Frommer's Las Vegas 2004

STRIP CLUBS 271
Utopia According to the old Scope magazine, Utopia was “less a discotheque
and more a revolution”—which is an apt description, considering that in Las
Vegas, underground once-a-week nightclubs usually disappear in a matter of
weeks. (And for that matter, the underground itself is a shaky, hard-to-find
thing.) Utopia is still going strong, despite the death (in a car accident) of its
founder, Aaron Britt. The music is progressive house, tribal, trance, techno, and
rave. The atmosphere is industrial, foggy, and heavy with lasers and other dazzling
visuals. A cool and outrageous crowd fills three rooms with fun, peace, and
love, in a heart-pounding, techno way. It’s for the tragically hip, but isn’t it good
to know they are out there in Vegas? Internationally known deejays spin, and live
rave acts play. It’s open Friday and Saturday from 10:30pm until the sun comes
up. 3765 Las Vegas Blvd. S. & 702/736-3105. Cover $20.
Voodoo Lounge Occupying, along with the Voodoo Cafe, two floors in the
new addition to the Rio, the Lounge almost successfully combines Haitian
voodoo and New Orleans Creole in its decor and theme. There are two main
rooms: one with a large dance floor and stage for live music, and a disco room,
which is filled with large video screens and serious light action. Big club chairs
in groups form conversation pits, where you might actually be able to have a
conversation. The big seller? The bartenders put on a show, a la Tom Cruise in
Cocktail. They shake, jiggle, and light stuff on fire. Supposedly the live music
includes Cajun acts, but when it comes down to it, rock seems to rule the day.
The mid- to late-20s crowd is more heavily local than you might expect; the
dress code calls for “business casual,” with no shorts, jeans, or shirts without collars
for men. It’s open nightly from 8pm to 3am. In the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino,
3700 Las Vegas Blvd. S. & 702/252-7777. Cover $10 and up.
10 Strip Clubs
No, we don’t mean entertainment establishments on Las Vegas Boulevard South.
We mean the other kind of “strip.” Yes, people come to town for the gambling and
the wedding chapels, but the lure of Vegas doesn’t stop there. Though prostitution
is not legal within the city, the sex industry is an active and obvious force in town.
Every other cab carries a placard for a strip club, and a walk down the Strip at night
will have dozens of men thrusting flyers at you for clubs, escort services, phonesex
lines, and more. And some of you are going to want to check it out.
And why not? An essential part of the Vegas allure is decadence, and naked
flesh would certainly qualify, as does the thrill of trying something new and daring.
Of course, by and large, the nicer bars aren’t particularly daring, and if you
go to more than one in an evening, the thrill wears off, and the breasts don’t look
quite so bare.
In the finest of Vegas traditions, the “something for everyone” mentality
extends to strip clubs. Here is a guide to the most prominent and heavily advertised;
there are plenty more, of increasing seediness, out there. You don’t have to
look too hard. The most crowded and zoolike times are after midnight, especially
on Friday and Saturday nights. Should you want a “meaningful” experience, you
might wish to avoid the rush and choose an off-hour for a visit.
Cheetah’s This is the strip club used as the set in the movie Showgirls, but
thanks to the magic of Hollywood and later renovations by the club, only the
main stage will look vaguely familiar to those few looking for Nomi Malone.
There’s also a smaller stage, plus three tiny “tip stages” so that you can really get