"Codenamed Captivating" - Barcode Soho & Vauxhall - Special Review

“CODENAMED CAPTIVATING”BARCODE SOHO & VAUXHALL
SATURDAY 10TH & SUNDAY 11TH APRIL
SPECIAL REVIEW


It isn’t often that we are failed to be impressed by what is on offer across gAylist/land London, not just in the incredible variety of clubs, mainstream or alternative, but in the fantastic places to hang out across the scene, the rich variety of bars and those bridging the gap between the two, testament to the diversity and strength of the capitals nightlife. However it takes a really good brand not just to have survived the recent troubled times that have touched many people’s lives & made trading in the leisure industry quite tough. But Barcode has not only appeared resilient to economic pressures falling into the trap of others that have stood still, but has looked at itself and ventured forth, not just serving up regular nights, but breaking ground with new & refreshing events to attract an increased audience. Through specialist successful nights like Soho’s “The Cave” & “Comedy Camp” or Vauxhall’s “Music Is The Answer” & “Our House” there is no denying the team make strenuous efforts to draw in the crowds, but despite these & other event offerings doing the business for Barcode, their regular nights remain largely as popular as ever and tend to be the ones that draw us in.

So, it came as no surprise that two such nights were to play a large part of our Saturday & Sunday, and both prove to be real hits, despite given the Easter weekend lag factor which can sometimes affect turnout the weekend after, although not so for Barcode it seemed. Having been laid low with a dreadful sore throat & cold on the Friday, plans to make it a quadruplet turnout to this brilliant bar brand were laid to waste, but with news of one of the scene’s biggest names playing out at BCS on Saturday and BCV on Sunday proving a real post Later hit of late, the scene was set to sandwich our clubbing exploits in the hands of Barcode. Putting thoughts of our below par health to the back of our mind, we pulled ourselves together and headed into town for our first evening out of the weekend, seeing what a Soho Saturday would serve up, stopping briefly and Profile Bar to say hi to the gorge Philippe, then swinging in Rupert Street to connect with the charming team, although these proved as mere curtain raisers for the main devotion, BCS, which drew us in not long after 10 p.m.

On many occasions this Soho hangout has proved a perfect way to perk up our penchant for onward clubbing, but nearly as many times it has been a heart warming & soul reviving evening of entertainment, not just in recent times, but stretching right back as far as we can remember, a whole host of D.J.’s serving up scintillating sounds, even when the operation was restricted to just one floor. But since refurbishment of the dance area downstairs, BCS has taken on a new lease of life and we absolutely love our Saturday partying down in this sophisticated place, this weekend being no different as we grabbed refreshments and descended the stairs, entering the space and moving to our usual spot directly behind the D.J. booth, a crowd already gathering to soak up the sounds from resident favourite Brent Nicholls.

Holding station and waiting to grab the attention of the man behind the decks, we turned towards the bar to see pal Tim Banham ready & willing to serve, bounding up to say hello but not seeing manager Jeremy Precelton in our eye radar, who gave us, shall we say, and more than inquisitive look that caused us to beat our retreat to our comfort spot. Then as Mr D.J. turned to say hello, in swooped fellow disc spinning friend Micky Galliano, who seemed very pleased to see us, although was somewhat surprised with our absence the previous night, we explaining away our sore throat & cold being the cause, but the friends kept coming, loads of faces from Rupert Street including long time associate Carl who seemed completely full of beans, dancing & jiving around us furiously, reducing us to fits of giggles, aghast at his overt activity. Mind you it was no surprise as Brent Nicholls was laying down some serious sounds, a glorious collection of “nu-funk” house, electro beats & his trademark latin infused tracks, which included a whole host of our favourite tunes of now, including Sirusmo’s “All The Girls”, Pirupa’s “Sweet Devil” and Rino Cabrera’s “The Best of Me”, which soon got the dancefloor filled with Soho socialites in search of a boisterous boogie, our spirits being further lifted when Brent played out our absolute top choice, Denis Christopher’s mix of “No More Lies”, pure magic.

So, with us now well into our stride, trading chit chat with Brent between records, marvelling in the magnificent music he was playing and even fending off a very forward Jeremy who challenged us over some of our recent review work, we once again had a terrific time in the hands of BCS on a Saturday and you can see why the space is so popular, excellent lighting, superb sound quality, amazing atmosphere and a bunch of staff & management that always make us feel very welcome. For us, there is something very special about the regular nights at BCS, they feel so relaxed, so inviting and attract a like minded crowd that are simply out for a good time. Mix that with the ability to socialise superbly in between top notch music, plus with very reasonably priced drinks and there is little more you could ask of a Saturday night, well of any night in fact.

But the Barcode story of our weekend was far from over, as it seemed inevitable that BCV would draw us in, having already committed to an afternoon of audacious activity with clubbing pal Joel at Later, this Sunday outing at Fire really having found new legs in recent months. Indeed, BCV has very much benefitted from Later’s surge in popularity and a whole host of revellers tend to gravitate across Vauxhall to continue the partying. And this was something we simply couldn’t resist, having done the same just two weeks before, our decision being further swayed by the tantalising D.J. line up for the night, in the form of Gonzalo Rivas & Paul Heron, both who had treated us to splendid sets at Beyond & Industri respectively, leaving us craving for more. So, in anticipation these superstars being the decks arrival, we left Later behind, arriving at BCV just shy of 7 p.m. and assumed a spot by the bar with the aid of a much needed stool to rest our weary legs after over 10 hours of delirious dancing.

