Visit London Blog - Enjoy the very best of London

Archive for the "Clubs" Category

< Older Entries
20 Nov

Join in the Retro Fun at London’s Blitz Party

Posted by Amy Griffiths in Clubs 2 Comments

Wave your Union Jack with pride and swing into the 1940s with London’s Blitz Party, a night of uplifting community spirit, live bands and fabulous 40s fashion, at the air-raid proof “bunker” offered by Shoreditch’s railway arches.

It’s red lippy, rolled tresses and tea dresses for the ladies; brylcreem and braces for the gents. Men in uniforms (Allied Forces only please) gad about with head-scarved land girls. Blackout curtains and sandbags line the walls, while oil lamps, ration books, tea urns and sandwiches all add to the atmosphere of courage, camaraderie and East London cool.

We felt a real wow-factor on arrival, and spent much of the night people-watching – ogling the “officers” and admiring everyone’s amazing attention to dressing-up detail.

The venue is vast, leaving plenty of room for lindy-hopping along to the bands on stage. Seemingly professional dancers twirled past at top speeds, encouraging the rest of us to give it a go, imagining we were in Christina Aguilera’s video for Candy Man.  When all the jiving and jitterbugging left us parched, we needed our best Blitz spirit to withstand the bar queues – authentic 1940s cocktails take time to prepare… and there’s a war on, y’know!

The next Blitz Party will be on December 5, so chaps – roll up your sleeves, and chap-esses – slip on silk seamed stockings, and join the convivial crowds at London’s truly unique celebration of 40s fashion, frolics and fun.

Check out www.theblitzparty.com for more info, but no dithering: these events sell out fast!

Tags: , , , , , , ,
This article has 2 comments. Why not add yours?
12 Nov

Super K Sonic Booooum at the Shunt Lounge

Posted by Hannah in Arts, Attractions, Clubs, Pubs & Bars No Comments

Super K Sonic Booooum by Nelly Ben Hayoun

Last night I dressed in a white boiler suit, hard hat and wellies. Accompanied by a scientist, I boarded a dinghy and floated through a dark tunnel lined with 600 silver balloons.

It was all part of Shunt Lounge’s current installation, Super K Sonic Booooum by Royal College of Art graduate Nelly Ben Hayoun.

Sonic Booooum is a recreation of the Super K underground science centre in Japan, where scientists study tiny particles called neutrinos.

During the boat trip, your on-board expert (a scientist from Imperial College or Queen Mary University) explains the concept of neutrinos, and why they’re important.

And if you want more info, you can pop into one of the “drop in, drop out” lectures, where remarkably friendly scientists tell you more about neutrinos and answer all your questions.

Super K Sonic Booooum is at the Shunt Lounge until Saturday 14 Novmeber.

If you’ve never been to this amazing dark and cavernous venue, make sure you check it out soon, as it’s due to close this weekend.

Tags: , , , , ,
This article has no comments. Why not add yours?
12 Nov

Girls Aloud’s Sarah Harding Opens City Bar

Posted by Jenny in Clubs, Pubs & Bars 3 Comments

kanaloa_bar

Club Tropicana drinks are free – and so were the cocktails at the launch of Polynesian-themed bar Kanaloa last night!

Admittedly, you will have to pay on a regular night, but with cocktails starting from £8, it’s certainly not the most expensive drinking hole in the The City.

Just like its sister bar Mahiki, Kanaloa is all bamboo, palm trees and low level lighting. The music favours 80s cheese with a few modern pop and 60s hits thrown into the mix.

There’s ample seating and a reasonably sized dance floor, with a net full of brightly coloured balls above it.

If you’re here to impress, order The Dead Man’s Chest, a £100 cocktail brought to you in a parade of sparklers, lanterns and cheering from the bar staff. (It’s a voodoo funeral procession apparently.) The cocktail is mixed before your very eyes in a treasure chest, which is then filled with straws for your drinking pleasure.

