Posts Tagged ‘Minty’
July 4, 2012 | 
Author From A.M. to WE, Boylesque to Beyond, Onyx to Orange, plus Gravity, Later & newbie Infamous too, there is no doubt that Orange Nation is a superb Vauxhall & Southwark clubbing torre de force this “World Pride” weekend, also holding sway in Soho with an exclusive outdoor event, Disco Matt dishing up the detail of a superb sequence of showings courtesy of this capital clubbing conglomerate.
As we sit on the scene sidelines swinging in & out of our summer sabbatical, we are quite horrified by the sound bites we are seeing over what is clearly a shocking shambles of a so called World Pride event, the latest statement from Pride London which includes this “…our sincerest apologies, Pride London deeply regrets the situation we have found ourselves in …” issued following a wave of criticism of their handling of World Pride, clear evidence that not only will this year’s London Pride festival be nothing short of a flop, but when the capital sees itself in the global spotlight, it is a damning disgrace that the both committee presiding over Pride in London & the powers that be holding the purse strings, have failed the community at such a late stage. However, with no such committee & commitment problems, it comes as a huge sigh of relief that from the ashes of cancelled dance stages & arenas comes the saviour that will be Soho, Vauxhall & Shoreditch in the hands of Orange Nation, who have no less than eight clubbing parties across the latter two districts & one huge pre-party come party planned for Soho.
So putting World Pride to one side, let’s take you through the whole Orange Nation offer, including that planned Soho party, first up being Gravity this Friday morning (6th Jul) which (quite tongue in cheek to Pride London) has been called “It’s Definitely Happening”, although we do wonder how long looking into the morning mirror that title took, although in all fairness the team do say, “…it’s Pride weekend, so start as you mean to go on…”, Gravity certainly the place to do that, especially if you want your weekend to start early on Friday morning, doors opening to this event at 2 a.m. & the club running to a “v late” timing. And with D.J.’s on duty including Fat Tony & Verity Mayes, plus with host JJ Clark zooming across from Room Service, no doubt with plenty of followers in his tracks, while Gravity’s promoter Danny Boyce will be sure to give you the warmest of welcomes, this is the best place to be at the start of your weekend, especially if its starts on Friday. Plus, with entry on offer at just £5 before 3 a.m. with a flyer or pass, these being handed out by a bevy of boys around Soho on Thursday night, as well as being available from JJ at Room Service, while its £8 thereafter or £10 on the door, more info available at http://facebook.com/gravitythursdays.
Into Friday we find ourselves and usually it would be Onyx at Area neatly followed by A:M at Fire, although as has been the trend in recent months, when it comes to the big weekends (& this is one such weekend), the clubs combine to make one huge happening stretching close on twelve hours, an equally towering team of D.J.’s flying the respective club flags. So, kicking off at 11 p.m. & Fire playing host, this “Pride Warm Up” party sees the two club D.J. camps collide, in the Onyx corner we finding Matt Bogard & Jonny M playing upfront & energetic house with plenty of vocal intentions in the main room, while is pop & dance anthems from gender benders Tasty Tim & Lady Lloyd in the lounge, while packing a powerful punch in the A:M corner are all star residents Fat Tony D’Johnny, Jamie Head, Alan K, Paulo Moreno & David Jimenez, very much cementing the character of this amazing afterhours club which promoter Steven Sharp is always clear to stress, “…it’s all about the music…”. Mind you, with the amount of hosts on duty you may be forgiven for thinking otherwise, Nick Adams Byam ability assisting the delightful Chrissy Darling (could he be a pretty young thing?!?!) while A:M wise, it’s the dynamic duo of Danny Boyce & Minty, Chrissy presiding over the door duty early on, while Minty takes over later. And talking of the door, entry packages are pretty reasonable, as a wee trip to http://gayguestlists.com/onyx could get you in gratis, while for others & those with a flyer it’s a mere £6 before 3 a.m., rising to £8 before 5 a.m. & then £10 thereafter, while if you don’t want to go foraging for a flyer, then you can rather click on http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012-07/06/onyx-vs-a-m-fire-pride-warm-up for that £8 price tag while entry on the door is £12 after 3 a.m.
So onward to Saturday and with both the parade & the “official” World Pride after events covered in confusion, Soho will no doubt be playing host to the lion’s share of the action, Orange Nation in the thick of the action, or should we say in the middle of it, having secured Comptons who will be playing host to the WE “Players” pre-party. Now, naturally we have been digging for details and with plans to have an outside stage very much in the balance, we can nevertheless confirm that, as of going to press, this pre-party will happen, whether inside or out, D.J.’s on duty confirmed as Paul Heron, Matt Bogard & Fat Tony, while if the green light for an outside stage goes ahead, then the whole Orange Nation residency team will be rolled out in back-to-back form, so Steve Pitron & Jamie Head, Alan K & Paulo Moreno, Jonny M & The Oli, D’Johnny & David Jimenez and Verity Mayes & Bryony Masters. However, with Westminster council crying wolf on issues of policing, safety & funding, as well as having supposedly issued a licensing edict to all venues, the final decision on this outside stage will not be made until after a major meeting which takes place tomorrow, so watch this space for a “hot off the press” newsflash as the decision hits our desk. Mind you, whichever way it goes, Comptons is always the biggest & best Pride melting pot & with Orange nation plus WE Party involved, it will be even more so.
Now talking of WE, if time allows, we will be delivering a full on focus & devotion to what will undoubtedly be the biggest party of the whole Pride weekend, The Coronet in Elephant & Castle once again playing host this Saturday (7th July), while the D.J. line-up is mighty & impressive as the place, WE’s very own resident roving D.J. Carlos Gallardo back to London by popular demand & sure to thrill with tons of towering tunes neatly balanced between those benchmark euro-beats & uplifting vocal injections, while it will be an all out progressive assault from our Italian stallion, Pagano, the tones turning tech when Paul Heron & D’Johnny take to the decks. But with Room Service’s Kris Di Angelis & Matt Bogard going back-to-back in the second space, there will certainly be an alternative electro twisted trip to be made, Munroe Bergdorf playing host upstairs, while the main arena will be in the very capable hands both Ben Kaye & JJ Clark. So, let’s rattle through the rest of the detail which goes like this, doors opening at 10 p.m. & the club running through till 6.am., advance tickets available online via http://wepartylondon.com &/or http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012-07/07/we-party-london-we-players-pride-party, at the standard £18 price tag (yes those £10 &£15 super advance ones went really quickly), while outlets Prowler, Clone Zone, 50 & Solarstation are your Soho sources, along with Comptons & Ku-Bar, entry we believe available on the door, but expect to pay more.
But for those that may be WE’d out or are in search of something a little more intimate compared to the full on theatre size experience, the Orange Nation team have come up trumps with “Boylesque”, in what has been labelled as “…the alternative pride party…” although is likely to have massive mainstream appeal, not least that international gay icon, pop star, D.J. & altogether good egg, superstar Boy George is at the centre of, not only the title of this club night, but the entertainment too. And having announced that he will be performing live for the first time in over two years, while we have been sworn to secrecy, the is one stunningly spectacular surprise up his sleeve, meaning that you will be far from disappointed if you trade your W & E for a B & G. But more than that, we are told that artists flown in especially for this event (we really cannot say, sorry) performing both D.J. sets & songs (itching to tell!!), okay just two then, Jeremy Healy & Jon Pleased, but all we will say is that it’s not to be missed. So what more can we say, well apart from George & co?, well, the “alternative” burlesque (see what they did with the title?!) theme will be extenuated by a score of sexy boys & girls on stage, while the second space will be a “Fire” room showcasing some of the clubs finest D.J.’s (naturally those not on duty elsewhere!), Fat Tony (B G’s best buddy), Jamie Head & Verity Mayes on decks duty, while the third room will be given away to Walt Utz & Madame Jojo’s who will present a show spectacle with a line up of London’s most notorious stars from the cabaret circuit. Now we really cannot say anymore (stop it!!!) apart from dipping through the detail, “Boylesque” kicking off at Fire from 11 p.m. this Saturday (7th July) & running through to a planned 6 a.m. finish, advance tickets priced at just £10 (absolute bargain!) still available at http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012-07/07/boylesque-boy-george-s-alternative-pride-party, while you can check-in at the usual Soho outlets for handpicked passes.
Onwards we go and to Beyond and like WE, if time permits we will be devoting a special feature to it as this looks like being every bit the roadblock events that is always is come big weekends, and some we say, not least when you consider that the team have “…pulled out all the stops to bring one of the world’s best D.J.’s to London…” NYC’s Hector Fonseca bringing with him a resounding repertoire of remixes, no less than 5 having reached number one in the billboard charts last year alone, hence we are chomping at the bit to feature him is this special focus. But with Tel Aviv’s FFF Group also jetting in their own package of players in the form of D.J. Tal Cohen & international drag performer K Long, both who featured in the FFF party at Fire last year, Beyond certainly has the global feel that that only WE Party & Hustlaball can match this weekend. Add to that London all star cast including Steve Pitron, The Sharp Boys, Hifi Sean, Fat Tony, D’Johnny & Paul Christian, together with back-to-back sets from Alan K & Paulo Moreno and Verity Mayes & Bryony Masters, so if there was ever a club that was about the music for us, then it is Beyond & not least this “World Pride” spectacular. So, skipping through the detail, it’s a 3 a.m. start at Area this Sunday (8th July) with entry simply £15 in advance (the best commodore you will spend this weekend) either online at http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012/07/08/beyond-world-pride-2012 or at those Soho outlets, while entry will be available on the door but expect to pay more & probably wait even longer, Ben Kaye & JJ Clark teaming up gain, as they did for WE, while no special Beyond would ever be the same without the tremendous Tom Fuller.
So, on the home straight (ish) and Later comes next, the team rolling out yet another fun filled frolic in the form of the now infamous “Funfair” format, the Later garden a hot bed of happy happenings with rides & games stalls, while a fortune teller will be sitting on his /her corner ready to tell you what is around your corner. Plus with the pool filled up if the weather permits & the bbq, an indelible ingredient of any Later party, stacked with sausages & brimming with burgers, that along with some other surprises in store and out will be the new clubbing in. That said, inside the musical heat will be turned right up full, resident D.J.’s Jamie Head, D’Johnny & Paul Heron cooking on tunes gas mark nine, while hostess Andrea & her boys (yes she has a bevy of them) will be causing enough madness & mayhem to make this a party to remember. And with host venue Fire’s doors opening at 11.30 a.m. this Sunday (8th July), the club running through to 8 p.m., with discount wristbands/stamps available at Beyond, standard entry is available online at http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012-07/08/later-funfair or on the door, priced at £10, we are pretty sure you will be walking away come 8 p.m. with the biggest smile on your face, candy floss round your lips & a shiny bum from all that sliding, not to mention sore feet from dancing.
Now we would normally finish with Orange (which we will), but will quickly mention new club “Infamous” which launches at Covert on Sunday night from 6 p.m. details coming your way via our extra bites post “Princely Sum of A Soiree”, which paves the way for the “From Orange With Pride”, the organisers saying of the Pride closing event saying “…you’ve had the world, now get a true taste of London & the biggest last dance of Pride 2012…” as it is sure to be with not just the “Orange Family” of D.J.’s that include The Oli, Fat Tony & the Sharp Boys, but Hifi Sean is back too, starring in Fire’s main room alongside guest slot guy Paul heron (my he is a busy boy this weekend, we count five gigs at least!), while the event also boats the newly named RAW Future Heroes space with Lee Yeomans in charge of the tunes. But it’s Pride and so we all know what track/record that means, “A Deeper Love” among a handful of other hits performed by special PA Elliotte Williams, very much crowning this citric colossus which kick starts at 11 p.m. on Sunday (8th July) & carries you deep into Monday morning & a date with your day off diary, http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012-07/08/from-orange-with-pride-london-s-biggest-pride-closing-party the place to go for advance tickets, priced at just £10, while its half that price with a flyer before 1 a.m., door hosts Chrissy Darling & Minty managing your efficient entry & them cheerful cavorting ala citric style.
