A six-hour club night is not just six hours of "loud music". A well-programmed night has an arc, and once you can read it, you pace yourself better and enjoy the peaks more.

Hour 1: the setup

22:00-23:00. The warm-up DJ is establishing a vibe. Energy is low. The crowd is sparse. This is when you arrive, get your coat to the cloakroom, find your group, get a drink. Do not push yourself to dance hard yet.

Hour 2: the build

23:00-00:00. Second DJ takes over, tempo edges up. The room fills out. This is where you start moving. Save the maximum-energy gear for later.

Hour 3-4: the peak

00:00-02:00. The headliner is approaching. The room is fully energised. This is the prime dance window. Stay hydrated, take occasional breaks, keep moving.

Hour 5: the headliner

02:00-04:00. Maximum intensity. If you have paced yourself correctly, you have energy left for this. If you blew yourself out in hour 2, you are going to be standing on the side wall now wishing you had managed yourself better.

Hour 6: the wind-down

04:00-doors close. Closing DJ pulls back into deeper, more minimal territory. The crowd thins. Some of the best smaller-room conversations happen now.