Cloud9 rises from Kokota’s ashes
Goitsemodimo Kaelo - Katlego Isaacs | Tuesday July 12, 2022 06:00
Punters old and new, if you are returning or trying for the first time get along and get ready for a topper of a night at a spruced up Cloud9 venue, which aims to breathe new life into the Gaborone night time.
That is definitely the statement from the new owners as they set on a new path to recreate history with the club that has gone through frequent name-changing in recent times.
Following the closure of the popular Gaborone nightclub known as Kokota, a newly revived upscale club dubbed Cloud9 has risen from its predecessor’s ashes with a freshly charged drive to deliver unparalleled ecstasy in the highly competitive clubbing sector. The short-lived sparkle of Kokota, which in itself was a revival of the once beloved Marriott Lounge, stands as testament to the continual instability of the nightclub industry, which took a serious hit during the COVID-19 era.
However, Cloud9 insists upon itself being a worthy competitor in this uncertain market. The concept of Cloud9 in colloquial terms refers to the ascension of pleasure to its highest peak up into the clouds, a befitting name for the new nightclub sitting upstairs perched above the competition from rival clubs and bars in Block 6.
The elevation of the nightclub pays homage to the club’s philosophy to deliver an upscale clubbing experience that redefines entertainment according to the resident DJ of the establishment, Aobakwe Mooki, popularly known as DJ Bunny. “We want to bring that entertainment heat back. Just like our slogan says ‘entertainment refined’, we want to redefine entertainment in a high level space,” said Mooki. For Cloud9, part of redefining entertainment has been a fixation on providing exposure to local artists.
During the official launch of Cloud9, only local DJs were booked to perform, setting the tone for the club’s entertainment bias. “We have made sure that our entertainment is locally dominant. We want to give local DJs and artistes a platform they have never been given in the entertainment sector of Botswana. We have prioritised local, big and upcoming DJs and artistes, to come and share their talent at large,” Mooki said.
Further redefining the entertainment space, Mooki acknowledged the rising crime rate around Gaborone and the need to strengthen the security measures that were already in place from their predecessors ensuring what he referred to as ‘clean fun’. “The location that we’re situated in has been known for cases of theft and violence. So this time around we have managed to beef up security to the point of ensuring that people that come here are always safe and protected to have clean fun,” he said. “We have 10 car marshalls that constantly patrol the car park.
We also have bouncers at the entrance and inside the establishment with walkie-talkies communicating what is going on around. We want you to feel safe enough to put your phone down, go to the bathroom and find it still there,” he added.
For former patrons of Kokota and even Marriott Lounge, Cloud9 may feel like an exercise in simple recycling and rebranding as the environment of the nightclub seldom features major changes to the structure of the club beyond minor cosmetic improvements.
The owner of Cloud9, Onneile John-Kgaje, however, expresses that the club is still in the early phases of renovations and more changes are set to come. “The inspiration to start my own nightclub came from my passion for music and extensive travels around the world.
I was in a nightclub in Istanbul and felt the need to bring elements of that club to Botswana. I’m going to be developing this nightclub off of that inspiration,” John-Kgaje said. “In our location we noticed a lack of available fine dining restaurants and are pleased to say that we are currently building an attached fine dining restaurant to the club which we expect to open in August,” she added. Both the club and the upcoming restaurant are aimed at bringing a classier element to the entertainment side of Block 6.