So that’s the Orange Nation World Pride package and what an enthrallingly extensive one it is too, we finishing by reminding you that advance tickets are very much the way (especially for WE & Beyond), Solarstation not just a superb source, but also an opportunity for you to soak up some sun, of the sun-bed variety of course, as we all want to look at our best for World Pride, a quick visit to http://solarstation.co.uk revealing all you need to know before revealing yourselves to some bronzing brightness. That just leaves us to wish you a very happy World Pride, even if the event itself looks like being a bit of a wash-out, as there is always the league of Orange Nation clubs to turn & to take to. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | 
Tags: A:M, Aaron Elder, Area, Beyond, Bryony Masters, Carlos Gallardo, Chrissy Darling, Craig Elder, D'Johnny, Danny Boyce, David Jimenez, Fat Tony, Fire, Gravity, Hector Fonseca, Hifi Sean, Imfamous, Jamie Head, Jonny Marsh, Kris Di Angelis, Later, Matt Bogard, Minty, Onyx, Orange, Orange Nation, Pagano, Paul Heron, Steve Pitron, Steven React Sharp, The Oli, The Sharp Boys, Tom Fuller, Verity Mayes, WE Party, WE Players | 
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London may have been gripped by the terror of the blitz back in the 1940’s, but a new kind of blitz is looking to make a bang in the capital when, some seventy years later, the brave new brand on the block that is Blitz Bar launches with its “Peepshow” party, Disco Matt biting into the detail of this new concept that brings back some old favourites.
Brave New Brand On The Block
We look back on the halcyon days of the broad bar culture that was Soho and one that stretched much further than the boundaries surrounding Compton St, venues such as Halfway To Heaven off Trafalgar Square, Locomation on Leicester Square and both Cruz & Brief Encounter on St Martin’s lane, all the watering (some right old) holes bridging the gap between the Soho stomping ground and the gigantic gay clubbing paradise that was Heaven, nineties London a very different prospect for the roaming gay looking for some audacious action. And there was another venue that was part of this picture, Kudos on Adelaide St. sitting neatly between those St Martin’s Lane cruising grounds & the might of Heaven, the more classy & trendy set seeking this refuge away from the red light tendencies that remained quite prevalent at the time. But, with the shift of clubbing to Vauxhall and Westminster council sweeping a clean-up broom through the Soho scene & its surrounding streets, the whole nature of gay bar culture in central London changed, the current landscape even without the brilliance that was Barcode, even Heaven a mouse compared to the might it was before, Kudos a victim of the shifting of the scene south of the river.
Time To get Blitzed
However, while Kudos may have gone for good, the gay legacy that it left behind at the venue on Adelaide St. is set to be bravely re-born in the form of Blitz Bar, a name that is commonly associated with the bombing on London during the second world war, although the organisers behind this bold new venture are hoping that “bombing” will not be the byword of this scene step change, rather the rekindling of some old favourites as well as bringing some new concepts & stars to the fore. That said, given the shift away from the vicinity in recent times, Blitz Bar finds itself pretty much out on a limb, even though Halfway To Heaven is close by, while it is favoured by pretty good transport links and, being in the Charing Cross district, one geographically noted as being the historical centre of the capital, central it certainly is. But Blitz has a tough task ahead of it in attracting an accomplished audience, although is attempting to serve up something for everyone, ranging from a firm favourite social soiree, to a sexy burlesque come risqué offering, as well as music driven night that has international come global intentions, that along with a planned D.J. competition evening which sits on a slightly different stool to former forays.
Peep A Boo
So Blitz is very much looking to shout a scene statement, that shouting beginning this coming Friday (3rd February) when the new venue (currently a Gilberts Bar) launches with its headlining event, “PEEPShow”, one which has been billed by co-promoters Brad Frederick, Tom Spindler, Brent Nicholls & Doug Silva as being “…Inspired by the sexual, and sensual vision of the 21st Century man the resident “PEEP boys” will be presenting outside of the box sexy burlesque and peepshow inspired stage shows with added visual treats, stamping its way into your weekly diaries…” they adding that “…Hot DJ talent will be hitting the deck space in the basement club along with various guests delivering vocal, upfront, progressive, funky house beats adding the perfect soundtrack to your weekend starting point…” residents Brent Nicholls & Doug Silva joined by an array of guests that currently include Sharon O Love, Alessandro Londra, Zach Burns, Norbert M & Jamie Hammond, while in hosts Brad Frederick & Tom Spindler, it seems the Vauxhall element of clubbing has an indelible influence in the PEEPShow philosophy, the duo sure to attract more than a handful of their brethren to Blitz. And for the launch night, the team have enrolled the P.A. services of “…blond beaut & rising songstress…” Emma Cook, while there will be plenty of burlesque gogo’s on show to bolster this basement bonanza, although due to some licensing technicalities the original 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. running time has been shifted to an 8 till midnight slot, meaning, as of going to press, we are unsure of entry fees (we reckon there must be some serious money behind this venture if its free entry!), but with more information available at http://blitzbar.co.uk & an indication of the music of offer via the inspired PEEPshow podcast at http://djbrentnicholls.com/web/2012/01/30/minicast-peep-house/, this should be a launch night to write rather than head home about and as the boys simply say “…welcome to the show, we dare you…”.
Blitz Blasts The Globe
PEEPshow aside, Blitz Bar extends into Saturday’s too, the venue’s international intentions, a mid-evening offering that kicks off this Saturday (4th February) from 9 p.m. till midnight, bringing to London a truly global feel, the team remarking of this Saturday night showing, “…we are passionate about music and every Saturday you can experience GLOBAL BLITZ, a collection of international DJs taking you on a global journey of house…” hostess Sylvia Rebel like her PEEPShow compatriots adding that Vauxhall element to proceedings that is sure to attract a certain crowd of clubbers & cavorters, while the D.J. roster looks pretty similar to the Friday foray, excepting the addition of Paul Heron, Berlin boy Tom Peters (aka KevinFunkt) & Oliver M along with Italy’s GSP, these just some of the internationally renowned stars that will give the night a global feel. And with each week given away to a different night, the team tell us that “…the Global roster takes you from London to Brazil with stopovers in Europe, with “BERLIN BLITZ” on the1st Saturday of the month) with DJs Paul Heron & Tom Peters + Guests, “LONDON BLITZ “ on the2nd Saturday of the month, with DJ Brent Nicholls plus some of London’s biggest spin maestros, “LATIN BLITZ” on the 3rd Saturday of the month with DJ Doug Silva plus a collection of guest DJs with that Latin flavour, “EURO BLITZ” on the 4th Saturday of the month) with DJs representing the best of Europe & the UK including appearance by Alessandro Londra, Sharon O Love, Oliver M and “XXXTRA BLITZ” on the 5th Saturday of the month when guest DJs will descend on Blitz to provide us with sexy beats and horny house in this extra Blitz session…”, need we add more apart from pointing you towards http://blitzbar.co.uk for more info.
Industri With A New Name
However, without doubt the ace in the Blitz bar pack for us is “SuperSocial” which hits the ground running from next Wednesday (8th February), bringing back the terrific, tremendous & towering trio that is Brent Nicholls Paul Heron & (Hrh) Minty, yes the team that brought us “Industri”, a superb social soiree of a club that pretty much transformed our lives for good and one that saw Disco Matt born & then bred in his infancy. And the firm favourite “Industri” package of old will be transposed into the Blitz Bar of the present, a two floored foray giving it a feel towards the future, all based around the “social” theme, so social hours, social surroundings & social sounds, yet with the “SuperSocial” philosophy being pretty much the same as its former, namely “…a simple idea of a house party where friends, friends of friends and more friends are welcome to drop in…” , while just like the days of Industri, the team tell us to expect “…anything can happen, it can go from mild to wild and back again…and with Minty as your host you will be made to feel right at home…” a better hostess with the mostest we could wish for. So, with Hrh ruling the roost upstairs, down in the basement, the back-to-back partnership between Brent Nicholls & Paul Heron will be re-formed, Brent telling us to expect “…floor filling anthems, funky house, disco dipped grooves, the occasional WTF record with plenty of progressive, deep and tech thrown in providing you with the perfect soundtrack to a social backdrop…” and pretty much what we used to get at Industri, especially in the Vauxhall days. Plus, it seems that “SuperSocial” is teaming up with the Gigolo boys, meaning its Blitz bar early doors, followed by a jaunt up to Shadow Lounge, discounted entry to Gigolo available at SuperSocial, the combo making for a “…midweek dirty disco orgy extra-ordinare…” and sure to pack a powerful punch in the clubbing scene calendar. So, with Minty, Brent & Paul back together, “SuperSocial” will be the place to be this coming Wednesday (8th February) and every Wednesday after that, further details out at http://blitbar.co.uk.
So, in “PEEPshow”, “Global Blitz” & “SuperSocial” you have three new ventures that should fill up your Friday’s, shake up your Saturday’s & whip up your Wednesday’s, Blitz bar the brave new brand on the block offering up a new place to step out & be seen on the Soho(ish) scene. So, put your brave head on the Blitz block, get down to Blitz, get blitzed and in so doing, make sure you Go There! Be There! (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: Alessandro Londra, Brad Frederick, Brent Nicholls, Doug Silva, Gigolo, Hrh Minty, Jamie Hammond, Minty, Oliver M, Paul Heron, Sharo O Love, Sylvia Rebel, Tom Spindler, Zach Burns | 1 Comment »
Well what a year it has been, the highs the lows, the ups the downs, the rollercoaster rides & the emotional tears of joy, the two main protagonists being the awesome afterhours that is Beyond together with one of its most prolific players. So, it seemed wholly appropriate to deliver our final review rapture of 2011 looking at the last two events from earlier this month, wrapping them into one super size reflection and also capturing plenty of other people & players that made up this brilliant Beyond brace.
Breathtaking Brace Of Brilliance
We have to be completely honest when we say that we are fast running out of superlatives to describe what has undoubtedly become our favourite clubbing brand of all time, one that this year celebrated its 10th year in operation, while it leaves behind a 2011 that has seen a score or more of majestic meets leave an indelible impression & mark in our minds, mounds of magical memories, a flock of fabulous folks and the most magnificent music making from a myriad of maestro’s that have elevated this awesome afterhours from iconic to legendary status in our clubbing catalogue. And while 2011 has seen the creation of new chapters in the brilliant book, intrepid international expeditions to France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain & South Africa casting our clubbing net much further than ever before, this including barnstorming brands in their own backyard’s, Berghain, Red & Blue, Delice, La Demence, & Muccassassina, in admitting that all these proved dynamic draws, like the strap line that is & forever will be associated the club in question & review here, all roads inevitably led back to just one place. But you could be forgiven that that place may have meant, Lovechild or SuperMartXe, Gigolo or Room Service, Hard On! or Meat, all which played out prolifically in our own backyard, the capital’s clubbing circuit, it could only be that one place we have hinted to that you stand it out from this considerable crowd of clubs and by a country mile at that.
Amazing Afterhours
Beyond is, undoubtedly, a club & brand that has re-written our clubbing history books, having knocked the previous pretender to our top dog crown, Trade, right off its powerful pedestal, this so called mothership of clubbing having dominated our first few years circulating the capitals scene on arriving from our home, South Africa all too many years ago, although has pretty much paled in comparison to the contender that has not only wrestled our pinnacle place out of Trade’s hands, but has gripped it tightly for virtually the whole of the ten years it has been wooing & wowing us. And we say with unashamed bravado that Beyond touches our minds & souls literally every day of our existence, we carry it in our pocket, we see it on our phone, we hear its music in our ears, but moreover than that, we look forward to Sunday mornings with both extreme excitement & those bubbling butterflies in our stomach that make the amazing afterhours our brilliant best. But, we are not alone in this accolade, as scene websites & publications have lauded loads of awards on this captivating club, while 2011 alone has seen the brand spread it wonderful word internationally too, tours of Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam & Ibiza among a host of others, that along with being beamed out to the wider world on the radio, touching all six continents of this gigantic globe.
Main Room Magnificence
So, without a doubt, it has been a yardstick year for Beyond, we can counting ourselves so lucky to have been a part of this prolific picture, we ourselves having showered the club with compliments, posts, reviews, reports & recommendations unparalleled with any other. And with all that in mind, couldn’t think of a better brand or choice to devote our final resplendent clubbing reflection of 2011 to, two happenings earlier this month our focus, the first marking our return to the scene after a six week ill health absence, the club itself rolling out as the official afterparty for WE’s “Disco” event, meaning that as we arrived at just turned 6.30 a.m., the queue was still substantial, although being superbly managed as usual by Tom Fuller, we pleased as punch to see him back at Beyond after, like us, as few weeks and doing what he does best. But it was the calls from Steve Pitron that were beckoning us in, the man eager to catch a few moments with us before his set start in the main room at 7 a.m. out arrival in the chapel space also greeted by the brilliant Bel & a handful of the Brazilian bunch with whom we have regularly rubbed shoulders with during the year.
