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 Click for music events In Da Clubs Nine Secrets of Nightlife
Navigating the club world in this city can be a bit of a mystery. How do
you get in? Where do you go? What should you wear? How do you become a
VIP? So we polled eleven promoters in Chicago to shed light on some tips
to going out in style.
1. What does a cover charge cover?
Promoters set the cover charge at the door through a talent equation,
they tell us, so they charge what they need to take care of expenses
and
overhead (paying the entertainment, paying the staff) plus make a
profit. "Since we are music-driven promoters, we bring in the big
house
talents," says Asish Shah, CEO of X'ESS Entertainment, which promotes
Fridays at Zentra. "It depends on our cost of the show. That's how
the
door is set. If it's not that expensive of an event, then we don't
charge as much, but, yeah, it's according to the acts we bring in."
Virginia La Forte, who handles public relations at Metro and Smart Bar,
agrees. "The artist is always a tool to figure out cost and cover."
The cover can also be telling of what the night has to offer, and how
high or low-key it is inside, says Emil Hyde, promoter of the
electropunk night Mainframe. "Some people go for the meat market in
which case if you've got the good-looking people you can charge them
$10-$15." With enough hype generated you can charge up to $20. "Other
people are going to hang out and enjoy the music and usually then
it's
down to eight or five bucks." 2. How do you get on a list?
Most clubgoers resign themselves to plopping down anywhere from ten
to twenty big ones just to get inside. But those in the know can
circumvent the charge, if they're willing to dole out their personal
info. Go on the club or promoter's web site and sign up on their email
list or RSVP for comped or reduced admission, some promoters suggest.
"You kind of have to trade your email address almost like paying
cover," says Kathy Harris, public relations director at A La Carte
Entertainment, which manages clubs and bars including Vision, White
Star, Alumni Club, Excalibur and The Apartment. "An email address to a
nightclub is like gold because that is how we can reach you for
free."
But get ready to see weekly updates flooding in your inbox.
Most clubs have a guest list, which is another way of separating the
haves from the have-nots. "Guest lists are nightmares for a promoter
just because everyone is trying to be your friend and get in for
free,"
says Czarina Mirani, president of fivestarboogie Productions, which
puts
on Wednesday nights at Trace. "For big events we have lists that you
can get on online, but for one-off events, people are trying to be your
best friend to get in." It's an added perk to stroll up to the
front
and be waved inside. "People like to be a part of something, they
like
saying that they're on a guest list," says Shah. Promoters have
found
that a way to cultivate a crowd of regulars to their specific night is
to make them feel special. "Usually, the more concerned a club is
with
appearing hip or cool or whatever, the more people they'll have on
their
guest list," says Hyde. "We have a lot of people on the guest list
and
a lot of comps. That's what gets them to come out," says Lucas King,
operations manager at Relode. "The tool we use to keep long-lasting
relationships is taking care of these regulars and these VIPs and we do
that. We may lose short-term money at the door, but our long-term
relationships with customers are more important to us," says Billy
Dec,
president of Rockit Ranch Productions and co-owner of Le Passage.
Also, promoters suggest you show up early. Many clubs offer free or
reduced admission before midnight, and sometimes even an open bar. And
where there's a will there's a way. Another secret to getting in free
is
calling the club directly. "Pretend you are from out of town and get
in
good with the person on the phone," offers Harris. If you are
celebrating a birthday or a special occasion, call the club up directly
and see if they can hook you up.
3. What are club apparel no-no's?
Unless you rely on the standard club uniform (the requisite tight
black T-shirt for men, tight anything for women), it's hard to know
whether you're suitably attired for any given spot. Chicago's not
like
New York or LA, you won't be denied entrance into most clubs if you
don't have on fancy shoes, but there are still rules. Champagne clubs
expect more glamorous wear, while less-upscale places have a more
relaxed dress code. "Events I put on are house so I want people in
there that want to dance to be comfortable," says Mirani. "People
that
want to dance don't want to be wearing high heels. I hear jokes about
moda, about how you can't get in unless you're wearing Prada. I
don't
know if that's true or not, but, you know, some clubs are pretty
strict."
"Giving off that sense you have some money or are a good-looking
person helps," says Christian Banach of Global Adrenaline, which does
iCandy monthly at Transit, although, "Chicago is a little different
than LA or New York where the VIP room is filled with celebrities and
stars." Each club has a different standard. "Vision and Spundae, you
can wear pretty much anything, shorts, gym shoes, they're pretty
lenient," says Harris. "I think the only one that has a really stiff
policy is probably White Star. It's more dress-to-impress, a lot of
brand-name people in their designer jeans."
Many of the policies at clubs are used to cultivate a certain
clientele, and it is up to the bouncer's discretion at more upscale
locales, although you can always change and come back. At these places
gym shoes and jeans are not a good idea, although the rules are more
relaxed during the week. To keep out gangs, hats, jerseys, and
Timberlands are not allowed at a majority of the clubs. It's always
best
to call first and ask. 4. What is the mystery behind the velvet rope?
