Vagabonds

[annwfyn]

So, last night I went clubbing.

Well, when I say clubbing...

I got dragged along, with a vast quantity of the ZG folk, to a club called 'Vagabonds' which is a goth night held in a club at London Bridge. Their website claims that they are a 'pretension free zone'. They lie! Oh, gods, they lie.

A couple of the people who came along with us were originally not allowed in, as one of them was wearing a check shirt, and were later thrown out because one of the clientele decided to take issue with them for not being goth enough, not dancing properly or something. God knows, I only got the story secondhand. The dancefloor was filled with stately figures in their thirties and fourties, weaving intricate little patterns in their air with their hands as they swayed to the sounds of tunes which haven't been heard in normal nightclubs since 1987. Sisters of Mercy were at the forefront of the playlist. I don't think I heard a single song that was released in the last ten years, and I wouldn't be surprised if nothing from the last twenty years was allowed. Every one once in a while the DJ would remember that he has advertised himself as having a 'wry sense of humour' on the website, and would start playing A-Ha, or Wham! or more pop music from the mid-eighties. I began to feel like I was at my school disco, and was just a bit confused as to why the parental chaperones were all wearing so much black lipstick. I was also mildly in shock at suddenly feeling like I was, indeed, one of the youngest people in the room, excepting those I entered with.

Still, it was fun. In fact, I think I'd have viewed it as a very silly night out, if it hadn't been for a couple of the folk we were with being kicked out, which rather spoiled the evening. Vagabonds could be a slightly daft blast from the past, if half the clientele and (apparently) the management, weren't taking it so bloody seriously.

At least I discovered that I still can do proper extended pointy eye make up with a liquid eyeliner, which is nice to know. However, next time someone says 'shall we go clubbing' I shall make pathetic noises about B Movie.

Comments

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

Sounds fabulous darling!

[annwfyn.livejournal.com]

Don't be too complimentary about them! The bouncer would have had his eye on you too! I've seen that dubious blonde hair, and the occasional white trainers. You aren't the sort they want in there either, you know! :p

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

In fairness my trainers are white because that was what the lady on freecycle was giving away - i normally wear cowboy boots when i go out clubbing though.

And what do you mean blonde? Don't make me come down there...

...are you suggesting it might not be my sort of place?

[annwfyn.livejournal.com]

*giggles*

To be fair, you might well enjoy it. I did have quite a good time - the music is quite fun (tho it's definitely goth rather than rock or metal, which was a shame. I think it would have been perked up by a few bouncier tunes), and it's a cheerful enough night out.

I was just somewhat disapproving of an alternative nightclub, which is meant to be set up and run by people who want others to be accepting of how they dress, being quite so snarky about other people who didn't fit some kind of dress code.

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

I remember when i first started Cam'ing we'd occasionally (maybe 1 time in 2 or 3) go to the Electric Ballroom post games (sometimes carrying on IC'ness even). People were in suits and dresses and leathers and so on - never an oddness at all.

Used to like it for the lack of trouble and harassment - which was nice.

A night out should really be something that people can just relax and enjoy! Dancin' is fun - people are fun - its what everyone is down for...no?

[adze.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Sounds like I'm glad I didn't go...

[satyrica.livejournal.com]

yeah, it was a shame: ironically, one of the things we've liked about it in the past is that it's felt quite friendly, since it lost that quite emphatically last night it doesn't have much left to recommend it . . .

[annwfyn.livejournal.com]

It was very disappointing. Like I said, if it hadn't been for that, I'd have viewed it as a silly, but quite fun night out. As it is, I'm really quite vexed. I've written a letter of complaint to the club organizers on this subject.

I object to a club which actively enourages pricks to be pricks.

[isalani.livejournal.com]

B Movies is worse than them.

I was once not allowed entry beacuse I was not goth enough. Yet someone in a white suit and gold medallions was allowed in.

Slimenight and Full Tilt are the only evenings that i have not had an issue with in the London scene

[annwfyn.livejournal.com]

Really? I've always had a good experience with B Movie, but I can be persuaded to move on.

I've been told recently that the London goth scene in general can be really vile - very elitest and quite snotty. Tis a shame, for I do like dancing to goth and metal music.

[ginasketch.livejournal.com]

It was lots of fun, but that was because of the company.:) Had I gone with people I don't know very well I'd likely not have had a good time.

And it was sucktastic that they kicked people out for breakdancing.

I thought this icon appropriate to my response.

[vireton.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you had a wonderfully dreadful night. Now-a-days we use no more nails to stick our hands to our head rather then nails... we have advanced I tell you!

Although… I have been guilty of the odd sisters of mercy song on my play list so I shall not complain too much.

[melsner.livejournal.com]

"Well, when I say clubbing..."

At first, I was worried that this would be a story about your clubbing baby harp seals.

[ginasketch.livejournal.com]

Now there's an idea...

What if the harp seals were wearing black eyeliner?

[lady-o-lavender.livejournal.com]

Well you know my mother-in-law (a psychologist) and I have this theory that goths or *very alternative* people are sometimes the most conformist people in a way (as the general idea is to look like other goths or at least look similar to the others in the group in some way to retain membership) and they can also be the most precious about enforcing this conformity.

Not that there aren't some very very nice goths who I love lots out there of course (!) :-) but this just ties in to my general theory, which I think you have also mentioned in passing before, about how some people will go nuts over defending their right to polygamy while at the same time sneering at or completely failing to understand those of us who are very happily married in the old fashioned sense of the word, even telling us to be quiet because our existence threatens their pet theories somehow.

I don't know, I came to this conclusion because R was in with a lot of goths and bikers in his family-mixed-with-friends circles before I met him and they were particularly nasty about me when he and I met and told me I was "just a trophy wife". Presumably just because I have blonde-highlighted hair, don't own Nu Rocks or wear corsets every day, I couldn't possibly be at all intelligent or a woman of substance. There have also been a couple of other occasions, in the Lib Dems, when I got treated with derision for "not being goth".

I just think it's incredibly narrow-minded behaviour that kind of thing and to throw someone out of a club for not being goth enough - in a check shirt, the very essence of grunge which is goth's younger brother? What is that all about? They're crazy!

I bet those same people enforcing that policy would go mad if they ever got thrown out of a mainstream club for being too alternative!! It's hypocritical I'm sure.