DMV News - RIP Love Nightclub

[Cock Head Jones]

...and good riddance. that will be all. Marc Barnes been taking alotta L's over the past year. Maybe dude really is back on that white horse. I'm sure he'll be straight. That bitch will probably be back open by spring with a new name. Nobody is really on the big mega club thing anymore though... o well...

It’s the end of an era — The Alcohol Beverage Regulation Administration has closed Love Nightclub indefinitely at a hearing on Friday after an eruption of various violent incidents over the holidays. Owners are expected to appeal the decision at a hearing on Tuesday.

Love, despite it’s drawbacks, has been the epicenter of urban entertainment nightlife for years since it was known as Dream. Still, with crowds changing, the appeal to smaller lounges in D.C. and violence has caused the mega-club to lose it’s mass appeal in recent years.

Love has been home to major events by hip-hop and R&B artists in the District, including last year when Jay-Z, Young Jeezy and Beyonce stopped by to celebrate the Inauguration of President Barack Obama.

 

[lossless499]

How long was this spot open for?

 

[Cock Head Jones]

How long was this spot open for?

It started as Dream in 2000 or 2001.

 

[clayizaiken]

 

[LegalMoney]

Good riddance. Hasn't been the same since early 2000s. The decline began when they started getting lax with the dress code and letting niggas in with white tees and sneaks. I remember when going to Dream was a big deal.

Taz must have seen the writing on the wall and bounced before shit hit the fan. Luxe Lounge is doing well and the U-street area is popping again.

H20 suffered a similar fate, what's in that area now? Condos?

 

[thesenator20904]

Damn that was the spot for a while... but DC police have been grinding to close that spot since the cop got killed by ole girl who had been drinking.

 

[Nigga Infamous Still 16]

There are plenty of clubs in DC... The lost will be felt by cats who frequent the spot... I'm at club Fur all day anyway... ​

 

[fwillia]

I was there for New Years. I heard that there was an "incident" but I guess I left before it occurred... I wonder what exactly happened.

 

[LegalMoney]

Ahhh Gil's Birthday bash. From sugar to shit, how times have changed. A decent party, the hype was better than the actual event. Got live around 2-3am when they opened up the top floor and all the celebs arrived. I still got my Arenas Express Card

 

[lossless499]

It started as Dream in 2000 or 2001.

Ok ok. Yea, I heard of Dream, but didnt know it went through a rebranding.

 

[Bone$]

Spent many nights tearing down love \ dream ..was never disappointed wit da quality jawns in da spot...damn

 

[Heist]

Marc and Taz don't really care - trust.

I know all those cats. Marc, Taz, Gloria, Chris ...

They're already got a dozen smaller lounges and clubs they own and promotes for. Lima, Park, etc. etc. Not to mention the land and building THEY OWN which they can sell.


Dream/Love was a $15MM gamble that BROKE EVEN in the first year. Shit's been + profit every year since -- cake cake cake. Yeah, it's the jewel in the crown but Marc knows the prime earning lifespan of a trend club is about 5-6 years.

You build/open a club, you make plans to kill that bitch in 5 years and bounce.

They almost got shut down 5 years ago when that girl came out of there pissy drunk and killed the State Trooper on the BW Parkway. They had a camera on her an everything on the highway DRUNK AS A SKUNK yelling at the other officers to let her go because she didn't do anything,-- meanwhile they're scraping their Trooper brother off the road.

 

[lossless499]

Good riddance. Hasn't been the same since early 2000s. The decline began when they started getting lax with the dress code and letting niggas in with white tees and sneaks. I remember when going to Dream was a big deal.

Taz must have seen the writing on the wall and bounced before shit hit the fan. Luxe Lounge is doing well and the U-street area is popping again.

H20 suffered a similar fate, what's in that area now? Condos?

Real talk, my boys drove down from NY just to go to that spot. Well, i think it was homecoming or some shit, but still that was a big reason they went back in the day.

I think Cam shot a vid there at one point too right?

I dont go to any spots that dont have a stringent dress code and arent 21 and up. Only time I fuck with no dress code is a lounge. Thats it. IMO a big part of clubbing is getting fly.

 

[Cock Head Jones]

Good riddance. Hasn't been the same since early 2000s. The decline began when they started getting lax with the dress code and letting niggas in with white tees and sneaks. I remember when going to Dream was a big deal.

Taz must have seen the writing on the wall and bounced before shit hit the fan. Luxe Lounge is doing well and the U-street area is popping again.

