Weekend - 27th - 29th Nov

Hey Folks,

Well, we can hardly believe that November is nearly over and we will be into the Christmas month by next week. However, there are plenty of options to see this penultimate month of 2009 out with a bang, but we focus on just three, that have grabbed our attention.

First up is the return of favourite raunchy & sexy fetish club Hard On! which takes grip of Hidden in Vauxhall this Saturday (28th Nov) offering another monthly outing for all you folks in leather, rubber, uniform & skinhead gear (even nude darling!) and love a trip to the raunchier side. This month sees a special competition, where contestants will get the opportunity to enter & be crowned as “Mr Sleazy”, by displaying that they are the dirtiest, horniest & most perverted one of them all, through a live 5 minute slot in front of the Hard On! crowd, answering some questions & showing exactly why they deserve the title (now that is going to be something to feast your eyes on!!). The competition is sponsored by your fave fetish store RoB, who are donating some very generous prizes & the winner will become their “pin up man” for the year (nice!). The music is provided across two rooms by residents Dmac, Halo-Is & Hugosland in the cruise bar & the dynamic hot & horny duo of Brent Nicholls & Hi-Fi Sean, (the latter having just released a special mix for the party – see our “music” post) in the main “Red” room. With the usual playroom area as-well, there will be plenty going on down at Hard On! this month, which opens its doors at 10.30 p.m., running through till 6 a.m. And don’t forget, that after all the problems with the coatcheck last month, the team are offering it free this time round, plus £5 off the entrance fee for the first 200 in & a free drink for the first 100 (well, you can’t say fairer than that!!). For full details on the strict dresscode, entrance charges etc, go to http://hardonclub.co.uk & remember that it is a members only club, so if you’re not join now!

Next up is an anniversary party that looks like being a real smash! Yes, the London arm of huge Spanish club brand SuperMartXe celebrates one year in gAylist London this Sat (28th Nov), as Logan & his team present a “gold” themed bling & sparkling spectacular at The Coronet in Elephant & Castle. For those of you uninitiated to SuperMartXe parties in the capital, think big, bold, brash & beauty all rolled into one, with probably the best production & stage shows of any club event. The last “under the sea” party was testament to what Logan & his schmitzels are capable of pulling off and this latest instalment is going to be a corker. With much of the details under wraps, we can confirm the D.J. line up with London residents Steve Pitron & Nick Tcherniak being joined by new Spanish import AB Garcia, playing out in the main room and Marlon K Jones up in room 2. There will be plenty of action on the stage with a number of surprise P.A.’s lined up (could that include Therese we wonder!?!?!) and everything you come to expect from a superb SuperMartXe. Doors open at 10.30 p.m. with the club running through till 7 a.m. Advance tickets at £16 are still available at Soho outlets DV8, Clone Zone & Prowler as well as Profile Bar (which hosted the fab pre-party last Friday) or online at http://clubtickets.com, with a limited amount available on the door. But you better be quick, as the latest news is that tickets are running out.

The third party that has caught our eye is the return of Scandal this Sunday (29th Nov), which launched at Shadow Lounge on Soho Live 09 and promoter Steve Elliot (of Salvation fame) brings it back to the capital for a special “Red Ribbon” party, which kicks off a whole host of events for World Aids Day. This party is expected to be a downright scandalous yet stylish affair, hosted by the unscrupulous Madam Alekssandra Ceciliato (a mouth full), with resident D.J’s Chris Brogan & Alessandro serving up the sexy sounds, both fresh from Salvation parties in Rio & Moscow respectively, so expect quality music to match the surroundings. And to add to the evening’s entertainment, there will be a special final London performance by “The Mistress of Disgrace” Juliana De Primo (that will be interesting) before she heads off to Brazil. So expect a sophisticated crowd (maybe some celebs too) of scandalous proportions, with the whole night supporting “The Elton John Aids Foundation”, donations being taken on the door etc. Scandal runs from 10 p.m. until 3 a.m., with entry a mere £5 before midnight & £10 thereafter. And don’t forget the team are throwing a pre-party at The Box Bar on Saturday, with plenty of discount wristbands available. Details of the venue can be found at http://theshadowlounge.co.uk and in the words of the promoter, “let there be no more cover up’s or false allegations, but be there when the scandal breaks” (couldn’t have said it better ourselves!!).

