Do people miss the point of nightclubs?

Chefrio

EdenHazard wrote: »

Problem with nightclubs is people aren't open enough to new people in ireland, meaning nightclubs are fairly mundaine and don't really offer anything new from one night to the next.

Thats a load of rubbish, nightclubs are what you make of them, they can be great fun if you have the right attitude.

johnnyskeleton

NoCrackHaving wrote: »

Actually I reckon there is a very, very large percentage of women who go to nightclubs with no intention of 'pulling, at all. They literally go for the 'laugh' and to dance. I remember Johnny Vegas's wife, what's her name-Maia something, did a show a few months back where she actually had an episode that dealt with this. She headed out with 5 women in their twenties who dressed up all for 'each other', not for men and only went out to dance, no intention of pulling. Even Maia (Dunphy, that's the name...) thought it was very odd so I don't know is this a recent thing. Maybe the older posters can throw a bit of light on it.

They aren't looking to meet men, but the possibility that a group of good looking women will draw admiring glances from men is not lost on them. Men do the same type of thing, only more ineptly by making a lot of noise, wearing suits to nightclubs or buying champagne etc.

cantdecide

Chefrio wrote: »

Thats a load of rubbish, nightclubs are what you make of them, they can be great fun if you have the right attitude.

The same can be said about mass.

roro1990

I do enjoy a good bop the odd time, but to be honest i'm growing sick of nightclubs. I think unfortunately for many blokes it's seen as their best shot of meeting girls. If the majority (and I include myself in this) grew a pair and approached during the day, I reckon luck with girls would be increased for most lads. just a thought.

Daveysil15

I never really liked nightclubs. looking back now I'd say I've had more bad nights than good nights in them. When I was younger I really liked the trance/electronic music and there were a few clubs in those days that played that sort of music which was good. Unfortunately it was ruined by the drunken fights and my number one pet peeve at the time - smoke. Prior to the smoking ban it was a fecking disaster going into pubs/clubs. It would burn the eyes, make breathing difficult and you'd get a horrible smell off your clothes the following day. I hated it.

Once the smoking ban came in things improved a bit, but the music went shyte around the mid 00's. Then came the economic downturn and less people were going out and it just got boring.

I find most clubs nowadays are very pretentious. Fire breathers, trapeze artists and Z-list celebs are often brought in to draw the crowds. It's hard to talk to women when all they're interested in is seeing the latest member from Geordie Shore. IMO smart phones and social media have fúcked up the nightlife too. People are more interested in taking selfies and looking good for the facebook photos. It's hard to approach people when they're constantly glued to their phones. It's like they spend more time recording the moment than actually living it. And you're almost afraid to let loose and make a fool of yourself in case some fúcker decides to record it on their phone and upload it to facebook.

seachto7

Daveysil15 wrote: »

IMO smart phones and social media have fúcked up the nightlife too. People are more interested in taking selfies and looking good for the facebook photos.

This X 1,000,000 along with the check in feature on Facebook does my head in!

Balaclava1991

I suspect that criticisms of nightclubs mainly come from insecure/social anxious types who are intimidated by loud music, crowded venues, interactions with strangers and approaching the opposite sex.

roro1990

Balaclava1991 wrote: »

I suspect that criticisms of nightclubs mainly come from insecure/social anxious types who are intimidated by loud music, crowded venues, interactions with strangers and approaching the opposite sex.

Or just people who genuinely don't like nightclubs....

Balaclava1991

roro1990 wrote: »

Or just people who genuinely don't like nightclubs....

I believe it is not nightclubs that are the problem but the people who don't like them. If someone wants to have a better time at nightclubs it would be worthwhile learning how to relax, brush up on their social skills, get more practice chatting up the opposite sex and take up dancing lessons etc.
If they hate nightclubs it is probably because they have these problems.
If they don't want to change then maybe they shouldn't go in the first place.

roro1990

Balaclava1991 wrote: »

I believe it is not nightclubs that are the problem but the people who don't like them. If someone wants to have a better time at nightclubs it would be worthwhile learning how to relax, brush up on their social skills, get more practice chatting up the opposite sex and take up dancing lessons etc.
If they hate nightclubs it is probably because they have these problems.
If they don't want to change then maybe they shouldn't go in the first place.

I used to like nightclubs, but I've grown a bit sick of them to be honest. Once a month is grand for me. I consider myself half decent at dancing and feel very relaxed in large crowds. But there are more, and some would say better ways than a crowded club and dutch courage to approach girls.

Pawwed Rig

Mod note: Balaclava1991 do not post on this thread again.
Please do not respond to any of his previous posts.

