Sacramento finally has a club scene worth staying out all night for.
It’s almost midnight. You’re driving through downtown Sacramento, on your way home from the theater or a late night at the office.
Suddenly, you spot something unexpected: a line of young people snaking its way down the block. What, is the new Harry Potter book out?
You slow down to take in more of the scene. What are those otherworldly blue lights flashing through the doorway? Is that a limo idling outside? And why is that nicely dressed, well-built man at the head of the line wired with a headset, like a Secret Service agent?
You don’t get out much, do you?
What you’re witnessing is proof positive that Sacramento is inching toward hipville. Like L.A. and San Francisco, we now have our very own club scene. An upturn in the area’s urban and suburban populations is fueling a big-city appetite for nightlife that’s much more happening, much more alive.
Sure, there have always been bars around town, but local clubbers and the clubs they covet have reached a critical mass, resulting in high-concept hot spots offering live DJs, multiple dance floors, VIP lounges, theme nights, go-go dancers, signature drinks, flashing lights, mist machines and more. Is your scene mainstream or alternative, punk or reggae, Latin or hip-hop? T-shirts and beer, or cocktail dresses and Champagne? Black or Latino, Asian or white, a multicultural mix? Gay, straight or off the map? There are clubs in town to suit just about any type of music, mood, aesthetic or orientation.
Here’s a look at five of Sacramento’s hottest dance clubs. Go ahead: Stay up past your bedtime. Who’d have thought you’d be partying with so many cool people in the middle of the night?
>> EMPIRE
Located in a cavernous space in a cool brick warehouse on the R Street corridor, Empire has an industrial/urban vibe with walls, ceiling, and exposed beams and pipes all painted a flat black. The monochrome darkness absorbs both emotion and individuality as you melt into the pulsating crowd. Large-screen projection offers stylized images of break dancers and other abstract visual stimulation. Laser lights and dry-ice mist fill in the blanks. Demographics: 21–26; ethnically diverse; plenty of guys but the girls are the ones dancing Dress code (guys): Casual, lots of black. Some guys look sharp in long-sleeve, button-up shirts despite balmy evenings. They’re strict at the door, so no athletic stripes or logos, tennies or baggy jeans, ball caps or Ts. Dress code is not enforced on concert nights, when there’s a live band. Dress code (girls): Jeans or skirts and tiny little tops, preferably with some shimmer; wedges or heels Everyone’s drinking: A Long Island Iced Tea variation called AMF. The A stands for Adios. The M stands for Mother. It doesn’t sound so nasty coming from the gorgeous smile of bartender Rian Stallkamp.
Dance floor: Large, with laser lights, mist, three black cages you can dance in if you’re feeling a bit exhibitionist. Both the DJ and the bored-looking go-go dancers do their stuff on the stage, far from the madding crowd. Music: House, hip-hop, ’80s, mainstream. The DJ operates from a simple table on the side of the stage. Parking: No valet means be cautious hiking back to your car at 2 a.m. VIP: Arrange for the VIP lounge upstairs. If you’re 21 or older, you can get on a guest list for certain nights by going to the Empire website. Cover: Wednesday $15 for 18 and older, $7 for 21 and older; Friday $15 for 18 and older, $10 for 21 and older; Saturday $10 before 10:30 p.m., $15 after, for 21 and older only Timing: Wednesdays are off the hook: The line curves around the building by 11 p.m. On Saturdays, be there by 11:30 p.m. to avoid a line. Overheard at Empire: “The shorter the skirt, the higher the heel!” 1417 R St.; (916) 448-3300; empireeventscenter.com
>> CABANA
A feel-good vibe permeates Cabana on the K Street Mall. Interior colors are warm and tropical; the place even smells fruity. Whimsical lanterns and mirrored walls give off playful points of light. The space is small, the dance floor packed. Outside, there’s a patio where you could actually meet someone nice.