Amazing Area
With Steve off into the yet unopened main room to prepare for his performance, Bel in tow, we sought some pre-rollercoaster ride solace in the terrace room, finding Jamie Hammond spinning a characterful collection of upfront & euphoric house that was certainly hitting the mark, while from our spot we were in full view of the masses of ex WE party goers, many of whom had clearly, like us, made Beyond their post Coronet destination, not least Jamie Head, Fat Tony & Peyton, all of whom took a moment to say their hello’s before disappearing into the considerable crowd that was anticipating the opening of the main arena at Area. But we didn’t have to wait that long, the stampede for a special space akin to a buffalo migration across the African plains, we dashing to demarcate our spot right down to (yes you guessed it) the left of the D.J. booth, although we hardly needed to rush, as our approaching pal Sophie Pearson, had done the job just perfectly, marking out our space with red tape (naturally imaginary), just as we had planned from a few days earlier, a whole gathering of the remaining Brazilian bunch making us feel right at home once more, it feeling mere days rather than weeks we had been away from this heavenly & hallowed clubbing turf.
Unmistakably Beyond
Now we were ready to jump onto the terrific train of tunes that would surely make up the impending rollercoaster ride of rapture, Steve starting as he meant to go on with the brilliant “You Better”, the room packed to the rafters before the track had ended. And with Steve’s Celso now captivating our company, the podiums already full with extrovert revellers, the lighting in the hands of the superb Smalls responding to Mr Pitron’s playlist perfectly, his second selection was equally as good as the first, “Music In My Soul” sending us into a spectacular spin on our spot, Brazilian boy Luis joining us in our joviality. But even these two tremendous tracks were set to be eclipsed by the next which, to this day, is simply known as “Track 3”, yet one which blew us away, we being left breathless by its brilliance, as like “Offshore” it was definitely joyful tear material, not to mention dripping with destroying qualities that have become nearly as much as an infamous as those rollercoaster rides we find ourselves on. With Steve now firmly in the zone, the new tracks kept coming, our iron lung hardly being able to cope, our excitement reaching such heights that we were close on wetting ourselves, not just due to the mesmeric music our maestro was masterminding, but because we daren’t leave our spot for the much needed toilet break for fear of missing out on even a second of Steve’s scintillating set.
Hallowed Afterhours Turf
With our much needed visit done, it was back into the groove in an instant, the tremendous tracks, one after the other sending us into a “Doing The Disco Matt” frenzy, Bel with her tweeting & Sophie with her whistling all adding to the awesome atmosphere, even the eye catching Eduardo from the Brazilian bunch wanting a piece of our dance delirium, dragging us off our spot and into his path, although we certainly weren’t complaining. Mind you, it wasn’t long before we had reassumed our usual position, not least due to the final Steve selection in a simply scintillating two hours of hypnotic house, “Bitch Lady” sending us wild as well as into a fit of hysterical laughter, not least due to the hidden meaning of the track and one we knew Mr Pitron had picked on purpose. Yet, there was going to be much more hilarity to come from the morning, Steve now next to us and egging both Bel & Sophie’s tweets & whistles the frolicking threesome cornering us on our spot with their playful taunting & tickles and all this while The Sharp Boys took over where Steve had left off, classics like “Put Em High” intermixed with latest hits, both Geroge & Stephen on fantastic form and hitting our magnificent mark with their masterful music machinations. But our morning, while pretty advanced by this stage was not yet over, our usual retreat into the terrace for a meet up with Tom finding Fat Tony tearing up the place with tons of terrific tunes, his captive audience clearly lapping up every tasty morsel with gusto.
Packed & Pumping
However, it would be in the company of Mr Fuller that we would see out our resplendent return to Beyond, although not before a string of hilarious moments, kicked off with a “Kitty” lookalike female standing near us next to the bar, Tom remarking that she looked more like Bagpuss, while the usual line of gorgeous guys kept heading in Mr Fuller’s direction, each occasion prompting us to carry out the customary check for a hip hugging line. And with it never ceasing to surprise us what a draw our magnificent mate was (indeed is) to these delectable dudes, we continued to be aghast as a whole succession gratefully agreed to pose in front of the camera with which Tom had thrusted in our direction, we acting like his personal David Bailey but loving every minute of it. But a step outside would be the signal we needed to call a halt to this humongous happening, although not before falling into the tracks of the adorable Andrea, whom we had lost in the first few wonderment moments of WE and had hardly set foot on her since, missing her completely during Steve’s set, meaning she made up for lost time in an instant with his hysterical quips that that included “…where the f*** were you?!?!…” & “…you can f*** right off yaaaah!!!!…” leaving us wanting more, she soon dragging us right back to our main room spot, Alan K now in charge of the tunes. So, with a calling cry over the D.J. booth, he lauded the most magnificent multi mixed version of “Release Me” on us, he clearly pleased as punch to see us back soaking up his set, we equally as chuffed to have him back at Beyond too, the icing on our cake being a session up next to the main room man, seeing him in amazing action.
Clubbing Church
So that was the first of our brace of Beyond’s, we only needing to fast forward a week to find ourselves back on our spot in the club’s main room, back being an appropriate word as we couldn’t have been happier to see Mikey D at the decks, our short absence nothing compared to his, although in an instant it felt like he hadn’t been away at all, a glorious mix of tougher tech tunes intermixed with dancefloor delights, “You Better”, “Souk” & “Pressure” among them, while a look in our direction & then a quick chat over the booth confirming that we were nibble size tweeting, made both of us feel right at home. Mind you the flood of familiar faces were doing to trick too, the likes of Jonny M, Minty, Terry Bryan &, of course Tom Fuller all helping, the delectable Dorin also doing his bit with a huge hug & kiss, the previous days upset caused by a certain individual fizzling out of our minds, our thoughts now firmly on the task in hand, having a terrific time. And with Smalls in place & Mikey masterminding mounds of majestic music moments, we knew that Beyond was once again the place to be, a place that had served us so well for the whole of the year, a captivating constant in our lives that made everything else all the more worthwhile.
Sparking Lighting Spectacle
However, the morning was set to go from strength to strength, as the arrival of two otter constants in our lives Steve & Celso would find us hitting our gyratingly terrific top gear, this after a captivating catch-up with Steve Sharp & more of those friendly & familiar faces passing us by, Liz Dowling, Severino & Sylvester among them, while Tom continued to provide plenty of enthralling entertainment as he pulled the boys, doing a roaring trade with Fire’s re-opening party tickets. But we were D.J. booth bound, Steve wanting us to be part of his arrival & reunion rejoicing with his back-to-back pal of a D.J. partner, our excitement levels now at fever pitch as we prepared to be once again destroyed in a pool of emotional yet joyful tears, although with the magical moments we were spending in our lofty position getting a little too much, that along with Mr Pitron’s playful tickling pranks, we quickly retired to our spot to succumb to the second stormer of a set. And the first flood of tears hit home pretty much instantaneously, those trademark stares from our fabulous friend over the booth in our direction starting us off, then the addition of three fingers being held aloft, clearly indicating that “Track 3” was being lined up, but not just that, as the third track in his set showing, a gorgeous gesture that erupted our emotions effortlessly.
Spotlight On Steve
Now we were In Steve Pitron seventh heaven again, Celso in close quarters, Bel by our side, the Brazilian bunch occupying our area & Mikey enjoying a post performance Beyond boogie within eyeshot, our delightful D.J. clearly also enjoying every second, his smiling looks across with the choosing of every track saying it all, while a sense that we were about to be, in our pals own words “…destroyed…” by his dance delectations, was sweeping over us. And as it turned out, our feelings were not lying to us, first “Music In My Soul” then “Catch You” sending us spinning yet also ravaged with emotion, Bel instigating her own infamous microphone moves to the latter, while Tom Fuller was doing his best to avert our attention away from the amazing atmosphere now apparent, calls for “Get A Room” well placed as a cute young thing was burying himself in our friends face. But the terrific tunes kept coming, “You Better”, “Live Your Dreams” & “levels” among them, although quite uncharacteristically, Tom was drawing us away from this prolific Pitron performance, our absence for the short few minutes it was, ringing alarm bells in our head, our arrival back on our spot evidence that Steve had wondered where we had gone.
Shine A Light
Back in our rightful place, we were soon savouring yet more scoops of superb Steve sounds, although with Bel now with her beautiful Brazilian beau, Tom flirting with his young Brazilian boy and even Luis having his turn with a passing hunk, it was clear that more than just romance was in the air, we craving for our own slice of the action, albeit that we had the music to once again fall in love with. And with Beyond at full tilt, Elektra Paris & her drop dead gorgeous go-go’s atop the podiums, the Area lighting & effects sparking in the Sunday morning spotlight of a showing, Mauricio Ortiz also passing by to say hello, it was not only the music we were in love with, although with the second week in a row seeing Steve pull “Bitch Lady” out of his musical bag of tricks, we realised that clubbing & dancing doesn’t get better than this, a remark we have made on many occasion about beyond & about the pitch perfect Pitron performances we have been privileged to be part of, this one no exception. Yet with Steve’s set over, it was a case of continuing our clubbing traditions in this awesome afterhours, our catch up with Tom over post Steve set drinks, followed by a return to our spot and the savouring of an Alan K performance that once again included an colossal multi mixed compilation of “Release Me”, we witnessing this one right next to the man himself, once more up in our select & sort after spot, proved a huge highlight among a mound of many more at this second scintillating session in a week, this awesome afterhours delivering to the degree that other clubs can only dream of.
2012, Another Colossal Beyond Chapter
So in rounding off this lengthy look at the legend of a club that is Beyond, while our reflection on this breathtaking brace of brilliances was the carrot for us to deliver this in-depth delectation, the truth of the matter is that we need little or no reason to orate about this awesome afterhours as we do, much of what we have already said proving just what an outstanding club this is, not just in comparison to others on the capitals clubbing circuit, but right across the world. From the lighting, to the effects, from the atmosphere to the energy and from the people to the players, we can say with total conviction that Beyond tops any other clubbing brand we know, including both those of today & of yesterday, a ten year triumph that has ridden the most wonderful wave crest for the whole of this exceptional existence. And when we look at the players that have graced its decks over the years, whether guests or residents, it reads like the most magnificent who’s who of the gay clubbing D.J. scene, many of whom we are so fortunate to call friends, some close and one very close. So it is to those dynamic D.J.’s that we dedicate this final review of Beyond for 2011, indeed the final posting on our site for this year, as it is these D.J.’s, over & above all the familiar faces we see every time we visit the club, that spin our wonderful world around with the magnificent music, meaning we are sure that, within the next few hours when the club steps into the first spotlight of 2012, we will be right there with that close D.J. pal, no doubt on the rapturous rollercoaster ride. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Reviews | Tags: Alan K, Area, Beyond, Fat Tony, Jamie Head, Jonny M, Mikey D, Minty, Peyton, Steve Pitron, Steven Sharp, The Sharp Boys, Tom Fuller | No Comments »
Rollercoaster Ride Returns
If we could have predicted just how much one club would have stirred our emotions over the last few months, then we could have at least been a little bit prepared for the series of rollercoaster rides that we have found ourselves on. That said, given the gigantic year that this club has had, its own ride has been more akin to an eagle floating high in the sky on a breeze (there’s a song about that!) a whole succession of prolific parties here in London cementing its position as the capitals number one clubbing choice, while excursions into Europe & South America, as well as a weekly radio station, have spread its wonderful word to all corners of the globe. But back in London, our most favourite club, now of all time, has continued to charm us into seductive submission, no Sunday morning ever feeling quite the same unless we find ourselves spinning on our spot and drawn in by the terrific team of D.J.’s, performers & operational cogs that make this awesome afterhours as amazing as it is, Tom Fuller a shining example of the club at its colossal best, yet so many more people equally deserved of a mention.
