wet vs. rehab
As a Vegas local and frequenter of the "pool scene" I thought I'd weigh in with my three cents (haven't you heard, nothing costs what it used to in Vegas).
First, Rehab. Anyone that tells you that Rehab isn't the undisputed king of Vegas daylife (or nightlife for that matter) is lying. That said, I would NEVER EVER go to Rehab if it weren't for my attention-whore of a girlfriend (I say this with nothing but love, for she is young). Simply put, it's a hassle. You could get the same experience if you put Tiesto on your ipod and walked into the In-n-out burger in Barstow... it's the same crowd of inland empire "I-hate-my-parents-for-the-middle-class-upbringing-they-provided" folks, with a sprinkling of ultra-desperate-to-fit-in older guys looking for a place to dump their dot-com windfalls (fresh prescriptions for HGH in hand). It depresses me to watch these tin men, struggling to look comfortable dancing to music it's obvious they don't like. And this is to say nothing of the stress-inducing task of simply GETTING IN. But hey, if you have plenty of disposable income and a penchant for cable shows about choppers and childish stunts, Rehab's your spot!
Tao Beach. Rehab's younger brother doing his best to step out of the shadow. Two sides to the staff issue here: inside staff (waitresses/cabana boys, etc.) are friendly and attentive... outside staff (doormen) are, well, theyre doormen. The shame of it for me is that the latter prevents me from even considering this place anymore, even with my girlfriend's insistence (as she is a pretty one she is oblivious to door pitfalls). This goes for Tao nightclub as well. I'm not 21 anymore, and just can't trade my dignity for club entry. If you can, I have to admit, it is a great place to see guys like Morillo.
Quick aside: I love Vegas. I'm born and raised here, leaving only for college and grad school. But the clubs here, how should I put it... are overrated. Their stature has been blown way out of proportion by MTV and other pop culture outlets. Most nights the Dj's play a haphazard array of songs in a futile attempt to appeal to the diverse crowds. I'm sorry, but Jay-z will never lead seamlessly into Journey, and he never should. This nightlife weakness only becomes more apparent when I visit places like Miami (LOVEEE SPACE! and WMC) and NYC. So the 3-day weekends here become sort of an oasis if you will, providing the opportunity to get a better experience.
Wet. Disclaimer: my only association with MGM is a friend in their IT department, nothing more. Was at Wet last week, and I have to say, I hope it lasts. It was a good experience all around... The people I was with thought it was too big, but I found this to be an asset (especially if you're considering it as a venue for the bigger-name DJ's). The staff lacked the requisite Vegas pretension. This may be due to its newcomer status, as the more established places realize they can treat patrons like garbage and still pack the house (which I find to be the greatest paradox this city has to offer). For me, the fact that Wet has no name recognition yet is going to serve it well for memorial day. The majority of the crowd should be people there simply to catch a good show (not the types simply looking to be part of the scene), with a lot of us locals looking for a new alternative. However, I'm with you guys on price. I like Roger Sanchez as much as the next guy, but a hundred bucks? This, my friends at Wet, is the first step on the slippery slope to Rehab-dom. Maybe you could make some sort of concession for certain groups, like the people on these and other boards (not to mention, LOCALS ).
Mason
PS. If anyone has any Vegas questions I'll do my best to answer them.
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