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102 SOPOT NIGHTLIFE
Klaus Kinski
p373, Flickr
Technically German, but born in Sopot, Klaus Kinski
is arguably the town’s most famous son. Born into
poverty, Kinski found himself flirting with adventure
from an early age when he was forced to steal to
feed his family. When war broke out, he originally
fought for Poland before being conscripted into the
German army and eventually finding himself held
as an allied prisoner of war. Having discovered his
gift for entertaining during his days in a British POW
camp, Kinski turned to professional acting following
the end of hostilities. Ravaged and spooky looking,
Kinski combined the intensity of Gary Oldman
with the libido of Warren Beatty both on and off
screen. Despite his outspoken contempt for the
acting profession he never turned down a job and
appeared in some of best and worst films of the
post-war era: “So I’ve sold myself for another year.
I have no idea what I’ve signed. I have to take on
any shit. As I’ve said, it’s all the same to me.” The
evidence couldn’t be clearer; Kinski’s list of credits
spans everything from Dr Zhivago, For a Few Dollars
More and Nosferatu to B-grade flops like Revenge
of the Stolen Stars. Describing his head as “one big
garbage can,” Kinski’s loopy life witnessed a spell
in a lunatic asylum, grisly self-surgery on his throat
and hundreds of sexual conquests. His biography,
All I Need is Love was originally withdrawn from
circulation on account of its pornographic content.
Now re-released under the title of Kinski Uncut, the
book delves into all corners of his life: from his love/
hate relationship with director Werner Herzog to the
birth of his daughter, actress Nastassja. But there’s
no escaping Kinski’s insatiable sexual appetite, and
the book veers from early fumblings with his sister to
goatish orgies with groupies, whores and actresses:
“Our bodies. Our faces. Our genitals. Attack each
other dangerously. Painfully.” When Kinski suddenly
passed away in 1991, a friend described the cause
of death as “a little bit of everything.” His childhood
home is now a popular and suitably odd-looking
bar which honours the man by playing his favourite
bands in concert on the in-house screens and by
staying open long into the night (see Sopot by night).
Clubs
Atelier M-3, Al. Mamuszki 2, tel. (+48) 58 555 89 06,
www.klubatelier.pl. Ever had the desire to swim naked
in the Baltic after a night getting trollied to punk anthems,
80s remixes and Euroshit dance din? Then step into Atelier,
a madhouse venue where good times are as certain as the
hangover that follows. The toilets look like they’ve been hit by
a typhoon, but that does nothing to stop the least preened up
crowd in Sopot having a right messy knees-up and enjoying
life to the max. They’ve actually had a recent refurb, but would
you notice? Q Open 15:00 - 24:00, Fri 15:00 - 03:00, Sat
11:00 - 03:00, Sun 11:00 - 24:00. From June open 11:00 -
24:00, Fri 15:00 - 03:00, Sat 11:00 - 03:00. AUBXW
Club & Lounge UNIQUE M-4, Pl. Zdrojowy 1, tel. (+48)
506 08 76 29, www.uniqueclub.pl. Billed as Sopot’s premier
nightspot, the tough looking chaps on the door could do with some
lessons in customer service as they snarl as you slide past. If
and once you’ve negotiated that little obstacle, you’ll find yourself
heading down the stairs into a luxurious pit where the gorgeous
and well off try to dance and spend their way out of the recession.
The music is a mix of disco, funk and house, often spun by
well-known DJs from both Poland and abroad and regular product
promotions help to keep the mood upbeat. Probably home to the
most beautiful crowd you’ll find in Sopot, so make sure you look
the part and loosen up that credit card. QOpen 09:00 - 02:00,
Thu 09:00 - 03:00, Fri, Sat 09:00 - 05:00. PAUEGBW
copacabana M-4, ul. Bohaterów Monte Cassino 55/57,
tel. (+48) 888 35 13 51. The building with once housed
the city’s cinema and which has long been threatened with
demolition, continues to survive. Following a fairly quick revamp
and renaming (this was Hollywood), Copacabana has
gone for a fairly half-hearted beach theme with sand in the
entrance and some straw thatching thrown up over a couple
of bars inside. Even though there are beach clubs close by,
this hasn’t deterred the young party crowd of holidaymakers
in season and students in term time from filling the place up
at weekends. With the quality and quantity of clubs in the vicinity
this remains surprising no doubt helped by the attractive
bar prices and lack of a cover charge. Stop by if for no other
reason than to dance in a potentially great space that might
have met the bulldozers by the time you read this. Q Open Thu,
Fri, Sat only 21:00 - 05:00. From June open Thu, Fri, Sat only
10:00 - 05:00. From July open 10:00 - 05:00. AEBXW
Czekolada M-4, ul. Bohaterów Monte Cassino 63/6, tel.