Right, what other offerings are around this weekend that deserve a mention? Well Friday seems to be the major night of activity with a new club coming to The Lightbox at Fire entitled “Visions”, with D.J’s Trevor Rockcliffe, Daz Saund & Hi-Fi Sean spinning cutting edge sounds, while over at the legendary boozer The Royal Vauxhall Tavern (RVT) there is a one-of party “Anthems” with Marc Andrews (of Love Muscle fame) playing a 4 hour set of classic 90’s tunes, joined by Andy Almighty whom we are sure will inject a little disco & Hi-NRG to proceedings. Then there is Onyx at Area (a sure fire hit) and Eagle have a special benefit World Aids day night for The Food Chain, with special D.J. guest, the legendary Alan X providing the music. Over in Soho, Barcode has another Ursus Cave party, while Profile Bar’s new resident Phil Marriot warms up the evening for Luke Hope & Mikey D, who will entertain downstairs at Lo-Profile and Oliver M provides the live music over at The Box, which is a great Friday hangout. A quick mention goes to Orange on Sunday, which have their own World Aids Day event, like Scandal, supporting The Elton John Aids Foundation and Gay City Rollers which returns next Wednesday (2nd Dec) for its camp outing at The Renaissance Rooms in Vauxhall. For full details of all these events, check the popular press.

Now, just time to remind you that Rupert Street is closed for refurbishment (check out our “limited edition” post for details of alternative hangouts), but re-opens next Thursday (3rd Dec) from 8 p.m.

Right, well that’s our choices up for this weekend, but don’t forget to visit http://seenqueen.com, which has comprehensive details of all the best gAylisting events on offer, including some Christmas dates just released.

As for our weekend, well it looks like being the usual start with a trip to Industri at Barcode Vauxhall tonight (Thurs 26th) with Minty hosting & Brent Nicholls on the decks (candy provided by yours truly), then SuperMartXe’s birthday bash on Saturday with pal Joel, followed by Beyond on Sunday morning & Scandal later Sunday night. So, if you see us out, come say hi and as we always say....Go There! Be There!

xDM

"Limited Edition" Bars - Weekend 27th - 29th Nov

Hey Folks,

Well, with the news of the moment being about one of Soho’s most popular bars being out of action, we have decided to issue a “limited edition” weekend recommendations post, covering the best choices while Rupert Street undergoes a “nip & tuck” refurbishment.

So, with yours and our favourite hangout being closed this weekend, what are the alternative’s on offer around Soho to tempt the Rupert Street faithful? Well, plenty actually, but we focus on just four, with a brief mention of some others worth consideration.

If Friday is your night on the town then you can do far worse than popping across to Seven Dials on 27th Nov & giving The Box a try. With a gorgeous (definitely gAylist) crowd & equally gorgeous bar staff, the atmosphere is relaxed yet sophisticated and with a live D.J., the music quality is pretty much guaranteed to wow. Frank & his team definitely go that extra mile to make your evening enjoyable & it has become a favourite haunt of ours, especially the service from the lovely Guileme!! Tip top scene D.J. (and Matinee promoter) Oliver M takes control of the decks this Friday, from 7 p.m. till 11 p.m., which means you can still get home at a reasonable time without wasting the following day. Check out their website, http://boxbar.com/ and don’t forget that they serve great food throughout the week.

Saturday 28th sees Barcode Soho taking centre stage, with two floors of fun and top notch D.J’s to boot. Since its refit last May, Saturday is proving to be such a popular night, as you can drink, socialise and dance all in one space & if you get down before 10 p.m. its free (£4 after), with the fun going on till 1 a.m. The added bonus is, if you still want to party, you can head down to sister venue Barcode Vauxhall, which runs till 6 a.m. & get in for free as long as you get a stamp from the Soho door boys. This Saturday sees Saki on the decks & if you have witnessed his sets at Matinee, you know you are in for a real treat here! Saki kicks things off downstairs in the club bar from 10 p.m., although the upstairs bar is open from 4 p.m. with pints at a round £3 (bargain!) & more drinks offers besides. Visit http://bar-code.co.uk/ for more details.

