Club Metropolis in Copenhagen

Copenhagen has always known how to throw a proper night. Somewhere behind an anonymous doorway there’s usually a basement full of people dressed almost exclusively in black, dancing as if the 1990s never ended.

This weekend the destination was the 25th anniversary of Club Metropolis, a legendary fixture of the Danish industrial and EBM scene. The club first opened its doors in 1993 at Barbue, tucked away on the first floor of Huset KBH at Rådhusstræde 13. Like so many beloved alternative venues, it eventually disappeared, swallowed by time, economics or whatever mysterious force seems determined to erase good clubs. Fortunately, nostalgia occasionally wins a battle, and for one weekend Metropolis returned.

Neotek / Birmingham 6.

The lineup felt like opening an old family photo album, that is if your family happened to communicate primarily through distorted synthesizers and drum machines. Godheads and Birmingham 6, both part of the original opening night back in 1993, were back on stage as though the intervening decades had merely been an extended cigarette break. Their Neotek project also made an appearance, reminding everyone why Danish electronic music earned its reputation in the first place.

Between the live acts, the dance floor never really emptied. There is something comforting about watching veterans and newcomers move to the same relentless beats, proving that good EBM ages considerably better than the knees of the people dancing to it.

A wonderful evening from start to finish. Huge thanks to Brian Sørensen and everyone involved for bringing Club Metropolis back to life, if only for one glorious night.