Mondo Aruanda

>> Where tropical beats and Feng Shui meet

by KRISTA

Smack in the middle of the Plateau is a place where, every Wednesday night, three completely different cultures come together. One is from the Far East, another hails largely from the continent directly below ours and the third is about halfway between both of those.

The place is China Club, ergo the Asian bit. The latter two cultures, that of Latin America and Africa, are imported on a weekly basis through the turntable stylings of one DJ Alain Vinet, and the promotional savvy of local man-about-town and aspiring advertising guru Thau. Luckily for China and its patrons, the two seem to have a thing for those Afro-Latin rhythms.

But how do sub-equatorial beats and Feng Shui jive? Apparently, they seem to match up like yin and yang. The cool noodle house-cum-bar decor of China provides a soothing backdrop for the fiery flavour of Afro-Latin soul.

The name given to this hebdomadal cultural extravaganza is Aruanda, which, according to Vinet, means "something about nirvana, or a place where you feel good. I heard a Latin ballad on the radio and that's what the name of it was. My friend told me that that's what it meant, but I never checked it out, so I'm not sure." Well Alain, my Hotbot Internet search revealed that the word does exist, and that it has something to do with dancing and merriment and the like. But I don't speak Portuguese, so that's as far as I got.

Vinet and Thau started working on the night together back in June, when it became evident that Aruanda needed a little kick in the pants, promo-wise. "We just happened to find ourselves needing each other's services at the right time," offers Thau. Vinet's fetish for Latin culture, coupled with Thau's ability to rustle up a crowd, has turned Aruanda into the night for mid-week indulgence and dirty dancing.

"China is a really good spot for a night like this," says Thau. "It's off the beaten path, it's got a nice ambiance and it's full of beautiful women. What more could you want?"

Why the Afro-Latin theme? "I've always had a thing for tribal beats," says Alain, "ever since I was 11 and went to Cuba with my mom. The hotel band would let me play on the drums between sets and I remember the drummer telling my mother, 'Hey, your kid's got rhythm!' That was it for me."

This coming Wednesday, August 11, China Club will be the ultimate feelgood space as the notorious Chris Pronovost pops back into town to take over the decks in celebration of Vinet's birthday. There'll be open bar from 11 p.m. till midnight, as usual, and if you get there early enough you might even get some free sushi and champagne.

Pronovost is promising to be in rare form, since he's all cool and from London now, and he'll have lots of new records to play. Which means birthday boy Vinet will be free to make a fool of himself. "I'll be like the girl in the birthday cake," he laughs, "who jumps out and yells 'surprise!'"