Posts Tagged ‘Meat’
May 10, 2012 | 
Author With a significant shift in the scene towards Shoreditch, it comes as no surprise that Disco Matt points is pick of the day finger in the direction of East Bloc, which holds its “Prick Up Your Ears” event tonight (Thurs 10th May), the dinky detail a banner selection away opposite or an image click below, while DM delves a little deeper into the excellence that has become East Bloc beneath.
When we look back across the years we have been circulating the capitals clubbing circuit, there have been some landmark moments in our life, the Trade days at Turnmills, the Beyond days at Colosseum & now Area and even the Lovechild days at Fire, all purple patch periods in our partying. However, if there was one era that changed our clubbing world immeasurably, it was the emergence of a club & venue in Vauxhall called Crash, this leader of the then underground movement pack having been responsible for cementing some of the most important friendships in our lives, many of which still exist today. Yet while Crash & it’s off-shoot party’s had a resplendent run of close on eight years, pretty much transforming the scene south of the river & indeed changed the face of clubbing in the capital, perhaps forever, its brainchild boy & prolific promoter Wayne Shires had taken his fill of Vauxhall & graced an exit from the scene that, at the time, looked like a permanent one, like many he becoming disaffected by the strong arm tactics & desire to monopolise the clubbing circuit by a certain Vauxhall venture.
But, as the saying goes, you can’t keep a good man down and it seemed that Wayne’s penchant for promoting a party was still running strong in the veins of his mind body & soul and with a collective of clubbers along with a whole section of society favouring new found frolicking fields out east, this was where Mr Shires was to set up shop in Shoreditch, once again spearheading not just a revival of that underground ethos that put Vauxhall on the clubbing map, but encouraging a whole new sector of the scene that has grown from an afterthought alternative to considerable contributor to a desire for those craving for something delightfully different to the same old, same old. Yet, having chosen a lowly basement base on City Rd, the glamour of Soho feeling a million miles away, what Wayne has managed to achieve with his gaff East Bloc, is to draw in both the scene stars, faces & followers from the former, helped along by a host of prolific party’s that can now call East Bloc their home venue, while he has also tapped into the amazingly artistic & articulate audience that used to be commonly known as The Hoxton set, along the way helping to make Shoreditch a sizzling spot on the scene.
So what of all these brilliant brands?, Well probably top of the list is Gutterslut, the way out & whacky wonder that has been drawing people for far & wide for close on five years now, East Bloc proving the perfect landing base for its fabulous format of anything goes audacity, while it was probably Tom Stephan’s MEAT, a collaboration with our own Shoreditch son Kris Di Angelis, that really put East Bloc in the clubbing map in the eyes of the Soho set, its links with Room Service helping to bridge that perceived gap. But there are plenty more, not least, The Men Who Fell 2 Earth, SOS, & Super Electro Party Machine, while with the demise of MEAT at the end of last year came two new club nights that have taken that strength to even dizzier heights, Kris Di Angelis heading up the brilliant brand that is WAR, just three parties in proving to be the place to be seen, out trumping its Vauxhall compatriots pretty much hands down, while Tom Stephan’s new offering, DISH, is doing exactly the same. But as if all that was enough excellence, we then have Paradise 45, the nu-disco & New York style underground club concept from Guy Williams, which enjoyed a superb stay at The Dalston Superstore, but is has held residency at East Bloc since last August & fitting the venue like a glove, Guy’s guest D.J. slots continuing to pull in the punters, that along with the recent combo with Super Electro Party Machine, which went down a storm. Then we look slightly outside the East Bloc box, there is Summer Rites, which Wayne brought back last year, staging it in the centre of Shoreditch, East Bloc proving a perfect place to hold both pre & post parties, while The Bloc Party just last Sunday attracted an amazing audience, that neatly being followed by Kris’s “Warhead” afterhours.
So, life at East Bloc has certainly blossomed & Shoreditch very much part of the picture, Wayne slowly having built on the success of the above brands & extending the East Bloc offer to cover Sunday’s & now Thursday’s, his “Prick Up Your Ears” evening harping a little bit back to those impressive informative days of Crash back in Vauxhall, not least that the iconic Princess Julia is one of the residents, while Shoreditch & East End spinners such as John Sizzle, Dave Kendrick & Kevin Clash make up a terrific team of talent that gives this Thursday frolic an enthralling edge, the night being as much about the magnificent music as the stylish set that frequent it. And such has been the success of Prick Up Your Ears, a dedicated second space has been developed by Kevin Clash, “Robot Rock” taking up residence on the 1st & 3rd Thursdays’ of each month, the comments on the group’s wall at http://facebook.com/groups/RRRRoom/ pretty much speaking for themselves. As for tonight’s event, well it naturally takes place at East Bloc, doors opening at 11 p.m. & the club running through until 4 a.m., entry a mere £3 with a flyer or ad after midnight or £5 otherwise, although it’s worth hitting the place before midnight as entry is free, more info on this & all events at this Shoreditch splendour available by going to the clubs website at http://eastbloc.co.uk &/or social networking pages http://.facebook.com/EastBlocLondon & http://facebook.com/groups/255553057341/.
So, with Shoreditch looking like the new Soho & with East Bloc’s brilliant brands wiping the veneer off Vauxhall, it certainly seems that trendsetters are traversing town & heading out for the exciting events on offer, so a big up to Wayne Shires & a whole load of others that have made this spot on the scene the place to be seen. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Reports | 
Tags: Dish, East Bloc, Gutterslut, John Sizzle, Kris Di Angelis, Meat, Prick Up Your Ears, Princess Julia, Summer Rites, Super Techno Party Machine, War, Wayne Shires, YTom Stephan | 
No Comments »
With the last week or so laid to waste for a number of reasons, our latest brush with ravages of London’s roads leaving us pre-occupied with our personal health, we have once again missed the boat with our weekend recommends newsletter, although with a trio of treats presenting themselves tonight (Saturday 12th November), we couldn’t resist giving you our take on what would, in normal circumstances, be a most tricky choice of where we should be & be seen, the draw of Shoreditch, Southwark & Vauxhall also looking like dividing the capitals clubbing crowd eager for some extra special entertainment. And given just how good all three parties are, the choice will prove a difficult one, yet as each deserve a bite at the proverbial cherry, we given them equal(ish) exposure, state the case for their collective captivation and then leave it to you to decide.
Main Meathead Man
So to our first of the three and to Shoreditch we head, as the magnificence of Meat rolls out another of its monthly meets, that cherry bite reference most appropriate as will become apparent when we delve into the detail. However, before we do, let’s give you a taste of just what Meat is about, this charismatic club being the brainchild of legendary D.J./Producer Tom Stephan along with his occasional recording studio partner, Shoreditch son (so called by us) Kris Di Angelis, this dynamic duo certainly knowing how to pitch a party with over 30 years experience of the capitals clubbing scene under their collective belts. And in Meat they have produced a party that combines elements of old & new, host venue East Bloc on City Rd supplying the underground feel & vibe that Tom was very much part of in the early days of his clubbing career, not least at Crash in Vauxhall. But more than that, with two distinctly different spaces to choose from, the duo also pitch the music to cater for the rich variety of clubbers Meat now attracts, whether they be the East End trendy socialites, the West End whizz kids or even the smatter of scene faces that grace its doors, Meat serves up a pretty unique mix that is difficult to match let alone beat, so one of many reasons why you should give it a go.
Love At First Bite
Convinced that Meat is for you? Well, this month would be as good a choice as any, as the boys are throwing a “Love At First Bite” themed event, which, given the bawdiness of last month’s “Hanky Panky” meet, looks like re-emulating the raunchiness in every way, both Tom & Kris taking up D.J. duty in the “Meathead” main room alongside fellow resident James Pople, serving up the best in electro twisted beats & underground grooves, while over in the “Mincemeat” second space, gender bender Munroe Bergdorf is joined this month by Tom Washington, the duo delighting with more soul tainted funk & pop. Add to that go-go’s Fer & Claudio performing throughout the night and both stretching the imagination among other things, while plenty of Meat mania gets going in & around the nooks & cranny’s of this East Bloc base, hosts Melvin, Jonathan Bestley & Alex Collins making sure fun will be had by all. As for the entry detail on this “Love At First Bite” Meat meet, doors open at East Bloc at 10.30 p.m. the club running through until a planned 6 a.m. finish and all for just £5 before midnight or £10 thereafter, further details out at http://eastbloc.co.uk.
Muscle Meet
Onwards and to Southwark now, the new base for Alex Erfan’s loveable clubbing brand, Lovechild, which throws its second party of the month tonight. Having established a long run of events across in Vauxhall at Fire, Lovechild has proved one of the most popular & sustainable Saturday night sortie’s in recent times, a whole succession of superb showings firmly establishing its premier position on the capitals clubbing circuit. Plus, having expanded into Europe, Lovechild’s presence has been felt right across the continent, from Amsterdam to Istanbul & Berlin to Barcelona, the marriage of minds seeing associations with clubs like Red & Blue, Delice, & Muccassassina, while back home links with Brighton’s Wild Fruit & London’s As One & Lo-Profile rank among its many achievements in the close on three years of its operation here in the capital. Add to that a dynamic D.J. residency team that includes the likes of London based stars Tony English, Brent Nicholls, Phil Hewson, & Mattias, international names extending to Javier Medina, Guy Scheiman, Johan Khoury & Leomeo, and the musical credentials of Lovechild pretty much speak for themselves. Yet, while having disappeared off our radar during the summer, our loveable brand is back pushing the boundaries at new home Pulse, very much finding its feet in this new environment, but loving every minute of it along with its new found associations with the venue’s owners, & links with the Logan presents promotions machine who also hold their SuperMartXe London events there. And with off-shoot “Superlovers” gathering steam, there is much to shout about in the Lovechild camp, so a club definitely worth a visit or more.
Inspiration Italiano
So what’s on offer tonight (Sat 13th Nov)? Well the team are going all Italiano on us with their “Roma” event, a devotion to all things Dolce Vita come Gladiators as it will be the Italian stallions that will be taking over Pulse and racing those pulses with all their rippling olive skin soaked muscles, amazing accents & looks, as well as Latino charm personified, Nik Ripley & his performers definitely meeting & probably exceeding all expectations on the eye candy front. But while our own & original Italian stallion D.J. Pagano will not be present, Alex has called on the services of his remaining Roman residents, Gabriele Cutrano, Micky Galliano, Alessandro Londra & Tony Bruno, all joined by relative newcomer to the Lovechild fold, Marco Gee, each one injecting plenty of Italian passion into their performances, whether it be Sicilian slants, Naples nuances or Piacenza progressions, the musical matches between these dynamic D.J.’s should work like a dream. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, Alex has tempted in this month’s Lovechild cover hunk, Eric De Chavez, who will be hosting & roaming the crowd to add yet more Italian pepperoni to proceedings in what is sure to be a saucy showing to stimulate & seduce. So, no more reasons required to head down to Pulse and while Soho’s ticket outlets doors may be closed, you can still grab an advance ticket for just £12 at http://clubtickets.com/gb/2011-11/12/love-child-brings-you-roma, while entry is also available on the doors which open at 11 p.m., the club running through till a planned 6 a.m. finish, more info, should you need it, out at http://alexerfan.com.
Biggest & Best
So to the third in our trio and what a third it is, as Beyond extends its arms to all its adoring fans with yet another extended offering marking the beginning of its winter season. Now, what we have said about this brilliant brand goes without saying, it having ridden a crest wave on the capitals clubbing circuit for most, if not all of its ten year tenure. Having pretty much transformed the afterhours clubbing market, bringing a barnstorming blend of beats from upfront house, to tech, deep, classic & progressive, along with everything in-between, in Beyond there is always something for everyone and everything for someone, while the amazing atmosphere in host venue Area’s main room is truly unbeatable, for us, anywhere in the globe. And talking of the globe, Beyond’s aspirations to become one of the planets biggest players has taken a major leap forward this year, showings in Paris, Mykonos, Ibiza & Sao Paulo , four highlights among a list of others, while back home, offerings in both “Belief” & “Supersize” format have cemented it as the single biggest & best brand on the capitals clubbing circuit. But more than that, Beyond draws on some of the best D.J. talent London has on offer, when you consider the likes of Steve Pitron, Mikey D, Jamie Head, The Sharp Boys, Fat Tony & Gonzalo Rivas among a host of others, you know the music & the magic of this monumentally magnificent meet will always be top draw delight from start to finish and reason why we cannot recommend it enough.
Winter Season Starter
So to this latest exceptional event in the chapter filled catalogue of Beyond bashes, tonight (Saturday 12th Nov) seeing the return of “Ice” the themed event that, as we have said, marks the beginning of the clubs winter season and should re-emulate the impressive outing of the same name twelve months ago. And in the “Midnight” format, this event runs for a full twelve hours, welcoming many of its resident D.J.’s to play in front of a packed out Area of three arena’s of sound, The Chapel space sorted by Hifi Sean, Paul Christian, D’Johnny & special guest Guy Williams, while The Terrace bar remains the domain of Jamie Head, The Oli & Fat Tony, although it is to the main room we look for the best action as “Ice” marks the welcome return of Beyond original & its most resplendent resident, Steve Pitron, who we know is hugely excited about his first set in close on a month, Steve taking up pole position from 8 till 10 a.m., he flanked by The Sharp Boys & Alan K. Then, add in the enticing ingredients of the famed effects & lighting, plus podium showings from Elektra Paris & her crew, “Ice” should have it all this Sunday morning, doors opening at zero o’clock & running through until midday, advance ticket purchases recommended by going to direct link http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2011-11/13/beyond-afterhours, while if you want to get in quick & for free, get your detail in now at http://tinyurl.com/beyondice. Those options aside, you can always pay on the door, but expect to pay more, although whatever the price to get in, you won’t want to get out anytime soon as you will no doubt absorb the awesome atmosphere that Beyond creates week in week out & should do again this time round.