With Gonzalo kicking off proceedings, serving up a super selection of tech infused & pumping progressive tracks, as 8 p.m. arrived, BCV rapidly filled with post Later party heads, some which like us had also been to Beyond beforehand, but certainly didn’t want their night to end. Within minutes the atmosphere was amazing, very muck akin to a massive chill-out party, but with the music to match a full on club experience, leaving virtually everyone dancing away to Gonzalo’s gigantic performance, indeed even we were back up our feet, gyrating & grooving in dervish delight, trading moves with a host of people around us that included a very cute guy with blond locks, as well as a fun filled Brazilian quartet, who were clearly enjoying this special Sunday evening experience.

With an eye on the time but before we knew it, fab pal Paul Heron arrived, making a bee-line for us at the bar, having made the effort to arrive a little early to catch up with us before assuming the D.J. decks, it being an absolute pleasure to trade news of the weekend and otherwise, this charming man seemingly full of beans and in fine fettle. So, our night was to get even better, as Paul set about laying down a series of terrific tracks, tech infused beauties as well as more mainstream dance hits, including the amazing “Downpipe” and not too long after that, Remaday’s “No Superstar”, which had the BCV front room pumping. Add to all that the trail of familiar faces wandering through including Paul Coals, Francesco Pagano & Micky Galliano (twice in one weekend!), not to mention the ever attentive & friendly bar staff, Rick and Eduardo, to help our evening along, we were definitely in great company once again and couldn’t have asked for a better way to round off our weekend of clubbing naughtiness at Beyond & Later, superbly sandwiched by the brilliance of both BCS & BCV, no better words to sum up our Barcode experiences than simply “codenamed captivating”.

In the many years that we have been circulating the gAylist scene in London, there are few bars that have continued to draw us in and even fewer that have chalked up the kind of fantastic fun filled nights that we have enjoyed courtesy of Barcode. Not only has this brilliant bar brand stood the test of time, evolving & changing to cater for the discerning needs of its audience, but it remains at the forefront of bar culture both in Soho and Vauxhall, both venues proving their popularity week in week out. Yes it is fair to say that their specialist nights have given both the Soho pace & the Vauxhall venture extra dimension and indeed we absolutely adore the social soiree Industri, which is probably one of the most important events in our life right now, but, for us, the regular nights are also very special, both our weekend experiences being testament to that fact. So, there is little more to say apart from, Barcode we love what you do, keep doing what you do and for those that have yet to experience either at Saturday at BCS or a Sunday at BCV, we thoroughly recommend it. (DISCO MATT)

Frolicking With Forbidden Fruit - Orange's "Easter Garden of Eden" Event - Club Review

“FROLICKING WITH FORBIDDEN FRUIT”
ORANGE - EASTER GARDEN OF EDEN EVENT
MONDAY 6TH APRIL
CLUB REVIEW


When it comes to ending a weekend of clubbing in debaucherous fashion, there are few clubs that can compare with Orange for outrageousness, this Monday morning madness of an event often putting ruin to many a start to the working week. We love the sense of decadence it creates, the thought that we are pushing the boundaries of sensibility and the naughtiness of crawling out of a club when most of the rest of the world are off to work. However, when it comes to a bank holiday, all feeling of those out of the ordinary clubbing exploits seem to dissolve and indeed Monday clubbing, particularly in gAylist London is very much the norm. So you would be forgiven for thinking that the whole essence of Orange on a bank holiday Monday would be far from the usual audacious activity, but there you would be very wrong, as not only does this iconic clubbing brand usually come up trumps on these holiday Monday’s, but this “Garden Of Eden” gathering would prove the perfect curtain call before returning to the normality of the week ahead.

Having already decided that our curtailed weekend of clubbing activity was going to end with just partying at cracking combo As One, it didn’t take too much persuading to drag us across to Area for Orange’s special Easter extravaganza (no corny connotations here!), although pal Llywd seemed over keen to lure us away from Fire, to continue the partying in the grip of the “forbidden fruit” foray on the other side of Vauxhall. And for good reason it turned out, as when we arrived at Area’s doors, it was clear that the world & his wife had decided to do the same, the queue to get into this bank holiday Monday bonanza stretching past the outside space & beyond, even the guest list needing a little negotiation before we were inside. But with an overzealous security check done with, we were greeted by Orange promoter Steven Sharp who was pleased that we had made this special “Eden” event, waving us through graciously to join the raft of revellers already taking their first of many bites on the proverbial fruit in the Orange styled garden f gorgeousness.

