Weekend Recommendations - 24th/26th July

Hey Folks,

Well after a week’s break, well it was a quiet(ish) one on gAylist/land London, we come back with a storm, as this coming weekend looks like being one to remember and all because, no, not because the lady loves Milktray, but because of a major step change for one of our favourite clubs.

Yes, we are of course talking about Matinee and for those of you that have not yet seen our preview, go to http://discomattpreview.blogspot.com &/or http://seenqueen.com/features to get everything you need to know about the move to Cable and also the plans for the Matinee at its new home, both from our perspective and from the lips of the man himself Oliver M of Evolved Events.

However, here we concentrate on the Saturday’s party, labelled “Evolution – Revolution”, both words evoking a significant step forward for Matinee in London, not least as its new home is set to blow you away. Spread across three rooms of music, with plenty more spaces to kick back & relax, not to mention a superb outside area for smokers & those wishing to take a reprieve as well as some of the best facilities we have seen in any club, you can see that Colosseum is set to be a distant memory, with 21st Century clubbing meeting Matinee in glorious marriage at Cable.

With the biggest & star studded D.J. line up of any club, sporting Guy Williams, Paul Heron & Brent Nicholls in room one, joined by Spanish resident star Enrico Argentino, all playing out the classic Matinee sound. Room two (named the parlour room) sees one of many evolutionary & revolutionary steps for this iconic clubbing brand, as scene legend D.J’s Fat Tony & Stevie B come together once again, playing out funky house, joined by upcoming star Saki, delivering a totally different sound to that played in room one. Then there is Room Three, which sports mega Matinee resident Alessandro who is joined by fellow huge stars Pier Morrocco (we love his stuff) and Jon Dennis, to perform tech house in true London style.

So, you could be forgiven for thinking it is all about the music, but here it’s not as the Matinee production team have gone into overdrive and Cable is set to dressed for the occasion, not just with the Matinee marketing magic but with bpm branding included (the secret is out!). Then there are the dancing performances, not so much a magnificent stage show, but an amazing infiltration of the club by Mark M Forn’s Fierce International crew who will dazzle you with their superb performances and costumes to match (all the boys have been pumping iron this week!!). But it doesn’t stop there, as after taking Trade by storm, none other than Stewart Who comes to perform both his “Back To The Future” & his “Twisted” collaborations, adding a further dimension to the entertainment.

Now for the detail. Cable opens its doors at 11 p.m. & Matinee runs through till 8 a.m. For those of you concerned about finding the venue, do not fear as plenty of “spotters” will be out & about in London Bridge until 1 a.m. to guide you in. Tickets sales online are going quick sticks, with all early bird tickets sold out & limited £15 tickets running out. If you want to buy online visit http://evolvedevents.co.uk to get yours, otherwise hit your favourite Soho outlets to grab in person. You may be able to get entry on the door but we recommend buying in advance & if you fancy some VIP treatment, these are available at a £30, but why not visit http://seenqueen.com where the guys are running a great competition to win two of these prestigious golden entries.

All the fun kicks off with the pre-party at new bar/restaurant Pendulum which is gaining serious popularity momentum and is the ideal warm up to the new found quality and opulence that you will be enjoying at Matinee’s new home Cable. It kicks off from 8 p.m., finishing just in time for the party itself, at 11 p.m.

So, whilst the weekend seems to be all about Matinee, there are other things on, some which normally get a big airing here, but we are running out of space. Friday sees a brand new launch at Area as “Onyx” hits the scene, then Saturday sees Hard On! bring out the fetish side in you at Hidden and we cannot finish the post without mentioning Beyond, which should prove massive as we are sure all Matinee goers will want to continue the party. Check the popular press for details of these clubs (and others on offer).

As for us, well Thursday will be our usual homage to Industri and then its Matinee, Matinee, Matinee, YIPPEE!!, so if you are at THE party of the weekend come say hi and as we always say……….Go There! Be There!

xDM

Weekend Recommendations - 10th/12th July

Hey Folks,

Well, with London’s & (and for you luck ones) Madrid’s Pride parties well & truly over (oops, did we forget Cologne – sorry Oliver!), we come a little back down to ground this weekend, drawing breath before a marathon end of July. So what’s on the cards this weekend and what are our three choices.

