Industry leader Zouk club turns 20

Few nightclubs in the world have been in business for 20 years, let alone being an industry leader the entire time. Located on a little side-street in Singapore however is such a place: Zouk Singapore.

I've visited tons of clubs over the years but the place I rate above all others is Zouk. It's not that the place is glammed-up or even has my favourite DJs whenever I visit - it's that they really understand what great clubbing is all about. The vibe you get it part concert, part house party, part festival but never business as usual. And they've stuck to this idea since the early 90s - before Daft Punk, Sasha or most of today's big artists were even remotely on the map. Back then the likes of Tony Humphries, Frankie Knuckles and a few other mostly American DJs were leading the way. It's quite impressive to think that much of the music likely played back then - cutting edge at the time - would now be considered retro! Zouk hasn't just lasted a generation, it's lasted two whole generations of clubbing!

Visiting Zouk is one thing which resets my clubbing 'compass'. It lets me know that clubbing hasn't all spiralled into tacky commercialism as it has in so many other places. I make a point of stopping over in Singapore anytime I'm in Asia just to go there. I've seen Danny Tenaglia, Satoshi Tomiie, Valentino Kanzyani, Danny Howells and others rock Zouk in ways which have made me wonder: why don't they DJ like that all the time? You almost get a sense that even the top DJs realise what a special place it is and put in an extra effort.

With one of the best sound systems you'll ever experience in your life (custom-made by New York's Gary Stewart Audio), a maize of textured hallways joining the three main rooms - Zouk, Velvet Underground and Phuture, viewing platforms, dark corners to chill-out in and a family of staff who seem to care about clubbing and the great resident DJs - not to mention a core of party-goers who cement the party vibe - you should not pass up an opportunity to visit Zouk if you're in Singapore. You'll have a mystical and memorable night even if you spent some of it outside chilling, people-watching and enjoying one of the famous Zouk hot-dogs.

To mark their 20 year celebration Zouk hosted a series of events this April called 20/20 featuring some of the biggest guns in the business: Danny Tenaglia, Armin van Buuren and more.

Happy birthday Zouk. Back there soon!

Zouk: website, facebook page, location

Photo: Def Mix 20th Anniversary Event at Zouk, November 2007 with Satoshi Tomiie and Hector Romero