I always wonder whether I’ve picked a career that best suits me, with frequent curiosities of what I could be missing. Last Friday, I ventured into in to a world that is a complete juxtaposition from my own.
Go-Go dancers not ready to perform, lights technicians running a half hour late, customers trying to redeem invalid coupons, fake ID-ers trying to enter – it’s all just a normal night in the life of Brett Gallo, general manager at V2O the Venue.
“I’m a ring master,” he says. Little did I know that analogy was completely accurate.
Managing over seventy employees and creating a safe environment for thousands of guests can get hectic, making V2O feel more like a circus tent. But Gallo is a man that gets the job done with an air of composure and sense of refined dignity.
Gallo and I do a walkthrough before opening to make sure all is acceptable. The Zen-themed club emits a feeling of pure relaxation, with décor ranging from bamboo to a rock water fountain; however, the ambiance has no affect on Gallo. He keeps focus while doing the walkthrough, touching bases with all the employees so they feel his presence.
V20 earned a questionable reputation – Gallo is the first to admit that – but cleaning house sure makes it sparkle. In order to manage a club of this magnitude, being a part of the “club” lifestyle is a no-no, he says. The six-foot ex-wrestler describes himself as more of a bar guy who enjoys badly sung karaoke.
He peers like an eagle after his prey as guests enter into his arena. Gallo keeps pictures in this office of people no longer allowed at the Venue, along with samples of counterfeit money that has tried to pass though the club. He gawked at the idea of someone trying to fool his staff.
Friday night turned out to be slower than a two-legged turtle in taffy, with less than 600 guests – a frenetic night is over 1,400 guests with space to spare for more. Although, clientele will not come to a halt any time soon.
Since the downturn of the economy, “We’ve seen less than a 1% decrease in the last year, which isn’t bad at all,” Gallo says. In fact, the TED conference rented out V20 for a night with a buyout starting at $50,000 in February.
We frequently walk around the venue to make sure that bartenders aren’t giving out free drinks, guest D.J.’s aren’t sneaking drinks behind the stage and that guest attire is appropriate.
It was really interesting – but yet, annoying – to see the club from this angle. Like being a kid again, grounded and watching your peers play outside. The entire time my heart was yearning to get on the dance floor and do a little booty shaking, but of course the main task was to stay focused and collected while others were letting their hair down and drinking the week away. If the club scene isn’t your cup of tea and if you enjoy problem-solving in split seconds, this may be the job for you.
Employees frequently asked to be cut for the night, and with a cool demure he dismisses his students one-by-one with the inner joy of a teacher knowing his time to go home would be soon.
V2O’s waters were calm on Friday night without one fight in sight. At closing time, registers where cashed out without a single penny missing. Doors where locked up and Gallo’s shift was over at 3:45 a.m.
Ricklyn Hukriede is a contributing news reporter and current journalism student at Long Beach City College.