Well, it all kicks off in superb style tomorrow (Thurs 9th), yes tomorrow!!, as the new Friday that is Thursday brings non other than Industri. But, folks, this is no ordinary Industri as the night is given away to a fantastic tribute to “The King of Pop”, Michael Jackson, who sadly passed away two weeks ago, leaving a hole in many people’s hearts. There is no doubt Michael’s life was full of controversy, but it was also full of amazing music & Industri this week will be infused with a veritable feast of “MJ” remixes throughout Brent Nicholls’ set (what better a D.J. to give you your fill of the best re-engineered Michael classics), so think less “This Is It”, more “Thriller”. With all this additional musical magic, this is set to be an evening not to be missed, with Minty hosting as always & we suspect our guard will be down with the Sambuca flowing!! So, it all kicks off at 9 p.m. at Barcode Vauxhall & runs through till 2 a.m with entry being free!!!. Check out the link, http://bar-code.uk/industri for more details & to join the newsletter posts.

Friday sees the launch of a new night at one of our most favourite venues in London, Area in Vauxhall & a fresh look at all things clubbing. It’s a fresh new name as well, as “Onyx” launches with all guns blazing, introducing a truly dazzling D.J. line up including Phil Marriot (Gaydar Radio star who took Love Muscle by storm last Sat) & the man behind this newbie, non other than Steven Gellar, who continues to cut a stride in the club promoting game. Room two (the tech terrace) looks particularly good with Lisa German & Ariel playing out, but what is even better is that the club will command a strict “majority gay” policy (unlike some recent Area ventures!), so we suspect a much better quality crowd. What’s more, the team are rolling out a succession of drinks offers, listen to this, £2.50 on drinks & £1 on shots until 12 a.m., with continued promotions through the night & with entry free until midnight & only £6 thereafter (bargain!) together with everything you expect from lighting, production, & gorgeous dancers, this should prove to be a real hit. Doors open at 11 p.m. & the club runs through until 5 a.m. & make the most of grabbing a free membership. Watch this space for a web link.

Our last choice is also new to this post, but a club that has evolved, nay risen from the ashes!! Yes, it’s Infinity (ex Bromptons), no longer just a boozer with drag, but actually a stylish venue attracting some quality D.J. talents to its doors. This Sat (11th), see non other than the legend that is Fat Tony gracing the decks, this on the back of a stunning performance at Trade’s party last Sunday, with his amazing choice of tunes & mixes definitely sure to set the venue alight so this will be one outing to pencil in your diary space. Based over in Earls Court (where it all started!!), Infinity has definitely grown up, attracting an mix of locals & those eager to get a slice of relaxing, no attitude clubbing that has fun written all over it. Resident D.J’s include the wonderful Faye Lanson (we miss her on the scene) & Matt Bird, who entertain every Friday. So, if you fancy a change to the norm, sampling some superb sounds, make this Saturday a date. Infinity’s website (like the club itself) is still in it’s infancy, but watch out for developments at http://goinfinity.co.uk/.

So, what else is on this weekend? Well it looks like a quiet(ish) one, but as always, Lo-Profile proves a great choice, with mega stars Steve Pitron & Mikey D cutting a major stride this Fri & Alessandro & Brent Nicholls spinning the tunes on Sat. Horizon hits town again (revitalised!) with their “Summer Sizzler” party this Sat, with D’Johnny, Gonzalo Rivas (need to mention that!), Jamie Head, David Jiminez & Terry Bryan in control of the music madness. Check the popular press for details.

Just one quick mention goes to the official launch of the “new” Profile bar (above Lo-Profile) next Wednesday (15th), a date not to be missed. We will be there to sample food, cocktails, champagne (you name it!) & review it all, so watch this space for the entire lowdown.

And what for our weekend? well, it has to be Industri on Thursday, we are seriously thinking about Onyx on Friday (what did the promoter say to us in SuperMartXe!!!), maybe Bournemouth Pride Sat day & possibly Lo-Profile on Sat night, so if you see us come say hi, but whatever you are doing, have a great weekend and as we always say…….Go There! Be There!

xDM

Weekend Recommendations -3rd/5th July - Pride 09 Special

Hey Folks,

Well, London’s big day is virtually on us and we suspect a fair amount of activity in W1 across the whole of Saturday. The sun will be shining, so get out, be proud, march (or not), hit the three squares! (or not) but maybe lead the way, showing Cologne & Madrid how it is done!! We will be reporting on it all, so keep you eyes peeled for that.

