![](http://www.austinvegas.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/privemyc01.jpg")
Privé literally translated to English from French is “Private” but for me the association of Privé has always been with the Opium Group, and their first (?) club in south beach by that name. I went nearly when it first opened in late 2002, and several times since, the last being in 2006. The club was hot, music bumping the underground and always a line even up till it’s closure just recently. The OG crew have gone on to create some of the best high end clubs in America with Mansion Miami and Privé Las Vegas.
Recently I received and invite to a “Launch Party” for Privé NYC:
Accompanying the invite was the pitch, this was “at the Trump Towers” and “will be posh and selective meaning, a strict door policy with New York’s upper echolon in attendance” (misspelling intact). Further, instructions were included on proper dress attire, as typically the “upper echolon” have trouble deciding on wardrobe. Videographers, ballet dancers, tabla men, and musicians in sync were all to be included (although I didn’t see em). DJ’s were to play a mix of contemporary electro/house, which aside from the “contemporary” part appealed to me, and that I was invited by a good friend. If the RSVP invite description sounds more of the antithesis of “contemporary” then you’re not alone.
![](http://www.austinvegas.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/world_bar_Trump.jpg")
The World Bar opened 2001, in the Trump Towers residential building across from the UN near the East River in Midtown (owned by Mark C. Grossich who coincidentally also owns one of my favorite business cocktail lounges The Campbell Apartment in Grand Central Terminal). The World made news when it was featured in Forbes as one of the spots bankers go to blow their bonus (on the World Cocktail for $50 a glass), which everyone in New York, knows is shit; bankers blow their bonuses on escorts and yeyo. Even on paper this doesn’t sound original, let alone chic.
I with two ladies arrived early at 10:30 and was expecting free for the ladies and myself on the discounted list, which neither were offered we rolled through. Being a promoter before I understand there’s a few glitches, so I asked to negotiate with Sanjay regarding our earlier arrangement and with reluctance agreed to my compromise for the ladies free if I paid. My first impressions were, “What the Fuck is that huge pillar doing in the middle of the room” and “are the speakers big enough for this room?”
After checking my coat with the DJ (apparently coat check guy was on a break), I got a $12 jack n coke and settled in the corner to take in the crowd….Nice! I’ll give the crew this much: It was all women. However, unfortunately the women didn’t find it that appealing as the vibe felt more like an Indian or High School dance than a party – cliques of girls grouped in corners, at tables and guys looking around nervously wondering which women they should attempt to talk to.
My last and biggest pain being a DJ was the sound was shit…. I spoke with Francis and he too admitted it If you’re going to promote and dj a gig like this, you need to be on top of your game and the sound for both the DJ and the audience needs to be right…. having garage speakers with shitty acoustics turned up loud to compensate for the bad mids is just a horrible decision. Please, Please, Please, go buy or rent some Mackies next time!
It’s a first party so I’ll give them a hall pass. The space size was appropriate, all be it not conducive to dancing, and they had the hot crowd down (my single friends would have been shootin fish in a barrel) but if they are going to play in the exclusive party game, this needs to come together in the details better.
