I’m quite the newbie when it comes to LEGO® Modulars. The first one I built was the Book Shop and I’ve been lucky enough to get them for review purposes ever since. I’ve always admired the modular buildings range and fully understand their appeal. The only reason I never delved into them was the lack of space to display them and the Pokémon nurtured urge to ‘catch them all’ would make me seek out past sets and pick up all future releases. Not long after building my first modular, I picked up some of the older sets. Even before the Book Shop, NINJAGO City was and remains one of my favourite ever build experiences. Next year will see a Jazz Club added to the line-up, it’s another front-facing building with an attached pizzeria and the many wonderful details associated with the much-loved sets.
Product Description
Ready for a night of big band music, jazz dancing and pizza? The LEGO® Icons Jazz Club (10312) is your ticket to the best show in town. Fans of modular buildings and music lovers will adore constructing their own jazz venue with this building set for adults, which involves new building techniques such as a 45-degree doorway. Once the club is complete, you can spend hours marvelling at its beautifully decorated interior, where you’ll discover a jazz stage, a pizzeria and the band’s dressing room.
Make new friends at the club
8 detailed minifigures, including a jazz singer, bassist and drummer, set the scene for a show that will have the audience on their feet all evening. Intricate details include a mini microphone, a mini saxophone and a mini LP record.
- Set Name: Jazz Club
- Set Number: 10312
- Theme: LEGO Icons Modular Buildings Collection
- Pieces: 2899
- RRP: £199.99/$229.99/229.99€
- Number of Bags: Bags x 15 (plastic) + baseplate
- Stickers: Sheet x 1
- Minifigures: Jazz singer, bassist, drummer
- Instructions: Booklet x 1 + LEGO Building Instructions App
- Availability: LEGO Stores, LEGO Online and LEGO Retailers from January 1st, 2023 VIP Early Access
For over 15 years, LEGO Modular sets have been the pinnacle of LEGO sets. They predate the current focus on older builders by providing unique display pieces and in-depth building experiences. These highly detailed buildings have a huge fanbase and their annual release is eagerly awaited every January. The 2023 release is inspired by a Jazz Club, with the building also home to a tailor and pizzeria. This is one of the first LEGO Icons sets to actually feature the Icons branding, although the box design remains the same. Inside the box is a second box of bags, it’s this box where you’ll find the baseplate and the instructions. The instructions have also been changed to a white cover instead of black. This is supposedly due to the switch to paper bags and will stop the dark colour of the cover from scuffing the bags. Oddly, the set still uses plastic bags and even so the instructions are packed in a cardboard sleeve. So I assume this is a cost issue, not a quality one.
As with all the Modular Buildings Collection sets, they are built upon a standard 32×32 baseplate. It’s then built in levels from the ground floor up. Although it’s one structure, the set is technically two buildings. The Jazz Club is set across three floors and the pizzeria next door is only two, although its rooftop area is more elaborate than most roofs are.
The ground floor features the main area of the Jazz Club, which is where the band performs and music lovers can enjoy the tunes. The stage is small, but the way it’s angled in the corner looks great, even more so thanks to the vintage-style curtain draped around it. Apart from a few tables and chairs, the jazz hall doesn’t really feature anything else. Directly next door to the right of the Jazz Club is a delightful little pizzeria. I remember the standalone version from many years ago and this evokes memories of that. Its colour scheme is a mix of pale yellow and white elements, which contrast nicely against the darker-coloured uses for the Jazz Club. The Pizzeria is nicely detailed with a small counter surrounding a traditional-looking stone oven. It has all the traits you’d expect from an Italian restaurant, such as the chequered floor, condiment bottles and a pair of Italian flag-inspired awnings outside.