On Sunday 29th, Shadow Lounge is the place to be seen, which sees the return of club night Scandal for their “Red Ribbon” party. Full details of this event can be found in our main weekend recommendations post, but with any Shadow lounge outing, you can definitely guarantee a gaylisting crowd, including the odd celebrity (and we mean real celebrity) thrown in for good measure, so we suspect that Scandal will do just that. With a superb atmosphere and the mix of dance & shoulder rubbing being un-paralleled, Sunday will see the added bonus of D.J.’s Chris Brogan & Alessandro, serving some scintillating sounds and with Scandal’s super experienced promoter Steve Elliot in charge of proceedings, expect a night to remember & all in aid of a good cause in advance of World Aids Day. Scandal kicks off at
11 p.m. & runs through till late. For details of the venue, go to http://theshadowlounge.co.uk/

However, our choice of bars while Rupert Street is closed goes to Profile on Wardour Street. If you haven’t yet sampled this new(ish) kid on the block, it is about time you did, as the venue is a real breath of fresh air. Unlike any other Soho hangout, Profile has an amazing ability to deliver the chance to socialise in real comfort, in stylish yet relaxing surroundings & with an extensive drinks & food offer available you can't go wrong here. Modelled on an American diner, the black & yellow colour scheme is not to everybody’s taste, but it is done impeccably well and will definitely grow on you (it has on us). With specialist cocktails on offer all weekend & a two for one special offer for early birds, you can also indulge in the fantastic food, which ranges from table snacks through to full mains meals, all at very reasonable prices. If that wasn’t enough, Friday’s & Saturday’s see live D.J.’s play, but with the music complimenting the atmosphere rather than blasting you out. Plus, if you want to make a real night of it, then Lo-Profile opens downstairs at 10 p.m., running through until 4 a.m., with scene favourite D.J.’s on rotation and if you are in Profile beforehand, you can gain free entry (just ask at the bar). Profile D.J. residents include Jamie Head, Brent Nicholls, Nick Evans & Paul Goodyear & the new Friday D.J. is Gaydar’s own Phil Marriot, who will be there this weekend on duty from 8 p.m. Watch this space for details of a new website & upcoming plans & events for the bar, although if you want to check out what’s happening at “Lo-Profile”, go to http://profilesoho.com/.

Other venues worth a mention are Escape Bar on Friday’s which is a disco tinged alternative to the norm, The Yard which is currently getting the re-invigoration treatment from new owners “The Edge Group” & is worth a peek, as is Village, which is a perfectly central location if you don’t want to stray too far, the bar celebrating its 18th birthday on Sat.

So, with the Rupert St “cat” away, there are plenty of places for the “mice” to play, but make sure you are back where you belong by Friday 4th Dec.

Also, don’t forget to check out the new bars section at THE clubbing website http://seenqueen.com/.

xDM

Weekend - 20th to 22nd Oct

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Weekend - 13th to 15th Nov

Hey Folks,

Well, after a weekend dominated by all things Espaniol, this one looks like that good old blightly born clubs will fill our box of fun. So what’s in store for this second three day sabbatical of November? Well a lot of your faves, but two that have caught our eye & it seems that Sunday is the day to do it!!!.

