- "A new club experience, a new way of understanding the time we spend in clubs." That's how Container introduced their new party concept. The spot for their first event was Animal Social Club, one of Rome's more underground spots. Located far from the posh city centre, the venue stands between two building sites and opposite a famous old squat, which that night happened to be hosting a rap concert. The queue for entry had a chaotic but pleasant melting pot of people, from b-boys to techno hipsters.
The huge space, made up of a corridor and two big rooms, was already full at 1:30 AM. In the main room, a collective called Artefatti danced along in fluorescent suits to a dark, minimal live performance from Knobs. Meanwhile, Giulio Maresca, Pneich and TomDb tested the limits of the other room's extraordinarily good soundsystem with a set of moody techno. By the time Dasha Rush came on, the energy was high on the dance floor, with bodies moving fluidly to the Russian DJ's softer, more melodic pulses. Shifting gears a bit, Exium's Valentin Corujo took over from Rush with a pounding techno live set, pushing the crowd through until 6:30 AM. The late finish time was something of an unusual and refreshing detail, given that most clubs in Rome force you out on the street somewhere closer to 4 AM.
So was this really a new club experience? In a way, yes. Given the unfriendly atmospheres and expensive entrance fees that are the norm here in Rome, it has to be said that Animal Social Club has a pleasingly Northern European way of promoting parties.