But as day turns to night, there will be a huge amount of bars & clubs activity to choose from & we showcase here what we consider to be the gAylist choices (even for you “B” list stragglers looking for something better!!).

As for clubbing activity, the list seems endless, so with the masses around, we dissect the choice to present THE best events to be seen on the scene!, (especially if some of you “out-of-towners” may need pointing in the right direction).

First up and in the heart of the action is the brand new venture “Club Together”, aptly named as three of the scenes biggest promoters, Oliver M (Matinee, bpm), Wayne Shires (Crash, Beyond, Guru-Guru) & Patrick Lilley (Queer Nation, Work, Pendulum) join forces at the most centrally located event of Pride, The Den (formerly The End), so just a hop, skip & jump from the days activities. Showcasing some of the scenes best D.J.’s including Paul Heron, Brent Nicholls, Pier Morrocco, Alessandro in the main room as well as rnb specialists Freddie Thomas, Monsieur Dimanche & Big John Freeman in the second “Work hosted” room & that’s just for starters! It all kicks off at 8 p.m. & goes through till 8 a.m. and with entry as low as £8 (with flyer) on the door, hosted by non other than Minty & Heidi Licious, so it’s all about “the 8’s” and a bargain to boot. But if you want to grab an advance £8 ticket, go now to http://evolvedevents.co.uk/

Next up and for all you hunky, chunky muscle bears & admirers is Megawoof’s Pride special at super club Colosseum with all the ingredients you expect from this raunchy event attracting a crowd to match. It’s labelled as a “classic” outing, so expect the full line up of “world class” resident D.J’s, including Pagano we are told (fab!) and equally “world class” lighting & visuals, across two rooms of fun (we love the world class bit!). We also hear that the much loved recession busting drinks price offers will be back, but you need to get them in before 1 a.m., so what better a reason to swing down to Vauxhall early(ish!), leather bound or not, as the crowd is one of the friendliest we have found. Doors open at 10.30 p.m. & the club runs through till
6 a.m. Entry is just £10 if you are a member, £14 for others unless you are cute & get you ticket in advance from your fave Soho outlets. Visit http://megawoof.com/ for full details.

Our third choice goes to the scene legend name that is Love Muscle (now with an XXX..ooh err missus) a club that has an amazing tradition at its home The Fridge in Brixton (yes its still there) but has been brought right up to date in the hands of Salvation supremo Steve Elliot, who has masterminded a stunning makeover not just of the brand, but of the venue too. It starts with a completely new D.J. line up of Sharon O Love, Dorian & Paul Coles, as well as the inclusion of mega gaydar radio D.J. Phil Marriot who hosts the café next door (that is gonna be big in itself). With state of the art visuals (akin to Salvation) and stunningly sexy shows by the industry’s best, Mark M Forms’ Fierce Intl Dancers, it just gets better with a massive P.A. from Shena (think “The Weekend” & “Dare Me”), so it is no surprise that all early bird £10 tickets are already sold out! Advance tickets of £15 are available across Soho & beyond with more on the door (if your lucky), talking of which they open at 10 p.m. & the club runs through till 6 a.m. Check out http://lovemusclexx.co.uk/ for more info.

Now to a club that looks like being a sell-out and a gAylister extraordinaire as Mr Logan Schmitz (and his schmitzels) pull out all the pride stops to bring you SuperMartXe, back at the Coronet in Elephant & Castle, this time in true butch fashion with the theme of “Commando” (what more excuse do you need to gets your camo gear out!!). Expect everything present that has made this event so very popular since its launch, with the now familiar faces of resident D.J’s Steve Pitron & Pagano sandwiching SuperMartXe Spanish resident Hugo Sanchez (we are looking forward to his set for sure), and guess who P.A’ing?, yes its crowd fave Therese who will no doubt bring the house down. Add all the ticker tape explosions, amazing lighting & not least Logan’s sexy dancers & stage shows and this should be one party not to forget. Advance tickets are selling like hot cakes, so don’t miss out & get to Clone Zone, Prowler, DV8, Rupert St & The Box quick sticks. Otherwise go to http://suermartxe.clubtickets.com/. Doors open at 10.30 p.m. & the club runs through till 7 a.m. & we think the £15 advance & £18 on the door tickets are well worth itthis time round.

