AN INSTITUTION IN Houston nightlife has reopened after a long hiatus due to Covid and long renovation process — and a big, boisterous crowd of the city’s most party-hardy folks turned up for an event celebrating the relaunch.

Montrose’s South Beach — Houston’s premier dance club and nightclub, famously popular in the city’s gay community — welcomed guests back for the first time in over four years as it hosted what organizers called a private “seismic summer soirée” before the venue officially reopened a few days later.

“With pent up demand for the club’s long-awaited return at an all-time high, the energy was palpable as the multiple bars and the stunning dance floor quickly filled with over 400 stylishly appointed guests, each of whom marveled at the stunning enhancements that have been made by the club’s owner, Charles Armstrong — aka the ‘Mayor of Montrose’ — since the club has been shuttered,” gushed a rep for Armstrong.

For his part, Armstrong said in a statement: “Knowing that guests are able to finally return to a place that is so significant to many in this community makes the past four years all worth it. I am ecstatic to be able to re-open South Beach to not just the LGBTQ+ community in Houston but to anyone looking for a fun night out. Tonight’s event is just the start of what I believe will be a roaring re-entry for the Beach.”

Lynn Wyatt (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Fady Armanious (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Zach Paugh (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Kofi Cakes (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Harper Watters (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Lexis Brumback and Dominic Green (photo by Alex Montoya)

Nick Sanford, Lucy Wo and Matthew Massey (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Tarek El-Bjeirmi and Ceron (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Loretta Caddigan and Ralda Robles (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

DJ Joe Ross (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Neftaly Torres, Jonathan Cubbies, Jacob Rimlinger and Christopher Zaragoza (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Mistress Isabelle, Blackberri, Adriana Larue and Angelina DM Trailz (photo by Alex Montoya)

Michael Mandola and Kam Franklin (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Derrick Shore and Brandon Bourque (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

A fabulous new chandelier spins above the South Beach dance floor. (Photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Marc and Duyen Nguyen (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Juan Artavia, Tanner Dogget and Drake Salinas (photo by Daniel Ortiz)

Among many bold new feature in the reimagined “SoBe” is a 450-pound, 8-foot quartz crystal chandelier that rotates within a 14-foot truss mounted with state-of-the-art light and sound technology directly above the dance floor. Lasers bounced off it as it spins, creating quite a spectacle.

Spotted in the crowd: Lynn Wyatt, The Suffers’ lead singer Kam Frankin, Houston Ballet soloist Harper Watters, Houston Life host Derrick Shore and husband Brandon Bourque, celebrity stylist Cerón, Amanda Mills, BeDesign’s Adrian Dueñas and Marcelo Saenz, Greater Houston Partnership VP A.J. Mistretta, and Tootsie’s Creative Fashion Director Fady Armanious.