In one of Chris Rock’s most famous comedy bits, he jokes about always hearing of nightclubs throwing grand opening parties, and then those same clubs having grand closing parties right away, because club-goers were always acting up.
In Taiwan, the opposite is true. Clubs have huge blowout bashes to close down, quickly reshuffle some furniture, change their logos and decorations, and then throw a grand opening party under a new name.
On Wednesday, the new nightclub Omni will be taking place where Luxy — which closed down in March — used to be. The soft opening party was organized by The Loop, an event-planning company, and management is tight-lipped on what will be happening inside the new club. Only time will tell if Omni has what it takes to push the Taipei music scene forward, or if it is simply Luxy 2.0.
Photo courtesy of DJ DINDIN
■ Omni Soft Opening is Wednesday from 10:30pm to 4:30am, 5F, 201, Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路四段201號5樓). Admission is free for ladies, NT$600 with two drinks for men.
FULL CIRCLE OF A DJ NAME
DJ Dominik T (real name Dominik Tyliszczak) was one of the residents at Luxy over the years and he is having a birthday soiree at Triangle tomorrow night. Luxy’s closing affected him so much that he decided to retire his old DJ name, D. Hooker, and focus on new things.
“It was name-picked on the spur of the moment that was connected to wickedly good parties, but that’s it. ” he said in an email interview with the Taipei Times.
He added that Luxy’s closing coincided with a rocky period in his own life, so it seemed natural to assume a new DJ name.
“It is kind of like mixing two songs,” he said. “You shouldn’t force them. Instead, just let them naturally find their way to come together.”
■ Dominik T’s birthday bash is at Triangle tomorrow night from 11:30pm to 4am, 1, Yumen St, Taipei City (台北市玉門街1號). Admission is NT$300 and comes with a drink.
THRE3STYLING
Last Friday, contestants of the Red Bull Thre3style DJ battle got together and drew lots to figure out which cities they wanted to play in. Ten of the DJs were asked to be in the competition, while eight wild cards were picked from 35 people who posted 15-minute videos online and had fans vote for them. Among the newbies were DJs Muro, Afruro George, Samuelmie, Chris, T-Time and CAFA.
There is hope for the new DJs, because last year’s champion, DJ Dindin (real name Chang Wei-chun, 張為鈞), entered the competition through the wild card. Even though he did not get to attend the world finals in Baku, Azerbaijan because of visa issues, Dindin said that the competition changed his life.
“Before Thre3style, I always played top 40 and commercial music that I knew people liked, but I didn’t love it, said Dindin. “I was afraid that if I don’t play this kind of music they won’t have fun or like me anymore.”
After Thre3style, he saw people go crazy when he mixed up his music style.
He added, “If I don’t enjoy the music I’m playing, who will?”
■ Information about the Red Bull Thre3style battle can be found at: http://goo.gl/6QQdqT. The weekly competition will take place until May 24 at different Taipei nightclubs.
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