Will Kanaloa tempt the Royals into The City? It already has a fair celebrity quota, as it counts Sarah Harding and DJ Tom Crane among its investors. Plus JLS, Sugababes and Cilla Black were all spotted at the opening. We’ll keep you posted…

Tags: , , , , , ,
This article has 3 comments. Why not add yours?
27 Oct

Met Bar Spooktacular – Part I

Posted by Jo & Jamie from the Met Bar in Clubs, Pubs & Bars No Comments

Scream Tea at the Met BarWith our penchant for extrovert occasions, it’s no surprise that we take Halloween very seriously here at the Met Bar. Not content with just one instalment we will be updating you on our Halloween happenings in a two-part fright night special.

Yesterday saw the launch of our Scream Tea menu in collaboration with turntable goddesses, the Broken Hearts. Inspired by the work of Tim Burton and Tim Walker, as well as their own interest in the macabre and the aesthetics of Halloween, the Broken Hearts have created a delectable seasonal menu that will be available daily 3pm-6pm from Monday 26 October until Saturday 7 November.

Guests can expect a frightfully delightful menu including seasonal pumpkin, blackberry and blood-red versions of the legendary low-fat cupcakes, combined with a classic Broken Hearts colour palette and a few spooky surprises such as taxidermy crows, giant spiders and edible artwork by illustrator and Halloween-enthusiast Rob Flowers. You can also expect to hear a mouth-watering culinary soundtrack handpicked by the Broken Hearts themselves.

And speaking of the Broken Hearts, they will be our special guest DJs on Thursday night for our Death on the Dancefloor Halloween Extravaganza – until then ”stay spooked” for our next episode where we will spill all the gory details…

Tags: , , , , ,
This article has no comments. Why not add yours?
8 Oct

FrankMusik Live and Found at the Met Bar

Posted by Jo & Jamie from the Met Bar in Clubs, Pubs & Bars No Comments

FrankMusicAs a child of the electro generation, it’s no surprise Jamie became a big fan of electro-pop whizz kid and singer-songwriter du jour, FrankMusik.

Recently back from touring with Keane, Pet Shop Boys, Lady GaGa and Perez Hilton Presents in the US, it only took a few calls to entice FrankMusik to the Met Bar decks.

Or, we should say BACK to the Met Bar decks? Although not commonly known, FrankMusik used to DJ here regularly before starting his glittering music career!

His return was much anticipated, and after a quick bite in Nobu on Thursday evening, he came down to an already packed bar full of Met Bar members, achingly cool music moguls and the gorgeous Natalie Imbruglia (with friends Sam and Holly Branson).

With the paps going crazy outside, the atmosphere was quite simply electric – echoing the sounds from FrankMusik himself including remixes of his latest hits – the beat-boxing and vox-popping went long into the night.

Suffice to say it was Berocca popping for us on Friday morning! Watch this space for the next big Met Bar party…

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
This article has no comments. Why not add yours?
4 Sep

London Clubs: Not To Be Missed This Autumn

Posted by Jenny in Clubs, London, Pubs & Bars 1 Comment

Pass the parcel at Oh My God! I Miss You, photo by Barry Newman

The Bank Holiday may seem like a distant memory, but London’s nightlife is showing no signs of slowing down. So brace yourselves, there’s a lot coming up over the next few weeks, here are our favourites:

The Big Chill Mini Festival – the festival season is nearly finished but from the 11-13 September you can recapture the tented, unwashed festival spirit at The Big Chill House and The Big Chill Bar.

Matter 1st Birthday Weekend – matter is a whole year old on the weekend of 18-19 September. Carl Cox, Eddy Temple Morris, Tom Middleton and Pendulum will all be joining in the celebrations.

Oh My God! I Miss You – Speaking of birthdays, Oh My God! I Miss You are launching a monthly birthday party from 2 October. All the fun of a birthday (cake, burlesque, pass the parcel) without getting a year older – hoorah!

Smirnoff Be There – Smirnoff continue their quest to find the most original new club night with four new events this autumn, kicking off with retro-Hawaiian night Rock a Hula at Bloomsbury Bowling on 18 September. If it’s anything like the last one, we’re there!

