Extra Bites - "Orange Does Soho"

Hey Folks,

With the sun shining & the mercury set to top 30 degrees in the capital on Sunday, all eyes will be to the outdoors, but as the sun begins to sink in the sky, turning from yellow to orange, minds will surely turn to all things “Orange” as this manic Monday morning madness of a club infiltrates Soho on Sunday evening (27th June), teaming up with the smart & swish Shadow Lounge, as “Orange Does Soho”.

Now, given the monumental strides “Orange” has taken in recent months, returning this audacious afterhours weekend ender to the glory days of its past but firmly pointing the club into the future, a recent addition to the already strong D.J. residents team down in Vauxhall has been the mighty Hifi Sean Dickson, who has been ripping up the RAW room with his deep & progressive beats, really adding extra dimension to this already prolific party, guest D.J.'s to this citric scorcher including Paul Heron & Nick Tcherniak. However, tip top promoter Steven Sharp is one man not content to rest on his laurels and the inception of a pre-party styled event is one such example of his passion for all things “Orange”.

So what is “Orange Does Soho” all about? Well, it is destined to be a weekly event, bridging the gap between Soho & Vauxhall and very much getting you in the mood for some of that Monday morning madness, which will run at The Shadow Lounge from 8 p.m. until 11.30 p.m., with fabulous drinks & cocktail offers, free & discount entry tickets to the big O down in Vauxhall, to ALL customers attending this weekly warm up bash. Plus each week a glorious taster to the citric splendour of sounds will be showcased at Shadow Lounge, the launch party this Sunday being in the hands of Cape Town’s very own Leroy Tayler, who played for “Orange’s” smash tour of South Africa in January and makes a welcome return to the capital’s decks after his appearance at the recent massive LGDF event.

Add to that, the unique feel of Shadow Lounge with its sunken oval dancefloor surrounded by private seating booths, plenty of eye candy in the form of “Orange Angel” go-go dancers & all hosted by the equally eye catching & outrageous Chrissy Darling and you have a Orange Vauxhall meets Soho match up made in heaven. And what’s more, as a special launch evening promotion, both Orange & The Shadow Lounge have teamed up to offer everyone with a flyer, ad or Facebook invite, FREE entry to this “Orange Does Soho” party, so with all those drinks offers to boot, is the best value ticket in town. More info on the event is available via stevenreactsharp@hotmail.co.uk or at info@theshadowlounge.co.uk.

So if you’re still hot footing around Soho come 8 p.m. on Sunday, or fresh from a certain roof terrace party & fancy continuing the fun, head for “Orange Does Soho” at The Shadow Lounge. Back injury permitting, we hope to be there too, so if you see us come say hi and as we always say.....Go There! Be There!

xDM

Postscript

Make sure you head to "Orange" at Fire afterwards, which includes to RAW combo of Hifi Sean Dickson & David Jimenez, deep & dirty citric music magic!!

Extra Bites - "LookBetterNaked"

Hey Folks,

Well, the more we look into the weekend upon us, the more there is on offer to tempt you out and it seems that Fire in Vauxhall is going to be a hotbed of activity as the shimmering summer sun sets on Saturday & “LookBetterNaked” swings into audacious action south of the river.

So what is this event all about? Well, if you are fans of eastern European porn stars, this Bel Ami inspired party will be right up your street, which brings to the capital, Prague’s most infamous, sex fuelled yet glamorous gay clubbing experience, that centres itself around the gorgeous Hungarian hunks of boys that are so trademark Bel Ami, which is held monthly at the city’ superclub Mecca, earning it a reputation for, exuberant excess & frolicking fun. So in bringing it to the capital, London promoter Alex Erfan promises a night of passion, porn & pole dancing delectations, intermixed with pumping progressive, tech tinged & disco dipped music, across three rooms of eye opening outrage.

In terms of that music, D.J’s Michael Burian (of Creamfields & Love Parade fame) & LookBetterNaked’s own resident, Texx will be jetting in from Prague to pounce on the main room with their progressive musical pulses & tech/tribal tainted tunes, being joined by one of the best exponents of these house music genres, London based Nick Tcherniak, while next door in the Mirrorarch, Onyx’s Jamie Hammond & Jonny M will be joined by rising star Mike Mikalis, selecting & spinning a funky, chunky mix of uplifting house beats to delight.
However, it all gets very much more disco in the lounge space, where Alan K & the aptly named Phil Lovedisco are destined to deliver the dance drenched house, although they may well have his eyes full with other things, as this intimate space will be a heavenly harem of topless waiters & sexy go-go models serving up a selection of cocktails & champagne, while plenty of pole dancing & crowd tantalisation will be taking place too. But whislt the D.J. line-up is reported as of going to press, watch this space for usual last minute changes/shifts.

Add to that, those Bel Ami boys, that will include Luke Hamill, Dolph Lambert, Florian Nemec, Ariel Vanean, Dario, Dolce, Julien Hussey, Vadim Farrell & Harris Hilton (lots of inventive names there!), so there will be plenty of eye candy on show & lots to keep hostess for the event, Elektra Paris, very much on her high heeled toes, but if there is anyone up for the job, it’s this glamorous gal, who will no doubt ensure that the boys will more than strut their stuff.

Now, "LookBetterNaked" swings into action from 11 p.m. tomorrow night (Sat 26th June) running through till 7 a.m., with entrance a mere £12 on the door, but with tickets on advance sale at http://clubtickets.com/ or at the usual Soho outlets. And talking of those, Prowler plays host to a handful of these Bel Ami beauts, who will be appearing to get you hot under the collar & warmed up for the party at Fire, more info on the event available at http://alexerfan.com/.

xDM

Extra Bites - Clapham Street Party

Hey Folks,

Now, if you are looking to soak up some of the summery rays while have a fabulous party at the same time, as well as getting in the mood for Pride next week, THE place to be is The Clapham Street Party, which returns with its annual shindig, taking over a chunk of Edgeley Road, just off Clapham High Street, tomorrow (Saturday 26th June) from 1 p.m.

This annual event, now in its 6th year, is once again presented by Clapham’s duo of gay boozers, The Two Brewers & (of course) Kazbar, the latter ideally situated parallel to proceedings, which this year is also sponsored by massive organisation Gaydar.co.uk, this street soiree serving up eight hours of fun filled action, the host venues opening at 1 p.m. & Kazbar sporting many of its resident D.J.’s that will be spinning disco-tastic tunes right from the off, while the very popular cabaret stage is once again brought to you by The Two Brewers, with the shows kicking off from 3 p.m.

