Lurking below the hulking concrete cantilevers of Tbilisi’s Dinamo Arena, an Olympic-sized doughnut near the banks of the Mtkvari river, is one of the greatest nightclubs in the world. Find your way through a pitch-black maze of underground stairs and corridors, and you’ll arrive at a 21st-century techno mecca, and a potent symbol of political rupture in post-Soviet Georgia.
In just a few years, Bassiani has become a catalyst for progressive politics in a conservative society. It has also helped make Tbilisi a dream destination for techno tourists, who complete their long weekends with a soak in the city’s sulphurous hot springs and a few bracing shots of chacha. The club traces its roots to 2013, when co-founders Zviad Gelbakhiani, Tato Getia and Naja Orashvili held a rave in the city’s “tubes” – two worm-like structures designed as a concert hall but left unfinished and abandoned. “It was the very first night of pure techno in town,” says Gelbakhiani, who remembers it as a “breakthrough”. He goes on: “Many [in our generation] would say that was the one. One year later, we began Bassiani.”
After starting out as a warehouse party, Bassiani – meaning “one with the bass” – moved into the stadium in 2014 thanks to a chance acquaintance with the director of the national football team. Sharing certain similarities with Berlin techno destination Berghain, the club has two rooms with distinct personalities: there’s Bassiani itself, the vast concrete cavern with its striking spotlights and incredible, pin-sharp sound. Then upstairs is Horoom (the name comes from a traditional dance), a more intimate space and one that is defiantly queer in a country where Orthodox Christian values prevail.
In addition to its unique setting and permissive atmosphere, Bassiani has nurtured a cadre of resident DJs – including HVL, Kancheli and NDRX – who have since broken into the European scene. A certain kind of neck-deep, full-pelt techno is prevalent, but there’s no house style; on any given night you might hear dirty ghetto house, 80s goth and roughneck breaks. Recent international bookings include Clone Records boss Serge, rising techno talent Anastasia Kristensen and scruffy house herbert Mall Grab. Diversity is a guiding principle, from the music to the individuals in the crowd. To weed out troublemakers, ticket buyers must submit their Facebook profile for vetting. “I don’t really like the concept of ‘face control’ – it really categorises people – but the reason we’re doing it is the safety of the audience,” explains Gelbakhiani. “We really support LGBTQ people and there are many of them dancing in the club, so we don’t want to see somebody being aggressive. Safety comes first.”
Away from the dancefloor, there’s plenty more to explore: the warren of dark rooms that offer a rare space for sexual encounters in a country where many young people live with their parents, and a smoking area where tired clubbers can take a nap or, since last year, smoke a spliff. The decriminalisation of cannabis has been a confusing development in the standoff between Georgia’s young, progressive generation and their conservative elders. In May last year, armed police raided Bassiani and made eight drug-related arrests; in response, thousands of clubbers protested outside parliament, sparking a dramatic weekend of counter-demonstrations and riot police intervention.
Through its connections with the White Noise movement, which has campaigned for a relaxation of Georgia’s harsh drug laws, Bassiani has become a flashpoint for changing attitudes to drugs. The years after the 2012 election of a pro-European government were “really confusing for all of us”, says Gelbakhiani. “One day the government is demonising the whole clubbing scene, and the next day they say that marijuana is not bad for your health and we should decriminalise it.” After the raids, Bassiani remained closed for several weeks, which nearly bankrupted the business – but the drama ultimately served to galvanise the city’s progressive factions. “Last year was really hectic and stressful,” says Gelbakhiani. “We became a really big part of the political processes in town. [The police] called us for interrogation … it’s really emotional and it really plays on your nerves.”
In a commercialised, globalised scene, it’s rare to find a dancefloor whose mere existence is seen as a provocation. Bassiani has come to represent a future of acceptance and freedom, not just in Georgia but in the wider region; buses of dedicated ravers from the even more fractious Armenia and Azerbaijan frequently journey to Tbilisi. “There is a really interesting process happening,” says Gelbakhiani with clear optimism. “We are a really repressed people after the collapse of the Soviet Union. [In Azerbaijan and Armenia] they’re still authoritarian, recovering from these regimes. I hope that one day in Baku they will have a festival and invite Azerbaijanis and Armenians – even though they have this conflict. We are seeing the techno scene as a tool to unite these people.”
Bassiani’s top five tracks
HVL – Elegance Within the Chaos
Zviad Gelbakhiani: “The very first Bassiani label release from one of the most prominent artists in today’s scene. This track has been played many times as a closing track during the morning – emotional, lucid sound from the club’s very own resident HVL.”
Rhyw – Untangled Sentences
“On an ordinary day in our very small office – which used to be in the club – our label A&R sent this track for checking out. There was a silence after listening to it. I still remember the moment, and how determined we were to check it out on club’s PA. All of us went straight to the main floor, sat down and listened it to many, many times.”
Varg – So Many People Trying to Be Unique (But They Still Remind Me of Loke Rahbek)
“There’s much to say about Northern Electronics’ Varg and his connection to Bassiani. Once we headed up to Georgia’s beautiful mountain, Kazbegi, after the party – but the road was closed and we were stuck. This track had been recorded at this very strange hotel we stayed at for one night. You can feel the momentum while to listening it. There was absolute emptiness outside of the window, with a mixture of obscure silence and soulless snow.”
Berika – Arays
“This is one of my favourite releases on the Bassiani label that’s not by a resident DJ. The melody and drums make it one of our greatest releases from 2018, and it’s been played many times outside of Tbilisi in different clubs.”
Héctor Oaks – As We Were Saying
“Héctor Oaks’ As We Were Saying was inspired by the raids on the club. There were tough times last May, but this release is kind of a symbol of unity, solidarity and of our victory over the repressive, insulting political classes. Héctor is known for his long sets in Horoom and Bassiani, and this track could be the soundtrack of those marathon closing sets.”
