Weekend of Club Culture

DJ Tui has won respect for his venues Café Democ, near Khao San Road, and Club Astra, on Rayal City Avenue, both of which turned up the heat on the Bangkok dance scene.

Now spreading like 7-Elevents around the city, he’s turned a large disused cabaret restaurant into Club Culture, and atmospheric space inspired by US and Euro venues, such as Limelight in New York, that reclaim abandoned buildings.

Tui had coveted the venue even before launching Astra, particularly for its “Number One” nightlife licence that allows it to open until 2 am. The music policy sees top local DJs such as Dragon and Spydamonkey spinning a wide mix of styles, and guest imports appearing three or four times a month.

Ronski Speed, from Germany, has already been over; Shorkut brought his San Francisco underground, and Deep Dish are due to deliver their progressive grooves later in the year.

CC has retained a raised are with woodcarvings and traditional Thai-cushioned floor seating from the previous venue. You can lie flat out here and watch the dance floor action over a few cocktails, or grab some of the sofa and stool seating at tables of marble and Perspex stenciled with classical Euro furniture prints. There’s also a long bar, which still has the curtains from its original function as the restaurant stage.

Above the large dance floor, interesting angles to the glass ceiling reflect the colors spattered by the mirror ball. Behind the DJ booth they’re installing six plasma screens that can house separate videos or merge into one large image.

As a whole, it adds up to a great party vibe, with that aura that newfound venues sometimes lend of period romance or a frisson of being somewhere you shouldn’t be.

On Friday and Saturday the 400 Baht door fee includes two drinks. The rest of the week it’s free unless there’s a special event. By law, there’s an over 20s requirement for nightlife venues, so take your passport or ID for entry.