So what’s the detail? Well, inside Kazbar, which is generally packed to the rafters on this special party day, resident disco jocks Jason E, D.J. Mark & Glamour Queen Yonika will be joined by new boy Chris, who the team spotted in action down in Brighton & whisked him off his feet to join in the festivities & contribute to the nonstop musical marathon of the best in disco drenched dancefloor anthems & camp classics, that actually see these four D.J.’s spin the sounds for 12 hours, as Kazbar will be open right through from 1 p.m. till 1 a.m. (we suspect some very messy people who manage to stay that distance!). Now, experience tells us that if you stick to the inside, make sure you get there early and line up plenty of refreshments, as the bar gets extremely busy, but the atmosphere is virtually u-rivalled by any other day in the Kazbar year, so is well worth more than a look in.

Outside, and the cabaret stage takes much of the focus, which will once again be under the hosting direction of the hilarious & brilliant “whore from Hampstead”, Sandra, with a star studded line up including the some best in the drag business, Maisie Trollette, Dave Lynn, Lola Lasagne, Titti La Camp, Rose Garden, Drag With No Name & Lady Imelda, no line –up complete without the duo of Crystal D’Canter & Kelly Mild, while D.J. come drag queen Mrs Moore also pops up in proceedings, as do performers Jacquii Cann & The Boy George Experience, plus the winner of Drag Idol 2010 (which will have been named the night before at The Two Brewers). Add to that, two special guests, Loose Woman’s Sherrie Hewson & actress Michelle Collins, who will be hosting the charity auction which is scheduled to take place on stage at about 6 p.m., sporting prizes donated from businesses that include Soho’s Prowler, Clone Zone, DV8, American Retro, Pizza Express, as well as Paris Gym & Clapham’s Soho Gym branch, proceeds going to the street party’s three designated charities, this will be 6 hours of comedy, camp & chorus to cherish. But the stage aside, the street atmosphere is amazing & with the odd stall here & there as well as much of the gAylist scene glitterati showing their faces during the day (Logan, his schmitzels & the SuperMartXe beach ball surely being there!), this is one hell of a social smash of an afternoon/evening.

Now, you would think that all this entertainment would cost, but not much to you folks, as entry is free, although representatives from those three charities, The Albert Kennedy Trust, GMFA & The Eddie Surman Trust, will expect you to dig deep & offer a minimum £1 donation to their worthy causes, but given the extent of entertainment, this is a tiny price to pay for what should prove to be another superb street party celebration. And with the weather locking hot, hot, hot, Edgeley Road will be packed, packed packed, therefore to reserve your spot to spy on the stage spectacle, we recommend you get there nice & early.

So, get dressed in your best summer wear, pile on the sun block & head down to Clapham tomorrow, which looks like being yet another street party to savour. Back strain permitting, we will be hobbling round the corner from home to check on proceedings, so if you see us come say hi and as we always say.....Go There! Be There!

xDM

Extra Bites - SuperMartXe "The Wizard Of Oz" Pre-Party

Hey Folks,

Well, even if our full weekend recommendations didn’t make it to print this week, we couldn’t let it pass without shouting out for some of our special picks that would have made our choices, so sit back & savour our extra bites posts over the new few hours, all which get the definite Disco Matt thumbs up.

Now, we shouted our loud & proud for SuperMartXe’s upcoming gay pride party “The Wizard Of Oz” just yesterday (check out our Hot Dates section) and the team that will be bringing to you, what looks like being the smash of London’s pride weekend, lay down a few preliminary yellow bricks, leading you to their special pre-party which takes place tonight (Friday 25th June) at Profile & Lo- Profile.

When it comes to laying on pre-parties, Logan & his schnitzels definitely know how to do it in style and we have been witness to some fun-filled outings since they picked on this hip hop & happening Wardour Street twosome to host their warm up bash’s, “Samurai” & “Hot Wheels” being two superb examples. So this latest one looks like being just as good, if not better, as the team take over both venues for the night, casting their our wizardry right from the off at 8 p.m. in Profile, through to the 4 a.m. finish in Lo-Profile, the whole night full of magical music, dreamy dancers & Emerald City inspired effects & production.

So what’s the deal? well if previous parties are anything to go by, expect plenty of window action upstairs, courtesy of Elektra, Enrique & co, while the marvellous Mauricio masterminds all the SuperMartXe “Wizard Of Oz” paraphernalia around the place and Phil Marriot warms up the whole event with some mystical music to definitely get your red heels clicking & your hop, skipping & jumping down that yellow brick road towards Lo-Profile’s start at 10 p.m. Then, the heat on this special pre-party will definitely be turned up by SuperMartXe residents Tony English & D’Johnny, playing the latest funky & fulsome euro beats that will give you more than a taste of what will be on offer, musically wise, on 3rd July, while Logan’s troupe of dancers delight up close & personal in this intimate yet inviting space.

Adding to all that will be the man himself, Mr. Logan and his band of SuperMartXe faithfull’s that will make sure your night goes off with a bang, with a few giveaways (we want a white t-shirt!?!) and, naturally, tempting ticket offers for the main event in their mitts, plus a few other surprises up their sleeves. So, the place to be tonight is Profile & Lo-Profile from 8 p.m. (well you can get there earlier as Phil starts at 7) with the fabulous Lexi hosting the door & GM Rosella making sure everything else is in check. And if you need more details about both venues, check out their websites http://profilesoho.com/ & http://loprofile.com/.

Sadly it looks like our back will be laying us low, but we will be there is spirit if nothing else, and this SuperMartXe “Wizard Of Oz” pre-party gets our big thumbs up, so as we always say....Go There! Be There!

xDM

Weekend - 18th to 20th June

Hey Folks,

Well, June has definitely gathered pace and we had another enthralling time last weekend in the hands of both Lovechild & Beyond, in such fantastic company & with marvellous music to boot.

So, with most of the world very much in the grip of football fever, we skirt around all of that with a look at what’s on offer to tempt you out & away from that square box in your living room this weekend and look at two outings with a difference and then also run through our best of the rest.

