Remember the dungeon-like confines of E Street Alley? Hold on to that image, and step into belo, a revamp so shatteringly different you'll think you're hallucinating -- and that's the point. Sixties-inspired, daubed with every imaginable clash of color yet progressively designed down to the anemone-like lights and silver beaded curtains, belo is a visual treat unlike any other. The club's 20,000 foot bulk is split into three massive main rooms -- red, orange and green, the latter flaunting DJs as celebrated as Stretch Armstrong, Good Charlotte's Benji Madden and DJ AM.

Unlike other large clubs that meet or surpass it in size, belo spans one floor only, which means there's never that bottleneck effect that plagues skinny stairways, nor hordes of security herding the crowd from VIP-only passages. Not that there aren't VIP spots. The googly-eyed, hallucinatory psychedelic room, the sleek and glimmery champagne room, and the white room, which overlooks the dance floor, are all available for rental, with no surcharge over the bottle minimum, each complete with a personal go-go-booted cocktail waitress.

It's rare that a club so fantastic-looking offers reasonable prices, but belo doesn't find it necessary to wring wallets dry. Once the ample cover charge is coughed up, $6.50 well drinks (Seagram's!) are a sweet surprise, and bottles are moderately priced. That goes for the restaurant as well, and dishes are just as colorful as the surroundings: Try the peppered ahi with watermelon and red pepper salad, splashed with blood orange glaze, or the spicy queso tempura served on skewers.

-- Kirsten Noelle Hubbard

Belo
919 Fourth Avenue
San Diego CA 92101
(619) 231-9200

Thursday, April 19, 2007

If you weren’t here tonight you were definitely below the radar as former Wu-Tang member rapper Raekwon and the newest music sensation Mickey Avalon performed live on stage at Belo nightclub.

These two performers blew the roof off of Belo as a very hot and diverse crowd of San Diegans enjoyed every second of both performances.

Before the two rappers took the stage Sun Diego showcased their latest line of woman’s clothing in a phenomenal sexy fashion show. Stunning beautiful models strutted their stuff on the catwalk highlighting the latest spring/summer fashions.

Overall the performances were outstanding and so was the turnout. A Red Rope applause goes out to Belo for putting on one of the sickest concert events downtown’s Gaslamp District has seen in a while.

One thing is for sure; Belo nightclub is a guaranteed hot spot that remains at the top.


L. Katz
Managing Editor

Belo
919 Fourth Avenue
San Diego CA 92101
(619) 231-9200

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Belo was the pinacle of insane at this crazy St. Patty's Day extravaganza; and the crowd was just as hot and full of life.

Who could blame them when you have Siestra Records in the house? Eric Diaz spun it up at the beginning of the night with some gnarly house and techno…then came Chromeo live on the main stage, who murdered the tables and shocked the crowd with an amazing performance.

How could I forget DJ Raggs in the hip-hop room spinning tracks so brazenly hot that his turntables caught on fire. He reminded the crowd that ‘this why I’m hot’ and then cooled it off after ‘making it rain on them hoes.’

With DJs as good as these, it was hard to figure out which room I wanted stay and dance in more…that’s when you know a club is popping off.

Belo General Manager Robert Matthews said the club was at capacity by 11pm. There were hundreds of people waiting to get inside, he said.

There was a plethora of beautiful ladies here tonight and all them were having an awesome time. The guys were definitely out numbered and loving every moment of it.

One sexy lady in attendance was Christina Estrada, a graduate student at San Diego State University.

“This is an amazing night and a great way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day,” Estrada said.

If you weren’t here, then you were below the radar for sure. Belo kept it crackin’ to the top o' the mornin on the eve of the craziest St. Paddy's Day celebration SD has ever seen.

Belo, a Red Rope Reviews applause to ya’ll for raising the nightlife bar in the Gaslamp even higher.


L. Katz
Managing Editor/Producer

Belo
919 Fourth Avenue
San Diego CA 92101
(619) 231-9200

Saturday, March 3, 2007

If there was ever a night to be at Belo, tonight was it. With a deejay line up consisting of Palash, DJ IDeal and DJ Raggs, Belo was above average without a doubt.

Katie, 27, from Little Italy said the deejays were good and the music they played was even better.

The male-to-female ratio was excellent and both dance floors were not too packed, so dancing wasn’t limited to a two-step. It was perfect for a loose that epitomized San Diego’s exuberant nightlife.

The women looked like they came right out of a Maxim Magazine photo shoot. They were as beautiful as ever with plenty of guys to dance with.

Robert, 25, from San Diego said he didn’t like how there is only one bathroom.

“For a club this big, there should be at least more than one bathroom,” he said.

Just don’t break that seal Robert; you’ll maintain your buzz longer.

I must say that tonight was when the hottest cocktail waitresses were working and working hard. It like watching stars pouring drinks under the moon, you just couldn’t take your eyes off them. These ladies looked like they should have been waiting tables in Las Vegas. It’s entertaining just watching them in action.

I caught one bartender in the middle section of the club using a jigger, but another not using one at the hip-hop room bar. Here’s a Red Rope tip, go to the middle bar and get hooked up?


L. Katz
Managing Editor/Producer

Belo
919 Fourth Avenue
San Diego CA 92101
(619) 231-9200

Saturday, February 17, 2007

On a night just days before the Mardi Gras celebrations on “Fat Tuesday,” Belo was a packed to maximum capacity. With deejays Miguel Migs and Eric Diaz, who rocked the house all night, Foundation’s Mardi Gras special event was an absolute success.

The dance floors were packed, but that didn’t keep people away from making their presence known. I would have made my presence more known if it wasn’t so hot and musty inside. Some people’s funk, out-funked the music play on the loud speakers…it was like dancing in a football locker room. I have one thing to say to those who don’t feel like its necessary to use deodorant – smell yourself and suffer in your own odor.

On lighter not, Erick Diaz and Miguel Migs did a great job manning down the one’s and two’s in their deejay sections. This place was on fire, and after 10 minutes of dancing you could feel the heat ¬– literally.

The crowd wasn’t as good-looking and chic as you would expect from Belo on a Saturday night. Due to the random mix of industry folks and walk-ins, this hot spot should have still been on your list of clubs to hit up.


L. Katz
Managing Editor/Producer

Belo
919 Fourth Avenue
San Diego CA 92101
(619) 231-9200

Friday, January 26, 2006

For those who were not at Belo tonight, were for sure below the radar of where all the action was. With both hip-hop and techno dance floors pack to maximum capacity, leaving early would have given me withdrawals from the non-stop fun.

A Red Rope Reviews toast goes out to DJ Deep Dish for manning the hip-hop battle station turntables that night. This man knows his music and equally knows what the crowd wants at the same time.

A giant round of applause goes out those in charge of booking the deejays for the night at Belo’s Giant Fridays, a night Red Rope declared as an even larger success.

Nothing more is needed to be expressed about tonight except for the fact that if you didn’t make an appearance, you were below the radar.


L. Katz
Managing Editor / Producer