So there it is, the most tricky choice presenting itself for many a moon, a trio of treats that doesn’t get any better in our books, we happy to lay our hat on any one of the three, although with a certain D.J. (wonder who that could be?!?!) tugging our heart strings & twisting our arms, we will be attempting to brave the dancefloor with our ravaged wrist, although whichever of the trio you choose, maybe all three, just make sure you “Go There! Be There! (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: Alan K, Alessandro Londra, Alex Erfan, Area, Beyond, Christian, Cutrano, D'Johnny, East Bloc, Elektra Paris, Fat Tony, Gabriele, Guy Williams, Hifi Sean, James Pople, Jamie Head, Kris Di Angelis, Lovechild, Marco Gee, Meat, Micky Galiiano, Munroe Bergdorf, Nik Ripley, Paul, Pulse, Steve Pitron, The Oli, The Sharp Boys, Tom Stephan | No Comments »
Looking back on October alone it seems that even Alton Towers has nothing on the rollercoaster ride we have found ourselves on, last weekend a perfect example of huge Friday highs followed by Saturday lows, an amazing “Play Time” at Lo-Profile followed by missing in action absences from The Week & Lovechild. And our expected return to weekly newsletters was also on the rocks, our physical & so mental wellbeing having taken severe dent, although while we may be down & out on circulating the scene, it doesn’t mean that you should be, so it is only right that our recommends show should go on with a selection of Best Bites & Short Shouts tips of where to be & be seen on the scene in Soho, Vauxhall & elsewhere this coming weekend.
Brilliant Bar
So, to Soho first and top of our tree has to go to Profile & Lo-Profile, the continuing success story of this bar & club combo attracting plenty of attention, well in our books at least, although it seems across the scene too, especially given a packed out place last Friday, both upstairs & downstairs. And then trend is surely going to continue in the same vein this weekend, with Profile serving up D.J.’s on both Friday & Saturday, while also serving up plenty of mouth watering food & liquid refreshments to wash it all down, all served up by one of the friendliest teams in town. Now, as for the D.J.’s, tomorrow night (Fri 21st) sees Rob Sykes take to the decks, no doubt serving up his usual cocktail of classics & latest hits, while on Saturday, relative unknown (we must find out more on him) Renato Ponto spins the sounds. In terms of that food offer, Profile’s Sunday roast is definitely worth a try, while their tempting daily bistro menu with the weekend lunchtime “2 for £10” offer is a great refuelling value for money temptation to drag you away from those Oxford St shops. And with a happy hour from 4 till 7 p.m. daily & the D.J.’s on show from 8 p.m., there’s every reason to start your night out early, more info on Profile’s offering out at http://profilesoho.com.
Time To Play
Now, downstairs in Lo-Profile, it’s a busy three day weekend, new(ish) night “Play Time” having replaced the former “Society” which has moved back to Thursday’s (more on that in our “Soho Social Soiree Shake-up” report out shortly), this week’s Friday night saucy shindig getting a tad sexier with the influence of home-grown porn star & all round birthday suit enthusiast Ashley Ryder, who brings some of his boys with him, joining handsome host Jay Roberts, while its just as eye candying tasty behind the decks, as the cute yet capable Zach Burns is back (officially this week), taking up the first stint, while Nick Evans completes the “Play Time” picture. Then on Saturday (22nd), it’s Lo-Profile in the raw with resident D.J.’s Nathan Six & Tony English sorting the sounds, the advertised billing that includes Alessandro Londra a tad inaccurate as our Italian bello is actually away in Poland on gig duty this weekend. But Lo-profile’s weekend doesn’t stop there, as the clubs major sponsor Gaydar has another celebration for its radio station’s 10th birthday with main man Phil Marriott hosting another “Secret Sunday’s” session, this event very much living up to its name with the surprise guest still under wraps, although judging from posted reviews, is one not to be missed. With Monday night meet “Beartrap” completing the Lo-Profile weekly package, check out their website at http://loprofile.com for more info on opening times, etc.
To some Short Shouts now and to Ku-Bar first, who have a full weekend of activity both their Lisle & frith St operations, the former sporting the likes of Dusty O, Lady Lloyd & DouGuim on the decks, while their no shortage young blood across on Frith St, more info on both available by going to http://ku-bar.co.uk.
Rupert St have a similarly busy weekend with D.J.’s on all three nights, our original foxy female Minx charging the tunes on Friday (21st), while scene favourite Brent Nicholls will no doubt be leathered up for his Saturday stint before heading down to Hard On! (more on that in a mo), while Alessandro lands back from Poland just in time for his usual Sunday slot, more info out at http://rupertstreet.com.
Shadow Sunday's
Onto the Shadow Lounge & firm favourites “Therapy” & “Inferno” fill their weekend, resident’s Sonathaq & Andrew Elmore, respectively, sorting the sounds, although we shouldn’t forget Sunday nights as Sister Dee Chanelle hosts the karaoke, live show & disco bonanza “Confessions Dbyk”, a weeklong list of events plus all you need to know on this Soho splendour out at http://theshadowlounge.co.uk.
Our last Soho Short Shout goes to Circa which all too often gets overlooked, although is a sumptuous & sophisticated little spot on Frith St up the Soho Sq end, which we find a perfect retreat from the manic movements around and has the added advantage of being open till 3 a.m., as well as sporting D.J.’s on all three nights of the weekend, including Munroe Bergdorf & Heidi Liscious, more info available at http://circasoho.com.
I'm Free
Right down to Vauxhall we go and to The Orange group who head up our league table of treats this weekend, a sea of activity encompassing some of your favourite brands around, Onyx, A:M, Beyond, Later, Booster & Orange all having their say, while the centrepiece of the weekend is the “Fire Free Party” on Saturday (22nd) which also serves as the official afterparty for “The Big Gay Lifestyle Show” (watch out for our Extra Bites post on this). And when the team say free, they mean it, although you do need to get into the club before 1 a.m. (no real hardship) with an ad or flyer (it’s £10 without), a superb line-up of D.J.’s on duty including D’Johnny, The Sharp Boys & Leandro Kloppel in the main room, while Ariel takes over the lounge, accompanied with his percussionist, hostess Elektra Paris keeping her gorge go-go’s in check & stage managing the shows as only she knows best. Plus, with selected shots at a mere £2.50 and spirit/mixer’s & beers at £2.90, this is one austerity busting bash that will certainly not burn a whole in your pocket, rather get you in the mood for partying right through till Monday morning, talking of which, Booster, which was shelved a few weeks ago, makes a welcome return to the schedule, guest D.J. Oliver M headlining this Sunday (23rd) at Area in advance of heading off for La Demence’s anniversary weekend, so will be a set & showing not to be missed. As for the other parties, A:M’s promoter Steven Sharp leaves the club in the capable hands of his resident D.J. team while he jets off to Amsterdam, those residents including Guy Williams, Fat Tony, Paul Heron & Jamie Head (top draw or what?!?!), while no weekend would be complete without a squeeze of citric clubbing from Orange, The Oli, Paul Martin & Fat Tony in the main room & RAW residents Gonzalo Rivas & David Jimenez keeping the beats banging till gone 9 a.m., more info on all these outings available at http://fireclub.co.uk/gayparties.
So to some Short Shouts and firstly you will see that we left out Le Boy from the line-up above and for good reason, as this is the first regular outing to take residence in new club Protocol which, given all the tongue wagging, is well worth a visit for the decor alone. Now Le Boy, having launched just two weeks ago, is beginning to find its feet, so for a sense of sophistication 7 style in an otherwise more manic Vauxhall world, why not pay Protocol & Le Boy a visit tomorrow night (Fri 21st), more details out at http://protocollondon.com.
Next up is venerable institution The Royal Vauxhall Tavern (RVT) who, as always, have a fun filled weekend kicking off on Friday with a truly alternative night called “Seeing The Red Project”, presented by the Bar Wotever crew, while Saturday sees the infamous” Duckie” roll out another raucous party, Sunday of course set aside for “S.L.A.G.S./Chill-out” who have announced the release of early bird tickets for their NYE “Pink Ball” (early or what!), more info on all of this out at http://thervt.org.uk.
Rubber Up
To The Eagle now and a venue down on Kennington Lane very much masculine in it manner as well as its weekend events, not least “Tonker” tomorrow night (Fri 21st), promoter Tim Jones welcoming special guest Ben Jamin (not to be missed) to the decks, while Sunday’s are Sunday’s when its Horse meat Disco. However, these two regular nights sandwich the new to London “Cockette” (the name say’s it all) on Saturday (22nd), this Milan import bringing D.J.’s Max M & Gigi LP with it, so well worth a visit, as is The Eagle’s website at http://eaglelondon.com.
Our fourth & final Short Shout goes to Hard On! which returns this Saturday (22nd) to serve up your fetish fill at Factory, promoter Suzie Krueger supported & sponsored by Invincible Rubber this month, who bring a dirty sleazy rubbered up show to the party, the sounds just as sexy & sleazy in the hands of residents Brent Nicholls, Halo-is & Sharon O Love, while a reminder that this is strict dresscode as well as a members only club, all details of which you can find by going to http://hardonclub.co.uk.
Dalston Delight
So to our alternative action and we head out east for our Best Bite choice, The Dalston Superstore taking our plaudits this weekend with a full-on schedule that starts off with the return of monthly Friday night frolic “Back To Back”, this gigantic gathering packed with electronic house, disco beats & electro to techno tunes, delivered from a dream team of D.J.’s that includes Attaque, Ian Robinson, Kezokicki, Mr F & James Harris, this hip happening spread across both floors and for good reason as it does get, in the venue’s own words “…absolutely rammo…”, meaning an early doors arrival (we reckon before 10 p.m.) is well advisable. However, its Saturday that steal much more of the limelight as a special one-off night called “Strange Desires” devours DSS, Disco Bloodbath’s Damon Martin marking his own official warm up for Halloween and drawing on the terrific D.J. talents of Dirtbox, Crisco Disco, Jos Gibson and, straight in from Berlin’s Panorama Bar, their star turn Carsten Klemann, meaning the music is sure to be deep & techno based in the basement, while upstairs the feel will be a bit lighter with Londoners Dave Kendrick & Dan Beaumont in charge of the tunes, much more akin to the “Hot Mess” style of sounds that come out of this DSS regular, that being handbag house, disco, Italo & pop. And like Friday, with “Strange Desires” kicking off from 9 p.m., we recommend an early arrival to avoid not getting in or being crushed by the competition for a select spot, although on Sunday, it will not quite be the case, as D.J. Squeaky brings you another “Tutti Frutti” session to soothe you smoothly into the new working week. But the DSS story also extends to a fabulous food offer right across the weekend, this the perfect daytime retreat for a bite to eat and with everything freshly prepared on the premises catering for all tastes from vegetarians to carnivores and all at extremely reasonable prices too, the place is well worth a visit at some point, even if you can’t take in the full extent of their three nights of heavenly happenings, more details on the venue & its offerings out at http://thedalstonsuperstore.com.
Right, to our final round of Short Shouts and we head down the road, to City Rd in fact, where you will find East Bloc, the venue that hosts parties such as “Gutterslut” & “Meat”, although this Saturday (22nd) sees a new night launched called “Songs Of Praise” and before you ask, no they won’t be screening the BBC1 Sunday night programme, rather the team behind “Kimono Krush” (of RVT fame) move across east to deliver a sermon of sounds that include pop classics & future house in the aptly named altar room, while in the chapel (it had to be!) it’s all about indie, a visit to http://eastbloc.co.uk revealing more.
Shoreditch Son Shindig
Next up is another east end offering, this time from Shoreditch son Kris Di Angelis, who has created yet another event/brand to brave the scene (where will this man’s talents end?!), “Love Below” having a pseudo Room Service feel about it, well in D.J. & hosting terms at least, as Kris is joined on the decks by Dimitry Strigun & Ricardo Borsi, while Munroe Bergdorf adds a touch of glamour to this unabated sex fuelled basement of a venue on Great Eastern St. (the place is GC’s at No. 54), deep house the order of the music. Now, we can’t provide a web link, but can direct you to the event page on for further details, which is http://facebook.com/event.php?eid=161645427262964.
Last but by no means least, although a departure from our usual picks, but keeping it close to home is a Short Shout for the Two Brewers in Clapham, which celebrates a staggering 30 years of strutting its stiletto stuff with a jam packed weekend of top notch cabaret (the stuff it does the best, better than all the rest) Friday (21st) seeing a special Drag Idol bringing back some of the competitions winners from years gone by, while on Saturday it’s the actual birthday bash, Sunday seeing no less than 14 of the cabaret circuit’s best, this the night we would recommend if you have to choose, details of the venue location & other tit bits (no pun intended) available at http://the2brewers.com.
