Sights to Behold at New Villa Wahnsinn

Villa Wahnsinn is the result of one man’s nearly insane dedication to showing club-goers something different in L.A. Swiss-born entrepreneur Jakob Schneider decided to get out of auto sales and into the club business two years ago, landing a location in the unlikeliest of places, the decidedly non-glamorous Panorama City. He and his small staff spent the last year and a half decorating Wahnsinn to detailed perfection, then opened in the erstwhile Mexican restaurant a month ago.

Will it pay off in an area that’s so far off the club-land map? One can only hope so, because Schneider has brought the Southland a vision so unique it has to be seen to be believed. Modeled after similar establishments in Europe, Wahnsinn is a dance club set inside a “house with no walls” motif.

As patrons wind their way through Wahnsinn’s various sections, they’ll find such theme rooms as a library, a music room, a sewing room and a living room. Each area contains colorful and expensive antiques shipped from England, and maple wood imported from Switzerland adorns the club. Drinks are served from a 100-year-old Swiss beer barrel.

The music pumping out of Wahnsinn’s quality sound system is so good that customers might spend more time dancing than lounging. Wahnsinn features salsa on Wednesday and Friday, disco and house on Thursday and hip-hop on Saturday.

Starting on Sunday, Wahnsinn will offer an all-ages soda hop. With Hollywood’s dance scene hitting a lull, Schneider is having an easy time getting top-notch club deejays and promoters to join his vision. For those willing to try something new, there’s little to lose and much to gain: The prices are reasonable and the quirky environment is pure eye-candy.

* Villa Wahnsinn, 8751 Van Nuys Blvd., Panorama City. 21 and over except Thursday, 18 and over, and Sunday afternoon, all ages. $6 cover, free with club flier. (818) 894-2876.

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Club Buzz: The Trailer Park Casanovas, a hillbilly punk band from L.A., are scheduled to perform the next three Fridays at Jacks Sugar Shack in Hollywood. . . . San Francisco deejays Shindog and Skip are testing L.A. waters by bringing New Wave City, their 4-year-old roving dance club, to the Southland. New Wave City can be found at the Garage in Silver Lake on Sept. 20 and the Martini Lounge in Hollywood on Sept. 28. Expect plenty of Duran Duran, Adam Ant and Go-Go’s.

* Jacks Sugar Shack, (213) 466-7005. New Wave City, (213) 694-1866 or (415) 675-LOVE.