Before , gay venues in London came in two categories. And there were the small dives with postage stamp-sized dancefloors where young queens would boogie their tits off to the latest 7-inch soul, funk and proto-disco imports provided by DJs such as Talullah , AKA Martin Allum, at Shanes in West Hampstead where the DJ frequently doubled up as cloakroom attendant and Chris Lucas at The Catacombs in Earls Court. DJ Tricky Dicky was one of the first promoters to grasp the idea of the one-nighter — hiring out a pub or bar for the night, just to put on a gay night. With his pop and soul music reviews and disco chart in Gay News , Tricky Dicky received coverage from a gay press more interested in politics, cinema, theatre and opera than the commercial gay scene.
BUY TICKETS! Stop by to enjoy a cuban coffee at the bar while you read the morning news, or grab a cold brew to go. A full service coffee bar transitions from day to night with an espresso inspired cocktail menu for the club. While most venues rely on sugary energy drinks to keep their patrons fueled on the dance floor, Red Eye offers a delicious low sugar alternative to mix with their favorite spirits, touting an original menu curated by owner Sam Benedict, the current reigning Stoli Key West Cocktail Classic Bartending Champion.
Gorgeous beaches. Wild gay nights out. Fantastic food. There is much to love about Cape Town.
Gay bars. Good ones, bad ones, wild ones, emotional ones—because for decades, these spaces have been homes to a community. They ushered us into adulthood; they provided sanctuary to be ourselves. So if everything is ephemeral, what makes gay bars so special?