Red Hot Happening
Naturally we couldn’t be talking about any other club but Beyond, the brand that captured our imagination and found a special place in our hearts virtually from the day it was launched, a whole series of events in its history marking milestones in ours, a mound of magical memories still fresh in our minds, not least as a result of the music makers that have sported its decks. And having celebrated its 10th birthday just a couple of weeks ago, we once again found ourselves in the grip of its greatness, although that emotional rollercoaster ride wasn’t quite as it should have been, yes the emotions were there, but not for all the right reasons. Plus, while there is no doubt that Beyond has sported some of the capitals most dynamic D.J.’s, many who have very much floated our boat, Alan K, The Sharp Boys, Fat Tony, Paul Heron & Hifi Sean among a lengthy list, within the list of those that fill us with so much joy with their magnificent music, are two that see us over spilling into ecstatic emotions, sending us to tears , one being Mikey D and the other?, well it could only be one person.
Shining Star Steve
Since we first saw him play way back when at Crash and then watch in wonder as he became a staple ingredient in Beyond’s success recipe, we have followed the fabulous footsteps created by Steve Pitron, the undisputed original & longest serving resident of this awesome afterhours, who, like us, was at the very first party back in 2001, although was a noticeable absence from its decade of dance celebration two weeks ago. However, over the years, he has entertained us enthrallingly, a massive mound of magical memories marking some magnificent milestones in our association with the man & the club, although the last nine years cannot quite compare with this latest tenth, a real purple patch period creating what has now become our tearful trademark, that emotional rollercoaster ride that we have so often during 2011 found ourselves on, Beyond, our spot & Steve entirely responsible for these overt reactions. So, it would come as no surprise that with the news of his resplendent return to the decks of this colossal club, even a serious shoulder injury wasn’t going to keep us away from absorbing what would prove to be yet another prolific Pitron performance brimming with brilliant beats.
Main Room Magnificence
So, it was Sunday morning and that fantastic feeling that we were once again pushing the boundaries of normality as we made the short journey to Vauxhall and to Area, the heavenly home of the clubbing colossus, the weekend seeing Beyond play host to the official “I Love WE” afterparty, a terrific turnout expected as a result, the actual numbers notched up impressive enough, especially once we found ourselves inside . That said, our later than planned arrival of just shy of 7 a.m. found little or no wait to negotiate the usual considerable queue, the familiar & friendly face of Tom Fuller taking care of door hosting duties in the absence of Naomi & Juliana, his exceptional efficiency accounting for our smooth & swift entry. With just the coatcheck to negotiate, having weaved our way through the Chapel space, Gonzalo Rivas serving up a sermon of stupendous sounds, our mind was rather focussed on Beyond’s main room and its main man who was already well into his stride, very much back where he belonged & in his now favoured first slot, exuding with the energy .
Unmistakable Area
So, deciding to brave it through the masses already gathered, we approached the front of the D.J. booth into the welcoming arms of Steve’s beau Celso, the emotion of it all gripping us as tightly as the hug from our brilliant Brazilian, the beautiful Bel also in close quarters, although the beaming smile of Steve sent us scurrying to our spot, the emotion of the reunion over spilling spontaneously. But with Beyond’s best masterminding the magnificent music, “Pressure” hitting our heavenly mark, a beckon back to the front of the D.J. booth by an excited Mr Pitron was clearly a ploy to trap us in a tearful tumble as he pulled out “Offshore” from his bag of brilliant beats, a sure-fire certainly to get our waterworks in full flow. With Celso’s further reassuring hug helping us reassume a grip on our exaggerated emotions, we returned to our spot to savour what was becoming another brilliant Beyond, the Area lighting amazing, even the much missed pyrotechnic rockets back with a bang, while the towering tunes kept coming, a magnificent mix of classics remixed, notable new ones & all-time anthems that would set us off again, first “Bitch Lady”, then “Live Your Dreams” and “Catch” ramping up the already rip roaring rollercoaster ride we found ourselves on.
Beyond In Brilliant Blue
Now we were pretty much absorbed by this awesome afterhours, a flock of familiar faces passing us but stopping to say hi, Guy Williams, Aaron Elder, Jonny Marsh, & the marvellous Minty just four in a score or more of party people that were making us feel right at home, although it was the music that was continuing to do the talking, the spectacular “Souk” and them a rapturous remake of the classic “Jumpin” sending us skyward & spinning on our spot. But the best was yet to come, as the occasional glances over the D.J. booth were soon followed by an invitation to join our man behind the Beyond decks, Steve’s smiles saying it all, as were the audiences amazing reactions which we could see all the more clearly from our privileged position, we quickly losing count of the people pitching up in front of the booth to grab a piece of Mr Pitron who was on fantastic form. And with first a re-make of “Fusion” and then the truly terrific track, “Feel The Power (Vibe)” within Steve’s selections, we pretty much lost our breath amidst the enormity of the magical moments we were spending up in the D.J. booth & witnessing a morning’s musical masterclass. However, the tremendous two hours of his scintillating set were fast coming to an end, we feeling well & truly touched to be spending the last magnificent moments of this masterful Steve showing right next to the man in question, his playful pranks extending to a stint out on the dancefloor, Bel’s tweets also combining to pin us in our corner then seek refuge behind Celso & fellow Brazilian boy Giuseppe, he completing the perfect picture of this magnificent morning, our shoulder injury eventually dictating our retirement home to reflect on a short stay that satisfied in all respects.
Side By Side With Steve
So how can we sum up this slice of a serving from the brilliance of Beyond? Well, to be honest, walking away from the club we felt completely lost for words, such was the splendour of this sliver we savoured, Steve’s superb sound selections marking yet another pitch perfect Pitron performance to add to the long list we have been so fortunate to witness just this year, let alone all the ones from across Beyond’s history both at Area & Colosseum. And while it was clear that we were not alone in missing our man at the helm for the clubs 10th birthday celebration, this magical morning made up for it in every respect, the reactions from the party people in the packed out main room testament to just what a draw this delectable D.J. is. However, we can also take away from this latest terrific turn, the captivating comradeship that the crowd clearly hold dear in the presence of Mr Pitron, we even feeling the affection from the flock of familiar faces that made a point of saying hello, not least the young man that was so complimentary of our last Beyond review. And while our stay was shorter than we would have hoped, we couldn’t have wished for much more from this magical morning, the club, its crowd and everyone involved in bringing brilliance Beyond within our reach week in week out, proving that it continues to ride that wave crest that we deluded to earlier, although nothing will ever compare to that rollercoaster ride that we once again found ourselves on, a jubilant yet emotional journey that we wouldn’t change for the world, a trip fantastique, Steve style. (DISCO MATT)
Postscript – Monday 10th Oct
Pitron Picks
Having shared ten tracks from Beyond’s history in our “10th Birthday” review, we thought we would continue the trend, although this time pick on five fabulous features from Steve’s set yesterday morning, some looking like making it onto our 2011 list, while others are likely to be included in a forthcoming Pitron podcast pressing.
So, first up is the uplifting & bouncy “Levels” by Avici, minimal vocals but bags of electronic beats that give it a real afterhours feel and a track that is, for us, very Beyond & Steve Pitron. Now, more hot off the press you couldn’t have as its full release is imminent, the Etta James sample having literally just been signed to Universal (wonder who was responsible for that?!?!), so we can see this track doing big things and one which you can check out via http://youtube.com/watch?v=kVk1HOlkq_o.
Next up is one of our favourites and caught our ear as we walked onto the Beyond main room dancefloor yesterday morning, the wave of emotion we were feeling, cut through fabulously by this Geoff M stormer. Released back in August but only now emerging onto the D.J.’s playlists, “You Better” featuring vocals by Dawn Tallman & given the remix treatment by one David Penn is an absolute corker and one you can grab in full glory at http://youtube.com/watch?v=wRPk__KizOg.
Our third pick from a raft of new tunes Mr Pitron played on Sunday (and one that got a mini mention within the main review) is a re-make of a track that was doing it for us on the Beyond dancefloors a few years ago, “Fusion” one of those recognisable tracks that evoke fabulous memories for us and this 2011 version looks like doing the same, especially as we were right by Steve’s side when he selected. With the unmistakable vocals of Kristen Cummings, this Hoxton Whores re-press is sure to have magnificent mileage and one worth checking out at http://youtube.com/watch?v=QWGI2z3nj_0.
Our fourth choice is pretty hot off the press, having been released just over three weeks ago and, given it freshness, pricked up our ears when Steve played it yesterday, a terrific tune that suits the Beyond main room first set superbly, “Don’t Throw It Away” combining vocals, progressive beats & electro intentions exceedingly well, the Bassmonkey’s club mix on this collaborative track with the Dominatorz with vocals from Amanda Wilson out in full glory at http://youtube.com/watch?v=HhUTtokkYB4.
Dynamic Duo
Then, saving the best for last, we come to the powerful “Feel The Vibe” a brilliant Beyond anthem that we overlooked when running down our top ten a couple of weeks ago, but came rushing back when Steve selected this absolute masterpiece of a mix by the brilliant Whelan & Di Scala, Axwell’s original given a new thrilling twist by the dynamic duo that were responsible for the towering track “Nimbus” among many others. Again, we were so fortunate to be standing next to Steve when this was played out yesterday morning and the crowd’s reaction was simply spectacular and yes, our eyes were filling with those emotional joyful tears too. This track has already stormed into our top 40 of the year and when you take a listen at http://youtube.com/watch?v=-9bisoNYhmo you will realise why.
Posted in Reviews | Tags: Aaron Elder, Alan K, Area, Beyond, Colosseum, Fat Tony, Gonzalo Rivas, Guy Williams, Hrh Minty, Mikey D, Minty, Paul Heron, Steve Pitron, The Sharp Boys, Tom Fuller | No Comments »
Awesome Afterhours Anniversary
Having taken our tender steps onto the capital’s clubbing circuit some twenty or so years ago, we can count ourselves pretty lucky to have encountered some truly tremendous times in the hands of some of the biggest & best brands along the way, from Action to DTPM, Factor 25 to FIST, Matinee to SuperMartXe & Lovechild to Later, all making their significant mark in our memories. And whilst the list could go on & on, these are our handful of happenings that have reached the elite in our echelons and rank as those that have influenced our clubbing lives more than many others, but if we were to pin down the brands that have made the biggest impression on us, it comes down to just three, the first being Trade, no list ever being complete without the mother of all clubs which completely dominated the scene in the 90’s and still continues to this day, although admittedly a minnow of its former spectacular self. Then there is Crash, a club that heralded the underground movement & put Vauxhall onto the London clubbing map and a club that, without doubt, had as much, if not more of an influence on our lives than Trade, as it was at Crash that we formed some of our greatest & longest lasting friendships, many that survive & thrive to this very day.
Beyond's Birth
But what the colossus that was Crash did more than anything else is create a Sunday morning afterhours phenomenon that has excelled all others before it, rising to the top of our clubbing pile and in so doing, beating off all potential rivals for our fondest affection. And it couldn’t be any other club than Beyond, a club and brand that started as a simple follow on for Crash customers, but has become a worldwide symbol for everything that is ecstatic & exemplary of club eventing, a brand that has dominated the capitals clubbing circuit for a huge slice of its existence, toppling Trade from its proud pedestal to become THE place to be & be seen clubbing on a Sunday morning. So, as Beyond prepares to mark ten years since making its first impression on the London clubbing landscape, we couldn’t let the moment pass without taking you back through some of its historical highlights, sharing some of the magical music & the prolific people that the club have served up to the scene and then delving into the detail of how the current team at the clubs helm plan to mark this landmark in its lifetime.
Craig Elder On Beyond Board
So where & when did the brilliance that is Beyond today begin?, well we have to look back to 2nd June 2001 when the concept for an Sunday morning afterhours was born out of what was initially an after party for the Purple In the Park, host venue, The Coliseum proving to be the clubs home for the first part of its heavenly history, although its first faltering year in operation saw Beyond play second fiddle to the Saturday superstars on the scene, Crash, Action & Heaven still proving the hard hitters, while Trade’s pedestal was proving a tough cookie to topple. But enter stage left the man behind other Vauxhall afterhours brands A: M & Orange, one Craig Elder and Beyond was to take on a whole new identity and impact, the joining of forces with Crash’s Wayne Shires proving a explosive collaborative cocktail and one that would see the brand propelled into the eyes of the clubbing community virtually instantaneously, becoming the talk of town & very much walking the walk, seeing off the Sunday morning competition that was Trade.
