Techno collective Acupuncture has made their reputation from parties thrown in other people’s venues. Now they have a club they can call home (perhaps literally – in addition to its nocturnal function, Lantern will serve as Acupuncture’s daytime studio and workshop).

Like its local rival Spark, Haze is located in an area that isn’t a traditional nightlife hotspot. But the same could have been said of the venue that made the Haze crew’s name, the original White Rabbit on Lucky Street. If the crowd comes (and the taxis come to take them home), this stylish, minimalist basement will undoubtedly become one of Beijing’s few decent electronic clubs.

Some longtime Beijingers may wax nostalgic about Song Music Bar & Kitchen, the artful electronic venue that formerly occupied the basement space of The Place. Wait until they meet its shiny new replacement. Since opening day, Spark has been teeming with Beijing’s better-looking twentysomethings.

Run by the same people as Mix, this three-story club consciously attempts to fuse the trademarks of Gongti nightlife (bottle service, table charges and spotless design) with the less commercial playlists of clubs like Lantern.

Throngs of students cram Mango’s entrance and snaking stairwells, which open up to a giant pool hall/bar. The expansive space is a mishmash of various types of fun: alcohol, pool tables and even – ahem – computers.