Coat check formalities over, we headed into the aptly named “Tree Of Knowledge” Terrace room where Mikey D was in charge of the decks, this disc spinning D.J. more used to playing out in Area’s main space at Beyond, but nevertheless had the Terrace absolutely rocking with a glorious collection of tech infused house that gave his music an interesting yet enticing feel, Mr Dower clearly enjoying being on the level with his audience who were lapping up his musical mastery, some up on the seating in rapturous appreciation, others simply soaking up the superb sounds, as the space continued to fill to bursting point , getting this Orange special outing to Area off to a brilliant start. Even the “Citrus Eden” main room, by now open & swinging, guest D.J. Jon Byrne serving up his own recipe of rapturous house, couldn’t dampen the spirits in the Terrace, which was rave-tactically rocking as the magnificent Mikey took us on a mesmeric musical master class, tune after tune having us twirling like a spinning top. And it was clear that As One Easter party heads were still streaming in, pal Tamsin Roberts just the picture in a fab bunny outfit & cute floppy ears, hopping & twitching her nose right in front of us to hilarious effect.

But the “Adams Apple Raw Box”, Area’s middle room to the uninitiated, was also about to fire up, a big hint coming our way by the arrival first of Tom Marchant, who looked well travelled after a none stop weekend which had started at Fiction of the Friday and hadn’t yet stopped, even passing on our offer to twang on our braces, rather enquiring as to the whereabouts of better half Nick Tcherniak, who soon arrived to take up his station in the Orange adopted “Raw Box”. Mind you, so good was Mr Mikey’s performance, we were reluctant to tear ourselves away, although when we did decide to take a bite out of Adam’s Apple, we were glad of it, as Mr Tcherniak was creating his own hurricane of heavenly house, deep yet tech infused sounds that had us dancing deliriously down by the decks, the visuals & lighting in the room definitely giving the space a distinctive feel and more than a handful of hedonists also soaking up the sounds. Tom was there and seeing us, took the opportunity to pull on our brace strings (ouch!), with Trade baby pal Rob also close by & in his element, bouncing up and remarking how brilliant Nick’s music was, the cavorting crowd testament to the fact & we definitely agreeing with Rob on that score.

But as good as Nick’s performance was, we were drawn back to The Terrace, where the ever smiling Jamie Head was about to take over from Mikey and literally from the first record, which was an absolute stormer, he served up tune after tune, chunky, funky, fun filled & uplifting, yet infused with classic Jamie tech undertone style that had us captivated virtually for the whole two & a bit hours. And rather than emptying out with the temptations of the “Citrus Eden” or “Adam’s Apple” spaces there to spoil the Jamie party, the “Tree Of Knowledge” space filled yet more, so good was the music. And flowing in were loads of familiar faces also finding their knowledgeable dancing feet, Mark Barrett soaking up the sounds, fierce partner Lexi out for second helpings & “get down” grooving naughtiness with us, even the angelic Mis-White, dressed in a tassel-tastic top that created explosive effect when she span on her little spot, reducing us to tears of laughter when Jamie played a song which she described as the “whispering tune”, recapping in the brilliant Beyond moment she had enjoyed when first hearing the record, a story that will live with us forever. But the limelight spot was pointed at Mr Head, who continued to serve up track after track of monstrous music that was going to be difficult to top.

However, with this “Frolicking with Forbidden Fruit” event still having plenty up its sleeve, the main room was at last going to tempt us in, catching the last few moments of The Oli's set, which paved way for the sensationally prolific performance of Steve Pitron, who hooked us with a string of multi mixing tracks and then a-typical classics, including his own vivacious version of “Release Me” and fantastic floor filler remix works of “Downpipe” & “Here Comes The Rain Again”, all, heralded with magnificent pyrotechnic rockets & ticker tape explosions, the podiums topped by muscle bound go-go’s dressed in eye catching ivy clad costumes adding to the Area renowned atmosphere & lighting effects that we have come to love & adore. And we couldn’t have asked for better company, having assumed our favourite spot by the D.J. booth, as Mis-White was back, the now off duty Mikey & Jamie also close by, as were pals Lexi, Tom & Nick, not to mention this gorgeous muscle bound latino hunk that continued to trade dancing moves with us, plenty of other onlookers aghast with our energetic spins & swivels to Mr Pitron’s pulsating pace. Even over twelve hours of dancing couldn’t dampen our spirits, as we absorbed every morsel of music the master at work was delivering, all thoughts of tiring limbs banished in favour of fun filled extravert activity that saw is see our the whole of Steve’s stupendous set in splendid style.

Mind you the party was far from over as second Orange guest D.J., international globetrotting megastar but still London’s favourite, Paul Heron took to the “Citric” decks and not only kept up the party pace, but dished up a progressive filled & tech infused string of sounds that left us breathless and wanting more, even the small respite back to The Terrace only serving to refuel our appetite for more main room madness. But, incumbent Fat Tony with the terrific Tonnic providing vocals had the “Tree Of Knowledge” space pumping too, glorious hostess Glendora handing out refreshing orange segments on a silver salver (wow!) and plenty of peeps soaking up the lite lounge-esque sounds been served up. However, with afternoon rapidly turning to evening, our final fling was going to be in the hands of Mr Heron, he bouncing up & down in trademark fashion in the D.J. booth and we continuing a delirious dancing dervish just short of his curtain call at 6 p.m., when our aching left knee complaint slowed us close to a standstill and no amount of energy boosting drink was going to aid its recovery. So, our frolicking with forbidden fruit was drawn to a close, limping home to reflect on an Orange “Easter Garden Of Eden” event that exceeded all expectations, our head filled with magical memories & sensational sounds.

