The night just got younger

From theme nights to special menus, clubs in the city are going all out to woo party-goers 

Chennaiites have been partying hard. Oh, yes. And popular clubs and watering holes in the city have been taking efforts to come up with new initiatives to keep their patrons coming back for more. Sure enough, there are the ubiquitous retro nights and the ladies' nights are still doing brisk business. But the dismal party scene in this metropolis is striving hard to go beyond the call of hosting a variety of live acts and theme nights.

Now, every pub worth its keg is changing the game to attract more patrons. So what are the new tricks and treats cooked up by these joints? Music, of course, happens to be one area of focus. No watering hole in town is complete without its dose of melodies. While the live music scene has been gradually gaining foothold in the pub circuit, a popular club in the city has come up with a novel idea.

They now screen concert recordings by international artistes every Thursday. Event promoter Edison Prithviraj explains, "While the pub by itself has a loyal crowd coming in every day, the screening of a concert or maybe a Hall of Fame event, or even the video of a special performance, is a method of giving the crowd more than what's expected of the loud blare of the speakers."

He goes on to add, "A lot of patrons at the pub would enjoy sitting down in the company of likeminded music lovers and appreciating some amazing live concerts. Watching a concert, even if it's a recording, is an entirely ethereal experience." Another initiative taken by a pub involves live acts - but in a completely alternative way.

Doing away with the staple of club music, these guys have dedicated their evenings to showcasing the best of Chennai's acoustic culture. Siddharth Kumar of the band Jack, Johnnie and The Ol' Monk says, "Although one usually associates nightclubs with loud programmed music and thumping basslines, our performances will help bust that myth. We want to bring out a variety of music that Chennaiites wouldn't ordinarily listen to in a pub or party setup."

He elaborates, "Our music is acoustic-urban and is performed on traditional instruments. It might not be expected in a pub. But it's definitely music you can party to! And the best thing is that other local bands will be offering a unique musical fare to the guests here." Music and screenings have their saviors. But what about the foodies - what do they get to do? Many hotels are giving their guests new dining options. One of the hotels in the city has come up with something called the Wine Flight."

It's a special menu where you get to sample three varieties of wine and cheese, guided by the inhouse sommelier. "We have set up this facility in a very cozy, almost vintage looking space in our hotel, which adds to the ambience of the evening. In a way, it's to take the focus away from consumption of hard liquor and move towards something more refined and lifestyle oriented," says the manager of this resto-bar.

With themes ranging from Hollywood to local treats; from live concerts to screenings; party people in the city are all up for being taken by surprise with the variety fare. From just karoake and DJs, the club owners are now trying to keep up the spirits of partygoers with new offerings.