Friday, June 08, 2007

Showcase, Paris

The setting is astonishing, along the Seine, housed within the Alexandre III bridge. The space is spectalcular - and can easily compete on the world scene for that. Entrance is discreet, below the bridge; inside it's one long roomroom, full of beautiful looking people split out between three spaces ample spaces : dance on the left, sit at the bar in the center and sip your expensive champagne in the lounge on the right. And a beautiful fancy parisian club is all it would be if it weren't for the couple fussball tables in the back - where extasy stoned ravers play. Well the tables themselves don't make the difference, it's rather the symbol -showing how to mix two trends, two clienteles and two parties. On one hand, the super hype parisians call this place home on Saturdays - it's the typical Baron, Paris Paris or Néo crowd, the guys who eat at Kong and drink at Maison Blanche, those same guys who've never set food east of the Marais. On the other had, the club has good music and attracts the rest of the crowd - well those who can get past the doorman or manage to be on the guestlist,that is the media, artsy, electro crowd, those who'd go to La Fleche d'or the day before and the Rex the next day. And this mix is certainly quite unique. The first crowd usually empties out their wallet in the middle of the night, and slowly, the music shifts from general house to serious minimal. By then, the partiers stay and congregate around the dancefloor - leaving the rest of the club practically empty. The vibe starts to relax, and the people keep it real. By that time, you could be at the Fabric or Ministry of sound accross the channel - apart that even on a busy Saturday night, the select entrance ensures the place isn't too crowded. The showcase is definitely fancy, but it's a hit.
Le Showcase
Under the alexandre III bridget - rive droite // Paris // France
open Friday and Saturday from 10 till morning
www.showcase.fr

About Me

an opinionated guide to alternative nightlife and urban culture. what else?