I'm no expert on the gay scene, but since my readership includes more than just the straight members of our community, I felt it was high time that I do a story on it. Last weekend's opening of Krave, the Strip's first gay nightclub, offered up the perfect opportunity.
The gay scene is no stranger to Vegas. In fact, we have one of the most vibrant gay communities in the country. But gay clubs are mostly regulated to small districts. There's a cluster on Maryland Parkway in the Commercial Center. And the Fruit Loop on Paradise near the Hard Rock includes the Gipsy, Free Zone and a host of others. But Krave is on the Strip, at the Aladdin no less, in the space once occupied by Ibiza and Glo.
I was a bit apprehensive about going to the opening. Like most red-blooded Americans, I get most of my info from TV and movies. As I was driving over, I remembered an episode of Showtime's Queer as Folk some years back. The club on that show was so insane, it freaked even me out. But Krave isn't like that. As Krave owner and CEO Sia Amiri put it in a press release, "This will be the avant-garde gay club on the Strip to bring your metrosexual friends to—the omni sexual G-spot ('G' as in guys, girls and gay)!"
That was the sense I got, too. The crowd was predominantly gay and lesbian, but there were a whole lot more straight folks than I anticipated. The straight crowd was mainly groups of single ladies and couples. I wasn't surprised by the lack of single, straight guys but the vibe was great.
As far as aesthetics go, the Krave team changed just enough to give the venue a totally new feel. The dancers, aerialists and acrobats were fantastic, both male and female. The music was a bit too much on the house side for me, but the crowd ate it up. There was never a moment the dance floor wasn't pumping.
Another thing that struck me was the excellent video display. It was fantastic, with a number of original, big-budget pieces rather than the stock computer animation at most other joints.
Krave has plenty to offer. There's Fahionistas, a sexy stage musical about the fashion world; Jeffery Sanker's Everything You Desire is the main party Saturdays, but you can swing by on Fridays and Sundays. There's also a full restaurant. And DJ Kimberly S will do a set October 9 and Junior Vasquez will be there October 23.
Antonio Llapur walks softly and carries a big club. E-mail him at
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