3 weeks ago
Finally went to Rampa for the Precious Paula Nicole double event held on a Friday night. Great show, but tricky logistics around Rampa nights. Entrance fees and table reservation fees are quite affordable when compared to other bars, but table feels get a little silly. The reservation down payment is pretty minimal, but the actual minimum cost of a table is at least a liquor bottle, which means an outlay starting at 4k without mixers and food. This applies even if your group doesn't want to drink. Since it was an event night, initial process of getting in and figuring out our table was a little complicated as we needed to book a table for each of the two events. Doors opened late due other complications, but everything was a lot smoother once we got in. Staff were pretty accommodating, especially when we stressed it was our first time. Our waiter did a good job of checking on our table regularly during the first show, including helping to refill our drinks. Food was good, but at times a little unconventional, such as how the Tokwa't Baboy was a sort of deconstructed dish with the tokwa served in cut strips and the toyo on the side. It was still generally good, but didn't feel like tokwa't baboy. Chicken skin was pretty good. Calamares were hearty but you might miss the limited sauce at the very bottom of the dish. The Wagyu Beef Salpicao was indulgent but quite good - worth the higher price. Margherita Pizza was very hearty and decent balance of flavors. All that aside, you really get to go here for the drag performers, and this is definitely a unique entertainment space. The stage with its extended catwalk makes for some interesting shows and the lighting setup really make sure to show the performers at their best. There's one supporting spotlight in the corner that helps when performers are along the catwalk but may not be as strong as needed for when they're on the main stage area. But overall, it's a great setup to stage some pretty knockout drag performances. Your ability to enjoy the show varies greatly based on where you are in the bar. We started at one of the cocktail tables at the left side of the bar, which probably offers the most balanced views of the main stage and the secondary stage with a pole at the back of the bar. The only caveat is this higher density area typically does not include chairs, so be prepared to stand for most of the night if you only have a cocktail table. I can't imagine things being better at the right side of the as there's a large support pillar that can get in the way when patrons in that area try to see what's going on at the secondary stage. VIP couches are fairly well situation but also quite low and you may not get the best sight lines when you get any of the tables further to the right or left of the runway. The performers themselves are top-notch. Most nights feature a number of queens who have appeared on drag shows like Drag Race Philippines or Drag Den. But don't knock the in-house talent - these being the Rampa Reynas and the Rampa Movers (backup dancers). You can tell that they put a lot of work into rehearsing and honing their craft and do well whether they're supporting a guest performer or are carrying a show on their own. I was often more excited by their performances than some of the big name guests that night because they're really a solidly talented group. You're looking at around 15-20 numbers per night, which is a solid number of performances but not as many as you'd get at some other drag performance spaces. But given the talent they bring in to perform, you could argue that you get a specific caliber of drag or at least you have a higher chance of experiencing the drag artistry of those who are a bit more familiar because of their television appearances. Rampa is quite a bit of travel for us and the costs skew a little higher, especially since we're typically not a big group when we go out to watch drag. But based on our first experience, I know we're going to try to plan future nights, but that'll depend on the event and who will be performing.
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