Lush! is a night club in Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Located in the Kellys Golf Links Hotel, the club is the largest in the complex, which houses a number of bars. Opened in 1996, it has played host to the majority of the worlds notable electronic dance music DJs, including Armin van Buuren, Hardwell, Paul van Dyk, Tiësto, Sasha, Ferry Corsten, Fat Boy Slim, Gordy Annett and Eddie Halliwell. Opening two nights a week, the venue does not use external promoters or host club nights, being a self-contained operation. The promoter, and manager of the club, Col Hamilton, is also the resident DJ, alongside local DJ Gordy Annett. Music on resident-played nights would generally be house music, but the regular guest DJs are more likely to play trance music. Shortly after opening, CJ Agnelli of Agnelli & Nelson and Col Hamilton immortalised the club with one of their first releases, titled "Lush", and the later remixes, "Lush Gold". The cover art of both releases featured the club's logo, a large yellow/orange circle. An edition of Discover Records "Live As" series has also been recorded at the venue. Large quantities of clubbers travel from all across Northern Ireland every weekend, with the large car park of the club consisting mostly of coach bays. One of the Kellys' complex other bars, The Synk, is generally open alongside Lush with free access between the two, but with a different DJ playing. The 2008 DJ MagTop 100 Clubs places Lush! at number 56 in the world, with it having been unplaced in 2007 and number 24 in 2006. The 2010 list, now voted for by the general public, places the club at number 48. From the late 1990s and early 2000s, Lush! was broadcast on a few occasions live on Radio 1 to listeners across the UK and the world. Shows such as the Essential Mix, Seb Fontaine and Judge Jules were broadcast to electric atmospheres. Fergie broadcast his final BBC Radio 1 show live from a pub on the complex. Following the show, his DJ set at Lush! was broadcast live on the Essential Mix. Seb Fontaine was quoted as saying Lush! was one of the best club on the planet with an atmosphere not to be matched anywhere else he had ever played. Resident DJs throughout the years have included Col Hamilton, Ryan Mullin, Andy Condie, Junior J, Scott McCann, Glen "Speedy" Cooper and Ciaran Osborne.
