1.Prologue
This is the final entry in our introduction series to electronic dance music.
The dance music/clubbing industry around the world is currently in dire straits. With many parts of the world going under lockdown and others announcing a state of emergency, most, if not all parties and events have been either canceled or postponed since around March, and most of the nightclubs I’ve listed in this article remain closed. Nightclubs, after all, are the very definition of the 3 C’s that Tokyo Governor Koike has asked us to avoid: closed spaces with poor ventilation, crowded places with many people nearby, and close-contact settings. Although people around the world are starting to come out of lockdown, it’s clear that nightclubs and raves will be among the last type of venues and gatherings to return to “normal"—assuming they ever do.
Truth be told, nightclubs around the world had already been in a tough spot since before the COVID-19 pandemic. As the EDM craze took off in the U.S. in the 2000s and 2010s, many of the venues that have played a central role in underground club culture have fallen victim to urban redevelopment, gentrification, drug problems, and more. In the U.K. alone, studies show that the country’s 3,000+ clubs in 2005 had been reduced to almost half by 2015. The situation is no better across Europe. Even in Berlin, where nightclubs bring in 3 million tourists a year and are a major factor of the local economy, rising property prices have forced many clubs to shut down. Club nights are ephemeral by nature, and it turns out that nightclubs themselves can be just as fleeting.
In response, campaigns to save clubbing culture have spouted up around the world. When Ministry of Sound was in danger of shutting down in the early 2010s in order to make way for apartment towers, public support grew so great that the club managed to avoid closure. Similarly, Fabric shut down in 2016 after a couple of drug-related deaths, but an overwhelming show of support for a Save Fabric campaign led to the club’s reopening in 2017. Meanwhile in Berlin, there is an ongoing effort to get the city’s clubs recognized as cultural institutions akin to opera houses. As they stand now, they are put into the same category as entertainment venues like casinos and brothels. Just as it seemed the movement was picking up steam, the COVID-19 pandemic caused it all to come to a screeching halt.
In this article I’ve put together a list of some of the world’s best known institutions to clubbing culture.
2.U.K.
●Ministry of Sound (London / Capacity: 1,555)
Ministry of Sound has been the epicenter of house music in London since it opened its doors in 1991. Modeled after the legendary Paradise Garage in New York, its focus is on providing the best sound above all else. Friday nights are trance, while Saturday nights are house. As I wrote in MUSIC & PARTIES #041, the club also runs its own label, which has released many different compilation albums highly recommended for those who want a history lesson in club music.
https://www.ministryofsound.com/
●Fabric (London / Capacity: 1,500)
Fabric opened its doors in 1999 and has been a bastion of underground club culture ever since. Friday nights are for bass music events (drum ’n’ bass, dubstep, etc.), while Saturday nights are for deep house, techno, and disco events. Fabric also runs its own record label, best known for its 200+ mix CDs, including the “Fabric" and “Fabric.Live" series.
https://www.fabriclondon.com/
●Printworks (London / Capacity: 5,000)
*Printworks is currently closed but has announced plans to reopen in 2026
Printworks, which opened in South London in 2017, is a relatively new superclub, but in the span of just a few years it has become one of the U.K.’s most popular nightspots, regularly hosting the world’s top DJs. In the latest “Top 100 Clubs" poll conducted by British dance music culture mag DJ Mag, it ranked 5th. The venue’s name comes from the fact that it’s situated inside a former printing factory, and the warehouse-like feel evokes memories of the early 90s rave scene.
https://printworkslondon.co.uk/
●The Warehouse Project (Manchester / Capacity: 1,000)
Manchester is best known for venues like Hacienda—which played a central role in the late 80s-early 90s acid house scene—and Sankeys—a club that was located inside a former soap factory. That legacy is now carried on by The Warehouse Project, which runs a club that is open only between November and New Years. The project has moved between venues a number of times, and in 2019 moved into Mayfield Depot, a deserted train station.
https://www.thewarehouseproject.com/
3.Europe
●Tresor (Berlin / Capacity: 1,000)
After the fall of the Berlin wall, abandoned buildings and spaces around the city became the stage for underground parties and raves. One of the scene’s most important clubs, Tresor, was opened in what used to be a bank vault. Tresor had to close down in 2005 because of local redevelopment, but it reopened in a decommissioned heat and energy plant in 2007.
