The comeback party of the legendary Zillion in the Antwerp Sportpaleis is soldout in barely 11 hours. Mastermind Frank Verstraeten does, once again, theimpossible: sell more tickets for a discotheque that was flattened years agothan on any high night of the same dance temple in the late 90s. “And afterAntwerp, we conquer the Versuz in Hasselt.”
The parties in the Waagnatie, PROJEXXX in Flanders Expo and now the comebackof Zillion in the Sportpaleis. The Fleming swallows the disco nostalgia as ifit were free ecstasy. The Antwerp mastodon is therefore completely sold out on10 February. In just 11 hours. Sold out. Kleir. Or how Frank Verstraetennever lost his business instinct. If 450,000 people watch the film about yourlife in one month, you will not be forgotten. Then there is something to pickup. “Unseen,” says Verstraeten. “Sales started on Wednesday morning at 9 amand everything was sold out at 7 pm. That Zillion is making another comebackin Antwerp is pure madness.”
Skybox of at least 30,000 euros
For 40 euros you have – or better: had – a ticket and that is in line withwhat you can expect from the Sportpaleis. Those who pay 100 euros can enterthe VIP and get a drink for 40 euros. If you really want to go all out, youcan buy a table for 1,000 euros. That includes ten tickets and four barstools. The fact that you are forced to use musical chairs does not cost you apenny extra. And in the stocked fridge you will find the premade cocktailsfrom château Verstraeten. Another one like that cash cow in the aftermath ofthe film success, for sale on the website zillion.xxx at 60 euros for sixbottles. “We are also going to rent out two skyboxes for 30,000 to 50,000euros. Anyone who buys such a box will receive the same with fifteen people_experience_ and the party of his life. In Ghent we sold four of them for16,969 euros.”
LOOK. Tanja Dexters reflects on her heyday in the Zillion: “If I meet Franktomorrow, it will be a friend like yesterday, with a warm feeling”
Erotic water ballet
With the party in the Sportpaleis, Zillion returns to the sacred ground on theScheldt, Antwerp, where it all began. Verstraeten already promised an exactreplica of his discotheque. “We are still busy, but I can already reveal thatI am still looking for about ten beautiful water ballerinas for an eroticshow. So the legendary aquarium is coming back.”
It will not end in Antwerp. After the Sportpaleis, director Verstraeten’scircus moves to Hasselt. There Zillion finds shelter in Club Versuz, today thelargest and most modern club in the country. No coincidence if you know thatYves Smolders, the owner and manager of Versuz, started his career in Zillionat the side of Verstraeten.
“I am very happy to welcome Zillion, this time in my own club,” says Smolders.“We are opening up the full Versuz. With this we can receive up to 3,300visitors. Versuz is already equipped with the most modern equipment, but Frankis going to add a lot of extra light and sound and bring in original decor andinterior pieces from Zillion. It goes unseen. We are going to create theultimate Zillion club feeling in 2022, including a lot of unexpected and crazy