First up is the long awaited & (in some peoples mind, well overdue) return of clubbing giant DTPM which hits gAylist clubbing where it counts in the capital, with a real punch. Having consigned the brand to a temporary grave, promoter Lee Freeman has revived this icon and oh how has he done so!?!?!, as the event returns to its age old timing of a Sunday 3 p.m. opening, yes 3 p.m., and why so you may ask? Well, firstly, this was the time the club always opened in its infancy days back at Villa Stefano, but in securing the amazing & lofty club, Paramount at Centrepoint, Lee is keen to get everyone into the club before the sun sets, as the view from 31 floors up in the sky will give everyone present THE best view of the November sunset (due around 4.15 p.m.). But then, let’s not just think about the view, but think about the superb D.J. line up, playing out the classic DTPM sound. Back together once again, is the dream team that is Miguel Peliterro, Guy Williams, Steve Thomas & Fat Tony, all who are sure to rock Paramount to its foundations. Now, normally we would give details of tickets sales, but this event was a sell-out just two weeks after tickets were released, so if you have one, make sure you get down to Paramount before 4 p.m., as the sun (if it is shinning) has to be seen to set. For those of you that don’t, the latest news is that there may (and we stress may) be tickets available on the door from 6 p.m. (no earlier), but watch out for our “Stop Press” posts for news on these. Further info of DTPM’s special “The Bitch Is Back” party can be found at http://dtpmevents.co.uk/ & the club runs at Paramount in Charing Cross Road from 3 p.m. until midnight.

Next is new weekly club outing Konekted, at uber new club venue Cable in London Bridge (the host venue for Matinee) which is causing a real storm in clubland London. Konekted is brought to you by one of the gAylist scene’s most experienced promoters, Wayne Shires, who joins forces with Steve Darragh of Fitladz & Twist fame, to bring you an event like no other. The whole ethos of the club is to bring together (connect) a whole spectrum of society, whether gay, metrosexual or inquisitive, in Wayne’s own words “to pull in all tribes to one unique party” with music being the connection, the event offering three distinct choices of music style, from sexy underground grooves, to tech/electro house & alluring uplifting beats, spread across three rooms. Resident D.J.’s include some of London’s biggest names, Paul Heron, Pagano. Stevie B, & Oliver M, with the likes of Paul Coles, Sandiego & Tim McLone also gracing its decks, and a special space, “The Pop Up” room dedicated to the fresh & emerging Shoreditch scene, clubs like Guru Guru & The Dalston Superstore starring. Having attended the launch party, this club has a definite fresh feel, the sort of decadent yet hedonistic Sunday clubbing we loved in the days of The L.A. in Old Street, but in much more stylish surroundings. Cable opens its doors for Konekted at 10.30 p.m. until v late, with entry at a mere £5 (bargain) without flyer before midnight & £8 thereafter. Grab a flyer though & you get free entry!!. More details can be found at http://konekted.co.uk/.

So, two great clubs to truly dominate your Sunday proceedings and shelve that roast lunch for a week!!

But what else is on offer over the weekend? Well if Friday is your thang, then Vauxhall looks like a spotlight, with Onyx at Area & Barcode serving up another huge portion of “Our House” with Hi-Fi Sean & Severino taking charge. Lo-Profile have the dream team that is Mickey D & Jamie Head in control of this glamorous bar/club Soho stop-off. Saturday brings a host of the scene’s big D.J. names to the fore, with Guy Williams & Alessandro doing it at Lo-Profile, & Devilish, Gary H & Mattias strutting their stuff at Barcode Vauxhall, as well as Sharon O Love taking to the decks at Rupert Street. Other sure fire (no pun intended) winners include Beyond on Sunday morning & Orange on Monday morning! Check the popular press for details of all these.

Also, don’t forget to check out http://seenqueen.com/ for all the best gAylisting events in the capital, plus much much more, including the latest news, reviews music choices, video links & scene pics!! Also, why not join the micro blogging website http://screamqueen.co.uk/ the clubbers version of twitter, where you can update all your clubbing pals with your activity (as they say, be heard not herd!).

Well, whatever you are up to, have a great weekend and as for us, we will be starting it all at Industri tomorrow night with Minty hosting & Brent Nicholls spinning the tunes. We will lauding it around Soho on Friday with our pal Joel and definitely at DTPM on Sunday, which we are really excited about. So, if you see us out, come say hi and as we always say...........Go There! Be There!

xDM

Weekend 5th - 8th Nov

Hey Folks,

With the penultimate month of 2009 well & truly underway, what can we expect for this first full weekend of November? Well, quite a lot actually, as the some of the scene’s major gAylisting brands open their doors for their events.

