At the pinnacle of its’ popularity, last year’s untimely termination of Buzz, the Friday-night party at Nation, created an uproar among D.C. club-goers. Celebrating its seventh year, the notoriously wild reputation of Buzz earned the club the distinction of being the site of a May 1999 FOX 5 News report exposing club activities. Across the country, controversy ensued after the feature aired live footage of teenage promiscuity and drug use. The report sent shock waves through law enforcement officials, who stepped up security measures at clubs throughout major cities and shut down Buzz in September 2002.
Buzz die-hards submerged themselves in a state of mourning, complete with a candlelight vigil held outside the Southeast Washington venue. The management quickly relocated the party to Trust, in Baltimore, but Buzz’s departure significantly altered the framework of D.C. nightlife, and the smaller Baltimore site experienced a significant decrease in traffic because the patrons disliked the altered atmosphere. Similarly, the temporary replacement for Nation’s Friday night party, Code, was not well-received under the new management.
The Buzz crew’s recent announcement of a return to Nation sent “house-heads, junglists, drum ‘n bass purists, and breakbeat junkies” into a frenzy. Under a new name, Cubi, reintroduced Buzzlife Production’s management to D.C. almost exactly one year after the club was closed.
With few changes to the basic format, Cubik administers a weekly dose of electronic dance music that spans several sub-genres and adds electroclash to the “Rubik Room.” The party is still open to those 18 and older and attempts to foster a drug-free environment in an effort to appeal to an older clientele and to avert control issues experienced with Buzz.
But does Cubik live up to the legacy? I attended the party Friday night to find out.
Despite Starscape, the much-anticipated Baltimore party scheduled for the following night, Cubik had a good turnout. DJs had to share the stage with talk of the Starscape party, but fans were still excited about the line-up at Nation that night. Cubik makes use of the large venue, providing full access to all upper balconies and walkways after midnight. This made lounging and dancing locations plentiful.
The “Outdoor Cubana” boasted a rich atmosphere, overlooking a scenic portion of the downtown Capitol area. Five different District Soul DJs claimed the decks all night, spinning a wide variety of deep house, funk, soul, classics and drum ‘n bass. I was partial to Bobby Jae’s “soulful” drum ‘n bass set, which generated the most motion from the relaxed, outdoor crowd.
Jae compensated for the tepid environment of the “Rhythm Box,” which housed a crowd of sporadic dancers and drinkers, as well as those who felt the need to stare off into space for extended periods of time. Although their sets were solid, none of the three bass-blasting DJs inspired a fiery response from the audience. It seemed the crowd had their sights set elsewhere that night.
From the skybox, I caught a bird’s-eye view of a live performance by club veterans, Electric Skychurch got the main “Honey Cube” room off and running. Vocalist Roxanne Morganstern sent shivers through the crowd as the room came alive, and resident DJ Scott Henry kept things going with a hard house follow-up. His set rocked eardrums and Nation’s exceptionally durable floor panels. Henry’s unparalleled devotion to D.C.’s nightlife is evident in his coordination of events, but also in his continuous commitment to innovating his style.
Cubik is a welcome switch from jaded muttering and intrusive security searches that soured the taste of this summer’s Code. Despite the open bar from only 9 to 10 p.m., the crowd was relatively sober. People enjoyed coherent conversation, danced and enjoyed the scenery.
Even if electronic dance music is not your scene, make the trek to this less-explored part of the city and meander through the sensory overload that is Cuibk.
Nation, located at 1015 Half St. SE, is open 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. Friday nights.
