Phoenix offers a multitude of strip...

Phoenix offers a multitude of strip club experiences. Bourbon Street Circus places a premium on beautiful women and a relaxing, upscale atmosphere.

During a three-day visit to Phoenix, I visited a range of clubs, from the Blue Moon and HiLiter and Christie's to local joints like Sugar 44. Friday afternoon around 3:00 I tried Bandaids, but it suffered from the deadly combination of too few attractive dancers and too many guys who just got paid. After shaking off the claustrophobia, I drove to BSC to change the mood. BSC is easy to find on E. Thomas; the big parking lot was maybe 1/4 full. The club itself is a large rectangular space with a bar along one wall and three stages. Stepping out of the desert sun, the inside seemed unusually dark. Once your eyes adjust, the club lighting is one of its best features: the stages have sophisticated edge lighting which make the dancers the center of attention. Doorman, bartenders, and wait staff were courteous and professional. No bathroom troll on the day shift.

Overall, the dancer quality at BSC is more consistent than other PHX clubs I visited. Not one below a 7, none overweight, most were slender with surgical enhancements, many could really move on stage. The downside, if there is one, is that many of the girls look alike. It seems there is a "BSC look" that the hiring managers seek out, and while it's a great look, after while you lose track of who is who because all the girls look so similar. On my first visit (having just witnessed the rainbow coalition at Bandaid's) the stage shows got a bit boring. After a while, the subtle differences emerged, and on my second visit (the following day) I came to appreciate the high standard.