●Berghain (Berlin / Capacity: 1,500)
Another major techno club in Berlin was Ostgut, which opened in 1998 in a railroad warehouse. It shut down in 2003, but reopened under the name Berghain the following year in an abandoned energy plant. Berghain has been called the world’s best nightclub, but is notorious for its strict door policy. The interior design is minimal to allow club-goers to focus on the music and the atmosphere. The main floor features techno, while the Panorama Bar on the second features house.
●Bootshaus (Cologne / Capacity: 1,800)
In 2018 and 2019, Bootshaus twice beat out Berghain to become the highest-ranked German club on DJ Mag’s “Top 100 Clubs" list. It opened in a former boat yard in 2000, and has gradually grown in popularity as it has expanded the range of its musical offerings. Currently it hosts a variety of parties featuring both underground figures and EDM giants like Steve Aoki. In 2019, it launched two festivals: the Nibirii Festival, dedicated to Goa trance and drum ’n’ bass, and the Blacklist Festival, held near Cologne.
https://www.bootshaus.tv/
●Pacha (Ibiza / Capacity: 3,000)
In the 60s and 70s, American hippie culture and disco music spread throughout the world, and took root in places like the island of Ibiza in Spain. As a result, large disco called “superclubs" started to open on the White Isle in the 70s. The oldest among them is Pacha, which is known for its iconic cherry logo. Renovations over the past several years have given the venue an even better sound system and atmosphere. One of its oldest running parties, Flower Power, continues to pay tribute to the club’s roots.
https://pacha.com/
●Amnesia (Ibiza / Capacity: 4,000)
The harsh truth of the nightclub industry that many venues to live to celebrate ten years in business—or five years, for that matter. Amnesia, which opened in 1976, is an Ibiza institution with over 40 years of history. Originally known as “The Workshop of Forgetfullness", it was one of the key locations where the Balearic sound was shaped. It is perhaps best famous for its foam parties on the main floor, and the glass ceiling above the second dance floor that lets in that gentle morning light.
https://www.amnesia.es/
●Privilege (Ibiza / Capacity: 10,000)
*Privilege has changed its name to [UNVRS]
Privilege is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as being the world’s largest club. It initially opened as the restaurant Club San Rafael in the early 70s, before being rebranded as Ku at the end of the 70s. Ku was a popular superclub with a prominent gay clientele that is said to have been like an outdoor version of the legendary New York disco Studio 54. The venue has since gotten a roof and been rebranded again as Privilege in 1995.
http://privilegeibiza.com/en-gb/
●Hï Ibiza (Ibiza / Capacity: 4,500)
Hï Ibiza, which opened in 2017, one of Ibiza’s newest nightclubs. Thanks partly to the fact that it opened on the grounds of what used to be Space, a popular club that boasted the likes of Carl Cox as resident DJ, it has quickly become a popular spot in its own right. In the latest DJ Mag Top 100 Clubs ranking, it beat out all of Ibiza’s long-established super clubs to come in at No. 2. It has hosted big name EDM DJs like David Guetta as well as house and techno legends. In addition to the main dance floor and sub floor, the club is known for having a DJ booth in its unisex bathroom, known as “Wild Corner".
https://www.hiibiza.com/
●Ushuaïa (Ibiza / Capacity: 7,500)
Ushuaïa, which ranked 4th in the latest DJ Mag Top 100 Clubs poll, is the sister venue to Hï Ibiza. Situated along the beach, it opened in 2011 as a hotel and nightclub, with many of the rooms overlooking the poolside dance floor. The club is known for having the biggest names in EDM helm its decks: David Guetta, Avicii, Swedish House Mafia, Armin Van Buuren, Calvin Harris, Martin Garrix, etc.
