Ownership of The Icon Tun Razak

So finally the club's Facebook page is up.

Anyway here's what I've found out about the building known as The Icon.

Although it appears as a single building, it's actually split into two wings. The East Wing is the half with the Samsung sign at the top. The West Wing displays the Huawei and Top Glove signs.

The West Wing, towards KLCC, has been owned since 2007 by Koperasi Permodalan Felda, while the East Wing facing Ampang was bought by Top Glove in March 2013. Interestingly, Top Glove's ownership includes the rooftop/penthouse level of both wings.

I assume Top Glove were not aware of the previous tenant i-CLUB and its shenanigans, and were likewise unaware of the pitiful lack of soundproofing of the unit. One hopes that they are a responsible and reasonable owner, and that they will step up and do what's right.

Meanwhile, thumping bass in the early hours (3am!) of Friday 10 Jan caused even the buildings further away to complain. The bass did not die down until just before 4am.

Club Platinum 21 Sat 28 Dec 2013

02:30 The club is empty! Lights are on and flashing, lasers etc are going, bass is pounding but the venue appears to be devoid of patrons!

Why would you open if no one is in the club?

This week the club's been open on Tue 24 til 03:07, Thu 26 til 04:03 and Fri 27. I'm assuming punters were pretty thin on the ground these nights as well.

Bass is thumping through the window as I type this.

Club Platinum 21 Sat 21 Dec 2013

And like innocent babes in the wood we thought it was all over.

When workmen were spotted removing the supposedly sound blocking curtains on Thu 12 Dec, foolishly I thought finally they are dismantling the venue. Over the next week, my heart sank as cleaning of interiors and recaulking of the glazed west terrace was observed.

The deep rumbling undertow, a sound we have not heard in over a year, was noticed on Wed 18. It seems like the new tenant is running the sound system for a few minutes each night.

Online searches led nowhere, even on Thu 19 Dec, when the dot matrix display read WELCOME TO THE GRAND OPENING OF CLUB PLATINUM 21.

On Fri 20 Dec, www.platinum21.com finally shows up in search results, announcing the venue's opening event of Sat 21 Dec. Interestingly, calls to all three mobile phone numbers listed on the website result in a 'not in service' message.

So the club opens on Sat 21 Dec. It seems more muffled than the i-CLUB was, but the bass is still clear enough that I know they only shut down just before 4am.

i-CLUB Jan 2013

The exterior neon sign has not come on since Sunday 16 December 2012. On Thursday 03 January, every light on the penthouse level, including the fake trees made of coloured lights, and the remaining strings of blue Christmas lights, is off. The venue is completely without illumination for the first time since late July 2011.

Considering the club announced it was 'closing down until further notice' on Sunday 16 September 2012, that's quite a bit of waste of electricity.

Let's wait and see what happens next.....  

i-CLUB Sat 15 Dec 2012

At approx 16:30 today the dot matrix display is seen to run the message 'Welcome to I-Club Kuala Lumpur True Clubbing Experience!!!' and some of the club's interior lights/gobos are on. A slim man in a dark or black T-shirt is seen walking past the south facing windows.

Dot matrix dislay and gobos seem to go off at around 18:45 but some coloured lights remain on. The lights in the toilet come on approx 19:00.

Some time before 20:00, the large exterior i-CLUB neon sign is turned off, probably for the first time since the club opened in late Aug 2011. At least 3 individuals are seen in the club. One appears to be a very large overweight chap.

At 21:00 the dot matrix display comes on again, as do the coloured spots, gobos and lasers. A faint bass beat is noticeable at about 22:30, and drifts in and out sporadically. Lights continue to play and sweep inside the venue until 01:00 when all except toilet lights are shut down.

A private party? As long as my neighbours and I can't hear anything, and our evenings are not disturbed by audible bass, no matter how muffled or soft, the club can hold whatever events they want. I really don't care.

This point has been made time and time again to the club's boss/directors. We feel it is more than reasonable.

So let's see how this recent episode develops. Audible bass = resumption of complaints to the authorities.

The guy on the i-CLUB terrace

So here are possible explanations:

He's a security guard. But why would security feel it necessary to hang out in the venue only now? And why would security personnel be shirtless? And watering plants, especially with the heavy downpours we've been experiencing practically every evening since late October?

He's a contractor. But why would a contractor be working alone, every night, since mid November, in the dark, and watering plants? As stereotyped as this will seem, at least it would explain the tattoos.

He's club management/director. This is kinda plausible. Explains the watering of plants, and maybe the tats. Maybe he's slowly finishing off the liquor. Keeping the lights off so he doesn't add to the utility bill.

He's carrying out surveillance. Also plausible. He is usually looking in our direction. Explains the lack of any visible interior lights on. He could be a private investigator who likes gardening, which would explain the watering of the already watered plants.

He's there right now. 

i-CLUB Dec 2012

Since mid November 2012, a man has been observed in the glazed extension facing Jalan Tun Razak from as early as 16:30 daily, staying until past sunset without turning any of the club's interior lights on.

He is almost always shirtless, his Thai-style tattoos clearly apparent when he occasionally stands at the south-facing windows, or when appearing to water the plants on the outdoor terrace.

Its anyone's guess why he is there. I'd be interested to know what you think he could possibly be doing there, night after night, without his shirt on, in the dark.....

Here's a vid.