I got lined up by
saucy_goth for a night out down at
Punk in Soho for a night called Anthem. The night started over at Lorna's with LS and Lavinia and a rapidly dreadlocking cat. The conversations were not particularly stretching so I took the chance to sit back, have a drink and make notes for my forthcoming book "Girls: they really do talk about that sort of crap!" (to be available from Amazon, Boots and most good recycling bins everywhere!)
The group left about...errm.. some time to get to Punk in time to sample the "happy hour". Get in (it was a free in, always a good option). The venue is one of those I like and loathe in equal proportions. If it wasn't so obvoiusly a converted underground storage area it'd be a great club. If it didn't have the great colouring and decor it'd be a soulless hole. The "happy hour" consisted of 2-for-1 drinks, by which they mean buy two small bottles of Kronie for the price of a large bottle. Hmmm...
Ed, Lavinia's beloved, showed up and they got all couplesy. The music seemed to be of the kiddie-new-punk/metal ilk, the sort of stuff I find OK in filler slots but not really as a whole night. Somewhere along the line LS gifted me a glass of white wine, which Lavinia traded for a glass of rosé. The venue filled up quite a bit, particularly for a Monday night but then again that's what the free-in is all about I guess.
I know there are still a few late night club venues still in Soho and it was nice to finally sample this one. However, it leaves me with the sad maudlin feeling that the hedonistic booze-and safety-pin fueled glory days have probably long left Soho. Before you say it, Shoreditch deosn't "do it" for me. It's comes across as too 'trendy trying to be edgy' rather than full-on 'alternative'. Of course there's the odd thing here and there that breaks that mould, but not enough to make it work properly.
Still I got a chance to confirm or refute a couple of theories I've been formulating about the mechanics of the current clubbing "scene". I think I may use them in my next book, "Clubs: the short gap between Wow! and Crap!" which will be available from most good charity shops and toilet roll dispensers everywhere.
I need to remember to get my timesheets in otherwise 2009 never actually ends! Ooops.. "I've been busy" is my excuse. Still, no worries... just yet anyway.