Celebrating A New Era

Very much like the old adage about London buses, “…when you waited ages for one to come & then twelve arrived all at once…”, it seems that birthday celebrations on the scene are currently quite similar. Indeed having been birthday bare for a good couple of months, within the space of a week we have seen no less than six, first Barcode’s 5^th, then Bootylicious’ 12^th, quickly followed by Onyx’s 2^nd, Rupert Street’s 15^th  S.LA.G.S.’s 12th and now Shadow Lounge’s 10^th, And this is an anniversary that will mark a real step change in the history of this classy club in Soho, Shadow Lounge entering a new era as it reaches double figures, this coming Thursday (28^th July) heralding the beginning of a new phase in its continuing quest to be the market leader in the ever increasingly competitive & sophisticated scene that is Soho. But before we delve into the detail of this birthday bash, let’s reflect a little on Shadow Lounges history & how it set the trend for change in this amazing area in London.

At a time when Soho was being shaken up & cleaned up by the ruling council of the day, the vice, the crime & the sleazy reputation that had been part & parcel of this scene spot, The Shadow Lounge was very much at the forefront of this change in direction, very much setting its stool very high indeed, the style & sophistication that it quickly become renowned for, setting a trend that was to see a score of other venues follow its lead. Yet in 2001, society was still frowning a little on the Soho scene & set, this retreat on Brewer Street still finding itself in the thick of hookers, pimps, red lights & porn, but Shadow Lounge’s launch was seen as the start of a tide change that sees Soho a much cleaner & smarter slice of the social scene 10 years on.

So, having set the trend and attracted the crème of the social scene, along with a host of celebrities too, The Shadow Lounge now looks to a new era in its history, marking its 10^th year in operation with a nip, a tuck, some botox & reconstruction that, like lifting Cher’s looks, has pretty much transformed this sophisticated space and setting it fair for the next phase in its tenure as the smartest spot in Soho. And while others have kind of caught up with this Brewer St beauty in recent years, this refit should elevate Shadow Lounge to a new level, heralding a new set of socialites that will want their slice of the sophisticated soirees that the club is planning.

Birthday Invite

But before the new era kicks in, it’s time to celebrate those ten years with a birthday party that should see a host of Shadow Lounge friends & familiar faces turn up this coming Thursday (28^th July) and whilst we cannot confirm or guarantee the arrival of celebrities, there are sure to be a smattering among the ones that have graced its doors over the years, names like Elton John, Cilla Black, Paul O’Grady, Graham Norton, Simon Callow & Stephen Fry. Indeed Shadow Lounge was the place where Patrick Cox had his coming out party, where Jordon sought solace following her break-up with Peter Andre and where Kylie Minogue made a triumphant return following her fight with cancer, landmark times in the clubs history, the team now looking to the future to make many more.

So, to the detail on this birthday bash which, for want of repeating ourselves, takes place this Thursday, Shadow Lounge’s doors opening for a member only & invitee’s reception from 10 p.m., general entrance from midnight until the planned 3 a.m. finish. And in the words of General Manager Tolis Simpson, “…having gutted everything, from glasses, buckets, tills, serving areas, stock, decor, toilets & entrances, it will be a night to look into the future and to another ten years, while also reminiscing about the last 10 years in true Shadow Lounge style and to bring all the glitter and shine to the future…”. With scene D.J.’s on duty, special hosts & plenty of those faces from both past & present, this is one birthday you simply won’t want to miss, more information on Shadow Lounge, its new era & that all important membership available by going to http://theshadowlounge.co.uk.

Now naturally we will be there to report on it all, so if you see us, do come up & say hi, but remember to be & be seen on the scene at Shadow Lounge this Thursday you need to “Go There! Be There!  (DISCO MATT)