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ECHOSTAGE VOTED WORLD’S NO.1 CLUB IN DJ MAG TOP 100 CLUBS POLL 2021
Washington, D.C. superclub Echostage tops our readers’ poll of the world’s best clubs for the first time
Words: DJ MAG
Echostage has been voted the World’s No.1 Club in this year’s Top 100 Clubs poll.
The 16 months since our last Top 100 Clubs list have not been kind, with venues across the world shut due to Covid-19 — many still waiting to reopen, and some that never will. The ones that have survived have done so thanks to innovation, support from fans, and, it’s probably fair to say, a bit of luck too. As more of the world’s dancefloors begin to fill once again, we asked you, the public, to vote for your favourite places to party.
When you think of the American dance music landscape, cities like New York, Chicago, Detroit and LA most likely spring to mind. Yet Echostage has made Washington, DC the ultimate destination for Stateside clubbers. The venue — launched in 2012 by District Of Columbia promotion company GLOW, on the site of what had once been DC Tunnel and DC Star — has steadily risen up the league table, thanks to its state-of-the-art sound, synapse-sizzling visuals and a level of production that would put most festivals to shame. Echostage has revolutionised clubbing in the US, shipping in talent from around the world and booking the biggest American artists to play both live shows and DJ sets on its mammoth hybrid stage.
Taking up over 30,000 square feet, Echostage has all the trappings you’d expect of a No.1 venue. The soundsystem is a d&b audiotechnik V-Series with D80 amplifiers, pumping out 48,000 watts of superior sound, while the senses are further stimulated by dazzling lasers, confetti cannons and cryo-jets. The capacious, warehouse-inspired space is flanked by 60-foot bars, while a VIP mezzanine perches above the dancefloor, kitted out with a plethora of bottle-service tables. This attention to detail complements the artists that Echostage showcases: household names from across the dance music spectrum. REZZ, Armin van Buuren, Eric Prydz, Black Coffee and Claude VonStroke all played before the pandemic hit, indicating the venue’s skilful bookings across house, techno, trance, progressive and EDM styles, while the club has also hosted gigs from famous pop and hip-hop artists such as Lorde, Miley Cyrus and Cardi B.
Check out the full 2021 Top 100 Clubs results here, and see how you can support nightclubs and music venues during the coronavirus pandemic here. You can read our full winner’s profile of the club here. Congratulations, Echostage!
August 26th, 2021