Well that’s our picks for where to be & be seen on the scene this weekend, but just before we sign off, just a quick mention for our friends at Seen Queen who have been busy re-packing their shelves with lots of video’s & gallery pics from around the scene over the last few weeks, as well as looking forward to Halloween which is next weekend (ish), that on top of their own tip top choices (any the same as ours?!?), all worth a damn good rummage by going to http://seenqueen.com/.
So, all that’s left to say is to wish you a wonderful weekend wherever it finds you & whatever you end up getting down to, while for us it looks like being a quiet one as the shoulder injury won’t go away, but we are taking it day by day, so anything is possible, meaning if you do see us out, come say hi, naturally making sure you “Go There! Be There” (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: A:M, Andrew Elmore, Area, Beyond, Booster, Brent Nicholls, Circa, D'Johnny, David Jimenez, East Bloc, Fat Tony, Fire, Gonzalo Rivas, Gutterslut, Hard On!, Ku Bar, Later, Le Boy, Lo-Profile, Love Below, Meat, Mix, Nathan Six, Nick Evans, Onyx, Orange, Paul Martin, Profile, Rupert St, Seen Queen, The Dalston Superstore, The Eagle, The Oli, The Orange Group, The RVT, The Shadow Lounge, The Two Brewers, Tony English, Zach Burns | 1 Comment »
After a pretty topsy turvy summer season which started & ended with hospitalisation, that on top of writing prospect promises that failed to materialise, we point ourselves towards the autumn with renewed vigour, this new found furver in our footsteps seeing the return of our weekly recommends newsletter which we now plan to extend into Thursday’s as it seems the weekend does actually start here for many. Plus, while we did experiment with an all encompassing version “Bar Bites & Club Cuts”, a move dictated by a certain weekly magazine rag, now that ties have been severed, we are pleased that our best format is back & here to stay.
Fabulous Food
So, let’s crack on and take a look at Soho first, our top of the tree choice here going to Profile & Lo-Profile, that latter having seen a bit of a shuffle while we were off air, but more on that in a minute. As for Profile, well, it’s business as usual down Wardour St way, the ever friendly & gorge bar team making for the most hospitable welcome we know and with plenty of special offers up their sleeves, like the Tuesday “Steak Night”, the Wednesday “Burger Bonanza” & their exemplary Sunday roast, we couldn’t think of a better place to take a snack or even dive into their considerable menu, the lunch offer of two main courses for £10 looking particularly tempting, while it is worth noting that everything is prepared on the premises from fresh local sourced ingredients. Equally appealing is the weekend music entertainment as the bar boasts regular residents that include Jamie Head, Nick Evans, Nathan Six & Zach Burns, while this Friday (7th Oct) the team are banking on new boy James Whalley to pull in the punters, while on Saturday, regular D’Johnny is highly likely to be in WE Party mood as he warms up the WE worshipers before heading down to E&C himself. So, we think there are more than enough reasons there to entice you to pay Profile a visit sometime this weekend, not forgetting their fab happy hour which kicks in from 4 p.m. daily & now includes cocktail pitchers at just £15, further details out at http://profilesoho.com.
Naughty New Night
Now to Lo-Profile and as we touched on earlier, it’s been all change on Friday’s while we have been out of action, the weekly social splendour “Society” having given way to new night “Play Time”, this very much upping the ante on the raunchy side, with the addition of a bevy of gorgeous go-go’s, plus a roving commission of sponsors, this week seeing English Lads play host, while on the decks the exceptional experience of Jamie Head will be complimented by the fresh faced looks & music of new to Lo-Profile, Renato Porto. However, the clubs weekend will have already started thanks to Thursday night thriller Gigolo, the Hart boys David & Lambros bringing another edition of this increasingly popular boutique style brilliance, this week the theme being “Heat” and the musical heat definitely on max with man of the moment, Zach Burns, kick starting the night, Mykonos Xlsior festival superstar George Spiliopoulos jets in add to plenty of Greek heat to proceedings. Then jumping through to Saturday, Lo-Profile assumes relative normality with Nathan Six & Alessandro Londra serving up the sounds, although the weekend is far from over as Sunday (9th Oct) yet another new night hits town, as Gaydar Radio’s Phil Marriott hosts a sequence of “Secret Sunday” sessions to mark the radio station’s 10th birthday, the night kicking off from 5 p.m. with live shows each week from 6.30 p.m. from house bands, this week Just Like Little People & Ryan Keen featuring, while Mr Marriott will be jumping on the decks too. With advance tickets at just £5 on sale at http://gaydar-radio.clubtickets.com, while entry is also available on the door, this should prove a superb way to end your weekend in superb style, info on this & all happenings out at http://loprofile.com.
Meat Men
Now to a couple of Short Shouts and first, with our extension to include Thursday’s, we give a plug to Room Service, who continue to pull in scene starlets & celebs at host venue Diu, tonight (Thurs 6th) seeing D.J. duo Kris Di Angelis & Tom Stephan give the night a meaty feel ahead of “Meat” which has its monthly meet on Saturday. Also acted as WE’s pre-party, Room Service looks like being another heavenly happening, more details available at http://clubroomservice.com.
Other our Soho Short Shout goes to Rupert St who continue to pull in the punters, despite the current downturn in consumer spending, the pink pound apparently still quite buoyant, either that or a sense of escaping from reality still alive & kicking. And to help the happy mood are its resident D.J’s that play out each Friday, Saturday & Sunday, this week seeing our foxy female D.J. Minx sort the sounds on Friday, while its Alessandro Londra that steers both Saturday & Sunday, more info on the bars food & drinks offers out at http://rupertstreet.com.
Right let’s move down to Vauxhall and with the lion’s share of activity it will come as no surprise that The Orange Group get our Best Bite devotion this week, the launch of new club night Le Boy one of the more exciting prospects and one which we covered in a Weekend Focus post, all the detail out at http://discomatt.com/web/2011/10/recommends-false-start-fixed-le-boy-the-launch-friday-7th-october-weekend-focus/. But while Le Boy steals some of the Friday spotlight, Onyx have their own bite at the
Friday Fresh
cherry with their “Freshman – Class Of 2011 Freshers Party” very much aiming at drawing in those student types that are about to knuckle down to a term of study but need a Friday fling to get them in the mood, D.J.’s Jonny M & Lee Harris pumping the main room, while Onyx’s own Verity Mayes joins Lisa German & Ariel in The Terrace, The Chapel space all about pop with Lady Lloyd & James St James. Jumping to Sunday and, as usual, all roads will lead to beyond, not least tempting those WE Party boys & girls that want to continue their cavorting, this weekend marking the resplendent return of Beyond’s very own Steve Pitron which can only mean one thing for us, yes you guessed it, that emotional rollercoaster ride, so watch this space for a special Extra Bites post due out on Saturday morning devoted to Steve’s return. But the offer across the weekend also includes Gravity tonight (Thurs 6th Oct), Later on Sunday & Orange on Monday morning, although Booster no longer takes place & Saturday will be given away to WE (more on that in a min). Full details of all these parties can of course be found by going to http://fireclub.co.uk/gayparties, as well as adding your preferred club option to http://gayguestlists.com while http://clubtickets.com is also worth a trawl for advance tickets & event details. However, how could we forget Queer Nation who celebrate their 21st birthday on Saturday (8th Oct), pretty much a record on the scene, Fire the venue where it all happens, our second Extra Bites post of the week devoted to this momentous occasion, so watch this space for that.
Sunday Sensation
To a couple of Short Shouts now and the venerable institution that is The Royal Vauxhall Tavern (The RVT) getting our first shout, a weekend packed with entertainment kicking off with “Rooster” on Friday (7th Oct), a night for “…art makers & bedroom porn stars…” and with Jonjo & Timberlina in the driving seat, anything could happen, while regulars “Duckie” on Saturday & “S.LA.G.S./Chill-out” on Sunday will surely find their fabulous followers, more info on the full seven days of activity available by going to http://thervt.org.uk.
For our second Short Shout we venture just down Kennington Lane where we find The Eagle who also have a weekend full of engrossing events, the manly “Tonker” on Friday & the madcap “Horse Meat Disco” on Sunday (9th Oct) sandwiching new(is) night “Goodfellas” on Saturday, a our foursome of fella’s on the D.J. decks sure to hit the mark, Leonardo Glovibes, Micky Galliano & Severino being joined by Nico de Ceglia, plenty of Italian & Latin influence sure to pump up some passionate action in this raunchy resting place, further details of all three nights out at http://eaglelondon.com.
Now, moving onto our alternative choices and whilst not alternative in nature, given its location in Elephant & Castle, WE Party certainly sits here in our rundown of happenings, their “I Love WE” event taking place on Saturday (8th Oct), our Weekend Focus post “Banking On Brand Buoyancy” telling all at http://discomatt.com/web/2011/10/recommends-banking-on-brand-buoyancy-we-party-london-i-love-we-saturday-8th-october-weekend-focus/, leaving a clear path to Shoreditch splendour, East Bloc, to grab our Best Bite slot. And for good reason too, as not only did the venue celebrate its first full year in
Hankies At the Ready
operation last Friday, no mean feat in the tricky trading tide its finds itself within, but with big brand Gutterslut now firmly established at this Old Street operation, the venue’s owner & promoter, Wayne Shires, couldn’t be happier, a chance meet on the street just yesterday confirming that. But this weekend, it’s all about another brilliant brand which East Bloc boasts and one home-grown at that, as the magnificence of “Meat” returns for another of its monthly sessions, the theme this time round being “Hanky Panky”, not that they really needed to as plenty of that goes on usually anyway. However, as co-promoter Kris Di Angelis explained to us, “…the deal is that we hand you a hanky and then you have to do whatever the hanky say’s that you are into…”, which in our case could include a multitude of sins, but will certainly throw plenty of extra spice into this already meaty meet. And that “hanky” theme will also extend to those that are familiar with its calling sign, for instance “…if you’re a top, wear it in your left back pocket, if you’re a bottom then it’s the right….” while Kris also adds, “…into oral? light blue is your colour, cross dressing? light lavender, size queen? mustard yellow, military man? Khaki, food play? lime green, no limits? orange, spanking? fuchsia, cigar play? tan…..and so on…”, so it seems the usual hanky panky will be even more so, although the music is also pretty much guaranteed to be top draw, Messrs Di Angelis & Stephan (that’s Tom) will be joined in the main room by James Pople, while over in the “mincemeat” space (we love that!), Jonny Woo & Lee Dalloway entertain. Kicking off at 10.30 p.m., check out all the detail via http://facebook.com/event.php?eid=271734846182429, while take a look that the latest monthly video at http://youtube.com/watch?v=nGjCdTy6s44 which spells out the hanky panky!!
Blonde Bombshell Bash
Right to a couple of Short Shouts and firstly to the Dalston Superstore up in, yes you guessed it, Dalston, the team turning out a weekend full of events, Friday seeing “Blonde” take charge, the likes of Jim Warboy & A Man To Pet on the decks, while on Saturday (8th Oct) the Sink The Pink crew are back with the ever popular “Happy Shopper” with one of east end’s best, Prince Nelly, on the decks among a host of others. Then to finish off the weekend, Squeaky pulls in loads of friends for “Tutti Frutti”, details of all three events available by going to http://thedalstonsuperstore.com.
Our final Short Shout for this newsletter goes to Exilio, the Latin niche night that has been going now for an impressive 15 years, such is its fervent following, so the team mark this momentous occasion with a special celebration down at Guy’s Bar on St Thomas St, London Bridge, salsa, meringue, cumbia & plenty more on offer. Plus being relatively early doors, starting at 9.30 p.m. this Saturday (8th Oct), WE enthusiasts can kill two birds with one stone, but be prepared to fork out £10 for this birthday bash.
So that’s just about it for our newsletter return, while as for our weekend, well it looks like Le Boy on Friday, Meat on Saturday and then, without question, Beyond on Sunday morning, we already having been put under starting orders by Mr Pitron so will be on our spot ready for his set. So, if you see us out, come up & say hi, but whatever you do & wherever it finds you, have a great weekend & remember to “Go There! Be There! (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: Alessandro Londra, Ariel, Beyond, East Bloc, Gigolo, Jamie Head, Jonny M, Later, Le Boy, Lee Harris, Leonardo Glovibes, Lisa German, Lo-Profile, Meat, Micky Galliano, Nathan Six, Onyx, Orange, Orange Group, Phil Marriott, Profile, Queer Nation, Room Service, Rupert St, Steve Pitron, The Dalston Superstore, The Eagle, The RVT, Verity Mayes, Zach Burns | No Comments »
Also Back With A Bang
Having toiled over which direction we would be taking our regular weekly “Recommends” newsletter, in conjunction with our summer siesta, we gave this post a bit of a break while we rejuvenated our batteries & cleared the clog in that directional dilemma. So, finding our feet back under the proverbial table and having taken the decision to ditch what was always going to be a mere experiment of a change in the “Bar Bites & Club Cuts” concept, we are back to our former self & newsletter formula, that is picking out our top of the tree choices of where to be & be seen on the scene, as well as giving a mini mention to others that are well worth a look in. So, while our Best Bite & Short Shout format is back & here to stay, as we get back into the groove, we will be trying to make the post a little more inclusive, adding extra short shouts where we can & where they are warranted, although we will naturally be hanging our hat on those events that we either plan to review or would review, given the resource & time. Plus, we have included links to those parties that have got extra special attention via our Weekend Focus features, Orange’s 13th Birthday one, while, like us, SuperMartXe is also back with a bang, but more on those in a min.