Beyond Boy Brilliance
With Beyond under a full head of steam, the Colosseum days were to prove very special for us, not least that many of the resident D.J.’s from Crash would play out at this awesome afterhours too, the likes of Alan X, David Jiminez, Severino & Steve Pitron performing virtually week in week out, well when Beyond was given away to Crash’s own “Afterhours” party, while the iconic VIP room was where one of the best known & longest running D.J. back-to-back partnerships were formed, Brent Nicholls & Paul Heron playing line astern, this leading on to a playing partnership that saw soiree splendour Industri rule the Thursday waves for much of its own time in clubland. But with so many stars of the scene clamouring to play the Beyond decks and the now weekly parties very much roadblock affairs, what was originally a two room party was stretched to three a “Therapy” & then an “Elemental” themed space introducing the likes of Malcolm Duffy, Paul Martin & Red and Blue, while Beyond’s main room sported stars The Sharp Boys, Hugh Stevenson & Stevie B, mixing it up with the clubs originals, Mr Pitron still part & parcel of the clubs prolific package. And appropriately, Steve has just this month released a podcast from those halcyon days of Beyond, from April 2004 in fact, the magical musical memoires that he made back then coming flooding back before our eyes & ears and one that is an absolute must for all Beyond & Pitron fans as well as those who fancy a terrific trip down memory lane, one which you can grab by going to http://stevepitronsessions.podomatic.com/.
Amazing Area
But while 2006 dawned with one of the clubs biggest parties to date, the early part of the year seeing the offer extend to a new concept called “B4 Beyond”, the might of Crash & Orange uniting in what was seen as the continuing & harmonious collaboration between the two camps. However, under the surface the lines were being drawn in the sand, as new club venue Area was in the cusp of being launched, the team behind Crash throwing their might & money behind this amazing arrival, one which was to see Beyond hit the back burner midway through the year. And with Beyond out of play, this new custom built venue stepped into the spotlight, its own afterhours outing “Ultra” becoming the darling of the Sunday morning clubbing market, attracting Crash stars that included Mikey D, Jamie Head, Brent Nicholls and, naturally, Steve Pitron among a host of others that had played Beyond in the Coliseum days and who play for the brand to this day, Paul Heron included in that elite list. But this part of the Beyond picture would never be complete without a massive mention for one other, as the hostess with the mostest, now known as Hrh Minty, but then simply as Minty, was the fabulous face of Beyond from its early days at Coliseum, very much providing continuity within the calamity that had seen our favourite afterhours disappear off our dance diary.
Multi Mixing Maestro
So, to pick up the Beyond story we need to fast forward some two years, to 2nd May 2008 to be exact, this marking the return of the brand to its regular slot in our schedule, an attempt to re-launch the club earlier in the year at the inauspicious Sunday evening timing falling on immediate rocky ground. But with Area now in the hands of Craig Elder & his Orange Group, Beyond was to see its most successful years ahead, not only cementing itself as the best afterhours outing on the clubbing circuit, but establishing itself as the leading brand in the eyes of the clubbing community & press, scooping award after award, not least the prestigious SeenQueen club poll, one of the most respected & robust opinion orators around. That said, the awards came on the back on the brilliance of the brand, not least with the dynamic D.J.’s that Beyond employed, Steve Pitron very much in the mix, while his old Crash pals Mikey D & Jamie Head became regular features too, the likes of Alan K, Hifi Sean, D’Johnny, Paul Christian & The Oli the new blood, joining the Colosseum company of David Jiminez, Gonzalo Rivas & The Sharp Boys. And many of these stars have laid down recordings in reverence of Beyond, Alan’s compilations considerable, Sean’s mixes magical, D’Johnny’s devotions delightful & Oli’s podcasts pumping, all worth checking out at http://djalank.podomatic.com, http://hifiseandj.podomatic.com/, http://djohnny.podomatic.com/ & http://theoli.podomatic.com/.
Tokyo Triumph
However, the story of Beyond is a continuing one, as in Area we have seen some of the best times in our own clubbing history, not one month going by without it playing a pulsating part in our prancing, so much so we find it hard to choose one or two from the wealth of wonderful weeks when the club hit our heavenly high notes, although “Tokyo” last October & “Erotica” this February rank as two huge highlights along with scores of others that received our rapturous reviewing, the brand benefitting from unparralled exposure through those reviews as well as countless recommends & reports posts, while we have sometimes courted controversy with revealing our displeasure to certain changes or directions the club has taken in recent times. That said, as amazing those halcyon days of Colosseum were, 2011 has been a purple patch Beyond year for us, our relationship with the club & many of its players reaching dizzy heights, our now much publicised “rollercoaster emotional rides & tearful floods of joy” never more apparent than when found on “our spot” in Area for Beyond, indeed that very phrase, our spot, a product of the club and one that is equally associated to us as we do it to Beyond. As for this brand, well 2011 has seen it stretch its international legs, touching the likes of Amsterdam, Ibiza, Mykonos, Paris, & Sao Paulo, while beaming out its beats on Gaydar Radio has reached audiences as far as Australia & South Africa, making Beyond as a brand a genuine global giant. Add to that it’s various incarnations, “Belief”, “Back 2″, “Midnight” & “Super Size” and if the club were a human being, it would most definitely be a man for all seasons.
Back-to-Back Brilliance
Yet as the truly brilliant Beyond marks a decade since first opening its doors to droves of dancers, the club finds its very existence at threat, microscopic attention by the regulatory authorities in the last few weeks marring its magnificence, while rumours are rife of licensing & other issues that could affect its future or its home. That said, given the clubs standing on the scene together with its ability to survive & thrive where others have fallen by the wayside, come this Sunday morning (25th Sept), Beyond will be brimming with dance devotees both old & new, all coming together to celebrate what is truly one of the best clubs on the planet. And the team will be turning out the best that Beyond has to offer, with a never seen before bounty of back-to-back sets by its all-star residents, some also old while others are new, the marriage of multi mixing maestro Alan K with young gun Jamie Hammond looking electric, the playing partnerships between Hifi Sean & Severino, D’Johnny & David Jiminez set to be superb showstoppers, while the prolific pairing of Steve Pitron & Mikey D had to be a given and will surely prove stand-out among the ample helpings of this 10th birthday celebration cake topping icing impressions.
Breathtaking Beyond
But with the devil in the detail, there is much more that this Beyond birthday bash looks like bring, not least as a further supporting cast of D.J. residents include Jamie Head, The Sharp Boys, Gonzalo Rivas, Fat Tony, The Oli & Jonny M, while we are told Elektra Paris will be heading up a team of ten dancers dressed distinctively to celebrate this landmark moment in the clubs history, the team telling us to expect “… everything from cutting edge LED gogos, to stunning couture sailors, amazonian warriors, erotic leather-bound studs, circus freaks and wonderland characters…” all on a custom built stage setting created exclusively for this event. Then add in the truly amazing Area lighting, effects, pyrotechnics & lasers, for which Beyond has become a byword and you have one colossal celebration of afterhours audacity at its brilliant best, all this hosted by the fantabulous Naomi Ruiz & Mauricio Ortiz, meaning that this is sure to be a roadblock event, thereby hinting that advance tickets are a must to avoid disappointment, these priced at a mere £10 and available online at http://clubtickets.com as well as at the usual Soho outlets. However, chancing it on the door will cost you £12 with an ad or flyer, while without will stretch you to a score (that’s £20 folks), those doors opening at 6 a.m. and the club running through to a planned 1 a.m.
Beyond = Best
Now that’s the detail, but how do we sum up this whirlwind look back at Beyond’s history & its landmark landing? Well, despite the pedantic part of us questioning its right to celebrate a 10th birthday, given that two year break in its history, it is in true fact a full (and slightly more) ten years since Beyond braved the capitals clubbing scene and during that time it has brought to us the best in music, the best in D.J.’s, the best in dancing, the best in atmosphere, the best in effects & the best in events. So, that simple word best speaks for Beyond in a nutshell and given its amazing ascendency, those halcyon days at Colosseum, the phoenix rise from the ashes at Area, the unrepentant wave crest ride it finds itself on today & everything in-between, we cannot take anything away from this colossus of a club’s moment of glory, so will hopefully be right in the thick of the action, nibble size tweeting, spinning on our spot, in a Pitron pool of tearful emotion, but moreover helping Beyond & all its prolific players celebrate this awesome afterhours anniversary. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Previews | Tags: Alan K, Alan X, Area, Beyond, Brent Nicholls, Colosseum, Craig Elder, David Jimenez, Fat Tony, Gonzalo Rivas, Hifi Sean, Hrh Minty, Hugh Stevenson, Jamie Hammond, Jamie Head, Jonny M, Mauricio Ortiz, Mikey D, Minty, Naomi Ruiz, Paul Heron, Severino, Steve Pitron, The Oli, The Sharp Boys, Wayne Shires | No Comments »
Revolution Renegade
If we had a pound for every club launch we have seen come & go over the years we have been circulating the scene, we would be pretty rich by now, while the same could be said for the plethora of promoters that have tried & failed to make the mark. So much so, when news first hit our desks of yet another new brand concept braving the tough cookie that is the capitals clubbing circuit, we were somewhat sceptical not just of its credentials but of its chance to cut a sufficiently significant & successful stride. That said, when the Fire fanfares shouted statements that included phrases “…the club launch of 2011…”, along with “…a new era of London clubbing…” as well as “…it will need to be seen to be believed…”, there was no wonder that our ears pricked up and our expectations grew, Brava the new brand, an international clubbing collaboration the concept and the word revolution the strap line running through the veins & arteries of this latest byword for clubbing.
However, the mightiest statement of intent among a field of others was still to come, the team behind Brava staking the claim that it would“… push the boundaries of technology and club culture further than ever seen before to create something truly spectacular, bringing together incredible new technology with an iconic image and cutting edge dance music…” a brave & bold statement indeed and when combined with the others, immediately placed Brava on the highest of pedestals in peoples estimations. But more than that, shouting from the rooftops that this was a “…spectacular international clubbing collaboration…”, when you consider that the two club brand names behind this new concept were (are) the Spanish superclub & global success story that is WE Party, along with the most awesome afterhours & brilliant brand Beyond, in this marriage of minds aimed at creating a combination of the two, it certainly seemed that in Brava had all the correct credentials to back up their colossal claims. So why the full-on fanfares?, and did Brava live up to these elevated expectations?
Revolution, What Revolution?!
With this prolific picture painted, it came as no surprise that Brava, right from the outset of its announcement, was creating quite a stir within the clubbing scene, not just here in London, but across Europe, a whole host of D.J.’s & scene faces getting in touch with us to find out just what this revolution in clubbing was all about. And quite rightly so, as a glance at the new brands video viral at http://youtube.com/watch?v=dKpzWpzfkgM, along with the clubs bespoke website at http://bravalondon.com were enough to get those tongues wagging and the inquisitive minds ticking, yet whilst we were by now very much sold into the idea that Brava was expected to be quite spectacular, we were struggling to pinpoint exactly what was going to be so revolutionary about this club launch of 2011. That said, in host venue The Electric (formerly The Fridge) expectations were also very high, a comprehensive refurbishment planned & expected, encapsulating the best in technology with stylish & sumptuous surroundings, leaving us with two further simple questions, would the brand & the venue deliver to expectations?, and would we walk away from the launch delighted or disappointed?
Well, with the scene set and the day arrived, it was time to find out, our planned early arrival for the VIP reception shelved due in part to an over extended disco nap, but with our technology charged, our revolutionary style t-shirt pressed & our review hat ready, we were set for the hop skip & jump down to Brixton and to nibble size tweet our way through this expected club launch of the year. And, arriving at our destination it was looking promising, well from the very healthy queue at least, which was stretching away from the venues entrance down Brixton towards the town hall, it obvious that many had chosen Brava as the place to be & be seen on the scene this bank holiday Sunday night, our expectations of a prolific party ahead improved further by the warming welcome from door hosts Minty & Naomi Ruiz, the familiar face of Tom Fuller orchestrating the lengthy queue as only he knows best. But as Naomi guided us into the entrance, we couldn’t help noticing all the chipboard covering the doorway & framing the box office, Electric seemingly having been ravaged by the recent rioting and covered up to conceal the damage. But while the entrance formalities were smooth as silk, as we ascended the stairs to the coatcheck, it was clear this part of our experience would be anything but, a queue as colossal as this Brava creation extending right along the upper tier balcony of the venue as well as right down the stairwell.
