To continue from my review of the hippest lounges in the Netherlands, here’s a quick review of the hippest clubs.
As a preface, I feel I should mention what kind of clubs I enjoy – or rather don’t enjoy. I don’t like clubs that play popular music. If I can achieve the same musical atmosphere by putting on a Top 100 playlist from Spotify, going to a club is redundant for me. I don’t like clubs that play overly weird and undanceable music either. If it doesn’t have a steady beat, it’s more of an art performance. Lastly, even if the club has good music but you don’t have space to dance or the customer experience of the club is completely half-assed, I’m not impressed either. I’m picky.
So what clubs meet these standards, at least to an extent?
De School
Amsterdam
De School is the most refreshing club I’ve been to in a while. While the bouncers are a bit off-putting with their measurement if you’re De School material, the experience itself is excellent. The club operates in an abandoned school, which to me was the first of its kind to visit. The atmosphere is sufficiently ominous to make you feel on edge but not ominous enough to make you run away. There’s a light installation in the hallway that attracts people that are a little too high on ecstacy and want to chill out for a bit. The bathrooms are lit with a horror-esque red light. Then there’s the basement.
The basement is where the party is happening. It’s dark, spacey, and smoky. You can hear the droning techno in the distance. I cannot emphasise enough how amazing the amount of space in the basement is. Even on a Saturday night you had plenty of space to dance. The beer counter serves a good assortment by the bottle. You could honestly spend the entire night in the basement without feeling the need to leave.
If you fancy a snack, they serve grilled cheese sandwiches on the ground floor. A chillout room shows some kind of a documentary, which I’m a little unsure if it’s the best entertainment when you need to relax. We’re greeted by a topless woman with her brown nipples staring at us at the light installation. “What is happening on your phones?”, she asks with curiosity and amusement. This club is alright.
5/5
De Pip
Den Haag
De Pip is a little ways from Den Haag Centraal and isn’t the biggest venue. Nevertheless, they provide an interesting variety of music in the courtyard of an office complex. The atmosphere is cozy and secret. Like a small alternative venue. There isn’t a lot of space and on one evening I had to buy tokens for drinks, which I absolutely hate. Nevertheless, it might just be my favourite place in Den Haag. While I don’t have a whole lot to say about the venue, it’s worth checking out!
4/5
‘T Bölke
Enschede
Now this club has style. Usually a gay club, ‘t Bölke is welcoming for other sexual orientations as well. Upon first entering the club, you’re overwhelmed. Lights, a loud sound system, and a chaotic floor plan is a lot to take in at first. You don’t know where you should be going. There are a few steps going down on the dance floor, and a pathway on both your sides. In the middle of the dance floor you see a cage with people dancing and climbing on top of it to vibe.
When I visited, they had a jungle theme going on, which made the experience all the more intense. While it was packed, the welcoming atmosphere made it easy to dance arm to arm with other clubbers. Extravagantly dressed drag queens wander in the audience. You can tell they’re the heart of this club.
4,5/5
To be continued!