Greenmachine

Always found niteclubs to be over rated. Give me a late bar over a nightclub any day.

Kerrydude1981

Nightclubs for me were always a place for letting off a bit of steam and having a good time,we have only one nightclub in Tralee atm which is all dance music and mostly all the younger crowd go there.

When I started going out in Tralee in the mid 90s there was one late bar and four nightclubs,we mostly went to The Brandon or Spirals as it was known,it was class nightclub and used be mobbed every weekend.It catered for the different types of nightclub goer,if you liked to dance there was a big dancefloor for throwing shapes and then there was quiet corners for those who liked to sit and have a chat or else to take a break from the dancefloor

Its all different now as late bars and nightclubs are like photo shoots with cameras flying around the place,could you imagine anyone bringing a camera out with them in the mid 90's.

You would probably need a brief case for it

spitfireIRL

Clubbing in Ireland is sh!te. Closes too early, crap tunes, too expensive. But clubbing overseas is a whole different kettle of fish, I think once you do that and then go clubbing in Ireland you really see the difference. (and this is from someone who's only gone clubbing in London, but it went from 10pm to 7am)

CrabRevolution

Are there really that many fights when people here go/went to clubs? I'll admit its not a massive sample size but of all the times I've been out in Galway and Dublin i've never seen a fight.

I've also never seen one in my home town and towns near me, but maybe twice have heard afterwards that there were fights. The only fight I remember actually seeing on a night out was in Mullingar, but that'd be par for the course there. Even then that was a while after the club had closed.

Maybe I'm just lucky not to see them, but even then I cant imagine saying "nah last night was dire, It was going great till some lads fought each other across the road at 3am"

awec

This post has been deleted.

seachto7

spitfireIRL wrote: »

Clubbing in Ireland is sh!te. Closes too early, crap tunes, too expensive. But clubbing overseas is a whole different kettle of fish, I think once you do that and then go clubbing in Ireland you really see the difference. (and this is from someone who's only gone clubbing in London, but it went from 10pm to 7am)

Try the continent, it leaves London for dust

Daveysil15

Kerrydude1981 wrote: »

Its all different now as late bars and nightclubs are like photo shoots with cameras flying around the place

Yes that's the best way to describe it - photo shoots. You don't need a studio and professional photographer anymore; you just go to a club. The worst thing about the cameras is if you make an eegit of yourself you may live to regret it. Whenever I go out drinking now I'm always afraid to log into facebook the following day in case there's a photo of me bollock naked somewhere. :pac: Some people feel the need to record everything. :mad:

CrabRevolution wrote: »

Are there really that many fights when people here go/went to clubs? I'll admit its not a massive sample size but of all the times I've been out in Galway and Dublin i've never seen a fight.

I haven't seen any in ages. I used to see them all the time when I went drinking in Naas and Newbridge. Newbridge in particular was like a warzone at times. I mostly drink in Maynooth now and I haven't seen a fight there in the last 2 years.

Kerrydude1981

I dunno did this happen or did I dream it but didn't they try to leave the nightclubs open late here for a short period of time in the late 90s early 00s?

Galwayguy35

CrabRevolution wrote: »

Are there really that many fights when people here go/went to clubs? I'll admit its not a massive sample size but of all the times I've been out in Galway and Dublin i've never seen a fight.

I've also never seen one in my home town and towns near me, but maybe twice have heard afterwards that there were fights. The only fight I remember actually seeing on a night out was in Mullingar, but that'd be par for the course there. Even then that was a while after the club had closed.

Maybe I'm just lucky not to see them, but even then I cant imagine saying "nah last night was dire, It was going great till some lads fought each other across the road at 3am"

I think the nightclubs in smaller towns would be worse for fights, the local ones I used to go to were anyway.

A lot of the people going to them would know each other and with a few beers in them fists would fly if they didn't get on.

Randy Shafter

I used to go to to clubs quite a bit a few years ago. I go every once in a while with a gang of my friends now but I'm not too bothered tbh. The music is nearly always the same in each place and it's stuff you'd hear on the radio. I'd rather be able to chat to people/order a drink without having to shout and yell over the music.

I'd much rather a late bar or just go to a mates house with some drinks and listen to music there.

syklops

Its a shame night clubs are so generic. Nowadays Its always the same dance/hip hop stuff. But if you want a drink after normal closing time the only option usually is "onto a club". Just once Id like to say "lets go to my usual club", and go to a nice relaxed place, playing some Miles Davis or John Coltrane, not Snoopy snoop snoop. With cocktails done correctly, and the tables arent sticky from red bull.