White Elephant
After a slightly shorter than expected wait, 20 or so minutes later we found ourselves released to go investigate the club, but having already had a bird’s eye view of the main auditorium below, dominated by a plain white scaffolding monolith engulfing the stage, we were already asking ourselves questions about what exactly was shouting clubbing revolution here. Plus, with a slice cut in the corner of this uninspiring monstrosity revealing the D.J. booth, opening disc spinner Luiggi & his equipment the barefaced focal point for everyone’s attention, you would have thought he would have put on some sort of show, yet the man showed no signs of response to the developing crowd below, rather looking quite miserable with his lot. But that was the least of our woes, as we were struggling to find an alternative exit from the upper tier of the venue, the usual second staircase blocked off as part of the continuing refurbishment of Brixton Electric. So, we descended the only way down, a sign on the wall asking us to “…please bear with us while we continue our upgrade…”, the smell of paint and the collection of cement dust, two obvious giveaways, as was the exposed ceiling which was far from finished, rather paint peeling & plasterwork exposed.
So, with our heads scratching as to exactly what this so called revolution in clubbing was going to further throw at us, we went in search of the dancefloor, the place packing out with party people before our very eyes, clearly everyone expecting great things from this Brava brilliance. Yet as we bumped into familiar faces, one after the next, the constant calls that said “…Disco Matt what do you think of this?…” were met with consternation, as the more we saw, the more we were in shock that, in effect, we were standing within a construction site of a venue, we quite literally stumbling on more & more evidence of unfinished works, exposed steel beams and near dangerous brick/cement work. And amongst all this, the white monstrosity on the stage was showing little or no life, apart from Luiggi, who had seemingly awoken from his reactionary slumber and was now waving his arms in response to the rousing rhythms that made up his very competent yet far from futuristic sound, who did they word it, oh yes, cutting edge music, we don’t think so.
Please Bear With Us
With the auditorium packing out even further, liaisons with Andrea, Rob, Sophie and a score of scene faces already under our belt, the urge to first relieve ourselves and then seek refreshments was our next task, but what a task it turned out to be, as the queues for the only two available toilets were already extensive, the main bar also well over five deep, leaving us with the only option to tie a knot in our privates & seek refreshments from the first floor. But this proved fruitless, the venue clearly not prepared to for volumes of people braving Brava, no soft drinks, not even bottled water available and so, when we were resigned to joining in the main bar mania, we had the choice (or not) of just blackcurrant lucozade to quench our thirst, the fridges behind completely empty and even gaps where equipment should have been evident for all to see.
However, like so many people that we continued to meet, we made the most of what Brava had to offer, although it has to be said, for the first four hours, it wasn’t much, save for the captivating company we were holding, the likes of Clington Forbes, Fabio Tavares & our very own foxy lady MisWhite keeping us from taking an early Brava bath. But, while further glances towards the stage & the white cube showed no sign of life, we did dive back onto our spot on the dancefloor, although being close to the stage, we were wondering just where the dancers or any sort of showings would fit, cement dust caking the performing area, while pyrotechnic & other equipment was exposed given rise to , in our humble opinion, serious health & safety issues. That said, the dancefloor was now rammed with revellers, many lapping up Luiggi’s music, his set even impressing friend Ariel Mayer along with hoards of others showing their hands in the air appreciation, although amongst all this enjoyment, we were continuing to question just what was so revolutionary about Brava.
Alight At Last
Still posting our controversial nibble size review tweets with breakneck speed and with no sign of the headlining D.J. act Peter Rauhofer, who by our clock was now well over ¾ of an hour late, this was close to being the final straw. But just as we were about to call it a day, the whole stage came alight with action, the white monolith that had looked pretty unimaginative, suddenly springing into action, the visual imagery actually superbly stunning when viewed from a distance, while the lighting, which had been conspicuous by its absence, fired up fervently, spots & lasers swinging and the cube as bright now as it had been dull before. With a rolling repetition of impressive images & a sea of lasers attempting to ramp up this revolution in clubbing, along with a message coming our way that our cougar loving clubbing pal had arrived, made us stall plans to exit the event, rather sinking back down onto the dancefloor to view the imagery close up, as well as from a standpoint at the bar, liaisons with Paul Heron & Minty perking us up further.
With its star turn on show and the stage alight with action, it now seemed that there were lengthy legs to Brava, although, visual imagery apart, we certainly weren’t witnessing anything we hadn’t seen anywhere else, not least as the dancers were a carbon copy of those we had spotted at WE just twenty four hours before, while Peter Rauhofer’s performance, for us, wasn’t that much to write home about. However, with the captivating company we were holding, pal Stephen in his Fidel Castro outfit and much hilarity on an Ibiza incident dominating the remainder of our stay, we actually ended up having quite a good time, the company rather than the club more likely responsible for our rapture. But our night wasn’t quite complete, as we managed to grab an audience with the venue’s owner before our leave, he going into great detail about the unearthing of issues with the building’s roof structure, wiring & the like, all that had protracted the renovation. However, even his reassuring words were not enough to keep us from our homeward retreat, leaving this clubbing revolution behind us and what seemed the one highlight of the night, a brilliant set from Paul Heron, eclipsing his two predecessors by a long shot.
Up Close & Personal
So, where do we start in concluding on what was billed as “…the clubbing launch of 2011…” yet for us an many around proved anything but, the overriding reaction being that the venue simply wasn’t in any sort of fit state to accommodate such a claim, let alone provide a decent platform for the Brava brand to perform effectively enough. From the minute we arrived, the evidence of Electric’s unfinished state was plain so see and this was not helped by the white elephant of an eyeful that was the stage, like the D.J. sporting it, left pretty much lifeless for the first few hours. And with coatcheck issues, ill equipped toilet facilities & ill prepared bar staff & stock, queuing was the name of the game, these shortcomings being fuelled by the hoards of bank holiday clubbers that braved what was the only major event on the Sunday night clubbing circuit. Then we turn to the claims that Brava would be a clubbing revolution, the only revolutionary part of the concept as far as we could see, being the visual projections which, when viewed from a distance were quite spectacular, but from the dancefloor had little or no impact, coupled with the fact that by the time they actually swung into action, it was too little too late.
Performance wise, it was clear from the white monolith that the D.J.’s were the main focus, yet both Luiggi & Peter Rauhofer showed little signs of performing to the crowd, rather burying their heads into the decks. And as for the dancers, well given the shortage of space to perform, they failed to make an impressive enough impact, while using the same set to those at WE just a day before was just a little bit too predictable, especially given this was one half of the brand collaboration that made up Brava. Mind you if scene weekly rag Boyz magazine were to be believed, the party “…blew the crowd away…”, they going further by adding that “…following the promise of an uber cool dance show, Brava did not disappoint…” the magazine’s review crowning glory being that “…international superstar Pagano hit the decks…”. But with no sign of Pagano & no sign of an uber cool dance show, it begs the question, did Boyz have a review representative there at all?, as if they did & given what they have said, he/she was most definitely at a different party to us. But we suspect the magazine is simply pandering to their advertising commitments & regurgitating the press release rather than reporting the truth, something which we feel you deserve.
Boyx Brava Bow
Therefore, given all of this, many questions about Brava remain unanswered, namely, what was so revolutionary about the party?, what made it the club launch of 2011?, and did they really reflect the future of clubbing as all the pre-party hype made it out to be? Plus, what did brands Beyond & WE think about the result?, we having spotted the latter’s promoter Victor Pallas present, although failed to find any of the Orange Group top brass there, the director & assistant director of events away in Manchester and the groups owner, having invested a huge amount of time & money into the project, also missing. Their absence begs yet another question, if this was the club launch of the year, why were they not present? as surely if Brava was such a momentous occasion in clubbing, you would think they would want to show a united front rather than leaving it to the likes of Aaron Elder, Victor Pallas, Mauricio Ortiz & other Brava team members to pick up the pieces, thoughts of infallible to failure, overinflated ego’s & too cock sure to commit, springing to mind. Now we know that our findings are controversial & our choice of words will court contention, but if we are honest, we felt extremely let down by the whole Brava experience and are sure that others feel the same, many surely justified in demanding a refund, leaving us to believe the promoters & the venue have a case to answer on all the claims they made about this so called clubbing revolution turned renegade. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Reviews | Tags: Aaron Elder, Beyond, Brava, Hrh Minty, Luiggi, Mauricio Ortiz, Minty, Naomi Ruiz, Paul Heron, Peter Rauhofer, The Brixton Electric, Tom Fuller, Victor Pallas, WE | 1 Comment »
The Last Dance
We can count ourselves lucky to have been part of one of the world’s most vibrant clubbing scenes for close on 20 years now and yes, we can hear you say, “…you don’t look old enough…”, but botox & facelift jokes aside, it was 1991 when we made our first steps on a London scene which was, during that decade, dominated by the likes of Trade, Love Muscle & towards the end of the millennium, by Crash. But times they have changed, the current clubbing landscape very much headed up by Beyond, with a list longer than our arm of those clubs that have come & gone during our time treading the dancefloor boards. Yet as much as many of them had an influence on our clubbing life, Action, Factor 25 & Crash perhaps more than many, we find ourselves having to wave a final & fond farewell to another club that ranks as highly as all those mentioned, not least as it was where we (Disco Matt) were born.
We are of course taking about Industri, the club come splendid social soiree that was born just over three years ago and has seen us not only cement already solid friendships, but build new ones, not to mention mark that Disco Matt birth for which Industri will forever live in our memories. The brainchild of the threesome that was Brent Nicholls, Paul Heron & scentress Minty, during its three years of weekly socialising splendour, Industri has made an not inconsidarble impression on the social scene, having seen some pretty prolific parties, more often than not down in its original & natural home, Barcode Vauxhall. However, Soho did have its say in January when this glorious gathering celebrated its third and what now seems its final birthday, Industri having just a month before traded its south of the river home for what was then seen as new beginnings for Minty Paul & Brent. But with Barcode Soho sold to competitor company Freedom and a wrangle over the ownership of Industri as a brand bringing its three year run to an end, we find ourselves in yet another one of those periods of change as Minty’s marvel graces its exit from our clubbing calendar.
Birthday Beats
But rather than dwelling on its demise, come this Wednesday (29th June), Industri’s “Last Dance” event will be a pure & unadulterated celebration of everything that was great about this social soiree splendour. Clearly the music played an important part in proceedings across Industri’s stay in the scene spotlight, the duo of Brent Nicholls & Paul Heron occasionally joined by others for special celebration parties. Indeed on Paul’s birthday two years ago, a dozen D.J.’s played under the arches of Barcode Vauxhall, the likes of Alan X, Guy Williams, Jamie Head, Rob Sykes, Severino Oliver M & Alessandro taking turns to spin scores of sounds, while Easter Industri last year saw Paul Coals go back-to-back with Brent. And when Industri celebrated that third birthday, Brent & Paul were joined by Chris Brogan, Oliver Mohns & Alessandro Londra, a special two hour mix recorded to mark the occasion still available to download at http://djbrentnicholls.com/web/2011/01/26/podcast-industri-3rd-birthday/, while the club has been responsible for another nine compilations in our considerable collection.
But the music aside, Industri has been all about the people, so we are hoping that Wednesday will see many faces from the club’s history come to celebrate everything that was splendid about this social soiree. And whilst we cannot guarantee the go-go’s that were a feature of early Industri’s, a handful of delectable dancers supplying plentiful eye candy, even we trading moves with Dilmar on the small but perfectly formed podiums, we probably cannot promise the hoards that used to pack out both front room & back on special Easter & New Year Industri parties in Vauxhall, we also unable to report on a possible successor to this social splendour as it graces it’s farewell. However, we can confirm that Minty will be holding court with her infamous shots, the likes of Sassy Bitches & Slippery Nipples complementing the Tequila & Sambuca, while The Candyman will also be making his delivery, this Industri tradition having been a feature of both Vauxhall & Soho for a fair chunk of the clubs history. Plus, we are hoping fabulous photographer Chris Wilcox will be on hand with the many volumes of pictures he has creatively put together and we are sure a whole load of snaps will be taken by him and by tip top clubbing website SeenQueen.
