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Profiles by Daphne Carr, Justin Hampton, John Landers, Kerri Mason and Dennis Sebayan.
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Cielo, New York
With two consecutive wins in this category, Cielo proves that you don’t have to be big and mean to get noticed, or become beloved. The tiny (3,400 square feet), elegant, single-room club’s brand is so strong that it’s seemingly immune to competition: You just can’t get the intimate, comfortable Cielo experience anywhere else. And patrons and performers alike know it. Perhaps the most telling trend is the recent spate of big-room style DJs – like crobar resident Boris and Space Miami’s Oscar G – who have opted to play Thursday night “small sets” for Cielo’s sunken dancefloor. –DS
www.cieloclub.com |
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Fur, D.C.
Every major city’s got a glitzy club to call home, and in D.C., it’s Fur. The club boasts 12,000 square feet of dance space, 30-foot ceilings in the main room, a 100,000 watt EAW Avalon system (installed by Ohm Productions), and enough popularity to afford a rigid velvet rope policy (no sneakers, hats or T-shirts). It’s also got Glow, one of the only weekly trance parties in the nation, which attracts big-name headliners like Tiësto and Above & Beyond. Complimenting the main room’s hi-tech wonderland are chic adjoining lounges that boast hi-def TVs, comfy couches, and a cigar menu. –DS
www.furnightclub.com
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Mur.Mur, Atlantic City
This category’s newest nominee, Mur.Mur came out of the box this summer with not only pounding sound (Funktion-One by Sound Investment), unique lighting (a dancefloor full of Pulsar Chromaspheres, by SJ Lighting), and the support of mega-cool Atlantic City home hotel Borgata, but also instantaneously packed parties on Fridays, Saturdays and industry-night Mondays. The 8,600-square-foot venue opened as a bottle-service-oriented alternative to Borgata’s restaurant/nightclub Mixx, and proved itself as in-demand as its obvious Vegas inspirations. A long escalator descends patrons into a rectangular room with a central dancefloor, flanked by banquette rows and posh VIP corners. This layout never gets old. –KLM
www.theborgata.com |
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Smart Bar, Chicago
Renovating a local favorite is a tall order, especially one that carries the music-centered torch for serious purists. But when Smart Bar revealed its new look and sound in February, there was nary a complaining hipster. With a sleek but not impractical design by Thomas Shoner Associates (which snagged a “Best Interior Design” nomination), and thunderous Funktion-One bass by Sound Investment, Smart Bar upped the ante without losing its sneaker-wearing soul. We responded by upping its ranking: It’s nominated in the “Best Club” category this year, after winning the NightStalker Award in ’06. –KLM
www.smartbarchicago.com |
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Tao, Las Vegas
The 42,000-square-foot Tao entertainment complex in The Venetian hotel is the definition of excess when it comes to dinner and dancing. And in its second year, the Jason Strauss and Noah Tepperberg venue pushed for even bigger, higher profile events. Tao’s dancefloor became the first-ever Vegas after-party spot for Madonna’s recent tour-stop (even though her gig was at the MGM Grand). Then there was Jay-Z, who literally played the last stop of his Hangar Tour at Tao. Dance music fanatics can also call the club home now: the Global House Sessions party heats up the dancefloor with DJs like Erick Morillo and Bob Sinclar. –DS
www.taolasvegas.com |
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