Once again Orange had proved that it beholds something spectacularly special with its bank holiday bonanza’s, this latest instalment being a perfect example. We couldn’t have asked for a better way to end our Easter weekend, not least for the brilliant company we held throughout, but moreover from the amazing atmosphere that Area provided, the delectable dancers, the prolific production & pyro’s and the vivacious visuals, all adding to the magnificent music. There were great performances from all the D.J.’s, but our hats have to go off to Mikey D who definitely got the party going delightfully, to Nick Tcherniak who treated us to some terrific tech-tastic sounds and to Paul Heron who rounded our citric splendour off superbly. However it was Steve Pitron that did it for us most in the main room, racking up yet another amazingly purple patch performance only topped by the brilliance of Jamie Head, who for us delivered THE set of the weekend, leaving us in complete awe and wanting more, words never enough to describe just how good it was, simple superlatives like incredible, outstanding & wonderful barely giving Jamie’s gigantic showing justification. Orange ruled on Easter Monday, no real trace of trashiness, rather top notch gAylisting gaiety that left us hedonistically happy and we can’t wait for the next bank holiday citric outing. (DISCO MATT)

Cracking Combo - As One "All In" - Club Review

“CRACKING COMBO” - AS ONE “ALL IN”
EASTER SUNDAY/MONDAY 4TH/5TH APRIL
CLUB REVIEW


The date was January 1st, marking the start of a new year, the start of a new decade and the start of a new clubbing combination which would literally captivate its audience, packing out its host venue with numbers that had rarely been seen in many months nay years, the collaboration between five clubbing brands & six club promoters ending up as mixing match made in heaven. Yes, the formulation of As One definitely was the talk of the town and joining together clubs Trannyshack, Megawoof, Lovechild, Orange & Lo-Profile, each having their own special area to flex their musical muscles, as well as the added inclusion of the Logan Presents promotions machine, bringing with it the glitz & glamour of their “Alice In Wonderland” SuperMartXe event held earlier in the day, worked like a dream and, despite all the amazing parties across gAylist/land London over the New Year each playing their part to heighten the sense of optimism for the new decade, As One short of stole the headlines, making the start to this new year one of those special moments in our lives.

So, when news came through that this amazing collaborative event would return for another prolific party, this time on the Easter weekend, it was a foregone conclusion that we would attend, even given the ravaging circumstances we found ourselves embroiled within, just two weeks before, that looked like irrevocably damaging our penchant for writing & reporting on the magnificent scene that we still love to be a part of. So, casting doubtful thoughts aside& putting best foot forward, we heeded warnings to get there early, making our way down to Fire in Vauxhall and arriving at a shade before 3 p.m. to an extremely healthy queue of hopefuls that had decided against the wise choice of buying a ticket in advance. With reports filtering out to the queue that the club was already very busy, our patience in waiting 15 minute paid off & saw us speed through the front of the throng, being graciously treated by the door team which included a warmingly welcome Dave Cross. Once inside Fire’s doors, we could see for ourselves a main room that was already brimming with a merry band of party animals, lapping up the pulsating musical pace being served up by Paul Martin, resident of this Orange themed club space.

Dropping our belongings off in the coat check, we were released in a trice to make our first of what would be a successive amount of tours around the extensive offerings, first checking out the lounge area, which was the adopted room of uber chic central London club Lo-Profile, then squeezing ourselves through the heaving main room, gloriously decorated with twirling As One emblems & accompanying production, the collection of screen visuals flickering between images of host club Orange & As One pictorials, all being set off brilliantly by the venues amazing laser lighting. Finding ourselves in the mirror-arch space, the area given away to Alex Erfan’s Lovechild brand, we approached the D.J. booth to find the magnificent Mattias in charge of the decks, finding his stride with a sequence of pumping yet funky tech infused sounds that had us dancing in an instant, seeing the room fill quickly in front of our eyes, a whole collection of familiar faces appearing to join in the fun we were already having. The sea of faces included D.J. friend Hugh Stevenson, who was letting his hair down in typical fashion, Danny Shubert & Roni Inan, both savouring the delights of their hard work on this collaborative clubbing venture and even the man himself, Alex Erfan, who was energetically running around, making sure everything was as it should be, pausing for a moment to say hello and obviously pleased just how busy it was so early on.

It was now a case of finding the best spot to dance, yet making sure we didn’t miss out on the veritable feast of fabulous D.J.’s on offer across all five spaces, whether it was Tasty Tim & crew over in the audaciously alternative Trannyshack space, in the Lightbox which filled to capacity the minute the doors swung open for the musclebear mainstream club Megawoof, with Daz Saund & Tim McLone in charge of the beefy beats, or the delightful choice between the three other spaces, Lovechild’s Mattias going head to head with The Sharp Boys in the Orange room & the lovely Phil Hewson in the Lo-Profile lounge. Making a selection proved a difficult one, all three rooms being absolutely rammed solid with a charismatic mix of a crowd, muscled bare chested men, glamorously garbed girls, cavorting club kids and many in between, each club brand attracting its own element of loyal followers, but all fusing delightfully to give As One a unique and “All In” flavour, just the ticket and the very ethos of this latest instalment in the success of the year so far.

