Way back when people considering themselves ahead of the hipness curve crowded into Samba Room, Matthew Giese worked behind the bar. Already he had developed a keen understanding of popular habits and the Dallas scene. That's when we first labeled him the "poet laureate of Dallas nightlife," a title he has yet to relinquish. He worked several top clubs following the demise of Samba (yes, we know it's still there, but...) then turned his unique understanding into a personal franchise. The poet laureate brings crowds to a location. Bars bring him in to resurrect a dead night or kick-start a new spot. Martini Ranch on Mondays, Obar on Thursdays, Lush, Medici, Spike--you name it. His MO? Know the party people, gain their trust, steer them in the right direction, repeat.