https://www.theushuaiaexperience.com/en/club/
4.North/South America
●Echostage (Washington D.C. / Capacity: 3,000)
Imagine bringing all of the elaborate production of an outdoor EDM festival and bringing it indoors, and you’ve got Echostage, large nightclub/live music venue in Washington, D.C. Echostage opened in 2012 and has grown alongside the EDM explosion, hosting DJs like Tiesto, Avicii, Skrillex, and Martin Garrix.
https://echostage.com/
●Exchange LA (Los Angeles / Capacity: 1,500)
Exchange LA opened in 2006 in an Moderne style building in downtown L.A. that was the home of the Los Angeles Stock Exchange between 1931 and 1986. The building has been designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. The cavernous main room has hosted a wide variety of parties, from trance and progressive house to drum ’n’ bass. The venue also hosts concerts, fashion shows, and corporate events, and is also used as a filming location.
https://exchangela.com/
●Hakkasan (Las Vegas / Capacity: 3,000)
Over the course of the 2010s Las Vegas has become the epicenter of the EDM scene in the U.S. Hakkasan is known for its high-profile DJ residencies that include the likes of Tiesto, Calvin Harris, and Steve Aoki. (In recent years Calvin Harris has become resident DJ at another one of Hakkasan Group’s clubs, Omnia.) Hakkasan had humble beginnings as a high end Cantonese restaurant in London before being purchased by a real estate developer from Abu Dhabi; the group opened its flagship hotel and entertainment venues in Las Vegas in 2013.
https://hakkasannightclub.com/
●Green Valley (Brazil / Capacity: 12,000)
Green Valley has taken the number one spot on the DJ Mag Top 100 Clubs poll for three years running—something that perhaps says more about how much the Brazilian people love to party than it does to Green Valley specifically as a clubbing spot. Located along a forest and lake, the largely open-air venue feels more like a festival than it does an underground club. The main area is covered by a huge tent, and hosts DJs like Fatboy Slim and the biggest names in EDM, while a second stage hosts underground acts.
http://www.greenvalleybr.com/
●Warung Beach Club (Brazil / Capacity: 2,500)
Warung Beach Club, which opened in 2002, is one of Brazil’s leading clubbing spots. The main structure, which is mostly constructed of wood and straw, sits like a temple between the jungle and the beach. The club initially became known for hosting progressive house acts like Sasha and Hernan Cattaneo, but later shifted toward EDM; it has since gone back to more underground sounds.
https://warungclub.com.br/en/
5.Japan/Asia
●Womb (Tokyo / Capacity: 1,000)
Womb has been a regular for years on DJ Mag’s annual poll of the Top 100 Clubs in the world, and in the latest poll is still the highest ranking Japanese venue. The bare cement building sits smack dab in the middle of the famous Maruyamacho love hotel and club district, and inside is one of the most iconic spaces on the Tokyo/Japan nightclub scene. The main dance floor is watched over by one of the biggest mirror balls in Asia, and boasts a world-class sound system. The first and fourth floor lounges and the third floor VIP space also have an unbeatable atmosphere. Musically speaking, the genres you’ll encounter here are mainly house, techno, tech-house, bass music, and drum ’n' bass.
http://www.womb.co.jp/
●ageHa (Studio Coast / Capacity: 2,400)
*ageHa closed in 2022 but continues to organize club events
In 2002, a large-capacity multi-purpose entertainment facility called Studio Coast opened in Shin-Kiba, away from the city center. On weekends, organizers such as “Mother" hold club nights under the Ageha name catering to fans of trance, house, techno, EDM, hip hop, and more. The venue has a main floor, a bar and lounge area, an outdoor pool and beach area, and food trucks. While it’s a little out of the way, it operates a shuttle bus between Shin-Kiba and Shibuya.
http://www.ageha.com/
●Vision (Tokyo / Capacity: 1,500)
*Vision closed in September 2022
Vision opened its doors in 2011 halfway up Dogenzaka hill. The two dance floors are constructed of wood, making them ideally suited for being, in a word, torn up, and there are lounge spaces and a bar counter for when you want to catch your breath. The sound quality and VJ visuals are excellent, and the facilities are suited for live music performances as well. On their schedule you’ll find not only club nights but live music concerts as well. Music-wise the venue doesn’t box themselves in to any genres, which is both a blessing and a curse; I recommend checking their website to see who’s playing before making the journey to the venue.