So, spreading ourselves as thinly as we could, we attempted to take in slices of each space, although it was the Lovechild lounge that got the lion’s share of our devotions for well over half of the eight hour event, Mattais’s purple patch performance ending and then flowing delightfully into a scintillating set by Tony English, which included the live P.A. showing from vocal diva Janis K, she surrounded by the eye candy that was the gobsmackingly gorgeous go-go’s, muscles flexed & assets revealed in true Lovechild fashion. That was followed up by international megastar D.J. Paul Heron, who grabbed the room by the neck and gave it an energetic shake with his stupendous sounds, one deep tech infused beat intermixed with funky & uplifting tones that left us breathless in adoration & twirling on our spot, the one space we could find in the whole club to display our dancing delirium. But the fever pitch pace was set to continue in the hands of Alessandro Londra, who laid down a series of tantalising tunes that saw the Lovechild room packed to the rafters deep into Monday morning, all topped off by powerful pyrotechnics deployed to delightful effect by the delectable Dorin.

Meanwhile the Orange room was hitting the high notes too, as first D’Johnny drew us in, as we literally squeezed our way to a tiny vacant spot by the D.J. booth, rubbing shoulders & trading “get down” moves with our fierce partner in dancing crime, Lexi, soaking up the atmosphere with the lovely Mark Barrett, even entering into the spirit of this main room madness with D.J.'s Mis-White and Mikey D. But when Logan’s troupe of delectable dancers took to the stage, including the wonderful Naomi, we more used to seeing this scenestress hosting the happenings rather than parading the podium, the atmosphere increased a few notches, only to rise further with the arrival of, first, Terry Bryan, whom we caught munching on a crème egg, this extrovert Easter style moment bending us over in fits of laughter, then when Alan K took over the D.J. decks to delight. And when he picked our favourite track of the moment, Denis Chrisptopher’s remix of the Nightstyler’s track “No More Lies”, the dancefloor erupted and we were left in absolute awe of this multi mixing master at work.

Then there was the Lo-Profile lounge, just like all the other spaces, packed out with party people that were soaking up this special “All In” As One event, the succession of D.J.’s each giving this intimate yet spectacular space their own rapturous recipe of delicious dance music, from Phil Hewson’s huge house hit happenings, to Craig Daniels who followed with full on funky frolics, through to the iconic D.J. talent that is Stewart Who, absorbing us with a sweet selection of classic house heaven, that left us wanting more, each of these three ensuring the Lo-Profile space was a hive of audacious activity. Mind you, our night, well morning, was never going to be complete without the addition of the Antipodean disc spinning act that is Brent Nicholls, who continued where the other three had left off, yet took the crowd on a journey through his “Nu Funk” house that had the room raving ravenously, one inspired individual showing his appreciation with a strings of “whoop whoop” chants & cheers, leaving Brent & us amused yet in admiration of his antics, which only added to the amazing atmosphere and the magnificent music we were enjoying courtesy of this scene favourite star, who seemed to once again make this lounge space his own.

Well, we could gone on & on in explicit exuberance of what was an awesome As One “All In” outing, the whole eight hours filled with mesmeric music and prolific performances, the party feeling just as busy as the first event on New Year’s day, yet somehow, for us, working even better. The atmosphere across the whole night & in each & every room was electric, the effort put in by all the D.J’s to deliver the best in house music, bearing considerable fruit, thus making the choice of where to be when very tricky yet terrifically tempting and also meaning there was never a moment that left us lacklustre. Yes it was true that at times it felt so busy & so hot that we struggled to find suitable space to satisfy our dancing delectations, but the marvellous company we enjoyed paled those thoughts into insignificance and once again we came away from Fire having enjoyed a thoroughly entertaining event that will live in our memories for a long time to come.

As One yet again proved that it is a force to be reckoned with in the gAylist clubbing calendar and the combination of clubs definitely break down the barriers of what can too often be seen as a fiercely competitive and politically driven scene, which sometimes falls foul to the blood thirsty desires of rival promoters. Joining forces not only puts these machinations to bed, even if just for eight hours, but moreover proves that working together has spectacular results and very much reflects the desire of genuine clubbers that the disco dancing should be doing the talking. As a result, special thanks have to go to promotions teams Logan Presents, The Orange Group & Gaydar Events, to clubs Lo-Profile, Lovechild, Megawoof, Orange & Trannyshack and to promoters, Logan, Steven Sharp, Daz Saund, & Alex Erfan, without whom the whole As One concept would not be possible. But deserved mentions have to go to those behind the scenes, people like Simon Patrick, Dave Cross, Dorin Andrei, Roni Inan, Craig Elder and many more besides, whose tireless work & collaboration have made As One so special. But most of all, the thanks have to go to you, the clubbing public, without which, this Easter outing event would never have been possible. Roll on the next instalment in this epic clubbing combo, we cannot wait. (DISCO MATT)

"Absolutely Amazing Afterhours" - Beyond - Club Review

“ABSOLUTELY AMAZING AFTERHOURS”
BEYOND – 21ST MARCH
CLUB REVIEW


Right here’s the thing, in all the years we have been indulging on what has become a most favourite activity (no not that you filthy minded lot!) clubbing, we often ask ourselves the question, what does it take to make a great club, an iconic club, a legendary club, our favourite club? Well, after so much time enjoying so many clubs, the truth is that we are still not sure of the actual answer. Some would say that it is the magnificent music, others would say it is the characteristic crowd, or the divine D.J’s, while many would count the vivacious venue as their reason. But that says in all in a way, we each have our own reasons for deciding which is the best club in all our estimations, not just because the clubs on offer are so different, but we are different, after all, if everything was the same, wouldn’t life be really boring.

