Two months ago, U Street-area venues Town and DC9 paired up for a special one-night-only promotion. Now Nellie’s Sports Bar has joined them to make it a monthly ”Third Thursday Three-Way.”
WTF at Town
”I thought, I’m not going to get left out of this,” chuckles Doug Schantz of Nellie’s Sports Bar, who coined the name for the new promotion, which starts next Thursday, Sept. 17. ”I said to them, ‘How about a three-way? Because I know you guys are raunchy.”’
They are at least playful — Town’s anything-goes monthly party “WTF?” takes place that night. It will be the third edition of the party, which the club’s Ed Bailey says is intended to recall ”an early ’90s club-kid era of craziness. What some people romanticize about Tracks.” The party, which Bailey organizes with local promoter Aaron Riggins, features budding local DJ talent in addition to Bailey, who spins to offer some party continuity. The first two rounds featured DJs associated with alt-gay parties Mixtape and Shift.
Next Thursday brings three DJs from the popular Duplex Diner: Landon Manjikian, Bradley Schurman and Tommy Cornelis. The party also features guest performers and crazed antics. Last month, for example, Cookie Monster was on hand offering trays of his favorite cookies while Elmo roamed the crowd looking for tickles.
”I like people to be shocked by what happens,” says Bailey. He wouldn’t go into specifics about what shenanigans are in store next week — except to expect Swedish meatballs. He laughed when asked whether for consumption or merely as a prop.
At Nellie’s, patrons participating in the Third Thursday Three-Way promotion will at least get to consume what Schantz calls ”snacky things.” With the promotion’s $3 wristband, customers get a free appetizer at Nellie’s, plus a free drink at both Town and DC9. The promotion does not include the venues’ cover charges ($5 for Town, $8 for upstairs at DC9).
Bailey considers the three-way relationship a bit novel.
”Instead of competing,” he says, “let’s make it a party and attract more people to our neck of the woods.”
The Third Thursday Three-Way monthly promotion launches next Thursday, Sept. 17, at Town, Nellie’s and DC9. Wristbands are $3 and can be purchased at all three U Street-area venues.