4 ms·

Speaking about at least NYC, the nightclub prices have gone just a little bit too nuts right before Covid - think $2k for a table for 4 with a single bottle of

Speaking about at least NYC, the nightclub prices have gone just a little bit too nuts right before Covid - think $2k for a table for 4 with a single bottle of ($30 dollar) vodka. $25 mix drinks were a norm. Combined with lack of innovative artists and ever-increasing homogeneity of style (do I sound like a grumpy old man yet?), clubs seemed to have been racing towards a peak. Smaller venues were suddenly cooler, cheaper, and more interesting.

pelagicAustral 6y ago
Jesus H Christ! 2 G's for a table? You know, where I'm from, a person can get a decently sized house with a 12,000 downpayment. All you have to do is stay home for 6 straight weekends in NYC. Apparently.
- williamdclt 6y ago
  Not sure that's a relevant comparison, the class of people that will put a 12000 down payment for this decently sized house are not the same class of people that will splash 2k on a nightclub table in NYC
  - albertgoeswoof 6y ago
    They’re the same class, one group just has a lot more money than the other
- executive 6y ago
  $25,000 for a top table at LIV Miami NYE. $7,500 on a regular night.
  - lizknope 6y ago
    I have not been to a club night or otherwise in over 25 years. It's just not my thing. But I am curious what is the difference between a top table and a regular table? What even goes on at a regular table?
    - executive 6y ago
      Location within the club. In and around DJ booth / dancefloor can cost almost 10x the cheapest table. See and be seen = $$$$$ At these venues you aren't paying for the table per se... these are generally minimum spend amounts for drink/food (pre gratuity). For ticketed events, table reso also usually includes admission & line bypass for x guests.
      - orbifold 6y ago
        This seems very strange, why on earth would you pay that much to listen to music and who are you trying to impress? Is there some implicit assumption that you can meet otherwise unavailable women / men there? That seems extremely unlikely as well.
        mensetmanusman 6y ago
        Access to higher “””quality””” drugs and women.
        frostburg 6y ago
        I assume that it's prostitution with extra steps.
        the-dude 6y ago
        It has been submitted before : https://www.economist.com/1843/2020/07/03/the-secret-economics-of-a-vip-party https://www.economist.com/1843/2020/07/03/the-secret-economi... Here : https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24390388 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24390388
        deleted 6y ago
        [deleted]
      - ehvatum 6y ago
        > See and be seen = $$$$$ Learning that one of my guys paid for a $25k nightclub table reservation is one of a handful of personal life decisions that would lead to a serious conversation to determine if I accidentally hired a dangerous retard. You can do a lot of stupid shit and be OK with me, but not a $25k night club table.
  - macimumg 6y ago
    Just to add to what everyone else said: I’m in Miami right now and most of the clubs (the ones that open at midnight and close at 0500) basically work such that if you don’t spend $1-10k for table/bottle service you might as well not even go.
- sneak 6y ago
  It's explicitly conspicuous consumption, a way to signal one's financial status to others without having to wear expensive clothes, watches, shoes, et c. I would imagine that it gets you a certain amount of attention from a certain type of person.
- dehrmann 6y ago
  $12,000 might be a down payment for a parking spot in a major city.
cehrlich 6y ago
My experience is in London, but very similar. Even if you can afford it, the "real" nightclubs are total waste of time and money. Unfortunately a lot of places that were actual music venues (Fabric was the one that got the most press attention, but there were others) got shut down in recent years because of noise complaints, drug investigations, etc. This of course played right into the hand of property developers. I'm sure lockdowns aren't helping either, and there's probably a bunch of suits frothing at the mouth to replace everything with "luxury housing units" in places that currently have decent nightlife like Vauxhall, the northern part of Kingsland Road leading to Tottenham, etc. On the other hand I don't think it's possible to kill culture, and the people who want to put on events will find a way. At least that's the only optimistic way to look at the current situation.
- FuckButtons 6y ago
  It is possible to kill culture and it's been happening in London for years, the more people are priced out of the city the less interesting things that are happening. You can see that in microcosm in the differences between Berlin and London. The number of small interesting arts and music venues in Berlin is an order of magnitude higher than in London because it's much more affordable to live there and keep doing your thing for little to no financial reward.
- mathattack 6y ago
  Ironically it’s those same suits who are paying for the bottle service.
CydeWeys 6y ago
Even ignoring the cost (which isn't that bad for an occasional thing if you don't buy a table, which I've never done), I've never had that much fun at a nightclub. I feel on edge the entire time. It's something about the overall atmosphere of the place that raises your stress levels. I can't quite put a finger on it. Now a slightly more laid back live music venue I love. Can't tell you how many times I went to Brooklyn Bowl and Rockwood pre-pandemic.
megameter 6y ago
There's a sentiment rolling lately in music-making communities that EDM is past its peak, and I think it's tied to how the scene has evolved commercially, including its presence in nightclubs, as well as the ushering in of streaming media.
AtlasBarfed 6y ago
I just can't see how clubs that are basically on some continuum of the sexual socializing scene (from meat market to more meet/greet) aren't getting completely undermined by online dating/hookup/meet apps. Maybe corner bar for first meets, but who would take a first date to a zoot suit club? Drug/experience/rave/music clubs should all rebound though.

