Gay London Life | November '26 Edition - Magazine - Page 22
Fourteen years of soulful house, legendary DJs and dancefloors full of
people who know their music. Handsome celebrates another birthday
this November, with Terry Farley and Stuart Patterson joining the party.
London’s queer club scene has seen plenty of changes over the past 14 years, but some things
never go out of fashion. Good house music, a crowd that knows its records and a dancefloor
where everyone feels welcome. It’s a combination that’s kept Handsome going since 2012, and
this November, the much-loved party celebrates its 14th birthday at Eagle London.
Joining the celebrations are two names that need little introduction to anyone with a
passing knowledge of British house music: Terry Farley and Stuart Patterson, both central
figures in the influential Faith collective.
Handsome’s story began on 10 November 2012, in the basement of Visions, a
predominantly straight R&B club in Dalston. Promoters Martyn Fitzgerald and Toby Grimditch
wanted to recreate the sound and spirit of the US house scene they’d spent the nineties
dancing to. Think Masters At Work, Murk, Strictly Rhythm and Nervous Records. Deep
basslines, gospel-tinged vocals, soulful grooves and records that demand your attention.
Over the years, the party has moved between several homes, including Dalston Superstore,
East Bloc and venues in Manchester, while attracting an impressive roll call of guest DJs.
Chicago house pioneer Marshall Jefferson, K-Alexi, Maurice Fulton and the unmistakable
Handsome
at 14:
A Proper
House
Affair
voice of Robert Owens have all appeared, alongside a carefully curated selection of queer DJs
from across London, Europe and the US.
There’s new music on the horizon, too. Following a string of remixes for other artists, the
Handsome crew are preparing their own EP for release in 2027.
Fourteen years in, Handsome remains rooted in the fundamentals of a great house party:
exceptional music, an open-minded crowd and that wonderful sense of collective release when
the right record lands at exactly the right moment.
Handsome 14th Birthday
Saturday 14 November 2026, 9pm–4am
Eagle London, 349 Kennington Lane, London SE11 5QY| Nearest Tube: Vauxhall
Tickets: £5 before 10pm (limited availability), £8 advance or £9 on the door.
www.eaglelondon.com
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