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A superclub is a very large or superior
nightclub A nightclub or dance club is a club that is open at night, usually for drinking, dancing and other entertainment. Nightclubs often have a Bar (establishment), bar and discotheque (usually simply known as disco) with a dance floor, laser lighti ...
, often with several rooms with different themes. The term was first coined in
Mixmag ''Mixmag'' is a British electronic dance and clubbing magazine published in London. Launched in 1983 as a print magazine, it has branched into dance events, including festivals and club nights. History The first issue of ''Mixmag'' was printe ...
, the British electronic dance and clubbing magazine, in 1995, referring to the new wave of clubs such as
Ministry of Sound Ministry of Sound or Ministry of Sound Group is a multimedia entertainment business based in London with a nightclub, shared workspace and private members' club, worldwide events operation, music publisher (popular music), music publishing busin ...
and
Cream Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-fat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, the fat, which is less dense, eventually rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream, this proces ...
, which were dominating the English club scene. Superclubs may include nightclubs that have high capacity, or are multi-story, high profile, and operate city and region wide or are well known. Some superclubs are owned and managed by a
dance music Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole piece or part of a larger musical arrangement. In terms of performance, the major categories are live dance music and recorded dance musi ...
record label "Big Three" music labels A record label or record company is a brand or trademark of Sound recording and reproduction, music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a Music publisher, ...
or a club that was or is culturally important. The term may also be used to define its position within the club scene hierarchy. Forerunners of contemporary superclubs already existed in the early 20th century. ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' describes the ''Moka Efti'' in Berlin, a major dancing establishment of the
Golden Twenties The Golden Twenties (), also known as the Happy Twenties (), was a five-year time period within the decade of the 1920s in Germany. The era began in 1924, after the end of the hyperinflation following World War I, and ended with the Wall Stree ...
, as a "1920s superclub". Privilege Ibiza is the "world's largest nightclub" according to the
Guinness Book of Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, listi ...
, with a capacity of 10,000 people.


History

''Notes: The list of clubs below indicate the dates they were first established.''


1960s

Early examples of "superclubs" include Annabel's (London, 1963), Blow Up (
Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
, 1967) and Pacha (Sitges, 1967).


1970s

Examples of "superclubs" from this period include Pacha, Ibiza in (1973), Studio One (nightclub) Los Angeles (1975), BANG (club) London (1976),
Amnesia Amnesia is a deficit in memory caused by brain damage or brain diseases,Gazzaniga, M., Ivry, R., & Mangun, G. (2009) Cognitive Neuroscience: The biology of the mind. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. but it can also be temporarily caused by t ...
, Ibiza, (1976),
Studio 54 Studio 54 is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater and former nightclub at 254 West 54th Street (Manhattan), 54th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, New York, U.S. Opened as the Gallo Opera House in 1927, it served ...
,
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, (1977),
Paradise Garage Paradise Garage, also known as "the Garage" or the "Gay-rage", was a New York City discotheque notable in the history of dance and pop music, as well as LGBT and nightclub cultures. The club was founded by sole proprietor Michael Brody, and ...
, New York, (1977), Ku Club
Ibiza Ibiza (; ; ; #Names and pronunciation, see below) or Iviza is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea off the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. It is 150 kilometres (93 miles) from the city of Valencia. It is the third largest of th ...
, (1978),
Xenon Xenon is a chemical element; it has symbol Xe and atomic number 54. It is a dense, colorless, odorless noble gas found in Earth's atmosphere in trace amounts. Although generally unreactive, it can undergo a few chemical reactions such as the ...
, New York, (1978), Roxy NYC, New York, (1978),
Dorian Gray ''The Picture of Dorian Gray'' is an 1890 philosophical fiction and Gothic horror novel by Irish writer Oscar Wilde. A shorter novella-length version was published in the July 1890 issue of the American periodical ''Lippincott's Monthly M ...
,
Frankfurt Frankfurt am Main () is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Hesse. Its 773,068 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the List of cities in Germany by population, fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located in the forela ...
, (1978),
Heaven Heaven, or the Heavens, is a common Religious cosmology, religious cosmological or supernatural place where beings such as deity, deities, angels, souls, saints, or Veneration of the dead, venerated ancestors are said to originate, be throne, ...
London, (1979),
Danceteria Danceteria was a nightclub that operated in New York City from May 1980 until 1986 and in the Hamptons until 1995. The club operated in various locations over the years, a total of three in New York City and four in the Hamptons. The most famous l ...
, New York, (1979)


