THE RESULTS! DJ Mag’s Top 100 Clubs poll, powered by Miller Genuine Draft, is back once again to give the definitive rundown of the world’s best places to party. But who will claim the top spot this time? Words: BEN HINDLE, ADAM SAVILLE, CARL LOBEN, SARAH POLONSKY, ROB MCCALLUM, HELENE STOKES, FELICITY MARTIN, ERIN SHARONI, MARTIN GUTTRIDGE-HEWITT, KRISTAN CARYL, SIRIN KALE, EMILY FURFARO, DANI DEAHL, DAVE JENKINS, CHANDLER SHORTLIDGE, MARC ROWLANDS djmag.com 043 Powered By he results are in! The world’s biggest annual poll on dance music venues is back once again, collecting virtually half a million votes from all four corners of the NINE OF 13 UK CLUBS T globe to find out where the best parties are for every taste. As per, our dedicated team of writers has profiled each spot — who’s played, how’s the sound, what’s the décor like etc — so ARE IN THE TOP 50 you can cherry-pick the right club when you’re off jet-setting. We’ve also analysed the results to discover exactly how different territories are faring, how regional economic, political or cultural issues are affecting clubs, how genre tastes are changing and more. PAGE 82 Clubland has seen turbulent times since our last poll, and A new club has unsurprisingly this year’s results reflect that — although perhaps taken the US crown, not in the way you’d expect. In the UK, for example, the past 12 but where is it? months has seen a host of club closures, such as London’s Dance Tunnel and Sankeys Manchester, while legendary institution Fabric was shut down for four months following two drug-related deaths, and the capital’s largest venue, Studio 338, burned down, tragically killing a staff member. In the case of these last two, however, the public have rallied together, and both clubs have in fact risen in our poll — community spirit prevails! EDM continues to fail to break through in the UK, as the country sees an overall rise in underground clubs, with two new entries, the Highest Climber title, and only three out of 13 entries dropping places. Similarly, across Europe underground music continues to dominate, with a host of Berlin’s finest techno sanctuaries all gaining ground in the poll — well, Berghain is now officially recognised as a cultural space, after all! The biggest shift in Europe comes from the battle for the Mediterranean, however. An overall drop in the rankings suggests Ibiza’s crown may be slipping. A series of police raids on venues and changes of ownership have clearly taken their toll on the White Isle, although Privilege has PAGE 66 seen a significant jump, one that could perhaps even increase Brazil has a new again next year, following Carl Cox’s move to the venue this player landing season. Space Ibiza (literally) pulled the curtain on 27 years of straight in the top clubbing history back in October, too — it’s set to reopen as the 50… Ushuaïa Group-run Hï Ibiza this summer — but after claiming the top spot last year, can the club have one final hurrah in the Top 100? Meanwhile, Croatia is looking in fine form with six clubs (up from five), all of which have claimed places in the top 50. The nation has also scooped the award for Highest New Entry, and finally broken into the top 10. Offering Mediterranean sun, sea and sand, the country’s Zrce Beach is still on the rise; the area is particularly famous for club-based festivals, suggesting clubs and festivals LAS don’t always have to be at odds with one another, and joining forces may even be beneficial for both. Elsewhere, Greece’s ongoing economic struggles have taken their toll on popular party VEGAS spots in Mykonos. Moving further afield, the US scene is still going strong with 14 CLUBS clubs in this year’s list. The States also has a new No.1 club — and it’s not in Las Vegas! Sin City isn’t exactly backing down without a fight though, with the majority of its club spaces still climbing. MAKE EDM still rules supreme in North America; however, heading south, the tide is unarguably turning. Brazil gains one more entry this year (bringing its total to eight), with clubs specialising in house UP and techno trending upwards and EDM hotspots becoming, well… not so hot — a similar pattern can be recognised throughout the South American continent. 