Organised fun: Are advance ticket sales ruining clubbing?

Thankfully, there are still some clubs that go against the grain and offer a pay-on-the-door policy, the most striking example being Berghain. The stringent door policy that has helped mythologise the Berlin techno institution would be inoperable with the sale of advance tickets, but it’s fair to say that Berghain is a unique case. Another club that tries its best to restrict the sale of advance tickets is the aforementioned Subbie. As well as Optimo, it regularly adopts a pay-on-the-door policy for Subculture, its flagship Saturday night party.

“The scene’s changed a lot in the last few years,” managing director Mike Grieve tells us. “Everyone buys tickets in advance for nightclubs, due to social media, and everyone’s focused on headline DJs. But the Sub Club’s always been about the residents. It’s always been about the vibe. It’s always been about the community. It’s always been about the crowd. That’s what nightclubs should be about.”

But sadly it’s simply untenable for many clubs not to sell tickets in advance in today’s climate. The vast majority, particularly in cities like London and New York, are under deep financial pressure – not to mention the threat of closure. Anyway, I’m off to Phonox now. I’ve been looking forward to this for ages. I booked my ticket back in January.

This feature is from the September issue of Mixmag

Michael Lawson is a freelance writer