First up is specialist night “Mixtape” which takes place this Friday (18th June) at hip hop hangout in Shoreditch, The Dalston Superstore, which has been making quite a splash across gAylist/land London recently, offering a swanky alternative to the usual goings on in Soho & Vauxhall., the whole area around this barmy boozer very much the uber chic place to be if you fancy setting a few trends & mixing with the stylish set that seems to have gravitated east. Big names included in this shift across town have included tip top D.J. & producer Tom Stephan, promoter of old Wayne Shires and even the whacky yet wonderful Swede Per Q.X. and with audacious activity on the increase in nearby Brick Lane, as well as close by Bishopsgate, not least in the hands of steamy session “Caligula”, The Dalston Superstore is well placed to serve this spurning community of queer folk, looking for enriching entertainment to satisfy the discerning minds & souls. So, not only is that 7 day a week bar & eatery on The Kingsland Road not a brilliant place to swish & socialise with like minded sophisticates, but with a new chef installed, not only van you enjoy a beer & a burger, but you can choose from an extensive range of delicious dishes that serve to suit any appetite, or simply relax with a cake & coffee while you wander through their interesting art gallery Then, when day turns to night, the whole place transforms into a hot bed of alternative entertainment activity, with a whole variety of specialist nights from Thursday through Sunday, which cater for your heart’s desire, events that include Per Q.X’s “Eurotrash”, Guy Williams’ “Paradise 45” & Prince Nelly’s “Peich” among many others. This weekend see’s two relatively new additions to the family of party nights take the stage and Friday gets our major attention as “Mixtape” returns for “Vol 2” and benefits from the new extended opening hours and looks like being an absolute corker, as not only are their two floors of fun, but a very juicy & exciting D.J. line up too. Upstairs, promoter Laurent Chaumet is supported by D.J.’s Feral & Q.Boy, serving up plenty of barmy bar grooves to get those feet moving & those hips swaying, while down in the basement, it will feel like Lovechild has landed, as stars from last week’s bash at Fire straddle Shoreditch to hit you with the best in underground turbo tech & progressive house, Terry Vietheer & Alessandro Londra being joined by international jet setting superstar D.J. Paul Heron and my is that some line up or what!! And the news on “Mixtape” just gets better as its free entry until midnight, but £5 thereafter, although given the popularity of the last party, “Vol 2” is likely to be packed to the rafters (especially with the basement trio in charge of the tunes) so we recommended that you get there as soon as you can after the 9 p.m. start. Other highlights of The Dalston Superstore weekend include “Peich” tonight (Thurs) and “Wild” geese on Saturday, the latter sporting, amongst others, the loveable Luke Howard (of Horse Meat Disco) fame on the decks & is billed as a “Future Disco Attack”. While things then calm down a little on Sunday with a regular “Vogue” social slowdown to ease you into the coming week in style. More information on the venue, which is based at 117 Kingsland Road (nearest station Dalston Kingsland on London Overground) can be obtained by e-mailing to hello@dalstonsuperstore.com, although as the guys tweet quite a lot, why not follow their activity at http://twitter.com/dsuperstore.

Our other devotion goes to Suzi Kruger’s offshoot to her horny happening Hard On! “Sweat”, which takes place this Saturday (18th June) at central London gym & sauna Sweatbox in Ramilles Street (just off Oxford Street) at the top of Soho and marks the final party for the summer as (hopefully) the heat outside will preclude too much saunaering activity. Now, when Suzi decided to fill a gap in the fetish market in Central London her club night “Sex” was born last year, offering those into sports kit, football shorts & other similar horny wear the opportunity to mix with likeminded folk in a unique clubbing space that for many seemed more like a cruise in a sauna or a workout in the gym, but was nevertheless an environment where they could safely indulge in raunchy activity, but with the added pleasure of top notch sounds by some of the scenes sexiest D.J. talents. We loved the name of the club, but you know how fickle & frumpy people can be, so just a few months ago Suzi re-named the club “Sweat”, which has allowed her to extend the promotion & advertising of the hot happening to broaden its appeal. And that appeal has seen this monthly outing draw a loyal following, a very up for it crowd that have come to adore the combination of horny happenings with sex drenched sounds within a sultry yet seductive space, tickling their fancy for the sporting fetish or simply baring their assets from the simple coverage of a towel, the sauna element of the club night seeing to that. Adding to all that appeal are some of the sexiest (ooh we used that word!) and sultry sounds from resident D.J.’s, this month seeing Simon Simple kick of proceedings and will be followed by Hard On! and London scene favourite Brent Nicholls, who, we are reliably informed, has lined up some amazingly funky, chunky & sexy (ignore the frumpers!) sounds to get more than just your temperatures rising but also serving as some tempting eye candy behind the decks. As for the venue, well Sweatbox is Central London’s best sauna & gym combo sets aside several sauna rooms, plenty of showers, a huge jacuzzi, a steam maze with coloured lasers and midnight foam splash, as well as offering free towels & providing free lockers to store your bits & bobs in So, in running her night “Sweat” here, Suzi couldn’t have asked for a better host venue and with the club night kicking off at 9 p.m., it definitely attracts the early birds who are up for some audacious activity, the event running through until 4 a.m. Now fear not, unlike Hard On! this is NOT a membership club night and for all the fun & frolicking, music on tap & all the gym & sauna facilities at your fingertips not to mention the added extra’s imported especially for “Sweat”, the £15 entrance is very good value indeed, but whilst the dresscode is not mandatory, the team suggests sports kit, football/rugby shorts, jocks, swimwear or, if you prefer just a towel (ooh er missus!). Further details of the venue can be found at http://sweatboxsoho.com/.

