Poetry Night Club offers hip-hop sounds in intimate atmosphere

Branden Powers describes Poetry Nightclub with what could be the most vivid one-line description of a nightclub ever.

"It's kind of like if Edgar Allan Poe had a bachelor pad," says Powers, a partner in the club located in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace.

Poems, including one by Tupac Shakur, are inscribed on walls. Bookshelves hold both books and such offbeat knickknacks as saber tooth tiger skulls. And, throughout the club, shadow character cutouts -- a precursor to film photography -- and black curtains add to the Poe-like vibe.

Beyond such decorating touches, visitors will notice the club's intimate atmosphere.

"It's a rather small club. It only holds 600. Other clubs are twice the size," Powers says. Yet, "It's very comfortable and plush."

Also setting Poetry apart from other clubs is the music it plays.

"We are the only club on the Strip that plays 100 percent hip-hop and R&B," Powers says. "Other clubs play what I call wedding music. They play a cross between rock, house and hip-hop."

Manning the turntables is a roster of resident DJs, local guests and, not infrequently, celebrities who stop by.

Two weeks ago, Jamie Foxx stopped in to guest DJ, Powers says. And Ray J, a partner in the club, isn't averse to playing bartender whenever he stops by.

"On any given night you can have a celebrity bartender or you can rub elbows with these guys that other clubs hide away or keep behind ropes," Powers says.

It all combines to create, Powers says, a club that's active and fun across the board. Other clubs tend to draw what Powers calls "the S and M crowd, the stand and model crowd. Ours is a party crowd. You go to have fun and you have fun."

Poetry opens at 10 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Covers begin at $20 for women and $30 for men.

Contact reporter John Przybys at jprzybys@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0280.