Silent Disco – Try clubbing in the historical setting of the Old Royal Naval College as Silent Disco moves in for a one-off night under the stars on 12 September.

SS Atlantica – The nautical look is in don’t you know, and our friends at The Blitz Party have come up with a brand new theme night. Step aboard the SS Atlantica for a glamorous evening of 1930s jazz, cabaret and general promenading on 12 September.

Sunday Social – Don’t waste away watching soap omnibuses on Sundays, head to The Old Queen’s Head where you can indulge in apple-bobbing, face-painting, board games and other fun from 3pm at their weekly Sunday Social.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
This article has 1 comment. Why not add yours?
26 Aug

Bank Holiday Club Highlights

Posted by Jenny in Clubs, Music No Comments

Eastern Electrics

The Bank Holiday means two things for London’s clubbing community – more time to party and more time to recover!

From after-parties to burlesque speed-dating – take a look at our highlights:

Post Carnival Parties

DJ Yoda

Notting Hill Carnival is the biggest event of the Bank Holiday weekend. After the sparkly costumes and jerk chicken are packed away each evening, there are plenty of places where you can continue the party spirit.

  • On Friday, Fabric brings its annual Playaz Carnival Special. The drum’n'bass night includes a two-hour set from DJ Hype.
  • DJ Yoda, Kissy Sellout and The Maccabees provide entertainment conveniently close to the parade route at Paradise Carnival Party on Sunday and Monday.
  • If you’ve overdone it at the carnival, head to ETA’s Carnival After Party in Shepherd’s Bush, where there’ll be yurts for tired carnival-goers to relax in, as well as live art performances. The night promises music ranging from British hip-hop to progressive electronica – all in a disused 70s cinema!

Get Loaded in The Park and South West Four

Eric Prydz

If you’re not at the carnival, chances are you’ll be spending most of your weekend on Clapham Common which is hosting the double whammy of Get Loaded in The Park and South West Four.

The Best of The Rest

The Rakes and Does It Offend You, Yeah? will both be DJing during 12 hours non-stop at The Old Queen’s Head on Sunday. And its free if you get there before 8pm.

Or head down to Brixton on Saturday where the Hoxton Whores and Maxi Jazz (of Faithless) will keep you going until 6am at Mass!

Neon Noise Project

Eastern Electrics provided a legendary Bank Holiday weekender last year, and they’re planning to do the same again. Stages will be hosted by promoters including Neon Noise, Trailer Trash and Mulletover.

Finally, if you’re hoping for a little romance this Bank Holiday, try Peacock Bar in Clapham, which is hosting a burlesque speed dating night on Monday. Happily, you won’t need any nipple tassle expertise to take part – the burlesque acts will entertain you while you speed date. And there’ll be yummy cocktails and cheesy 80s and 90s DJs too.

Do you have any Bank Holiday clubs to recommend? We’d love to hear your ideas.

Tags: , , , , , ,
This article has no comments. Why not add yours?
24 Jul

An Awsum show featuring the great ‘Dynamo’

Posted by Jo & Jamie from the Met Bar in Clubs, Comedy, Music, Pubs & Bars 1 Comment
JA showSix months ago when Met Bar loyalist, Jonny Awsum, announced that his dream was to become a TV presenter, we first congratulated him on the marvelous idea to publicise the quick-wit and quite simply rather strange sense of humour we had come to love, but we knew that his first appearance had to be on a stage here!

On Wednesday night Episode 5 of The Jonny Awsum Show took place with its winning formula of anarchic comedy, celebrity guests, live music and the infamous Rock & Roll raffle. ‘RE-DRAW!’ – Sorry, you just had to be there on the night! Think Jonathan Ross meets Generation Game meets School Panto BUT on acid! It is a spectacle that can only be truly appreciated by all those who have witnessed a show first-hand.

