The following club listings come from i-D magazine, no.21. December 1984/January 1985. I wasn't around then but even allowing for i-D's selectivity, there doesn't seem to have been a lot going on. This impression is confirmed by an item in the magazine by Nick Trulocke, i-D's club correspondent:‘Saturday has always been the night for dressing up, getting down, and putting the Big F into Fun. So no surprise that the biggest small-talk subject around town is about Saturday night bops - or rather the lack of 'em. Confirmed liggers are making do with hard times and a host of unoriginal and uninteresting, not to mention, uncomfortable warehouse parties. The Meltdown. Club Somethin’ Else, Fallout Shelter, The Dirtbox (again) and Where’s Johnny? all cashing in on helpless liggers and messing up those pretty paisley threads. Needless to say – somethin’ better change!’
Monday
- Club Sex run by Vodka Posse. DJ Danny and John play music across the board. Admission £3.00 Burlington Arcade, 52 Piccadilly W1.
- The Snatch. Fun and Funk. Admission £2.50 at Legends, 29 Old Burlington St.
- The Snatch. Fun and Funk. Admission £2.50 at Legends, 29 Old Burlington St.
Tuesday
- Straight night at Heaven. Admission £.300. 10 pm – 3am. Under the Arches, Villiers St. WC2
Wednesday
- Kit Kat Club, run by Simon Hogart. Punk funk for £3.00 10 pm-3am. Fouberts, 18 Fouberlt Place W1
- Batcave, nocturnal entertainment, admission £3.00 9pm-3am at The Cellar (behind Heaven). - H.E.D.S, at Crazy Larry's, 533 Kings Road SW1. 9.30pm-2am, admission £3 or £2 before 11 pm.
- Kit Kat Club, run by Simon Hogart. Punk funk for £3.00 10 pm-3am. Fouberts, 18 Fouberlt Place W1
- Batcave, nocturnal entertainment, admission £3.00 9pm-3am at The Cellar (behind Heaven). - H.E.D.S, at Crazy Larry's, 533 Kings Road SW1. 9.30pm-2am, admission £3 or £2 before 11 pm.
Thursday
- Fresh on Thursday run by Neville and Spike, Funk and disco 9.30pm-3am. £2.50 al Legends 29 Old Burlington St.
- Asylum at Heaven. Admission £3, Hi-Energy and Disco.
- Pink Panther DJ Graham Vine plays Hi-Tac, from 12.00 – 5.30am admission £3. 57 Wardour St.
- Asylum at Heaven. Admission £3, Hi-Energy and Disco.
- Pink Panther DJ Graham Vine plays Hi-Tac, from 12.00 – 5.30am admission £3. 57 Wardour St.
Friday
- Black Market at the Wag, admission £4. Electro, soul jazz and reggae. 10pm-3am. 35 Wardour St, W1
- Mud Club run by Phillip Salon. DJ Jay Strongman and Tasty Tim, 10pm-3am. Busby's, 157 Charing Cross Rd, WC2
- Life run by Steve Swindle. DJ John plays Hi-Funk. 10pm-3am, admission £3 at Fouberts, 18 Fouberts Place W1.
- Mud Club run by Phillip Salon. DJ Jay Strongman and Tasty Tim, 10pm-3am. Busby's, 157 Charing Cross Rd, WC2
- Life run by Steve Swindle. DJ John plays Hi-Funk. 10pm-3am, admission £3 at Fouberts, 18 Fouberts Place W1.
Saturday
- Do-Do's at Busby's, 157 Charing Cross Rd, London WC1. 10pm-4am, admission £4 or £3 before 11 pm.
- Culcross Hall, music across the board played by DJs Noel and Morris, 11 pm-4am, admission £2.50. On Battlebridge Rd, off Pancras Rd, Kings Cross.
- Do-Do's at Busby's, 157 Charing Cross Rd, London WC1. 10pm-4am, admission £4 or £3 before 11 pm.
- Culcross Hall, music across the board played by DJs Noel and Morris, 11 pm-4am, admission £2.50. On Battlebridge Rd, off Pancras Rd, Kings Cross.
Sunday
- The Boudoir at the Donmar Warehouse, Earlham St, London WC2, admission £2.50.
Meanwhile, here's a few Christmas Dos NOT TO BE MISSED in the capital: The Mud Club Christmas Ball at Heaven, Dec 24th, The Wag Club Christmas party, Dec 20th. Do-Dos’s Santa Claus Soul party at Busby's, Dec 11th. The Circus- Date'n' Venue to be announced and don't forget! The Wharehouse.
- Function at the Junction at the Wessex Suite Clapham Junction, Dec 14th, Christmas Party night, members £2.50, guests £3.00. An evening of 60s soul, a dab of R'n'B and the best footstompers.
- Calling all Bowie Fans - Starzone, official David Bowie fan club magazine, is throwing a pre-Christmas bash at the Wag on December 4th. Live music from Boysie surprize guests, adm. £5.
- i-D night no.1... location DoDo's at Busby's, Charing Cross Rd, Tuesday December 4th, time 11 pm - late, Adm. £3.
I. was at most of these clubs,it was my life.And still here to share it with you
ReplyDeleteActually yes from this list you would think there was little going on . But that is far from the truth . Subcultures were thriving as clube were happily in the real sense Underground !! . ie press did not generally know or talk about them even ID. and people weren't about to tell them either . If you were an outcast in london on the search of a good time there was always somewhere to go . if not you would end up at a party or a squat .. All of which would be a camera / self documenting free zone , so very free to do whatever ..
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying everything was so much better then . just different and a smaller yet very eventful scene. JH
From the list, I only went to the Wag a few times, and to bands all over (Palais to Tramshed) but then the Dirt Box became our scene and we went wherever they did, which often ended up very sweaty... the girls were up for it though, and we had great times.
ReplyDeleteThere was something or other on at the Wag every night. Great place in its day. I seem to associate it with going out midweek for some reason though.Do-dos I also remember.It was named after some decongestant tablets which you could get over the counter and if you took a handful you got a little buzz! I think the dj was Vaughan Toulouse, playing 70s soul / disco like George McCrae and Barry White, etc..
ReplyDeleteFunction at the Junction was a different kettle of fish altogether. That was a proper Northern Soul crowd. Run by and dj-d by the brilliant Ian Clark.
The WAG club name is from the old WHISKEY-A- GO- venue, nothing else...we were there wherever Chris Sullivan was
DeleteI went to a club on picadiily i think in 81/82/83. George Michael was having a birthday party i a back room and I got invited in. does anyone remember that club
ReplyDeleteXenons?
DeleteWhy is memory of the Craven Club, Craven Street Charing X been faded out....all day till early morn and used by many West End workers and Clubbers....?
ReplyDeleteYes!
DeleteWhy?
I remember it well, awash with civil servants and rent boys.
We probably met.
DeletePink Panther club, basically a clip joint
In 1986, I stayed at Earl's Court and thought there was a place called the Pink Banana and Freddy Mercury used to frequent it. Is my .Emory false?
ReplyDeletePink Coconut club on Earls court road
DeleteI remember them well. Clubbed 4 nights a week hitting several clubs in one night. Not a care in the world, danced my ass off, got wasted and found some to leave with on Saturday nights. Not forgetting Bangs, Regine's and Napoleon's. Great times and I made it out alive.
ReplyDeleteRent boys, club kid s
ReplyDeleteYes The Pink Panther club was madness
I loved the pink panther
Deletestallions mayfair anyone go there
ReplyDeletestallions mayfair anyone go there
ReplyDelete