Demographics: Mixed groups of young adults and couples in their 20s; suburban; lots of straight, white teeth and shiny, blond hair
Dress code (guys): Button-up shirts and designer jeans, polo shirts and khakis, no tennis shoes or T-shirts
Dress code (girls): Satin halters and shorts, cute tanks and jeans, dresses and heels Everyone’s drinking: Stoli Raspberry and 7UP
Dance floor: Cozy, crowded, friendly. The DJ, in a booth on the dance floor, makes eye contact with dancers, inspiring singalongs.
Music: Mainstream, with house and reggae mashups; salsa on Wednesday nights
Parking: $3 with validation at the Hyatt Regency on L Street VIP: Plasma TVs; bottle service; close-up view of the bar and dance floor. Choose from a glam mirrored lounge with shiny gold banquettes or booths featuring red sofas with Moroccan-inspired pillows and white-satin drapes, which canopy like a wedding chuppah. VIP packages (cover, drinks, etc.) for six to 25 people run $300 to $650.
Cover: $10
Timing: Get there before 11 p.m., or do VIP Overheard at Cabana: “Don’t ever, ever dance with a beer bottle in your hand.”
1200 K St.; (916) 878-8344; myspace.com/cabananightclub
>>FACES
Like Jessica Lange or Clint Eastwood, Faces is the veteran who’s still got serious sex appeal. Open since 1985, the club is located at the corner of 20th and K, the heart of Lavender Heights (aka Sacramento’s Castro District). To stay on top, however, the club just got a glossy face-lift. The remodel features six bars, a second-story catwalk and the city’s first nightclub swimming pool. Demographics: The most diverse of any gay club in Sacramento, its focus is on young men, but the hot dance music and feel-free openness draw dancers and drinkers of all stripes, including beautiful straight women who feel “safer” here. Best club for people-watching.
Dress code (guys): Clean-cut hair and clothes, and lots of cut muscles. Show your gym card at the door.
Dress code (girls): This is the place to wear your tiara and tutu, but be prepared to share with the boys. Smoking jackets look especially nice with that crew cut. Everyone’s drinking: Bottled beer, Long Island Iced Tea Dance floor: Colored lights, lots of chrome and glass. Narrow steel stairs lead to the second story, so we’re thinking someone here has a naval fantasy.
Music: Depends upon the theme. The front dance floor is usually mainstream and house dance music, but you can go Brokeback with western line dancing in the back. Tuesday is Latin night.
Parking: Use the public lot at 20th and I or midtown streets.
VIP: Everyone is special at Faces.
Cover: $5–$10
Timing: There’s lots of room inside, so the line doesn’t form until 11 or 11:30 p.m. Overheard at Faces: “Break out the beach balls!”
2000 K St.; (916) 448-7798; faces.net
>> THE PARK ULTRA LOUNGE
Mason Wong and his family had a hit on their hands from day one with this brilliant restaurant-and-nightclub compound. The appeal is aesthetic, sensual and logistic, as five well-conceived spaces plus one unique restroom (where guys and girls can flirt through a peekaboo mirror) meet everyone’s needs. Mason’s Restaurant is an early draw for dinner, and Ma Jong’s Asian Diner provides quick, casual Chinese food until 2:30 a.m.—perfect for the post-party wind-down and last-chance digit wrangling. Most notable is the outdoor patio: The softly strung lights, sandy colors, canopied lounge beds and twinkling glass fire pit attract people like fluttering moths to flame. The Park is a big-city concept with big-city crowds, yet so well-designed that within minutes of entering a room, you can get a drink, find a seat and start socializing.
Demographics: Core group is 25 to 35, generally the oldest among downtown dance clubs; suburban; majority white, well-groomed and cosmetically advanced/enhanced; plenty of hair gel
Dress code (guys): Upscale casual: semi-dress shoes, collared shirts; no tennis shoes or T-shirts
Dress code (girls): Uptown girl: cocktail dresses, shiny halters and designer jeans, high heels Everyone’s drinking: Red Bull and vodka or pear martinis
Dance floor: The biggest high school gym dance ever. One very full rectangular hall, punctuated by neon-embellished wedding dresses hanging down from the ceiling. Big-screen projector. Colored light show, but no lasers. A backlit bar glows near the entrance.
