Circle: The Gongti Clubber's Savior

In the beginning, Club God said, “Let there be lights. Let there be drinks. Let there be Pitbull. Let there be Gongti.”

He said he would send down a savior, rescuing the party hungry from phony DJs, hired eye candy, and vicious hangovers, and Circle is the latest in the throng of clubs hoping to fulfill the prophecy.

Circle operates under an “ask and you shall receive” approach to entertaining guests, rather than “spend and you shall be seen.” Hong Kong actress Cecilia Cheung and celebrity designer Chi Zhang helped curate the interior with this in mind. A wraparound LED screen circles a modestly-sized space, propped by a mirrored colonnade that reflects a champagne train headed to the lonely table in the back. The real fun is being had up front. They opted for ample wiggle room on the bouncing (literally, it rises) dance floor. Tables taking preference over a dance floor at Chinese mainstream clubs is a common complaint shared by foreigners, and as a Circle representative told us, “The crowd we want is the rich and fabulous and foreign.” In order to attract all three, they are attempting to cater to both Chinese and foreigners’ ideas of a night out.

This doesn’t stop with burning tables. “ Around the World” is a forthcoming series of parties that will feature food, fashion, and DJs from different countries. Their drink menu is international too, containing luxury-brand bottles from Ace of Spades to Macallan 18. If you don’t have the disposable income to pop bottles all night, they have the usual row of mixed drinks and cocktails (RMB 50-80), or you can make it personal at RMB 70 a pop.

Circle is spreading the gospel of lavish leisure, without compromising what makes a club, a club: fun. And like any savior worth their margarita salt, they may just be sacrificing profits for the good of mankind, and they are attracting followers from every corner of the globe.

Circle
Daily 9pm-late. 6 Gongti Xilu, Chaoyang District (6586 0961)
朝阳区工体西路6号
1 km southeast of Dongsishitiao station (Line 2)
 

Photos: Courtesy of Circle