Nightclubs, by their nature, have limited life spans. Few operate for more than a few years before closing, then reinventing themselves. The business is marked by a constant effort to stay cutting-edge, modern and cool.
Most large cities boast anywhere from a handful to dozens of clubs, ranging from new, exclusive locations to established haunts with a regular, loyal clientele to those nearing the end of their useful lives, where the crowds are sparser and the prices lower.
Kyiv is no different. The city of three million has an active club scene, and on Friday nights the venues are packed with energetic dancers.
Last summer saw two new and popular clubs - Orangereya and Decadence -open in the capital. In addition, Opium Dance Club reopened after renovation, despite the fact that it is barely more than two years old. In a matter of weeks, a glossy new spot - dubbed Pa Ti Pa will open its doors.
It hasn't always been like this, of course.
Ukrainians used to gather in cafes where food and drink were cheap, and moving a few tables would clear the way for an impromptu dance floor. Despite the rustic charm, there was little in the way of ambiance.
Keen-eyed bar owners spotted an opening, and the city's first discotheques soon emerged. Since then nothing - and everything - has changed. The venues have grown with the crowds, becoming more elaborate, incorporated better lighting, smoke and other special effects, installed better sound systems and more comfortable seating.
Kyiv's A-list clubs include Ganesha, Tusetye, Avalon and Tchaikovsky, the latter having been enormously popular among well-heeled clubbers during its first few months due to its funky programs. But then Orangereya opened its three-level lounge and banquet hall on the ninth floor of the upscale Mandarin Plaza shopping center. The club's biggest drawback may well be its upper-floor location, since the center's large glass elevator seems prone to mechanical failure when used heavily, compelling regulars including executives and celebrities to walk up nine flights of stairs.
The soon-to-debur Pa Ti Pa Club promises to provide the next sensation.
"Our club will bring a fresh breeze to the city's nightlife," says Pa Ti Pa's director, Dmitry Shtompel.
"We were trying to incorporate the best of Western club culture," Shtompel said.
The club will feature a video deejay showing short music films on wall-mounted screens located throughout the cozy, two-story entertainment space. In addition, the club's interior designers have outfitted the club with a number of private pink, green and black enclosures on the club's upper level. Dark glass windows protect the club's refined clientele from the noise and crowds.
"We wanted to create a club for ourselves and our friends," Shtompel explains. "Now, they won't have to go to Europe to visit their favorite clubs, since they can enjoy the same programs here."
"That doesn't mean that we have became pro-Western," he cautions. "It just means that we have became civilized."
Shtompel said that New York's 1970s-era club Studio 54 inspired the club.
He's not thinking about the day the new venue runs out of steam, at least not now. When the time comes that the club is no longer hip, Shtompel figures they'll just tear it down. He notes that it is easier to build a brand-new club in a totally different style than to renovate an existing location.
Yet Mirovaya Karta's Opium Dance Club did just that, renovating the facility in time for its second anniversary.
When the Russian edition of Playboy magazine was looking for a venue for a party last month to mark its selection of Ukrainian models, they chose Opium. Evgenia Pankratieva, a fan of the nightclub, says that she enjoys the club for its DJs, progressive music and overall atmosphere.
"Whenever I go there, I meet some 10 to 15 friends," she said.
"I also like that Opium's owners are regular visitors to the club."
Nightclubs are all about creating an energized atmosphere, a great bar and interesting show. And owners know that when customers are happy, they don't worry much about the money they're spending.
To create the right atmosphere, says Shtompel, "we have to attract the right people. Our patrons are gentle and sensitive people, so we have to prevent the club against the aggressive persons. So we decided that face control is necessary."
Alla Vetrovcova is a Kyiv Freelance writer.
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