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[title]Hopes were high on Wednesday night for the opening of Carbon Night Club, perched in the penthouse of Icon house, high above the bustle of Airport City and Liberation Road. Billing itself as a luxury experience with ‘unexpected quirks and surprises’, Carbon is attempting to carve a unique space for itself and reach new heights in the luxury Accra nightlife scene.
Stepping off the second-floor elevator above the already popular Urban Grill, on first glance, there is perhaps not much to distinguish it from the already seen club stylings of Accra – to the right is a dark room lined with a bar with blue and red neon strip lights outlining the room. Pumping music and ottomans dot the area and throughout the A/C is cranked up high. This section houses the generous dance floor and a VIP area, where bottles of champagne are shuttled across by a train of flamboyant waitresses. The space is distinguished from other spots by the bank of windows looking out from its elevated position that takes in a city view of Liberation Road and Silver Star Tower.
But step back out, past the elevators, this time to the left, and things, quite literally, came alive. Under an over-wrapping square trellis that encompasses the entire room like a box, the mood on the other side is that of a partially covered outdoor drinks bar, its walls lined with planters stacked to the ceiling, partially open to the sky, giving a laid back, urban garden atmosphere. Together, the two quite opposing halves give Carbon something unique – two juxtaposing ideas in one venue that work very well side-by-side.
I, myself, was drawn to the trellised space, the freshness and laid back environment. One can get drinks in dark over air conditioned spaces all over Accra but this was something else that felt new and fresh, even with the lack of breeze and the absence of fans that made it a little toasty.
As one would expect from a venue from Yolo Experiences, the decor was simple but luxurious and the music was on point, oscillating between popular club hits from Europe, the USA and Africa. The drinks were excellent (delicious cognac and vodka signature cocktails) and the service superb and quirky: waiters sported sneakers lined with multicoloured LED lights that flashed when they walked. The whole scene was accented by a group of beautifully made up and adorned women dressed as 1920’s showgirls by way of burlesque dancers who posed, danced and dotted the room. Delicious hot dogs were served in the outdoor space by Fred Apaloo of Villa Grace.
There are high hopes for the future of the space with bold, decadent ambitions that include an infinity kissing booth, interactive art installations and a vodka infused mist for their guests to inhale. ‘Step through the looking glass… and expect to counter the unexpected’, says the Carbon press kit. Such bold ambitions we await to be realised – we'll keep you posted!