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NYC's Club Revival?

New York's nightlife could be on the mend with the opening of new club Element. Here's a report and some pics from the opening weekend.

New York's nightlife could be on the mend if the opening weekend of new nightclub Element in East Village is anything to go by.

There were queues round the block when the three-floored venue, which was originally a bank, opened its doors on 16 February 2006.

It stayed like that for most of the weekend, with the venue's capacity of 550 fully realised.

"The four-night opening weekend was grand," reports Element's Betty Kang.

Element New York City

"As the nights wore on the parties kept on getting bigger and better with Larry Tee's party culminating in a money drop from the club's mezzanine."

Bank

Element are clearly making full use of the venue's history as a depository – New York legend Larry Tee's weekly Saturday party is called Bank, whilst the 150-capacity underground space below the club, complete with private listening rooms, is called Vault.

It must have cost some savings too:
the venue has been exquisitely
decorated, and the word on the
dancefloor is that its 37,000 watt
soundsystem sounds great.

Element New York City

New York's Saviour?

The good news for New York dance music fans is that Element bridges the gap between the massive superclubs like Crobar and the new Pacha, and the tiny, underground parties that populate the city's nightlife scene.

Better still is the news that the venue's
owners are keen to push underground
dance music.

Upcoming nights in March will see the
Berlin-based Brit DJ Ewan Pearson
in the main room, and the following
week German techno label Kompact
will host the club.

Element New York City

Ninja Tune's eclectic superstar Mr. Scruff will appear on 24 March.

Rock 'n' Roll

Electro and rock 'n' roll clubbers will be able to party downstairs.

Betty Kang said: "The Vault will host nightly parties ranging from Jeannie Hopper to Girls & Boys rock 'n' roll nights with special guests from the downtown music scene."

Another selling point of the club is the mezzanine and balcony, which is illuminated by custom-designed LED chandeliers, including an entire wall of light behind the DJ booth.

Element could be the catalyst needed to get New York's nightlife scene back on track.