Urban Marinade

Backstage With Thievery

2010-02-03T16:21:00.002-05:00

If you do a quick Google search on Thievery Corporation at the 930 Club, you're sure to find plenty of reviews from professional publications and local blogs. I threw my hat into that ring two weeks ago when I posted a quick summary of the Thursday night performance at the venerable DC music venue. I didn't go into the bloody details about the show because everyone and their brother would. But I did want to take you back to that 5-night stop in the District because I had a rare experience with Thievery that I'd like to share.

As a nightlife photographer, I'm used to being close to some of the world's best DJs. Getting a shot right next to the artist is the basis of my art-form. Throughout the process, you learn to operate like a ghost-sneaking in for your shots and then moving the heck outta the way. So after shooting photos of Thievery's Thursday night show from the press pit at the front of the stage, I contacted their publicist about going back for something better. I showed them some photos from past nightlife shoots and asked if I could be granted access to shoot both Rob Garza and Eric Hilton in the DJ booth. Access was granted.

You see, the problem with shooting a concert like this is you can't use a flash. I'm sure you could try, but you'd be moved out of the photo pit quicker than it takes to snap your shutter. That makes it pretty tough trying to capture quality shots of the two stars of the Thievery show, who are perched up behind a wall of lights manning the turn tables. You can capture some sweet silhouette shots, but the range of light and lens are limited. I knew shooting from backstage would provide me with a better angle to capture Rob and Eric and allow me to bring the fans even closer to the names behind the band.

I wish I could say my problems were solved that easily. Shooting backstage was amazing. But damn if I didn't need that flash. I spent the first few songs at the front of the stage capturing shots I remembered would be good from the first show I attended. I should add that the photo pit had been expanded because Thievery was shooting their tour DVD that night. This required a very tall man with a very large HD camera to move himself from one end of the stage to the next. The pit was wide, but we had to keep one eye in the view-finder and the other looking out for the film crew. That was interesting!

It was around the 3rd or 4th song I moved backstage to capture some shots I rarely see of Thievery. I'm told I was like a Whac-A-Mole in the DJ booth, popping up for a shot and disappearing just like that. I spent a bit more time near Eric because he was in front of the tradition DJ gear I'm used to shooting. Rob however moved from turn tables to a keyboard, which did offer me something different from my typical nightlife perspective. I probably spent a grand total of 2.5 songs in the booth with Eric and Rob because I never want to seem like I'm taking advantage of my position.

The rest of the time I simply looked for shots that were unique to the Thievery show. The bassist sitting on the floor having a spiritual experience was one. Guitarist Rob Myers expressing all of his emotions through his pick was another. These things along with the experience of being on stage with artists of this level made for an unbelievable experience. I'm honored to have been granted that access and delighted to be able to share those sights with you through this blog and the complete photo gallery on Dougvansant.com.

Photos by Doug Van Sant

4Play Thursdays Changes Venues

2010-02-01T15:20:00.005-05:00

For the past several years, myself and dance music fans around the District have gotten used to spending Thursday nights at Ultra Bar. The promoters at Glow have used the Penn Quarter club as their home for 4Play Thursday in which they feature world-class DJs from all over the globe. As you might recall, I've had the pleasure of shooting photos of DJs like George Acosta, Blake Jarrell, DJ Dan, John Dahlback and many others at this 4-level venue.

So it came as a small surprise when the folks at Glow announced 4Play Thursdays would be moving to Lima Lounge starting Thursday, Feb. 18th. Now don't get me wrong, I love Lima. I just produced one of my favorite collection of images from Lima last month and think the venue is one of the more stunning clubs in terms of lighting, textures and design. But what happened to Ultra Bar? What will become of Ultra Bar on Thursday nights? If you have more info regarding this move, please let us know.

Here is my guess... the last night I shot there was Blake Jarrell two weeks ago. The main room was reserved for Jarrell to bust out some of his latest tracks from the same label as Armin van Buuren. Blake is one hell of a name to bring in for a regular Thursday night. Should pack the house...don't you think? Well the crowd was less than stellar. More went upstairs to the generic hip hop rooms and barely glanced when making their way through the main floor. This isn't to say Glow or Ultra Bar did anything wrong. This is simply a product of the mass appeal hip hop has attracted. I personally find it to be generic, lacking character and soul and similar to dining at a chain restaurant in a strip-mall. But that's me.

My guess is the crowds at Lima tend to appreciate the talents of DJs like Jarrell and Acosta more so than the folks who regularly attend Ultra Bar. Lima has catered to house music for quite some time and there aren't competing genres on differing floors that can split your crowd in two, or 4 as was the case at Ultra Bar. And the DJ set-up at Lima is pretty damn sick. I see this as a good move for my friends at Glow and look forward to shooting more photos from the booth at Lima Lounge. As for Ultra Bar, I still think it's a beautiful club. But unless they host house or trance DJs, I'm not likely to attend any of their weekly parties. But that's me. *wink*

Photos by Doug Van Sant

BT: Music Should Be An Experience

2010-01-28T13:38:00.004-05:00

I've been following the Tweets of BT this morning and was intrigued when he mentioned a big announcement was in the works. With a gig at Ibiza this coming Saturday and the subject of an Urban Marinade post yesterday, I can't help but think BT and his music are on our minds as the weekend approaches. Well, below is the announcement via his blog at bt.tumblr.com.

BT Brings the Album Experience Back to Digital Music Consumers

BT Releases His Double-Disc Sixth Studio Album, These Hopeful Machines, as Two Individual Tracks on iTunes and Amazon

January 27, 2010, NEW YORK, NY - Internationally renowned artist, visionary producer, film composer and technologist BT has always been known for being unpredictably groundbreaking. From his artist albums to his film compositions to his production for superstars such as Sting, Madonna, and Britney Spears, platinum-selling artist BT is consistently looked to in the music community as an innovator and pioneer, constantly pushing the envelope of what is possible in both music production and innovation around the modality of his music. In an unprecedented move, BT has chosen to release his new album, THESE HOPEFUL MACHINES (February 2, Nettwerk), as two individual tracks on iTunes: Disc 1 and Disc 2.

“I have always believed in the album experience,” recounts BT. “So much is lost by picking and choosing tracks and shuffling them together randomly. I strive to create an active, rather than a passive, listening experience. I am always opting to engage listeners in a meaningful way. The experience of music should be just that: an experience. Not a passive or secondary activity. These are my fondest memories of music, listening as an activity, and this is the experience that I wish to share with my audience.”

These Hopeful Machines is a double-disc opus that carries listeners through 2 hours of sweeping orchestral arrangements, pulsating electronic beats, heartfelt vocal melodies and even simple acoustic guitar. These Hopeful Machines embodies BT’s ability to weave both his technical prowess and compositional mastery that reminds listeners why he is the composer that all other composers and producers study.

This album is the follow up to 2006’s This Binary Universe, an album that created an entirely new genre of evocative electro-acoustic music. Keyboard Magazine wrote in a review, “In a hundred years, it could well be studied as the first major work of the new millennium. It’s that good.” These Hopeful Machines continues to evolve BT’s distinct technical, lyrical and compositional vision and execution, but his usual melodic complexity and bleeding-edge electronic techniques permeate the album from start to finish.

From an early age, BT, born Brian Transeau, demonstrated a remarkable aptitude for playing and understanding classical music. He was heavily influenced by avant-garde and romantic composers such as Stravinsky, Bartok, Debussy and Rachmaninov. His biggest influences, however, were from everyday sounds that most would take for granted, from noticing the meter of the grandfather clock in the foyer to the micro-rhythms of crickets and cicadas to the ambience of passing trains at night.

“When examining my creation process, it makes perfect sense why I am a forced technologist,” he explains. ”I frequently face the fact that the tools I need to compose music simply don’t exist. It is like being an architect without bricks or mortar. I routinely create my own bricks and connective tissue as the diving off point to the compositional process.” The drive to actualize the tools BT envisions has led to his evolution as one of the most cutting-edge programmers and technologists in music today. He has expanded this reach into a visionary software venture, Sonik Architects, which launched its critically- and commercially-acclaimed iPhone application, Sonifi™, last fall.

Says BT, “My ultimate goal is to keep the emotional counterpoint and the integrity of the song intact, even when pushing the envelope with style and technique. The faster things get, the less people are willing to take in a body of creative work. There are so few things now that will engage us. The intent of consuming music is usually to have an awareness or a feeling, to have a truly, empathic connection to others. My hope is to create something that makes people feel that they have consumed something that completes a void. I want to create something lasting.”

