- At a time when London's nightlife is under scrutiny from stringent policing and iron-fisted councils, historic, unconventional venues like Bethnal Green Working Men's Club become even more important. Founded in the '50s, it's a proper East End establishment with a monthly schedule that spans cabaret, drag and circus. Unlike so many transient London venues, there's substance to this longstanding institution: "We're not your typical 'club' venue," reads their website.
It made sense, then, when Optimo announced they would be hosting several of their Until The Music Stops parties at BGWMC in 2016, the first of which kicked off last Friday at the punctual time of 9 PM—Glasgow style. JD Twitch and JG Wilkes played upstairs all night, leaving the floor below in the capable hands of musical polymath Trevor Jackson.
Despite London's size and standing in the electronic music community, it often feels like the atmosphere at parties never reaches fever-pitch in the way it can outside of the capital. On Friday, though, the vibe at BGWMC was simmering from the get-go, thanks to the duo's mixed bag of disco edits (James Brown's "Sex Machine," Aretha Franklin's "Respect"), Bronski Beat's "Smalltown Boy" and the odd experimental bit. Their no-frills approach gave the party an unpretentious atmosphere, buoyed by the charisma of the venue.
I can't recommend UTMS highly enough. There was something so novel and fun about nursing a pint of Guinness—in a real glass, mind—on a sticky dance floor packed with people dancing to a string of alternative club classics. With its swirling carpets, garish décor, disco balls and wooden tables, Friday replicated the sort of feel-good, anything-goes vibe that's increasingly hard to come by in London these days.