Wednesday night was electric with guests including outstanding British magician, Dynamo, whose celebrity followers include David Beckham, Kings of Leon and Jay-Z (we are all still baffled by his crazy mobile phone disappearing, and re-appearing in a glass water bottle trick!) plus live music from Beans on Toast, and singer-songwriter Jersey Budd. Best-selling author Suzanne Portnoy also popped in for a second appearance with a sneak preview from her new erotic memoirs.

Jonny is taking August off due to a bi-annual trip to L.A to meet with his psychedelic track-suit outfitters, and catch up with his Hollywood celebrity pals. He will be returning to the stage on Wednesday 16th September, holiday photos and all! For now, “Goodbye from the Jonny Awsum show….”

Tags: , , ,
This article has 1 comment. Why not add yours?
16 Jul

Met Bar’s cocktail launch party

Posted by Jo & Jamie from the Met Bar in Clubs, Eating Out, Pubs & Bars, Special Events 3 Comments
The Smokey Sanchez

The Smokey Sanchez

At the Met Bar, we take our drinks (and drinking) very seriously so it was natural to feel that the conception of our new cocktail menu could not be launched in any other way than in true Met Bar style – with one hell of a party!

On Tuesday 14th July, we treated 100 very special guests to an exclusive preview of the new menu that features innovative categories such as Light & Aromatic, Medium & Spiced, Full Bodied & Spirited and Bubbly & Beautiful. A rather clever idea so that one can decide upon their choice of cocktail depending on mood, in crude terms of how quickly they need an alcoholic-hit or personally I (Jo) have more romantic notions of how well the categories befit me and my form…

Gorgeous pin-up and songstress Esme Bianco opened the party with a rendition of Sooner or Later (her 17 inch, blood red corseted waist made Madonna at the 91 Oscar’s look like Little Miss Muffet!), then a few more feverish songs to set the scene for one long, hot party.

Over three hours, guests were taken on a tasting journey from a sparkling English 76 (we had to go one better than a French 75), to a fruity Amaro Dolce, a refreshing Tea-juana Lady, a Sidecar named Desire (moving, or perhaps swaying is the more appropriate term from light to medium), to the more serious Hugo (he’s smoother than Jack) and our version of the classic Margarita, The Smokey Sanchez.

With ten cocktails down, it was time for a game of Chocolate Roulette – rather large shot glasses filled with Valrhona’s finest drinking chocolate spiked with various spirits based on our new METIFESTO or the ten drinking commandments according to the Met Bar (or only whilst wearing sequins if according to Jamie!).

As the night drew to a close, Esme performed her grand finale striptease to a delirious crowd, or at least they seemed to be when trying to pronounce ‘Home-made Falernum’ after ten cocktails, our parting gift from the new Met Apothecary (a selection of devilishly good syrups to spice things up). And no we assure you, it is only for use when drinking…

Tags: , ,
This article has 3 comments. Why not add yours?
13 Jul

Smirnoff UR The Night Made My Night at matter

Posted by Jenny in Clubs, Special Events 3 Comments

The People's Bar at Smirnoff UR The Night

If I could design my ideal club night, it would probably feature my favourite cocktails, a big name music act, and fun and games all night.

Happily, my ideas are pretty similar to those contributed by Facebook fans of Smirnoff UR The Night, a unique club night designed by said Facebook fans, who sent in their ideas for a chance to win free tickets to the night.

Little Boots performs at matter

So what did they come up with?

Well, keeping in the spirit of participation, there was a DIY cocktail bar, where you could create your own cocktails; a secret (and free) bar accessed via a visit to a fortune teller; a make-up station; a digital graffiti wall (with the option to upload your masterpiece to Facebook in one click); and even a game of bingo!

Add to this non-stop entertainment, including an energetic half-hour set from Little Boots and an appearance from the Pet Shop Boys. Plus, DJ sets from Tom Middleton, Hot Chip and Bristol club night Monkey! Flash! Light! where we were given a torch and led into a darkened room of drum’n'bass.

I left The O2 with a fake butterfly tattoo, ridiculously long false eyelashes and a white feather boa – all mementoes of a night well spent!

Tags: , , , , , ,
This article has 3 comments. Why not add yours?
« Older Entries