http://www.vision-tokyo.com/
●Contact (Tokyo / Capacity: 600)
*Contact closed in September 2022
Contact opened its doors at the back of a parking lot about halfway up Dogenzaka hill in April 2016. The underground mid-size venue has a main dance floor and a bar floor, with a total capacity of about 600. Tech house is the main genre here, with DJs both local and international manning the decks. Entry is limited to members only, so be sure to preregister online.
https://www.contacttokyo.com/
●Warp Shinjuku (Tokyo / Capacity: 1,000人)
For the longest time, Womb was the only Japanese venue with a large enough international reputation to place in DJ Mag’s Top 100 Clubs poll, but all that has changed with Warp Shinjuku placing 62nd in the 2020 poll. Warp Shinjuku, which opened in 2018, operates under the lofty mission statement “From the world to Tokyo, from Tokyo to the Universe". The music is mostly of the big room house and techno variety, with some nights catering to hip hop crowds. The venue’s programming features a good balance of overseas names and local talent.
https://warp-shinjuku.jp/
●Zouk Singapore (Capacity: 2,900)
Zouk is Singapore’s hottest nightlife spot, and the highest ranking Asian club in the DJ Mag Top 100 Clubs poll. It gets its name from a French Creole word meaning “party". The venue is comprised of a number of different spaces that almost count as clubs on their own: the main floor Zouk is modeled after the type of warehouse clubs that could be found in cities like New York or Berlin, Phuture specializes in hip hop and R&B, and Capital is a luxury lounge space.
https://zoukclub.com/
●Illuzion (Thailand / Capacity: 5,000)
Illuzion opened in 2014 inside of a space that used to be a shopping center, and has quickly become one of Southeast Asia’s premier EDM hotspots. The club has hosted all of DJ Mag’s top ranking DJs, including Martin Garrix, Tiesto, Afrojack, and Steve Aoki. It is also known for frequent appearances by world-famous hip hop and R&B singers.
https://www.illuzionphuket.com/
6.Epilogue
Almost immediately after South Korea decided to move to less restrictive social distancing measures after seemingly weathering the worst of the first wave, a cluster of cases was reported as being linked to the nightclubs in a popular commercial neighborhood in Seoul. More than 270 cases have since been linked to the outbreak, raising fears for a second wave of infections. Meanwhile, in Tokyo, increased testing in nightlife districts has resulted in an uptick in the number of infections coming out of Kabukicho in Shinjuku.
On June 19th, 2020, Tokyo dropped all coronavirus-related business restrictions and freedom of travel was restored across Japan. But much like international DJs stayed away from Japan for a good while following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, it’s safe to assume it will be a while before they return to their jet setting lifestyles. If nightclubs will ever be restored to their former glory, there’s no way of telling when that may be.
When Tokyo was put under a state of emergency back in April, many of the city’s nightclubs launched crowdfunding efforts to help them weather the storm.
As of June 22nd, Vision’s campaign is at 93% and has nine days to go.https://camp-fire.jp/projects/view/277992
Contact has met its crowdfunding goal.https://camp-fire.jp/en/projects/view/290444
ageHa (Studio Coast) reached close to twice its goal.https://camp-fire.jp/projects/view/284636
Warp Shinjuku only reached 63% of its goal.https://camp-fire.jp/projects/view/268526?list=search_result_projects_populer_page3
Alongside crowdfunding efforts like these, nightclubs and DJs have also been actively streaming their sets on the internet. When you take into account the many internet radio shows and podcasts and streaming shows that existed before the pandemic, it’s never been easier to listen to dance music without the hassle of dressing up and going all the way out to a club only to have to deal with drunken crowds. Still, as we’ve seen through this series of articles, electronic dance music is different from genres like rock and pop, R&B and jazz; it’s not just for your ears, and is meant to be felt with your entire body. Nightclubs have been a safe haven that has uplifted the hearts of many, and it’s difficult to see those venues now silent and in the dark.
Our hope is that through this series, we’ve provided a little bit of insight into what makes electronic dance music and clubbing culture special.