So, to the detail and this “Last Dance” industry event will be taking place at Barcode Soho this coming Wednesday (29th June), with free entry doors opening at 9 p.m. and the final & fond farewell to Industri running through to a planned 1 a.m. Given that it is the very last Industri, please make sure you come early so as to get pole position for The Candyman’s delivery and those Minty shots, while we will be on review duty all night & out to mention as many as possible in this final Industri fling. So come join in the fun and say bye bye to, in the words of its promotions team, was “…the social soiree that rocked Barcode Vauxhall and seduced Barcode Soho…”, leaving us to simply say “”Go There! Be There! (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: Alessandro Londra, Barcode Soho, Brent Nicholls, Chris Brogan, Hrh Minty, Industri, Minty, Oliver M, Paul Heron, SeenQueen | No Comments »
Stunning Stage Sparkles
We really do adore a t-dance style soiree, but Salvation’s “The Future” event was always going to be more than that, this second foray at Koko in Camden, on the cards at least, looking like a smash as well as creating a splash on the spring bank holiday scene, meaning it simply had to be on our schedule, especially given the history of this heavenly happening. So, despite our thoughts being miles away on matters in South Africa, we made our way up to this Sunday soiree and a liaison with cougar clubbing pal Stephen, along with close companion Brent Nicholls, but with both of them running late (as usual) we headed into Salvation on our tod, entering Koko’s main arena to a warming welcome from Industri mates Jeremy & Andrew, we immediately catching up on news before our cougar clubber arrived, the four of us sinking into the Salvation splendour just in advance if the stunning stage show to come. And from our elevated spot on one of the many tiers to this Koko venue, we had a brilliant view of proceedings below, the dancefloor brimming but not packed, but the tremendous tunes from pint sized Salvation resident Miswhite, packing a considerable punch, her uplifting beats & euphoric energy eruptions definitely hitting the mark with the considerate crowd.
But it was the stage show & the exceptional effects that was going to really make this Salvation something extra special, three massive LED displays dominating Koko’s stage, a huge Stargate style ring of steel surrounding the centre, together with some simply stunning laser lighting, exploding into action after a planned few moments silence that grabbed everyone’s attention perfectly. And with the reveal over, the drop dead gorgeous go-go dancers delighted, dressed in Tron style costumes that certainly caught the eye, not least ours when we got a sneak post show look backstage, while upfront incumbent D.J. Paul Coals continued where Miswhite had left off serving up some superb Salvation style sounds, very fitting for this galactic gathering that, with that stunning stage setting, very much lived up to its 22nd century billing. Finding ourselves back out front, we returned to our lofty spot, where a succession of familiar faces frolicked with us, including the marvellous Minty with pals David & Stuart, D.J.’s Joe Publik, Andrei Stan & Oliver M and the natty Naomi, who’s “Emperor” adorations in our direction left us gasping with laughter & others in amazement of her continual approaches, all this while Brent Nicholls snapped whole slugs of this Salvation splendour in his wonderful way. So with more still to share on the stunning stage dominated Salvation showing, its “…ready, steady, go for the review…” (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Previews, Reports, Reviews | Tags: Andrei Stan, Brent Nicholls, Minty, MisWhite, Naomi Ruiz, Oliver M, Paul Coals, Salvation, Steve Elliot | No Comments »
Empty Spot
It would be fair to say that for us, as well as a whole host of others, that our favourite outing, Beyond, was always the pot of gold at the end of the clubbing rainbow, or at least the pinnacle of any weekend of activity, this Sunday morning outing having become pretty much an institution for us and recent weeks having seen some of the best times we have had ever. Yet with issues still unresolved, we face our second weekend without this awesome afterhours in our schedule, a situation that makes us very sad indeed, the tears of joy we used to shed from our now absent spot, turned to tears of the other kind. These tears have been further spilled as a result of the messages of support we have received, the questions regarding our absence & the fact that this Sunday (22nd May), is a particularly special Beyond, yet is one that we will miss.
However, whilst our weekend may be in tatters, your weekends must go on, so we take a look at life beyond Beyond, picking our Best Bites & Short Shouts across Soho, Vauxhall & elsewhere.
Extended Opening
So to Soho first and top of our tree & Best Bite is Profile & Lo-Profile, the cavorting combo that continues to cut an impressive stride of the Soho socialite scene, not least Profile itself which we took big advantage of just last night (Thurs 19th May), sampling some of the delicious new additions to their food menu and taking a spot of supper with a very dear friend. And with this new menu now in full force, there couldn’t be a better place to eat, drink & be merry, the music at the weekends also an amazing attraction, this one looking every bit as good, with Gaydar Radio’s very own Alex Baker on the decks tonight (Fri 20th May), while, on Saturday its favourite Profile resident & cheeky monkey D.J. Craig Daniels tipping your scales with terrific tunes, the boys with the beats kicking off at 8 pm. Each night, Profile open through till 11.30 p.m. Further details of events, food offers & plenty more are a mere click away at http://profilesoho.com.
Superb Social Scene Setter
That neatly moves on to Lo-Profile, which was the heavenly host for that Gigolo launch last night, which saw an unprecedented response from you all, the venue absolutely rammo from the off at 10 p.m., sporting the who’s who of the social scene. With the bar staff pushed beyond capacity, yet the atmosphere amazing, they will be back for more this weekend, as new smash “Society” stakes its place in your clubbing calendar tonight with Nick Evans & D’Johnny sorting the sounds, the podiums sure to be filled with those gorge go-go’s we eye popped at a couple of weeks ago, while the whole night is hosted by porn star Jay Roberts (gives you a feel for the action!) Then, after a truly stunning set at Gigolo’s launch party last night, Zach Burns takes charge of the tunes tomorrow night (Sat 21st May) and one which is, for us at least a MUST (shame we can’t be there), followed by international playboy D.J. Paul Heron who is on fantastic form at the mo, so a major draw for sure. With Lo-Profile swinging open its doors at 10 p.m. & running through till 4 a.m., reduced entry offers for Profile customers & concessions available too, it’s definitely THE place to be in Soho, more info out at http://loprofile.com.
So to some quick Short Shouts and two that extend out of the weekend really, as it is Tuesday & Thursday we take a look at, three “Soho Society Scene” soiree’s, the first being G&T (Glamour & Trash) that takes place at Diu on Greek St, with hosts Aubrey Dobson of “Salon” fame, THE hostess with the mostest, Minty & D.J. Brent Nicholls, who spins the sounds too. Then on Thursday, it’s the clash of the titans, as new night, Gigolo, goes head-to-head with Room Service, both having been packed out last week, perhaps proving the penchant for these stylish shindigs, Jodie & her lot teaming up with SuperMartXe for their pre-party, while David Hart & co have the dynamic duo of Zach Burns & Brent Nicholls (twice in two days, fab!!!) on their decks. While we can’t yet point you in a website direction for G&T, we can for the other two, more info on both Gigolo & Room Service available at http://gigolodisco.com & http://clubroomservice.com.
Now, before we head down to Vauxhall (as many of you do!), just a mention for the latest on Barcode, the news on the ground being that it will remain a bar (yippee), but is likely to also now offer food, open up the front & maybe even have some outside tables (wow). However, plans have been pushed back into June, so in the meantime, its business as usual.
Ashley Ryder's 30th Birthday Bash
So to Vauxhall and top of our tree here & Best Bite is for The Eagle (oops what happened to The Orange Group?!?!) who have another corker of a weekend with two of their best joined by a third celebration. So, tonight (Fri 20th May) it’s the turn of Tonker to triumph, promoter & dynamic D.J. Tim Jones being joined on the decks by special guest Paul Coals (he of Salvation fame) this testosterone tipped treat kicking off at an early 8 p.m., & running through till 3 a.m., with the Tonker boys having their own website at http://tonker.co.uk where more details of upcoming events can be obtained. Then tomorrow (Sat 21st), porn star & playboy Ashley Ryder celebrates his birthday, his 30th no less, this “Monsters Ball/Club Kids” themed party sure to attract a truly eclectic yet gorge mix of scene faces, clubbers, Eagle regulars & artists of all kinds, the whole event getting underway from 9 p.m. & running through till 4 a.m., with drinks offers for early birds & plenty of saucy stage shows throughout. Then, no Sunday would be the same without Horse Meat Disco, as Jim Stanton, James Hillard & the boys host another of their whacky wonderments, James being joined by Luke Howard who both sort the sounds, HMD’s popularity speaking for itself with queues round the corner every week, meaning you need to get there early guys, doors opening at 9 p.m.. More info on all these three vents & others at The Eagle can be found by going to http://eaglelondon.com.
So to some short shouts and first for the fetish in you as Hard On! returns tomorrow (Sat 21st May), although at their new venue Factory. Now, if like us you missed the launch last month, hopefully the free coatcheck & shots will come as a nice surprise, while plenty of the usual action will also be on offer, D.J.’s on duty including Brent Nicholls (he gets about!), Zack Hadley & Halo-is, the mezzanine balcony, playroom & more fitting the new style Hard On! like a glove. More info on this event, including membership details & dresscode, can be found at http://hardonclub.co.uk.
Then if you fancy a laugh and something really different, then Gay City Rollers is a must on Sunday (22nd May), as promoter Alex Erfan re-unites with Ku-Bar to present this Xanadu style showstopper, when four wheels rather than two feet are the name of the disco dancing game & disco is definitely the word , with D.J.’s The Very Miss Dusty O , DMS Sam & Vicky Vivacious vroom up the room, the fun & frivolity kicking off at host home The Renaissance Rooms from 6 p.m. & running through till 11 p.m.. More info on this and a host of other events promoted by Alex Erfan, can be found at http://alexerfan.com while watch this space for our Extra Bites post on this exceptional event, coming right up.
Before we move on, we feel it appropriate to mention that, should you clubs, bars & events want a mention, then make sure you get e-mailing us at matt@discomatt.com with your listings & press releases, or hit our Facebook group & pages with your details at http://facebook.com/discomattlondon, http://facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=96540615424 &/or http://facebook.com/pages/Disco-Matt/112730602119746) or even send us a tweet at http://twitter.com/discomatt and we will do our best to include you.
We also want to mention Beyond (again!) which for a few & in reality many, will be some special this Sunday morning, as the queen of the lighting scene, Smalls, returns to her rightful position in change of the main room effects. So, whilst we won’t be there on our spot, we reckon you should be, this awesome afterhours kicking off at Area in Vauxhall at 6 a.m. & running through until 1 p.m., more info on this prolific party available at http://fireclub.co.uk/gayparties.
Saturday S.O.S.
So to our alternatives & Shoreditch is doing it again for us this weekend, as it did last, East Bloc very much the talk of this side of the town and no surprise, as having paid the place a first visit for the mesmeric “Meat” last Saturday (check our bite sized devotion at direct link http://discomatt.com/web/2011/05/reports-monumental-mash-up-meat-east-bloc-saturday-14th-may-preview-the-review/) its seems that this Saturday should be every bit as good. Why?, well it’s another birthday celebration, but here for Jim Warboy, the Gemini boy inspiring the “Twins” theme of this month’s “SOS” outing and their press release is an absolute corker and very much sets the scene, as they say “…Have you ever wondered what it would be like to shag someone who looked just like you? Or been at a party when some drunk stranger keeps harping on about you being the spitting image of another friend of theirs? Or even woken up the next morning to your latest pick up thinking how come you always go for guys who look and dress like you?…”. And this pretty much sums up what to expect at “SOS”, although with the birthday boy bashing out the beats along with fellow Gemini & Shoreditch son Kris Di Angelis, as well as Tom Davey in the so called “catwalk” room, serving up plenty of electro disco, while in the “backroom” D.J’s Squeaky (of DSS Tutti Frutti fame) & Liz Bisoux select some more soul inspired sounds, while with a “snap catwalk show” matching looks & synchronising styles will be the centrefold double page of action to match the double ended dancing, the added allure of “brotherly love” porn film flicks will definitely seal the deal on this queer London, meets NYC underground, meets Berlin sleaze shindig. “SOS’s” doors open at 10.30 p.m. & the club runs through till 6 a.m. entry just £5 before midnight and more details out at http://sosnow.co.uk, while for info on other East Bloc events, including tonight’s “Disco Fag Bar”, go to http://eastbloc.co.uk.
To our Short Shouts and The Dalston Superstore (DSS) are still fighting off their birthday hangover from last weekend, but are back this with a full-on threesome, tonight (Fri 20th May) seeing “Boy Dem” do it, while tomorrow (Sat 21st), it’s the turn of “Body Talk” to treat you to tons of tunes, Sunday at The Superstore in safe hands with “Tutti Frutti”, more info on these & all other delights at DSS available at http://thedalstonsuperstore.com.
Then for something delectably different, why not head down to the gastronomic giant of the South East London clubbing scene, as The Cambria in Camberwell hosts another of its Sunday soiree’s “Upstairs”, with the incomparable Mzz Kimberley in charge of proceedings & welcoming show star Ophelia Bitz who takes the spotlight, while the gastro gems come in the form of a smashing Sunday carvery, served from 3 till 5, then meze snacks after the show which kicks off a 5 p.m. More details on the Cambria can be found at http://thecambrialondon.com.
