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The Star Awards 2024 Gala Night at Zouk yesterday (April 15) was ̶ given the location ̶ quite the party.
A total of 10 awards, including Best Director, Best Drama Serial, and Best Entertainment Programme, were handed out as a precursor to this Sunday’s main show.
When 8days.sg stood at the entrance of the iconic club, we couldn’t help but notice how different the atmosphere felt from your usual night out at Clarke Quay.
Gone were the snaking queues of Gen-Zs vibrating eagerly to enter the club. In their place was a quiet cordoned-off road and a huge Mediacorp sign to mark the special occasion.
We instantly wondered: How has the interior of the club been transformed to suit an awards ceremony?
We got our answer the moment we made our entrance at 7.45pm, 15 minutes before the night was set to start.
The dance floor was now filled with almost two dozen round bar tables. Guests mingled around the area, the majority armed with an alcoholic beverage in hand.
The area in front of the DJ deck was converted into a makeshift stage, and flanking its sides were booths which would later seat the nominees.
The vibe was chill, and while the setting was very much club-like, it was at the same time, not.
Let us explain. The place was dimly lit, but not so dark you couldn’t make out the features of the person standing a few tables away from you.
It was a tight fit, but for the first time in Zouk, bodies were a respectable distance from each other. The music was loud, but you didn’t have to shout to be heard. Spirits were high, but we counted only a couple of intoxicated guests (Yes, there was free-flow alcohol).