White Mink, 8th February

White Mink totally lived up to the (my) hype. I had a stupidly wicked night.

We got over to Village Underground at about 10:30, maybe a little earlier. At first we were a little surprised by the music played - we didn't think it really fit into the electro-vintage style we had expected, it seemed to be a bit mainstream. But the night was still young and they were just getting warmed up before it really got into the 'swing' (geddit) of things.

Apart from knowing White Mink were the people who brought us Electro-Swing I hadn't really looked into what to expect. So the number of live acts were a surprise, as was the aerial performer who wowed us with her sexy acrobatics over the middle of the crowd. The night would have been great without this, but it added to the spectacle of the whole event.

The live acts were stupendous. We were all blown away by them, truly (and there was about 15 of us to impress). Standout act of the night had to be Shea Soul and Kid Kasino, and I'm happy to say I got a chance to chat with Shea after her performance and tell her how great we thought it was. Bart & Baker provided the DJing skills to keep us all dancing when the live acts, which included the Elle and the Pocket Belles and the Shirttail Stompers, had finished.

So, as the night went on, it was more and more of what we had expected and what we loved. Some bass and beats that made you want to shake your hips (especially if those hips had tassels on them, which mine did) along to the fast-paced swing and jazz from the 20s to 40s. There is something about this blending of music styles that just makes you want to dance and dance. Once we started, I think we barely stopped, and when the night finished at 3 am, we easily had the appetite for more.

There wasn't an enforced dress code for the event but most of the people there had outfits that were inspired in some way by the 20s, which was nice as I do love a guy in a waistcoat and trilby! And I think it added to the atmosphere and decadent feel of the party. It was fantastic to have such a big venue as Village Underground, and the place was full to the brim, proving how popular these nights are. I am surprised that White Mink hadn't come back to London sooner, but they appear not to be replicating the long wait after this one with the next show in May. Sadly, I don't think I can make it, but you most definitely should. It was frightfully good. 

In fact the only bad thing I have to say about it was that VIllage Underground ran out of white wine at about 11:30! How do you run out of wine? Ridiculous. 

Pictures to come...

Black Cotton Club, 20th July

On Saturday night I stepped back in time (again) when I went to the Black Cotton Club at Volupte. It's another night steeped in vintageness with people dressed in either 20s flapper gear or 30s-40s costume. But this is no pop-culture wink to the olden days. This feels like the real deal. Almost everyone was dressed up and all the songs played are from original 45s. For me, it made it probably my least favourite of the 20s-style nights. I have realised I do like a bit of modernity to my vintage nights out. I like the swinging jazz of the early century but when you're not an aficionado, after a while, all the songs sound a bit samey, especially when there are no vocals. And I managed to miss dancing to one song I actually did know - 'Why Don't You Do Right?' as made famous by Jessica Rabbit. 

It was clear that the people who came were regulars of the scene and were there to show off their moves, while we helplessly shuffled our feet in imitation of the steps they were committing flawlessly. I recognised one guy from the 50s night at South London Pacific - well it's hard not to remember a guy dressed in a shirt and multicoloured tutu with a sock puppet on his hand! 

I still do love to watch people who know how to dance - the fast steps look amazing but I equally like the slower moves which look so effortless, like they're not even meaning to move so fluidly. I always resolve I must start learning myself. But I haven't and so after a while the novelty did wear off.

It didn't help that the night was so unbearably hot and they didn't exactly have air conditioning - a couple of strategically placed fans stopped people from completely overheating. I confess, my group rather hogged one of the fans, I don't know if the other dancers would have even realised it was there, one of us was always in front of it cooling down. It was less busy than I expected, and I wondered if the heat perhaps was a factor. 

The venue was in an unlikely building. It is down the side of a bunch of office blocks and from the outside is nothing to look at. Inside it is rather gorgeous with risque wallpaper, quite a glamorous bathroom and heavy drapes and pretty lamps everywhere - these of course are all to remind you of the fact that Volupte's day job is a burlesque venue. 

We got in at 10:30ish and with an hour or so break at about 1 to cool down and save our feet, we left at 2:30 when the night finished at 3:00 anyway. So it kept our attention for most of the night. If you're looking for authenticity then this really is not to be missed. If you prefer playing at it, like me, then I'd suggest the Candlelight Club, or Prohibition which are livelier.

Candlelight Club, 15th February

Candlelight Club is charming. Just charming. Rather prosaically the Candlelight Club is called so because the entire venue is lit solely with candles. It is very ambient. I think the Candlelight Club would be the perfect romantic date. The lighting is low - perfect for canoodling, there is background music but none too loud  - so perfect for hushed, enamoured tones, and there's a spot of live music throughout the night - for the perfect excuse to dance and get some tantalising physical contact.

But that's not to say it's not a fun night out for a group of you and I saw many such groups there, who had obviously reserved tables (for a further fee - although it does include a bottle of champagne) and who were also ordering from the menu and making a night of it.