So those are our best two, but what about the best of our rest? Well, Soho is once again spearheaded by Lo-Profile, which just seems to be going from strength to strength and on the back of our special focus, saw one of its busiest weekends, reports coming in that Messrs Pitron & Dower rocked the place last Friday & the queue stretched down Wardour St on the Saturday, it ending up being one in, one out! This week, the line up looks just as appealing, Friday sporting favourites Like Hope & Paul Heron, while on Saturday it’s the return of the Lo-Profile Latino dream team that is Gonzalo Rivas & Alessandro Londra. Profile upstairs is very much the place to warm your weekend activity, Friday night seeing Phil Marriot return to the decks to play some of the latest & up front tunes to compliment the fantastic food offering & the swish surroundings, while the lovely Jamie Head returns to soothe your Saturday in a delightfully World Cup free zone, then on Sunday it’s the turn of their special Psychic spectacle, a free evening of extravert entertainment. The Shadow Lounge pull in the glitzy & glamorous crowd with the odd smattering of celebs that make this the premier bar/club in Soho and both Friday’s & Saturday’s serve up some great music to boot, the girlie twosome, our very own foxy ladies Mis-White & Minx doing it behind the decks on Friday with another “Therapy” session, while Andrew Elmore returns on Saturday after a well earned holiday break to roar you into Sunday with his “Inferno” night of hot hits. Plus if you want an extra slice of D.J. Minx, together with some truly gAylist alfresco socialising, then The Box in Covent Garden on Friday is a must and we will make sure the plug is pulled on the massive screen to make this another footie free zone.

Down in Vauxhall and The Orange group are pulling out another weekend of massive activity, kicking off on Friday with “Onyx” at Area, who welcome not only the superbly stunning PA Kristen Cummings, returning on the back of a brilliant turn at the Easter “Recovery” party, taking centre stage but not quite top billing, as promoter Jonny Marsh has secured the services of the massive D.J./Producer duo The Soul Avengerz, who will take to the decks alongside residents Phil Marriot & Jamie Hammond and we are sure will treat us to some terrific tunes that should include their smash hits “Drop The Bomb” & “Shame” amongst others, while there will also be plenty of pop on offer with Tuomo Fox, Jason Prince & James St James, while harder tech & electro is also up for grabs from Lisa German & Ariel, Lee Harris zooming between the two rooms to inject his own pulsating progressive dance beats to proceedings. But if you fancy some laddish action, then Rudeboiz over in Fire is the place to be on Friday, with the Eurocreme boys providing the erotic eye candy, this outing rolling into “A.M.” on Saturday morning, resident jocks including D’Johnny, Gonzalo & Alan K in the main room and the fab vinyl lounge serving up some disco tastic house tunes courtesy of rotation residents Jamie Head, Terry Bryan, The Oli & Paul Martin. Saturday it’s the urn of Patrick Lilley’s “Queer Nation” to take the Vauxhall plaudits and the team welcome ace 90’s hit vocalist Alison Limerick to provide the PA entertainment, while the D.J. line up is just as sparkling, residents Supadon, Pierre Nedd, Monsieur Dimanche & new regular Alan X joined for the night by special guests Micky Galliano & Horse Meat Disco’s Jim Stanton. And no weekend would ever be complete with “Beyond” on Sunday morning at Area, the ever improving “Later” at Fire on Sunday afternoon, Romain Lopez’s “Booster” back at Area on Sunday evening & then citric splendour “Orange” rounding it all off & taking you deep into Monday morning, deep being the name of the game with Messrs Dickson (that’s Hifi Sean) & Rivas (Mr Gonzalo) taking you raw! Other Vauxhall highlights include The Eagle’s “Tonker” on Friday, “Carpet Burn” on Saturday & gymkhana gigantic “Horse Meat Disco” on Sunday, while The RVT always hit the right spot with “S.L.A.G.S/Chill-out” on Sunday.

With our alternative plaudits going to The Dalston Superstore above, for further details of all our other best of the rest choices, go to either the popular press or to the events page on social networking site Facebook.

Now, our recommendations wouldn’t be complete with a mention to gAylist clubbing bible Seen Queen, which has just issued its definitive guide to this year’s London Pride weekend & along with its club listing, details the places to be & be seen, or as they like to say “...if you’ve got it, flaunt it...”, so why not take a look at http://seenqueen.com/ which links you into much more besides. Plus get yourselves very much in the mood for dancing with their incredible latest video “Summer 2010”, which showcases some of the hottest happenings in the coming season.

Right, that’s it for this time, but as for us, it’s a trip down to “Industri” tonight (Thurs) with Brent Nicholls spinning some new sounds, which we hope will include the addictive “Devil Walking” and then we pay a visit to our top two recommendations, “Mixtape” at the Dalston Superstore on Friday & then “Sweatbox” on Saturday. So, if you see us out, come say hi, but as we always say.....”Go There! Be There!”

xDM

Weekend - 11th to 13th June

Hey Folks,

Well it seems that the country is on the verge of going football crazy as that global tournament kicks off in South Africa on Friday, meaning that high street bars are going to be consumed in it all (not a nice look!) for the next month (well probably two weeks when England will be knocked out – come on South Africa!!!). It even seems to be infiltrating some gay hangouts across Soho (but we won’t go into that), so we can’t think of a better way to escape it all than to immerse yourselves in some good old clubbing & social splendour.

So, what retreats and respites from the World Cup can you sample this weekend? Well, as usual we pick out two of our best choices & then run down the best of the rest.

First up is a place that has yet to get our full recommendation focus & indeed has escaped our review radar for a while now, so we will definitely be making plans to amend. Since it was launched just under three years ago, Lo-Profile has bridged a very important & needy gap between the bar & full-on club, offering an experience that blends the two and in a central London location to boot. Its home on Wardour Street is right in the thick of the action and has steadily grown in popularity for those not so much looking for a massive clubbing night out, yet still crave the type of music they hear on the major dancefloors across the capital. And you get a sense that your night is going to be just that little bit special when you sashay down the long entrance, suitably illuminated with striking mood infused coloured lighting behind a cacophony of shapes with the letters of Lo-Profile beckoning you downstairs, the club then opening out into a eye pleasing collection of sections, balconies, seating areas & bar expanses that signify you are somewhere quite special, bang slap in the centre of Soho, more spacious than Shadow Lounge, more barmy than Barcode, yet in both ways, pleasantly so and whilst, for some, the space is a little like Marmite, believe us, it definitely does grow on you. Mind you, Lo-Profile wouldn’t be there at all if it wasn’t for the support of the single biggest home online dating phenomenon, the backing of this Soho sophisticate seemingly a little ironic, as Gaydar’s core activity couldn’t be further removed from meeting people on the dancefloor, but then we tend to find that life is full of surprises and Lo-Profile is certainly full of them for sure. But for all its glitz (and there is plenty of that!) & glamour, the secret to Lo-Profile’s success is not just in the quality, good looking crowd it attracts every weekend, not just the realisation that you are sampling something very different to other experiences in Soho & Vauxhall, but moreover in the amazingly high quality of music you will find here, each & every weekend, Lo-Profile sporting a resident D.J. team as brilliant as Beyond, as marvellous as Matinee, as smashing as SuperMartXe & as terrific as Trade, in fact many of its D.J’s have played regularly at these illustrious clubs, hence in Lo-Profile you get the crème de la crème of the crop, the loveable list including names like Alessandro, Brent Nicholls, D’Johnny, Guy Williams, Jamie Head, Paul Heron & Tony English but with many more besides, meaning that the music is definitely top notch & the best you will find anywhere. Add to that the recent hosting a plethora of pre-parties, featuring delectable dancing & pleasing production and this is definitely a clubbing experience well worth trying out. And this coming Friday (11th June) is absolutely one of those nights very much worth being around for, as superstars of Beyond’s main room take charge of the decks, the magnificent Mikey D & the superlative Steve Pitron masterminding the music, bringing a little slice of Sunday morning to your Friday night, this getting a massive thumbs up in Disco matt land and we may even amend to plans & get our pen & paper out, heading down to Wardour St too! Lo-Profile kicks off from 10 p.m., the club running through until 4 a.m. Entrance on the door is a mere £5 for the lads, although a little more for the girls, but concessionary entry is available to all those schmoozing up in Profile before, with full details of the venue available at http://loprofile.com/.

