Unpacking Bulawayo’s hottest club

There is something that you smell as you enter Club 263 in Bulawayo’s central business district on a club night.

A sweet strange but somewhat familiar smell. A funny, familiar forgotten feeling engulfs you when you come across that saccharine fragrant whiff.

Biggie Chinoperekwei (left) has created Bulawayo's hottest clubbing experience in Club 263

And then you finally can place it. The place smells like teen spirit!

Energy. That is the only word to describe Club 263 which has shot to the apex to become hands down the most happening club in a city that has reclaimed its crown as the fulcrum of fun and partying in the country.

And it has been aptly named Club 263, the number being Zimbabwe’s country code, because it probably is the capital of all clubs in the nation. The flag-bearer!

“We DON’T want our clientele to have a good night out at our club,” says the club’s proprietor distinguished entrepreneur Biggie Chinoperekwei with an air of authority; “instead we want them to have an adventure of a lifetime and every night our doors open the rallying call is to make each night a distinctly different experience,” he declares.

And before setting foot in the complex, housed along George Silundika Street, I had been warned that I would have a night to remember by a good friend who was seeing to my every happiness in his town.

Cliff Muwi, checking whether I was dressed for a successful night on the club, like a football coach making last minute inspections on his player before sending him onto the field as a substitute, gave me sound advice;

“You might want to hit the Club 263 at around nine and be warned, you won’t come back to sleep in spite of you claiming to be a bit on the tired side.”

They would prove to be prophetic words that Muwi delivered armed with a naughty smile and a stern send off.

The club was packed to the rafters although aerated enough to make someone comfortable as fragrances and youthful oestrogen and testosterone intermingled before a calm and rather benign crowd which seemed to be anticipating something.

Apparently it was the night of Bulawayo’s battle of the DJ’s with no less than fifteen young disc-jockeys battling for top honours. There would be three winners on the day. The winning DJ, the runner up and most importantly the club revellers.

“It’s a great evening especially because of the variety. With fifteen different tastes we shall definitely get the best of the night,” quipped a reveller identified as Muzi.

It was a blast. As soon as the DJ’s got to the decks the night was ablaze.

The music, the moves, the magic and the ambience of a powerful clubbing experience all combined to create a mega-fest of music.

The dancefloor was scarlet with the heat from the busy shuffling feet of the dancing crowd. Bulawayo, the land of arguably the best dancers in the country, had unleashed the city’s best and the experience was like lightening had struck.

Four hours later, it was time to make the way out to catch the all-important rest. And that is where the chaos started.

For as soon as we stood at the doorway to exit, it looked like the whole of Bulawayo was standing outside paying to make their way in and party!

For them, the night was only just getting started.

Evidently, if one goes to Bulawayo and doesn’t savour the Club 263 experience-they have not been to the city of Kings!