were blessed with performances from Brigadier Jerry and Nardo Ranks, both of who are infamous dancehall legends. The party is always a great time and it continues to build.

Monday is Georgica….and we do it again.