Our other devotion this weekend goes to Alex Erfan’s Lovechild, which pricked up our ears & got our attention in a recent “Hot Dates” post, but we thought we would give it another shout as it seems this will definitely be the place to be this Saturday (12th June), the place being Fire in Vauxhall. Now Lovechild has been a little favourite of ours since it moved south of the river late last year and settling into its new home has seen some prolific parties, not least the recent “Wet” outing, when the team installed a shower display facility and we witnessed some drop dead gorgeous dancers shimmering behind the pvc screens as water rushed down their muscular torso’s and the bared their assets for all to see (how erotic is that!?!) leaving plenty of people more than just hot under the collar. And in all the Lovechild parties Alex & his team throw, lots of careful consideration & effort goes into the production of the events, the team making the most of the amazing lighting, pyrotechnics and visuals that their host venue Fire delivers, not to mention employing the vivacious visuals of the man in the know, Alan X, who continues to wow us with his wonderful work. But like many clubbing exploits, Lovechild is very much about the music and, whilst recent events have been headlined by guest international acts, on the back on the massive London Global Dance Festival, the Erfan event machine has decided to go a little “back-to-basics”, drawing on the hugely talented London based residency team of D.J.’s and has lined up Alessandro, Brent Nicholls, Gabriele Cutrano, JC Christopher, Mattias, Paul Heron, & recent addition to the team Terry Vietheer, not to mention special London guest, the terrific Terry Bryan, so expect the music to really speak volumes with these maestro’s in charge. And, not that you will need to, as you will be in Fire, but the whole event will be broadcast live on fab online radio music station Push FM, the 8 hour long specially dedicated show being beamed right across the world and having received loads of e-mails from as near as Acton & as far as Auckland (that’s New Zealand) saying how great it is to tune into the action at Lovechild in this way is yet another credit to the magnificent music. But it doesn’t stop there as the infamous contact room will be at full tilt and speaking to Mr Erfan, he tells us “...expect with some very special pole dancers, supersized performers and go-go boys to please the eyes...” he adding “...For that little bit extra LOVECHILD is absolutely unbeatable...”, but then he would say that, although we have it agree, it’s a brilliant night out, plus with Beyond on your doorsteps afterwards, what more could you ask for. Lovechild runs from 11 p.m. through till 7 a.m. with advance tickets priced at just £10 available at http://clubtickets.com/ as well as at Soho outlets Prowler, Clone Zone, & DV8, and at both The Box & Barcode. And as an extra special treat, hosts Jerry & Naomi will be giving out special free Beyond wristbands to the first 100 paying guests through the door, so what better reason to get down there early!

Now, talking of Beyond, we are pleased as punch & excited about this week’s party for quite a few reasons. Firstly both promoter James & door hostess Naomi are back after both having taken well earned holidays in Egypt & Los Angeles respectively (lots of stories to tell we are sure!) and we are crossing fingers that our main man Tom will be back too. But the really exciting bit is that the cute & cuddly Eduardo de La Torre jets back into the capital for the third time in six weeks, treating us to some of his Berlin inspired tech infused house in the Blackbox room and if his b2b set with Alan K at A.M. a couple of weeks ago is anything to go by, this is a set at Beyond not to be missed. But then the all-star residents will be there too and, with us tapping into Mr Brewer for those all important line-up details, watch this space for news via our extra bites posts.

Right, lets whiz down the best of the rest of the world cup escapee offerings up for grabs this weekend and first, taking a quick look at Soho (dangerously close to football watching territory for us!) and whilst we normally give The Box on Friday a plug, zooming past last night, we saw something that looked mysteriously like a big screen (heaven forefend), but it may be worth risking, not least for the lovely D.J. Minx on the decks & the equally delightful bar staff. A safer bet will probably be Profile Bar in the hands of Phil Marriot on Friday & the jaw droopingly scrumptious Jamie Head on Saturday, although if you fancy whetting your Lovechild appetite, then swing by Rupert St on Friday night for a bit of pre-party action with Alessandro (we hope Bello will be on best behaviour!) spinning the sounds. The Shadow Lounge is also worth a look in with our very own “foxy ladies” D.J.’s Mis-White & Minx double heading the weekend both on Friday & Saturday (when will Q.X. get their listing correct?!) in the clubs “Therapy” & “Inferno” sessions.

