Red Room

By Aida Azrin • 06 Apr 2016 in Venues

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Scarlet Secret
Red Room brings Brooklyn to TREC by staying true to the grungy underground district. Unlike other places with the overused New York theme that romanticise the city, this bar-cum-club stays true to NYC’s griminess as it focusses on a rundown part of the city in great detail.

The experience begins with a flight of stairs brought to life by vibrant graffiti that covers the walls. Inside, the first red element you see is the genuine brick wall that continues to act as a canvas for spray paint. Mock pipes, exposed wires, and electricity metres adorn the walls, bringing out the raw essence of an alley. Even the floor of the open environment replicates the gritty streets of Brooklyn, with the night breeze adding to the character of being in the outdoors.

Eats is the first thing Red Room offers, with its three tables to enjoy iconic New York food such as burgers, hot dogs, and other small bites. It looks like a clichéd Italian-American restaurant with white window frames hanging above wooden tables draped in red and white-checkered cloth. Then, the street bar is accentuated with awnings and metal shutters, serving beer and hard liquor just like how the tenacious people of Brooklyn like it. A closed barbershop ornaments the place with a worn out sign that’s accompanied by the barber’s pole. You can perch yourself on the steps and try to look cool as you toss your cigarette into the drain – your followers on Instagram might just believe you were in Brooklyn.

Music is provided by Mr. Records, an actual record store that allows you to be the DJ with their wide selection of vinyl records and tapes. Neon lights frame the window above the speakers, displaying the VHS cassettes they sell. Next door is the faux-hotel providing another unique seating experience with a time-honoured lounge that carries old video game consoles such as Sega Genesis and Atari. It creates the right atmosphere to smoke a cigar in the comfort of regal leather chairs, whereas the main seating area on the balcony sees more modern black leather chairs.

Designed in a circle, the actual ‘Red Room’ – its namesake – can be found at the back, but before that is a cashier at the movie ticket stand. Movie posters are plastered on the surrounding walls with a Brooklyn Boulevard street sign placed on top. The neon signage continues with ‘disco’ and the options of it being open or close as it directs you to a derelict black door. Above the Red Room sign fixed onto the door is a peephole, making it look exclusive with a slot wherein you can imagine reveals a pair of judging eyes – if it were a real Brooklyn street that is.

We’re not exaggerating when we say everything in the club is red – the floor, furniture, walls, ceiling, and lights. It boasts the best sound system, Funktion-One, for hip hop and house music, and even saw Jamie Jones behind the decks. The windows provide a view of the golf course that continues to be seen in the VIP room at the back. Similar to the hotel, this lounge also consists of a TV and allows you to play your own music. The round ends with an eccentric red toilet containing a quirky pair of lips as the urinal.

Its unconventionality, which is admittedly a hit and miss, requires an open mind, allowing you to discover a unique concept that would make boredom seem like an impossibility. At the very least, its outrageousness should entertain you.