These Hopeful Machines track listing:

Disc 1
1. Suddenly
2. The Emergency
3. Every Other Way
4. The Light Of Things
5. Rose Of Jericho
6. Forget Me

Disc 2
1. A Million Stars
2. Love Can Kill You
3. Always
4. Le Nocturne De Lumiere
5. The Unbreakable
6. The Ghost In You

I know I don't need to say this, but you should buy this double-disc album. And you should be at Ibiza on Saturday night for a sneak peek of BT's innovative and artistic skills.

Photo by Flickr user Travis Cripps

So...You Want To Go Clubbing

2010-01-27T14:49:00.005-05:00

Now that we've taken care of the whole business side of this Urban Marinade (Twitter, Facebook, Flickr), it's time we write about the meat of the weekend. We have more damn DJs spinning great electronic music in DC this coming weekend than I know what to do with. How is a respectable nightlife photographer and fan of dance music supposed to choose? Seriously, I really wish I could be in two places at the same time.

So you want to go clubbing? Well this is your weekend to do it. When I go through my list of venues and parties being thrown, it's usually pretty easy to map out a weekly agenda. You know from my past photo shoots that I tend to gravitate toward Ultra Bar on Thursday nights. Well the Glow crew is doing it up right again this week featuring Nic Fanciulli at this Penn Quarter gem.

Fanciulli has gained massive respect from DJs across the spectrum for his unique take on house music. Many of the biggest names in the business have labeled Fanciulli one of hottest rising stars in Europe while Pete Tong proclaimed him the finest resident in the UK. What it all boils down to is yet another great DJ set will be thrown down inside "the box" at Ultra.

I would be remiss if I failed to mention DJ Manifesto spinning at Lima Lounge on Thursday night as well. If you recall, I captured some freakin sweet images of Manifesto and DJ Jason Greene at the inaugural Love of Haus party at Lima. What you can't see in those images is the hard hitting house that tickled my ear drums all night long. I can't tell you which event to attend. That has to be a game time decision for you to make. But either way, you can't go wrong with either Lima or Ultra Bar.

Friday nights are usually saved for dinner somewhere and a stop at my favorite Chinatown club Muse Lounge. Muse has done something very few clubs attempt by featuring electronic music on multiple floors. Listen, I totally understand having each room of your venue feature something different. You have a better chance of making everyone happy. But what Muse is doing is making dance music fans downright giddy.

This Friday, Muse and District Ignition present Snatch Rewired featuring the sounds of Treasure Fingers, Spiggy and Steve Bugbee on the first floor. Not enough? Head up to the third floor where Tanc, Aligning Minds and Amitai will be spinning house all night long.

Tired Yet?

This brings us to Saturday. Ah Saturday in the District! Put your hands up for DC, the lovely city... But seriously folks, Saturday has two parties that I have absolutely no idea which to choose. You can't go wrong either way. Both are being held in our biggest and best nightclubs. Both feature world-class DJs respected around the globe. Both will leave your heart buzzing and your adrenaline boiling.

My friends at Glow will feature Cedric Gervais at FUR Nightclub. My heart leans toward this party because I personally had tremendous success shooting photos of Gervais. The one featured at the top of this post remains one of my favorite nightlife shots of all time and is hanging on my wall at home. The last time Gervais spent time on the FUR decks, I remember a crowd that stayed amp'd all night and a certain photographer (this guy) who didn't want the night to end. Of course we shoot nightlife photography because we love the music. But sometimes you just don't get into a set or maybe it's just not enough to keep you out super late knowing you'll need to find a cab after 3 a.m. But Gervais is one of those DJs that can keep your energy high all night and keep you wondering how each track seems to get better and better.

For years, Gervais has captivated clubbers and partygoers as he reigned supreme over the Miami dance scene. Although originally born in Marseilles, Cedric Gervais has chosen Miami as his adopted home, and the city has been more than happy to embrace him. He has held residencies at Crobar (now Cameo) and the world famous Nikki Beach, before taking over the Space Terrace. Cedric’s presence at the Space Terrace was felt immediately as people in the thousands began lining up to witness him devastate the after-hours scene. He'll bring it on Saturday night which is why you can't go wrong spending the evening at FUR.

But here is the kicker. Because of a little snow storm we had back in December so affectionately known as Snowpocalypse 2009, this Saturday night features another world-class DJ. Ibiza will feature the sounds of Maryland native and dance music pioneer BT.

From an early age, BT demonstrated a remarkable aptitude for playing and understanding classical music. He was heavily influenced by avant-garde and romantic composers such as Stravinsky, Bartok, Debussy and Rachmaninov. His biggest influences, however, were from everyday sounds that most would take for granted, from noticing the meter of the grandfather clock in the foyer to the micro-rhythms of crickets and cicadas to the ambience of passing trains at night.

The drive to actualize the tools BT envisions has led to his evolution as one of the most cutting-edge programmers and technologists in music today. He has expanded this reach into a visionary software venture, Sonik Architects which launched its critically- and commercially-acclaimed iPhone application, Sonifi™.

So as you can see, techno-wizardry will be on display at Ibiza DC this Saturday. And the choice of which party to attend won't get any easier as you do even more research on both of these artists. I won't tell you which one I plan to attend because that's a secret. You'll just have to come back to this blog to find the answer.

Photos by Doug Van Sant

A Call for Photographers

2010-01-27T14:18:00.003-05:00

Up until this point, I've been feeding the Urban Marinade experience with photos from my own collection and photos I find through search. But part of my mission with this blog is to expose the reader to high-quality nightlife and high-quality nightlife photography. And from what I've seen online, there are a ton of great photographers out there.

So... to accomplish this, I created a Flickr group called Urban Marinade DC. My hope is that other nightlife photographers will upload their images and add them to this group so we can feed the blog with your images. If all goes well, I'll run a weekly feature highlighting some of the photographers who uploaded images to the group, in hopes of giving them some exposure as well.

So if you enjoy photography, nightlife, and urban settings, please feel free to join the Flickr group and/or upload your images as often as you'd like.

Photo by Flickr user Sam Jones Photo

Thievery Corporation Does DC

2010-01-23T18:20:00.007-05:00

If you live in DC, you probably have a pretty good idea who Thievery Corporation is. Even if you're not really into their version of dub, acid jazz, reggae, world meets lounge aesthetic style, you've probably had a friend mention them at some point. If you go out in DC, there is a good chance you've paid a visit to any number of clubs (18th St. Lounge, Local 16, Marvin, etc.) connected to the duo. That's because this widely popular band/DJ group was founded by Rob Garza and Eric Hilton right here in our great city at the lounge that shares the name of their record label. And like most bands on tour, Thievery spends an extra few days of their tour in their hometown performing for their most beloved fans.

I was lucky enough to get a chance to attend their second night of performing at the famous 930 Club in the U Street neighborhood of the District. I had never seen Thievery in person. I've known about them and their music for at least 7 years because good friend Matt C. introduced me to one of their CDs back in the days of North Carolina. But after all this time of living in DC, I still had never taken the time to see them live.

The show was incredible. If you're like me and simply enjoy all types of music, Thievery is for you. The stars of the show are obviously Eric and Rob behind the decks of the metallic DJ booth. But from start to finish, different lead singers take the audience on a musical journey. We go from Middle Eastern inspired sounds driven by the strings from a sitar to Reggae Dancehall. You're literally taken from one corner of the world to the other while Rob and Eric blend it all together.

From a photography perspective, the show was interesting to say the least. Of course there are great colors to work with and the differing music and singers make for colorful characters to focus on. But what struck me was how small the actual photography pit is at 930. Honestly, there is less than a foot between the stage and the steel wall separating the audience from the band. And somehow we're supposed to squeeze in there and capture the vibe of the concert. Oh, and if you can get in there and get some good shots, you still have to figure out how to let other photographers get past you. Yeah... a small waistline is a prerequisite. The other issue is because of the nature of the show, your stars are in a DJ booth. From directly in front of the stage, you get half of their face in clear view.

Here's the good news. I was able to capture some good shots, as you see in the two included in this blog post. The better news is I get to go back tonight for more photos. The incredible news is not only will I get to shoot photos from the small-ass pit in front of the stage, I'll be taken backstage to shoot Eric and Rob inside the DJ booth. This is an honor I can't even describe in this blog. Shooting photos in the booth with Thievery is something you rarely see. In every search of Google I did, I never found a photo actually in the booth. So hopefully tonight I'll capture even better images and bring you as close to the action as you could possibly get without being there. This is gonna be good...

