While most of the end of year lists are probably to do with best songs of the year, artists to watch, albums of the year, and more, ElectronicBeats.net took the time to come up with a thoughtful list of clubs that had shut down this year. While readers might not be entirely familiar with each club, we respect the impact losing each one has on their respective communities. I can definitely relate coming from a city which lost one of the greatest clubs ever fairly recently -The Guvernment in Toronto.
Of course, this list doesn’t cover every club that has closed this year. With the lockout laws in Australia, there have been more than a few establishments that have had to close their doors. There’s likely more than one club or venue in the US that has also been lost.
1. ARMA17 (Moscow, Russia)
While I’ve never been to Moscow or Russia, ARMA17 has been called ‘the Berghain of Moscow’ and any club being called the Berghain of anywhere is probably going to be one of the most prestigious clubs in fairly long square mile footage.
2. Golden Pudel (Hamburg, Germany)
Speaking of Berghain, it doesn’t seem like the legendary techno venue is one of the only in Germany fighting to keep its doors open as Hamburg’s Golden Pudel has had to overcome a long cycle of supposedly reopening or shutting its doors down for good following a devasting fire in February. While the club remains closed, hence its inclusion in a list, this one should have an asterisk accompanying it for the time being.
3. Dance Tunnel (London, England)
This club might not have the memorable name or the reputation that FABRIC down below has, but if you ask residents of East London they’ll tell you that the dingy underground club which hosted the influential dubstep FWD>> parties will be sorely missed.
4. Pratersauna (Vienna, Austria)
One of three inclusions from central Europe, Pratersauna is the lone inclusion from Austria and, judging by the good folk over at Electronic Beats, probably the most influential Viennese club ever.
5. The Shelter (Shanghai, China)
China’s lone representative, The Shelter was well known in Shanghai as a popular bastion for hip-hop and techno – not the most common mixture to say the least. Crafted out of a former bomb shelter too. Doesn’t get much cooler than that.
6. The Paradox (Baltimore, USA)
The US’ lone inclusion is one of the oldest of the list having opened its doors all the way back in 1991. In its 25 year history, the club’s been a mainstay of nightlife in the city playing major role shaping dance music in Baltimore from then till now.
7. Air (Tokyo, Japan)
The other Asian representative, Tokyo’s Air mysteriously shut down earlier this year with no reason listed and only a thank you note to its patrons to show for all the time it’s been open.
8. Studio 80 (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
A lot of people would consider Amsterdam one of, if not the, dance capital of the world, but sadly the last several years have seen some of its most beloved venues shut their doors to patrons. Studio 80 also joins that list having been in operation since 2005.
9. FABRIC (London, England)
FABRIC will undoubtedly be one of the two most iconic clubs in this list. We’ve covered the drawn-out saga over its closure extensively here at Your EDM including its confirmed reopening in January 2017 making its appearance on this list a technical formality.
10. Space IBIZA (Ibiza, Spain)
Ibiza has long been one of dance music’s finest institutions, and for thirty years, Space IBIZA was among its finest. A four-time winner of the International Dance Music Award’s Club of The Year and a perennial chart-topper of DJ Mag’s Top 100 Clubs, Space is best known for a fifteen-year residency by the legendary Carl Cox before being acquired by Ibiza rival group Ushuaïa Ibiza.
H/T: Electronic Beats