Here's an article on Burn that I did for a brand new magazine, Fusion. The first issue is out in September, and it's free from a number of selected fashion outlets. Keep a look out!

Now that Burn has relocated to Stamford Hill, Durban can claim not only the best weather in the country, but one of the top clubs too. Sure it's a tad unconventional, a bit dark and definitely not for kids, but it's roots are unquestionably grounded in one of the most commonly shared human passions: the love of music. If you haven't been before, here's the kick in the pants you've always needed to drop your silly preconceptions and go out and get familiar with a rapidly emerging scene in Durban.

The club itself certainly has a colourful history. It began with a guy named Jamie, who helped kick-start the music scene when he opened his live venue, the aptly named “Jamie's”, on Pine Street back in 1997. The club became quite popular amongst bands and alternative music lovers, until sometime in 2000 when it burned down in a fire that started on the ground floor workshop. Convinced he was onto a good thing and undeterred by this setback, Jamie decided to continue the legacy by relocating to a bigger premises in Umbilo Road and naming the new club after the disaster that claimed the first: Burn was born.

After a few years and a change of ownership, the club was revamped and renovated in many ways, gradually improving the experience of it's patrons by installing better sound systems and lighting rigs. The most notable change however was people's attitude towards the alternative scene, as news of the wild Wednesday nights at Burn with below-cost shooters spread through the city. The image of the club as a scary gothic haunt was still very prevalent, but there was something attractive about it's underground image that lured even the trendiest yuppies out of their safe zones and into the Burn experience. What they found hardly ever matched their preconceptions; instead of the evil goths and satanic metalheads they expected to see, Wednesday night was a time for hundreds of normal and down-to-earth people to unite under their common love of having a great time and enjoying fine music.

This year has been another major milestone in Burn's development. The lease for the Umbilo Road venue expired, and with the building owners not wanting to renew it due to religious objections over the sale of alcohol, it seemed that a move was inevitable. For a few months the community waited anxiously, with news coming in drips and drabs, and many rumours doing the rounds. Eventually, a venue was found in the upcoming area of Stamford Hill where a few other clubs have settled recently.

As opening night approached, it seemed that all was going swimmingly, until the heavy hand of bureaucracy dealt a swift blow to Burn's best layed plans. The council suddenly found problems everywhere, from the alleged lack of parking space to objections over the club operating in a light industrial zone. Their demands ranged from the excusable need for a fire plan, to the absurd requirement to prove that Burn was voted the third best live venue in an online poll! The owners even had to get the air conditioners certified as extraction compliant by a private company!

Speculation was rife and rumours once again circulated, stories of sabotage and conspiracy were interwoven with tales of incompetence; but most of all emerged frustration at the lack of transparency on the city's part. After finally dealing with the head honchos, and signing an agreement with the other clubs in the area to not stage big events on Friday nights, Burn was ready to open. And it was definitely worth every last bit of drama.

For starters, the most common issues that surrounded the old venue have been resolved. There are now many nice clean toilets (as clean as can be expected in a nightclub), and a larger stage with improved sound and lighting. The bars are larger and better stocked, and there are more pool tables. Of course, I shouldn't even mention that the Stamford Hill area is a vast improvement on the Umbilo Road squalor, but I'll throw it in there in case you're not familiar with these places.

The new club is big... massive, in fact. Although I haven't personally measured, I'd say it's floor space probably makes it the biggest club in Durban, which is a double-edged sword because although Burn can now accommodate a huge capacity, anything less than a couple of hundred people will look a bit sparse. Thankfully, they haven't had to worry about that yet, and if the growth of the original Burn when Jamie's closed is anything to go by, demand is only going to increase as word spreads.

The roof area makes a fantastic addition to the atmosphere of the club. It's like a beer garden with panoramic views of the city, where you can chill out with your friends on the wooden benches and listen to your own selection of music, conveniently picked from “Mr Jukebox”. Burn is not without a sense of humour it seems, and a sign on “Mr Jukebox” bears a friendly warning that anyone inserting a coin other than a two rand “will be sad as well as illiterate”. It also promises that “anyone who isn't nice to Mr Jukebox will get serious bad karma for a week”! So you've been warned. If your favourite tune is not already on the playlist, you can sms the song name to them and they'll do their best to put it on.

It's often whispered amongst parents that Burn, because of it's foreboding look, must be a haven for illegal drug peddling. This is absolute nonsense. Don't be fooled by those big black rings you may see around a few people's eyes, they're nothing but make-up. Don't ask! What's important to note is that the hard drugs such as ecstasy and cocaine are practically non-existent, in the sense that you're no more in danger of being influenced at Burn than if you were at a friend's birthday braai.

The dress code is strictly come-as-you-are, and this ensures one will always find a great diversity of fashion styles and oodles of individual expression at Burn. Instead of the usual guys' clubbing uniform of smart black leather shoes, dark jeans and a white collared shirt with vertical stripes; you'll find many different tastes mingling together without prejudice or judgement. Preppy types are smart but stylish, while the surfers are most comfortable in a pair of baggies, a trucker cap and a pair of slops. Goths prefer an all-black look with a couple of shiny piercings and spiky neck chains, whereas a long-haired metalhead may be seen in some heavy duty boots and a washed out Metallica t-shirt. Punk chicks with knee-high striped socks mix with emo guys in a place where self-expression is the number one priority. And the best part for guys is that baggies and walkshorts are allowed! No more heat exhaustion after dancing in thirty degree Durban humidity.

It's also worth noting that Burn is well known for their dress-up parties, which are extremely well supported (i.e. people actually dress up). They have an annual Halloween and a “Sex And Candy” party which is always provocative, and a real treat for both guys and girls. Expect to see leather, whips, pumpkins, fake blood, nurses, suspenders and monsters all in the mix enjoying a few drinks at the bar.

Then there's the music, which is by far the heart and soul of the club. On most Saturday nights you'll find at least one of South Africa's top live bands performing on the main stage, and hopefully soon some international acts beside them, as Burn targets bigger and bigger names in the music industry. The merchandise room has also been a great addition in the new venue, as Durban bands now have an outlet where they can sell CDs, shirts, badges and t-shirts without having to be signed on a record label first.

So if you're tired of hearing the same old playlists no matter where you go out, pull in to Burn for a taste of some wholesome alternative music. From hard to pop rock, punk, metal and emo; this club has great tunes, the best location and a bright future in Durban, where for too long people have been crying out for a world class alternative music venue, and most of all for local bands to be taken seriously and given the credit they deserve. Catch you there next Wednesday, Friday or Saturday night.