Since November of last year, we here at Crossfade have been scratching our heads, wondering, "What is 11?"
Last night, all of the mystery was unveiled at E11EVEN Miami's media opening, where we got to experience firsthand the "upscale nightclub, meets Cirque du Soleil, meets international cabaret."
While not a "strip club" per se, there certainly was a lot of boobage, jaw-dropping aerial acrobatics performances, and exotic dancers atop the club's center hydraulic stage (which happens to have a removable pole).
See also: E11even Miami: "We Are Already Planning Clubs for New York City, Las Vegas, San Francisco"
Owned by Vegas nightlife impresario Dennis DeGori, the 25,000-square-foot, two-story club cost a total of $44 million to complete, that's including their Funktion One resolution 6 sound system.
"That's the same sound system they have in the Marquee in Vegas, except they have resolution 5 and we have 6," bragged Yami Alvarado, E11EVEN's PR spokeswoman. "It's very state-of-the-art."
Adding to the cost was the lighting, designed by the same man behind the New World Symphony Wallcast projections in Miami Beach, several LED video walls throughout the club, including its four bars and main DJ booth, and all of the minor details, like golden, mosaic tiling, bronze frames, and an LED fireplace in the mezzanine.
The main room, equipped with a bar, lit-up cage, mini-podium with a large center pillar, and an LED wall is the first thing you notice when you step foot into the club.
While E11EVEN is Florida's first (and only) 24-hour club, Alvarado clarifies that the experience you get depends on the time of day you're there.
During the daytime, the main room transforms into the day club, a lounge, sports bar-like setting where you can watch the game on the TV screens or sit at the high-top tables or on the couches for cocktails.
The second floor of the main room, however, is the VIP area. These guys get special treatment.
"We have large VIP rooms that fit about 20 people, and they have their own champagne bar and separate entrance, so you don't have to go through everybody else," Alvarado explains.
But don't worry ... If you're "everybody else," there are three other bars where you can drink all the Dom Pérignon you want, 32 private rooms equipped with iPads and flat screen TVs, and access to the stage which is surrounded by black chaises for a face-to-face encounter.
"We have a hydraulic stage, meaning it can rise to the mezzanine level, or be transformed into a dance floor," begins Alvarado. "We also have acrobatic, Cirque du Soleil-style dancers. They're amazing."
Although the stage did not rise for the occasion, we did get to see several acrobatic performances of mystical fairies and some sort of virgin sacrifice/dominatrix act. And, of course, we later spotted ladies wearing nothing but G-strings dancing on the main platform.
The entertainment may be all the hype, but one of the club's best features is the rooftop deck. We made our way to the second-floor elevator (which happens to have a private door) and went from a dark-lit room to a bright, open air rooftop terrace in a matter of seconds.
Unlike the rest of the whole mysterious vibe E11EVEN's got going on, the cabana-style deck is warm and inviting, wooden floors, wicker and linen couches, a bar, and all.
Soon-to-be home to celebrity Chef Carla Pellegrino's Touche Rooftop Restaurant and Bar, the sunroof has one of the best views in the 305, overlooking Space, the Freedom Tower, and the Miami skyline.
Although Alvarado admits that E11EVEN has "whatever license there is for adult entertainment and cabaret," it is not a strip club. Yes, we did see lots of boobs and thongs with several dollar bills attached to them, but no, as DeGori once clarified, it's not a stripper joint, it's "both a nightclub and a cabaret."
So whether you're coming for the "cabaret dancers," circus-like theatrics, or the rooftop deck, E11EVEN is definitely worth a visit, but don't expect Avicii, Calvin Harris, or any A-list DJs anytime soon.
"It's not about the music," Alvarado expresses, "It's about the entertainment and the experience."
E11EVEN Miami Grand Opening Weekend. Friday, February 7, through Sunday, February 9. E11EVEN Miami, 29 NE 11th St., Miami; 11miami.com. Tickets cost $20 plus fees via 11miami.com. Ages 21 and up.
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