Down in Vauxhall and “Onyx”, having recovered from its recovery party is riding rough shod over the competition with a regular Friday outing of audacity, with residents Phil Marriot, Jamie Hammond, Lee Harris, Ariel, Lisa German, Jason Price Tuomo Fox & James St James, stealing the musical thunder from next door. Mind you the team are taking a little breather in anticipation of their huge “Soul Avengerz” party next week, so it may allow Barcode’s new night “Funkarama” to get a look in, with D.J’s that will Daz Saund, Leonardo Glovibes, Micky Galliano, Terry Vietheer, & Princess Julia for their opening extravaganza. With Jiggy back in town “A.M.” should prove to the afterhours place to be, taking you deep into Saturday morning with residents that include D’Johnny, Gonzalo Rivas & Alan K on the main floor & the vinyl lounge getting the 12 inch treatment from Terry Bryan & Jamie Head. Our usual shout goes the “S.L.A.G.S./Chill-out” at The RVT on Sunday, while no weekend in Vauxhall would be complete without “Beyond”, followed by “Later”, followed by “Booster”, followed by “Orange” and Steven Sharp’s citric escapade of an event has gathered amazing steam in recent months, plus with Hifi Sean now part of the residency team, what better a reason to keep the partying going deep into Monday morning with his deep sounds.

Alternative headlister is once again The Dalston Superstore, which has another fabulous weekend of way out & whacky going’s on, Friday seeing Per Q.X.’s “Eurotrash” return for another barmy bash, Per being joined on the decks by special guest Popcox, as well as Alessandro Assencio, Paul Burston and Cum&See, so with names like that, a great excuse to swing by Shoreditch. Saturdays sees the return of “Computer Blue”, celebrating the 10th anniversary of its dawn with the finest Italo disco, synthpop & Hi-Nrg to mark the occasion, played out by D.J’s Fonteyn (not Seb!) Jamie Winter, Sandi Sirrocco & Spiro De Niro, while on Sunday “Vogue” has a special “Rulin The Galaxy” session, which looks like being a corker. Saturday at The Green in Islington is slowly becoming a rip roaring success, not least for that gorgeous six packed hunk that accompanies resident drag queen Alnya Chic in her hosting & frivolous activity, with music to match, whilst if its camp drag you really crave then why not take a jaunt down to Trafalgar Square on Sunday for “CK Sunday” at compact & bijous boozer Halfway To Heaven, where Crystal de Canter & Kelly Mild provide the bawdy laughable entertainment, plus with Kelly celebrating her 30th birthday (out of drag years of course!) it should be a great knees up. Finally, a quick mention goes to Dalston Superstore favourite, Guy Williams’ “Paradise 45” which has another Ibiza outing next Thursday (17th), this time a beach party at Sands Beach Bar, so if you find yourselves in the White Isle, go take a look.

Details of all those best of the rest choices can be found in the popular press (check for accuracy!) and/or via networking site Facebook.

Right, just room to squeeze in a mention for gAylisting clubbing website Seen Queen, which has an extensive diary of the places to be & be seen for the rest of June & into July and believe us, none of these places will be showing the football! Check out their tip top choices & much more at http://seenqueen.com/.

Right, that’s it folks, but not for our weekend, which starts tonight with an impromptu call in on Profile Bar to catch up with Brent Nicholls spinning some soothing sounds, then it’s down to Industri for partner in crime Paul Heron. Friday night is writing night (will it be at home or Lo-Profile?), but we will be out again on Saturday for Lovechild and just have to get the holiday news from Naomi & James at Beyond afterwards, as well as catching up with Mr Edu, so will be Area bound on Sunday morning. So, if you see us out, come say hi and as we always say....Go There! Be There!

xDM

Extra Bites - Night Of The Carnival

Hey Folks,

In endeavouring to offer you as much of a diverse choice of events to consider when deciding what gets your devotion, we omitted to include a new club in our full recommendations post, which launches tonight at The Rhythm Factory over in Whitechapel, which should prove a very audacious alternative to the norm.

“Night Of The Carnival” is brought to you by hosts Signore Bastardo & Madame Zsa Zsa, names that paint a picture in themselves, introducing what they describe as “...London's newest polysexual extravaganza...” which will celebrate everything that is evocative of the atmosphere that those inspiring carnivals from the baroque & burlesque periods in European history (think Berlin & fab film “Cabaret” but with a twist) evoke, drawing in an eclectic crowd that the duo label as “...the underground of the carnival world – the strange, the sexy freaks and the fashionably outrageous...”, many dressed to impress & dare, making for an altogether overt & fun filled affair we are sure.

And the D.J. line up looks just as splendid, as Lovechild, Puscha & SuperMartXe resident Tony English will head up a team that includes Luy G, star of this year’s Zurich Street Parade, Dark Matter, who has played at a host of London venues including Ministry of Sound, Heaven & The Renaissance Rooms and Ultrafonic’s Zac Thorne & Lloyd Carnie, so the music will very much emulate both the underground yet merriment feel to the event, Tony English hinting that “...fans of Puscha are going to love this alternative happening out East...” In addition to the marvellous music, expect a dazzling array of performers that will certainly stretch the imagination and capture that magical carnival feel through a sequence of shows across the night, leaving you wanting for more, the whole event looking set to be a smash for those into something a little more “off the wall” & whacky. Co promoter of “Carnival” Queer Nation’s Clington Forbes explains “...the night will feature carnival performers, including Latin drummers’ freestyling alongside the DJ’s, twisted fairies working the crowd and a few other surprises...” so expect the unexpected and prepare to be dazzled & amazed.

Now, what’s that all important detail? Well, “Night Of The Carnival takes place at The Rhythm Factory, 16-18 Whitechapel Road (nearest tube (Aldgate East), door opening at 10 p.m. with the club running through until 6 a.m. Advance tickets at £12 are available at ticket web, a direct link available through http://nightofthecarnival.com/ with entry on the door also available, limited guestlist entry available via e-mail at cc_forbes@hotmail.co.uk and don’t worry, there is no strict dresscode, although the team will welcome with open arms, those making the effort, saying “...come dressed in your best carnival outfit and be ready to have fun!...”.

Need we say more, apart from if carnival is your thing, the “Night Of The Carnival” will definitely hit your sweet spot.

xDM

Extra Bites - Beyond "Back-To-Back"

Hey Folks,

Well, as we always strive to promise to deliver on our word, news has literally just hit our desks regarding the D.J. line up for the first part of Beyond’s “Back-To-Back” fourteen hour party this coming Saturday/Sunday (5th/6th June).

As you will know from our special preview, Beyond this weekend is split into two halves, the first being a nostalgic celebration of the original party, which was the brainchild of Craig Elder of The Orange Group and launched at super club Coloseum back in 2002 to critical acclaim and went on to dominate not just Sunday morning clubbing, but also was THE place to be & be seen on the scene.

