Each week in our brand-new column, "No Sleep Till...," we'll be talking to cool kids around the globe, asking them to fill us in about the bands, DJs, music venues and night spots they and their friends are obsessing over. Next time you visit their home city, leave your Fodor's and Lonely Planet guides behind and go party like a local instead. (And, yes, if you're scratching your head about why the column's name is spelled like a cash register, well, that's just our nod to the Beastie Boys.) Name?
Claire Zarnitsky
Age?
25
Where do you live?
Paris. (Montmartre/Pigalle.)
What do you do there?
I'm the co-founder and operations director of a creative studio called Maison Nue and I have a luxury jewelry brand called De la Forge with the designer Maëlle de la Forge that produces collections made entirely in France and that try to offer a distinctive aesthetic.
What French bands or DJs do you think should be on everyone's radars?
I really like the electronic DJs Mr. Flash and Calcium along with House/UK garage producer Mad:AM, who's on Maison Nue's record label. As for bands, you should check out up-and-coming Pop/New Wave bands Lescop, La Femme and Paradis, all from Paris.
Where are the best places to see live music in Paris?
To see live music in Paris, go to Social Club on Tuesday, Wednesday or particularly Thursday, to the Rex Club (where the best DJs from everywhere around the world play when they are in Paris) and to the Nouveau Casino.
What about favorite bars or nightclubs?
My favorite nightclubs to dance all night with friends are Le Baron, Chez Moune, Silencio and Le Tigre. When starting your night, the best is l'Inconnu in the 10th arrondisement or le Rosa Bonheur at Les Buttes Chaumonts.
What does your perfect night out in Paris look like?
My perfect night out would begin with a dinner in a restaurant in my neighborhood, at l'Hotel Amour for example, a glass of wine in the north of the Le Marais [neighborhood], a nice party at a friend's house, and for the end of the night, a special event at a club somewhere with crazy and funny people that I just met!
Lastly, as a local, what's one bar or nightclub you would NEVER go to in Paris?
I would never go to a club in les Champs-Elysées! [Those clubs are] very bling-bling and play the most commercial music!
Check out Claire's band and DJ recs:
Lescop -- "La Foret"
Paradis -- "Hémisphère"
Mad:AM -- "CDBL Gangsta's anthem RODEO remix"
Calcium -- "Minimix for Play Time"
Mr. Flash -- "Radar Rider"
Check out Claire's nightlife listings:
Social Club, 142 Rue Montmartre, Paris
Rex Club, 5 Boulevard Poissonnière, Paris
Nouveau Casino, 109 Rue Oberkampf, Paris
Le Baron, 6 Avenue Marceau, Paris
Chez Moune, 54 Rue Jean-Baptiste Pigalle, Paris
Silencio, 142 Rue Montmartre, Paris
Le Tigre, 5 Rue Molière, Paris
l'Inconnu, 17-19 Rue de Mazagran, Paris
Rosa Bonheur, Parc des Buttes Chaumont 2, avenue des Cascades, Paris