rave and pillage
Grab your glowsticks, and get in the eye of the neon storm! Tucked in the hinterlands of Kitai-Gorod, multifunctional art space Solyanka, epicenter of the summer 2007 New Rave zeitgeist, welcomes all those hipster enough to pay a 500-ruble cover.
PHOTO ALEXEI VIKTOROV / TEXT SONYA RINKUS feedback
SCENE: Call it New Rave, call it Nu Rave, call it Novy Rave. Whatever you call it, this music-fashion movement has hit Moscow’s indie club scene like the fist of an angry god. Solyanka is summer’s biggest draw for those who like it loud, like it colorful and like to bounce up and down while pouring beer on their heads. The aesthetic is easy to master: everything your parents made you wear in 1989. Match flimsy neon sunglasses with graphic slogan tees (“i h8 nu rave” is clever) and hot pants. But while style is king, it’s not the only thing. Back in January, Solyanka created a blog to announce its impending arrival as a hub for technology, contemporary art, gastronomy, fashion and nightlife. The amazing technicolor dream club didn’t materialize until June, and was then known only by Internet and word-of-mouth, as it “hadn’t secured its liquor license.” But the mustachioed Day-Glo hordes milling around Kitai-Gorod were hard to conceal, and Solyanka blew up. A ploy? We’re not even sure if Solyanka’s officially allowed to exist yet, but it’s high time to address the neon that’s stalking Moscow like a big neon stalking thing. LAYOUT: Housed in one of Solyanka Ulitsa’s deteriorating 19th century residences, the club is positioning itself as a more accessible Gazgolder — easier to find and much easier to get into, while still retaining the intimacy of an apartment party where you can dress like Karl Lagerfeld without fearing a beat-down. Couches for making out on abound, but move quickly for a seat because, for reals, it’s getting crowded in there. GROOVE: Spawn of Propaganda’s “Idle Conversation” Fridays, which were previously the brightest-colored parties in Moscow, the popular Saturday night “Thriller” series at Solyanka brings in a brutally trendy New Rave crowd. This summer saw the performances of laser-brandishing Brazilians Bonde do Role, British DJs Kubiks and Russian designer Denis Simachyov, whose across-town bar is the official place to fuel up on Red Bull-vodkas before hitting Solyanka. Give your tired retinas a rest from New Rave at Thursday night’s “Flammable Beats” party of dancehall and hip-hop. PRICES: Forget everything you thought you knew: hipsters will pay $20 for entry to a club, and half that for well drinks. If you can’t run with the big boys, well, Krizis Zhanra is right around the corner. But will they recognize the value of your vintage eBay purchases? One slick way to beat the cover at Solyanka is to show up early for dinner. Solyanka offers a reasonably priced, if sparse, European fusion menu, and people have yet to catch on to this useful loophole. BATHROOM: Get in and get out. The toilets, reminiscent of those at a stadium concert, are a dirty stain on the white skinny jeans of Solyanka’s fashionability. HOURS: Every week is a long-weekend at Solyanka. The club is open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, opening its doors at 11 p.m. and closing at 7 a.m. |