Profile Package
So let’s crack on a look to Soho first which gets two top of the tree choices, Profile Bar our first Best Bite of the weekend and for good reason as this has now very much established itself as one of the more stylish & sumptuous places to be, the captivating cocktail of delicious drinks, fabulous food & magnificent music, intermixed with the amazing ambience that the smart socialising set it attracts, create. And of that music, this weekend sees two of its roving resident D.J. team turn out the tunes, Friday (9th Sept) seeing scene stalwart Rob Sykes spin some serious sounds, while on Saturday, the team welcome the cute yet capable Zach Burns to the D.J. decks, his Profile popularity no surprise given what a mature musical head he has on his shoulders, always treating us to a truck load of terrific tunes when he plays, so is sure to do the same this Saturday. But music aside, don’t forget the bars happy hour, which kicks in daily from 4 till 7 p.m., while lunchtime food offers make this a brilliant re-fuelling stop-off, the Sunday roast menu particularly appealing too. Plus, why not sign up for their new weekly newsletter which, along with much more info on the venue & its offer, is available at http://profilesoho.com.
Society The Spot
Moving downstairs and Lo-Profile has certainly stretched its appeal in recent weeks, due in no part to Thursday night frolic Gigolo, this social soiree splendour having recently taking its own short summer siesta of a break, but is back tomorrow night (8th Sept) with its “Stronger” event, Fredi Dimanche making his Gigolo debut and marking a very welcome addition to the resident team, while the clubs launch night sensation, Zach Burns kick starts the event which gets going from 10 p.m. So, with Lo-Profile’s weekend having already got underway, Friday (9th Sept) sees its own weekly social cum club night, “Society” stand in the Soho spotlight, Zach Burns making the second of three appearances across the weekend, although we certainly aren’t complaining, as he never fails to score with his superb stack of sounds. But, he doesn’t get all the say, far from it, as the pumping powerhouse that is Nathan Six takes up the musical mantle too and is sure to mesmerise the masses which his majestic mixes as always. But the weekend if far from over, as Saturday (10th) sees a real latin flavour to proceedings, as Gonzalo Rivas teams up with Alessandro Londra in an anglo Spanish/Italian concoction that should see the place packed & pumping all night. Add to that the Monday night meet “Beartrap” and there are loads of reasons to make Lo-Profile your dance destination, more details up at http://lo-profile.com.
Now to some Short Shouts and Ku-Bar/Club on Lisle St gets a first mini mention, Dusty O reassuming her spot this Friday (9th Sept) having compared the long running D.J. quest for the last three months, while favourite “Fabulous” takes over Saturday & Lady Lloyd’s “Hit Factory” steers your Sunday. Plus, if you missed seeing the winning D.J. scoop the prize last weekend, fear not as he will be playing at Ku’s Frith St pad this Saturday (10th Sept), more info on Ku available at http://ku-bar.co.uk.
Next is Rupert St, still Soho’s busiest bar and a popular hangout to boot, not least that they have D.J.’s on duty right across the weekend, main resident Alessandro London taking his usual Sunday slot, as well as Saturday (10th Sept) this week, while Leonardo Glovibes takes it turn on Friday. But with a fab food offer & extra special prices on champagne & cocktails, Rupert S is a great place t be & be seen, more details out at http://rupertstreet.com.
Our third Short Shout goes to The Shadow Lounge which, after celebrating its 10th birthday a few weeks ago, has settled back into its regular routine, Friday (9th Sept) seeing “Therapy” with D.J. Sonathaq on the decks, while the ever popular Andrew Elmore is back on Saturday with “Inferno”, while they will be in the thick of the Soho Pink Sunday event next weekend (post coming up), more details on this Brewer St. Brilliance out at http://theshadowlounge.co.uk.
Steve Thomas Treat
Right moving onto Vauxhall and there is lots happening this weekend, well if you are affiliated to the Orange Group that is, so they get our Best Bite, top of the tree choice, as a whole host of events are worth much more than a mini mention, so much so that we will be issuing a couple of Extra Bites posts shortly for both Onyx & Furrvert and with Beyond going “Super Size”, a report entitled “Spanish Scramble” will cover all you need to know about that. But it doesn’t stop there of course, as Orange (the club not the group) marks its 13th birthday this Sunday with a “Clockwork Orange” themed event, we having devoted a special Weekend Focus feature to this citric celebration, the direct link for our devotion being http://discomatt.com/web/2011/09/recommends-birthday-candles-on-fire-orange-13th-birthday-clockwork-orange-sunday-11th-september/ . However, with parties like Gravity, Later & Booster also part of the weekend mix, one afterhours that is really finding a new head of steam is A:M, the Saturday morning smash that is now under the steership of Steven Sharp, the man behind Orange, but also a well established & accomplished D.J./Producer and one half of The Sharp Boys. Having stripped A:M back to its basic formula, Steven is introducing some exciting D.J. talent to take the music back to where A:M was in the halcyon days of its launch, this week being no exception as Steve Thomas (of Trade fame) takes to the decks, joining a residency team that includes Paul heron, Jamie Head, & Fat Tony, while Mr Sharp is also impressing the “Majority Gay” policy of the club, while naturally welcoming many regulars of all genders that have been supporting A:M over the years. With further exciting guest D.J’s to come, this Saturday morning is a sure-fire (excuse the pun) sensation & well worth a visit, more details of this & all Orange Group events at Fire available at http://fireclub.co.uk/gayparties.
To some Short Shouts now and first up is the institution that is The Royal Vauxhall Tavern (RVT), a packed weekend kicking off with “Loud” tomorrow night (Fri 9th Sept) with Massimo Paramour mixing up synth pop, new wave & indie dance in an 80’s inspired evening, Pauline Henry from the Chimes the P.A., while on Saturday its regular romp “Duckie”. Then no Sunday would be complete without a “S.L.A.G.S./Chill-out” event, not even the forecast heavy rain keeping the faithful away & the venue rammed, more info on this & the RVT’s weeklong schedule out at http://thervt.org.uk.
Just down the road is The Eagle, home to Sunday smash Horse Meat Disco, which rolls out another session with residents Jim Stanton, James Hillard & Severino, while sandwiching Saturday is “Tonker” tomorrow night, promoter Tim Jones welcoming guest D.J. Micky Galliano to the decks, this Muccassassina resident well worth a look in, as is Eagle, further details on happenings available at http://eaglelondon.co.uk.
Our third mini mention goes to barcode, which seems to have taken on a new direction recently, also filling the boots that used to be occupied by Union, Steven Geller’s brands “Bodyshakers” & “Crunch” taking up residency, both extending the bar’s usual trading hours deep into Saturday & Sunday morning, both these parties of the afterhours antics type. Then there is “Fitladz”, which holds another horny happening at Barcode tomorrow night (Fri 9th Sept), although access for this men only club night is through the Goding St & not the main entrance on Albert Embankment, more info on Barcode out at http://bar-code.co/.uk.
Amazing Alternative
So, we move onto our alternative options, naturally headed up by SuperMartXe, which makes a welcome return to the scene this Saturday (10th Sept) with a lights out inspired “Blackout” event that is set to steal the spotlight for sure. And, having missed out on the last four, we will definitely be heading to Pulse, also having given it a big thumbs up in our Weekend Focus feature which you can check out at http://discomatt.com/web/2011/09/recommends-logan-back-in-the-limelight-supermartxe-blackout-saturday-10th-september/. That said, we are pretty miffed that we will be missing out on another “Meat” party, which also takes place on Saturday, this Shoreditch shindig having gained considerable legs since having been launched back in February, co-promoters Tom Stephan & Kris Di Angelis having created a cult club that has grown in both stature & following, month on month. And it seems that the recipe to is soaring success is in both the music & the crowd, as the sounds served up by Tom Kris & a along with other roving resident D.J.’s including James Pople, Jeffrey Hinton & Munroe Bergdorf, the combo of electro & underground beats in the main room, with rnb, soul & classics in the “mincemeat” room make for a colourful combination, as is the crowd, east end boys mixing with west end girls, arty types, scene faces & even a smattering of big room clubbers making “Meat” their dance destination. So, with a “School Boy Beats” theme their way of marking the start of the new term, for a night full of diverse debauchery, you should look no further, full details out at http://facebook.com/event.php?eid=112923042144285.
So, to a couple of Short Shouts and just up the Shoreditch road is The Dalston Superstore (DSS), which also has packed weekend of events, two highlights being “Back To Back” this Friday (9th Sept), the name implying what to expect, D.J.’s Goodhand, Kezokichi, Sigmund, Kraftwerk & Dietrich mix up the music, while the “Body Talk” crew take over the DSS on Saturday with a special event dedicated to the music of Prince, promoter & resident D.J. Rokk, heading up a team that includes Tristan reed & Charlie Bones. Plus with Squeaky holding court on Sunday, the DSS has lots to offer this weekend, more info out & available at http://thedalstonsuperstore.com.
For our final mini mention we head back closer to town, as “Wig Out”, having moved from weekly to monthly is back, setting its superb stool at Ghetto Factory in Aldwych, this alternative, indie & 80/’s/90’s night welcoming pop princess Toyah Wilcox as their special guest, this goddess of the 80’s performing live, while budget beating door entry 7 drinks prices make this a poptastic night well worth a visit, more details available via the event page at http://facebook.com/event.php?eid=240144349363358.
Time For A Tan
Now, just before we close, a quick couple of mentions go to, first, clubbing bible website SeenQueen (http://seenqueen.com) who have had a bit of a botox makeover while we have been off air, the new look well worth a peek, as are lots of the features that cram its pages, while as we wave goodbye to the summer (what summer we hear you cry), it’s definitely time to feel good by grabbing a tan, Solarstation the place to do it, more info out at http://solarstation.co.uk.
So, that’s just about it for our return newsletter and look at the coming weekend, one which you can definitely catch us at SuperMartXe’s “Blackout” event & Orange’s 13th Birthday, while we may also make a stop-off at Beyond. So, if you see us out come say hi, but whatever you are up to & wherever its finds you, have a great weekend, remembering that to be & be seen on the scene you need to “Go There! Be There!. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: A:M, Alessandro Londra, Beyond, Booster, Fire, Gigolo, Gonzalo Rivas, Gravity, Horse Meat Disco, Ku Bar, Later, Lo-Profile, Meat, Nathan Six, Orange, Profile, Rupert St, Society, SuperMartXe, The Dalston Superstore, The Eagle, The R.V.T., The Shadow Lounge, Tonker, Zach Burns | No Comments »
Park Party Pitched Perfectly
Casting our minds back some ten to fifteen years and looking at a London clubbing landscape that was littered with special events both indoors & out, the likes of Famous Five & Universe attracting huge numbers on Bank Holidays and this marking a time when outdoor Pride parties were never more prolific, happy happenings at a host of alfresco areas, Clapham Common, Victoria, Kennington & Finsbury parks, all significant, while memorable Brockwell Park meets particularly stuck in the mind, a string of outstanding outings culminating there with Purple In The Park in 2002. But by this time, the penchant for a park party had pretty much fallen out of favour, not least due to a succession of soaking sessions, London’s premier Pride party in Hyde Park proving a wash-out two years in a row, even Purple suffering a similar fate. Yet, despite the weather, there is nothing quite like a park party and while Brighton seems to have survived & indeed thrived, whereas London has lost out, but when news hit our desks of the re-launch of an exceptional alfresco event that well & truly rocked Brockwell Park and was best of the bunch, we simply had to give it the support it deserved.
Summer Rites was, without doubt, the best alfresco outing we have attended, the launch event some twelve years ago making its mark pretty much instantaneously with the most prolific party we can remember, an outing that saw us accompanied by our then close companion, Chris Reardon, when the likes of Ultra Nate were headlining the massive main stage, while a pack of peripheral parties within this massive festival very much hit the mark, not least Monday morning madcap meet, Warriors, which took over the lido, creating a water park style splash that we will never forget. But like so many of it park party bedfellows, Summer Rites became a victim of that tide change we talked about, outdoors being swapped for in, leaving the whole creative concept pretty much dead in the water. However, with the vision of its original organisers spotting a new gap in the festival market, no doubt spurned by the success of Lovebox, along with the marriage of minds of brands like Salvation, XXL & Popstarz, combined with the more cutting edge east end events, Gutterslut & meat, very much gave this boutique festival credence to the clubbing circuit crowd, meaning, on paper at least, there was nothing stopping Summer Rites “Remixed” from being a resounding success. The question was, how did it actually fare? And what were the real highlights for us?
Shoreditch Park Splendour
Having succumbed to a totally unplanned trip to Beyond on the Sunday morning, initially agreeing to leave after just one hour, it was The Oli that stalled our departure, the rest pretty much history, although we blame a storming set my Mikey D that really did the damage., So, with plans to arrive at Summer Rites bright & early laid to waste, it was Lovechild’s promoter Alex Erfan that came to our rescue a very welcome chauffeur style ride to Shoreditch Park by Queer Nation’s (and many more) Patrick Lilley, transporting us from SW4 to E1 in an instant, although a little later than planned, we hitting the ground running (well nearly the ground actually) a just after 5 p.m.. However, with the distinctly rain filled clouds having cleared by this time, we couldn’t have timed our arrival more perfectly, the sun suddenly shining and a glorious greeting on the gate by the ever smiling Stewart, just the started we needed, particularly in our fragile state, but then there was no one else to blame for our Beyond bawdiness that had caused us to feel this way, a pick me up very much in order, although right from the off we seemed to be left a bit begging.