H20 suffered a similar fate, what's in that area now? Condos?

MArc, Taz, Abdul and that old crew was clogging up the lane for a good minute in DC. They all had a good run. Abdul who owned H2O got locked up on some money laundering shit and Marc is probably gonna fall back a lil bit since Love was a ghost town over the last few months unless they were having a concert. Lately, they were usually only opening the ground floor and the 1 above that on most nights and the club still wouldnt be packed.

Theres a new crew of promoters and a few new club owners out here making shit pop now. THat's how the game goes...

 

[divine]

So where are the kids going to party at now? I hope they don't bring that nonsense to the jazz spots.. or open mic events.

 

[fwillia]

So where are the kids going to party at now? I hope they don't bring that nonsense to the jazz spots.. or open mic events.

I'm sure your jazz spots and open mic events will be safe from the "kids".

 

[Cock Head Jones]

Marc and Taz don't really care - trust.

I know all those cats. Marc, Taz, Gloria, Chris ...

They're already got a dozen smaller lounges and clubs they own and promotes for. Lima, Park, etc. etc. Not to mention the land and building THEY OWN which they can sell.


Dream/Love was a $15MM gamble that BROKE EVEN in the first year. Shit's been + profit every year since -- cake cake cake. Yeah, it's the jewel in the crown but Marc knows the prime earning lifespan of a trend club is about 5-6 years.

You build/open a club, you make plans to kill that bitch in 5 years and bounce.

Marc and Taz dont even fuck with each other anymore.

Yea they had a run though. Big clubs are dead.

What neither of them have right now is a stranglehold on dc nightlife anymore and thats good. Lotta cats are opening or planning to open new shit over the next few months. Few years ago you woulda had to holla at Marc, Abdul, or some of these miscellaneous low key etheopian cats to get the green light to make some shit happen.

Right now nobody has that locked so cats are taking advantage of that rare window.

 

[Cock Head Jones]

So where are the kids going to party at now? I hope they don't bring that nonsense to the jazz spots.. or open mic events.

where @ divine? busboys?

im comin to your lil open mic spot burnin a pack of incense and 10 wild niggas talkin loud on android phones just to fuck with you. talkin all over your poetry nigga.

 

[Heist]

Real talk, my boys drove down from NY just to go to that spot. Well, i think it was homecoming or some shit, but still that was a big reason they went back in the day.

I think Cam shot a vid there at one point too right?

I dont go to any spots that dont have a stringent dress code and arent 21 and up. Only time I fuck with no dress code is a lounge. Thats it. IMO a big part of clubbing is getting fly.

Yeah Cam shot a video there. I forget which.


Unfortunately the dress code has to change (slightly) with the changing times and clients if a club wants to stay hot and relevant.

You can't age your club just because your original clientele have aged.

Marc's target was sqaurely at the 25-40 crowd and appeal to ballers (or wannabe ballers).

I mean bottle service + table started at $600!

If you wanted the old lounge upstairs with the flat screens, bedroom, and marble showers I think you had to drop $5,000.


That shit was the Vegas club of Washington, DC.

 

[LegalMoney]

Real talk, my boys drove down from NY just to go to that spot. Well, i think it was homecoming or some shit, but still that was a big reason they went back in the day.

I think Cam shot a vid there at one point too right?

I dont go to any spots that dont have a stringent dress code and arent 21 and up. Only time I fuck with no dress code is a lounge. Thats it. IMO a big part of clubbing is getting fly.

Yeah Cam shot the "Hey Ma'" video back in the day. That was the apex of Dream's popularity. And I agree, must be a stringent dress code and code of conduct. I'm too old for fighting ninjas

MArc, Taz, Abdul and that old crew was clogging up the lane for a good minute in DC. They all had a good run. Abdul who owned H2O got locked up on some money laundering shit and Marc is probably gonna fall back a lil bit since Love was a ghost town over the last few months unless they were having a concert. Lately, they were usually only opening the ground floor and the 1 above that on most nights and the club still wouldnt be packed.

Theres a new crew of promoters and a few new club owners out here making shit pop now. THat's how the game goes...

Dude was straight we me and my peoples, use to break bread with us youngin's

Man, I use to love H20: that time when the club "closed" at 2:30am but the VIP room stayed open for another 2 hrs Those were the days...BUT it doesn't surprise me dude was laundering money. The type of "clientele" that skipped line towards the end was a clear indication of what type of individuals he had relationships with. Them niggas would have visible hammers and would walk right into the joint...I think the police were in on it too... That incident during the Jeezy party must have been too much to cover up..

