Play Dance Bar

02/26/2009 Posted by b0024

I began going to Play 3 months ago and have been going almost every weekend. This bar/dance club offers something for everyone. I have only been on Fridays, Saturdays, and on Sunday so I don't know how Play is on Wed/Thu's. Fridays and Saturdays begin with a drag performance at 11pm, after an hour the dance floor opens and stays open until 3am. A second drag show begins an hour after the first show ends, at 1am. The performers lip sing to great songs, they dance, and they interact with patrons. The dance floor is great. There are colorful laser lights, smoke, and large monitors showing music/dance videos for the songs the DJ is playing. There is 1 bar in the show room (where the drag queens perform). In the dance room there are bars on three walls, so there is no problem getting alcohol. The only con is that the drinks are small and expensive, but they are served by the nicest, cutest bartenders. If you are looking for a highly energized, loud, fun, crowded dance club this is the place for you. Patrons dance, watch drag shows, and make friends with other patrons. Have Fun!

Pros: Great music, awesome shows, fun dance floor

Cons: Expensive

02/19/2009 Posted by joojoosans7

Play is so much even if you are straight! I loved the shows and the people there are incredibly nice. They monitor the underage drinking very carefully and the dance floor is really cool! I made some cool friends and had alot of fun at this place.As a straight man I can still say I'll be going back.

Pros: fun to dance and entertaining shows.. very interesting.

Cons: cover is a little pricey on the weekends.

01/05/2009 Posted by sfgirl89

Do not use your credit card! I was over charged not only for my drinks but, an additional 25.00 charge! Also my friend was abused my the female impersonator. The entertainer verbally blasted my friend bringing her to tears. He did not let up and kept going back to her with snide comments that were just plain mean. She did nothing to deserve this and basically paid the $10.00 cover to be abused. The cover is too high and they rip you off. Dance floor is nice. Too bad management doesn't control their staff's bad behaviors.

Pros: Dance Floor

Cons: High cover, overcharged drinks, poor quality entertainers

10/19/2008 Posted by GlennB

I like play ok, but it is still not the great experienc that Connections use to be. We need to keep it going for sure but we need a way to bring back the atmosphere and crouds that we use to have at Connections. What happened to all of the people that use to go there? The shows are good but need more showroom seating and Regine Phillips would be helpful. I will keep going To play from time to time , but not every week like I use to go out.

10/06/2008 Posted by trxstar

On separate occasions my bar tender has padded both the check and their tips. Play is one of the most fun places to go to in Nashville, but pay close attention to prices. Prices can change depending on bartender and tips can be inflated if card is left on a tab. Have fun but don't let the fun make you careless like I was.

04/14/2008 Posted by waldie25

I'm afraid I have to agree with some of the comment from other folks. This place is great your first couple of times but the luster quickly wears off. I'm willing to bet that the attitude that some of the staff has is because so much of the crowd is younger and inexperienced. I'm mean, c'mon. Fluctuating drink prices, they still don't take cards and they don't run tabs. Who does that anymore? Not to mention the power-drunk staff and management. They know that most of these folks will come back because there is nothing like it in town. The ATM in the lobby isn't a convienience, it's an eyesore. It's something you would expect to see at some trashy laundrymat. I've had several folks tell me that the scene (regular patrons) rotates about every 8-10 months. With the entertainment (drag shows) I can see why. The featured perfomers are nice (brought in from the outside). The regulars have become complacent and lazy. The entire show is spent walking from one dollar to the next. That's not a show, it's voluntary robbery. When they aren't doing that they are milking over-priced drinks from the new-comers. If it's your first time, bring a roll of cash. You'll need it. Oh, and then you'll need some for the drinks. But be careful, don't drop and break your plastic cup. For the occasional visitor, it's probably fine. As for the corp group that SUSTAINS this place, you won't get change until you demand it. And, by the way, the music on the dance side is FABULOUS!!