Finding out feet momentarily, we gazed upon this Shoreditch Park splendour of a Summer Rites “Remixed” alfresco audacity, the mix of tents & stages pitched perfectly, although some were finding favour over others, our first stop being the Bootylicious bus, which had a faithful following of its usual mix of colours & creeds, Messrs Lilley & Forbes in their element. Then it was a case of slowly (thank heavens!) making our way around the park, our next port of call the XXL tent, Christian M in charge of the tunes, a brief stop soon finding us across that the main stage, in the hands of international clubbing brand Salvation, Elliot J Brown taking centre stage with a myriad of magical music mixes that had us on a monetary upsurge of energy, the considerable crowd also lapping up his dance delectations with real gusto. But we were keen to spot out the East Bloc tent, not least as both awesome alternatives, Gutterslut & Meat were sowing their hands, the likes of Per Q.X. & Tom Stephan masterminding the music. And, we weren’t to be disappointed, as not only was the atmosphere amazing inside, but it was packed with familiar faces, Ross Paterson & pal, fresh from their Madrid Pride exploits, as well as the Brazilian bunch including Sophie & Giuseppe, all throwing themselves into the Gutterslut slice of this alfresco antics afternoon.
Booty Bus
However, our tour of the park was not yet over, with the VIP area still to investigate, but not before circling the park to take in the Popstarz tent, although being caught in our tracks by fab photographer Chris Jepson who instantly snapped us together with our “mature boy band” partners before heading off to click his camera at more unsuspecting targets. With the Popstarz tent pretty empty, save for a handful of pop pickers, Max Sanna included, we waved farewell to both Patrick & Alex had had seen what they wanted to see, the VIP area our next port of call and that much needed “pick me up” that our Beyond bedraggled body had been crying out for. Mind you, with the scene glitterati floating around, The QX top brass, the Boyz boys, a smattering of D.J.’s & other scene faces, we soon fell into captivating conversation with Tony Tansley who seemed grateful he was the right side of the organisational side of the fence, having been part of the original Summer Rites team, but now enjoying this “Remixed” festival as a patron. But it was then the amiable Antoine 909 who engaged us fully, we talking D.J.’ing, pride partying, festivals & all sorts of other topics, we realising just what a tremendous guy & talent he is and one that the London scene sorely misses (a comeback pleaaase!!).
With our VIP socialising over and the evening sunshine peeping through, we were main stage bound, the lion’s share of the remaining festival frolickers glued to a spectacular set by our very own foxy lady, Miswhite, who was clearly revelling in her big stage appearance, further familiar faces within the crowd, including Phil Marriott & Russell, both camera clicking, a quick pop backstage seeing a chance meet with the adorable Paul Vlad who was in fine fettle. However, we were waiting for prolific P.A. Peyton to hit the stage, so back front we went finding more captivating company, this time in the form of vivacious vocalist Lizzie France, who like us, was praying for a prolific Peyton performance. And we weren’t to be disappointed, as he pretty much stole the Summer Rites “remixed” show, with a clutch of towering tunes including “Trapped” leaving us once again breathless in admiration of his scintillating stage showing & powerful presence. So with our Shoreditch park festival box well & truly ticked, we pointed out now flagging body towards the exit & a saunter home to reflect on one of the best gay outdoor gatherings in a long while.
Peyton Packed The Park
So what was our verdict on this return of Summer Rites? Well, there was absolutely no doubt that it had all the right ingredients that make for a successful park outing and we were particularly impressed with the marvellous mix of club tent & entertainment offerings, bringing in all colourful corners of this superb scene that we are so lucky to be involved in. And, while the park was never packed, the turnout was impressive enough, although we suspect that the entry price may have been a distraction for some, while the weather was always going to play its part, that fateful British summer not letting us down, with a shower & sunshine parade that was probably a deterrent for others. Yet, with the choice of clubs represented balanced well, the inclusion of the mandatory fare rides, market stalls & food stands, along with the all important drinks outlets, Summer Rites had it all, was a park party pitched perfectly and ended up be a very enjoyable excursion, so well worth the trip across town. Highlights have to have been Peyton’s prolific performance & that awesome atmosphere in the East Bloc tent, while the amiable Antoine made our day pretty much complete, meaning that we sincerely hope Summer Rites & all its terrific trappings will be back, bigger & even better next year as it certainly gets our vote. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Reviews | Tags: Alex Erfan, Antoine 909, East Bloc, Gutterslut, Lizzie France, Meat, Patrick Lilley, Per QX, Peyton, Popstarz, Salvation, Summer Rites, Tom Stephan, Wayne Shires, XXL | No Comments »
Having taken a break last weekend from our Best Bites & Short Shouts recommendations as we honed in on what proved to be the real highlight of London Pride 2011, The Fire Dance Stage, also wanting to concentrate on our post rather than pre-reporting, putting our much missed full length reviews back on the map, we return with our look forward to the highlights of the coming three days on the clubbing scene, picking out our choices of where to be & be seen. And having already laid out hat on two, we will share the links to those Weekend Focus posts, as well as running down what best & otherwise in Soho, Vauxhall & elsewhere.
Stylish Soho Spot
So, let’s get to it and have a look at the capital’s first & favourite gay village, rising like cream in a milk bottle being Profile & Lo-Profile (yes they’re here every week we know!) who are still very much talking the talk & walking the walk on a bar & club scene awash with also rans, Lo-Profile particularly proving an exciting alternative to our friends south of the river. But let’s have a look at its smaller but perfectly formed partner, Profile very much a stylish spot to kick start your weekend, not least as they offer the best combo of quality drinks & food that we know, all in swish surroundings that also sport some of the scene’s top D.J.’s as well as new talent on both Friday’s & Saturday’s to compliment the outstanding offer & warm you into taking a trip downstairs to bigger sister Lo-Profile. And this weekend looks like being another greater starter for clubbers & socialites alike, as two Profile resident favourites return to spin some superb sounds to get you moving & grooving to the bar-tastic beats, tomorrow night (Friday 8th) seeing Nathan Six dive behind the D.J. decks, no doubt still smarting from a stellar set the previous night for social splendour Gigolo’s “Fever” foray, while on Saturday (9th), it’s the turn of scene stalwart Rob Sykes to select those supercharged sounds & slide you into the dancing dervishness of downstairs. With the D.J.’s revving up the rhythms from 8 p.m., a happy hour running between 4 & 7 & plenty more on offer, go check out the bar’s website at http://profilesoho.com for more details.
Society Stars Set To Shine
So to Lo-Profile and the spotlight having been on Gigolo tonight (Thurs 7th), this Soho splendour having firmly established itself on the social soiree scene, tomorrow night it’s the turn of another glorious gathering with plenty of social style but a more clubbier edge to have that spotlight shone on it, “Society” reaching for the stars with two star D.J.’s of the scene, one of the biggest in the business, Steve Pitron kicking off proceedings from 10 p.m., no doubt treating us to a Beyond-esque performance full of all those adorable anthems & heavenly house hits we have come to love, while the cute yet capable Zach Burns makes its two nights in a row, returning to the Lo-Profile scene of the crime to lay down another stormer of a set that has made him one of the clubs shining new stars & very much a rising talent in our books, Zack taking over from Mr Pitron at 1 a.m. & carrying you through till the 4 a.m. finish. Then on Saturday, it’s the Beyond pre-party with one of this awesome afterhours former & one of current residents pointing you in the direction of Sunday morning & a date with Area, Hugh Stevenson starting off the night of musical magic, with D’Johnny fresh from WE parties last weekend in London & Madrid, caps off a superb session of sounds. Add to all that, a new night event “Bear Trap”, launching this coming Monday (11th July) with Ben Jamin & Phil Marriott in charge of the chunky tunes and there is much going on down Lo-Profile way, more details on happenings available at http://lo-profile.com
Now to some Short Shouts and first to Ku Bar on Lisle Street, who continue their D.J. talent contest tomorrow night (Fri 8th), with The Very Miss Dusty O, mistress of ceremonies, while fast forwarding to Sunday, gender bender Lady Lloyd legs its back from Trannyshack at Summer Rites to roll out another “Hit Factory” evening of pop & classic house, Monday seeing the delectable DouGuim spin the sounds at “Citric”. More info on Ku Bar & its events can be found at http://ku-bar.co.uk.
Onto Rupert St and they roll our tow of their favourites to add to resident Alessandro Londra’s regular Sunday session, tomorrow (Fri 8th) seeing foxy female D.J. Minx take to the decks, while on Saturday, Oliver M will no doubt be sharing his tales of the La Demence cruise & some new sounds he has picked up on his travels. With a revamp on its way, you can still check out the bars website for offer info by going to http://rupertstreet.com.
Finally for Soho, two quick reminders, the first being a permanent closure as Barcode graced its exit from the scene last week, new owners, Freedom, about to undertake some major refurbishments, while its a refurb of another scale across at Shadow Lounge, which gets a extensive nip & tuck from next week, closing its doors until the re-launch in time for its 10th birthday on 25th July. Watch this space for a full feature on this stylish trendsetter as it celebrates its milestone, while we will let you know more on Barcode’s successor as soon as news reaches us.
Right onto Vauxhall and firstly we cannot contain our excitement in reporting the return of Alex Erfan’s brilliant brand Lovechild, which having taken a short break is coming back bigger & better. Now we covered their “Super Heroes” event, which takes place this Saturday (9th July) in our Weekend Focus post, “From Fire To Fever”, (out & available via direct link http://discomatt.com/web/2011/07/recommends-from-fire-to-fever-lovechild-super-heroes-meets-fever-saturdays-9th-16th-july-weekend-focus-special/), while to re-enforce our details, with this post pride party just a fiver to get in & offering a host of international D.J. talent, drop dead gorgeous dancers, magnificent music & sexy shows, it has to be a must on your Saturday schedule.
Recovery Rhythms
However, while Lovechild definitely gets our vote, our Best Bite goes to the Orange Group who are holding a weekend of post pride tank you parties, starting with Onyx tomorrow night (Fri 9th July) at Area & bringing you the best in “Classic” partying, with resident D.J.’s including Lee Harris Jc Christopher, Lisa German, Ariel, Jason Prince & James St James, play uplifting house, tough tech & purist pop across three rooms of fun, new promoter Verity Meyes, has introduced two new guests to the line up, Lady Lloyd joining the pop-tastic crew in the chapel room, while the delectable DouGuim toughs it out in the in the terrace space. With all the usual luminous laser lighting, prolific pyrotechnics & exceptional effects, the entertainment also extends to vivacious vocalist, Tonnic, who takes to a specially positioned stage in the main room, performing alongside both Lee & J.c across the events proceedings Labelled as much as a “Pride Recovery” party as a thank-you, the big thank you being free entry with an ad or flyer before midnight, while this free offer also extends to anyone on the guestlist that makes it to Onyx’s doors before the witching hour, that guestlist inclusion available by going to http://gayguestlists.com. For those not sharp or quick enough to make it before midnight, it’s still worth grabbing a flyer from Tom’s boys in town, or from the man himself who will be on tireless duty into the wee hours, entrance after midnight at £6 with that flyer, while its £8 for others, that’s if you haven’t bought your advance £5 ticket online at http://area.clubtickets.com. And if those special entrance offers aren’t enough, then drinks prices at just £1 for shots & £2.90 for selected bottles should please, more info on Onyx available by going to http://fireclub.co.uk/gayparties.
Thank You Throng
Then it’s a case of looking forward to Sunday morning (10th July) as Beyond then stands under the post pride thank-you spotlight, serving up a special party, again to sat a big thank you from the team for making their “Super Pride” event the huge success it was, very much sending nearly all the other parties across the weekend sliding into the shade. Indeed, we were there to review it all, sparkling sets from both Mikey D & Steve Pitron, along with spectacular showings from a host of others including Fat Tony, The Sharp Boys & The Oli (check out our review at http://discomatt.com/web/2011/07/reviews-rapturous-return-erupts-emotions-beyond-super-pride-sunday-3rd-july-full-size-review/). As for this coming Sunday, we are expecting more of the same, The Oli & Fat Tony definitely taking charge of the terrace room, while the future house chapel space will see regular Paul Christian joined by Hifi Sean, fresh from his exploits over in Spain for Madrid Pride last weekend. As for the main room, while we are still awaiting the final line-up, but are hedging our bets on a return for Paul Heron, fresh from his La Demence cruise exploits & having played for Beyond on the boat day six, while we are flipping a coin between Messrs Dower, Rivas & The Sharp’s to pick up the other two slots on this superb shindig. Now, here’s the deal on that thank you that the team are offering and it comes with one of their best ever, as with your hands on the Beyond “Pride Thank You Party” flyer, entry before 8 a.m. is just £5, that’s a full £15 discount on the usual door price entry. However, for those not wise enough to get in on this amazing act, then advance tickets at £10 are available at outlets Prowler, Clone Zone & 50, at bars Rupert St & The Yard, as well as online at http://area.clubtickets.com, with further details available at the clubs dedicated website run by promoter Jonny Marsh at http://jonny-m.co.uk/beyond. Plus, don’t forget “Beyond On the Radio”, which sports a whole seven hours of those spectacular sets from last week’s “Super Pride” event, this being no better way to warm up for the club itself, than by tuning in at http://gaydarradio.com.