 

[bgque12]

I was done with that spot after my first and only time in there. Went to see Musiq Soulchild in '04 and there were trannies up in there ain't been there since!

 

[divine]

where @ divine? busboys?

im comin to your lil open mic spot burnin a pack of incense and 10 wild niggas talkin loud on android phones just to fuck with you. talkin all over your poetry nigga.

 

[LennyNero1972]

I was done with that spot after my first and only time in there. Went to see Musiq Soulchild in '04 and there were trannies up in there ain't been there since!

 

[CPT Callamity]

I'm one of the only dudes that hasn't set foot in that club. It was done with the megaclub scene @ DC Live time frame. Since then I think I hit up H20 once, but Dream/Love never appealed to me. The lounges where bougie muthafuckas can sip on $13 mixed drinks is the hot shit now. I've started to actually enjoy going to regular bars where they have drink specials, strange and pretty friendly folks.

 

[ScorpDiesel]

Oh shit! They had bedrooms up in the joint? wow.

Yeah Cam shot a video there. I forget which.


Unfortunately the dress code has to change (slightly) with the changing times and clients if a club wants to stay hot and relevant.

You can't age your club just because your original clientele have aged.

Marc's target was sqaurely at the 25-40 crowd and appeal to ballers (or wannabe ballers).

I mean bottle service + table started at $600!

If you wanted the old lounge upstairs with the flat screens, bedroom, and marble showers I think you had to drop $5,000.


That shit was the Vegas club of Washington, DC.

 

[Cock Head Jones]

Yeah Cam shot the "Hey Ma'" video back in the day. That was the apex of Dream's popularity. And I agree, must be a stringent dress code and code of conduct. I'm too old for fighting ninjas



Dude was straight we me and my peoples, use to break bread with us youngin's

Man, I use to love H20: that time when the club "closed" at 2:30am but the VIP room stayed open for another 2 hrs Those were the days...BUT it doesn't surprise me dude was laundering money. The type of "clientele" that skipped line towards the end was a clear indication of what type of individuals he had relationships with. Them niggas would have visible hammers and would walk right into the joint...I think the police were in on it too... That incident during the Jeezy party must have been too much to cover up..

lol I aint sayin nothin but you aint neva lied.

 

[audio syndicate]

park is a better spot anyway...friday $20 prefix

 

[THREAD_CRITIC]

I'm at club Fur all day anyway... ​

and Ibiza

 

[Heist]

Man, I use to love H20: that time when the club "closed" at 2:30am but the VIP room stayed open for another 2 hrs Those were the days.....

Man, don't you know I knew nothing about that shit for like the first 2 years.
Then this little model Ethiopian model chick who liked me and knew plenty ppl there was like - where you going?

I was like club's closing - let out time. She rolled her eyes and grabbed me by the hand and walked me through what I though was the fucking door to the COAT CHECK ROOM.

Gave some guard the "what's up nod" and said "Me and him"

Holy shit .... I was like Fucking Fat Joe was back there performing on a little ministage, all the Terror Squad cats where there too. There was a central bar stocked with nothing but premuim and premium + liquor and that shit didn't shut down till 5am!

 

[peterlongshort]

Good riddance. Hasn't been the same since early 2000s. The decline began when they started getting lax with the dress code and letting niggas in with white tees and sneaks. I remember when going to Dream was a big deal.

Taz must have seen the writing on the wall and bounced before shit hit the fan. Luxe Lounge is doing well and the U-street area is popping again.

H20 suffered a similar fate, what's in that area now? Condos?

Co-sign. I remember when Marc them was running Republic Gardens on U street. That's were the real grown and sexy went. Then Marc left there and opened up Dream and it kinda devolved from grown and sexy, to college crowd, to tourist trap, to "wear-whatever-you-want-just-pay-me-my-$20"

R.I.P

 

[Heist]

Oh shit! They had bedrooms up in the joint? wow.

From 2002 - 2005 before the second remodel, yes. Marc had a premium private lounge on the top floor with an open deck and an inside area that had a private bar/bartender a big ass couch, pool table, bedroom, bath and a shower room big enough to hold 4 people.

All marble in the bath and nice carpeting and shit.

 

[Heist]

Marc and Taz dont even fuck with each other anymore.

Yea they had a run though. Big clubs are dead.