But unquestionably in the minds of many people, Beyond is one such club that has attained that status, not just as a great club or an iconic club, but as a legendary club, seen as probably the best that the gAylist scene has on offer at the moment, even receiving accolades from other clubbing communities, it standing literally head & shoulders above the competition, not just in the afterhours market, but across the whole spectrum of club happenings in our most diverse scene in the capital. Testament to that fact is that, not only did it scoop the prestigious Seenqueen best club award of 2009, voted by you the clubbing public, but has now also taken top slot in the Boyz Magazine awards for the best club production, on both occasions beating massive brands like Matinee, SuperMartXe & Trade to the crown, a considerable feat giving some of the amazing parties all three of those brands brought to us last year. And with this second award news just out, coupled with one of the resident D.J’s celebrating his birthday, we just couldn’t resist heading down to Area in Vauxhall to celebrate in style.

Mind you, we had already been treading the dancefloor boards for some hours, having savoured Matinee’s latest event “Circuit” at The Fridge, although persuading us to carry on the partying was such an easy task, that we even cajoled friends Stephen & Stefan to do the same, waiting patiently for laid on transport to whisk us from Brixton to Beyond, although eventually having to make do with second best, arriving at Area’s doors just shy of 7 a.m. But in the good hands of Tom & then Naomi, we were into the club in a trice, even getting a fast track entry via the outside space and having quickly deposited our belongings in the efficient chapel coat check, we were released to grab refreshments & then take our usual search around the venue, first hitting on the “Black” room where Paul Christian was warming up the crowd and then into the Terrace Bar where The Oli was treating a packed space to some heart warming & funky tunes. But, we were in search of friends Stephen & Stefan, whom we had lost in the departing melay at Matinee, so swung into the main space which was not yet open, but caught the eye of the enigmatic Mikey D, who was preparing to kick the party off in the biggest of the three rooms, although spared a few moments to catch up with us, before heading down to the D.J. booth to get himself ready for what would turn out to be another pulsating performance.

Not being able to find our lost companions, we settled on the Terrace bar for a while, although when Stephen emerged, seemingly from nowhere, then friend Benoit also arrived, shortly followed by Nick Tcherniak & Tom, not to mention the birthday boy himself, Hi-Fi Sean, we knew that we were once again in great company on what has become a special Sunday when in the hands of Beyond. While Stephen looked to be tiring a little, the pace of the club was rising dramatically and it wasn’t long before we found ourselves in the main room, on the way meeting yet more friendly faces, including two Jamie’s, first Mr Head, the one person, who if spotting us out & about, never fails to draw us into a Beyond party, he fresh from exploits down under & clearly ready to party well into Sunday afternoon, then Mr Hammond, the young man making waves on the D.J. scene and celebrating his award landed in the best newcomer poll for Boyz magazine, but both only temporarily halting our stride to the hot action in the hands of Mikey D. And my was it hot & Mikey on fire behind the D.J. booth, the room already brimming with party heads moving & shaking to the superb sounds & tantalising tracks being served up by this brilliant Beyond boy. One track after the next kept us totally enthralled and cutting our own stride in our favourite spot next to the D.J. booth, trading moves with those around us, plenty of eye candy on hand from a bevy of topless hunks, one not far away & exchanging a host of cruising looks in our direction.

So good was the main room that we hardly moved an inch, well we moved more than that but not from the main room and when Mikey D’s scintillating set came to an end, the legendary Steve Pitron taking over proceedings, it was only going to get better and it did. By know our friend Benoit was at close call, Area’s spectacular lighting displays & pyrotechnics were at full tilt and the sexy troupe of dancers were atop of the podiums, entertaining with energetic & explosive displays of dancing delight, adding to the amazing atmosphere & audacious activity we found ourselves entirely succumbed within. Then to add to it all, our partner in fierceness, Lexi, appeared to briefly share boogie sashaying steps with us, before heading into the packed crowd who were, like us, in absolute heaven in the hands of Mr Pitron. Only a short respite would keep us away from the main room, first drawing breath back through the “Black” room where Gonzalo Rivas was whipping up his own storm & then into the Terrace Bar where Hi-Fi was laying down some serious sounds, lapping up loads of birthday wishes, Messrs Nick & Tom and a collection of others including D.J. pal J.C. Christopher, treating themselves to the terrific tunes Sean was delivering. We do absolutely love this Terrace space & in the hands of Hi-Fi it is always extra special, this Sunday being no different, D’Johnny & Jamie Head also always serving us well, each three of them loving the space, as much if not more than the main room.