Like Prohibition, the Candlelight Club harks back to the Prohibition era and you are encouraged to dress accordingly. I loved seeing everyone in their various costume. The 1920s were definitely glamorous in their way and everyone dressed in their best vintage lends the night a touch of decadence. The tables were scattered with bullets and petals in an homage to the Valentine's Day Massacre which was this evening's theme. The venue was 'intimate' - much much tinier than I was expecting which went some way to explain why tickets sell out so quickly. But it was also part of the charm and made you feel even more so that you were in some hidden speakeasy that shouldn't really exist - open to only those in the know.

Everything was on one floor, with a bar serving cocktails down one side, a stage at the front and the several tables which you could book in advance or perhaps you could nab one if you were early enough. (We weren't.) There were five cocktails to choose from, all at a very reasonably priced 7.50. I wanted to try one of each but given my funds settled for three - the Horse's Head, Smoking Barrel and the Crime of Passion. All were mixed expertly by the debonair bartenders who were clearly having a whale of a time, entertaining the crowd at the bar with some of their flair bartending.

Candlelight Club had been so good as to respond to my twitter enquiry about what time the live acts started and Gloria and the G Spots came on very promptly at 9 pm for their first set as promised. It consisted of modern classics (if that's not too much of an oxymoron) reimagined to fit the Prohibition jazzy style so completely that at first I took them for original, or at least originating-of-the-era songs. Gloria had a distinctive almost warbling singing voice that you could easily imagine listening to if you suddenly found yourself transported back to the real 1920s.

The night is not a wild night - although dancing is most definitely welcome and as the night wore on the dance floor became ever crowded - but I really enjoyed it. It finishes at 12 so there can't be too much debauchery before people make their way home. People danced to both Gloria and her Gs as well as the DJ in between and while I am no expert on the period, something about it felt more authentic than Prohibition for precisely the reason that it was more low key.

I was feeling a little under the weather myself and had to ensure I was well enough to make it to Belle Epoque the next night so bowed out around half eleven, though I definitely would have preferred to stay until the last candle was snuffed out.

Prohibition, 23rd Jun

Prohibition is a night run by Bourne & Hollingsworth who are supremos when it comes to alternative nightlife. As the name suggests, a night at Prohibition is a night that takes you back in time to the roaring 20s when alcohol was on the downlow and flappers were in their ascendant. They are incredibly popular and always sell out in advance. Doors to the secret location (revealed a couple of weeks prior) open at 8, entertainment starts at about 9 and the doors to the ‘speakeasy’ close at 2, which means that it’s quite a short night by most other clubs’ standards. It also means that you don’t want to make the mistake of drinking elsewhere until 11 and then turning up as you will have missed a lot of the action.

People are not only encouraged to dress in period costume, but you are told that entry without making an effort (ie avoid jeans and sneakers) isn’t allowed. The organisers probably don’t have to worry too much that anyone is going to take their chances with the dress code though, as the people who go clearly enjoy making an effort. It’s a great period of time to dress for - sexy, shimmering dresses and fun, feathery head gear for the ladies; pinstripes and flattering waistcoats for the gents.

This time the event was held in the glamorous Bloomsbury Ballroom. We arrived at about 9:30 and put our coats away. There was a trio playing in the hallway, and two rooms. 

One room had the main stage and dance area, with a bar. The second was showing silent movies (think Charlie Chaplin), had tables and chairs and also the gambling pit where you could try your hand at blackjack. Upon entry you were presented with a fake $100 bill which you then cashed in with the croupier for chips to gamble with. At least, that is the idea. Me and my party must have arrived at the wrong time as we didn’t get offered any money to gamble with, fake or not. I don’t really think this would have been a problem had we insisted on participating – it’s all about joining in and having fun. 

Cocktails and bottles of beer were the order of the day for drinks. Innocuous books were placed nonchalantly at the bar, but when 
you opened the first page, you could see the short cocktail menu. There were four or five to choose from, all priced at normal bar cocktail prices - ie £7.50. Except for the ‘signature’ cocktail at 
£8.00 - the Gatsby - which, along with one other, was served in teacups. Well, you don't want the feds busting in and sussing
you've got moonshine on the go! 

About an hour after we got in, the live entertainment in the main room started. I didn't dance as much as I'd hoped to this - I was too often waiting at the bar for our cocktails - the downside of having mainly cocktails to choose from is that they take longer to prepare, leading to longer queues leading to feeling like I’d missed out on some of the night. Just can’t resist the illicit booze! The Gatsby, incidentally I found very sweet and preferred the gin fizzes overall.

When the band were done DJs took up the reins to keep you going until the place closed, playing retro sounds right up to the 50s and 60s and by this point everyone was getting down and cutting a shine in the main room. The second room remained quieter, for those who needed a respite and to rest their feet, or who preferred the sophistication of dancing with Lady Luck on the blackjack table.

I thought Prohibition was fun and I’m glad I went. If I were to rate it out of ten, it would probably lose a couple of stars, though I can’t put my finger on why. I think, perhaps, that the Ballroom was a bit too big for the number of people. It’s nice not to be overcrowded, but a little intimacy helps build atmosphere. I will definitely try out some of their other nights as soon as I can though, such as the Blitz party, and the one I particularly like the sound of – the Belle Epoch. Bustier ahoy!