One last dance before you go

Saturday 14 October 2017

It's closing time at Koko and Kasbar! After 25 years of parties and dancing, both venues are closing their doors tonight after one last goodbye in music.

The clubs will be going out with a bang with their resident DJs taking turns behind the decks to play "nothing but anthems from 1993 to the present day."

The Esplanade nightclub, which has been known under several names in the past two decades, including Follies and Platinum, is closing down after the premises were sold. It is believed the building where so many islanders danced the night away is to be turned into offices. 

Before that, four of the club's former DJs will be taking nightgoers on a trip down memory lane with tunes from three different decades. Spencer Bourne, the manager for both nightclubs, said: "Some of our DJs who played for us for a number of years are coming back and they will play a set of music from when we opened up until today."

One of those DJs will be DJ Mel, Koko & Kasbar's first female resident DJ, who has been part of the club for the past 17 years. Back in June, when it was revealed the club was to close down, she said: "It will be sad to see Koko & Kasbar go. I am going to miss the nightclub, the regulars and the familiar faces. It's like a family in here and I got to know a lot of people and it was a pleasure to celebrate big moments with them, like engagements, weddings and birthdays. Kasbar is where I learned my trade. It will leave a big hole in Jersey's nightclubs industry as one of the largest capacity venues."

Pictured: Koko and Kasbar will be closing their doors at 02:00 on Sunday.

DJ Mel has had the difficult task of choosing the final song that will ever be played in Kasbar. Writing on her Facebook page, she said it took her weeks to make her choice but that she finally settled on an "an unexpected classic." Al Spencer, who has been in the club for the last 17 years will be the one launching the last song next door at Koko. DJ Danny Cockram, a Koko resident since 2012, and DJ Gerry C Platinum, who has been turning tables for 12 years at the venue, complete the line up.

Whatever name people remember the club by, the team at Koko and Kasbar as well as the DJs old and new want everyone to come down. In a post on the club Facebook page; they wrote: "Folies, Platinum & Koko....for 25 years we've partied hard in all three venues but it's time for the final dance and to say goodbye, we are closing our doors for the last time on Saturday 14th October, we've had some fantastic nights over the past 25 years and there are to many people to mention here, you know who you are, so come say goodbye with nothing but anthems from 1993 to the present day. (...)Thankyou for all your support over the years, we've had a blast."

With only capacity for 900 people and probably thousands more having nostalgic memories at the nightclub, Spencer Bourne has warned people to come early. "Once we hit the capacity, we will have to close doors and then it will be on the basis of one out, one in. We have had a huge response to announcement of the closure, it will be nice to end on a high note."

For the diehard Koko and Kasbar's fans, they will be able to snag a piece of furniture or lighting, or even some sound system elements when all goes on sale on Tuesday. But before it gets to that, there is still some time for one last dance. Doors open at 22:30.