Late Nights

Good one, George Lucas. For once.

The Clubtrotter — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:43:08 +0000

George Lucas recently embodied the righteousness that his main Star Wars characters usually demonstrate. The movie mogul had been trying for the better part of the last 20 years to build a massive, state-of-the-art movie studio on his gazillion acres property in the North San Francisco Bay area, however his well-off neighbours kept opposing the project, effectively blocking Lucas’ plans despite the projected $300M in business revenue for the area. This forced Lucas to abandon the idea, citing that “even if we were to spend more time and acquire the necessary approvals, we would not be able to maintain a constructive relationship with our neighbors.“

Here is where it gets interesting. Upon his decision to abandon the project he had been trying to get done for all these years, George decided to adhere to the local residents’ claims that the area would suffer from non-residential development and went on to build low-income housing instead. As such, a closing statement was released: “If everyone feels that housing is less impactful on the land, then we are hoping that people who need it the most will benefit.” He was courteous enough to even provide the low-income housing developer who bought the land all the pricey technical studies and land surveys Lucasfilm spent years conducting, thus tremendously accelerating the project. Because if there’s one thing rich people will hate more than having movie magic made in their backyard, it’s poor people moving in.

Well played, George.

[via Movies.com]

R.I.P. DJ Culture (1968-2012)

The Clubtrotter — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:18:51 +0000

It’s a sad day for DJ Culture. Mixmag reports that Paris Hilton announced she would be touring as a DJ. Her debut gig will be in Sao Paulo, Brazil, for the Pop Music Festival on June 23.

Read the rest of this story by clicking the link below, while I retreat in the corner to shudder in foetal position.

UPDATE: It seems the hotel heiress’ long arm has somehow forced Mixmag to remove the article. Perhaps her buttons were pushed? Her knobs were turned? Her chord struck? All things a DJ should be used to in my opinion…

[via Mixmag]

Advice for Clubbers

The Clubtrotter — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:43:58 +0000

Here is a list of tips for all of you clubbers, coming from an experienced club trotter (me). Follow these and I promise you that not only will your peers appreciate your presence more, but you may just have a much better time yourself. Feel free to add your own tips in the comments.

Don't be these guys

Keep in mind to not take these, or yourself, too seriously

Shower before going out. No one likes dancing next to Stinky!
Dress for the part. Girls: are you working it or straight up working? The question needs to be asked.
Don’t harass the doorman. Not everybody is somebody, and that’s okay. Unless you really are on the list, don’t insist you are; it slows down entry for everyone else.
Quit name dropping. If you are told to wait in line, name dropping likely won’t get you through the door faster. It just doesn’t matter who you know.
Leave your shit at the door. Clubs are a place to walk away from daily worries, not create new ones. If you can’t manage to bring you best attitude, don’t go out.
Be aware of your surroundings. It’s normal to get excited in a club, especially when having a good time. Just remember that others are there for the same reason. Use the Force to remain aware of what is going on around you. If you accidentally bump, hit or walk into someone, acknowledge and apologize.
Don’t shove. DO NOT SHOVE. Self fucking explanatory.
Don’t make requests to the DJ. There are absolutely no circumstances in which it is okay to make a request to the DJ. Whatever the reason, it isn’t good enough. Let the DJ work! Chances are the room is already fired up by the time you think of asking for your favorite track anyway. If the music is so bad that you feel you need to do something, please refer to the next point.
Be critical of what you are being served. Just because you are in the biggest club or have paid a hefty cover to get in doesn’t mean you won’t be served crap. As a paying patron, it is your responsibility to let the management know if you feel you aren’t getting your money’s worth. If you do that, it may be a good idea to have a suggestion to balance against your rant. They might not do anything about it, but staying silent also won’t do anything. >>> If you haven’t paid to get in however, the only statement you can make is get up and leave. Freeloaders don’t get to bitch.
Dance, don’t just watch. This isn’t a rock show, don’t just stand there and watch the DJ while you fist pump. The club experience is supposed to be one where you lose yourself in the music. That, and the good times shared with friends, should be what gets your attention.
Moderation. A lot of us like to get our drink (and maybe other things) on. Today isn’t the day we will be debating if that is okay or not. If you do decide to go there, do it moderately. Less is more.
Know when it’s time to quit. There is power in knowing when to stop, I promise you. It will ensure you can manage a long, fruitful clubbing career without sketching out on your friends, who incidentally may not remain friends with you very long if you choose to not follow this particular tip.

Now go and enjoy yourself!

Uniting against SOPA and PIPA

The Clubtrotter — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:56:52 +0000

On January 18th, LateNights.ca and Mat Ste-Marie Dot Com will join forces to protest against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA) which aim to allow the US government to censor the internet.

If you want to join us and participate in the blackout, you can use the Simple Stop SOPA WordPress plugin.