New York club Paragon to reopen following "lifeline" from Kevin Saunderson

Brooklyn nightclub Paragon - also known as Venus In Furs - is reopening this summer after several months shuttered, following backing from techno legend Kevin Saunderson.

The venue, which is situated in Bed-Stuy off Broadway, will open its doors on Friday, August 1, after Saunderson helped to give the club a “generous lifeline”.

Paragon first opened in 2022 from the team behind Bossa Nova Civic Club, and rapidly grew into a New York nightlife hotspot, welcoming artists like Goldie, VTSS, DJ Lag, and Nick León.

Read this next: The Blackout Electronic Music Roundtable: Kevin Saunderson, DJ Paulette, Lovie & Kwame Safo in conversation

Earlier this year, the venue announced that it would close by spring, explaining: “We simply cannot afford the financial reality of this industry in 2025 and will be closing our doors this April.”

Kevin Saunderson has now helped the venue to come back to life as a new partner and resident of the club, though operations will still be handled by the same team.

After opening, other new residents of the venue will include Joey Beltram, Byrell the Great, TYGAPAW, Augustus Muller, and quest?onmarq.

In a round table discussion with DJ Paulette, Lovie & Kwame Safo for Mixmag earlier this year, Saunderson spoke on his love of the venue, explaining: “I've been playing at Paragon pretty consistently, two or three times a year. It's always been good, but this [club is] something different, you know." 

Read this next: Kevin Saunderson: “Techno is more than just music; it’s culture, history, and a movement that deserves recognition”

"There was a couple of things I was impressed with. The amount of Black people, women, guys, the diversity in the crowd, I never seen it in New York, ever. Not since I've been playing in New York. So, I was really impressed with that," he said.

Paragon’s opening night will welcome Saunderson alongside Carlos Souffront, Ashley Venom, coyado, and Ana B, followed by Dominican Night on Sunday, August 10.

"Coming back to Brooklyn, where my story started, and bringing what Detroit gave me—it feels like a full-circle moment,” Saunderson says. “Clubs like the Paradise Garage and the Loft shaped my soul, and now Paragon gives me the chance to give that energy back to a new generation.”

Find out more about Paragon’s reopening here.

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Associate Digital Editor, follow her on Twitter