The London Dossier
Club Nights
A star (*) indicates a highly recommended night.
Whilst every effort is made to ensure the following information is correct, clubs do sometimes cancel. Also note that some regular clubs take breaks, especially over the summer or Christmas periods or on Bank Holidays. If in any doubt, please contact the venue before setting out.
MONDAYS
The Afro-Cuban Lounge @ The Buffalo Bar
259 Upper Street, N1 1RU. (020) 7359 6191
weekly; 9pm-2am (dance lessons from 7pm-9pm); £4 (£7 including dance lesson)
A night of Cuban salsa and related sounds that attracts some very good dancers. The club session is preceded by dance lessons (all levels) which can unfortunately get a little short of space. The venue is an intimate and atmospheric basement club with a decent sized dancefloor as well as some tables for those who prefer just to sit down and watch over a Cuba Libre.
Favourite Things @ Proud
The Horse Hospital, The Stables Market, Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AH. (020) 7482 3867
weekly; 8pm-midnight; FREE
TUESDAYS
* Soulsa @ Bar Rumba
36 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 7EP. (020) 7287 6933
next date TBA; 9pm-11.30pm; £4 (£3 NUS)
An early session of classic New York salsa played by DJs and occasional live bands in a dusty basement venue below The Trocadero.
WEDNESDAYS
* DJ Wheelie Bag @ The Pillars of Hercules
7 Greek Street, W1D 4DF. (020) 7437 1179
weekly; 6.30pm-10pm; FREE
This night has to be experienced to be believed. The inimitable DJ Wheelie Bag (accompanied by his Wheelettes) plays ska, calypso, r&b, rockabilly and more on his home-made shopping trolley sound system! There are also quizzes and games and now even Wheelie Bag scratch cards. Is there no end to this man's genius?! No dancefloor, but a great social event.
* The Stag O Lee Preservation Society @ The New Evaristo Club
57 Greek Street (basement), W1D 3DX
weekly; from 9pm; FREE
One of the best rhythm & blues nights in London. The New Evaristo is a fantastic original Soho hideaway and a great place to drink, play cards and meet new people. Although it doesn't have a dancefloor, dancing is welcome if you can find room.
The Walthamstow Wind-Up @ Ye Olde Rose & Crown Theatre Pub
53-55 Hoe Street, E17 4SA. (020) 8520 6198
13th August; 7pm-11pm; FREE (£1 suggested donation)
Resident DJs Tony Tunes and the Shellac Sisters' Theo and Jenny spin a mix of swing, hot jazz, boogie, rock 'n' roll and charleston 78rpms on vintage gramophones. This fun night moved from The Plough Inn on Wood Street to its new home in Hoe Street in May 2008.
Freedom Sound @ Three Blind Mice
5 Ravey Street, EC2A 4QW. (020) 7739 7746
first Wednesday of every month; 7.30pm-11pm; FREE
Jitterbugs @ Stern Hall (West London Synagogue)
33 Seymour Place, W1H 5AU
weekly; 8.30pm-10.30pm (dance lessons from 7pm-8.30pm); £8 (£6 conc)
THURSDAYS
Gaz's Rockin' Blues @ The St. Moritz Club
159 Wardour Street, W1F 8WH
weekly; 10pm-3.30am; £7 (£5 before 11pm)
Started in 1980 by Gaz Mayall, this is one of London's longest-running club nights. The DJs play mainly ska and r&b along with a little 60s soul, reggae, calypso and more. Live bands also play here every week, including the occasional big name. The venue is one of the most atmospheric in London, though it has a small dancefloor and does get incredibly hot.
NOTE: Arrive early to guarantee admission as this night sells out every week.
Jazz On The Road @ The Old Queen's Head (upstairs)
44 Essex Road, N1 8LN. (020) 7354 9993
third Thursday of every month; 7pm-1am; £7
Soul City Shakedown @ Market Place (downstairs)
11 Market Place, W1 8AH. (020) 7079 2020
third Thursday of every month; 8pm-1am; FREE
FRIDAYS
* Chick-A-Boom! @ The Vibe Bar
The Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, E1 6QL
12th September; 8pm-1am; £4 (FREE before 8pm)
DJs Mistah Brown (Tighten Up), Jean-Paul Séculaire and guests spin an explosive mix of stomping soul, scorching ska, thumpin' funk and rockin' rhythm & blues in Vibe's main bar.
* Jukebox Jam @ The George Tavern
373 Commercial Road, E1 0LA. (020) 7790 7335
second Friday of every month; 7pm-1am; £4 before 9pm then £6 (£4 conc)
Rockin' rhythm 'n' blues in this cosy original East End boozer makes for a great atmosphere. DJs on rotation plus live bands get the crowd jumping and jiving. A night worth travelling for.
Lady Luck @ Platinum
23-25 Paul Street, EC2A 4JU
first Friday of every month; 10pm-5am; £12 (£10 before 11pm)
Lady Luck changes venue again and moves back to Friday nights. Only now they're open until 5am! Make sure you put on your best threads as the dress code is "chic attire only".
