In the quest for profit in the polarized world of electronic music, the tacky table service crowd has spoken once again, reaffirming the stranglehold they have on club culture. Last week at a popular club in Seoul, veteran house DJ Nick Warren was booted off the decks after someone who had booked a table complained that he wasn’t playing enough commercial music.
It’s not the first time this has happened. Warren joins other high-profile DJs, such as Mark Farina and DJ Shadow, who refuse to sacrifice their integrity to a high-spending bottle service clientele. This is the global reality of clubbing right now. Main rooms in clubs are bound to a format that caters to big dance floors and even bigger spenders, but one club in Taipei is trying to please everyone.
Luxy’s latest concept, Cercle, offers a members-only clubbing experience. And since launching a few months ago, they have managed to keep the redesigned room mostly free from commercial music. Cercle will test the waters even further when Sander van Doorn performs tomorrow night.
Photo courtesy of The Loop
Having held residencies in Ibiza and headlined practically every major music festival in the world, van Doorn is well-versed in electronic music. And to ensure exclusivity, only 200 tickets are being sold to non-members. Hopefully in the future, the club will continue putting their big bookings inside Cercle, ensuring an uninterrupted and exclusive experience. Meanwhile next door in Galleria, the main room madness will go on.
■ Sander van Doorn plays tomorrow night from 10pm to 5am at Cercle, 5F, 201 Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路四段201號5樓). Admission at the door is not available, but 200 tickets at NT$1,500 are available for purchase. Table reservations can be made by calling 0955-904-600.
Organik is holding its annual outdoor party in Hualian this weekend. The two-day one-night under-the-moonlight mini music festival includes sun, stars, sea and lots and lots of techno. DJs are flocking from all corners of world, with much of the lineup coming from Germany or elsewhere in Europe, so electronic music elitists can expect a serious shoes-off dancing under the stars situation. Camping is also available onsite.
■ Organik Festival 2014 is tomorrow from 1pm and goes until Sunday at 3pm in Huting (牛山呼庭). Tickets in advance are NT$2,300 and admission at the door is NT$2,800. For transportation information and detailed information about the event, visit the Facebook event www.facebook.com/events/718872168152829/ or email info@smkmachine.com.
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