Men in black leather jackets stand behind the velvet rope, ushering
in a few in at a time at their choosing. Does this still go on anymore?
Yes, and no. When it's full in the club latecomers have to wait to
be
let inside. "Pretty much, as long as we aren't over capacity, you
can
get in. Our goal is not to have a line outside to make it look like
we
are packed even if we aren't. We want to get you in there and spend
money in the bar," laughs Harris. Some clubs, especially if they're
still hot, do pick and choose, regardless of the order of the line.
"The way we do it at Transit, we pretty much like to take care of our
regulars," says Banach. "To be honest, we do look at the crowd and
try
to get the better-looking people that might have more money and might
be
better dressed. We try to give off a sense of exclusivity to try and
build a buzz about the club that not anybody can get in."
It's "first come first serve" Friday nights at Zentra, says Shah.
"The way the economy is, you want to get people in there, you want to
make people happy." John Curley of Pure agrees that the economy has
changed line dynamics. "Clubs won't turn away people who are willing
to
pay to get in," he says. "Places favor groups of women, but again, if
you're paying to get in you'll get in." If you are of age and meet
the
dress code, of course.
Tony Duffy of Lightning Productions sees the line as being more
democratic. "I try to always do things very loose because,
collectively, the last several years of the velvet-rope thing and
ridiculous cover charges to see some DJ twiddle a knob is over and
people are tired of it," he says. "I think it's loosened up, people
are collectively treated as VIP. Obviously there is always going to be
a
`tickle the press the right way, tickle your external relations' and
you're always going to let certain people in. I think everyone has
made
a tremendous effort to accelerate the line." 5. How can I sit in the VIP area? Do I want to?
Like the guest list and the velvet rope of lore, the VIP area,
sometimes accessed through a card or a key, is designed to make clubs
as
exclusive as possible for a fairly inclusive group. The roped-off area,
usually tiny, can also be reserved for celebrities making their way
through Chicago as well as for DJs and their guests who want to party
in
private.
"The thing with the VIP area is that you have your own servers, you
have your own area, you know for sure you have someplace to sit and it
is usually a good visual," says Harris. "It's just a status thing,
"
says King, who says that Spundae events only have a VIP area for the
artist. Reserved VIP areas at A La Carte venues usually have a
one-bottle minimum (of hard alcohol or champagne), and other clubs have
VIP cards for purchase. "We don't really have a roped-off section
that
is only for VIP members though," Harris says. "Other clubs do, and
the
way I've seen it is that if you go there enough and the VIP guys get
to
know you, he's not going to care whether you have a VIP card or not."
The VIP area we used to know has become mostly passé, says Duffy.
Instead of being crammed into a tiny table people want to be out on the
floor dancing. But, "there are always going to be those people who
want
to sit around and play high roller with their table full of friends and
strippers. It's always going to be there and you always want to
accommodate that because that's premium money." 6. Who are we supposed to tip?
The door guy who waves you in, the person who takes your coat, the
bathroom attendant who hands you a towel, the waitress who brings you
cocktails, the bartender who makes the cocktails...Sure, sometimes
people go to clubs wanting to flash money around, but if you tip
everyone who services you at a club, won't you leave with your pockets
empty? "In a perfect world everyone would get tipped but that's
just
not what it is," says Harris. We were told that security personnel
aren't allowed to be tipped. The valet or coat check should be tipped
a
couple of bucks, says Curley, and although VIP bouncers aren't usually
tipped, "you know some palm greasing goes on." Banach agrees that
it
doesn't hurt to slip twenty bucks to the door guy or at the VIP
room,
unofficially, of course.
A way to get in good at a club is to generously tip your server and
your bartender (it might even help getting a free round sometime down
the road or faster service). "I go by the rule of thumb just like a
restaurant, ten-to-fifteen percent," says Banach. "It always helps if
you tip a little better, the good bartenders will recognize that next
time and come to you first because they know you are going to take care
of them a little better." Dino Perez, manager of Chromium Nightclub,
bumps that percentage up to fifteen or twenty percent. Mirani suggests
$1-$2 per drink, but if you're a club regular and the bartender gives
you a free round, tip half of what the bill would have been. 7. What's the deal with drink prices?
With the economy, promoters say, the cover charges have gone down so
that means they rely on the bar to bring them the money. Clubs that
don't have a public place of amusement license, meaning they can't
charge a cover, usually raise their drink prices higher. But "if they
charge too much for drinks they are in jeopardy of losing business.
It's
what the market will bear," says Curley. "Drink prices now have gone
down dramatically because of the economy," says Shah. "You want to
make your drink menu as attractive as possible, as cheap as possible.
