BYOBing

I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend in the summer-like weather. I know there were tons of festivals going on and the weather was perfect for a barbecue (which is how I chose to spend my Saturday).

Saturday night I did go to Under The Big Top at Paradox, which was pretty fun. Though the crowd was a little too rave-y for my taste, there was enough diversity in the music acts to keep everybody happy. Highlights for me included Damn Right!, a mostly local (hailing from Philly, Annapolis, and Baltimore) and very funky four piece, and DJ Joe Nice's bass-heavy dubstep set.

What also made the night great is the fact that the event was BYOB. After paying $35 for admission, it was nice not have to pay for drinks once I was inside. And the way Paradox organized the whole bring-your-own thing was great. Whatever you brought in, you were able to give to the "bartenders" working the event, they labeled it with a ticket number, and held it for you until you were ready for another drink. This way no one had to drag around a 12-pack of Natty Boh or a bottle or whiskey (popular items that night), but still didn't have to pay bar prices. Best of both worlds.

I think this method is great, and I know they have a similar system at Hour Haus. Are there other venues out there that have the BYOB thing down pat? Ones that need to improve? Hey, these are important questions in a recession.

[Image: courtesy of myspace.com/nattybroh]