But it wasn’t long before we were back in among the action Steve was creating with breathtaking beats and despite having been dancing virtually non-stop for over 10 hours, there was no sign of us slowing, aided even further by the arrival of Alan K, who was delighted to see us dancing away, remarking that yet another Sunday looked set to be superbly special. And it was, as Alan took up the mantle left by Steve and treated us some a whole host of his multi-mixing skills, the main room crowd not waning in any way, rather taking up the challenge Mr K was laying down to make it through way past mid-day, all helped along by some rapturous records, especially an awesome self made mix of Zoe Baldwin’s “Release Me” that short of blew the roof off Beyond at Area. With no signs of the enjoyment fading, with all the familiar faces still present & more, the lovely Naomi & posse joining us for a while, even Steven Sharp & Jay Sharp Vokins savouring the brilliance of this latest afterhours instalment, the scene was set for another afternoon finish to our day of ecstasy in the grip of Beyond.

Finding energy we thought we had all but spent, cutting an energetic stride in our spot as though we had only just started our night and finding ourselves totally succumbing to the uplifting & chunky tunes, any thought of throwing in the towel on what was yet another phenomenally fantastic Beyond blinder of a bash was distant from our minds, even our pal Benoit still going for it, clearly keen for his night and day dancing to carry on. However, all great things do come to an end and just shy of 1 a.m., it was time for us to wave goodbye to Beyond, although rather than making our usual trip home to savour our exploits, we were tempted to keep the party going at afternoon gathering Later at Fire, joining a whole collection of Beyonder’s that, like us, simply couldn’t resist that sense of being naughty, stretching the boundaries of sensibility and simply keeping going what had been a marvellous morning in the hands of D.J. delights Adams, Dickson, Dower, Head, Pitron & co, also knowing that it would take something extra special to even equal the epic enjoyment we had experienced.

So, why report on Beyond in this way? What drives us to be so praiseworthy of an event as we are? Well, the answer to both is quite simple; Beyond is without question the best party on the gAylist scene at the moment. Its popularity, the awards it has won, the crowd that it now attracts, the amazing host venue, all the people in the background, the promotions team in the forefront, the resident jocks taking the plaudits, the door hosts working tirelessly, indeed everyone involved in this connoisseur among clubs, tell the tale of tremendous triumphs that have made Beyond an institution. It comes as no surprise that outsiders looking in have become very envious of what this club has achieved and it would be a strange place that we would find ourselves in if nobody else wanted to challenge the dominance of this giant in the afterhours market. But despite the challenges & despite the protagonists attempts to topple it, Beyond is proof that not only is life a brilliant disco in its hands, but by letting the music speak rather than the politics, it has every chance of holding onto its pile topping status for a long time to come and we absolutely love it. (DISCO MATT)

Disco Matt "On The Scene" - GaydarNation Interview

DISCO MATT INTERVIEW ON GAYDARNATION.COM
FRIDAY 2ND APRIL


In our exploits out & about on the gAylist scene across the capital, we are used to be the one that is doing the reviewing & reporting, although in a recent interview with GaydarNation’s Jonny Marsh, the tables were somewhat turned on us, as the spotlight was thrown in our direction, prompting a full & frank response to a collection of searching questions posed. So, in a change to our usual reviews, we have posted the interview as it was published on GaydarNation, which we hope may answer some of the questions you may also have been wanting to ask us, as well as putting to bed some of the myths & mysteries surrounding Disco Matt.

Matt Hopkins is a well known face on London’s gay club scene, having attended practically every major club launch in the last 10 years. Then, a few years ago, Matt decided to combine his passion for clubbing with his passion for writing, and Disco Matt was born. We caught up with Matt to find out more about the man behind the club reviews.

So, who is Disco Matt?

Well, Disco Matt is my writing name, my pseudonym, and he reviews, previews and reports on the clubs, bars and events in and around London as well as looking at scene DJs work. The name was not my idea, in fact the creator, who will remain anonymous, came up with it after my first review of social soiree Industri back in January 2008 and it just stuck.

What was your first experience of a gay bar or club?

My first ever gay bar experience was when I lived in Johannesburg, South Africa and it was very much the a-typical clone type, American style of gay joint, a dark long bar barely visible from the outside, with a pool table and lots of butch looking men in tight jeans with moustaches. We are of course taking mid 80s here and my first club experience was evocative of that time, when hi-nrg music was in vogue and outlandish people dressed accordingly.

You used to sneak into clubs anonymously. How did this come about, and why did you reveal yourself?

Well, I wouldn’t quite say that I would sneak into clubs! Having been one of those faces that has been out on the clubbing scene for years, I would simply be there enjoying myself but also reviewing at the same time, therefore being anonymous was quite fun. However, it was always the plan to reveal my identity, the real reasons being for credibility and for the fact that, for me, a respected writer needs to be known to his audience.

Did you enjoy it more when you were anonymous?

To be honest, not really. It is true that being anonymous protected me from negative or derogatory reaction, but being known as Disco Matt has opened doors for me, sometimes literally, meeting a whole host of people I would never have done if I had stayed anonymous. Plus, being known gets me noticed in a crowd, or in a queue, and that definitely has its advantages!

