December Downturn; Could 2024 Be End of the Line?

I stopped in on a Saturday night on Dec 9th figuring that the following Saturdays (16th, 23rd) would be too close to Xmas and therefore would suffer from the typical thinning out that occurs during the holidays, with a scarcity of dancers and the lame vibe that comes with that.

My evaluation proved to be about half-correct. It was by no means empty on this night, but it wasn't hopping at all. In fact, from about 12 to 1am I noticed no real uptick in vibe or attendance. The music on this occasion was also very tame, even by Brass Rail standards. They were playing chill ambient music that made for a very subdued, unexciting vibe.

I grabbed a domestic beer - they're now $12.25 - and surveyed the scene. Gotta be straight...the talent here is (largely) the same as it's been for the last 10 years or so. Girls ranged from 6-8, and there was a good ethnic mix, though it leaned Eastern European.