Now to some Short Shouts & we stay with The Orange Group for our first, as the team now have not one day in the week to rest as Patrick Lilley’s “Work” club runs from The Lightbox at Fire each Wednesday, completing an exhaustive line-up that also includes Gravity on Thursday’s, A:M on Saturday morning, Later Sunday afternoon, Orange Monday morning & Open on Tuesday’s, while over at Area, Beyond & Onyx are joined by Deuces on a Thursday & Booster on a Sunday night, details of all these events available at http://fireclub.co.uk/gayparties.
Our other Vauxhall Short Shout goes to The Eagle who have a full weekend on offer, Friday set aside for Tim Jones’ “Tonker”, while on Sunday its Jim Stanton & James Hillard’s “Horse Meat Disco”. But the big gun is the return of “Sugar” this coming Saturday (9th July)the iconic nineties & noughties RnB slanted shindig with headline D.J. Anthony Crank supported by the likes of Simon Allen, Lee Thomas & Simon Kilner, all with a brilliant bag of beats to barnstorm this epic event, so well worth a look in. For details of these & other events across the week, go to http://eaglelondon.com.
Fabulous Festival Fun
So to our alternatives and to the hint from our post title, as Sunday afternoon & afterwards looks set to be dominated by the return of fabulous festival Summer Rites, which holds its boutique clubbing style outdoor event “Remixed” at Shoreditch Park, we having covered the devil in the detail in our Weekend Focus post “Fantastic Festival Re-Formed” (out at direct link http://discomatt.com/web/2011/07/recommends-fantastic-festival-re-formed-summer-rites-re-mixed-sunday-10th-july-weekend-focus/), the team behind this Hoxton happening very much very much praying for some sun amidst what is a spell of vey unseasonable weather, yet will be THE place to be come Sunday afternoon. So, without doubt Summer Rites “Remixed gets our alternative Best Bite vote for this weekend, the detail laid out for all to see in our focus post. However, to recap on some of the important info, please note that online tickets while still available at http://summer-rites.com priced at £20, you will need to collect these at the entry gates, while outlets Prowler & Expectations are selling too, although only have a limited stock available, so it’s worth placing a call before you visit. Failing that, you can pay for entry at the park gates, although please ensure you have the readies with you, as card payments cannot be accepted. And just to remind you that with brilliant clubbing brands out in force including Salvation, Trannyshack, XXL, Meat, Gutterslut & Bootylicious, this is one outdoor event, brolley or not, you won’t want to miss. However, one part of proceedings we didn’t hit off in our extensive Summer Rites devotion, was the afterparty arrangements, “Encore” being the “official post festival gathering at urban warehouse venue, Village Underground, just 15 minutes away from Shoreditch Park, this party kicking off from 9 p.m. until late & sporting a D.J. line-up that includes Per Q.X, Tom Stephan, Jeffrey Hinton & Paul Coals, while entry to this event is a mere £5 with wristband, (until 11 p.m. & available in the park all day) plus £5 before 10 p.m. or £10 otherwise, more details available at http://summer-rites.com or http://eastbloc.co.uk.
So, to a couple of Short Shouts to round off our Weekend recommendations & we cannot resist serving up a double dose of “Meat”, as Tom Stephan will not only be flying this magnificent meet’s flag at Summer Rites, but the night before (Sat 9th July) will be in the thick of the action at host venue, East Bloc, along with Meat men Kris Di Angelis & James Pople, while Munroe Bergdorf & Kingsley look after room two. But while this will be a Saturday storm (more details at http://eastbloc.co.uk) Sunday will see Tom & his team serve up more Meat go-go’s, more Meat comedy/twisted porn, bigger beats from Messrs Stephan & Pople & the promise of the biggest tent in the park meaning it’s time to get your fill of Meat “Two Ways”.
Our other Short Shout goes to the return of one of the alternative clubbing scene’s greatest, as “Wig Out” comes at ya this coming Saturday (9th July), oh the choice!!!, this pop institution that was forced to close when host venue Ghetto was condemned to the bulldozer to make way for Crossrail, makes a triumphant scene resurgence at the aptly named Ghetto Factory, off Aldwych, with a special performance by none other than Pete Burns, while D.J.’s on duty will include Tommy Turntables & Lady Lloyd., added to which 2-4-1 drinks from opening at 10 p.m. for the first (happy) hour & not over £2.80 afterwards is as big a draw for some as Pete is for others.
Right, that’s just about it for another week, but a reminder that if you would like us to give your favourite bar, club or event a Short Shout, or even if you feel it deserves a Best Bite inclusion, then drop us a line at matt@discomatt.com, or send us a message via our Facebook page at http://facebook.com/discomattlondon. Plus, we will be launching a new section on our website called “Lists”, where will be popping regular brief posts detailing the all important information of those choices where DM reckons you should be & be seen on the scene, so keep your eyes peeled for more news on that.
In the meantime, we hope you like our choices here and wish you a wonderful weekend, while for us, it looks like we will be popping into “Society” at Lo-Profile tomorrow night (Fri 8th July) for a catch up with Messrs Pitron & Burns, while on Saturday, it’s a “Super Lovers” night as we will be on review duty at Lovechild, Sunday being devoted to Shoreditch Park & Summer Rites “Remixed”. So, if you see us out, come say hi, but wherever you are & whatever you do, make sure you “Go There! Be There! (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: A:M, Alessandro Londra, Area, Ariel, Beyond, Booster, D'Johnny, Deuces, East Bloc, Gonzalo Rivas, Gravity, Hifi Sean, Hugh Stevenson, James Pople, Jc Christopher, Kris Di Angelis, Ku Bar, Lady Lloyd, Later, Lee Harris, Lisa German, Lo-Profile, Lovechild Fire, Meat, Minx, Nathan Six, Oliver M, Onyx, Orange, Paul Heron, Per Q.X., Porfile, Rob Sykes, Rupert St, Salvation, Steve Pitron, Summer Rites, The Oli, The Orange Group, The Sharp Boys, Trannyshack, Wig Out, Work, Zack Burns | No Comments »
Fabulous Festival Re-Formed
Having just about a week ago lamenting on the wonders of park festivals passed, we find ourselves in the same boat, looking back & then looking forward as one of our favourite festivals from a good ten years makes its welcome return to the summer scene. But pushing back the clock, when Summer Rites was rocking our world, it seemed that park festivals were going from strength to strength, a whole succession of post Pride parties having been held in Brockwell, Victoria, & Finsbury park(s), while Clapham Common had also featured. And it was the Brockwell days that saw Summer Rites rise to ascendency, the first event still living in our memories, not least when we clubbed & cavorted to the Warriors sounds of Wayne G in the Brockwell park lido with close companion of the time, D.J. Chris Reardon., while the likes of Ultra Nate were performing on the main stage, oh the memories!!
Yet, as good as Summer Rites was, a tide change that saw park parties become less & less popular, not least due to a run of years when the famous British summer reared its rainy head, very much dampening festival organisers’ causes, outdoors was swapped for indoors, while Pride itself ditched the park format in favour of the central London square scenario, perhaps on the strength of Soho Pride which had become the darling of the festival scene in the capital. However, with two years of success under its belt, Lovebox has spurned a resurgence in the penchant for a park party and when news hit our desks that Summer Rites was to return, we suddenly looked forward to a season full of alfresco antics, obviously crossing lots of fingers for that famed weather to hold, serving up plenty of sunshine rather than rainy Sunday’s. But whilst we cannot guarantee the weather this coming Sunday (10th July), what we can promise is a party to re-emulate those halcyon Summer Rites days, with a whole host of dance tents, entertainment & everything else that goes with partying in the park.
Resplendant Remix
So, what’s on the Summer Rites “Remixed” table then? Well, for this “…boutique gay clubbing festival…”, quite a lot actually, as the organisers have gathered some of the big name brands to support the host of locally based Shoreditch showstoppers like Gutterslut, Meat, & Pony Step. And there are some pretty big names in the frame too, international mega club Salvation spearheading an impressive line-up of dance & entertainment tents that also includes bear brand XXL, gender bender brilliance “Trannyshack” & the indie trendsetter, Popstarz, not to mention other supporters that include The Royal Vauxhall Tavern, represented by their night “Kimono Krush”, while Shoreditch bar The Joiners Arms, along with gay boozer The George & Dragon lend their support to the refreshment tents & stands, as well as having their own spaces to flaunt their entertainment wares. But the involvement doesn’t stop there as Shoreditch’s finest & most talked about club of the moment, East Bloc, will play an intrinsic part in proceedings, while Century Club’s “Sunday Happy Day” will lend a helping hand, this on top of a special “Bootyliicious” bus that should prove a real draw.
But, before we drill down on some of the detail, here’s a message from our sponsors, or more appropriately the organisers who say about Summer Rites “Remxied”, “…This is a festival orchestrated by the creators of the authentic gay alternative festival, Summer Rites, and the iconic street party, Soho Pride. Both have kept the London gay community grooving & moving for the last two decades & now the gang are digging deeper for a big balsy summer smash…”, the further adding, “…set in Shoreditch between Old Street, Islington & in part of the historic East End of London, where fashion, music & art combine, it will be right at the heart of a place which is recognised as London’s most vibrant district. The festival will feature dance arenas, an open stage, a boogie bus, multiple bars and much more…”, they concluding that “…form the intimacy yet frivolity of Shoreditch park from midday to 10 p.m., the party doesn’t stop as “Encore” the official Summer Rites afterparty will continue from 10 p.m. to late in a nearby warehouse…”.
Steve's Show Set To Soar
Now that gives you a flavour of what to expect, but what about the detail between the lines? Well, first & foremost, Salvation will be hosting that main open stage, the club showing how it’s done with the kind of spectacular production for which they have become famous for. And promoter Steve Elliot together with his terrific team, will be drawing on the dance direction of Raul Gonzalez who will turn out a truck load of performers, artists, acrobats & the like, to compliment the delectable D.J. line up that includes stars covering the clubs 13 year history, Luke Hope, Pier Morrocco, Miswhite & Paul Coals, along with Elliot J Brown & Howard Turner. But it doesn’t stop there as, prolific P.A. (in our view, the best in the business) Peyton will be centre staging the performances, while Andromeda & the Twisted Dreams dance troupe will also feature. However, Trannyshack will also get their main stage say, with the best in worldwide drag artists & off-beat/unusual shows, a D.J. line-up to delight that will include gender benders Tasty Tim, Munroe Bergdorf & Lady Lloyd, along with Trannyshack queen, The very Miss Dusty O, who will be performing a rare live show that simply cannot be missed.
Wayout Whackiness
Main stage aside, the other highlights for us look like being the East Bloc tent, where the wayout & whacky Gutterslut will feature, along with Tom Stephan’s magnificent monthly meet, Meat, which will no doubt be riding on a wave crest after their party just hours before. With D.J. stars including Per Q.X. Nic Fisher & Miss MC Crystal flying the Gutterslut flag, while Meat main man Tom Stephan will play an exclusive set alongside East Bloc residents James Phillips & Borja Penna, while the likes of A Man To Pet, Miss Krystilina, Amber Swallows & Ma Butcher will beef up the bravado, all meaning this should prove a dynamic draw. But the boogie bus, hosted by Bootylicious, just has to be sampled, while XXL will definitely have their bear say, although we hope not to hear the phrase of last weekend in there, “I Want My Porridge!”, although we are sure there will be no shortage of bears looking for their goldilocks. However, with so much else on offer, the variety & choice couldn’t be better and very much reflects just how vibrant the Shoreditch scene has become, Summer Rites “Remixed” celebrating this scene diversity in the best possible way, meaning there is a place to lay your clubbing hat, whatever persuasion or whatever type of clubber or cavorter you are.
Mapping It Out
Right, let’s cover off the detail and remind you that Summer Rites “Remixed” takes place this Sunday (10th July) at Shoreditch Park from midday till 10 p.m. This is a ticketed event, with all the £15 early bird tickets having been sold, so only advance ones priced at £20 now only available online by going to the official website. http://summer-rites.com. However, you can also purchase your entry in advance by popping into Prowler in Soho or across at Expectations on Great Eastern St in Shoreditch, while you can also pay entry on the day, but make sure you have the readies & not the plastic, as they can only accept cash payments. Now, as for directions, visiting the website is your best option, although Shoreditch Park in is the heart of Hoxton, so your nearest tube is Old St, while a whole host of busses can take you close. And if you can’t get online, you can always land on your favourite venue or outlet, who have plentiful stocks of the special Summer Rites programme brochure which, like here, tells you pretty much everything you need to know, including a map of the park & the local vicinity to save you scratching around for an A to Z. And, don’t forget “Encore”, the official afterparty, plus a gathering at East Bloc that will take you deep into Monday morning, all these details also available at http://eastbloc.co.uk.