1980s

Examples of "superclubs" from this period include The Saint in New York in (1980), The Fridge, London, (1981), The Haçienda in Manchester opened in (1982),
The Limelight The Limelight was a chain of nightclubs owned and operated by Peter Gatien. It had locations in New York City, Chicago, Atlanta, London and Hallandale, Florida. History Florida and Atlanta locations Peter Gatien opened the first Limelight n ...
, New York, (1983),
Hippodrome, London The Hippodrome is a building on the corner of Cranbourn Street and Charing Cross Road in the City of Westminster, London. The name was used for many different theatres and music halls, of which the London Hippodrome is one of only a few survi ...
, (1983), Space, Ibiza, (1986),
Tunnel A tunnel is an underground or undersea passageway. It is dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, or laid under water, and is usually completely enclosed except for the two portals common at each end, though there may be access and ve ...
, New York, (1986), Palladium, New York, (1985),
Quadrant Park Quadrant Park also known as the Quad or Quaddie was a nightclub in Bootle, UK opened during the late 1980s to the early 1990s. and one of the most important in the UK at the time. and was known to attract a number of international guest DJs. T ...
,
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
, (1988), Excalibur Nightclub, Chicago, (1989),
The Sound Factory The Sound Factory (also known as Sunset Sound Factory) is a recording studio in Los Angeles, California. The Sound Factory was built in the 1960s on Selma Avenue in Hollywood. At the time, it served as the home of Moonglow Records and the Moon ...
, New York, (1989), The Venue, Tower Park Poole, (1989).


1990s

Examples of "superclubs" from this period include
Trade Trade involves the transfer of goods and services from one person or entity to another, often in exchange for money. Economists refer to a system or network that allows trade as a market. Traders generally negotiate through a medium of cr ...
and Turnmills, London, (1990), Club 051, Liverpool (1991),
Ministry of Sound Ministry of Sound or Ministry of Sound Group is a multimedia entertainment business based in London with a nightclub, shared workspace and private members' club, worldwide events operation, music publisher (popular music), music publishing busin ...
in London (1991), Juliana's Tokyo, (1991),
Zouk Zouk is a musical movement and dance pioneered by the French Antillean band Kassav' in the early 1980s. It was originally characterized by a fast tempo (120–145 bpm), a percussion-driven rhythm, and a loud horn section. Musicians from Mart ...
, Singapore, (1991),
Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
(1992), Avalon,
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
(1992), Bunker, Berlin, (1992), E-Werk, Berlin, (1993), G-A-Y, London, (1993), Cream at Nation, Liverpool, (1993), Miss Moneypenny's,
Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
, (1993)
Cavo Paradiso
Mykonos, (1993), Ultraschall, Munich, (1994), Twilo, New York, (1995),
The End The End may refer to: Film * The End (1953 film), ''The End'' (1953 film), a film by Christopher Maclaine * The End (1978 film), ''The End'' (1978 film), a comedy by Burt Reynolds * ''The End'' (1995 film), a List of Canadian films of 1995, Cana ...
, London, (1995),
Nation A nation is a type of social organization where a collective Identity (social science), identity, a national identity, has emerged from a combination of shared features across a given population, such as language, history, ethnicity, culture, t ...
,
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
, (1995), The Emporium. Coalville, (1995), Privilege, Ibiza, (1995), Gatecrasher One, (1996),
Godskitchen Godskitchen is an international superclub brand which is associated with dance music and organises events, particularly in the UK and US. The company used to run a club night of the same name at their nightclub AIR (nightclub), AIR, in Birmingham ...
, (1996), KW – Das Heizkraftwerk, Munich, (1996), The Church, Denver (1996),
Fabric Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, and different types of fabric. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is no ...
, London (1999), DC10, Ibiza, (1999),
Home A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or more human occupants, and sometimes various companion animals. Homes provide sheltered spaces, for instance rooms, where domestic activity can be p ...
, London, (1999)


2000s

Examples of "superclubs" from this period include
Womb The uterus (from Latin ''uterus'', : uteri or uteruses) or womb () is the organ in the reproductive system of most female mammals, including humans, that accommodates the embryonic and fetal development of one or more fertilized eggs until bi ...
,
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, (2000), Bungalow 8,
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, (2001), Hakkasan,
Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
, (2001), Vision Club, Chicago, (2002), Vanguard LA, Hollywood, (2002), SeOne, London, (2002), Berghain,
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
, (2003), Cielo, New York, (2003), Opium Garden
Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
, (2003),
AIR An atmosphere () is a layer of gases that envelop an astronomical object, held in place by the gravity of the object. A planet retains an atmosphere when the gravity is great and the temperature of the atmosphere is low. A stellar atmosph ...
,
Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
, (2003), Crobar, Chelsea, New York, (2003), Sound Bar, Chicago, (2004), Myth, Minneapolis, (2005), TAO, Las Vegas, (2005), 1015 Folsom Nightclub,
San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
, (2005), Belo, (
San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
), (2006), XS Nightclub, Las Vegas, (2008), Marquee Nightclub and Dayclub, Las Vegas, (2010), Omnia, Las Vegas (2015) (formerly, Pure, (2004)), Marquee Nightclub,
Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
, (2018), KAOS Dayclub and Nightclub, Las Vegas, (2019).