Photos by Doug Van Sant

Another Round of Drinks

2010-01-19T14:31:00.003-05:00

I'm typically not one to repost things that show up in other blogs. We want to keep this original, ya know... But the following little item from Cockeyed (reposted by Brightest Young Things) caught my eye and had to be shared with my readers. It's the Cocktail Calculator and it lets you calculate just how much that drink you just spent $15 on really costs.

I mean, the very nature of this blog just begs for something like this. We all go out to these bars and clubs and pay an arm and a leg for what we drink. Haven't you wondered just how much it actually costs the bar to produce that drink?

I plugged in my drink of choice, which is a Crown Royal Whiskey and Coke. I'm usually charged $8 to $10 for this drink at most DC drinking establishments. The true cost to make it? $1.34. Yep, the bars and clubs that serve this drink are making close to $8 profit on my drink.

I sent a quick note to my friend Daniel B. who works at Luka's Taproom in downtown Oakland and asked him what he typically finds is the best drink bargain based on true cost to the bar. His answer was "wine, for sure!" So there you have it. Drink up my friends!

Photo by Flickr user Jake Holt

What's Your Point of View?

2010-01-18T21:59:00.006-05:00

Have you ever gone into a bar or club and had just a horrible night, only to return a few months later and have a completely different experience? Or what if your original experience wasn't terrible, but it wasn't worth another visit for...oh, a few months. Well this is what happened to me this past week in DC.

If you recall from early last summer, I checked out the newly opened W Hotel and POV Lounge. My experience wasn't horrible. But there were some bumps and bruises from that visit and I frankly haven't had any real reason to return. Granted, Dan K. and I have made stops in the W Hotel lobby for a drink or two. But it wasn't until last Thursday that we returned to the rooftop terrace and lounge of this swanky DC hotel. My impressions have changed.

The first notable element of change is that the obnoxious lines trying to gain entry to the elevator upstairs are gone. This was a Thursday night, so it's possible you could find a line on Friday or Saturday night. But remember, it was a Wednesday night when I encountered close to 50 people dressed to impress waiting for their chance to experience the ultimate DC point of view. The next element of improvement was a staff prepared for anything. We were escorted upstairs, taken to the terrace, offered a place to sit and even offered drinks before I could take off my coat. This was a major change from the first week where POV couldn't decide if they wanted to be a velvet rope club or a tapas restaurant. Clearly, POV has accepted its role as a smooth character on the DC lounge circuit and the composed attitude reflects that.

Another stand-out element from last Thursday was one of the best Bailey's and coffee I've ever had. Dan K. asked me, "how could they mess that up?" I replied..."simple, bad coffee." This particular drink is made with a very smooth bean and brewed at what had to be the perfect temperature. I know it was late, but I ordered two.

POV has also added great music. DJ 2-Tone was spinning a groovy down-tempo hip hop that fit perfectly with the lounge mood. Honestly folks, sitting there sipping my coffee with soulful hip-hop feeding my ears while the Washington Monument stood brightly out the window next to me was a nocturnal dream come true. It was like taking a vacation from the usual high-energy K Street rat race and finding yourself at a rooftop oasis surrounded by history. Is there a better setting for this stuff or what?

The two photos in this post reflect what I saw that night. They reflect what POV has become since opening and what POV was destined to be. They reflect a beautiful rooftop lounge in a beautiful hotel with the best point of view in our city.

Photos by Doug Van Sant

A Sample of Restaurant Week

2010-01-17T16:59:00.005-05:00

Twice a year here in DC, we're treated to an event known as Restaurant Week. Assorted restaurants all over the region open their dining rooms to guests to enjoy a three-course prix-fixe menu at a set price. The obvious advantage is it gives folks a chance to enjoy some pricey restaurants at a fraction of what it might cost. Plus you get a pretty good sample of each menu and what should be the chef's signature dishes.

But there are also a lot of complaints to go along with restaurant week. I've heard restaurants limit what they place on their prix-fixe menu and leave off some of their best dishes. I've heard the staff at many of these restaurants slack-off because they feel the clientele isn't their normal customer base and probably won't return for the full-price menu. I've also heard some of the chef's use this particular week for when they take vacations...leaving their menu in the hands of sous chefs and kitchen apprentices. I've also noticed more and more of the big-name restaurants staying off this list all-together, making bargain dining hard to find.

For the first 3 years of living in DC, I embraced this concept. The moment restaurant week is announced, diners jump on Open Table and grab up reservations. I always look at the price listing and try to grab one or two reservations from the most expensive on the list. This year I snatched up a spot at Vidalia. After another sub-par experiences, it's probably one of the last Restaurant Week's I'll take part in.

Let me make something real clear. It is possible to have a great dining experience during this week. Last winter I had a great dinner at Art and Soul and Cafe Atlantico. During the summertime restaurant week, I enjoyed one of the best meals at Oval Room. Many restaurants get behind the concept and see it as a chance to show off and capture the attention of potential customers. I just seem to have lost interest in the idea.

So this time we hit up the subterranean power spot of Vidalia. Chef Jeffrey Buben describes Vidalia's cuisine as original American with a subtle Southern influence. The dining room is convivial yet elegant and exudes sophistication and confidence. We were greeted at the door where the hostess took our coats and quickly whisked us off to our table in a small room off the bar. I liked the intimacy of the small dining room until our neighbors decided to belt out laughter that could probably be heard on the other side of DC. We're talking serious decibel levels here. We thought we were safe when they left, only to hear the table next to theirs pick up where they left off. I mean seriously? Was it improv night at Vidalia.

Back to business. Our server was nice but a little aloof. He took a bit of time to make his way to our table but quickly retrieved our wine selection. He then proceeded to spill drips of the wine all over our table and our glasses. Not a big deal, but not what you'd expect in this fine dining establishment. But with wine in hand, we proceeded to eat.

I enjoyed a mushroom risotto with smoked gouda fondue, elf mushrooms and a broccoli rabe. The dish was smooth, well cooked and hearty for a cold night, but lacked the punch you might expect from a James Beard winning chef. My second course was a maple leaf farm duck breast with emmer wheat, dry cranberries, pecans, leg confit, duck egg and a bourbon barbecue. The duck was perfectly cooked and presented atop the cranberry confection. Mixing the sweet flavors of the bourbon bbq with the cranberry was a total delight. And the duck literally melted in my mouth. This was my favorite course of the night. We also added Vidalia’s baked macaroni with Amish cheddar, goat cheese and smoked ham for an additional cost, which was well worth it. Not only was it a creamy/cheesy plate of goodness, it helped us make up for a rather small second course which was nothing more than our proteins and some garnish. They were all good, but not quite a hearty amount of food.

I wrapped up my meal with a whoppers dessert, which was malted meringues, malted-milk chocolate mousse and chocolate sauce. This little creation was light, airy and a perfect sweet ending to the meal. The flavors together really did match what you'd taste when enjoying a box of malted milk balls at the movies. As my dad would say... how'd they do that?

Overall the food at Vidalia was great. The service was spotty but it was a busy Friday night and our waiter was very nice. The overall mood of the restaurant was simple, elegant and well done and the entire staff made us feel accommodated. In most cities on any given night, this restaurant would easily be one of the best. But this is DC. And on this night, Vidalia was just...eh. We're not New York or SF, but we're getting there. And we have access to some of the best chefs in the world now. If a restaurant doesn't put their best effort forward, you can definitely tell. I'd be very curious to see if Vidalia was any different when it's not restaurant week. Because to be perfectly honest, I got the impression we didn't get the best of this supposedly great DC restaurant. If I go back, I'll be sure to update you with what we find.

Photo courtesy of Vidaliadc.com

Rising Dance Music Star Headlines Ultra Bar

2010-01-12T14:04:00.004-05:00

One thing most of my friends don't realize about DC is how great this city is for dance music. Sure, Miami has great DJs spinning house and electro in the local grocery store. And babies seem to be born with headphones in NYC. But of all the cities I've lived in, The District holds it's own when it comes to local talent and national draw. And thankfully we have promoters and club owners who embrace the popularity and passion that comes with bringing in world-class performers.

Such is the case with the folks at Glow, who booked Chicago dance music star Blake Jarrell this Thursday at Ultra Bar in downtown DC. If you're searching for things to do and think you'd like to try your hand at some really good dance music, this is your best bet!