So, that’s our Best Bites & Short Shouts recommendations for outings this weekend, but just time to mention two other visits of a different kind, the first being to tip top clubbing website SeenQueen, which is crammed full of features, listings & reports, nit least their “Spring Bank Holiday” guide, all out at http://seenqueen.com/web, while if the summer like sun we are enjoying at the moment isn’t enough for you, then why not top up that tan or indeed get one, by paying a visit to the most friendly tanning shop around, Solarstation owner Hassan’s un-paralleled service truly unbeatable, as are some of the package deals on offer, a look at http://solarstation.co.uk will give you all the dynamic detail you need to make a trip to Archer Street in Soho a must.
Right that’s it, leaving us to say; whatever you are up to this weekend have a great one. Sadly, we won’t be out & about meaning you can’t come & say hi as you all do in droves (something we really appreciate), but you can check our Bank Holiday plans at http://discomatt.com/web/2011/05/reports-may-movements-disco-matt-dance-diary-saturday-14th-may/ but in the meantime, make sure you “Go There! Be There! (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: Alex Erfan, Barcode, Beyond, Brent Nicholls, Craig Daniels, D'Johnny, East Bloc, G&T, Gay City Rollers, Gigolo, Hard On!, Horse Meat Disco, Jodie Harsh, Lo-Profile, Minty, Mzz Kimberley, Nick Evans, Paul Heron, Profile Bar, Room Service, SeenQueen, Solarstation, The Cambria, The Dalston Superstore, The Eagle, Tonker, Zach Burns | No Comments »
Raise your G&T Glasses To This Launch
For as long as we can remember, Soho has always been the centre of excellence when it comes to a sophistcated social soiree, indeed the list of club events & venues that have cut a stride in the niche sector over the years is pretty extensive, think Salon, Sweet Suite, Soho Revue Bar & Sanctury, to name but a few. That said Industri seemed to break the Soho mould, setting up shop in Vauxhall, although the inevitable draw has even seen it plant its routes in the capitals first & favourite gay village.
That said, recent tough times have limited the former extravagant choices & responses to such social soirees, although with the advent of Room Service, the tide has definitely changed direction, host venue Diu packed out each & every Thursday with a heady mix of sophisticates, scene faces, off duty go-go’s, D.J.’s & the like, the current ream of Jodie Harsh, Kris Di Angelis & crew, doing an absolutely marvellous job in setting & maintaining their stall on this splendid social soiree. And if you haven’t yet been to Room Service, check out what you’re missing by glancing at our recent review via http://discomatt.com/web/2011/03/review-glorious-greek-st-gathering-room-service-thursday-17th-march/
But the Soho social soiree scene is set to soar with two new kids on the block emerging to take a piece of the Room Service action, or at least try to emulate its runaway success, one pitched at the same venue on but on a different night and the other, pitting its wits in direction competition, but across the other side of this West End social hotspot at Lo-Profile. Both have reasonable pedigree’s in the talent of the individual promotions machines, yet both are braving a market that is teetering on the edge of tough times, yet both take their turns this coming week to shout out their social soiree splendour to the Soho society & beyond.
Minty & Her Man
So, the first new kid up on the block is G&T (Glamour & Trash) which launches this coming Tuesday (17th May) at Diu on Greek Street (yes where Room Service is held), brought to the Soho social scene by two veterans of the soiree game and both who spearheaded the substantial success of Salon, hostess with the mostest Minty (that’s Hrh to you!) & Aubrey Dobson who, for this latest venture, have drawn on the talents & equal experience of scene favourite D.J. & clubbing website master Brent Nicholls. Born out of an off the cuff remark about a well known scene celebrity, “…oh her, yes she lives not far from the corner of Glamour & Trash…” and the name became an instant hit with the threesome that have joined forces to create the latest social soiree in Soho and one set to titillate your Tuesday’s.
G&T is a gathering of majestic minds to create a night of fun, it’s about fun first & foremost, but it’s also about funky & disco house and it’s also about being glamorous while teetering ever so close to the edge of being trash, but still keeping your dignity & exposure. Plus it’s about clubbing & socialising with your friends, peers and those you want to club with. Yes, there may be an air of exclusivity around, but we love a bit of that and know you do too. And in host venue Diu, G&T has found the perfect bedfellow, a smart & sophisticated spot on Greet St in the heart of Soho’s smart set, the place oozing glamour from the minute you step into the opulent entrance, then gliding down the stairs you are met with 3D illusionary lighting, plenty of alcoves, seating area’s & dancing spots to compliment the powerful sound system & the mandatory refreshments point.
With the G&T scene set, here comes the devil in the detail, this new social soiree starting this Tuesday (17th May) at Dui (12 -14 Greek St., Soho), doors opening at 9 a.m., hosted by Minty & her masterful man, with free entry before 10 p.m. (you know what to do!) and with Brent Nicholls supplying the funk-tastic, disco drenched & soul fulfilling sounds right through till the 3 a.m. finish. For more info on G&T’s launch, check out the following link, http://seenqueen.com/web/2011/clubbing-there-is-a-thin-line-between-glamour-trash/ and make sure Tuesday at Diu is in your diary.
ShootMeUp Storms Soho
The other new kid up on the block and one set to create a bit of a storm, having already attracted a buzz of attention, is “Gigolo”, which storms into Soho this coming Thursday (19th May) at host venue Lo-Profile on Wardour Street. The creation of scene photographer David Hart & co of ShootMeUp (http://shootmeup.co.uk), “Gigolo” promises a fusion of the hottest D.J. talent who will set out to spin a heady concoction of retro disco uplifting house & dirty nu-funk beats, while a plethora of go-go stars will pump their parts on the Lo-Profile podiums to please, all added to by show stopping performances & selected audio visual sensations, sounds superb don’t you think?
With the ShootMeUp boys pleased as punch to be returning to the social soiree scene, their aim is most definitely to serve up prolific pieces of their unique sexy & iconic club photography for which they have become famed for (just look at this latest artwork!) and in choosing Lo-Profile as a host, the promise to totally transform this top notch & hip happening hangout into a “…pop-up basement boutique of a discotheque, where you can disco hard on the throbbing dancefloor with Soho’s finest as the flashbulbs pop…” (couldn’t have said it better ourselves), while this latest offering by Mr Hart & co looks set to attract the cream of the social scene, from the East end arty swingers, through the West End society set, with a few gay celebs thrown into the mix for good measure.
Gigolo A Go-Go!
Right, what’s the score for Thursday? Well, the list of entertainers & entertainment is enormous, first & foremost the magnificent music being supplied by the cute & competent D.J. Zach Burns, who, in advance of his showing, has laid down a podcast to mark the occasion, this well worth a listen at http://djburns.podomatic.com/entry/2011-05-11T12_00_38-07_00. Zach is joined by a double header of disco dance drenching as Horse Meat Disco boys James Hillard & Luke Howard who are sure to please as they go back-to-back on the decks, while eyes will be averted towards the podiums on those gorgeous go-go’s Petar & Tristan, with live performances by Jeyjon, A Man To Pet & Nando Messias. All this is hosted by international gay porn star icon Jonathan Agassi (yum, yum!), while door slut (not our word!) Constantinos Moustakas will be looking to be impressed by your most outrageous outfit which could get you through what will be a considerable queue, toot sweet, plus, you will want to be looking your best with those ShootMeUp lens pointed on you, so definitely a time to dress to dare!
Now to the all important detail and “Gigolo” takes place this Thursday (19th May) at Lo-Profile in Soho, doors opening at 10 p.m. and the club running through until 3 a.m. Entrance is priced at £8 with concessions at £4 (that’s a flyer, Gigolo or QX ad), table booking also available by e-mailing your requirements to gigolodisco@hotmail.com, while more info , should you need it, can be found by going to either to http://shootmeup.co.uk or http://gigolodisco.com.
So, the Soho Social Soiree scene certainly looks set to soar from this week, G&T & Gigolo upping the stakes substantially and in the process putting paid to a quite week for us, as we will be n review duty at both launches. So, if you see us, come up and say hi, although if you don’t, you can always follow the action via our “nibble sized review tweets” at http://twitter.com/discomatt. But all that aside, we finish by saying, make sure you “Go There! Be There! (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: Aubrey Dobson, Brent Nicholls, David Hart, Diu, G&T, Gigolo, James Hillard, Lo-Profile, Luke Howard, Minty, Room Service, ShootMeUp, Zach Burns | No Comments »
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4 Jul 2012 | 0 Comments
Recommends – “Pride As It Should Be” – Orange Nation “World Pride Programme” – Fri 6th to Mon 9th July – Special Focus Feature
From A.M. to WE, Boylesque to Beyond, Onyx to Orange, plus Gravity, Later & newbie Infamous too, there is no doubt that Orange Nation is a superb Vauxhall & Southwark clubbing torre de force this “World Pride” weekend, also holding sway in Soho with an exclusive outdoor event, Disco Matt ...
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1 Feb 2012 | 1 Comment
Recommends – “Brave New Brand On The Block” – Blitz Bar London Launch – Friday 3rd February – Extra Bites Special
London may have been gripped by the terror of the blitz back in the 1940’s, but a new kind of blitz is looking to make a bang in the capital when, some seventy years later, the brave new brand on the block that is Blitz Bar launches with its “Peepshow” ...
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31 Dec 2011 | 0 Comments
Reviews – “Breathtaking Brace Of Brilliance” – Beyond – Sunday 4th & 11th December – Super Size Review
Well what a year it has been, the highs the lows, the ups the downs, the rollercoaster rides & the emotional tears of joy, the two main protagonists being the awesome afterhours that is Beyond together with one of its most prolific players. So, it seemed wholly appropriate to deliver ...
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9 Oct 2011 | 0 Comments
Reviews – “Rollercoaster Ride Returns” – Beyond “WE Afterparty” – Sunday 9th October – Bite Size Review
If we could have predicted just how much one club would have stirred our emotions over the last few months, then we could have at least been a little bit prepared for the series of rollercoaster rides that we have found ourselves on. That said, given the gigantic year that ...
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20 Sep 2011 | 0 Comments
Previews – “Awesome Afterhours Anniversary” – Beyond “The 10th Birthday” – Sunday 25th September – Special Preview
Having taken our tender steps onto the capital’s clubbing circuit some twenty or so years ago, we can count ourselves pretty lucky to have encountered some truly tremendous times in the hands of some of the biggest & best brands along the way, from Action to DTPM, Factor 25 to ...
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4 Sep 2011 | 1 Comment
Reviews – “Revolution Renegade” – Brava “The Launch” – Sunday 28th August – Super Size Review
If we had a pound for every club launch we have seen come & go over the years we have been circulating the scene, we would be pretty rich by now, while the same could be said for the plethora of promoters that have tried & failed to make the ...
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25 Jun 2011 | 0 Comments
Recommends – “Final & Fond Farewell” – Industri The Last Dance – Wednesday 29th June – Extra Bites Special
We can count ourselves lucky to have been part of one of the world’s most vibrant clubbing scenes for close on 20 years now and yes, we can hear you say, “…you don’t look old enough…”, but botox & facelift jokes aside, it was 1991 when we made our first ...
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31 May 2011 | 0 Comments
Reports – “Stunning Stage Sparkles” – Salvation “The Future” – Sunday 29th May – Preview The Review
We really do adore a t-dance style soiree, but Salvation’s “The Future” event was always going to be more than that, this second foray at Koko in Camden, on the cards at least, looking like a smash as well as creating a splash on the spring bank holiday scene, meaning ...
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21 May 2011 | 0 Comments
Recommends – “Life beyond Beyond” – Weekend Best Bites & Short Shouts – Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd May
It would be fair to say that for us, as well as a whole host of others, that our favourite outing, Beyond, was always the pot of gold at the end of the clubbing rainbow, or at least the pinnacle of any weekend of activity, this Sunday morning outing having ...
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15 May 2011 | 0 Comments
Recommends – “Soho Social Soiree Scene Set To Soar” – G&T and Gigolo – Tuesday 17th & Thursday 19th May – Extra Bites Special
For as long as we can remember, Soho has always been the centre of excellence when it comes to a sophistcated social soiree, indeed the list of club events & venues that have cut a stride in the niche sector over the years is pretty extensive, think Salon, Sweet Suite, ...
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