Pros: Great for the newcomer

Cons: The owners are getting rich. Drink and cover prices

02/25/2008 Posted by nitelifefan

My friends and I drove into Nashville all the way from Miami, and we wanted to go out to a fun place on our first night in. Unfortunately, we didn't read the reviews of this place to well and decided on Play. First off, we asked one of the bartenders for a breakdown of their prices for shots, but when we actually ordered them from a different bartender, we were charged more. One of my friends told him that the other bartender had given us a different price, and all he had to say was "oh well, she's crazy." Um...okay. Now I really hope that not all Nashville locals are rude, but this one girl that crossed our paths next really was. She cut in between me and my friends while we were talking and continued to be nasty with us when we confronted her. She later threw her drink in my face, and my friends and I were the ones kicked out of the club. Fine. I understand that as the manager of a club, you have to regain control quickly, but this guy was extremely rude as well. He might as well have thrown the drink in my face himself (same goes for the owner). He took me outside and asked me what happened, but he was already threatening to have me arrested. Why even ask me what happened? He already made his mind up. That was totally uncool. Fortunately, he also kicked out the other girl, but we were definitely treated disrespectfully. They'll really lose a lot of clientele by treating people that way, accusing them and kicking them out AND overcharging them for drinks at the bar. They were acting all drunk with power. Why? I don't know. Their club was NOT up to par with any of the clubs we've been to in other cities. They could use some tips. The manager stopped threatening to have me arrested when I mentioned I had been experienced with promoting for gay/lesbian events in Miami. Ha, small fry! Anyway, if you want to be treated like a human being and get good service, DO NOT go to Play. I hope all of Nashville is not like that. It really wasn't a good first impression.

Pros: only place to go (luckily for them)

Cons: horrible service, rude management, overcharging bartenders

01/30/2008 Posted by cowboylatte

I have to agree with the previous reviewer. Very shady billing practices indeed. I learned my lesson once from them and will certainly not be back. I live in a major U.S. city and travel the world, and I must say drinks at this place are priced on par with the world's finest cities. Too bad this place most certainly is not. If you want expensive drinks in plastic cups go right ahead.

01/26/2008 Posted by PissedatPlay

I have been to Play many times and never really had a problem until last Wednesday night. The bartender let a random person put drinks on my tab that he assumed was with me. When my tab was $70 instead of like $30, I disputed the charges. Oscar, the manager, told me “Our bartenders don’t make mistakes.” And “Next time, you’ll need to be at the bar to authorize the drinks”. So basically, he made it out to be my mistake that Leonard, the bartender, put someone else’s drinks on my tab. One individual in my party was overserved and I had to get them home, so I signed the receipt and left. I got Joe Brown’s (owner) phone number and decided I would get it cleared up the next day. Joe Brown said “Well, I asked the bartender and he says he didn’t do anything wrong so there’s nothing I can do”. He also couldn’t provide me with an itemized ticket which means, I was overcharged regardless. Joe advised me to dispute the charges with my bank and I will. But I wanted everyone to know to watch out for these bartenders. Apparently, they have been advised to overserve you and fraud you as well. I have a feeling it works all too often.

Pros: Drag show, fun people, good music

Cons: Poor service, rude staff, unprofession staff

11/16/2007 Posted by driver101801

Play was the first club I had ever been to in my life, and it was amazing. Being gay of course in Nashville is very hard...very conservative area of the country with the bible belt and homo-hating rednecks...but play is like an oasis in the desert. The drag shows are the best I've ever seen. The music is good house, trance and techno. Don't expect to hear a lot of top 40 while you are there, but maybe some popular song remixed to a techno beat. Clean and cool inside, Saturday nights are the most crowded but even then there's plenty of room to dance and move around comfortably. Modern decor with good lights and fog in the dance bar. It is a solid mixture of straights and gay men (and some women), but don't be surprised to find gay-oriented events every week. Bartenders are super-friendly, and good at what they do. I go to college in Massachusetts now, right outside of Boston, and I haven't been able to find a place quite like Play. So if you're in Nashville, or you live there and are tired of the usual, check it out.

Pros: Great place to meet for GLBT community

Cons: Parking can be a hassle