I had the chance to listen to and photograph Blake during his last visit to DC at Club Ibiza. I recall pausing for a moment in the middle of the shoot thinking to myself, damn this is good music. Blake is quite literally a natural behind the decks. He knows how to blend smooth trance-like music with driving rhythms. And he can work a crowd as good as the best in the business. I think this is what has helped place Jarrell on the upward trajectory in the electronic music world. A good DJ can mix well. A great DJ can read his crowd, feed off their energy and tap into their senses for a stunning musical journey. Think I'm making all of this up? Come to Ultra on Thursday and you'll see what I mean.

But the journey for Jarrell hasn't always been as spiritually uplifting. Blake carved himself a niche in the underground dance music scene in his hometown of New Orleans, performing at some of the cities biggest venues while producing and releasing singles on various labels. But when tragedy stuck the city during Hurricane Katrina, Jarrell packed his car with whatever he could and set forth to Chicago.

It was in the windy city where he fell in love with the booming house, techno and trance scene, which further helped shape his sound. It also brought a chance meeting with Armin van Buuren, who Blake passed along a CD of his productions. “It’s bittersweet that I had to lose my hometown to Hurricane Katrina to find such a musically nurturing city as Chicago,” says Blake who claims the storm as “simultaneously the best and worst thing that has ever happened to me.”

After listening to a few of his original productions, Armin contacted Blake and soon after he joined the Armada artist roster. Since that time Armin has invited Blake on several of his world tours as an exclusive special guest performer. Finally, Blake cemented his relationship with Armada Music when he joined a select group of international stars for full summer residencies at Armada’s weekly shindig at Amnesia in Ibiza in 2007 and 2008.

Blake put himself at the helm of a very unique project with his recent “Concentrate 2009″ album. Unlike other mix compilations, Blake painstakingly hand picked music selections to completely rework and remix them in the studio from the ground up in order to carve his signature sound into each of the 25 tracks, creating an incredibly cohesive journey across a vast storyline of sound.

The story continues this Thursday at Ultra Bar.

Photos by Doug Van Sant

USF Fires Coach for ... Coaching

2010-01-11T14:40:00.002-05:00

I don't typically stray too far from the nightlife reporting on here. But outside of my passion for the nocturnal life is my love of sports. So I couldn't help but comment on the recent firing of former USF football coach Jim Leavitt.

Having lived in Tampa for a few years, I'm well aware of the job Leavitt has done at USF. Folks have to remember the the University of South Florida didn't have a football program 14 years ago. Jim Leavitt was their first and only head coach. He built the program from ground up when they operated out of trailers held together with duck tape. Today they are members of the Big East conference, are a major player in South Florida recruiting and are routinely featured on national television playing other high-profile programs. To say USF football would not be where it is today without Jim Leavitt is an understatement. Leavitt is USF football!

So the controversy stems from a player who Leavitt "reportedly" grabbed by the throat and then slapped. And yet the player in question and his parents are denying those claims. Most of the close to 100 players at USF stand by their coach. USF however fired Leavitt because "internal and external" investigations found two eyewitness accounts that said otherwise.

Forgive me for thinking this, but we are talking about football right? I mean, this is the sport where you hit people, is it not? And it is a coaches duty to get their team fired up for games and/or when their players might be down on themselves along the sidelines...right? I mean, what type of football team is USF trying to produce?

One of the best quotes I saw in the comment section on ESPN said... "South Florida: fired their coach for grabbing and slapping a kid to get his attention. SLAPPING. The same thing a woman could do to you for an inappropriate pick up line in front of a police officer and not get charged."

Yeah, I'd like to recommend the next coach of USF keep a minimum of 2ft. distance from any player and bring lollipops to practice to keep the kids happy.

A Grand Opening at Recess

2010-01-08T12:28:00.004-05:00

Since we're in the process of catching up after the holidays, I figured it was time I update you all on a new nightlife venue opening in downtown DC. Just prior to Christmas, I had the pleasure of attending the soft-opening of Recess Lounge on December 16th.

Recess occupies the space that was once Geisha Lounge just one block from the White House. The location couldn't be more perfect for this type of club because of the recent arrival of the W Hotel and it's nocturnal contributor, POV. Each of these venues cater to a well-heeled DC crowd and offer patrons a little bit of everything along the 15th Street corridor. And with the addition of Recess, we now have several nightlife establishments all within walking distance of the K Street clubs like Lima, Tattoo, Lotus and Park at Fourteenth. Downtown DC has never looked so good! Or vibrant for that matter.

I've been to my fair share of opening parties. They usually dress up the clubs to look extra special and bring in "VIP" guests. The problem is most of us have no idea who the "VIP" guests actually are. And the night following the opening is usually a letdown; a true taste of how the club will operate. But Recess was different. They did bring in cocktail tables for guests to mingle near and converse over drinks. But the club operated and looked pretty much like you'd expect a finely tuned venue. Had I not known this was the first few nights of operation, I would never have been able to tell. An awful lot of thought was put into making this operation run smoothly...and it showed.

The venue itself can be described in one word. Beautiful! It's dressed in dark woods salvaged from centuries old walnut trees. There's a bar the entire width of the lounge near the front and a DJ booth dead center toward the rear. The entire room features an abstract lighting feature that can change based on the mood, music or whatever else your heart desires. There are tables and couches that run along one side and split the DJ booth, but most of this lounge is a dance floor. After spending several nights inside this venue, I can best describe it as a very large recording studio. The sound and acoustics are pretty much what every studio is designed to be and from what I can tell, there are zero flaws in the Recess system. I've only been in one other lounge that can match that type of sound quality and it's the venerable Cielo in NYC.

Owners Fisayo Esconsay and Brandon Howard, former DC club promoters, tell me Recess was designed around the music. I like to hear this! They also tell me they'll have at least one night that features house, one that features hip hop/top 40 and another that will cater to the smooth R&B and jazz fans. One thing is certain, you'll have a hard time standing still in this joint.

But above all of the promotional sounding verbage, high-end sound and fancy cocktails created by a bevy of mixologists, Recess comes with class and soul. Most of the nightlife venues I spend my evenings in are dressed up nice and have the latest and greatest gadgets in sound. But very few are able to touch each individual personally. From the moment I walked into Recess to the moment I closed my tab at the bar, they made me feel like they really cared to have my business. Both Brandon and Fisayo mingled with their patrons like everyone walking through the door was a friend. It's this attention to their customers happiness that will make this lounge one of the better in our vast District of a nocturnal abyss. I hope each of you will take the time to visit Recess because the people behind this lounge are dedicated to their concept and it shows.

The top photo and those below are part of a larger photo gallery I created from the soft-opening party. As you'll see, the design and colors in Recess make it very easy to shoot photos and very easy to capture the vibe of this beautiful club. If you'd like to see more, check out the complete gallery, otherwise enjoy your Recess...

75 Bars DC: Passenger

2010-01-06T10:00:00.005-05:00

There comes a point in your daily schedule when you realize you've got some unfinished business. You could continue to charge forward and ignore the unfinished business. But it will stick there in the back of your head like that annoying beeping sound construction vehicles make when they back up. You have no choice, you need to address it. Such is the case of The Passenger, the newly opened bar at the northern tip of Chinatown/Penn Quarter.

I'm about 4 weeks behind on posting this 75 Bars review of The Passenger. I probably could have posted it a few weeks ago, but we got socked by Snowpocalypse 2009 and then the holidays. And even after I got back to DC from vacation, I tried to find ways to ignore the impending crush of an otherwise good bar. In other words, I really, really wish I could say good things about The Passenger, but I can't. I've avoided the unavoidable up until this point. But I'm now faced with the fact that I went to a bar I wanted to like and walked away pretty damn disappointed. And as Dan and I had promised, we'd report on what we found on our visit. Seriously, I thought about going back to give them a second chance. But this particular column isn't about second chances. It's about what we find on our one visit to a particular watering hole. That being said, here goes.

When I heard about the opening of The Passenger, I was hopefully optimistic. The 7th Street location just north of New York Ave. really turned me on because I used to live 3 blocks away. I used to walk by what was then the bar at the Warehouse Theater on a daily basis and always felt this particular block was ripe for development. And I liked the idea of pushing the Chinatown/Penn Quarter development north into Shaw where the neighborhoods seamlessly connect. It all made sense. Upon arrival to The Passenger, I was greeted by a warm exterior and a rush of patrons coming and going. It was nice seeing so much foot traffic in my former hood. The interior was simple but comfortable. Even slightly stoic if you wanna go there. Soft, well placed lighting with ivory archways trimmed with dark woods made for a soothing introduction to the new Mt. Vernon haunt. There is a room off the back that's supposed to resemble a re-created dining car, but I never made it that far. The smooth and warm interior was pretty much the only thing I can say was good. Okay, there are other things, but we'll get to that.

