Hysteria Abu Dhabi finally gets a new nightclub
ometimes it feels like you’re more likely to see a supermoon in Abu Dhabi than a club, but now revellers have a new place to dance the night away.
You’ll find Hysteria around the back of the Hilton Capital Grand and its owners have big ambitions – they want it to be the premier evening venue for clubbers in the capital. As a result, they plan to fly in talent once a month to perform, such as the USJamaican rapper and singer Sean Kingston, who took to the stage for the opening night.
Despite having the same name as a Def Leppard album from the 1980s, don’t expect any rock – the tunes spun by award-winning DJ Foxxy are urban and R&B. The venue plans to open seven nights a week and we’re told there’ll be three Arabic nights.
A huge silver door greets you at the entrance. Once inside, you’re faced with a wall of blue, vertical 3D lasers. They’re another element that Hysteria’s staff are proud of and they’re certainly fun – no matter how many times you walk through them, it’s human nature to try and push them out the way, and it’s amusing watching people entering the club doing the same.
Hysteria isn’t as big as some venues in the city and can hold around 350 people, which some might feel a little suffocating when full, but it also adds to the ambiance and makes it feel more personal, almost like you’re at a private party. On your left, once you’ve navigated the lasers, is a raised DJ booth and the bar at the back glows with blue lighting. The tight space means there’s no dance floor per se, but there’s plenty of space to dance around the sleek sofas. Also on the left is a huge TV screen and the plan is to hold live link-ups with other clubs in the future.
If you’re a fan of urban or Arabic tunes then Hysteria has plenty on offer and is a slick, welcome addition to the city’s tiny clubbing scene.
Hilton Capital Grand, Al Madina Al Riyadiya, Abu Dhabi, daily 10pm to late. Tel: (054) 4447841. Taxi: Hilton Capital Grand, Airport Road. hysteriaclub.ae