Gay London Life | Dec '25 Edition - Magazine - Page 6
Sc
an
fo
Going Out
rL
ond
o n ’s l a t e s t
ev
en
t
Athena
s
It’s the very last Athena of the year, so there’s a cast-iron
guarantee that you’ll hear resident DJs Paul Joseph and
Gareth Hackney (plus special guest Ian Wade) playing all of
the Christmas hits that dominated the eighties, from Wham!
To The Waitresses, and even that Pogues one. Don’t bank on
hearing the song that reached Christmas Number One in 1980,
which was There’s No One Quite Like Grandma by St Winifred’s
Children’s Choir, nor Mistletoe or Wine. It wasn’t all cutting-edge
synth sounds and edgy pop in the 1980s, don’t forget.
Saturday 6th December, 9pm-4am, Eagle London,
349 Kennington Lane, SE11 5QY. Nearest Station: Vauxhall
80:20
The Cock
Tavern
The last weekend before Christmas is always an
Honestly, nobody’s doing it like The Cock at the
absolutely feral time to go out, especially if you’ve got
moment. Just look at what’s on offer this month.
some pent-up hedonism to expel before you escape to
Starting at 6pm on Sunday 7th, there’s a Doggie
your sleepy hometown for a few days afterwards. On the
Social with a chance to get a portrait of your
final Saturday before Christmas at Eagle London, you’ll be
pooch, while on Thursday 18th, it’s queer rodeo
treated to the dashing duo of Paul Joseph and DJ Dallyn
Bonanza’s Ho-Ho-Hoedown, complete with
playing nowt but pop, indie and dance belters released
line-dancing and country-coded cabaret. The
between 1980 and 2020, plus a performance from show-
final Sunday of the month (5.30pm onwards) is
stopping drag starlet, Margo Marshall.
always Queer Open Mic Night, and that’s without
Saturday 20th December, 9pm-4am, Eagle London,
mentioning the incredible roster of resident DJs
349 Kennington Lane, SE11 5QY. Nearest Station: Vauxhall
who tear up the dancefloor every Friday and
Saturday night. See what we mean?
Handsome
340 Kennington Road, SE11 4LD
Nearest Station: Kennington
If you need a bit of a break from the non-stop rotation of
Wonderful Christmastime and the other festive staples,
get your arse down to the last Handsome of the year.
This monthly club night is dedicated to the life-giving
force of house music, especially anything with a big
divalicious vocal and some vintage piano chords in
there. This time around, special guests Paul Heron and
Dan Murphy will be manning the ones and twos, so
you’ll be in safe hands. You can get in for free if you’re
there before 10pm, too.
Saturday 13th December, 9pm-4am, Eagle London,
349 Kennington Lane, SE11 5QY
Nearest Station: Vauxhall
Jukebox Disco
This is the party that wrestles control of the
Bear Bash
music from the DJ and gives it those on the dance
Clubbers with a good memory — which might not be many,
the RVT, punters can scan one of the QR codes
come to think of it — might recall a certain party called
dotted about the venue and take their pick from
Tonker, which was hosted at Eagle London many moons
the huge catalogue of music, which, given the
ago. Well, it’s making a one-off return in collaboration with
proximity to a certain Christian celebration, will
new fave, Bear Bash. As usual, the first two hours are a
include a fair few Xmas bangers. Then, it’s a case
little more low-key, but after 11pm, the volume goes up and
of waiting for it to play and bathing in the euphoric
various layers are discarded. Expect a dance floor full of
reaction from the crowd around you — or watch
hairy hunks, burly blokes, and bearded beauties, plus some
everyone scarper to the bar for drinks. Don’t take
free pizza up for grabs for good measure.
it personally if that happens.
Friday 12th December, 9pm-4am, Eagle London,
Saturday 13th December, 10pm-4am,
349 Kennington Lane, SE11 5QY
Royal Vauxhall Tavern, 372 Kennington Lane,
Nearest Station: Vauxhall
SE11 5HY. Nearest Station: Vauxhall
6
floor. Yeah, power to the people! Once inside