Last up is THE must visit event and one that by its mere name says it all. Yes, its Trade, which hits town on Sunday morning at Ministry of Sound no less (O.M.G.!!), so it’s already big before it starts for sure. And it just gets bigger with the largest D.J. line up we have seen, including Kammishake, Pagano, Nick Tcherniak, Steve Thomas, Fat Tony, Pete Wardman, Lady Bianca, Gary H, Guy Williams, Paul King, Paul Heron, Kate Lawler, Kath Harding, Nik Denton as well as special guest from Toolroom Records’ Mark Knight, and those are just the confirmed ones!! Spread across four dance rooms & a fifth terrace space, hosted by Club Wish, its going to be the biggest mash up of 2009 so far (well if the famed strict MOS staff allow us!). All the classic Trade visuals & pyrotechnics will be present, & with a special P.A. featuring Pagano & Wilhmein (“Loca”) with vocals from Tonnic, Logan’s dancers (wow, on the back of SuperMartXe), we suspect the only thing that will top that is Miss Malice herself!! If there are any advance tickets (£15) left, get to the Soho outlets as soon as they open tomorrow (Fri), otherwise you risk being disappointed, unless you go online at http://ticketweb.co.uk/. You may want to risk getting in on the door which opens at 6 a.m. although we won’t hazard a guess as to availability or indeed to the closing time, apart from it will be v late.

So that’s our choice of clubs, so what about the bars?

Well, we can tell you that EVERY Soho venue have special plans for Pride but our pick goes to the following.

The Box swings open its doors from 11 a.m, with a special “Pride Brunch”, just the thing to line your stomach & set fair for the whole day & beyond. And with scene D.J. stars Andrew Elmore & Gonzalo taking care of the musical mastery, this is one definite gAylisting venue to be seen. We are sure owner Frank will be there to welcome you all and check out their website at http://boxbar.com/ for everything you need to know.

Barcode Soho is set for a mammoth outing this Saturday, swinging open its doors from Midday right through to 2.30 a.m. If last year is anything to go by, there should be an amazing party atmosphere in one of Soho’s longest lasting gAylist bars with a host of D.J’s playing out across two floors, including H-Fi Sean, Saki, Tony Junior & Kris De Angelis. Log on to http://bar-code.co.uk/ for more details

Rupert Street will be in the thick of the action all weekend with a massive pre-party celebration on Friday for SuperMartXe Commando. Expect lots of happenings including Logan’s team of Go-Go’s in action & D’Johnny spinning the tunes. Then Saturday sees Rupert St resident Alessandro on the decks, warming you up your SuperMartXe exploits & then Sunday sees a recovery set from the man himself. To get a full flavour of the action, go to http://discomattstoppress.blogspot.com/

Finally, The Edge, which is ideally located to all the action in Soho Square which hosts the Orange Dance stage, but there will be dancing a plenty in the bar as scene favourite Brent Nicholls takes to the decks from 8 p.m. & other D.J’s on duty include Nathan 6, Mis-White, Julius & VJ Chris, with vocals from Tonnic. Open with a 3 a.m. licence, check out http://edgesoho.co.uk/ for the full low-down.

Well, that’s our pick of the bunch, but just a quick mention goes to The White Party at mega new club The Cable, with D.J’s Paul Heron, Stevie B & Dutch import Max Morel in action & then Beyond which has an “Addicted” special party with Hadley Poole performing this year’s top dancefloor hit & Steve Pitron spinning tunes from his latest “Addicted” mix. Check the popular press for details.

So, that’s our lots with all that’s left to say is a very Happy Pride to you all. We have a packed weekend ahead, including Rupert St, The Edge, Club Together, SuperMartXe, Love Muscle & Trade, so if you see us out come say hi and as we always say…....Go There! Be There!

xDM