Music: Straight down the middle of Mainstream, USA. “I Love Rock ’n’ Roll” by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts. (No, not a remix.)
Parking: $5 for valet
VIP: Cool corner nooks on the dance floor have padded black benches, white drapes and fuzzy leopard-print pillows, plus a private room and roped-off areas. VIP packages (cover, drinks, etc.) for six to 30 people run $350 to $1,500.
Cover: $20; special DJ engagements, such as L.A.’s DJ AM, cost $45–$60
Timing: Arrive by 10:30 p.m. to avoid a line at the door, or do VIP.
Overheard at The Park: “Is that rosé Champagne you’re drinking? Oooooooh!”
The aroma of shrimp tempura wafts throughout the Japanese restaurant and up the stairs to the dance floor in this historic Chinatown building across J Street from Downtown Plaza. At 11 p.m., they push the restaurant’s tables back and turn the first floor into a sociable lounge retreat away from the crowded club upstairs. And crowded it gets. There’s just one bar on the dance floor, but you can watch the go-go dancers and their conveniently placed pole on top of the back bar while you’re waiting for your drink. Sushi isn’t your first thought when it comes to hip-hop flava? Hey, this is where Sacramento King and newbie rapper Ron Artest celebrated his 27th birthday. ’Nuff said.
Demographics: 21–26; urban and suburban kids in groups; strong Asian representation Dress code (guys): Casual: jeans and high-tops. No ball caps (unless you’re Ron Artest), T-shirts (unless you’re Mike Bibby), athletic wear, baggy pants or white sneakers Dress code (girls): Casual: lots of tanks, cute Ts, shorts, jeans
Everyone’s drinking: AMF, Sex on the Beach,Heineken. Little plastic tumblers instead of martini glasses are a bummer, but bartender David Simpson is especially sweet Dance floor: Open space, white walls, white pillars of light, laser lights, a mist machine and one small disco ball on the side, please Music: Hip-hop and house; theme nights. Thursday nights hosted by 107.9 The End
Parking: $5 for valet VIP: Modern white sofas on a red-roped platform edge right up to the dance floor, so everyone can see you’re so VIP. Booth service and benefits run $200–$250 for up to 10 people.
Cover: $10. Go to zokku.com, get on the guest list and get free admission for the Weekend Warm-up Party every Thursday.
Timing: Club lines start around 11:30 p.m. Overheard at Zokku: “Is that a glowstick in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?” 419 J St.; (916) 498-9384; zokku.com
How To Be a VIP (Hint: It Takes Some Dough)
When club owners get a whiff of celebrity, they tend to trip over their own velvet ropes to whisk the Anointed Ones past the line and into the VIP area. But to get the Very Important Person treatment, you don’t have to bend it like Beckham or look as fabulous as his posh wife, Victoria. Simply make a VIP reservation with the club.
When you arrive with your entourage, you, too, will be admitted with a smile. Your spot on the floor will be secured by risers or ropes, but don’t worry: You’ll be plenty visible to the Little People. Your own personal bartender will mix drinks from a bottle of premium liquor that you have preselected. And should the attention from the riffraff or the company of your posse get tiresome, you can turn your attention to the wide-screen TV and video game controls conveniently right at hand.
To go VIP, expect to pay around $400 (including tips) for a party of six to eight. Since that includes cover, drinks, no waiting and your night in the limelight, it’s a pretty good deal for a bachelor or bachelorette party or roommate reunion. Going VIP also eases the door jam for men who like to travel in packs. But a word to the wise: While some guys think paying for VIP is the instant ticket to being Virile InthaZone Playas, ladies aren’t looking for Vastly Indebted Partyers.
Let the Music Play
Here’s a guide to the types of music you’ll see advertised on club fliers and websites:
• Mainstream: Top-40 pop/rock hits, 1970s to the present, from Jackson 5’s “ABC” to current fave “The Sweet Escape” by Gwen Stefani Hear it at: The Park Ultra Lounge
• Indie rock: Dance music from independent labels. Most shows mix in big-name records, so you might hear Bloc Party right next to Björk.
