Nightclub and Bar Trade Show Las Vegas 2008 Photos
Writeup, Article, The Show
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LAS
VEGAS:! NO
LAST CALL! CITY
GUIDES: 2008 Photos Article Writeup, Coverage of the 21st anniversary of "The Show" with photos and prose from PubClub.com
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Nightclub and
Bar Trade Show 2008
Not all the nightclubs and bars in Las Vegas are, well, nightclubs and bars. At least that's the case once a year when the annual Nightclub & Bar Trade Show hits town and the city's famed nightlife scene relocates to the Las Vegas Convention Center Makers and distributors of spirits, beer, wine and all things related turn otherwise bland floor space into the industry's leading showcase of beverages and products. It's a rockin' and frolockin ' good time where samples provide examples of a huge variety of products: Dozens of different beers, tons of tequila, various varieties of vodka, rums, bourbons and scotch, and an energetic amount of energy drinks.
Put together, it's a pub crawl without having to leave the building. The 21st annual show – or "The Show" as those in the industry call it – put by Oxford Publishing, was held Feb. 26-27, 2008. It was a colorful event, with pink vodka from p.i.n.k., NOVD sparkeling liqueur served by girls in pink headbands, a purple mixture called Purple featuring high-antioxidant fruits showcasing the product in martinis, margaritas and mojotos (all purple, of course), black (the Courvosisier-covered chocolate cherries), red, white and even "blonde" wines (Specialty Wines & More), as well as light and dark rums, tequilas and beers.
Some spirits makers went all out to market their products. For example, a pair of eager amigos proudly poured mango and regular margaritas featuring Azul, a 109-proof tequila. Not to be outdone, Pisa Cream Liquor had a tilted bottle with the catchy slogan "straight from Italy. Sort of." After a sample, PubClubette Rose Arzate, covering the event for PubClub.com, cleverly remarked, "wow, that will knock you down!" There were even beverages from Coca-Cola, and not just rum and Coke. Among its offerings was a tasty Habanero "rumtini." It was delicious and potent, as PubClub's extensive research revealed. Who knew this company made mixers? That's the advantage of this event, to put products out to bar owners, bartenders, media and the public.
There were more than 20 energy beverages at the Show. So how does a company stand out in this crowd? If you're Playboy, you bring in Playboy Playmates – including 2007 Playmate of the Year Sarah Jean Underwood – to promote Playboy Energy Drink. It proved to be an effective strategy, as the Playmates signed autographs and posed for pictures nearly continuously throughout the two-day show. Have sexy ladies called the "Glow Girls" dancing in a glow-in-the-dark booth (Radioactive, watch out!) or call the product Sum Possie.
Or, do as the big boys do – put up a huge display in the middle of things and let the action come to you. Red Bull turned its booth into a hot Vegas club – all white with a DJ and go-go dancers. Monster had girls in monster boots in a monster booth There was entertainment all over the show, which covered a pair of large exhibition halls and attracted top industry leaders, bar and nightclub owners from across the country and ordinary bar lovers who paid $190 for a show floor pass.
Star Brand Imports, whose produces include Heineken, had a setup similar to Red Bull with a DJ, but with couches and without walls in a more lounge atmosphere.
Crown Imports, which presents Corona, Modelo, St. Pauly Girl and other brews to the American market, brought in a live musican to entertain at its booth. The smooth guitar sounds of Rob Eller fit perfectly with the videos playing beach scenes in Mexico. Jim Beam had NASCAR driver Robby Gordon in for an autograph session and a racing simulator set to Las Vegas Motor Speedway. PubClubette Rose crashed more often than even Gordon in a race.
There was a bartender "shake it up" competition the first day, Platinum Stages displayed a stripper pole in a box ($329), Suck-N-Blow was back for the fifth year showcasing its creative Spring Break-ish device and FrostShot gave away 30,000 samples of frozen shots that looked – but did not taste – like Popsicles.
Beer was not limited to American selections. Phuket Beer from Thialnd came here to make a mark on the American market. For anyone who has been to Oktoberfest in Munich, Star Brand had Paulaner among its international offerings.
And that was just on the show floor. One of the aspects of 'the Show" is the series of sposored events each evening at various Vegas clubs. In 2008, it began the night before the floor opened as Anheuser-Busch kicked things off with a Belgium beer-pouring contest at Pure, pitting top Las Vegas bartenders against each other pouring Stella Artois, Hoegaarden and Leffe. A trip to Belgium and an international competiton awaited the winner. Anthony Alba, 29, originally of Long Island, was the winner and will test his pouring skills in October. "I'm surprised, but I'm also excited," he said. Later that same evening, there was a Margaritaville Tequila party at, where else, Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, a debut event for a "healthy" sake called YI KU at the Cathouse in the Luxor and a "You Rock, We Roll" concert put on by Jagermeiser at Ceasar's Palace. The next night, there was the annual Vino Las Vegas Wine Tasting followed by a private affair at Prive club in the newly-renamed Planet Hollywood, courtesy of Sydney Frank Distributing. Plus hot Vegas clubs such as Tao, Tryst, Blush, Poetry and Rum Jungle opened the velvet ropes for attendees. There's a reason the show floor did not open until noon the next day. So here's a cheers to the 2008 Nightclub and Bar Trade Show, Oxford Publishing and all the participants.
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