Posted by Galveston Guy on March 01, 2005 at 05:11:40:
In Reply to: Club Utopia posted by JohnSherri on February 16, 2005 at 01:34:12:
: Just curious....does anyone know how Club Utopia gets around the New Orleans liquor laws & allows total nudity on their stage, while the other topless bars are just that...topless only? I've also seen a DreamGirl video that shows totally nude girls doing dildo insertions on Utopia's stage. Does the owner have a close personal relationship with someone at city hall perhaps? Surely not...not in New Orleans.
I've shot digital stills twice at Club Utopia, each time on Thursday at the "Home Made Bikini Contest" which soon becomes a nude dance contest as the "costumes" fall or melt away. Contest starts shortly after midnight on Thursdays, and I caught it once in December and once during Mardi Gras week in February, so it could well be year-round.
Best place I've ever encountered for photography, if you arrive early enough to secure a ringside spot. Never any hassle about taking pics, never a demand for a shooting fee (maybe that's different for video). Each time, I saw 3-5 cameramen working digital video cams, and they were ushered into a clear spot at the front of the stage steps, apparently under management authorization. I picked a spot near the corner of the stage, right up against the railing, and shot dozens of shots without a bother or an obstructed view. Highly recommended, I just hope it never changes.
There also is a posted notice on the side of the stage advising women that by participating in any contests or activities on stage, they are consenting to be photographed during the event. So no one has any complaints.