After a residency on the American Tobacco Campus last year, BOOM Club is celebrating a new beginning in a new location; at least temporarily.
The clubhouse, which invites people to experiment with electronic instruments like synths, drum machines, and keyboards, has moved into the space at 600 Foster Street that up until the end of 2025 was occupied by PS37. They're officially kicking things off with an open house on Friday, March 6.
"We're going to treat it like an art gallery opening," said co-owner Nick Williams. "People can come check out the space and we'll have music playing. It'll be a fun hang."
During their American Tobacco Campus residency, BOOM Club offered a "hands on" space where people could come and experiment with electronic instruments. They also hosted workshops, demonstrations, and performances from both local and national artists working in the world of electronic music.
Co-founder Rachelle Sickerott said their time there proved there was an audience for what they were offering. "It was so gratifying to have those events there," she said. "Sometimes 100 people would show up and we were just like, 'Okay, wow. I really think we can play a part in helping to build this community.'"
In the new location, people can expect even more of that. While the experiences that BOOM Club offered in the railcar were free to the public, in the new space they're moving to a subscription model. The clubhouse is offering a range of options that all come with different levels of benefits.
"Making things free and becoming this sort of ad hoc tourist attraction at American Tobacco was really amazing and gratifying. But this space is more specialized," Williams said. "We can do a lot more in this new space with workshops and performances."
Membership benefits range from access to the instrument library during open business hours to 1-on-1 tutorial sessions.
Sickerott says that while they're excited about opening things up at the new location, people should know that this is all temporary. BOOM Club plans on being in this space for only about a year.
"We all know that right now there are a lot of art spaces that aren't able to sustain themselves and exist," she said. "We're very lucky that we get to do that, at least in the short term. It's crucial that, as artists, we start making space for other artists to exist. It's a very important part of culture and community, and I hope that we can be a part of broadening the conversation about bringing folks in and supporting spaces that allow people to be creative."