However, it looks like Saturday is the really “happening” night of the weekend and we concentrate on three biggie’s for you to toss a coin over.

First up is the manly Megawoof, which packs another monthly punch at Hidden in Vauxhall, building on its successful switch from Colloseum, with all the macho & marauding action taking place across three rooms of fun. D.J’s Sugarbear, Daz Saund, Tim McClone & new name BabyBearBell keep the uplifting house music action going in the main (red) room, while over in the Bar (blue) room, more soothing sounds are supplied by Rob & Massimo. The third (black) room sees the return of Deep Wolf, who will be playing out a more progressive set for those in tune with tougher tracks, so plenty of choice on offer. And DV8, your fave Soho gay retailer, is celebrating its 1st birthday, with a range of goodies on supply, another good reason to get down to Hidden this Saturday. Doors open at 11 p.m., with the club running through until 6 a.m, entrance being £13 before midnight or £14 thereafter, with £12 advance tickets on sale at http://megawoof.com or at the usual outlets, including DV8 of course. So if, muscled hunks, chunks & beefcake butchiness is your thang, then Megawoof is for you.

Next up is the much awaited return of Lovechild, which takes up new residency at Fire in Vauxhall. Promising to be a much raunchier affair than its previous outings at Pacha, promoter Alex Erfan promises plenty of “pimped up & sexed up” action with the new addition of “the Contact Room”, which will feature over 20 porn stars as well as Chris Geary’s sexy go-go dancers, the room hosted by Svetlana Queen. The music looks like being equally as sexy, with Italiano’s Gabriele Cutrano & Max Sanna spinning in the main room, joined by the gorge Mattias, while Craig Daniels Tasty Tim & Lee Harris entertain in the “Love Lounge”. And with the night being sponsored by herbal enhancers “Start Up”, you can expect more than just wings across this night of erotic & sexual fascination, think Lovechild with an injection of Hustlaball and you will know where this party’s at. With advance tickets available at just £10 from http://lovechild.com, as well as outlets across Soho & doors opening at 11 p.m. running through till 7 p.m., this could prove a popular alternative.

However, don’t count your chickens yet as Saturday also sees the Matinee machine roll into town at Cable in London Bridge, following the massive sell-out success that was the 3rd Birthday party. Entitled “The Next Chapter”, prepare yourselves for magnificent musical mastery from one of the strongest D.J. line up’s to grace any gAylist club in the capital, Guy Williams & Pagano sandwiching Spanish resident J Louis in the “Matinee” room, Brent Nicholls, Fat Tony & Alessandro playing out in the “Parlour” room & guest D.J. Steven Redant followed by the mighty Paul Heron taking charge on the “bpm” room. The eye candy will be courtesy of Mark M Forn’s Fierce Intl crew and we are told to expect even more spectacular shows & amazing production than the last event. Matinee certainly attracts one of THE most stylish, gorgeous & handsome crowds we know & Cable is proving a worthy home for this clubbing giant. So, miss this one & definitely miss out, Matinee running from 11 p.m. through till 8 a.m., with advance tickets on sale at http://evolvedevents.co.uk & across Soho, with more available on the door, of course hosted by the marvellous Minty.

So, toss that coin and see how it lands, but you have three top pedigree clubbing choices on offer and we are sure, whichever one you pick, you will have a great time, one thing being for definite; Beyond will be packed again this Sunday!!

But if the “full on” clubbing experience is a bit too much for you, you could do far worse than choosing either Lo-Profile in Soho or Barcode in Vauxhall, both serving up scene favourite D.J.’s at very reasonable door charges, Lo-Profile welcoming Gonzalo & Paul Heron on Friday, with Jamie Head & D’Johnny lauding it on Saturday, while down at Barcode, D.J’s include Alessandro, Steven Artis, Mattias & Hi-Fi Sean this weekend. For full details of these & other offerings, check the popular press.

As for our weekend, well we will probably be out in The Box this Friday for the first of two Matinee pre-parties, then taking full advantage of “The Next Chapter” on Saturday, no doubt with a jaunt around town beforehand. So, if you see us out, come say hi and as we always say....Go There! Be There!

xDM