What neither of them have right now is a stranglehold on dc nightlife anymore and thats good. Lotta cats are opening or planning to open new shit over the next few months. Few years ago you woulda had to holla at Marc, Abdul, or some of these miscellaneous low key etheopian cats to get the green light to make some shit happen.

Right now nobody has that locked so cats are taking advantage of that rare window.

That's true. They're not as tight as they once were, but they both had financial interest and ties to LOVE.

I'm glad they don't have a strangehold on DC anymore. 10 years was enough.

I can tell you about some shit they did to sabotage clubs like FUR. That field across the street ... they purposely bought it so FUR wouldn't have parking. The also pulled their strings at city council to make sure those little tram and carrier carts couldn't be used anymore.

 

[Cock Head Jones]

That's true. They're not as tight as they once were, but they both had financial interest and ties to LOVE.

I'm glad they don't have a strangehold on DC anymore. 10 years was enough.

I can tell you about some shit they did to sabotage clubs like FUR. That field across the street ... they purposely bought it so FUR wouldn't have parking. The also pulled their strings at city council to make sure those little tram and carrier carts couldn't be used anymore.

yea. shit was crazy for a while. im glad to see young cats getting a shot now. good timing actually...

 

[Cock Head Jones]

As for new spots to check out... I'd recommend

Recess at 727 15th Street, NW across the street from the American Bar Assn.
Just opened a few weeks ago. Real nice lounge setting with a dancefloor and they put an emphasis on good music so they plan on flying in some good dj's. Some bad broads come out to party instead of the usual stand around bullshit. 2 young brothas, College Park alumni, Brandon and Fisayo own the spot. So far I'm impressed.


District at 473 18th Street, NW I havent seen the space myself but it's supposed to be nice and I havent had a reason to hit Adams Morgan in a minute so we may check it out. Grand opening is this weekend I think. It'll be on some top40 mixed crowd, mixed music type shit. You nikkas love white girls though so there ya go.


Lounge of Three on 10th and U Street, NW across from the CVS and U street metro. One of DC's little known secrets that's getting some press now. The only straightup hiphop spot I know about in the District. The DJ plays nothing but official r&b and hiphop from the mid 90's up to recent heat but the crowd is real chill. It's a bar on the 1st floor and a lounge/ bar on the 2nd floor. Only spot in DC where you're likely to hear a Joell Ortiz or Jay Electronica track followed by some old Lox/ Mary J track off a mixtape you havent heard in 8 years. They have cards, chessboards, hiphop trivia and some other shit nd people are just chillin, playing games, talkin shit and eating. Feels like you're chillin at a house party in someones crib. Cool spot to take a chick that's into music or to grab a drink and some wings with the fellas before going to some other shit.

 

[LegalMoney]

As for new spots to check out... I'd recommend

Recess at 727 15th Street, NW across the street from the American Bar Assn.
Just opened a few weeks ago. Real nice lounge setting with a dancefloor and they put an emphasis on good music so they plan on flying in some good dj's. Some bad broads come out to party instead of the usual stand around bullshit. 2 young brothas, College Park alumni, Brandon and Fisayo own the spot. So far I'm impressed.


District at 473 18th Street, NW I havent seen the space myself but it's supposed to be nice and I havent had a reason to hit Adams Morgan in a minute so we may check it out. Grand opening is this weekend I think. It'll be on some top40 mixed crowd, mixed music type shit. You nikkas love white girls though so there ya go.


Lounge of Three on 10th and U Street, NW across from the CVS and U street metro. One of DC's little known secrets that's getting some press now. The only straightup hiphop spot I know about in the District. The DJ plays nothing but official r&b and hiphop from the mid 90's up to recent heat but the crowd is real chill. It's a bar on the 1st floor and a lounge/ bar on the 2nd floor. Only spot in DC where you're likely to hear a Joell Ortiz or Jay Electronica track followed by some old Lox/ Mary J track off a mixtape you havent heard in 8 years. They have cards, chessboards, hiphop trivia and some other shit nd people are just chillin, playing games, talkin shit and eating. Feels like you're chillin at a house party in someones crib. Cool spot to take a chick that's into music or to grab a drink and some wings with the fellas before going to some other shit.

LOL...Man I know BGOL is the show-me-site but when it comes to that good ol DMV, you can really tell who isn't faking!

I lived in the same dorm as the homie Fisayo. Brandon, Reggie, all them ninjas, that good UMCP Alum! Sayo had it poppin at Mai Thai and another spot off Connecticut, forget the name now.

I'll have to check out those spots you mentioned because the word from my people back in the area is that the club scene is rather so-so at the moment.