The latest Camel No.9 event was thrown at Barracuda which is located at 9 N.W. Second Avenue in Portland Oregon, on November 21st the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving. Fashion Designer Ed Hardy was headlining a fashion show sponsored by Camel No. 9. The doors opened at 9pm and there was a line that went to Burnside. The weather was very cold and it took at least 30 minutes to get through the line. Everyone in line appeared to have had ticket on hand from Camel. Once you got to the front of the line and right before a bouncer checked your ticket and I.D. a Camel representative in her early twenties greeted you by saying, "Do you guys smoke? You have to go talk to the reps inside you get free cigarettes, a lighter, a cool cigarette case, and all kinds of free goodies!" So of course once inside Barracuda you follow the "pink carpet" to another line where you wait to meet with a Camel Reps who will ask you a survey about what brand you smoke, how often you smoke and then he or she would ask if you want Camel No. 9 menthol, non-menthol or new Stiletto 100's. The two girls in front of me were each handed two packs of No. 9s, a silver lighter, a black cigarette case, and two tickets to the next Camel No. 9 party that is on Saturday, December 15th also at Barracuda that features Dave Navarro and D.J. Skribble as headliners. The goodies were packaged in a small black bag with black tissue paper that just barely fit the goodies. We were also given V.I.P. bracelets that allowed us to go upstairs to the V.I.P. area were you could get your picture taken, get an airbrushed t-shirt or tank top and eat from a "buffet" of sorts that had rolls, lunch meat and carrots. Not all of the guests however received tickets to the next event. A free drink token was given to those who didn't get tickets. The token was a pink and black poker chip good for one free beer or drink valued at 5 dollars or less. The first floor of the club had a stage set up for a fashion show and a D.J. was set up spinning records. By 11 p.m. there was still no fashion show only the D.J. playing records and the crowd was becoming restless. Keep in mind this is the night before Thanksgiving.
I have no word on the actual fashion show. However Ed Hardy is an alternative Designer who works with old school tattoo designs and so the models (who walked around the club all night from 9-11) were all very alternative with piercings, tattoos, big hair and lots of makeup.
Look out Portland.