I met up with good friends Dan K., Eric D., Ryan H. and Robert F. We grabbed a table just past the bar near the rear of the front room. The actual bar in the venue was quite small. Trying to make your way past the happy hour crowd at the bar seemed almost as crazy as tackling rush hour on 495. I stood behind the throng of people for - oh - just about 5 minutes before I realized I'd never get a drink. Thankfully they had servers wandering around and Dan and Rob had flagged one down. Here is where things get tricky. The Passenger is owned by two of DC's top mixologists, Derek Brown and his older brother Tom. The two can make literally any cocktail you want. And so they designed the Passenger that way. There are no drinks on the menu. You tell them what you like and they make something creative. Sounds like a neat gimmick, but it leaves a lot to be desired.

First off, I'm not a bartender. I never have been. I know I like Crown and Cokes. I know I like gin. Otherwise, I'm at the mercy of the individual behind the bar making beverages. So it's nice having suggestions on drink ideas. Asking me to name a cocktail or tell them what I like is as bad as asking me to name my favorite Chemist. You tell me what's good. You're the bartender. The problem is, unless you have Derek standing in front of you making your drink personally, it leaves you a bit lost. Not to mention, there aren't any prices for drinks listed anywhere. I figured I'd go safe and order my usual Crown Royal and Coke. Dan ordered his usual Seven and Seven. 20 minutes later the waitress returns to tell me she doesn't have Crown. No Crown at a bar? Fair enough, I bite on the creative drink idea. I tell her I like gin and off she goes. I'm still unaware of how much I'll be paying for my beverage. I just know something will come back based on my enjoyment of gin. At least, I think a drink will return.

20 minutes after I corrected my drink order, the waitress returns to tell Dan they don't have Seven. Mind you, this is 40 minutes after Dan first ordered his drink. I take the opportunity while we have the waitress nearby and order one of their Slaw Dogs (hot dog). My cocktail creation arrives about 10 minutes later. "What is it?", I ask. "Dunno" says the waitress. Um, seriously? I bought into your crafty bastard drink idea, the least you can do is tell me what I'm drinking. "There's gin in it" she says. Well now, that makes me happy. At least I know there is gin in my drink... (rolling my eyes).

10 minutes later, my slaw dog arrives. One hour after placing his order, Dan is still standing there without a drink. He's trying to ask the waitress, but she seems to be space cadeting off somewhere other than The Passenger, or even DC for that matter. Lord knows where her head was at that point. Approximately one hour and 30 minutes after ordering his drink, Dan is finally presented with a cocktail. Don't ask what it was... the waitress didn't know. It didn't matter at that point. It had alcohol in it, so Dan was drinking it.

Clearly the drink issue, the waitress and the timeliness of the bar was a problem. I can accept certain things when a business is just opening. I realize this is a new bar and it's quite popular. But the waitstaff should know what they are serving their patrons. And any wait over 20 minutes for a drink is unacceptable. An hour and 30 minutes is cause to be panned, which is what I'm doing.

With all due respect to Derek and Tom, my drink was very good. And the slaw dog was one of the best hot dogs I've had in DC since moving here. Imagine a perfectly cooked dog with just the right amount of char and a slight hint of honey BBQ. Seriously, the quality of the food and drink could easily make this one of the better bars in the District. But the wacky name your own beverage idea, lack of prices anywhere and horrible service simply wasn't enough to overcome. I'd be willing to go back, but any bar that puts out such a poor first impression really needs to iron out these kinks before it's worth my time. As I've said before, there are just too many places in DC that offer me a valuable nightlife experience to accept anything less.

I'm hoping The Passenger can improve. I really, really want it to do well. Better yet, I want my old hood to do well. Fingers crossed DC!

Dan K. points to his watch after receiving his beverage one hour and 30 minutes after ordering.

1st Photo by Jim Webb
2nd and 3rd Photo by DVS

Ugly Christmas Sweater Party 2009

2009-12-25T00:01:00.003-05:00

The weekend before Christmas is usually a time of last-minute shopping, packing for travel and holiday parties. In fact, Dan Kelly and I had put together the details to host a sweet holiday party featuring the famous ugly Christmas sweater. But not this year!

Our grand plan to host the biggest and baddest ugly Christmas sweater party was thwarted by Mother Nature when a winter storm dumped roughly 16 inches of snow on the District. Would-be-guests were left snowed-in at their homes as Metro shut down above ground stations and city roads were nearly impassable. So many ugly Christmas sweaters never saw the light of day because of this rare winter dumping.

But because Dan and I have that never say die spirit, the party went on as planned. Sure, it was just 5 of us donning our funktified holiday garb. But damnit, we had some fun. And I have to give a shout out to Robert Fairbairn for being the only one to brave the blizzard and drive to the party. Granted, Rob has a vehicle that can handle the snow and did go to college where snow is plentiful. But I digress, we had a blast, played some Wii and Rock Band and documented the madness with a few images. We'll try again next year, so start looking for your ugly sweater today.

After you've looked at these images, I'd like to point out that finding an ugly Christmas sweater isn't as easy as you might think. Everyone thinks, "gosh, those are easy to find. I mean who wants those!" But hell, it took Jo and I quite a bit of leg work to finally track some down. We ultimately found two girls Christmas sweaters at the Georgia Ave. Thrift Shop in the Brightwood neighborhood, which turned out to be perfect.

Snowpocalypse 2009

2009-12-21T17:25:00.003-05:00

The weekend before Christmas is usually a time of last-minute shopping, packing for travel and holiday parties. But plans were changed in 2009 as a winter storm dumped roughly 16 inches of snow on the District. Some areas of Virginia saw as much as 26 inches. Instead of buying last-minute gifts, people were in a mad rush buying toilet paper and milk. It was a little crazy.

Since I'm lacking in the snow apparel department, I didn't wander too far away from my house during the height of the storm. But I was able to capture some neat shots in the Capitol Hill and Navy Yard neighborhoods of DC. Enjoy...

75 Bars DC: Galaxy Hut

2009-12-04T16:30:00.007-05:00

We continue our 75 Bars adventure in the great Commonwealth of Virginia with a stop at the ultra hipster hideout, Galaxy Hut. I'll go ahead and admit here that I had not heard of Galaxy Hut prior to reading the Washingtonian 75 Bars issue. Even after reading, I couldn't get a sense of what to expect. All they said was "it's small." Okay, but that can mean anything. What's the crowd like? What's the decor like? Are the drinks good? Dan and I found out!

We hit up Galaxy Hut after our visit to the wonderful Liberty Tavern. We had already experienced a great bar in LT, so it would be hard to top what was presented to us there. And frankly, I kinda expected some disappointment based on what I already knew about the venue. After parking the car on a side street, Dan and I agreed, "this would be interesting."

Galaxy Hut is located almost dead-center between the Clarendon and Court House Metro stops along Wilson Blvd. It's an unassuming white building clustered in with a bunch of other unassuming white buildings. Your only sign to locate the bar is a flag hanging out front and some pretty funky colored lights and a crafty sign hanging in the window. This was a Thursday night, so street traffic was light and there was no band playing. But upon entry into this little hangout, I was overwhelmed with a sense of artistic expression. Galaxy Hut is basically what every coffee shop strives to be. It's quaint. It's unique. It's rustic but not dirty. It's small, but not a shoebox. And best of all, it truly is a hipster bar...not some prefabricated venue designed to look hip but is actually an Ikea showroom that serves beer. The art on the wall is all original and local. The patrons are all loyal customers and local. The music that is performed at Galaxy isn't necessarily local, but the support is truly grassroots.

The bar is dark and gets it's lighting from those funky lights in the window and from the video games that serve as tables. Near the back of the bar is a kitchen that serves up a nice assortment of vegan and vegetarian friendly fare. They don't sell hard alcohol, but have a very large assortment of draft and bottled beers. Yes, people were drinking Pabst, but you get the sense they drink it because they like it, not because Urban Outfitters says it's cool. In other words, this bar is straight up real.