Still you want to make your money at the bar, too. I don't know about
these venues who charge ten dollars for a Red Bull and vodka, because
you will have people that are like, `Oh my God, I just spent $100 on
three drinks, you know?"
"Everyone has ten dollar martinis, you know, but vodka and Red Bulls
are nine dollars at a lot of places and I believe ours are seven,"
says
Harris. Drink prices at A La Carte venues are based on an industry
standard, and employees scout out other clubs and their price menus.
Usually, the promoters say, venues that have a bigger overhead charge
more for drinks. Metro and Smart Bar price by cost of product, says La
Forte. "We definitely have the lowest drink prices," she says. "We
have a lot of specials. We are 100-percent consistent."
"We keep it the same as competitors," says Dino Perez, manager at
Chromium Nightclub. "But location and kind of club also has something
to do with it. Prices change during the week. There are specials every
weekend and we'll also have specials to push new product." Although
clubs set the prices, most promoters offer drink specials that you can
hear about through email lists and fliers. And some places offer free
or
discounted drinks earlier in the evening. "Generally if you get people
in the room early, you will still get a ring out of them beyond the
open
bar," says Duffy. 8. What are the best nights to go to clubs?
What nights are hot? Which are not? Is it sometimes better to check
out a club on an off night? These are some of the questions we posed.
"Everyone is going to toot their own horn when it comes to email, so
when it comes from the venue of course everyone is going to say it's
good tonight. It's kind of a word-of-mouth kind of thing," says
Harris.
She suggests checking out message boards like purefutre.com and inside
Chicago for a valuable source of info from clubgoers themselves. "You
know, it's really kind of viral, it's word of mouth, everyone kind of
hears. We're always in the press, which helps," says Dec.
Quick rules of thumbs about nights: Friday and Saturday nights are
always extremely busy nights, and Saturday especially caters to more of
a suburban crowd. Perez says that Chromium's Friday nights are more
mainstream and younger, about 21-25. "Before, when Shelter was around,
when Karma was around, Thursday nights were the night, but I think
that's long gone as well," says Shah. Industry nights, the opposites
of
amateur nights, usually with a half-priced menu, are during the week,
Sundays through Tuesdays and occasionally Wednesdays, since those in
the
club world work weekends, although everyone from the bar world to the
restaurant industry to nightclub and even salons and boutiques are
invited out on these nights. "When you go to an industry night, it's
all bartenders, cocktail waitresses, it's a whole different world,
more
underground," says Harris. "They get pretty crazy because it's their
night to party." You don't have to be in the industry to go to an
industry night, however. "A lot of people who do work in the industry
are good-looking people that do have some sort of money so I think a
lot
of these promoters and clubs are trying to use that name to draw people
in there. But from what I've found there aren't too many industry
nights
that are predominantly industry people," says Banach. "You can tell
when it's an industry night because it's a much more relaxed
environment," says Dec. "It's more like someone's living-room party
or
a cocktail party at someone's house."
Earlier in the week, the "off" nights cater to a more niche crowds
or theme nights, like Smart Bar, which hosts the Goth night Nocturna on
Tuesdays. There are benefits to going to a club when it's less
crazy.
"If you actually want to have a conversation with somebody, the
music
might be softer," offers Hyde. "I personally like going when it's an
off night, because it gives me a chance to really absorb what the
owners
or creators were trying to achieve with the room because you really get
to absorb how beautiful the room is or what their concept is or how
they
laid things out," says Dec.
But what if you want to be front and center at the hottest, most
hectic, night at that club you've been trying to check out? Do some
research, suggests Harris. "Who's the DJ? What does he play? You
don't
want to waste your time and $20 on a DJ you don't even like. Look in
the
paper." Talk to people, says Hyde. "Don't be shy, introduce
yourself.
If you are a pleasant person to hang around with people will let you
know about things. Promoters want to put you on their email list and
it's not that difficult to say hello to a few people. Any promoter
will
be more than glad to hand you a flier or send you an email."
9. What demographics does a club or promoter look for?
All the promoters say that they look for a mixed crowd, ranging in
age from 21-34. "No gangsters, that's all we ask," says King. "A
low-maintenance crowd," says La Forte. "It's very mixed. It's got
the
young, hot, fashionable, hip, up-and-coming crowd. It's got the
successful professionals," says Dec of Le Passage. Promoters do like
to
keep the crowd even in terms of gender, so that's why they might let
the
women in sooner, if it's a male-dominated night. "We really would
like
everything to be as even as possible," says Harris. "We don't want
everything to be a sausage fest, which happens a lot of times at
certain
places. I don't think we try to appeal to one gender over another,
it's
all about throwing a party where everyone has fun." Reported by Trevor Fisher and Shannon Rourke
Also by Kate Zambreno Tip of the Week
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Almost famous
It's ladies' night
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Tip of the Week
Ladies night
Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?
House warming
Tip of the Week
Till death, or whatever, do us part
Starving artist
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