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By
Anjool Malde
Many
have told me that the real guide to clubbing if you’re an Oxford
resident should start with the X90 bus, which takes you away from
the cheese and into London in around 90 minutes. For a weekend making
a break from the norm it’s well worth heading to the party capital.
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| Clubber
from Radio 1's Ibiza site |
There’s
never a minute of the day when Leicester Square’s not buzzing with
energy, and there’s plenty happening for a good night; along with
standard bars such as Oxygen and Yates’s come several
clubs. For some serious music try upstairs at Zoo Bar – when
the clock strikes twelve the Big Ben chimes will mix with anthems
from Faithless and Chemical Brothers, along with psychopathic lighting
effects, though the extreme over-crowding makes Filth look spaced
out.
Elsewhere
at the Square Hippodrome is a popular choice, with the recently
launched ‘Cirque’ night on Fridays featuring circus performers and
trapeze artists, whilst Sound and Storm (avoid this
one) churn out mainstream urban R&B and hip hop to the masses. Equinox
remains a favourite, somewhat resembling Brookes Student Union
in providing a fun party venue, where I recently saw ‘3 of a Kind’
spontaneously hit the stage to showcase their infectious chart-topper
‘Baby Cakes’. Entrance to these Leicester Square clubs is £8-12.
It’s
clear where Oxford’s Green Bar gets its exclusive and upmarket (or
should I say pretentious and ‘wannabe-rah’) aura from – London is
littered with classy venues. If this is your scene, and money’s
not a problem, then the Pitcher & Piano bar on Liverpool
Street and various venues around Bloomsbury Square are a
haven for investment bankers, leading solicitors… and of course
gold- diggers.
From
there you could head to Mayfair’s Funky Buddha, featuring
dancing dwarfs et al, or Attica in Soho, where the funky
music has a Latino edge but the immense privilege (note the sarcasm)
of sitting at a table goes into hundreds of pounds. Across the road
from Attica is Tantra, a utopian world of white silk-laden
beds, first-class DJing, and a permanently-grinning crowd aspiring
to be the FashionTV clientele on the screens above them. For true
class Roof Gardens brings a slice of Africa to Kensington,
providing a spacious open-area party high above the ground.
Entrance
to these venues is typically £15, and that’s before extortionately
priced drinks. Furthermore be warned if you’ve been infuriated with
places like Baby Love only letting in mixed sex couples or being
not let into Oxford clubs in trainers. Bizarre door policy, with
staff on some self-important power-drive means that even if you’re
on the guestlist they can refuse you entry for any random reason
(“Is it ‘cos I is Black?”, “Yes”). Also if you’re lured into thinking
you’ll have the Beckhams sipping champagne on your left and Beyonce
with Jay Z on your right then you’ll probably be disappointed.
If
you’re into hardcore underground music rather than champagne and
chocolates then Fabric is a must, bringing some of the biggest
names in the business every weekend. Scratch Perverts, Joe Ransom,
Grooverider and Andy C will all be at the massive venue with a 5am
finish on Friday 20th August; entrance £12 (£10 NUS). Meanwhile,
later this month the legendary Ministry of Sound on Gaunt
Street will be showcasing the likes of Artful Dodger, Steve Sutherland
and Dave Pearce for £15 max. Another leading venue is The End,
with regular DJs including Steve Lawler and Bushwacka.
Obviously
the capital caters for everyone - dwarfing what OFS and Coven II
can offer, if you’re a fan of gay nightlife there’s over 130 venues
in the city, with Soho being the well-known epicentre with popular
venue G-A-Y. For students KCL’s campuses provide various
bars including Waterfront and Penthouse, along with
cheese-heavy club Tutu’s, whilst LSE’s Crush is the
place to be on a Friday night at a bargain £3, though you need student
ID.
And
finally if you’re simply fed up with clubbing, why not try Ronnie
Scott’s in Soho, one of Europe’s premiere jazz clubs. Whatever
takes your fancy, London has something to offer you, and it can
make a refreshing change from the standard Oxford nightlife scene.
How
to get there:
The
Oxford Tube leaves as frequently as every 10-15 minutes on Saturdays
and hourly through the night at £11 max for next day return, with
ten stops in Oxford and five in London - Shepherd’s Bush, Notting
Hill Gate, Marble Arch, Victoria and Hillingdon.
Booking
in advance at Megabus.com can give you bargain seats from
just £1.50 single; departing at Oxpens Coach Park and arriving at
London’s Gloucester Place.
For
a comfortable ride the Oxford Espress gives you a more spacious
interior with power sockets, leaving every 15 minutes or so during
the day and on the hour at night at £11 for next day return. There’s
seven bus stops in Oxford and Hillingdon, Baker Street, Marble Arch
and Victoria in London.
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