The exterior of the Jazz Club is fun. The ticket office is built in such a way as it sits at an angle as well as being recessed into the main area of the Jazz Club. It’s these sorts of unique build techniques which make the modular sets so much fun to build as well as look impressive. You’ll notice a few details here such as the performer poster and signs showing who is playing at the club. These are all printed, there isn’t a single sticker in the set. I spent ages looking for a sticker sheet when I first opened the box. So I commend the choice to go fully printed with all the extra details. It does help give the set a more premium feel. Although there aren’t any super wacky elements used to add interesting details, the long Jazz Club sign uses yellow sausages to continue the border which surrounds it.
With the ground floor complete, the next floor up is built separately but follows a similar floor plan to the floor below. The second floor is home to the Jazz Club’s office. This features a small wooden desk along with a couple of fun minibuilds. Of which the highlight is a vintage record player, although it’s not really needed as there is also a balcony section opening out above the club below. Across the hallway from the office and above the pizzeria is a small tailor’s workshop. Finding multiple businesses in modular buildings is a long-running tradition in the sets. The tailor has some of my favourite details. With a really cool little sewing machine and rolls of material lined up against the wall. The new Technic connector bows make perfect material rolls.
Although the right side of the building stops with the second floor, the right side features another level. This is Jazz Club’s dressing room. There’s a very colourful sofa and a dressing table surrounded by lights. But for me, the best part is the artwork on the wall. It’s a musical note but feels like it’s been purchased from the art gallery in last year’s Boutique Hotel set
The roof is actually two sections – one which sits above the Jazz Club and the other topping the Pizzaria. The main roof includes a hatch to access the inner staircase, there’s also a little squirrel nest. But the highlight of the roof section is the detailing along the ledge. These are always great-looking and prominent parts of the building. I like how flat tiles are angled against wheel trims to frame the ledge. The lower roof is much smaller but has a lot going on. It’s home to a greenhouse filled with plants used by the chef downstairs. It’s quite a clever construction with various window panes linked together and angled to create a house-like shaped structure.
Minifigures have never really been a focus of the modular sets. They help to add to the story the sets tell but a little more. There are 8 characters included in the set and some of them offer unique outfits such as musicians and a singer. Their outfits all feature metallic print detail. Others are a little less exciting but they help to connect the various aspects of the set such as the chef and pizza delivery person along with the tailor. I’ve seen some people suggest the skin tones should have been used in place of yellow due to the cultural nature of the set. I disagree, there are various things which make the modular sets what they are such as the white lamp post and connection points. That also includes yellow characters, who represent everyone and are a fun part of the sets.
The LEGO Icons Modular Building Collection Jazz Club launches on January 4th, 2023. LEGO VIP members can get early access to the set from January 1st, 2023.
Review Round-up
I’ve always admired the unique experience the modular sets offer and after being a few different sets from the range, I’ve enjoyed building this one quite a lot. The fact it has no stickers is pretty impressive, it still has signs and other similar details so it can be done. Obviously, some elements just cannot be printed on so sometimes stickers are a necessary choice. The focus of the set is the Jazz Club but I’m quite the fan of the Pizzaria. It’s just a fun little addition and has some great details, especially the stone oven. It’s hard to find much wrong with the set, I guess at a push the rear of the building could have had a little extra detail. Maybe some bins or something like that. But that’s finding fault for the sake of it, the set is another great addition to the line-up and very fun to build.
There is a major error in the instructions between bags 12 and 13. Towards the end of bag 12, the build continues but the elements needed for the last few steps are actually part of step 13 and therefore in other bags. I can only assume the digital instructions will rectify this but the first batch of physical sets will feature the error.
For
+ No stickers
+ Continues to provide a great build experience
+ Architectural flourishes both inside and out
Against
– Instruction colour change makes no sense
– The rear of the building is quite plain, needed just a little extra something
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This set was provided BricksFanz and provided by the LEGO Group for purposes of review. The thoughts within this review are that of BricksFanz and do not reflect those of the LEGO Group. Providing a set for free does not guarantee a favourable opinion of the set.