So, with this brilliant boutique gay clubbing festival looking like THE place to be & be seen on the scene this Sunday, we will be there to report on & review it all, so if you spot us then come say hi, but make sure you don’t miss out on what looks like being the sensation of the summer, making sure you “Go There! Be There! (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: Bootylicious, East Bloc, Gutterslut, Kimono Krush, Laurent Chaumet, Luke Hope, Meat, MisWhite, Nic Fisher, Paul Coals, Per Q.X., Pier Morrocco, Pony Step, Salvation, Steve Elliot, Summer Ries, Tom Stephan, Trannyshack, Wayne Shires, XXL | 1 Comment »
Missing In Action
Well what a week we have had, as you may have gathered from associated posts, that we involved in a serious road accident, which was followed by considerable complications while under the care of St Thomas’ hospital, leaving us very much missing in action for the whole of the week. However, with our contacts rushing to our aid to report on the highlights of happenings across the scene, plus with plenty of news to share, having now returned to the safety & security of our home from that hell hole of a hospital, we thought we would take a look back over the week that we missed, but this time just concentrating on some of the real highlights, as well as bringing you news of forthcoming events and dates to add to your own dance & social diary.
Hustlaball With Harsh
So, let’s crack on a take a look at Thursday (9th June) first, Room Service once again seemingly ruling the roost as they played host to Hustlaball for the first of their pre-parties in advance of the main event on Saturday (11th June) at Fire. And it seemed that everyone was out in force to grab their own piece of porn playfulness, while playing to sexy sounds were new Room Service resident, international playboy D.J. Paul Heron, alongside the fabulous Jim Warboy, the star of Shoreditch, touting his tunes for the first time in the west end & lapping it up. With the likes of Austin Wilde & Ricky Sinz providing the porn candy and Jodie Harsh’s incredible ability to pull in scene faces from far & wide and this was Soho social soiree splendour at its best, to add to the new Room Service pre-party shenanigans at Circa where D.J.s Mikey D & James Pople entertained a considerate crowd. To keep abreast of the happenings down at Diu, why not take a peek at http://clubroomservice.com & keep your eyes peeled for news of a special Gay Pride party next week (Thurs 30th June).
That said David & L.A. Hart’s venture, Gigolo, was also having its say across at Lo-Profile, the cute yet capable Zach Burns once again stealing the show with a superb set, while a little bit of east end energy was provided by Spaniard Borja Pena, who, judging by the crowd’s reaction, will be back to Gigolo for more for sure. Into its fifth week and it seems this Thursday night affair has now firmly established itself on the clubbing calendar and this week (Thurs 25th June) Gigolo brings out some big guns in the form of Nathan Six & Jamie Head, both Lo-Profile favourites to sure to pull in the punters. Check out http://gigolodisco.com for more info.
Hustled At Society
Fast forwarding to Friday (10th June) and it seemed that Hustlaball were once again getting in on the act, this time across the other side of Soho at Lo-Profile, promoter Alex Erfan & his team taking over social splendour “Society” and injecting bucket loads of hunk, & funk to proceedings, with more of the pumped up porn stars on show and the superb duo of Steve Pitron & Jamie Head on the decks. Indeed, we could feel the emotion & energy right from our hospital bed as Brazilian Bel was tweeting while Steve played our new anthem “Stronger” to a packed out place, Jamie also having his say in keeping “Society” swinging right through till the 4 a.m. finish. To keep up to date with news on Lo-Profile, not just for “Society” but for their whole weekend of wonderment, check out http://loprofile.com.
Other movers & shakers on Friday (10th June) included Ku Bar on Lisle St who held the first of their D.J. Guest slot competition’s, this being the format that found the delectable DouGuim, while down in south London, The Brixton Clubhouse held their first full Friday nighter “Cafe Del Sol” , reporting reasonable numbers through the door, Tonker over in Vauxhall going all “Escort & Porn Star” on us, flying the Hustlaball flag and loving it. Websites to watch for more action in the coming weeks are http://ku-bar.co.uk, http://thebrixtonclubhouse.com & http://tonker.co.uk.
Fabulous At Fire
Onto Saturday and it came as no surprise to see Hustlaball once again stand in the scene spotlight, taking over the whole (and we mean whole) of Fire in Vauxhall, the stage shows being played out in the mirrorarch room, while the likes of Pagano, Guy Scheiman & Chris Bekker entertained the troops in the main room. With both Bear Necessity & Hard On! able to spread into their own spaces & Jodie Harsh looking after the Hustlaball top brass in the VIP lounge, no less than six rooms were well & truly packed all night, the brand having seemingly once again found its feet in London after a chequered couple of years across at The Renaissance Rooms. With pumping porn star action, plenty of play area’s & testosterone in plentiful supply, both head honcho Jeffrey Davids & London promoter Alex Erfan couldn’t have been more pleased with the result, so are already looking forward to Hustlaball London 2012. Check out http://hustlaball.com for upcoming events & news.
Elsewhere and Shoreditch saw the return of the magnificent “Meat” at East Bloc, the creation of D.J./Producer duo Tom Stephan & Kris Di Angelis, the boys from Q.X. magazine getting in on the act in room two, while Tom, Kris & James Pople rocked the main room with lector underground house that saw a packed out place dancing till dawn. East Bloc has really established itself as THE alternative hangout in town & with Gutterslut having literally closed its doors on a special birthday bash, check out other happenings at this Shoreditch spot by going to http://eastbloc.co.uk.
Beyond On The Radio
Onto Sunday and Beyond didn’t quite seen to sparkle with the Hustlball after effects, the team reporting on a mediocre party that lacked a bit of zing, although they should have been pretty pleased with their first “Beyond On The Radio” show, which went out live on Gaydar Radio from midnight (Sat) until 7 a.m., we tuning into the whole show from our hospital bedside. With sets lifted from the previous week’s party, we enjoyed the likes of Paul Christian, The Sharp Boys, Mikey D &, of course, Steve Pitron, very much transporting us onto the dancefloor and making up for what we had missed. Acting as a brilliant way to warm up for your weekly Beyond fix, why not tune in next weekend by going online at http://gaydarradio.com or by tuning in on your digital radio to DAB frequency 11B.
Other Sunday movers & shakers included “The Jonny Woo Show” over in Shoreditch, “Upstairs” at The Cambria down in Kennington and “S.L.A.G.S./Chill-out” across in Vauxhall, the common theme being cabaret with many trading outdoors for in as the weather was more like autumn than summer and washed out any trace of alfresco activity. With cabaret on a Sunday reporting a resurgence, both The Cambria & The RVT are two great places to pick, detail son both available at http://thecambrialondon.com & http://thervt.org.uk
Stripping At The Eagle
Rolling the next three days into one and Monday (13th June) saw the two usual suspects draw the biggest response from revellers, Heaven’s “Popcorn” packing the place with club kids that clearly didn’t need to work the following day, with “Citric” at Ku-Bar proved the perfect Popcorn prequel, the delectable DouGuim back behind the decks & delighting as always. Then on Tuesday (14th June) it was a choice of strip down at Ashley Ryder’s “Strip Academy” at The Eagle in Vauxhall, or lap up some tasty boy candy at Candy Bar in Soho, while on Wednesday (15th June), Ku-Bar rolled out another “Shinky Shonky” shindig for the alternative party heads, “Trannyshack” accommodating the gender benders across at Soho Revue Bar, “Industri” at Barcode Soho continuing amidst all the changes due at this Archer St attraction. More info on events at both Ku-Bar & The Eagle can be found by going to http://ku-bar.co.uk & http://eaglelondon.com.
Onyx
Right, onto some news and as we reported in our Best Bites & Short Shouts report just this weekend, Onyx has a new promoter in the form of Verity Mayes, who brings a wealth of talent & experience with her, having worked in Brighton for a number of years under the helm of the city’s big clubbing brand Wild Fruit. Joining The Orange Group a few weeks ago, Verity has quickly established herself within the tight knit team, although in taking over promoting Onyx, we are hoping this backroom girl will become much more of a frontline figure in the coming weeks. With plans to leave the Onyx winning formula intact, but to add her own identity to the brand, watch this space for some exciting developments to come.
Deuces
Now to a new(ish) night, also in Vauxhall, although one that pitches itself against the might of both Room Service & Gigolo as it takes place on a Thursday. But that is where the comparison between “Deuces” & its competitor’s ends, as this night is not so much the social soiree sophistication of the other two, but pure & unadulterated music of the house and R&B variety. Now “Deuces” as a brand is established and can already boast a following from many strands of society, from gays, lesbians, straights, students, professionals, black & white, promoter Kartel Brown explaining that “…the concept was always to mix tow different musical scenes together to make one new scene, attracting a very diverse crowd in the process…”. Taking place at Area in Vauxhall each Thursday “Deuces” will be fusing these two musical elements, Kartel will be ably assisted by resident D.J.’s that include Steve Geller (an interesting inclusion given the history with Area), Marlon Goodas, DMS & NG, while the handpicked “Deuces” dancers will be on hand delight. Having launched last Thursday (16th June), watch this space for more news on this latest mover & shaker.
- Summer Rites
Finally to a date for your diary and one well into July but worth noting now, as the sensational of the early noughties returns with a new look & a new identity. “Summer Rites Remixed” will be an outdoor extravaganza not to be missed, although moves from its historical home of Brockwell Park in Brixton, to Shoreditch Park in (yes!) Shoreditch, this “…boutique gay music festival…” making a resplendent return on Sunday 10th July. With brands already signed & sealed including the mighty Salvation, XXL, Popstarz & Gutterslut, local businesses pledging their support and this park party pulling together some of London’s best D.J. talents, along with P.A.’s & plenty more, to re-create the magic of those park Pride parties that we have loved & missed. Now, we are reliably informed that tickets are already selling fast, limited advance £15 ones still available at Prowler in Soho & Expectations on Old St, as well as online at http://summer-rites.com.
So to our moment, our track & our tweet of the week, both the moment & the tweet falling by the wayside this time round as we were very much missing in action, meaning it’s just our tack of the week that takes the limelight, although it is a corker and one that filled our ears for much of our stay in hospital hell. “Starry Eyed” has been tipping our scales on the Beyond dancefloor for a far few weeks now and further came to our attention following its inclusion on Steve Pitron’s “Summer 2011 Vol 1” release, but we only last week realised (to our embarrassment) that it was the brilliant remix work of one Danny Verde, so we leave you with the link to this terrific track, http://soundcloud.com/holabstudio/ellie-goulding-starry-eyed-1, which has soared into our top 10 of the year & will hopefully tip your musical scales too.
Right, that it for another “That Was The Week That Was” report but just before we go, don’t forget, if you want us to shout out for your favourite bar, club or event that rocked & rolled, then drop us a line at matt@discomatt.com or link into us via our Facebook page at http://facebook.com/discomattlondon and watch this space for our next report covering Thursday 16th to Wednesday 22nd June coming up later this week. (DISCO MATT)
Done & Dusted
Posted in Reports, Reviews | Tags: Chris Bekker, Danny Verde, Deuces, East Bloc, Gigolo, Gutterslut, Guy Scheiman, Hustlball, Jamie Head, Jim Warboy, Jodie Harsh, Ku Bar, Lo-Porfile, Meat, Pagano, Paul Heron, Popcorn, Room Service, S.L.A.G.S./Chill-out, Society, Steve Pitron, Summer Rites, The Cambria, The Eagle, Zach Burns | No Comments »
Reviews & Reports
Following the launch of our new weekly round-up report when we looked that the Spring Bank Holiday weekend, we have given some thought to its positioning and whilst, yes we are reporting on events over the preceding seven days, we are also reviewing them, so henceforth, you will find “That Was The Week That Was” in both our Reports & our Reviews sections.
Saucy Mr Sagat
So, with that cleared up, lets crack on with our review & look back over the last week and it all started on Thursday with a trip down to Room Service at Diu, the now customary queue greeting us, inside justifiably busy & pumping with both Steve Pitron & Kris Di Angelis serving up superb sets. Plus with porn star Francoise Sagat titillating our fancies, along with plenty of familiar faces, check out what we had to say at direct link http://discomatt.com/web/2011/06/reports-delightful-delectations-at-diu-room-service-thursday-2nd-june-preview-the-review/ . Over at Lo-Profile & Gigolo reported a healthy turnout for their “Get Harder” event, D.J.’s Guy Williams & Terry Vietheer making magical music &, having popped in after Room Service, the fact that we crawled out on closing was testament to a good party had by all.
These social splendours go head-to-head again tonight (Thurs 9th), with Room Service hosting the first of three Hustlaball pre-parties, Jim Stanton & Paul Heron on D.J. duty, while over at Gigolo, the cute yet capable Zach Burns who stormed the launch, while eastender Borja Pena debut’s for David & L.a. Go to http://clubroomservice.com & http://gigolodisco.com for more info.
Bear Fest
Moving on to Friday and the scene was definitely in recovery mode after the previous weekend, Onyx in particular rolling out its infamous “Recovery Party” with offers a-plenty to get them in & reports were that they did, Area busy from the off. Round the corner & the men were in a raunchy & playful mood as they packed out Tonker, Chris Brogan nailing a superb set that impressed promoter Tim Jones & will see him back for more soon. Up in Soho & the weather certainly pulled people out, Lo-Profile’s “Society” busier than expected, Nathan 6 really showing his worth for the second week in a row, Hugh Stevenson flying the young guns flag & rocking Wardour St till dawn. But it was also a night for a new launch as Phil Marriot donned the promoter gloves to bring out the independent, imaginary & individual Club I (it’s was all about “I”), this new monthly serving up alternative & indie pop & house.