Boskowski

Sorry here is a bit of rant to come...:(

I have to say the nightclubs in Ireland aren't great. Maybe it's my continental background but I think the drinking culture and the drinking laws ruin it all. Now I'm not in Dublin - things may be a bit different there - but I have to see an Irish nightclub yet that is actually a cool and interesting place to be.

For starters people go out way too early just in case they won't have enough time to get blottered. Where I'm from you wouldn't want to show up in a proper nightclub before 1am. Before that it's just kids disco. But of course in Ireland at 1am its already endgame.

Anyway so they go out at 7 or 8 and whatever about the chat, banter, craic (which I love) by 11pm most people are full with pints, sweating, fartin and going to the jacks every 30 minutes and by the time they're heading for the nightclubs their only worry is will they be able to keep themselves straight enough to pass the bouncers.
So then they're in and they know time is of the essence so its now as many pints as they can possibly down between now and closing time. Here it becomes all rather messy and most places stink at this time of the night like a mixture between a urinal and a soccer changing room. Oh what bliss where the days when cigarette smoke put its merciful veil over all these odours...
Then when the night is just warming up (for those few who aren't out of their skin by now), bang the lights go on and the bouncers start hushing you out onto the streets where you're left with a few thousand zombies like yourself to fend over the taxis.
Oh what a craic we had...:o

I think more relaxed drinking times and most importantly attitudes would put a much more relaxed feel towards a night out. We wouldn't be caught in a round where the fastest drinker is setting the pace. We wouldn't constantly worry that most like we'll be thrown out when its just at its best. The looming closing time puts everyone under stress whether they want to get blottered or not.

In a way its great I'm now gettin too old for nightclubs because I used to love them but at least my local nightclub scene really isn't it. I haven't been in one in over a year and I don't think there'll be many more visits to come.

P.S. I know some of this may come across as generalisations but on a night out you're in with an anonymous mass of people and thats how it all comes across.

Daveysil15

syklops wrote: »

Its a shame night clubs are so generic. Nowadays Its always the same dance/hip hop stuff. But if you want a drink after normal closing time the only option usually is "onto a club". Just once Id like to say "lets go to my usual club", and go to a nice relaxed place, playing some Miles Davis or John Coltrane, not Snoopy snoop snoop. With cocktails done correctly, and the tables arent sticky from red bull.

Are you sure its red bull that has them sticky?

cson

Anyone with an interest in clubbing would be well advised to take themselves over to Berlin and visit Berghain and Weekend for my money.

Nothing like it over and they pretty much leave every place I've been in the world for dust.

Boskowski

cson wrote: »

Anyone with an interest in clubbing would be well advised to take themselves over to Berlin and visit Berghain and Weekend for my money.

Nothing like it over and they pretty much leave every place I've been in the world for dust.

Cant say for sure as there are so many places I haven't been to but I'd second the first bit anyway.
There are always some really cool places popping out of nowhere in the most unlikely spots where its just hopping. And the one constant is thats its always changing / moving on. And anything goes and not necessarily in a seedy way (but that too).
Nightlife is probably Berlins best asset but then I would be biased...

D'Agger

Been meaning to go to Berlin for a weekend for a while now - not just for nightlife obviously but I've heard great things about it

From going out in Cork I think the culture here needs to change - 2am closing time across the boards in a city is absolutely ridiculous. It results in mass scrambles for takeaways & taxis. Most nights in Cork, I'll end up having to walk out of the city towards the quays to get a taxi coming back in after a job. I went out in Dublin before Christmas until about half 4, didn't have an issue getting either and it made the night so much better.

ofcork

Kerrydude1981 wrote: »

I dunno did this happen or did I dream it but didn't they try to leave the nightclubs open late here for a short period of time in the late 90s early 00s?

I remember they did it in cork id say at least 10 years ago,an extra half hour iirc but it only lasted a few weeks.Not sure was it garda objections or some other reason it stopped and it seemed to work as from 2am on people would be leaving so no mad rush.

Daveysil15

A lot of people seem to hate the fact that the clubs close around 2 here, as opposed to other countries which have clubs open all night. Tbh I'm normally bolloxed or just bored by 1 am anyway.

syklops

Daveysil15 wrote: »

A lot of people seem to hate the fact that the clubs close around 2 here, as opposed to other countries which have clubs open all night. Tbh I'm normally bolloxed or just bored by 1 am anyway.

What happens if you work late of an evening but also fancy a few pints? Get to the pub for 11pm, one drink and go home? What if your having a good night and want the night to keep going? Tough, is Irelands policy.

