I am always deterred by Asian restaurants that advertise Thai, Japanese and Chinese all under one roof. Chances are none will be done properly, with each a different-flavored mush all looking the same, all nauseating. Focus. Do one thing and do it right. That’s why I cringed when I found out Fever Nite Club, opening on the über-lucky July 7, 2007 at the South Point Casino, was also the casino’s new showroom.
There was nothing really to stand up about in Green Valley’s Ovation in terms of nightlife, and the concert names tend to get watered down by the presence of a Vegas cookie-cutter lounge act. And whatever happened to Mamis in the V Theater? How’s the Triq party in Steve Wyrick’s Entertainment Complex doing? Get my point? On paper it looks great; in reality it dilutes the audience. But there’s hope for Fever.
Does all this red in this picture make you feel like you have a Fever?
One of the best things it has done so far is marketed itself strictly as a nightclub; most don’t know it doubles as a live-music venue. The room itself is gorgeous, and it is not gigantic (around 6,000 square feet), which is a good thing when it comes to trying to keep the energy up on a Monday night. The management isn’t shooting for the moon, either, making the concept approachable and, more importantly, affordable. Bottle prices go as low as $175 during the week and won’t breach $225 even for special events.
The soft opening is on Thursday, July 5, with a hosted cocktail reception, and on July 6 things start to pick up with two-for-one bottles and a slew of drink specials. The 7-7-07 grand opening will feature guests and performances by Tone-Loc and Young MC—well worth busting a move to.
It seems most of the acts and special guests coming in are catering to a crowd fluent in ’80s and ’90s pop culture (read: a little bit older). Talk has already swirled around bringing in names like Naughty By Nature, Vanilla Ice and even low-riding War.
“We are giving someplace for the locals to come and get the treatment of upscale European bottle service,” said John Collison, the hotel’s director of entertainment. “They may not necessarily want to go down to the Strip—they may not be as comfortable—but they still want to go out. We will have a nightclub experience, but without the fuss of major resort properties.”
The club is all on one floor with high ceilings, with three escalating tiers. The stage is home to the DJs (Manny and Inferno seem to have locked in resident status), and two elevated enclaves will house the go-go dancers. The dance floor is on the lowest tier in front of the stage, and the other two tiers are filled with the 28 spacious booths used for VIP seating. Two bars flank each side, and the modern décor is a nice touch, considering a little Southern twang would have been an obvious choice (there’s an always-busy equestrian center on the premises). They are not chasing the cowboys but aiming for the neighborhood market as a whole.
Aiding the cause is Fever Poolside. Now, everyone, including my apartment complex, seems to be trying to throw an I’m-so-cool pool party. However, Fever Poolside, a mild Thursday night bash, has been used to sneak the Fever brand into the market as a sidebar to the club, which was actually supposed to open in early June.
“People are already starting to know the name,” Collison said, “and this side of town doesn’t have much of a nightclub presence right now. We know it’s a tough business, but we are expecting good things.”
Helping bring in the clientele will be Damien Kyles as the VIP host manger. “Out here we can start getting the Green Valleys and Anthems,” he said. “The location is killer. In that way we are accessible to everyone from all over the city.”
A recurring industry night will be introduced the first Wednesday in August, and a Latin night is in the works. There are also rumors that Santa Fe and The Fat City Horns, a popular 14-member funk/jazz/R&B band, has signed on for a weeknight while still keeping their gig at the Palms. Thursdays will be ladies night.
For the property’s first foray into the nightlife world, Fever seems to have its ducks in a row. It won’t be making cameos in People magazine any time soon, but it will be a great place to imbibe with minimal taxi fare.
Justin Jimenez firmly believes we should draft beer, not people. And he always sees better through the bottom of an empty glass. The associate editor for Las Vegas Magazine, he can be reached at [email protected]