As for this coming Friday, “Society” is very much upping the ante this week as whilst they host the third of Hustlaball’s pre-parties, with both Steve Pitron & Mikey D on disc spinning duty, it could feel more like Beyond, while Tonker have another legendary D.J. in the form of Wayne G sorting the saucy sounds, this dynamic D.J. then hot footing it across to Area for Onyx’s “Summer Solstice” party. Check http://loprofile.com, http://tonker.co.uk & http://fire.co.uk/gayparties for more details.
Fire For Free
With A:M marching us deep into Saturday, Guy Williams was absolutely awesome at A:M’s “Residents” event, proving that experience counts for a lot & while we rested, the clubbing scene didn’t, as Fire opened their doors for a fabulous free party, the likes of Mikey D, Gonzalo Rivas, Jamie Head & D’Johnny entertaining a considerable crowd who took advantage of this special spring bank holiday thank you bash. And speaking to a few individuals that made it a night, they were pleasantly surprised just how the “back to basics” feel of the party worked, perhaps a hint towards a selection of new Saturday outings by The Orange Group to come. Out east, to East Bloc in fact, “The Men Who Fell To Earth” made an out of this world impression on what was a packed out & pulsating place, this Shoreditch spot definitely the place to be right now.
This Saturday A:M have a real Ibiza theme to its party, while Fire entertain the horny Hustlaball. Out east & it’s the magnificent “Meat” at East Bloc, making our decision of where to be & be seen quite a tough one. But you can decide by going to http://alexerfan.com http://fireclub.co.uk/gayparties, &/or http://eastbloc.co.uk.
Summer Scorcher Sets The Scene
Sunday started with a “Summer Season Launch” at Beyond, which, despite having supersized its way through the previous weekend, was a really busy affair again, and no surprise as with plenty of new additions to the team, as well as a return of old favourites, it proved another hum dinger, we tearing up our spot virtually till the end, Messrs Pitron & Dower hitting the mark the most. So we decided it was review time again for this awesome afterhours, so see what we had to say in our new style bite size review at direct link http://discomatt.com/web/2011/06/reviews-scorcher-of-a-start-beyond-summer-season-launch-sunday-5th-june-bite-size-review/. Other Sunday highlights included Later which benefited from a busy Beyond, while as the weather turned a bit wet, Sunday roasts were suddenly the order of the day, both Profile in Soho & The Cambria in Kennington reporting healthy numbers, traditional drag style cabaret another winner with the weather, all eyes pointing indoors with “S.L.A.G.S. at The RVT, while The Stag in Victoria & Halfway To Heaven of Traf Sq pulled in the punters.
Beyond is back this Sunday for a “Hustlaball” afterparty, Steve Pitron already confirming he will now be playing, while other Sunday bests worth a visit include S.L.A.G.S./Chill-out at The RVT, & Booster at Area, of course followed by Orange. Go to http://fireclub.co.uk/gayparties & http://thervt.org.uk for more info
Double Dose Of Ku
Rolling Monday Tuesday & Wednesday into one, the week started with the usual hits, as Ku-Bar’s “Citric” pulled in the young set in advance of the ever popular “Popcorn” at Heaven, that reported another boisterous bash, Compton’s in Soho also packing them in for their infamous £2 a pint night to beat the austerity blues into the following week. Then on Tuesday, it was all about The Shadow Lounge, as “OMFG” ruled the Soho waves, although if it was some bear arsed action you were looking for, Ashley Rider’s “Strip Academy” at The Eagle in Vauxhall was the place to be. As for Wednesday, Industri continued its stay of execution at Barcode, the change of hands of this Soho sophisticate still undetermined, while the chic & alternative “Shinky Shonky” was a rip roaring success, as dance diva Katherine Ellis stormed the show. But tipping the scales in a different was new night “Burger Queen” at The RVT in Vauxhall, Scottee attracting a like minded crowd who, as had been predicted, fought back with their rights to be big, bold & beautiful.
If you fancy some week night action, then Ku-Bar, The Shadow Lounge & The RVT should be on your radar, further details of happenings available at http://ku-bar.co.uk, http://theshadowlounge.co.uk & http://thervt.org.uk, while Popcorn is a must for your party heads that don’t need to work on a Tuesday, this coming Monday (12th June) sporting special Aussie D.J. guest Neroli, with a full-on nude performance by porn star Johnny Anglais, more details out at http://popcorn-heaven.com.
Now to some news of a Pride nature and first to Europirde, which takes place in Rome this weekend, Saturday seeing the main event along with a whole load of peripheral parties, we being reliably informed that Lady Gaga will be making an appearance on the events main stage at some juncture, our man in the know promising to report back on it all, so hopefully we can share the spill in next week’s round-up. Back in London and the news that the dance stage for the capital’s annual Pride event, returns to Soho Square is fabulous news indeed, The Orange Group hosting the space. With a sparkling line-up of D.J’s & entertainers, Say 2nd July is an absolute must for lots of reasons, some of which we have been sworn to secrecy, but will keep you posted & hopefully confirm the full line-up in a planned special preview post coming up in the next week or so.
Beyond On The Radio
Onto news of another launch and if you happened to miss out on beyond this last Sunday (4th June), the fear not, as the club hits the radio waves this coming Sat/Sun, the new “Beyond Afterhours Show” launching on Gaydar Radio and beaming out recordings from the live sets we were lucky to witness at this “Summer Season Launch” scorcher. So, expect the likes of Steve Pitron, Mikey D & The Sharp Boys to substantiate the show, which you can tune into from midnight on Saturday through till 7 a.m. Sunday morning, either online at http://gaydarradio.com or via digital radio DAB frequency 11B.
Finally on our news front is another newbie, this time at new bar in Soho, Circa, which can be found on Frith St (No 62 to be exact), who up their own ante as they join forces with Room Service, to present a short series of special pre-parties, we guess to soak up the early demand for space at Diu, proceedings kicking off from 9 p.m. each Thursday for June & July & including D.J.’s James Pople & Mikey D amongst others. Launching tonight (Thurs 9th June), further info can be found at http://clubroomservice.com.
So, that was the week & the news for another one, while before we close, just time to run down our moment, our track & our tweet of the week, the moment yet again involving superstar D.J. Steve Pitron, along with the brilliant Brazilian Bel at Beyond, her whistling & the so called “tweeting” leaving both us & Mr Pitron in hysterics, both during all the main room action & then in the bar afterwards, purely priceless, although you had to be there we guess.
Onto our track of the week and we fell for this record from the minute we heard it, not least as it reminded us of those halcyon days of dancing we used to enjoy at iconic underground club Crash, but one that is every bit 2011 in its making. “You Will Remember” came to our notice first on a prolific podcast & then played a large part in more of those rollercoaster ride events, this time at Room Service last Thursday, a link coming our way the following day & this one giving you the full length version of this tremendous track, which can also be found on a certain D.J.’s “Summer 2011” compilation (you know who we mean, right?!). Check out http://youtube.com/watch?v=jkaZ__QD4CU.
Nibble Size Review Tweets
To out tweet of the week and this one goes to Mikey D, who was close on scooping our moment of the week too, when he popped his head over the beyond D.J. booth & exclaimed “Matt, where are your tweets??”, to which we tweeted, “…yes Mikey, we are right here tweeting for you…”, that after one of our tweets at Room Service which included “…as the track “Waiting For You” has set us off on a rollercoaster ride…”. Now don’t forget that you can tune in to our live tweeting by going to http://twitter.com/discomatt, this weekend’s transmissions coming from the floors of Lo-Profile, Hustlaball, Beyond & La Demence.
Right, that’s it for our second “That Was The Week That Was” report/review, but don’t forget, if you want us to shout out for your favourite bar, club or event that rocked & rolled, then drop us a line at matt@discomatt.com or link into us via our Facebook page at http://facebook.com/discomattlondon, but keep your eyes peeled for our Weekend Best Bites & Short Shouts recommendations due out later & if you see us out at any of the above events, come say hi. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Reports, Reviews | Tags: A:M, Area, Beyond, Chris Brogan, East Bloc, Europride, Fire, Gigolo, Guy Williams, Hugh Stevenson, Hustlaball, James Pople, Kris Di Angelis, Ku Bar, La Demence, Lo-Profile, Meat, Mikey D, Nathan Six, Onyx, Popcorn, Profile, Room Service, Society, Steve Pitron, Terry Vietheer, The Eagle, The Orange Group, The RVT, The Shadow Lounge, The Sharp Boys, Tonker | No Comments »
-
10 May 2012 | 0 Comments
Picks/Reports – Prick Up Your Ears @ East Bloc – Thursday 10th May – Pick Of The Day/Special Feature
With a significant shift in the scene towards Shoreditch, it comes as no surprise that Disco Matt points is pick of the day finger in the direction of East Bloc, which holds its “Prick Up Your Ears” event tonight (Thurs 10th May), the dinky detail a banner selection away opposite ...
-
12 Nov 2011 | 0 Comments
Recommends – “11th Hour Hit On A Trio Of Treats” – Saturday Short Shouts – Sat 12th November
With the last week or so laid to waste for a number of reasons, our latest brush with ravages of London’s roads leaving us pre-occupied with our personal health, we have once again missed the boat with our weekend recommends newsletter, although with a trio of treats presenting themselves tonight ...
-
20 Oct 2011 | 1 Comment
Recommends – “Autumn Appetisers” – Weekend Best Bites & Short Shouts – Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd October – Recommends Newsletter
Looking back on October alone it seems that even Alton Towers has nothing on the rollercoaster ride we have found ourselves on, last weekend a perfect example of huge Friday highs followed by Saturday lows, an amazing “Play Time” at Lo-Profile followed by missing in action absences from The Week ...
-
6 Oct 2011 | 0 Comments
Recommends – “Back In Business” – Weekend Best Bites & Short Shouts Newsletter – Thursday 6th to Sunday 9th October –
After a pretty topsy turvy summer season which started & ended with hospitalisation, that on top of writing prospect promises that failed to materialise, we point ourselves towards the autumn with renewed vigour, this new found furver in our footsteps seeing the return of our weekly recommends newsletter which we ...
-
8 Sep 2011 | 0 Comments
Recommends – “Former Format Back With A Bang” – Weekend Best Bites & Short Shouts – Friday 9th to Sunday 11th September
Having toiled over which direction we would be taking our regular weekly “Recommends” newsletter, in conjunction with our summer siesta, we gave this post a bit of a break while we rejuvenated our batteries & cleared the clog in that directional dilemma. So, finding our feet back under the proverbial ...
-
19 Jul 2011 | 0 Comments
Reviews – “Park Partying Pitched Perfectly” – Summer Rites “Remixed” – Sunday 10th July – Full Size Review
Casting our minds back some ten to fifteen years and looking at a London clubbing landscape that was littered with special events both indoors & out, the likes of Famous Five & Universe attracting huge numbers on Bank Holidays and this marking a time when outdoor Pride parties were never ...
-
8 Jul 2011 | 0 Comments
Recommends – “Festival Fun Praying For Sun” – Weekend Best Bites & Short Shouts – Friday 8th to Sunday 10th July
Having taken a break last weekend from our Best Bites & Short Shouts recommendations as we honed in on what proved to be the real highlight of London Pride 2011, The Fire Dance Stage, also wanting to concentrate on our post rather than pre-reporting, putting our much missed full length ...
-
6 Jul 2011 | 1 Comment
Recommends – “Fantastic Festival Re-Formed” – Summer Rites “Re-Mixed” – Sunday 10th July – Weekend Focus
Having just about a week ago lamenting on the wonders of park festivals passed, we find ourselves in the same boat, looking back & then looking forward as one of our favourite festivals from a good ten years makes its welcome return to the summer scene. But pushing back the ...
-
19 Jun 2011 | 0 Comments
Reviews & Reports – “Missing In Action” – That Was The Week That Was”
Well what a week we have had, as you may have gathered from associated posts, that we involved in a serious road accident, which was followed by considerable complications while under the care of St Thomas’ hospital, leaving us very much missing in action for the whole of the week. ...
-
9 Jun 2011 | 0 Comments
Reviews & Reports – “Summer Scorcher Sets The Scene” – That Was The Week That Was” – Thurs 2nd to Wed 8th June
Following the launch of our new weekly round-up report when we looked that the Spring Bank Holiday weekend, we have given some thought to its positioning and whilst, yes we are reporting on events over the preceding seven days, we are also reviewing them, so henceforth, you will find “That ...
Event Review – “Bare Ches… : It would be fair to say that, over the years, we have s...posted on December 22, 2010
Recommends – “The Bel Ami… :
It hardly seems twelve months since we went str...posted on May 5, 2011
Reviews : Here you will find regular reviews of clubs, special ev...posted on October 7, 2010- Previews : Here we preview rather than review clubs & events that ...posted on October 7, 2010
- Music : Here we focus on, review and recommend the latest podca...posted on October 7, 2010
- Recommends : Here you will find recommendations for upcoming events ...posted on November 24, 2010
Reviews – “Eye-Opener Of … : Generally unplanned & unscheduled events in our clubbin...posted on March 2, 2011
Recommends – “Gay Boys In… : When the seeds were first sown on a specialist evening ...posted on April 11, 2011
Recommends – “Shoreditch … :
Having given East Bloc plenty of coverage in our We...posted on May 14, 2011- Reports : Here you will find reports & features on the latest new...posted on November 24, 2010