2010s

Examples of "superclubs" from this period include:
Echostage Echostage is a music venue located in the Langdon neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Opened in 2012, the hybrid nightclub and concert hall has over 30,000 square feet of space with a maximum capacity of 3,000 guests. Upon opening, it was the large ...
, Washington D.C., (2012), Output, New York City, (2013), White Dubai @ Meydan, (2013), MMA Club, Munich (2014), Bassiani,
Tbilisi Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი, ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), ( ka, ტფილისი, tr ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), largest city of Georgia ( ...
, (2014), Laroc,
São Paulo São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...
, (2015),
Printworks Printworks may refer to: *Printworks (London), a nightclub and events space in Rotherhithe *The Printworks (Manchester), an entertainment venue *Printworks Campus, of the Leeds City College {{DEFAULTSORT:Printworks, The ...
, London (2017), Kompass klub, Ghent. Student Society in Trondheim, Trondhjem Norway, (2024).


Culturally important clubs

The clubs listed here do not necessarily meet the criteria for the spatial definition of a "superclub" but are included for their significant cultural importance: Peppermint Lounge, (1958),
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
,
UFO Club The UFO Club ( ') was a short-lived UK underground, British counter-culture nightclub in London in the 1960s. The club was established by Joe Boyd and John Hopkins (political activist), John "Hoppy" Hopkins. It featured light shows, poetry r ...
, London (1960's), The Loft, New York City, (1970), The Warehouse, Chicago, (1977), Mudd Club, New York, (1978), Billy's, London (1978),
Blitz Club Blitz Club is a techno nightclub in the Munich district of Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt. History and description The club is located in the former congress hall of the Deutsches Museum, completed in 1935 at the location of Munich's Deutsches ...
, London, (1979), Pyramid Club, New York, (1979), Club 57, New York, (1979), Camden Palace, London, (1982), The Batcave, London (1982),
Taboo A taboo is a social group's ban, prohibition or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, offensive, sacred or allowed only for certain people.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...
, London, (1985), The World, New York, (1986), Kinky Gerlinky, London, (1989), Tresor,
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
, (1991),
Trade Trade involves the transfer of goods and services from one person or entity to another, often in exchange for money. Economists refer to a system or network that allows trade as a market. Traders generally negotiate through a medium of cr ...
(1990-2008), Vague Club,
Leeds Leeds is a city in West Yorkshire, England. It is the largest settlement in Yorkshire and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds Metropolitan Borough, which is the second most populous district in the United Kingdom. It is built aro ...
, (1993), B 018, Beirut, (1994).


Superclub the album

Cream, Gatecrasher and Pacha teamed up in 2010 to produce the album ''Superclub''. Released on 22 November in the UK, the 3 CD collection has one disc for each of the clubs and was the first release from Rhino UK's dance imprint One More Tune.Superclub album announced on Cream's website
/ref> A second album, called ''Superclub Ibiza'', was released in July 2011 by EMI.


See also

*
Nightclub A nightclub or dance club is a club that is open at night, usually for drinking, dancing and other entertainment. Nightclubs often have a Bar (establishment), bar and discotheque (usually simply known as disco) with a dance floor, laser lighti ...
*
List of electronic dance music venues A rave (from the verb: '' to rave'') is a dance party at a warehouse, club, or other public or private venue, typically featuring performances by DJs playing electronic dance music. The style is most associated with the early 1990s dance mus ...


References


Sources

* Bibby, Michael; Goodlad, Lauren M. E. (21 March 2007). Goth: Undead Subculture. Duke University Press. . * Cohen, edited by Philip; Rustin, Michael J. (2008). London's turning : Thames Gateway-prospects and legacy. Aldershot, Hampshire, England: Ashgate. . * Gerstner, David A., (2012), Routledge International Encyclopedia of Queer Culture. Routledge, . * Hsalam, Dave, (2015), Life After Dark: A History of British Nightclubs & Music Venues, Simon and Schuster, . * Lau, Stella Sai-Chun (2012). Popular Music in Evangelical Youth Culture. Cambridge, England,: Routledge. p. 174. . * Niemitz, Brian (2006). Night+Day New York. ASDavis Media Group. . * O'Reilly, Daragh; Kerrigan, Finola (27 April 2010). Marketing the Arts: A Fresh Approach. Routledge. . * Richardson, Diane; Seidman, Steven (18 November 2002). Handbook of Lesbian and Gay Studies. SAGE. . * Robinson, Roxy, (2016), Music Festivals and the Politics of Participation, Routledge. {{ISBN, 9781317091998. Electronic dance music venues *