Before describing how the night unfolded, I would like to thank Dmitriy Chub, Senior Ambassador of DARKSIDE, for the invitation and the chance to experience the event from within the community.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ds.dmitriy.chub
I arrived early — around the time doors opened — and the entrance was almost empty. No queues, no rush. Just the cold air outside “Kristall” and the quiet anticipation before the speakers wake up.
Inside, the venue was still warming up. The first sets rolled in steadily — broken rhythms filling the space, but it felt like everyone, including the building itself, was still slowly switching on. Sometime about an hour later the sound suddenly cut out. Total silence for about thirty minutes — only shadows, conversations, and the low murmur of waiting. Oddly enough, that moment had its own atmosphere: people just stood or sat on the floor, phones glowing, still in the dark while bass continued faintly from somewhere backstage. When everything was fixed, it felt like the night finally “clicked” into place.
One of the strong elements of the event was what DARKSIDE built on the second floor — a separate Darkside Lounge zone. Industrial stairs led upward, and there the space changed completely: soft light, haze, hookah aroma in the air. You could try new flavors, chat with strangers, or just take a pause from the dance floor. They even handed out limited small merch — a keychain — if you tried a hookah session. A nice touch for those who collect moments.
Downstairs, the action didn’t stop. The bar kept a continuous flow of people — both alcohol and non-alcohol drinks. Many used it as a checkpoint between sets: get a drink, breathe, look over the crowd, and dive back into the bass.
As the night moved deeper — closer to the late hours — the venue changed. The floor filled up, bodies pressed closer, and dancing stopped being optional — the music demanded movement. The sound became heavier, lights sharper, fog denser. At some point you stopped thinking and simply existed in rhythm.