Clubbing in New York City - New "XL" Club on the Scene

While in New York City this week, I was told of a hot new club that just opened in the Time Square/Hell's Kitchen district - XL.  Part of a multiuse space (with OUT NYC Hotel and a 24 hour restaurant), word of XL was definitely buzzing.  I popped in on a Tuesday night and was greeted at the door by the mysteriously beveiled mistress Madame Black and nightlife princess jk*Prima.  Upon first entering the club, I was impressed by how nice and upscale it was, almost like what you would expect from Vegas.  The front room features a circular bar with mood lighting, glass videos screens and of course, gorgeous bartenders.  The dj was spinning but the volume was not overwhelming - making it a great area to hang out with friends and talk while enjoying the music.  Venturing in the back area, I was instantly drawn to a massive wall sized LED screen installation that was showing videos, images and graphics.  It was crisp and clear, yet not so bright that it would take away from the vibe of the club (like projection often does.)  The sound system was impressive - with a full rich sound (great bass and mids) but not too loud that it was painful.  I snuck into the DJ booth and saw the highend sound gear (yes, I was drooling with geek lust.)  Though it might be odd to comment about, the layout of the restroom is among the most innovative and cutting edge that I have ever seen.  This is not a surprise as XL is masterminded by legends of the NY club scene John Blair and Beto Sutter in collaboration with Tony Fornabio and Brandon Voss (of F/V events.) Each night will have a different theme (vintage soul, cabaret, tea, tribal) and big  promoters like Susanne Bartsch & Kenny Kenny are on board.  Last weekend's opening party was apparently packed with thousands of musclemen and a line down the street while  the night I went had a more 20-something twink vibe.  If you are in the NYC area and looking for the hot new gay club, XL is definitely a place worth checking out.