Lighting Helps Turn Bayfront Restaurant into Hot Nightclub
It still is what it is — a neighborhood spot were Miamians can hang out in a family-owned restaurant, which it’s been since 2007. But expansion and a big vision fueled an evolution for the owners of Off the Hookah where the dinner plates are put away and hot nightclub is revealed — all in plain sight.Yes, the restaurant — one of several that go by the same name in south Florida — is also a happening 14,000-square-foot lounge with nightly entertainment. And you don’t have to BYOB (Bring Your Own Belly-dancers), because they are already here.
Egyptian Accents
A recent remodel updated the subtle Mediterranean-style lounge by the bay in Miami’s Bayside Marketplace with Egyptian accents. And if visitors can take their eyes off the belly dancers, they just might notice that the one-level night spot has been updated with nearly 190 fixtures from Chauvet.
Lighting director Walter Aleman was at the helm for the visual transformation, working with the install team from Miami-based Stage Equipment and Lighting, to fulfill the vision of the restaurant/nightclub’s owners. “They envisioned it as a neighborhood spot where locals can relax and enjoy the beautiful city we often take for granted,” Aleman says.
Aleman, who is also a professional graphic designer and photographer, notes the importance that lighting can have for a venue’s overall visual interest. “Without the right lighting, your pictures will definitely come out boring,” he notes. “My art experience definitely gives me a good eye for the aesthetic in my lighting. When I install my lights, I feel like I’m designing a architectural sculpture.”
Aleman was introduced to the Off the Hookah owner Ehab Attalah by a friend, DJ GQ from radio station Y100. “The venue was in the process of expanding, and they were in need of a lighting programmer and technician,” Aleman explains. “When coming in to Off the Hookah, I really liked the staff and saw great potential in the place.”
After some discussion, they decided on an interior design that reflects their vision for both an intimate and elaborate waterfront lounge — and also offering club-goers something a little different.
LEDs Throughout
“In doing the install, we wanted it to have a very lounge-y feel, so I chose to use LEDs throughout the nightclub. The coolest part of designing it was seeing it all come together and getting people ‘wowing’ like they just walked into Disney,” Aleman says. “I love my lights!”
Aleman, who uses a Martin Light Jockey to control the new gear, credited Chauvet for “great prices, good warrantees and great products.” The 120 COLORstrip linear wash fixtures bathe the space in warm, primarily red tones, arranged as downlights mounted on rods from the ceiling held by unistruts in a runway style. They also light the walkway from the entrance of the club to the back and VIP area.
“The runway does an awesome chase,” Aleman notes. “When in blackout mode, it looks like an airport. These lights have a great fading feature, especially when they run in syncopation with the music.”
Pyramids and Flame
In the VIP section, the COLORstrips appear in a series of triangles, also on rods, tying in with the Egyptian theme. About 50 of them surround the building at the edge of the wall near the ceiling, and chases add a cool glow to statues of cats, camels, and pharaoh busts.
Although flame effects might be a dicey proposition, given the profusion of fabric hanging in the space, Aleman uses eight of Chauvet’s BOB LED flame simulation fixtures to enhance the Egyptian décor. (Visitors just might feel compelled, upon entering, to take a few angular dance steps while humming the Bangles’ “Walk Like an Egyptian.”
In the VIP section, six LED PAR 64-36B fixtures are positioned in frosted plastic tubes between the private booths, and four DMX Mega Strobe III fixtures send blinder effects from the ceiling. There are also Q-Spot moving heads hung by ceiling rods arranged in a zigzag pattern over the dance floor. Aleman credits them for quick movement, easy-to-change gobos, a good beam and speed, along with low-maintenance.
Setting the Pace
At the DJ booth are two Data Stream 4 universal DMX-512 optical splitter fixtures. “Programming the lights was very easy,” Aleman says. “I do a lot of free-hand [designs], and I also do cues, going with the flow. On a regular night I use 10 to 15 cues. I have them on a timer; once the party starts going, it gets faster.”
Outside, low tables and hipster couches for those who seek a break from the dance floor are bathed in the glow from COLORstrip and COLORado Ridge IP fixtures. They are placed between the walls and the couches, and they also wash an Egyptian bas-relief.
Way-oh-way-oh-way-ooo, indeed.