Dan and I found a seat at one of the video game tables and ordered our beverages. I wish I could remember what Mr. Dan ordered, but I got so giddy about my own selection. Galaxy Hut was elevated in my eyes the moment I saw they had a Belgian lambic. It gets better kids! The Belgian lambic was priced at a very reasonable $7. I almost fell out of my seat when I saw that. Oh, but we're not done yet.

Remember the food menu I mentioned? Well I couldn't let the night go by without ordering their tater tots. Yes, you read that correctly. They have tater tots on the menu. I mean, is this a real-life DVS dream-come-true? Raspberry lambic and tater tots? My mouth waters right now thinking about it. And I wasn't the only one stoked about the tots. Dave from DC said it best when he confessed "I'm not going to eat dinner. I'm just going to stay here and eat tots!" I couldn't agree more.

You see, the thing about Galaxy Hut is you get a real sense of expression and uniqueness in this little bar. While sitting there enjoying my lambic, I really felt like I was enjoying someone's truly unique bar concept. As I said before, it might be a hipster magnet, but it's real. Galaxy Hut is a geek-chic bar with an artistic edge that knows exactly what it wants to be and will stay that way as long as the DC area echo boomers continue to visit.

I will most certainly go back to this bar. Because no matter how much I enjoy the fine dining establishments of the District, there is nothing better than a lambic and tater tots!

1st Photo by Flickr user JackiePants'
2nd Photo by Flickr user Tim Serge
3rd Photo by Flickr user Waleed123
4th Photo by Flickr user HoiPolloi

Celebrating A Year of Excellence at Muse

2009-11-30T08:01:00.010-05:00

It was a quiet Thursday evening in the District almost one year ago when Dan Kelly and I wandered into a nightclub on 6th Street in Chinatown. I had just started writing for the WB and Dan had an idea to do a drink of the week concept for my blog. We had a drink at this new establishment and continued on to our main destination, Josephine. The evening at Josephine was a bust, so we returned to the Chinatown nightclub because of the warm hospitality we had received. And for one year now we've been going back to Muse Nightclub almost weekly.

I've had the pleasure of seeing some of the best house DJs hit up the turn tables at Muse, including the likes of Marques Wyatt and King Britt. I also had a chance to teach a weekly dance class at the club and see some of the world's best Lindy Hoppers tear up the dance floor. In other words, Muse has been good to us over the past year.

So on November 13th, Muse Lounge celebrated their 1-year anniversary of epic parties in Chinatown. And of course, Urban Marinade was there to document the chaos and celebrate the success of this downtown nightclub. And in true Muse fashion, they hired world-class artist DJ Icey for the evening.

Icey has a long history within the electronic music ranks as being one of the innovators of "Florida Breaks." He's influenced the likes of Baby Anne and Kimball Collins and was the DJ that convinced the Chemical Brothers to do their first show in the States. So yeah, the guy knows his way around a DJ booth and knows how to make you move. He was also one of the first DJs I had the pleasure of covering in Tampa when I started writing Nocturnal Vibe 6 years ago.

The following is a collection of photos from the evening. Not enough for a full gallery on dougvansant.com, but enough to whet your appetite for more of what this great DC nightclub has to offer.

75 Bars DC: Liberty Tavern

2009-11-29T12:41:00.004-05:00

Since our 75 Bars DC adventure has kept us in the District the past few outings, Dan and I figured it was time to visit our friends to the west in Virginia. According to the Washingtonian list, there are 12 bars in the Commonwealth worthy of our attention. And while I don't get into Virginia that often for nightlife, I'm sure there are others not listed worth a visit. If you own a bar or know of one you really enjoy, let me know. It doesn't matter if it's in DC, Arlington, Vienna or Greenbelt. We're here to serve you with the most accurate and real-life accounts of these drinking establishments.

That being said, I have one thing I have to vent about today. I don't know about you, but I get really annoyed by the whole bridge and tunnel crowd that seems to be growing in numbers in our city. You know what I'm talking about. These are the people who live in DC but act like there is a vast wasteland of rednecks and strip malls just across the Potomac River. They talk in dramatic tones about how great DC is and sound exasperated at the thought of even thinking about Virginia. You almost get the impression that they fear they'll sprout a mullet, lose a tooth and start talking with a twang if they even look in that westerly direction. I didn't encounter these types on my 75 Bars night but overheard a young guy last night at Zaytinya trying to impress some lady-friends. The funny thing is, I think the guy who was acting like a DC-snob sounded more like a tourist than the people who live in the suburbs. I mean, he talked about his neighborhood and the bars he visits like he's going down a checklist pulled from Travel magazine. Dude, no one cares if you go to Marvin all the time. With all due respect, everyone has been to Marvin and it really isn't that cool. So you can understand why I was excited to trek into Virginia on this particular evening to experience some of what the Old Dominion has to offer and rub it in the noses of these District snobs that probably grew up in...Virginia.

Our first spot was Liberty Tavern in the Clarendon neighborhood of Arlington. Like DC, Arlington is a cluster of defined neighborhoods. Clarendon sits along a corridor of tightly compact neighborhoods all connected by Metro and Wilson Blvd. These neighborhoods are newer and seem to cater to a large young population looking for city-life but suburban amenities. Liberty Tavern sits at the corner of Wilson, N. Irving St. and Washington Blvd. It's housed in an historic Masonic Temple building and decked out with black awnings, a hard-to-miss neon sign and outdoor dining. The interior is nicely appointed with dark-warm woods, high ceilings and an imposing staircase to an upstairs dining room. The downstairs bar has a long communal table fit for sharing food or enjoying a cocktail after a long day of sitting at a desk.

The first thing you notice at Liberty is the buzz of energy throughout the bar. Most of the crowd is fairly young in the early-to-mid 30's range. The fashion - button down shirts, khaki pants and pleats (oh God, pleats!) - definitely agrees with the suburban work-life vibe most of the patrons exude. I'd bet half work in DC and half work in Virginia, but almost all of them come back to this neighborhood and visit Liberty because of it's friendly neighborhood pub appeal.

And the bartenders certainly contribute to the atmosphere with their welcoming demeanor. We were greeted within 20 seconds after settling in to our bar stools by a very friendly bartenders named Nick. In true Cheers fashion, Nick introduced himself, asked our names and shook our hands. It might seem simple, but this greeting always props up a venue in my regard. We ordered our standard drinks of choice and sat back to take in the atmosphere.

One thing I'll say for Liberty is everything about this bar is done well. I believe the proper word would be balanced. I had a standard Crown & Coke for drink #1 and a glass of Malbec for drink #2, both of which were very enjoyable. Dan enjoyed a Belgian wheat beer to start and the aptly named Masonic (Evan Williams Black Bourbon, Lemon Juice, Mint, Water, served in a mason jar) for his second beverage. All of which were made well and clearly show an attention to detail behind the bar.

We ran into our fair share of drunk ladies heading home after a successful happy hour and a young girl who almost lit her eyebrow on fire while trying to have a smoke out front. So thankfully there was some color in the evening. But overall Liberty Tavern is a solid neighborhood bar worthy of another visit. And a little side note about this tavern is they host a very nice Sunday brunch that comes complete with a candy table offering selections of Pez. Seriously!

I know I'll never convince some people to visit Virginia for a nocturnal experience. Clearly Mr. Happy at Zaytinya is proud of his cookie cutter nightlife selections that Zagat keep telling him are cool. But for those looking for a balanced night of great cocktails, warm and inviting atmosphere and friendly bartenders who will remember your name, Liberty is the spot.

It's All Gone Pete Tong

2009-11-23T11:27:00.004-05:00

I recently got around to posting a few more galleries on my site and wanted to share with you this collection from a night with Pete Tong at Glow.

For those not familiar with Tong, his work transcends many years of dance music artists and styles. As a DJ, Pete has graced the decks of the best clubs and festivals worldwide. As a producer he's assembled the music for many different soundtracks and was the inspiration behind the hit film "It's All Gone Pete Tong."

Pete's success as a broadcaster, clubland DJ and music industry maven is his ability to create a balance between credibility and commerciality and is not afraid to drop the hits on the decks. "People forget it's entertainment," Pete explains. "I wouldn't be doing this if I couldn't champion new music, but a mix is the key. And it's supposed to be fun."

I was pretty excited to see Pete for the first time because he's a name I've become familiar with through the BBC-One essential mixes. I can't even begin to tell you how many DJ mixes I've listened to with the BBC (Radio)-One call sign announced. You almost begin to expect to hear it while listening to any dance music mix.

