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The Vinyl Word

Roof Park manager Tony Jiang has upped the ante in Kaohsiung. PHOTO: QUEEN BEE, TAIPEI TIMES

Roof Lounge was a not-to-be-missed Kaohsiung nightspot. Now, upgraded and renamed Roof Park, the club offers more class and even more fun.

The hot spot takes full advantage of its location on the top floor of a 15-story building and offers a spacious chill-out terrace that no other club in Taiwan can beat. It's been a popular hangout for hipsters since it opened in 2003. The sleek, modern design, fresh music and stellar night views of Kaohsiung are incomparable. In addition, its high-end sound system with super heavy bass made it a favorite spin-spot for DJs as well as a popular venue for dance-music purists.

That was the old Roof. It sounds hard to top, but even those used to the old look have been pleasantly surprised with its renovation. The most significant change is that the DJ booth and dance floor are in the main room, rather than hidden away in a smaller side-room. In the center stands a classy white bar, bathed in upgraded lighting.

Silk drapes hang where a wall separating the two spaces once stood.

"After this total makeover, we are offering a lot more than just a lounge," Roof Park manager, Tony Jiang (江佳洪), said. "The biggest difference is that we are now a full-on dance club on weekends, with hip-hop and Top 40 on Fridays and house music on Saturdays."

Even though inexpensive all-you-can-drink clubs are springing up in Kaohsiung, Jiang is confident that his club is in a league of its own.

"We have totally different target customers. Those young kids who just want to get wasted and rowdy aren't exactly the type we welcome. What we'd like to attract is a bit more upscale, sophisticated crowd that doesn't mind spending a little more money for better service and facilities," Jiang said. "That's why you must be over 20 to enter on Friday and Saturday nights."

As many dives with shoddy sound systems try to pass themselves off as clubs nowadays, Jiang stands out as one of the few club operators who is fastidious about the quality of the sound that comes out of the speakers.

"I think the customers are smart enough to tell the difference," insists Jiang. Being a retired radio DJ and a veteran raver, Jiang has quite specific tastes when it comes to music.

"What I'd love to have at Roof is deep funky house, perfect for drinking and grooving. It's a drag that I have yet to find any DJs here that fit the bill," he said.

So if you're a deep house DJ in the area, do yourself a favor and get in touch with Jiang. Find out more about Roof Park at www.roof-lounge.com.tw, better yet, stop by and see the changes for yourself: 15F, 165 Linsen 1st Rd, Kaohsiung City (高雄市林森一路165號15樓).
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