Thursday Soiree at Mint Lounge
Limited classes were held on Friday, so the weekend officially started on Thursday night for many overjoyed students.
The Mint Lounge on West College Avenue served as the Homecoming Edition of the weekly Thursday Soiree. The lines were long and the crowd grew impatient as some partygoers complained about the almost hour long wait.
The club’s general manager Jo Murgio and “Soiree” promoter Al Loblack had to tame down the line by raising prices to weed out the number of people. By midnight, the lounge had filled to capacity, and the overflow of Soiree attendees spilled into the neighboring 101 Restaurant, which was a party within itself.
“The Warriors”, DJs Venom and Clean, kept the crowd swag-surfing, jerking and even whining through the night on the Mint side while playing a blend of the latest hip-hop, reggae and R&B.
Grade: A- (High: Anywhere you can party and eat a gourmet meal is a great idea. Low: Security and the police needs to do a better job of keeping the lines organized and the crowd more orderly).
4 Play
Hundreds of people started their homecoming weekend off at “4 Play” at Baja’s Beach Club. By 10:30 p.m., the line to get in the party was wrapped around the shopping plaza where the club is located.
Individuals who purchased pre-paid tickets got into the club quickly, while others waited for more than an hour to get in the party.
Some potential attendants were not allowed in the party due to the enforcement of a strict dress code. Men were not allowed to wear hats, shorts or plain T-shirts.
Most people who came out to “4 Play” before 11 p.m. paid about $20 to get in, and felt like the party was worth every penny.
The dance floor was crowded and difficult to maneuver through, but people still made room to group up with friends and dance.
From the VIP booths to the main dance floor, everyone in the party was dancing and singing along with the music well past 3 a.m.
Grade: A ( High: everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, there were no complaints. Low: the venue was a little crowded).
Crown Royal
Café Cabernet was the new hot spot overnight Homecoming weekend.
Cabernet was home to both the Crown Royal and Ciroc Parties held Friday and Saturday nights. Founder of DIGITALGUESTLIST and alum, Joe Womack, also known as, “Joey Digital” hosted the events.
Many people learned about the Crown Royal parties from last year’s homecoming and the Atlanta Classic.
There was a mandatory registration and RSVP confirmation from the DIGITALGUESTLIST Website, but the RSVP’s didn’t confirm entry. By 10p.m., the venue almost reached it full capacity.
It was a free event, which was a relief during the costly homecoming weekend.
The legendary DJ Biz Markie was spinning the best old school Hip-Hop, leaving alumni feeling nostalgic and re-living their college days.
The best part about the event was the fact it was hosted by the Young Alumni Movement. Alumni and current Rattlers networked.
Grade: A+ (High: The Crown Royal tickets saved people money. Low: The music was outdated).
Bourbon Street
The famous “Nupes of the Rock” held their highly anticipated annual “Bourbon St.” party at Potbelly’s and Painted Lady.
The spring 2004 Kappa line celebrated their five-year-anniversary and their fraternity brothers of the Theta Eta chapter at Florida State were in attendance to join the celebration.
As expected, the crowd was incomprehensible, but was handled very well by Potbelly’s security. Although the temperature was chilly, people enjoyed the merriment of their peers and the bumping music from the different disc jockeys.
Potbelly’s multiple party room setups gave club goers a wide variety of entertainment. With DJs like Nosaj, Skillz and 90.5’s own One Champ, people were sure to find music of their liking.
This year, the “Nupes of the Rock” proved that tradition is what gives their chapter its life year after year.
Grade: A- (High: Every room had a different atmosphere, giving you about five parties in one. Low: It got so crowded after a point, you couldn’t get to another room because there was barely any space to maneuver).