Current fave: “D.A.N.C.E.” by Justice Hear it at: Lipstick at Old Ironsides with DJs Shaun Slaughter and Roger Carpio
• Electronica: What your iPod would sound like if it could dream: Digital music beats in mesmerizing layers make up electronica and her mellow stepchild, ambient. Current fave: DJ Tiësto’s “In the Dark” Hear it at: Synthetic at Press Club, Sunday nights
• House: Grandchild of disco and funk, house is all about up-tempo synthesized drumbeats, but with more soul than techno or trance. First house-style hit to break through the U.S. pop charts was Technotronic’s “Pump Up the Jam” in 1989. Current fave: “Beautiful Liar” by Shakira and Beyoncé Hear it at: SURCO show at Club Silk, bimonthly • Hip-hop: Mix of soul and R&B rhythms with spoken word and DJ scratching, aka rap, urban, hyphy (Bay Area rap movement). Clubs exploded with Run-DMC and the Beastie Boys in the ’80s. Current fave: “Where the Party At” by Jagged Edge Hear it at: Avalon
• Latin: Merengue, salsa and reggaeton, with maybe a Cuban tune or retro cha-cha thrown in for good measure.
Current fave: Enrique Iglesias’ “Dimelo” Hear it at: Azukar
• ’80s: Mainstream pop/rock hits from the 1980s. Think“Tainted Love” by Soft Cell and “Cum on Feel the Noize” by Quiet Riot. Hear it at: Press Club ’80s Night on Tuesdays
• Reggae: Soul music from Jamaica’s Rastafarian culture has universal and timeless appeal, as evidenced by Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” blasting from fraternity house windows. In dance clubs, enjoy dub, reggaeton dance mixes and reggae’s precursor, ska.
Current fave: DJ Wokstar remix “This Is Why I’m Hot” with MIMS, Junior Reed and Cham Hear it at: Blue Lamp, Sunday nights with DJ Wokstar • Mashup: The juxtaposition of two wildly different songs to spine-tingling effect, or a DJ show that mixes songs from different eras and styles. DJ Danger Mouse brought national recognition to this style. Hear it at: Avalon with DJ Peeti-V
The Guys at the Door
Part public relations ambassador, part bouncer, the doorman regulates the sea of humanity flowing into a club. So what kind of qualities and qualifications must they have? The answers vary depending on whom you ask. “We’re a people business,” says The Park Ultra Lounge owner Mason Wong, “so friendly, service-oriented people are important.”
“I always tried to kill people with kindness,” agrees area club veteran Jason Boggs, who now manages R15, Randy Paragary’s bar/club at the corner of 15th and R streets.
But security training doesn’t hurt, say those who’ve been there. “In this job, you’ve got to be a big guy and be willing to get in there and take a guy out if necessary,” says a doorman currently working at a popular downtown club who wishes to remain anonymous.
What do these guys look out for? First of all, they say managing the line to get in is less about VIP fanfare and more about three basic things: checking for dress code violations, verifying IDs and keeping the ratio of men to women even, or higher on the female end. Groups of guys are likely to wait in line longer. Why? Because men can get attitudes, say the pros, and are far more likely to fight, act obnoxious, drink too much—or all of the above. “Guys go where the girls are, so we want to make sure the girls feel safe and comfortable,” Boggs says. “One jerky guy can make girls leave in droves.”
MySpace: A Clubster’s Best Friend
Got a best friend who’s on all the guest lists, is e-mailed the latest remixes from her favorite DJs, gets texted about upcoming invite-only happenings and is on a nickname basis with all the door guys? No? Then start making club “friends” on MySpace. Every club, promoter and music personality, it seems, is using the social-networking website to promote shows, share songs and song mixes, and get feedback from fans. You also can use MySpace to get on guest lists, receive sneak previews of upcoming acts and talk with other clubgoers.
Some other sites to check out before you go out: sac.napkinnights.com, eVelvetRope.com and sacvibe.com.
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