Daveysil15

syklops wrote: »

What happens if you work late of an evening but also fancy a few pints? Get to the pub for 11pm, one drink and go home? What if your having a good night and want the night to keep going? Tough, is Irelands policy.

Fair enough if you've no choice but to start drinking late. I just wouldn't be into partying till dawn personally, although if the clubs did stay open I suppose it would help with the problem of everyone spilling onto the streets at the same time.

syklops

Daveysil15 wrote: »

Fair enough if you've no choice but to start drinking late. I just wouldn't be into partying till dawn personally, although if the clubs did stay open I suppose it would help with the problem of everyone spilling onto the streets at the same time.

As i said earlier in the thread, going out with out the midnight/2 cut off point is great. Its so much more relaxed. If the night is going well and you don't want to get hammered just yet, you can relax, go easy for a few rounds, 2 am passes, your merry but still haivng fun. In Ireland the shots are lined up by 11 o'clock because it "has to do you for the night". Then as you say every one gets kicked out at half 2 all looking for taxis and kebab shops at the same time.

Daveysil15

syklops wrote: »

As i said earlier in the thread, going out with out the midnight/2 cut off point is great. Its so much more relaxed. If the night is going well and you don't want to get hammered just yet, you can relax, go easy for a few rounds, 2 am passes, your merry but still haivng fun. In Ireland the shots are lined up by 11 o'clock because it "has to do you for the night". Then as you say every one gets kicked out at half 2 all looking for taxis and kebab shops at the same time.

Yes I agree. It gets a bit predictable and there's kind of a rush to get the drinks in before a certain time; although lately a lot of people are drinking at home for a while before hitting the town to save money.

Daveysil15

Daveysil15 wrote: »

A lot of people seem to hate the fact that the clubs close around 2 here, as opposed to other countries which have clubs open all night. Tbh I'm normally bolloxed or just bored by 1 am anyway.

That - for many people - is a self fulfilling point however. The reason people are "bolloxed" by 1am is that they GET that way by 1am because of the culture we have here related to drinking and nights out.

It is not just the opening times that are different in those other countries. It is also the drinking and social culture that is built around those opening times. Each feeds into the other.

Alas when discussions about comparing opening times in Ireland to other countries arises - people instantly map our culture onto those opening times and extrapolate opinions from there - without paying any mind to the fact that the culture itself would change (although not instantly by any means) and such a direct mapping is therefore a nonsense.

One thing I have noticed when being in EU countries is that rather than going straight from a pub to a club in order to maximise drink and dance time - people will often calmly leave a pub when they feel like it themselves (not ushered out at closing time) - then they might stop at a coffee bar - maybe a muffin or sandwich - then maybe hit a club - then head off for something to eat like a nice kebab - then maybe hit a different club. All in their own time - their own pace - and then head home with little worry about having to compete with the entire city for late night cabs.

The closing times are not the only difference - the entire structure of a night out - the atmosphere - the agenda - the _feel_ of it - is barely recognisable to anything I am used to in the UK or Ireland.

It is still not for me though As I said in an earlier post - the whole City Night Scene in general is just not for me. Regardless of the culture or country.

Vito Corleone

I don't like them, and I am a young person.

syklops

Deleted User wrote: »

That - for many people - is a self fulfilling point however. The reason people are "bolloxed" by 1am is that they GET that way by 1am because of the culture we have here related to drinking and nights out.

It is not just the opening times that are different in those other countries. It is also the drinking and social culture that is built around those opening times. Each feeds into the other.

Alas when discussions about comparing opening times in Ireland to other countries arises - people instantly map our culture onto those opening times and extrapolate opinions from there - without paying any mind to the fact that the culture itself would change (although not instantly by any means) and such a direct mapping is therefore a nonsense.

One thing I have noticed when being in EU countries is that rather than going straight from a pub to a club in order to maximise drink and dance time - people will often calmly leave a pub when they feel like it themselves (not ushered out at closing time) - then they might stop at a coffee bar - maybe a muffin or sandwich - then maybe hit a club - then head off for something to eat like a nice kebab - then maybe hit a different club. All in their own time - their own pace - and then head home with little worry about having to compete with the entire city for late night cabs.

The closing times are not the only difference - the entire structure of a night out - the atmosphere - the agenda - the _feel_ of it - is barely recognisable to anything I am used to in the UK or Ireland.

It is still not for me though As I said in an earlier post - the whole City Night Scene in general is just not for me. Regardless of the culture or country.

