Trendsetters don't do Average

It always starts with a small movement.

It always starts with the tastemakers, and the trendsetters first.

When you start catering to a small and select crowd, the masses will follow, no matter if you want them to or not.

I couldn't help but think that at the end of Spring '09/start of Summer '09, a small little movement was created.

Mr Costas Charalambous (Senior VP of Operations at SBE), Dean May, and the Eye Candy Twins (two twin DJs) wanted to celebrate their love for European/Ibiza style house music.

So they started a small Sunday afternoon party on the patio of XIV (14) Restaurant; and by small it started with roughly 60 - 75 people (in the beginning).

The energy and vibe was exactly how they wanted it to be.

So they invited only their friends, and those who were passionate about the scene they wanted to create.

Slowly, friends told other friends.

Then they told their friends.

The next thing you know, it was complete chaos trying to get in.

What was so unique was the fact that this weekly party was during the most odd ball of oddball hours. Sunday afternoons from 5pm - 9pm????

Now, most people in LA usually go to various hotel pool parties Sunday afternoons from noon - 4pm or 5pm. By that time most people are drunk, and tired, so they just go home and get ready for work the next day.

Honestly, it was absolute genius from a business stand point.

Why? Because there was no competition.

Every pool party in the city was over by the time XIV's party was starting, and they had a very relaxed dress code (basically, come as you are...I mean come in whatever).

It actually got to the point whereby at 5pm the line to get inside wrapped around the block in both directions.

I mean, it was a complete mob scene outside before the doors even opened. The photo on this blog post is an actual photo I took at 4:45pm on a Sunday at XIV before the doors even opened.

The point that I am trying to make is this, when you start small, cater to a select few, and create something special by thinking "outside the box" (as they say), then in the end you will be rewarded (everyone knows the large amounts of money that Sunday afternoon party was bringing in).

This is why, I continue to point out the venues that aren't doing it right. Venues in Hollywood and West Hollywood who are putting quantity over quality.

If they continue to only think about today and right now, rather than tomorrow and the following day, then they will continue to fail and close their doors for expensive remodels every 3 - 6 months.

When you start out catering to everyone, you reach no one.

Again, I have been to Premiere in Hollywood the past few nights, and as soon as they went to being open 5 - 6 nights a week, the crowds have been getting smaller, and smaller on average every night.

Why? Because its no longer exclusive.

Now if you can't get inside Premiere one night, that's ok...everyone gets in on Friday nights now.

LA is almost one step away from becoming Vegas....seriously having people inside hotels, and street corners passing out discounted passes for various random venues.

This is why, I personally don't think that big venues like, Kress, PlayHouse, MyHouse, Vangard, Highlands, MyStudio, Avalon and Drai's Hollywood (maybe Drai's will be different because they will continue pumping money into it), etc. will last.

Venue owners, I know that many of you read my blog daily.

My message to you is this: STOP PUTTING PROFITS OVER PEOPLE.

Small is the new big.

That also applies to you random Facebook promoters: STOP ADDING RANDOM PEOPLE AND SPAMMING THEM NIGHTLY WITH THESE WACK ASS VENUES.

All you see are the number of so-called Facebook friends you have, while no one really knows you at all, and you honestly are doing more harm than good.

Stop being a part of the problem and start being part of the solution.

This is my last post, until my next post.