Dva Samolyota during a performance at the Planetarium
club
One of St Petersburg's most exciting nightclubs has reopened after a long absence.
The Planetarium, which reopened in February, has already attracted the attention of both Russian and international media. It promises to be "more than just a club."
Spokeswoman Anya Barinova said she hoped the club would "bring the problems of modern culture to the attention of the general public."
She added that, as well as housing an art gallery and holding conferences, the club will encourage people to meet there in the daytime.
Even if the club's ambitious social and cultural manifesto may take some time to achieve, the Planetarium is already an incredibly successful club.
For a start, the Planetarium must have the most visually stimulating interior of any club in Russia's northern capital.
With its dazzling green lasers, central telescope and huge overhanging dome, the club's massive star chamber (which houses the main dance floor), is worth the entrance fee all by itself. The main room also contains four podiums for the club's own dancers.
All this perfectly complemented the charged and relentless techno that had the energetic crowd totally involved.
In fact, DJ D-Midov's sufficiently varied set, combined with some subtle but necessary variations of speed, was enough to keep most people on the floor until well after 5 am.
There is also the calmer chill-out room upstairs plus two more bars for anyone tired of the pounding techno.
The only problem with the club is reconciling what will be for most people a rather high entrance fee (about 80,000 roubles -- $16) and the club's desire to attract "people close to club culture," as their charming spokeswoman enthused.
Her reassurances of price reductions on certain nights and a possible membership scheme did go some way to dispel the fear that the Planetarium will not become another hang-out for shades-wearing New Russians.
Leaving the club as it was already getting light, it was obvious that we had just been to St Petersburg's best night club.