I wish I could say I was as excited about the images I captured from the evening. I like some of the color in these shots, but I was very disappointed with the clarity and sharpness of the photos. I've been over-thinking my nightlife photography, trying to use different techniques to pull out more color and style in my shots. What's happened is that I'm getting vibrant the color but losing some of the crisp and clean, noise-free shots I've captured on recent outings.

The following are some of the better images from the gallery. To be perfectly honest with you, the best shot came during the opening DJ set. I had everything set correctly and just got a little happy with my exposure settings throughout the night. I really can't wait to get back out and continue to refine my nightlife style and try to correct some of my mistakes in these shots. In the meantime, enjoy these photos and please let me know what you think.

Spooky Evening at the Skyline

2009-11-16T08:51:00.006-05:00

I'm seriously way behind in updating this blog with details on parties and events, so I figured I should try to get everyone up to speed. As our 75 Bars DC experiment continues, I'm finding time to check out other parties that you should know about. That's why I wanted to post a few words about this year's Capitol Skyline - Metromix Halloween Party.

Halloween was definitely more special to me this year because I was sharing it with Joelle and we had decided to team up for our costume. If you're looking at the photo and wondering what in the world we were trying to be, you probably don't watch True Blood on HBO. It's okay, I didn't either until Jo came up with the idea. Anyhow, I'm Bill Compton, the vampire and Jo is Sookie Stackhouse, his "woman." The show is actually pretty neat and engaging, so it was easy getting behind this costume idea. And those who know the show immediately picked up on us. I think the best part of our look was the Tru Blood bottle Jo created using a photo I printed and some contact paper. It was actually pomegranate tea, but damn did it not look like the bottles of Tru Blood from the show?

So we hit up the Capitol Skyline because my friends Alyssa Shelasky, Spike Mendelsohn and Angie Goff were hosting the Metromix DC party there. Now it seems like every bar, club and hotel hosts some type of halloween party. So it takes some research to figure out which one will actually be "fun." Thankfully the Capitol Skyline was! I spent several Sunday afternoon's at the Skyline pool for Spike's weekly party and had a blast, so I had no reason to think this party would be any different.

I think the thing I like most about the Skyline is they attract a diverse and well put-together crowd. This party had all the makings of a great evening...DJ Flounder, local celebrities, a costume contest and hotel rooms just a few feet away for the buzzed and tired. And almost everyone dressed up. We saw several versions of Superman, a whoopie cushion, Stewie from family guy showing his ass, Billy Mays of Oxi Clean and even Interstate 495. Yes, someone actually dressed up as the freeway.

So when it comes time to start planning your Halloween adventures next year, peek at the Capitol Skyline web site and see what they're offering. If Alyssa and crew do it again, it's sure to be THE Halloween party to attend. Below are a few more shots from the evening and you can see all of them here on Dougvansant.com.

75 Bars DC: The Gibson

2009-11-13T15:47:00.007-05:00

It's going on 9 p.m. on a recent Thursday night. Myself, Dan, Rick and Rob are all enjoying libations at Bar Pilar, part of our 75 Bars DC experiment. I look at my watch and realize we need to get going. We have a reservation waiting and we can't be late. We slug our drinks down as quickly as possible, settle our tab and exit Bar Pilar to the vibrant 14th and U Street corridor. We don't go very far...just two blocks to our final destination of the evening. We stop in front of what looks like an abandoned building. No signage, no lights, not even a hint of activity. The windows and doors are closed and covered with steel garage security doors. The only sign of life comes from the DC socialites gathering out in front of Marvin directly next door.

We try the front door. It doesn't open. We ring the doorbell and after about a minute a young doorman steps out and brings us into a dark hallway. You get the feeling you've just walked into a crack house. He asks if we have a reservation. We do. A couple had walked in behind us and so he asks them if they have one. They do not. He takes their cell phone number and says he'll be calling. They leave. He then opens a black door and walks us in. Welcome to The Gibson.

The Gibson opened on 14th Street just about a year ago with little fanfare. That, of course, would go against its speakeasy concept, which comes from owner Eric Hilton of Thievery Corporation, the Eighteenth Street Lounge and neighboring Marvin. I remember my first visit proved it's easier to just book a reservation days ahead than try your hand at the door, which that couple that followed us in quickly found out. The Gibson has a strict "no standing" policy and does not allow lines out the door. They simply take your cell phone number and call you when (if at all) a spot opens up.

On this evening, the four of us planned ahead and were walked straight in to our table. The bar is made of lush appointments with intricately embossed black leather and warm unfinished wood on the bar and cozy booths. There's a patio out back, and the back room sports an absinthe fountain. A chalkboard is updated with the list of drinks to give imbibers a quick view of the menu. The Gibson isn't a place to be seen. It's a bar dedicated to the drink and allows you to settle into your own little world and forget all of that narcissistic showboating that goes on at most nightlife establishments. If anything, the trendy side of The Gibson is simply being able to tell people you've been there.

On this night Rob and I both started out with the Blue Blood, which consisted of Laphroaig 10 Year Single Malt Scotch, Leopold Bros. Tart Cherry Liqueur, Grand Marnier and Dolin Dry Vermouth. The drink was decent but had an awfully strong peaty flavor coming from the scotch that overpowered the drink. I don't mind scotch, but I really don't want my beverage to taste like a campfire.

Rick enjoyed the Obituary Cocktail, which was Tanqueray 10 Gin, Dolin Dry Vermouth and Kubler Absinthe. Rick described the drink as clear, neat and innocent but packs a strong little punch. "The cocktail hits the nose with the strong scent of black licorice but quickly fades into a classic gin flavor" says the Rick. "Almost as soon as it appears, the Tanqueray dissipates as a fleeting memory and settles back into the smooth flavor of licorice."

Dan went with the Tennessee Rose, a drink he enjoyed at Off the Record and I assume was just as good at this drinking establishment. I didn't see it on the menu, so I'm going to assume it's prepared in a similar fashion.

My second drink was a Planters Punch, which was Appleton Estate Light Rum, Myer's Dark Jamaican Rum, Orange, Lemon and Grenadine. I wish I could give you details on this drink, but my palate was pretty much ruined after finishing off my strong peaty Blue Blood and trying Rick's second drink. As a friend recently said on Twitter, ZOMG!!! Rick's second beverage was known as The Upstate. His description pretty much says it all... "Pure gas! Don't smoke next to this puppy or it'll blow. The rye overpowers the drink but does end with a hint of citrus. Not for the faint at heart." He wasn't kidding. If your taste buds aren't numb after a few drinks of The Upstate, I'm impressed.

The drinks weren't the only thing that left us a little ruined. If there was one thing I seriously didn't like about The Gibson, it was the sudden time limit put on our table. I'm not kidding. After about 30 minutes of enjoying great cocktails and appetizers, the doorman comes over and says we have "30 more minutes before we have to give up our table." WTF? When's the last time you had a bartender tell you you've got 30 minutes before you have to give up your stool for another hearty drinker? We asked the waitress and she informed us he was wrong, we have about an hour left. But still... you're timing us? The Gibson had started out so perfectly but was quickly and quietly crashing our 75 Bars party. I understand the nature of the bar in their reservation policy. But I think once you're in, you should be able to stay. I know The Gibson would be the type of place I could spend 2 or 3 hours drinking and enjoying conversation. It's not the typical bar in DC where you're asses to elbows and have to yell just to say "What's up dude!" The Gibson is about savoring your drink and so it came as a surprise that we were being hurried along to finish these types of drinks.

I won't completely rip the place because of this policy, but I will let them know it kinda sucks. But in fairness to The Gibson, it's an awesome little bar and worth some of the bumps and bruises that go with trying to maintain a different type of nightlife establishment. And I suppose it's good they impose a time limit or else most of the patrons wouldn't be able to walk much after drinking more than 1 or 2 of the supremely strong beverages.

The Gibson is hot folks. But make sure you book a reservation and don't plan to stay all evening.

75 Bars DC: Bar Pilar

2009-11-09T14:40:00.004-05:00

75 Bars DC made a triumphant return to the streets of the District last week with 14th Street as our target. The neighborhood is known simply as U Street, but it could be argued that it's also the northern borders of Logan Circle. Whatever you call it, the 14th and U area of DC has become one of the hottest neighborhoods in our city. It's chocked full of trendy restaurants, galleries, theaters, Whole Foods and of course, bars.

