I spent many years bouncing in bars, both in very upscale nightclubs (where I wore a tuxedo), to t-shirt and jeans-rock'n roll-barf in the alley types of places. Even though I now carry daily as a result of a CHL, I don't know that I'd advise a bouncer to carry while on the job. Here's why.
The toughest place I ever worked in (the rock 'n roll place) had a pretty varied clientele. We'd get everyone from nursing students from a local girl's college to bikers, as well as having a reputation of being the favorite spot of the local LEO's from the city police department. It was the kind of place where everyone came to let their hair down and engage in some hard drinking. I regularly would pat a guy down upon entering, if I thought he had a knife. I'm not just talking about a Buck in a belt sheath (that was easy-I'd just tell him he had to check it with me), I mean military style blades stuck in a sheath inside their belt. It was accepted by and large with no resistance from the patrons.
One of the owners once told me I was the best doorman they had. I knew this wasn't because I was the biggest and toughest guy that worked there, nor was I the best street-fighter. I'm 6' 3'' and weighed about 220 lbs at the time, but was probably just average size-wise in comparison to a few of the other guys. The biggest guy was about 6' 5" and weighed about 300 lbs, but wasn't working there when I was, having been shot by a guy with a rifle after throwing the guy out of the bar. What helped me more than anything was being able to diffuse a potentially dangerous situation before it began.
More than anything, you need to be able to spot a potential trouble maker in the crowd before he acts up. Once he (or they) do, will you then be able to quickly (and hopefully, discreetly) resolve the situation before it escalates? Bouncers that see themselves as the house "hit man" will quickly develop a reputation, but will eventually generate far more problems than they eliminate. People will seek you out to challenge you.
One of the arguments against citizens carrying a concealed firearm is that of losing your weapon in an altercation. It can't be discounted, but I don't see it as a major concern. But carrying as a bar bouncer? I think that could happen any night of the week, especially once people know you carry. In a dark room with plenty of people swarming in front of you, on all sides, and worst of all behind you, it would be far to easy to get overcome from a blind side and have your weapon taken from you. I've been jumped on from behind like anyone who's ever done that job, and I can only imagine what could have happened if I was carrying concealed. When it happens you're moving as fast as you can, and can only hope you get some help quick.
One time I was actually shot at happened after a group of guys were thrown out into a side alley, by myself and two other guys. I had already been rolling around on the floor with one guy (what would happen to my gun then?). It was dark and nobody knew what happened until one of my coworkers yelled "Gun!" We piled back into the door as a shot was fired. If I had a gun then, what would I have thought to do-stay in a dark alley with a drunk with a gun, then try to disarm him? If that same guy knew I was carrying, and decided to challenge me inside the club, how bad could a shooting be, within a crowded environment like that?
I think the potential negatives of carrying as a bouncer far outweigh the positives. The job is not that of a private body guard, where you try to become unobtrusive yet maintain a presence, but one where you need to be up close and personal with many people, and often many of them have been drinking. My opinion? It's a bad idea. geegee