So, in that nostalgic nod back to those heady days, but with a hint towards Beyond of now & the future, Beyond “Back-To-Back” part one will have three rooms of sound sporting the following D.J.’s/line-up’s

• The main room will be opened by Paul Martin, a Beyond “original” resident, warming up the crowd, who will be followed by a special “back-to-back” (appropriate) set by Paul Heron (another “original” resident) and Gonzalo Rivas (current Beyond Area resident) which should prove to be a match & blend made in musical heaven
• The VIP room will welcome Beyond “original” residents Alan X & Brent Nicholls, both spinning updated versions of classic Beyond tracks that each of these scene favourite legends played out to packed audiences back in those heady days of 2002
• The Long room will be where this “Back-To-Back” Beyond edition nods to the present & future, with Terry Bryan (current Beyond Area resident) & rising star Jonny M taking to the decks.

Now, this news is literally hot off the press & from the horse’s mouth, so naturally we wanted to share it with you as soon as we heard. However, as more latest news on this amazing event comes through, we will of course let you know through further posts.

Don’t forget joint tickets to both parts of “Beyond Back-To-Back” at Coloseum & Area are available at £20, either online at http://clubtickets.com/ or at Soho outlets Prowler, Clone Zone, DV8 & The Box, as well as at both Fire & Area, with individual event tickets priced at £12, but make sure you grab your quick as this looks like being a sell-out event.

xDM

Weekend - 4th to 6th June

Hey Folks,

With the May madness now behind us, we can kind of relax back into normal routine, although judging by the activity across gAylist/land London this weekend, in actual fact it looks like being nearly as hectic as the last one. And looking at the weather prospects, the sun will be on cue and the heat notches rising, definitely drawing out the crowds.

So, what are the hotspots of activity the bar & club scene to match the increasing temperature? Well, quite a few have caught our eye, but as usual, we whittle our top choices down to two but also take a look at the best of the rest.

But before we crack on, we would like to mention that we have devoted a special preview to the event “Beyond – Back To Back” which tells you all you need to know about this special 14 hour party, taking place this Sat/Sun 5th/6th June at clubs Coloseum & Area and as the final news on exact D.J. line-up’s & other last minute info hits our desks we will bring it straight to you in our extra bites posts.

Now, our first devotion goes to Megawoof which returns to Hidden in Vauxhall this Saturday (5th June), the club night that blends beefcake with bear, drawing a good looking, hunky & masculine crowd that is very much more on the gAylist end of the of the market. This specialist club night, which has done its fair share of hopping around Vauxhall, has really settled well into its home at Hidden, serving up three rooms of music as well as sporting a large play area & plenty of cruising corridors to very much pump up the sexual volumes. But what about those musical volumes? Well the main (Red) room welcomes residents Daz Saund & Tim McCloone, who will be joined by award winning D.J. Leonardo Glovibes, all three dishing out plenty of uplifting yet funky filled house beats that will see those muscled bears strip down to their waists and get down to the grooves. But if it’s tough tech edged sounds you are after then loads will be on offer across in the second dance (Black) room, where woofing residents David Eph & Diddy will be joined by special guest for this Megawoof party, the very good looking & hunky Louis Lennon, a Midlands boy that now lives in the capital. Louis explains of his music “...it can range from vocal house, dirty, electro through to progressive & deep tech...” he also commenting that “...I always try to throw in some different elements to keep it sounding fresh but also dirty...”, so it comes as no surprise that this hunk with a cheeky smile labels his music as “Audio Orgy” and we are sure that he will definitely be stirring up plenty of emotions, dirty sexual or otherwise, with his music selections, meaning that this is one set you definitely won’t want to miss out on. Taking it a little lighter and combing cooler paced music with smooth socialising will be D.J.’s Rob & Massimo in the middle (Blue) room, while if it’s a little bit of alfresco clubbing/socialising you in up for, the Hidden terrace, which has been given a mini makeover, should prove a popular cooling off space from the hunky, chunky & funky action inside. Now, you have probably guessed by now that this is definitely a men only club (sorry girls) and whilst not a members club, if you are, entry is a mere £10 or is £14 for others, advance tickets available online at http://megawoof.com/ or at outlets Prowler, Clone Zone, DV8, Rob, Paris Gym & Barcode Vauxhall, with Hidden opening its doors to the manly Megawoof at 11 p.m., the club running through until 6 a.m.

Our other focus goes to the wild & whacky Gutterslut that makes a welcome return to the clubbing calendar this Saturday (5th June), following a few one off parties, as it hopped around Hoxton & Whitechapel in search of a new home. The brainchild of D.J.’s Per Q.X. and Elliot J Brown, names that will be familiar from the days of single floored Barcode Soho and the heady days of clubs like Later, & Horizon, both who were regular features across the Soho & Vauxhall clubbing scene, felt there was need for something fresh & different, so decided to break the mould and start up a club that took the music to new dimensions & stretched the audience to include gays, metrosexuals, transsexuals & everything in between. Plus with an evolving alternative scene out East, found a home in Images, a club on the Hackney Road in Bethnal Green, which proved an ideal spot for this “off the wall” experience of a club night and having witnessed Per, Elliot, Nic Fisher & co in full swing behind the decks, pumping out tech fuelled yet funky hard house & Jonny Woo doing wonders on the dancing pole (yes Images was a pole dancing club by day) as well as the fabulous MC Crystal mixing it up on the mic, our visit back in June 2008 was sensory splendour. And two years down the line the formula is much unchanged, although the venue has, the team having secured a spot in new Hoxton hangout, The Hobby Horse, a super space located on Kingsland Road (not far from The Dalston Superstore) with a roomy basement, sporting its own bespoke sound system, D.J. booth & bar, which should prove an ideal for the Gutterslut recipe of raucous raving. So, with the venue sorted, what about the line up? Well, as we hinted, not too much has changed and as they say, “why fixed something when it isn’t broken” and both Per Q.X. & Nic Fisher will be spinning the terrific tech infused sounds and will be joined by special guest D.J. Tombstone, flying in for New York, who will, along with Per, also be celebrating the launch of their new single “Stalker” featuring vocals from Simone, the track due for release on D.J’s Are Not Rockstars, the record label masterminded by Mr Tombstone. Entering into the festivities will be Miss Crystal MC and Gutterslut’s doors open at 10 p.m., the club running through to 3 a.m. and the best news of all is that entry will be a mere £5 all night. Plus, to get yourselves in the Gutterslut mood why not take a listen to Per’s latest mix, dedicated to the party, which is out now at http://soundcloud.com/perqx/mix-gutterslut-june-2010.