Trojan Explosion @ Market Place (downstairs)
11 Market Place, W1 8AH. (020) 7079 2020
third Friday of every month; 8pm-1am; FREE before 11pm then £7
Make your way downstairs to Market Place's great cellar bar and you will find respected DJs Texas Ranger and Mark Professor mixing up reggae, rocksteady, dancehall and ska with soul, funk, rhythm & blues and whatever else takes their fancy.
Soul Revolution @ The Bedroom
62 Rivington Street, EC2A 3AY
19th September; 9pm-3am; £10 (£8 in advance)
Rare soul from the 60s and 70s in a two room venue in Shoreditch. The main room features Northern and modern soul whilst DJs upstairs in the cosy Arabian themed bar play Jamaican soul, beat ballads, funk, crossover and other assorted soulful sounds.
Deep Funk @ Madame JoJo's
8-10 Brewer Street, W1F 0SE. (020) 7734 3040
weekly; 10pm-3am; £8 (£6 before 11pm)
Keb Darge's legendary funk night, which has been running for over a decade. This smart venue in the heart of Soho's red-light district gets absolutely packed; so arrive early to avoid queuing.
Raison D'Etre @ Cargo
Kingsland Viaduct, 83 Rivington Street, EC2A 3AY. (020) 7749 7840
10th October, 5th December; 8pm-3am; £12 (£7 mailing list members and NUS)
Pigsnoots @ The Bar
36 Hanway Street, W1T 1UP. (020) 7580 9811
second Friday of every month; from 8pm; FREE before 11pm then £4
Soul Of The 60s @ The Phoenix
37 Cavendish Square, W1G 0PP. (020) 7493 8003
third Friday of every month; 10pm-2am; £5 (£4 with guestlist from website)
Solid Hit Soul @ The City Pride (upstairs)
28 Farringdon Lane, EC1R 3AU
next date TBA; 8pm-1am (no admission after 11.30pm); £5
Lucky 7 @ Volupté
9 Norwich Street, EC4A 1EJ. (020) 7831 1622 / (020) 7831 1677
last Friday of every month; 10pm-3am; £12 (£10 before 11pm)
SATURDAYS
* Walking In Rhythm @ Ronnie Scott's (upstairs bar)
47 Frith Street, W1D 4HT. (020) 7439 0747
weekly from 6th September; 9pm-3am; £5 before 11pm then £8
Resident DJ Jimbo hosts this excellent night in the upstairs bar of the legendary Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in Soho. The venue is very smart and its location is unbeatable. It also has a great sound system. Musically you will hear a mix of soul jazz, rockin' rhythm 'n' blues, 60s soul, funk, ska, boogaloo, samba and more.
Jean-Paul Séculaire returns to play a Right On! style set at the relaunch party on 6th September.
* Right On!
next date TBA
Resident DJ Jean-Paul Séculaire and special guests spin a unique mix of the finest jazz, blues, soul, doo wop, funk, ska, reggae, calypso, mento, mambo, samba, boogaloo, highlife and more to an enthusiastic crowd of dancers and music lovers. A night not to be missed!
NOTE: Right On! is currently looking for a new venue.
* Sofrito! Tropical Warehouse Bash @ The Empowering Church
3 Richmond Road, E8 3EY
next date TBA; from 10pm; £10 (£8 in advance)
Sofrito! could be called one of London's best kept secrets; except that every one of their late night parties sells out. Get down and be treated to some of the finest Afro-Latin and African music you're likely to hear in the UK. A decidedly delectable night of tropical heat.
* It's A Shingaling Thing! @ The Apple Tree
45 Mount Pleasant, WC1X 0AE. (020) 7837 2365
next date TBA; from 8pm; FREE
A killer mix of dancefloor jazz, Latin boogaloo, rhythm & blues and reggae from DJs Mark Ellis, Will Bourton and guests.
Hellzapoppin' @ The Cecil Sharp House (downstairs hall)
2 Regent's Park Road, Camden, NW1 7AY
20th September, 19th October; 8pm-11pm; £5 (£4 conc)
Tim's Jumpin' Jive and guests play a nice mix of 1930s-1950s r&b and swing. This night is popular with jivers and lindyhoppers, though everyone is welcome. There are also occasional live bands.
NOTE: Smart/period dress is appreciated.
Shuga Push @ Positively 4th Street
119 Hampstead Road, NW1 3EE. (020) 7388 5380
fourth Saturday of every month; 7pm-1am; £3 before 8pm then £5 (£7 after 11pm)
A night of cool swing and foot-stomping rhythm and blues to get you jumping, jiving, rockin' and rolling. Positively 4th Street is a beautifully decorated intimate art deco bar styled on the speakeasies of 1930s New York; the ideal setting for this popular night.
