Editors note: Cave Club is set to close at the end of April 2017.
Shenzhen has an uncomfortable relationship with independent music. It’s tolerated for a bit, and then the hammer falls, wrapping a venue’s DJ deck or drum set in enough red tape to make a Christmas-themed bondage film.
Cave Club, of course, wants to change that – mainly by being a sanctioned bar in area where house music is unlikely to upset the neighbors.
Located in a part of Futian that seems to have more storefronts flanked by scaffolding than not, you can find Cave Club down a long set of illuminated stairs.
It’s obvious some money went into outfitting the wide, single-floor space, though furniture is uniformly black and minimalistic. All of it is lit by undulating LED lights spider webbed across the ceiling above metal industrial barrels refitted to serve as high tables.
Two types of customers are in the club’s crosshairs – those who spend at least RMB2,000 for prime seating on weekends, and those that hand over RMB100 for five gin and tonics and don’t mind standing around DIY furniture.
Patrons are welcome to order a bottle of whisky with a four-digit price tag, but those of more humble means can opt for the negroni (RMB58), its crisp taste evidence Cave Club hasn’t skimped on sweet vermouth and Campari.
If you’re looking for a show (and to briefly set your table on fire), the Lamborghini is your ride. For only RMB58, flaming liquid is poured down precariously stacked glasses, flavoring the sweet substances held in chalices below.
Flaming furniture aside, the most alluring thing about Cave Club is its potential to become a nexus of underground music.
Though it will take a taxi ride to arrive from central Shenzhen, the location is an asset as the parking garage next door is unlikely to file a noise complaint.
Future events will see the pricey tables pushed to the side, creating an open space punctuated by subwoofers and perfect for the underground dance party vibe.
Add to this some behind-deck talent with connections to the areas top DJs and you might, just might, have a recipe for subterranean success.
Price: RMB100
Who’s going: in-the-know EDM fans, those who enjoy fruit platters
Good for: literally underground music
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