Why do you enjoy writing about clubs and nightlife?

Well, clubbing and social nightlifing is what I enjoy doing, so writing about it all came quite naturally. Penning my experiences allows me to share my views, thus aiming to serve as a recommendation, or not as the case may be, hopefully meaning I make a valid contribution towards making the scene a richer and stronger place. This has always been my ultimate aim, so the thought of achieving it gives me an immense feeling of satisfaction.

What’s the most outrageous thing you have ever seen in a gay bar or club?

Well, having been the General Manager for the notorious Central Station in Kings Cross, London, it takes a lot to shock and surprise me, but perhaps the most outrageous thing was seeing a fire start right in front of me on Trade’s main floor when the lining on the walls of the dancefloor suddenly set alight. Fortunately, however, my friend Terry was quick enough of mind and stamped it out before it spread in anyway significantly. Mind you imagine the headlines if he hadn’t...”loads of queens high as kites caught in a torrent of flames in Turnmills...”

Your reviews can be quite direct and frank about the nights you visit, even if something has gone wrong there. Do you ever get in trouble with the promoters for being critical?

Oh yes, my direct approach has landed me in hot water with promoters on plenty of occasions, but it tends to be those that are very sensitive to any sort of criticism or negativity. However, knowing most of the club promoters as I do now, the vast majority of them are very reasonable and accept my direct stance, but I also know how some of them operate and what a cut-throat business it can be. So, dealing with their furore when it happens comes with the territory and is all part of what I do.

Who are your favourite DJs at the moment?

I know so many DJs, loads who I can count as friends, so it’s a really hard choice, but if I had to choose, my top three would be Danny Verde, because I have known him since he was starting out and pushed his work from the outset, so to see how he has developed, the waves he is making internationally and how popular he has become is such a thrill; Steve Pitron, because he has amazed me on the dancefloor from the very first time I experienced his brilliance over 10 years ago and to this day Steve remains as consistently spectacular as he always was; Brent Nicholls as for me the man is probably THE most talented DJ I know. His ability to switch between genres, catering for the audience he plays to, is outstanding. What’s more, he has an acute sense of spotting forthcoming dancefloors hits long before many others, which makes his music offer really cutting edge. Oh by the way, before you ask, they are in no particular order, I will leave it to you to guess that one!

And which are your favourite gay clubs or events?

Much like with the DJs, as I know quite a few of the promoters, it’s really hard to choose. However, Matinee has always been right up there but is going through some changes at the moment. I love what promoter Alex Erfan is doing, so Lovechild and Pervert are really good and As One on NYD ranks as the best party of 2010 so far. However, my favourite club has to be Beyond, as every time I go, it just seems to get better and better, the music, the people, the atmosphere, everything about it is terrific. It’s even better than my old fave Trade (and that’s saying something).

What do you do for work when you’re not hitting clubs?

Having ditched Banking then running clubs bars and restaurants, as my writing is a big focus in my life, I now have a day job as a cycle courier which gives me my evenings and weekends back. It might not be a glamorous job but it pays the bills and some, gives me the flexibility to work when I want to and balance that with keeping my writing up to speed. Plus, it gives me a pretty nice lifestyle too.

Do you think it’s fair to say you’ve been to every major club launch in the capital since you started?

Yes, pretty much, although it is sometimes difficult to make everything as I can never be in two places at once. But if something major is launching, then clearly that gets my attention and focus. Of the biggies, I was at the first Beyond in June 2001, Matinee’s launch in July 2006, SuperMartXe’s in Nov 2008 and Lovechild’s in Feb 2009. But my favourite launch, in among the long list of others, was Industri’s, which started out in January 2008 and marked the birth of Disco Matt as we know him now.

How has the gay scene evolved in this time?

To be honest, the scene is constantly evolving, although it’s good that it doesn’t stand still and whilst a lot of bars have been around for a long time, occasionally new ones pop up and make a real splash, like Profile bar, but clubbing has changed a lot and loads of events have come and gone. When I first started out, Sunday was the real party day and far more popular than Saturdays, with clubs like Factor 25, Salvation and F.F. But these days its Saturday clubs like Matinee, SuperMartXe, and Lovechild that seem to attract the big numbers. Vauxhall was the big revolution at the turn of the century but has since seen its fortunes wax and wane and a real alternative vibe is developing in the East End and particularly in Shoreditch at the moment.

Do you ever get out of London to check out other gay scenes?

The simple answer is no, but when 2010 dawned I said that Disco Matt would be spreading his wings and the plan is definitely to take maybe one weekend out a month to either head down to Brighton or up to Manchester. But I also plan to report on clubbing in Europe which seems to be very vibrant, the sound so different to London and I cannot wait for that, so watch this space.

Where will we be able to catch you in the coming weeks?

Well Easter weekend is coming up, which is going to be non-stop for Disco Matt with up 10 club events to visit and review! After that, well I will be doing my best to honour a Brighton trip and if things go to plan may also be hitting the radio waves, making my weekend recommendations vocal as well as written.

To check out the article via GaydarNation direct, click on the following link http://gaydarnation.com/UserPortal/Article/Detail.aspx?ID=26594&sid=4.