31% OF Globally, the biggest change comes in the seemingly exponential growth of Asia’s club scene. Seven new clubs — four from China — join the ranks this year, bringing the grand total to 22 across RANKED the continent. As usual, the trend here is towards big money, with clubs focusing on the VIP experience, flashy visuals and EDM 3/7 superstars. Although Europe still reigns supreme with almost US half the total clubs in the list, the increasing Asian market and its differing tastes certainly provides an interesting juxtaposition. IBIZA CLUBS All in all, despite the naysayers, 2017’s Top 100 Clubs poll shows VENUES that clubland is still as strong as ever (if not stronger), so without ARE IN THE further ado, turn the page and begin the countdown. Drumroll please… TOP 10 044 djmag.com Powered By TOTALS BY CONTINENT: EUROPE — 49 NORTH AMERICA — 16 CROATIAN VENUES SOUTH AMERICA — 12 ASIA — 22 MAKE UP 6% OF THE OCEANIA — 1 TOP 100 CLUBS PAGE 71 58% Which intimate OF TOP 50 ARE EUROPEAN London nightspot PAGE 85 has claimed the title Which Seoul staple of Highest Climber? has retained its place in the top five? 47% INCREASE IN RANKED ASIAN CLUBS PAGE 68 Croatia’s Zrce Beach is a hotspot, but which club has nabbed Highest New PAGE 46 Entry? Which Sydney club is hanging on despite the terrible lockout laws? FIVE SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRIES FEATURE THIS YEAR, OF WHICH BRAZILIAN CLUBS ACCOUNT FOR CHINESE CLUBS CONSTITUTE 7% OF TOP 66% 100 CLUBS 2017 djmag.com 045 Powered By 100 20 98 20 96 03 CHINESE LAUNDRY DRAGONFLY SPACE IBIZA NEW YORK SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA JAKARTA, INDONESIA NEW YORK CITY, USA CAPACITY: 800 CAPACITY: 400 CAPACITY: 1400 CHINESELAUNDRYCLUB.COM.AU ISMAYA.COM/DRAGONFLY ARGUABLY one of the White Isle’s greatest exports, ORIGINALLY a gift given to Sydney businessman ONE of the longest-running clubs in Indonesia, the Space Ibiza franchise is a quarter-century old Justin Hemmes on his 18th birthday (not a bad Dragonfly threw open its doors in 2004 as a modern global clubbing institution. Sprawled across the corner present, right?), the long-running Chinese Laundry has Asian restaurant-cum-lounge, transforming into a of West 50th Street and 12th Avenue, Space Ibiza New consistently hosted top-drawer international DJs (Nina party hotspot to suit the growing Indonesian appetite York brings a bit of the Balearic island’s best vibes Kraviz, Stephan Bodzin and Marcel Dettmann have all for nightlife. Having enjoyed a mega six-month re-fit to the city that never sleeps — and considering the played in the past year) and founded the careers of in 2015, the sophisticated venue swings musically from notorious length of Space parties, it seems a perfect much home-grown Aussie talent. commercial to underground to suit its local and ex-pat match. As any New Yorker will claim, a trek all the way Spread out over three rooms — The Laundry, The Cave crowd, with three resident DJs (Joyo, Hizkia, Devarra), over to Manhattan’s western-most avenue requires and The Sand Bar — the club also boasts a lush outdoor plus a host of renowned international guests (Steve justification, and this megaclub provides it: from courtyard for open-air shape-cutting. With a music Angello, Frankie Knuckles and Giorgio Moroder have all European elite like Solomun, to EDM superstar Nicky policy that’s all about promoting fresh faces, Friday’s been booked over the course of Dragonfly’s 13 years of Romero and NYC native Victor Calderone, Space Ibiza’s popular BASSIC night is the place to be for all things existence). Big Apple outpost offers sounds to suit every palate dubstep, trap and bass. and the guarantee of a brand that’s survived the test of time. NEW NEW 97 ENTRY 99 ENTRY NON- SOS CLUB 95 MOVER HIDDEN HANGZHOU, CHINA MANCHESTER, UK CAPACITY: 2000 CODA CAPACITY: 700 CLUBSOSHZ.COM TORONTO, CANADA HIDDEN.CLUB CAPACITY: 550 ONE China’s most famous nightclubs, Hangzhou’s SOS CODATORONTO.COM HIDDEN means serious business. A disused textile has been booming since 2005. Though it closed for a mill in one of the few central Manchester districts chunk of 2016 as it underwent a massive refurb, SOS THE successor to Toronto’s long-running afterhours, developers haven’t moved into, this is arguably reopened in September bigger than ever, boasting four Footwork, in late 2014 Coda took up residence on the North’s most reliable weekly spot for proper areas with 80 VIP seats and eight VIP rooms over 3,000 the corner of Bathurst & Bloor Street, converting an heavyweight names. In-house parties and external square meters, making it a genuine superclub. old rock venue called The Wreckroom into one of the crews such as Project 13, High Hoops, Percolate and Since then, big name talent like W&W, Juicy M, city’s most popular underground spots. In just a few Hit & Run regularly call on the likes of Raresh, Denis DVBBS, Steve Aoki, Alan Walker, GTA and Zomboy have short years, the club has become a staple with a loyal Sulta, Mr. G, Blawan, Ben UFO, DJ Sprinkles and Helena graced its stage, pumping big room tunes to beautiful following, featuring residents Nathan Barato, Carlo Hauff.