pelagicAustral 6y ago

Jesus H Christ! 2 G's for a table? You know, where I'm from, a person can get a decently sized house with a 12,000 downpayment. All you have to do is stay home for 6 straight weekends in NYC. Apparently.

williamdclt 6y ago
Not sure that's a relevant comparison, the class of people that will put a 12000 down payment for this decently sized house are not the same class of people that will splash 2k on a nightclub table in NYC
- albertgoeswoof 6y ago
  They’re the same class, one group just has a lot more money than the other
executive 6y ago
$25,000 for a top table at LIV Miami NYE. $7,500 on a regular night.
- lizknope 6y ago
  I have not been to a club night or otherwise in over 25 years. It's just not my thing. But I am curious what is the difference between a top table and a regular table? What even goes on at a regular table?
  - executive 6y ago
    Location within the club. In and around DJ booth / dancefloor can cost almost 10x the cheapest table. See and be seen = $$$$$ At these venues you aren't paying for the table per se... these are generally minimum spend amounts for drink/food (pre gratuity). For ticketed events, table reso also usually includes admission & line bypass for x guests.
    - orbifold 6y ago
      This seems very strange, why on earth would you pay that much to listen to music and who are you trying to impress? Is there some implicit assumption that you can meet otherwise unavailable women / men there? That seems extremely unlikely as well.
      - mensetmanusman 6y ago
        Access to higher “””quality””” drugs and women.
      - frostburg 6y ago
        I assume that it's prostitution with extra steps.
        the-dude 6y ago
        It has been submitted before : https://www.economist.com/1843/2020/07/03/the-secret-economics-of-a-vip-party https://www.economist.com/1843/2020/07/03/the-secret-economi... Here : https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24390388 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24390388
      - deleted 6y ago
        [deleted]
    - ehvatum 6y ago
      > See and be seen = $$$$$ Learning that one of my guys paid for a $25k nightclub table reservation is one of a handful of personal life decisions that would lead to a serious conversation to determine if I accidentally hired a dangerous retard. You can do a lot of stupid shit and be OK with me, but not a $25k night club table.
- macimumg 6y ago
  Just to add to what everyone else said: I’m in Miami right now and most of the clubs (the ones that open at midnight and close at 0500) basically work such that if you don’t spend $1-10k for table/bottle service you might as well not even go.
sneak 6y ago
It's explicitly conspicuous consumption, a way to signal one's financial status to others without having to wear expensive clothes, watches, shoes, et c. I would imagine that it gets you a certain amount of attention from a certain type of person.
dehrmann 6y ago
$12,000 might be a down payment for a parking spot in a major city.

cehrlich 6y ago

My experience is in London, but very similar. Even if you can afford it, the "real" nightclubs are total waste of time and money. Unfortunately a lot of places that were actual music venues (Fabric was the one that got the most press attention, but there were others) got shut down in recent years because of noise complaints, drug investigations, etc. This of course played right into the hand of property developers. I'm sure lockdowns aren't helping either, and there's probably a bunch of suits frothing at the mouth to replace everything with "luxury housing units" in places that currently have decent nightlife like Vauxhall, the northern part of Kingsland Road leading to Tottenham, etc. On the other hand I don't think it's possible to kill culture, and the people who want to put on events will find a way. At least that's the only optimistic way to look at the current situation.

FuckButtons 6y ago
It is possible to kill culture and it's been happening in London for years, the more people are priced out of the city the less interesting things that are happening. You can see that in microcosm in the differences between Berlin and London. The number of small interesting arts and music venues in Berlin is an order of magnitude higher than in London because it's much more affordable to live there and keep doing your thing for little to no financial reward.
mathattack 6y ago
Ironically it’s those same suits who are paying for the bottle service.

CydeWeys 6y ago

Even ignoring the cost (which isn't that bad for an occasional thing if you don't buy a table, which I've never done), I've never had that much fun at a nightclub. I feel on edge the entire time. It's something about the overall atmosphere of the place that raises your stress levels. I can't quite put a finger on it. Now a slightly more laid back live music venue I love. Can't tell you how many times I went to Brooklyn Bowl and Rockwood pre-pandemic.

megameter 6y ago

There's a sentiment rolling lately in music-making communities that EDM is past its peak, and I think it's tied to how the scene has evolved commercially, including its presence in nightclubs, as well as the ushering in of streaming media.

AtlasBarfed 6y ago

I just can't see how clubs that are basically on some continuum of the sexual socializing scene (from meat market to more meet/greet) aren't getting completely undermined by online dating/hookup/meet apps. Maybe corner bar for first meets, but who would take a first date to a zoot suit club? Drug/experience/rave/music clubs should all rebound though.