In an ever-shifting nightlife climate of spendy club owners, ambitious promoters, up-and-coming DJs, and club goers who are looking for the next big thing, the lifespan of a nightclub on average is a year or two when the formula’s not right and the crowd simply isn’t there. But for over 30 years, the pillar of Houston’s dance music scene has rode the wave of endurance with management changes, interior upgrades, high-end sound systems and nostalgia that grows each and every year.

Rich’s 2016 Interior Photo

Rich’s will reopen its doors this week on Saturday, June 25, for their Pride Weekend celebration. Over the past few years, the venue has operated under the name of Limelight, but with recent new ownership, the venue reemerges as Rich’s, returning to its roots as a dance club destination for Houston’s LGBTQ community and anyone who’s ready to “Work” to Rihanna’s latest hit.

Music has always been the driving force behind Rich’s and a key part of its rise to prominence. In the mid- to late ’90s, Thursday nights in Houston belonged to Rich’s. As a house music vanguard, Hedonism Thursdays was a legendary night with DJ JD Arnold and an unparalled crowd you wouldn’t find anywhere else. Out-of-town straight guys co-mingled with drag queens and divas in a Studio 54-esque environment, all to embark in the euphoria from room to room. With the top dance tracks and remixes from DJs Junior Vasquez, Franklin Fuentes and Armand Van Helden, to name a few, Rich’s delivered an ensemble of progressive, tribal and vocal house, blended with a hint of speed garage (dance music) for a night that local radio stations, college kids, the gay community and the social elite all wanted to be a part of.  Fuel Fridays were an extension of Thursdays, minus the straight crowd. The night was hosted by promoters M. Pussycat and Mr. Fantastik, and also featured a sea of bodies flowing to the thunderous beats of Victor Calderone and Barry Harris.

Kelis in 2010 | Photo: Janna Flick

In addition to the local DJs, Rich’s has also welcomed a slew of world-class DJs and performers who have made many memorable stops to 2401 San Jacinto. From RuPaul to Jody Watley, to the later years of the 2010s with DJs Mat Zo, Roger Sanchez and Ferry Corsten, some of the biggest names in dance have performed at the venue.

With the club’s new era underway, Rich’s announced on its Facebook page a couple of the DJs and familiar names you can expect to see this weekend and in the weeks to come. DJ/VJ Johnny Vibe will be the resident DJ on Thursday and Friday nights in the upstairs video bar. Then on Saturday nights, Joe Ross steps it up as resident DJ for the main room. Joe is known for his pop-progressive dance sound, and you can always take a peek at part of his playlist every month on the JMG Music Charts. When Joe’s on the decks, he knows how to read a crowd and give them exactly what they want.

“I’m completely open to anything,” Joe said in a previous interview with JMG.  “I guess the main thing is that it doesn’t matter if I like it or not because I’m not there to play for myself. I realized that I had to like DJing enough to look out at the crowd and play what I thought they wanted to hear. And so, it’s not about me. It’s about them. If I think the people will go for it, then I’m all about it.”

DJ Joe Ross

Without a doubt, the revival of Rich’s nightclub will not only bring back the nostalgia of Houston’s prime dance scene, but it will continue its tradition of creating a crowd-pleasing atmosphere that will have everyone dancing until the early hours of the night.

For more on the new Rich’s, visit richsnightclub.com.

Rich’s Houston | 2401 San Jacinto, Houston, TX 77002 | 281.846.6685