Not Just Atlanta

Many in Atlanta have complained for the last few years about the dying nightlife or at least the taming of it by the city. The party on Peachtree Street is a thing of the past and the wildest time you might have is jay walking at 10th street. The city has been harsh on clubs that allegedly violate the law, imposing stiff fines, revoking licenses, rolling back the time of last call and so on.

I can't remember how many times I've seen someone from the Fire Marshal's Office come barging into a club at midnight, counting heads and looking for violations. Talk about killing a mood to see some stiff wearing a uniform marching. The businesses that sell you alcohol operate under greater scrutiny than the people that replace the brakes on your car. Where's the logic in that?

Gentrification has had a hand in taming the nightlife too. It wasn't just the city that put Backstreet out of business it was the neighborhood and the residents that go to bed at 10PM on Saturday night that helped end the 24 hour party. These days a bar closes and in a few months a new condo tower starts construction on the very spot you danced to IIO with a Peroni in hand and next to that night's nameless trick. The mother of American nightlife, New York, has also fallen on tough times too thanks to the city government and gentrification.

Yes, even New York has citizens that loathe the idea of going out at night and having a good time. Tricia Romano of the Village Voice tackles the topic and lists some of the new restrictions that New York club-goers could soon face. Like ID scanners before you can grace the door of your favorite haunt. Imagine some government agency building a database of how many times you went Jungle or the Eagle last month.

Let's hope Mayor Shirley doesn't read the Village Voice or you too might have to have a scanner approve your entry into Blake's in the near future.