Right, so what else is on offer this weekend? Well checking out & whizzing through the Soho options first, Lo-Profile continues its popular & winning formula with a star spangled line-up, Friday seeing busy boys Paul Heron & D’Johnny take to the decks, then on Saturday Matinee Coloseum VIP room veterans Brent Nicholls & Alessandro serve up the sounds, while the recipe of success upstairs in Profile Bar has Phil Marriot putting you in the mood to dance on Friday, then on Saturday it’s the turn of the tanned & toned Nathan 6 to get your hips swaying. Over at Barcode the highlight of the weekend is another “Cave” outing on Friday, starring Megawoof promoter & D.J. Daz Saund mixing the music, while Friday simply wouldn’t be Friday without a hop skip & jump across to The Box on Seven Dials in Covent Garden, where the gAylist glitterati will be making the most of the weather & D.J. Minx will be treating the tottie to some truly terrific tunes. And talking of the fabulous Miss Minx, The Shadow Lounge’s new Friday formula at “Therapy” sees Sam become part of the foxy female residency team, joining the fantabulous Mis-White and is well worth a visit, while the dishy Andrew Elmore turns up the musical heat with another “Inferno” Saturday night at this premier Soho club.

Down in Vauxhall and two clubs will definitely be colliding again on Friday, as “Onyx” holds the second in its series of recovery parties (after that massive LGDF weekend, we are definitely in need!) and its looks like being a real stormer with the return of Italian Stallion Pagano to the decks, joining residents that will include Phil Marriot, Jamie Hammond, Lee Harris, Lisa German & Ariel, with the one & only Angie Brown providing the powerful vocal P.A. as well as the usual formula of sexy dancers, angle grind acts & fire eaters to add to the Area lighting, pyrotechnics & effects that are virtually unbeatable. However, next door Barcode entertain another “Matador” night, which sees the star of the launch party, D.J. Andrei 1 return to London, centre staging a line-up that includes Salvation’s Pier Morrocco, the saucy Steven Artis & Muccassassina’s Micky Galliano and promises some of London’s hottest dancers, drag queens & performers. But the best way to see in your Saturday & party while others are shopping at Sainsbury’s is to give “A.M.” a visit and with resident D.J’s that include D’Johnny, Gonzalo & Alan K, with the vinyl lounge a real winner as well, last week’s stars Jamie Head & Terry Bryan rotating with The Oli & Paul Martin & all hosted by the fabulous Naomi, this fast becoming the popular point it was when it was launched back in 2001. Other Vauxhall offerings that stand out include “Fire Island” at The RVT on Friday, which gives more than a nod to this East Coast USA retreat, famed for its wild parties, with plenty of stateside sounds to please the ear, while fans of Amy Lame will be flocking to The RVT on Saturday for another “Duckie” knees up, this feme fatale being joined by the ever popular Readers Wives and no RVT weekend would be complete without a “S.L.G.S./Chill-out” session with the Queen of the stage The Dame Edna Experience on Sunday, plus that grassy knoll looks like being a packed affair again, with the sunshine at full tilt. Rounding off our va va voom through Vauxhall, are the duo of “Booster” at Area on Sunday evening, with Miss Crazy D & Ferno spinning the sounds, while Steven Sharp’s citric splendour “Orange” takes you deep into Monday morning & has just announced that Hifi Sean is now part of the weekly residency team & we couldn’t be more pleased, so mon congrats Mr Dickson.

As for the alternatives, well once again it looks like The Dalston Superstore tops the bill and after our weeks of exposure on this hip hop & happening hangout in Hoxton, it seems that a certain popular weekly mag has also got in on the act giving it full exposure too. Anyway, Friday sees the return of Guy Williams’ “Paradise 45”, the night that was an immediate hit when it launched three months ago, so much so, Mr Williams has even taken it to Ibiza where it is going down just as well. Tonight he is joined on the decks by the bubbly Ben Jamin and this duo really know how to drive those decks, so will be a real treat. Then on Saturday it’s the return of musical mayhem “Hot Mess” when star guest Jerry Bouthier will exaggerate the electro along with Fil Ok & the tranny-tastic Holestar, while Sunday’s in Kingsland Road would never be the same without a bit of social sashaying with “Vogue”. Now, we all love a bit of bingo escapism & fun and it doesn’t get any funnier than in the hands of Jonny Woo, Ma Bitcher & John Sizzle, but this Sunday over at Cargo in Shoreditich sees a special “Gay Bingo’s Getting Married/Fete Surprise” and looks like being a night of complete mayhem, Jonny surely sporting his wedding frock (can’t be white) & the music more wedding mash up than wedding march. Just down the road in Bishopsgate, “Caligula”, returns for another bubble bountiful bash at The Bathhouse, while further a-filed North London hangout The Green in Islington has plenty happening with Saturday a real highlight, resident drag star Alyna Chic lays down some rip roaring tunes, entertainment & more. But, if you fancy escaping it all, then jump on the southern express or hit the A23 & get on down to Brighton for another “Sunday Sundae” session at Audio on Brighton’s Marine Parade, which offers alfresco partying pleasure with loads of drinks offers & even a free BBQ and if you fancy staying hugging the coast till Monday, why not pop to The Honey Club afterwards for “Afrodisiac” with Jon Byrne burning up the decks.

More details of all these alternative Soho, Vauxhall & other offerings can be found in the popular press & via networking site Facebook.

Right, just time to mention our favourite clubbing website Seen Queen which has just updated its super swish gAylist club diary to include dates into July and give a little focus to SuperMartXe’s Pride (yes it’s that time of year again) special “Wizard Of Oz” as well as its own take on this weekend’s “Beyond Back-To-Back”, not to mention plenty of music offers, pics, videos & features, all available at http://seenqueen.com/.

Well, that’s it for another week, but keep your eyes peeled for our extra bites posts over the weekend with that important last minute info and whatever you do, have a brilliant time clubbing, pubbing or just enjoying the weather. As for us, well it’s all very much undecided at the mo, but wherever we are, if you see us out, come say hi and as we always say......Go There! Be There!

xDM