Set The Tone 67 @ The Social
5 Little Portland Street, W1W 7JD. (020) 7434 0620
fourth Saturday of every month; 7pm-1am; FREE
Resident DJs Stephen Saunders, Dean Thatcher and Nick Avinit plus guests spin a mix of rocksteady, ska and early reggae in the Social's small and narrow basement bar. Hidden away behind Regent and Oxford Streets, the Social is a very popular bar and gets very busy at weekends, so arrive early to guarantee entrance.
Walls Of Heartache @ The Cavern
524-528 Forest Road (near The Bell corner), Walthamstow, E17 4NB. (020) 8521 4001
last Saturday of every month; 9pm-2am (no admission after 11.30pm); £5 (£4 members)
Walthamstow's only 60s soul night, which features classic and rare Motown and Northern soul plus a few reggae classics thrown in for good measure. The Cavern is an intimate ground floor venue with a nice wooden dancefloor. Despite its name, however, the venue is actually nothing like a cavern!
Coast To Coast @ On The Rocks
25 Kingsland Road, E2 8AA. (020) 7688 0339
weekly; 9pm-2am; £5 (£3 before 10pm or NUS)
A mix of Jamaican and Afro-American music from the 60s and 70s is played at this popular club-night which is now on every week. Expect to hear plenty of ska, rocksteady and reggae alongside some classic funk, Northern soul and Motown played by DJ Cello and guests.
6Ts Rhythm & Soul Society @ The 100 Club
100 Oxford Street, W1D 1LL. (020) 7636 0933
16th August, 20th September, 25th October, 6th December; 10pm-6am; £12
A long-running Northern Soul night which is now back at the legendary 100 Club.
NOTE: 20th September is the 29th Anniversary of the 6Ts club and will be an advance ticket-only event with tickets priced at £18.
Messin' Around @ The Jazz Cafe
5 Parkway, Camden Town, NW1 7PG. (020) 7534 6955
13th September; 11pm-2am; £12
Boogaloo Soul @ The King William IV Pub and Hotel (Cellar Bar)
155 Trafalgar Road, Greenwich, SE10 9TX. (020) 8858 0656
first Saturday of every month; 8pm-1am; £5
Sweet Memory Sounds @ The Notting Hill Arts Club
21 Notting Hill Gate, W11 3JQ. (020) 7598 5226
second Saturday of every month; 8pm-2am; £8 (£6 before 11pm)
The Big Bam Boo @ The Notting Hill Arts Club
21 Notting Hill Gate, W11 3JQ. (020) 7598 5226
23rd August; 8pm-2am; £8 (£6 before 11pm)
SUNDAYS
* Shiftless Shuffle @ Freedom (basement)
66 Wardour Street, W1F 0TA. (020) 7734 0071
third Sunday of every month; 5pm-10pm; £5
Fast and furious dancefloor jazz in a kitsch Soho basement venue. Musically the styles vary depending on who's DJing, but expect to hear some top notch Latin, jazz-funk and bop.
There is a street fusion jazz dance class from 5pm-6pm, taught by one of the Jazzcotech Dancers. This is followed by a four hour club session which attracts some of the best dancers around.
NOTE: August's Shiftless Shuffle session has been cancelled due to the venue holding special Gay Pride Festival events on that day.
Tribute To Studio 1 and Treasure Isle @ Silent Whispers Musicians Club
21-23 Sedgwick Street, E9 6AA
next date TBA; 11pm-dawn; £10
Expect to hear some top notch reggae and rocksteady from the stables of Coxsone Dodd and Duke Reid at this excellent all-night revival dance plus some sweet soul thrown in for good measure.
'Old Man' Shaun & Co @ The Elephant's Head
224 Camden High Street, NW1 8QR. (020) 7485 3130
weekly; 7pm-11pm; FREE
An early session of classic 60s soul, ska, reggae, rock 'n' roll, beat and more in a comfortable but unremarkable pub on Camden High Street. There's no dancefloor but this is a popular social event.
Ska Bar @ The Copperfield
Station Approach, Catford Bridge, SE6 4RE
weekly; from 4pm; FREE
Alley Shuffle @ The Gowlett
62 Gowlett Road, SE15 4HY. (020) 7635 7048
first Sunday of every month; 6.30pm-11.30pm; FREE
Sunday Explosion @ Filthy MacNasty's (Lounge bar)
68 Amwell Street, EC1R 1UU. (020) 7837 6067
first Sunday of every month; 4.30pm-10.30pm; FREE
The Nitty Gritty! @ The Constitution (Cellar Bar)
42 St. Pancras Way, NW1 0QT. (020) 7387 4805
second Sunday of every month; 4pm-10pm; £3
Le Gramophone De Pépé @ Vibe Bar (upstairs)
The Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, E1 6QL
14th September, 12th October, 9th November; 7pm-11pm; £5
Testify! @ The Music Palace
159a Tottenham Lane, N8 9BT. (020) 8347 5444
24th August, 26th October, 23rd November; 4pm-11pm; £3.50
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