Entertainment

A New Adelaide Club Era To Be Born At Haçienda

After the opening of Mary’s Poppin, the full reawakening of Synagogue Place will be complete this weekend as Haçienda is welcomed. And it is going to be something special.

It’s 3 days before launch. The entire complex smells distinctly of varnish, a treatment for the stunning herring bone brickwork in new downstairs bar Dim Dooley’s. Space that is set to be the dance floor in three days time is covered in furniture, paint. Even Mary’s Poppin’ next door is being utilised for storage. Outside, a forklift has been used to install above street festoon lighting and the newly minted sign adorns the side of the transformed pastel exterior facing Synagogue Place.

Haçienda launches to VIPs in just over 72 hours. Haçienda will be ready for that launch.

GLAM_HACIENDA_06.01.16-12Amongst the work site international designer Michael Delaney sits, overseeing the details. Working alongside owner and director Terry Board, Venue Manager Chris Iommazzo and Partner Tim Klaosen, he is playing a hands on role for the finishing touches of the complex. Yes, it is a complex. But not in the same way that the mega clubs of old would try to cater to all and cram everything into different rooms. This is more considered, more modern, more appropriate for the Adelaide of today.

It may be Spanish by name, but there are a lot of other elements at play together into this melting pot that you might not notice if they weren’t pointed out. While the internal features strike similarities to a Spanish church from a Tarantino film, the palate of Ancient Greek Parthenon so known for their colour and vibrancy might not be as immediate. Then there’s the imagined character of Dim Dooley, inspired by the life buoy which adorns the small bar, accessible through the front doors.

“Dim is this Dutch Scottish fisherman, a hoarder who’s collected things from his travels, from magazine of naked women to nick nacks from every corner of the globe,” Delany explains, before laughing that the overall collection of decor across the venue is like “stuff you’d imagine a single guy would collect in the 70s.”

GLAM_HACIENDA_06.01.16-10It’s an interesting comment which helps to understand how Mary’s Poppin, Dim Dooley’s and the main bar and dance floor at Haçienda all flow together. Each space contrasts textures of wood with bright colours tied together with it’s own collection of kitsch paraphernalia, yet if Mary’s Poppin is the pure pop singalong, Haçienda is the remix and Dim’s is the bar to bind them together.

“Dim’s is designed to be accessible throughout the week, with an atmosphere that builds upon the existing small bars of Adelaide,” says Delaney. “It has a slightly nautical feel, with a focus upon Southern American cocktails. Haçienda is a club, but it’s intimate with tables and low chairs. It’s a drinkers lounge, where you can drink in the main bar or find plenty of hidden spaces if you don’t want to spend your whole time dancing. It’s a social experiment of sorts, we’ll allow people once they’re in the venue to move between Mary’s, Haçienda and Dim’s.”

With the frantic pace of work continuing around us, Delaney reveals the end of the project won’t be his exit from Adelaide. “I didn’t know a lot about Adelaide before I arrived but now I’m getting to know it and it’s got a lot to it. It will be good to finish this as a creative project, but I’ll come back to run a house night once a month if I can. We’ll bring together a great crew for those nights, do real Chicago style house, but keep it accessible to people who just want to come in and dance.”

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Haçienda knows its roots, yet will be something distinctly unique in Adelaide. Respecting 30 years of club history in the space has been front of mind, but by no means is this club stuck in the past. It is a considered space for Adelaide punters, the sort of club that immediately welcomes all kinds for a good time.

Haçienda will open to the public on Saturday, 4 June. Follow them on Facebook for events coming up. Photography by Matthew Kroker

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