Club Kryptonite

Text by Nikki Duke - courtesy of PDA and PLSN. Edited by Larry Beck

Club Kryptonite is the product of the magnificent synergy of three ambitious young entrepreneurs, Chris Manios, Andrew Manios, and Pete Politis.  These Gents did their homework when they set out to create the ultimate club experience by researching the biggest clubs in the nation from New York, Boston, Miami, to Las Vegas.  As torturous as this research must have been, they were able to clearly develop a feel for the sort of experience club-goers seek. 

The first order of business was to find a location that would support the kind of vision shared by the owners.  After extensive research and countless hours of brain-bending consideration the call was made to set up shop in what was once the All Star Café in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Once this 21,000 square foot venue had been acquired, then came phase two, which was to assess the gear acquired in the purchase of the venue and seek out a company capable of providing seamless additional solutions to all of their lighting, sound, and special effects needs. Chris Manios contacted Jeff Nickles, President of Production Design Associates (PDA) in Charleston, SC, for consultation on club design and solutions for a limited budget that was incurred by the already high remodeling expenses. The owners of Kryptonite brought several designs to the table, and with assistance from Jeff Nickles a streamlined vision was created, plans were drawn up, and PO’s were sent out to manufacturers.

THE EXPERIENCE: 
On the evening of April 19th 2002, anyone travelling on Highway 17 could not miss the neon green glow penetrating the night sky from the truly electrifying opening of Club Kryptonite, or the line of eager club-goers that wrapped all the way around the building.  This Club has spared no expense on detail.  From the immaculate manicure of the exteriors landscaping, valet parking, and bathroom attendants to leather couches that swallow you whole, beautiful hand painted murals that reflect the club’s theme, and marble top tables.  As the name implies, Kryptonite has explosive potential. This venue in it’s original state was a single level to which the new owners added a U-shaped balcony edged in glass railing, and made it complete with marbled columns that are topped with the LeMaitre LeFlame bowl units (special effects that replicate the look of open flame) that create the feeling of taking court at Mt. Olympus.

Once you have entered the recessed dance floor area of the club; do you even notice where you are standing, remember where you came in, or even care?  Lost in an upward gaze, overwhelmed perhaps, or maybe even inspired by the technically innovative use of lighting, truss, and chain motors.  The centerpiece of Kryptonite, that it will surely be noted for, is the dynamic creation of a 28-foot circular truss that is constructed from Applied 2” Triangle Truss. The giant circular truss then encompasses a three-dimensional diamond structure constructed from 10’ Applied 2” Ladder Truss, and then flown from three CM ¼ TON Chain Motors which are operated by a SKJOMBERG Motor Control.  Each apex of the diamond structure has a MARTIN Wizard that is set so that a JEM Club Four-Head Smoke System has three heads above it and one below that are all facing downward.  As the structure is lowered and raised by the chain motors it creates the experience of viewing the lift off of some sort of spaceship into outer space.  This experience is greatly enhanced with the use of 6 MARTIN MAC 500’s, 6 MARTIN MX4’s, and other automated lights mounted to the 28’ circular truss.  PDA added two 6-channel MARTIN Relay Packs to create space to add additional fixtures in the future.  APOLLO created custom gobo’s featuring the club logo that are projected by the MARTIN MAC 500’s onto green colored spandex that is stretched across the diamond shaped panels of the inside truss structure, as well as onto the dance floor.  Up in the DJ booth you’ll find a MARTIN USB Light Jockey with a MARTIN 2532 Direct Access, and a MARTIN 2510 to be used solely for backup purposes.

The DJ booth appears to be suspended in front of a custom-made Fiber Optic curtain which actually makes it look like it’s floating in outer space, however the booth is extremely solid with concrete flooring to prevent any bumps or sudden movements from affecting the DJ’s equipment.  PDA’s, Tom Rothbauer, who has been a DJ for the last twenty-three years; was the project manager overseeing this top of the line DJ booth set up, as well as this unique lighting installation. The booth is approximately 18 feet above the dance floor, and directly below there is a stage on which professional dancers are to perform nightly.  The stage itself houses a JEM 6500 low-lying smoke machine.  
 
Kryptonite has many additional little surprises for its crowds to be amazed with, coming soon!  Due to the time restraints, PDA was under a crunch to meet the unique and occasionally challenging needs for the club’s grand opening.  PDA would like to thank Tom Rothbauer, Bert Mann, T. Brockenbrough, Mike Pelland, Jimmy (Kryptonite’s Resident DJ), and Rob (Kryptonite’s lighting technician) for their efforts to demonstrate PDA’s potential for being one of the nation’s top production companies in the industry.