Picking Chex Mix from his teeth, Eric Smith focuses on a sexy brunette taking her turn on the slowly moving mechanical bull and, hardly looking away, claims he's never given it a try. "I'm a Taurus. I am a bull," Smith deadpans.
Every Tuesday is a packed house at Renegades, a country–western nightclub in West Palm Beach, where the ladies exercise their right to free drinks and to ride the bull while the men enjoy the freedom to, well, watch.
"This here's the best country bar in three counties," says Smith, of West Palm Beach, in a slight Southern drawl.
When not seeking mechanical bull fame, young women strut through the club in tight tank tops, mini skirts and cowboy hats in white, gold and black snakeskin. One has a four–leaf clover filled in with a Dixie flag on her shoulder.
For Steve Iglesias of Jupiter, Tuesdays at Renegades mean one thing: plenty of young, single females.
"This is probably the only place where you can get three to four girls per guy. That's a great ratio," Iglesias says, throwing back a Sex on the Beach shot. "The people here don't love country; they come for the girls."
Country fan or not, you may find yourself tearing up the 2,000–square–foot dance floor. An electronic sign above the DJ booth continuously flashes the name of the song, but no one needs the sign to recognize the "Electric Slide," the one line dance even non–country folk can get down to.
After hanging onto the bull for about 20 seconds, Rachel Krueger of Boynton Beach takes a moment to regain her bearings.
"I know it's not that long, but it feels like a minute!" Krueger exclaims. "It always makes me nauseated after drinking a few beers, but it's my favorite thing about the place. ... "
For those who are more city than country, shoot some pool on a handful of tables or watch a game on the large–screen TVs or park it at one of the four bars. Ladies drink free well liquor, wine or draft beer until midnight when, sadly, that right is revoked.
Heather C. McCalla is a freelance writer for Sun-Sentinel.
Renegades
4833 Okeechobee Blvd.
West Palm Beach
561-683-9555
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