We kicked off our evening with a stop at the well known and local favorite, Bar Pilar. This little tavern is a small Ernest Hemingway-inspired bar that sits near the corner of 14th and T Streets NW and is owned by the same people who own the popular Cafe Saint Ex. "El Pilar" was, as devoted Hemingway aficionados know, the name of Hemingway's fishing boat that he kept at his home in Cuba. So it should be no surprise that Bar Pilar has several fishing and nautical items posted along the walls.

I'll admit that I haven't had the best of experiences in this bar prior to this night. Mainly, I've always found it to be incredibly crowded and rather hard getting your hands on one of their crafty beverages. It always seemed like one of these popular yuppie/hipster joints that serve hard to find brew and alcoholic concoctions that leave you scratching your head. But I'll go ahead and say, Bar Pilar impressed me on this night.

The place was crowded as usual and as Rob said in his follow-up report to me, it's vibe was "a little on the emo/counterculture side." I got the impression the crowd was a combination of neighborhood residents and local activists. Simply stated, it was a diverse group of grazers who don't want to spend a fortune but want some variety with their cocktails. Either way, we settled into a spot at the bar, took off our coats and began exploring the drink menu. Pilar serves a whole assortment of beverages and hard-to-find beers, but their specialty cocktail list is what they're known for. I order a Bee's Knees which is an excellent blend of Plymouth Gin, lemon juice and honey syrup. It's like a slightly sweet and sour version of a gin and tonic, taking a rather bitter drink and giving it a full-body of life. In a city where specialty cocktails are pushing towards the $20 range, paying $10 for this drink is a steal.

Dan tried the Golden Bulleit, which was Bulleit Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey with an orange-clove syrup and Rob enjoyed a Dark N' Stormy, which was Gosling Black Seal Rum and Fentiman's ginger beer. Our good friend Rick joined us a few minutes later and ordered one of my favorites, a tasty Lindemans Framboise Belgian Raspberry Lambic. As far as I could tell, everyone thoroughly enjoyed their fancy pants cocktails, which added to a pretty spirited vibe throughout the bar. I specially like the attention to detail our bartender paid to our drinks and she even took the time to explain why certain drinks were her favorites. The last time 75 Bars hit the streets, we seemed to run into cerebral bartenders who gave us funny looks for even asking for recommendations. When you have a talented craftsman behind the bar like they did on this evening at Bar Pilar, it's no wonder they enjoy explaining and showing off their goods.

I closed out my stop at Bar Pilar with an aptly named Hemingway, which was Plymouth Gin, green coconut water, Angostura bitters and fresh lime juice. It sounds freaking amazing but it pretty much fell short of anything exciting. Wasn't bad, but the Bee's Knees is where it's at! Overall Bar Pilar serves as a well thought out and well run tavern in a neighborhood where excellence and competition is to be expected.

Stay Away From This Restaurant

2009-11-08T18:35:00.002-05:00

When I used to write my weekly nightlife column Nocturnal Vibe in Tampa, Florida, I tried to keep things positive. My motto was, if it's great, I'll tell you about it. If it sucks, I just won't recommend it. But then over time I've learned the power of prose. I've learned that sometimes you just have to speak your mind and make others aware of unsavory situations you may have experienced. Such is the case of a recent visit to DC restaurant Oya in Chinatown.

Let's set the stage for you really quick. It's Friday night. I booked an 8 p.m. reservation for 10 to host a secret birthday dinner for my girlfriend Joelle. The idea was that everyone would arrive by 8 and be seated. We would arrive around 10 after 8 and, surprise...everyone is there! Up until this night, Oya had been one of my favorite restaurants in a city of culinary heavy-weights. The design is impeccable, the vibe is smooth and hip and the food has always been some of the best I've had. And I've always appreciated their inexpensive prix fixe 3-course menu.

Oh, how quickly they fall!

My negative experience began when I called the restaurant earlier in the day to confirm everything. They explained they wouldn't seat anyone until we all had arrived. I explained the situation of the surprise birthday dinner in hopes they'd understand. No go. They simply would not seat our table unless we all were there. Well that sucks. Way to work with me there Oya!

So we arrive to the restaurant on time where everyone is waiting to surprise my lovely girlfriend. All is well so far despite the strict seating rules. That is until we see a party of 20 sitting at our table and realize we'll have to wait until they are done to be seated. Now, this has happened before at Oya. Dan and I waited an hour and a half one evening for a reservation Dan had made for a party of 8. We're thinking, can this truly be happening again? Well, it was and the staff at Oya didn't seem to care. In my opinion, a reservation for 8 p.m. means a reservation for 8 p.m. I'll accept a 10, maybe 15 minute delay on the table. But what's a reservation system for if you still have to wait 30 minutes or more? I could probably be seated next door at Zaytinya for the same amount of time without a reservation.

So we're taken to our table at 8:35 p.m. and everyone is still in good spirits. Joelle was happy, so that was the most important thing on this night. We ordered our various courses, drank wine and enjoyed conversation. Things started to go really bad when we realized it was 10:30 p.m. and had not been served our main course. In fact, almost an hour passed between our first and second course. Some of our guests had not ordered a first course, so they had been sitting the entire time without anything. And now, as 10:45 approaches, a few of our guests had to leave to get to prior engagements. If you had told me you had somewhere to be at 11 and our reservations were for 8, I'd tell you there would be more than enough time. But oh, not tonight at Oya!

As time continued to pass, we realize our waiter has gone missing. We finally see him and he rolls his eyes when we tell him we want our main course. We tell him we'd like to see the manager and he cops an attitude and walks away. Clearly he didn't care either. So I get up and find the manager and tell him our situation. It's now 11 p.m. and we're finally eating our main course. But my salmon was overcooked and others were finding their food to be overdone or downright cold. As Dan says, these have probably been sitting under a hot-plate for 30 minutes. At this point I didn't care. I was hungry!

The night finished with our dessert course with little fanfare. Things wrapped up with the restaurant finally realizing we existed and bringing Jo a nice little happy birthday written on her dessert. And the manager did finally stop by to tell us they were reducing our check. But to be honest, the damage was done long before they took the time to come talk to us. As Dan said, there are far too many great restaurants in DC to stand for this type of service. And it's not like there was a large tourist bus sitting outside that could explain for the excessively long wait. The two large tables next to us with just as many guests were served their meals and had gone before we were done our second course. Clearly someone, somewhere in this joint had dropped the ball. And clearly our waiter decided to step away for an hour long break while we sat wondering when, oh when our dinner would arrive. Joelle did enjoy the evening and I think everyone enjoyed the great company.

So there it is. What was once one of my favorite restaurants is now officially history. I'd love to tell you I'll go back and give Oya another chance, but I just don't see it. Not when I have literally hundreds of other choices.

Random Photo of the Day: Nov. 8th

2009-11-08T17:54:00.003-05:00

On Monday, November 2nd, my lovely girlfriend Joelle celebrated a birthday. I had a secret birthday dinner at Oya planned with a bunch of her friends later in the week, so I decided I'd cook her dinner at my place the night of her birthday. On the menu was a ginger teriyaki salmon, jasmine rice and organic asparagus cooked with butter and garlic.

Lord knows, I'm not the best cook. I may be a DC foodie and love watching cooking shows, but I certainly don't have the skills in the kitchen to be a contestant on Top Chef. But there are a few dishes I'm good at, and this was one of them. The surprise dinner at Oya was a whole different experience that I'll write about shortly. But I thought I'd share a photo of the meal I cooked on Joelle's birthday night.

Random Photo of the Day: Nov. 3rd

2009-11-03T11:52:00.003-05:00

I started going through some files on my desktop and came across this adorable photo of Joelle and I. It was taken two weeks ago on a Saturday night at Muse Lounge by one of their party photographers working for DCNites.com.

The funny story about this photo is that we had no intention of hitting up Muse that night. The original plan was for Joelle and I to get together with Francis and Samm and to see Armin van Buuren at FUR. But mother nature decided to open the skies and dump rain all across the region. We braved the colder temps and Hurricane FUR (this is what we decided to call it since it felt like a damn hurricane swept through on our walk from Metro to the club) to attempt to get into the club. But we decided against it when it was clear only my name was on the guest list and everyone else would have to pay a high price for their ticket. Not that Armin isn't worth spending a little money to see. But on this night, it just seemed like everything was working against us.

So we jumped into a cab, went downtown and enjoyed cocktails at Zola and some dancing at Muse Lounge. The weather sucked, but the night was a huge success because of the great company and awesome management over at Muse.