Oxygen Saturation

(9/15/2003)

Seminyak's Jalan Dhyana Pura continues to transform, undergoing a "gentrification" with each new addition of a sophisticated restaurant or trendy night spot.

The latest addition on Bali's busiest street for night-life revelers is Oxygen, a bar/lounge that has positioned itself as a "chill-out lounge" - a place perhaps a bit more relaxed and laid back than some of its more intense neighboring night spots.

The décor is overwhelmingly white and minimalist, with substantial investment having been made in creating ambience via a sophisticated sound and lighting system. The music is reminiscent of famous night clubs in Paris, such as Hotel Costas, Buddha Bar, Bar Fly and Barrio Latino. The starkly white walls of Oxygen serve as projection surfaces for three state of the art video projectors with images as carefully mixed as the venue's music.

A Bar with Flair

While the décor and programs at Oxygen hold the promise of a bar with a distinctive character, let there be no doubt on the point that the bar at this nightspot is staffed by a crew comprised entirely of "characters." While the management assures that helmets are unnecessary, watching the bartenders juggle bottles and turn somersaults while mixing your next drink may cause you to think otherwise as you dive for cover. For instance, a request for extra ice in a cocktail resulted in a brief hailstorm of ice cubes with both cocktail and customer escaping unscathed.

Obviously, the bar staff love to entertain an appreciative clientele with stunts that make Tom's Cruise's performance in Cocktail look amateurish by comparison. Oxygen's barmen, in fact, travel the region attending exhibitions and "flair bartending" competitions.

The establishment's manager, Ngurah, is the reigning Asian flair bartending champion. Additional staff training in flair techniques is also provided by the Bali-based current world champion flair bartender.

Coming Soon to Oxygen

Oxygen's coming promotions include an annual bubble party, white party, silver party and blue party, monthly zodiac parties, visits by international guest DJ's, weekly theme nights, and daily video happy hours.