Well kids, the holidays are just around the corner, and it looks like the new year is ready to go. That means it's time once again for that obligatory Year In Review column.
We saw a magician become a feline snack treat and a bratty heiress learn all about the, er, ins and outs of the film biz. It also was a curious year in the local club scene.
The first big change came with the opening of Tabú. It was an instant success, both aesthetically and commercially. Suddenly, every casino in town needed its very own ultra lounge. Most notable were the twin lounges of Caramel and Mist at Bellagio and Treasure Island respectively (I refuse to go along with that TI nonsense). Ultra lounges are an easy way to go for casinos. They're not too big, but still attract that ever-important club crowd. Even the Ice House throws more to the ultra lounge side of things.
Mid-size clubs also made an impact. Several new sedan-like clubs opened up to surprisingly strong business. Risqué, OPM, and Prana joined hot spots like Light and Venus. I generally prefer this size of club. The big, mega clubs can be overwhelming, especially on a busy night (which it almost always is).
Speaking of mega clubs, not much has changed. It's still the mighty trinity of Studio 54, Ra, and Rain. Ice tried to one-up the others by billing itself as a meta club. Unfortunately, the reception was lukewarm at best.
Musically, most of the year was about hip-hop, hip-hop and hip-hop. Luckily, the over-saturation started to lead to new music making its way into DJ sets. Over Labor Day, I caught MTV's DJ Skribble play a set of hard rock-infused dance music. Since then, I've been hearing more and more rock remixes. And it's not just old stuff either. Bands like No Doubt and the White Stripes have been leading the charge of rockers into the club scene by releasing grooving, hard-banging tracks.
Rock isn't the only evolving music form. Outkast have all but reinvented hip-hop with Speakerboxxx / The Love Below. Everybody loves this funky masterpiece, and the excitement shows whenever one of their tracks blares in a club.
"But Digital Tony," you ask, "where is the scene going? What's the next big thing?" Well, children, I'm getting my Santa gear together and bringing you a happening Christmas present. Don't miss the December 25 edition of the Weekly and my latest cover feature. I'll have all the trends and styles to look out for in 2004, plus a few surprises.
AND THE BIRTHDAY WRAP-UP
A big thanks to all of you who made it out to my birthday madness last weekend. And Gigantor-sized thank-yous to OPM and Drai's for hosting, and ensuring that I had the most fun that I'd ever had with my clothes on. Finally, to all my friends (I had no idea I had so many!), thank you! You made me realize I'm the luckiest guy in the world.
Antonio Llapur is a raving lunatic. E-mail him your club news at [email protected]