When I was living abroad the ones who wanted to go to a club(called discos over there, a niteclub was a strip club), went, and those of us who wanted another beer, went for another beer and those that wanted to go home, went home. Didn't matter if it was 11.30pm or 4.30am. There was always somewhere to go for another beer. All at our own pace.

syklops

syklops wrote: »

When I was living abroad the ones who wanted to go to a club(called discos over there, a niteclub was a strip club), went, and those of us who wanted another beer, went for another beer and those that wanted to go home, went home. Didn't matter if it was 11.30pm or 4.30am. There was always somewhere to go for another beer. All at our own pace.

All of which is my point exactly. Great isnt it? Although I do not really like Night Clubs or that culture - I found the culture there a lot more appealing and enjoyable that its equivalants here.

Daveysil15

Deleted User wrote: »

One thing I have noticed when being in EU countries is that rather than going straight from a pub to a club in order to maximise drink and dance time - people will often calmly leave a pub when they feel like it themselves (not ushered out at closing time) - then they might stop at a coffee bar - maybe a muffin or sandwich - then maybe hit a club - then head off for something to eat like a nice kebab - then maybe hit a different club. All in their own time - their own pace - and then head home with little worry about having to compete with the entire city for late night cabs.

Yeah I've noticed that too. It was the same in Canada when I lived there. You'd have a couple of drinks, then go to a restaurant or maybe watch a film and then head back to the apartment for a night cap; or a club, whichever you wanted at the time. It was much more spontaneous and every night could be different to the last. The alcohol itself was only a small part of the night out, whereas here everything is centred around it.

Most Irish people wouldn't go out for 1 or 2 and leave it at that. I always hated that competitive drinking, the kind of, "ahh I could drink you under the table any day." Or "you're such a light weight." type nonsense.

Dickie10

im 30 and love nightclubs although a late bar can be fun too. yea I really noticed in the last few years the way drinking on sat nights becomes so routine and boring its like u have a timetable and checklist to hit the moment u hit the pub.I love days at matches or racing where you start drinking around 3 oclock have a few bet on horse or watch the game, come back have some food a nice steak or something round 6 oclock. take it handy chill out, have a few more pints round 8, by 11 oclock you have a great happy merry buzz going. I found on these nights that when you chat up women during the early night, everything I touch (not literally!) turns to gold, women cant get enough, I think its because you give off laid backeasy charm not ploughing through young ones to get more drink in and have a nauseating feeling trying to sink drink like theres no tomorrow. I used to go out around half 9 but I pulled it back to 8 oclock because you can relax do the chatting , no rush then go on to a club or somewhere more fast paced and if your mates wanna stay in the local then you have the banter done and not rushing

Aidric

cson wrote: »

Anyone with an interest in clubbing would be well advised to take themselves over to Berlin and visit Berghain and Weekend for my money.

Nothing like it over and they pretty much leave every place I've been in the world for dust.

Ah ya, no doubt, leaves every other club in the dust. If you're not an electronic music lover though it might leave you feeling lost. There is a great freedom in being able to hit a club at 5am and partying through till Sunday evening.

131spanner

Clubs are grand, you kind of sign yourself up for loud tunes and a reek of sweat when you pay at the door.

What really annoys me is going to someone's house for a few pre-drinks with friends and they have tunes banging. Have it on kind of low in the background to avoid complete silences, but not so loud you've to shout into someone's ear when you're sitting on the same couch

Daveysil15

I came across this article online which I found interesting.

http://www.vice.com/en_uk/read/a-big-night-outat-the-end-of-western-civilisation

It's about a nightclub in Milton Keynes, but I think its fairly indicative of a lot of nightclubs here now.

Here's a few quotes which stood out for me:

At some point, nightclub promoters became entranced with the idea of paying minor celebrities to make "public appearances" in nightclubs. More depressingly, it seems to be wildly successful. It basically seems like the death of nightlife. But as a touring scene, it's one that currently has more nationwide appeal than any music scene does.

Why does every group of young women confronted with a camera bigger than an iPhone these days feels the need to assemble themselves into formation like this.jpg

It appears that in the wake of all the bull**** we've been put through in the last few years, the minor celebrity guest appearance scene represents a new kind of emergent club culture, one which wasn't readily available to the masses before. Going out used to be about getting fcuked up, getting laid and maybe getting in a fight if you were so inclined, but there is none of that now. Just desperate groups of bored looking people all trying to impress each other.

So to answer the OP's question; its not people that miss the point of nightclubs, its nightclubs that miss the point of nightclubs.

Pawwed Rig

131spanner wrote: »

What really annoys me is going to someone's house for a few pre-drinks with friends and they have tunes banging. Have it on kind of low in the background to avoid complete silences, but not so loud you've to shout into someone's ear when you're sitting on the same couch

Did you try mentioning this to your friends??:D