(+48) 603 05 66 77, www.klubczekolada.pl. An impressive
2 floor venue featuring DJs and bars on both levels from a
group we’ve come into contact with in other cities around the
country. Downstairs, find a lounge area while upstairs expect
full-on parties with a more upbeat selection of tunes coming
from behind a stage located DJ deck. All the right ingredients
to attract a blingy and attractive crowd, and it’s the kind of club
we could see a Premier League footballer coming to pick up his
teammate’s girlfriend. Dress up and head into the Multikino
cinema complex (ground floor) to see for yourself. Q Club is
open 22:00 - 05:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Sun. PAUXW
Dream Club M-4, ul. Bohaterów Monte Casino 53
(Crooked House), tel. (+48) 605 50 08 00, www.dreamclub.pl.
There’s wow factor galore inside Dream Club, but unless
you take your fashion tips from Maxim and Vogue there’s little
chance of seeing it. Door selection is tough, and it’s going to
get even tougher once the tourists turn-up in droves; for lads
a logo on the shirt and some sunglasses on your head work
miracles, while for girls a pneumatic set of knockers is guaranteed
to do the trick. The rewards are ample, with top DJs and
an impressive interior consisting of high-back padded leather
Sopot In Your Pocket sopot.inyourpocket.com
seating and great big crystal clad columns. Q Open Fri, Sat only
22:00 - 05:00. From June 6 open 22:00 - 05:00. From July open
Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat only 22:00 - 05:00. PAX
Ego M-4, ul. Bohaterów Monte Casino 53 (Crooked
House), tel. (+48) 508 50 45 09, www.egoclub.pl. Your
classic modern club experience comes with lots of dazzly lights,
smoke effects and a crowd glammed up to the nines. Set inside
the landmark Crooked House, this and the adjacent clubs pack
out at weekends to a mix of dancefloor classics and modern
beats. Q Open 22:00 - 05:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Sun although
from mid-June they will be open 7 days a week. PAUXW
Spatif M-4, ul. Bohaterów Monte Cassino 54, tel. (+48) 58
550 26 83, www.spatif.sopot.pl. One of the enduring legends
of Sopot, though utterly different from the Spatif of old. The design
is still the same - eclectic art and an avant garde style - the only
thing that’s changed is the people who visit. What was once a
den of beatniks and thesps has morphed into, dare we say it, the
sort of place where plastic comes first; be it plastic boobs or the
platinum card. The door policy reflects this, so look like an oligarch
if you want to avoid the walk of shame having been shooed away.
And, whether you make it in or not, watch for the stairs. Q Open
16:00 - 03:00, Fri, Sat 16:00 - 05:00. From May 25 open 12:00
- 03:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 05:00. AUEBXW
NEW
Stereo M-4, ul. Bohaterów Monte Cassino 60. Opened
in spring 2012, this looks like being one of the clubs of the
year. While not very much look at, the owners have clearly
invested their money in the entertainment with reputedly the
biggest sound system in the city and top class DJs brought
in to keep the parties going until dawn. Located right on the
square the competition is nothing short of fierce but with the
city packed to the gills we’re sure this is one to watch out for.
Versalka M-4, ul. Bohaterów Monte Cassino 63, tel.
(+48) 58 555 30 20, www.versalka.pl. An impressive space,
and one that makes use of all the usual details found in your
signature modern Polish club: exposed pipes, swivelly plastic
barstools and white leather seats. The crowd like a party but
are far less pretentious, and not necessarily as good-looking as
say the clientele in Unique, but that makes it all the better for us.
The DJ mashes up some classics which keeps the place moving
and the bar staff keep the drink flowing over the long bar. Now
having had the chance to settle into itself, Versalka has become
one of our favourite late night spots. QOpen 21:00 - 05:00,
Sun 22:00 - 01:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu. Open everyday
during the EURO2012 tournament. PAUEGBW
Gay Sopot
Club Sixty 9 L-5, ul. Kościuszki 68a, tel. (+48) 792 00
15 92, www.sixty9.pl. Door selection is ruthless, so dress
to the nines for the opportunity to mince it up with off-duty stylists
and wannabe models. This is one of the few spots around
that’s gay friendly, and the result is a crowd that to a tee looks
like it’s auditioning for a boy band. Head down the junction of
Kościuszko and 3-go Maja and then round the back of the last
house on the right. Presto, you’re there. QOpen 18:00 - 02:00,
Fri, Sat 21:00 - 05:00. PAUXW
Jazz
Puzon M-4, ul. Morska 16, tel. (+48) 58 550 44 23,
www.puzoncafe.pl. Sopot’s music scene is definitely enjoying
a renaissance and Puzon adds to your options. Plenty of nooks
and corners in this bleary space with eccentric decorations like
gramophones attached to the walls. It’s so shadowy you’ll probably
presume it’s closed. QOpen 17:00 - 03:00. AUGBW
sopot.inyourpocket.com
SOPOT NIGHTLIFE
May - July 2012
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