DJ Nicolas Matar and his team of entrepreneurs have dedicated themselves to raising the bar of the nightclub experience in New York. Nicolas, on returning from his annual stint behind the decks at Pacha, in Ibiza, Spain commented at the time: "A lot of the people who stayed in New York through the dark years have given up hope. I had the opportunity to become a resident DJ in Ibiza, at the best nightclub in the world. Those years kept me believing and inspired me to come back and try to build something here."
And come back he has with avengeance. From its state-of-the-art space in Downtown's uber-chic Meat Packing District, Cielo provides a music programme that specializes in deep, soulful, and eclectic House music with a Latin twist.
As the rest of the team is keeping a low profile, Nicolas has stepped forward as the reluctant front man. "We're just a crew of like-minded friends who got together and said, 'Enough is enough! It's time someone started doing this properly.' When clubs open in New York, it always seems to be about the promoters and the owners. We want it to be about the ambience and the music. That's really what matters, isn't it?"
Significantly, Cielo is one of the first in a new generation of purpose-designed New York clubs owned and run by people inspired by House music. The son of an original Studio 54 member, Nicolas got his taste for the old NYC nightlife at clubs like Sound Factory, Shelter, Mars, Area and The World. Rather than the exclusive 'velvet-rope' attitude prevalent in some of Manhattan's established nightspots, Cielo is keen to promote the kind of inclusive atmosphere that characterized the club experience of the late 1980s.
"Cielo (hopes to) be a haven for mature clubbers seeking intelligent nightlife with neither the hassles of large clubs nor the elitism of upscale lounges with too many VIP rooms," he says. "Once you are in Cielo, there are no more ropes, checkpoints, or rules. Security's goal is to compliment the experience, not to hinder it. And once we are full: the doors close."
Not that this means any compromise in standards. Cielo aims to set a new level in New York nightlife by going back to basics: a strong door, impeccable service, and the first ever US sound installation by UK company, Funktion One, which Nicolas promises will blow the most fastidious of audiophile's socks off.
The space is purpose-built for dancing, with a sunken dance-floor in the European style. Banquettes surround the floor, decked out in gorgeously graded brown and beige suede with a range of inventive lighting effects conceived to enhance the designs of Stephane Dupoux, who is best known for his work on Miami Beach's swanky boites Pearl and Opium.
Dupoux took a raw shell, located in the social epicenter of Little West 12th Street, and transformed it with cutting-edge features. The overall look is a timelessly stylish take on the louche seventies aesthetic, with a window looking out onto a private garden.
"The boutique nightclub concept has never been done properly in America" says Matar. "In a smaller venue, you can be selective in picking all the right ingredients and the right characters that combine to make that perfect mix. There is a current trend towards smaller venues because of the greater intimacy that they can offer. When clubbers pass the age of 25 or so, they get tired of the herd mentality. They want to go somewhere they can conduct a conversation - somewhere they can be heard, not herded. Cielo can be that happy medium - a bit glam, a bit chic, yet still underground, vibrant, and music-driven. You could say we fall somewhere between the stylish ambience of Lotus and the fierce musical vibe of Body and Soul."
Owing to Matar's years on the international club circuit, the line-up of DJs promises to be exciting. With two DJ compilations already under his belt, Matar's own sets are also likely to impress and guests can enjoy quality line ups from Wednesday through until Sunday each week.
"Unlike other NYC venues that utilize outside promoters," adds Matar, "Cielo's marketing, promotions, and public relations will be done in-house, in an attempt to retain cachet and create consistency across all the nights. We want people to come and enjoy the Cielo experience whether it is Wednesday or Sunday. The music will always be strong."
Nicolas has the rare distinction of being the only non-Spaniard to have served as resident DJ at Pacha for the last 8 years. "Pacha is the mother of all nightclubs," he says - and the global clubbing community is quick to agree with him. "As the name implies, it is a club steeped in exceptional creativity, welcoming exclusivity alongside a tasteful hedonism. An eclectic cast of characters from all over the world congregates there every summer season to revel in the power of House, Jazz-Funk and Soul music through the wee hours of the morning. The result is one of total excitement. This is our inspiration."
sound
Funktion One AX88 double 8" passive loud speakers; Funktion One Infra Bass Sub Enclosure w/2x18" drivers; Funktion One F218 Double 18" subwoofers; MC2 T1500 Power Amplifiers; MC2 T1500 Power Amplifier; MC2 T100 Power Amplifiers; XTA F-1 2 in 6 out digital processors; Technics SL1200 Turntable w/Stanton DJ Cartridges; Allen & Heath Xone 464 DJ and Live Mixer; Pioneer CD-1000 single CD player with pitch control and smapling; Dbx Drive Rock PA 2 in 6 out digital processor; TRB TO-310 10"/2" two way loudspeaker coherent horns; TRB SB-310mb Swival bracket for TQ-310 loudspeakers; Crest CA-9 900 watt stereo amplifiers; MID CBS-ERK-25 Caster base for ERK 25 metal racks; MID ERK-2725 27 space metal rack; MID AN-10 - 10" cooling fan; Snake for live w/patch and terminations; TBT MAX-4a Powered 1"/12" loudspeaker; ETA BL8 8 output rack mount power conditioner; Gepco #1400 14 awg. 2 conductor ULCL3 speaker cable; Gepco 13/4 - 13awg. 4 conductor speaker cable
light
Rope lighting with amber film and a dimming system throughout; Disco ball with 4 dedicated pin spots also with amber film.
www.cieloclub.com