Now I’ve been to many clubs, small and big and even super-clubs such as Miami in Space. But what are the elements that make a good nightclub? Is it the sound system? The lighting? Or perhaps it’s all about the promoter and the crowd that he targets.
But what were my best experiences? Most definitely it has been about the music. In other words, the DJ and his/her ability to spin tracks that have made me want to shake my body uncontrollably in ways only music can. Some that really stand out include John Digweed back in the 90’s, to Bad Boy Bill (almost every single time!), to Derrick Carter and DJ Heather. Somehow each of these artists were able to make a night full of magic, they were able to fill their bins with records carefully pre-planned in advance to rock a nightclub. And the most crafty of these dj’s? Well they were also able to watch the crowd and not only predict their taste but also to manipulate their senses to enjoy this music just as much as themselves.
You know who stands out? DJ Heather, if you ever get a chance to watch her perform, look carefully. You’ll see her smiling and watching the crowd, and then when the music reaches it’s peak, she’s shaking it and just immersing herself into her craft and her art.
But this wasn’t supposed to be an article about how to be a good DJ. I’ll save that one for later. Now it doesn’t matter whether the club is in London, Miami, New York, LA or some small city. In my humble opinion here are the 5 Elements of a Good Nightclub:
- DJ
- Club Promoter
- Sound System
- Venue Layout
- Crowd
Do you agree? So here’s the blurb explaining:
- DJ – as previously mentioned their ability to read the crowd and manipulate them to party hard is what makes a club night stand out from the rest.
- Club Promoter – it’s not an easy task being a club promoter, you have to be on top of your game all the time. You have to know what the upcoming music is, and be able to be naturally sociable making everyone like you just by the way you speak and act. And knowing how to target your crowd in a non-spammy way definitely accounts for a lot!
- Sound System – how many times have you been to a large club where the sound was distorted and the music so unclear you couldn’t hear the lyrics. It’s no longer the 80’s so there is no excuse for that, the club needs to heavily invest in their sound system as it is simply the most valuable component of their business.
- Venue Layout – this includes lighting and placement of dj booth and space of dancefloor. Too dark? Too bright? Things in the way of the dancefloor and the bar? All these should be thought of before and constantly optimized by the club owner.
- Crowd – so not something you can really control. But after a while you’ll get to know which clubs draw which kinds of crowds. Support the clubs which draw your kind of crowd.
So by now you may have some of your own thoughts…let’s hear it!
