Living at the Front of the CL in 2008 meant you were a cultural amphibian—able to breathe underwater in the murky depths of VIP bottle service while gasping for air in the bright, harsh light of the digital future.
2008 was the last year of the "Old Vegas" and "Old New York." It was the last hurrah before the Great Recession sobered everyone up. It was the end of the celebrity gossip blog era (Perez Hilton, TMZ) and the dawn of the influencer. Front Of The Class -2008-
The entertainment in 2008 was transitional. Hip-hop was glitzy (Bling Era still hanging on), Electroclash was dying, and Auto-Tune was becoming a lead vocalist. Living at the Front of the CL in
2008. You are standing in a roped-off line. The air smells like Drakkar Noir, Juicy Couture perfume, and clove cigarettes. A guy in a Von Dutch hat is arguing with a bouncer wearing an Affliction T-shirt. Inside, the bass line to Flo Rida’s “Low” is rattling the windows of a Pontiac Solstice parked valet. The entertainment in 2008 was transitional
Breakfast was a waffle at Denny’s or a street hot dog wrapped in bacon. You checked your Sidekick to see if the person you made out with on the dance floor messaged you. They didn't.
I have interpreted "Front of the CL" as a reference to being at the forefront of the Club Scene (nightlife) and City Life in 2008, capturing the unique convergence of late-decade excess, digital transition, and iconic entertainment. Time Capsule 2008: Living Life at the Front of the CL (The Last Great Analog Party)
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