If you’re anything like me, you find the amount of choice for New Year’s Eve in London both thrilling and daunting. Every venue worth its salt knows it’s a big night and puts something a little bit special on for it. So how do you pick? Well, budget, musical taste and willingness to travel all play a part, but to help you narrow it down somewhat we’ve picked some of the most interesting-looking nights out there.
In no particular order:
1. A Vintage New Year’s Eve Party
Southbank; £80 for dancing only, £139 including three course meal; 7pm – late
There’s probably something for everyone at this night which has several pop-up clubs which pay homage to a different decade. It starts with the 1920s and you can find music of every age right through to the 90s with live music and special vintage-British-themed food and drink throughout the evening.
2. Callooh Callay Fairground
£15-25; from 6 pm
With candy-floss, alcoholic slushies and popcorn this is Callooh Callay’s take on an adult fairground. They are well known for their playful and inventive cocktails and you can expect a similar thing from them for a special night like this. For tickets and more info:
http://www.calloohcallaybar.com/events/nye-callooh-callay-fairground/
3. Eastern Electrics
£35-50 pounds; 9 pm – 6 am
If you’re a ravehead and like your nights out to take you dancing into the wee hours, then Eastern Electrics are doing a night for you. Taking place at the Coronet, a fantastic venue, they have Joy Orbison heading the line up as well as Eats Everything and a whole host of other names. Plus a bit of a church theme… Not for the fainthearted.
http://www.residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?396713
4. Disappearing Dining Club
£15 pounds, dancing only to 95 pounds for the whole shebang; 7pm – 5 am
If you’d like the food to take centre stage, then take a peek at the Disappearin Dining Club’s offering. They are doing a 5 course dinner, complete with complimentary cocktail and, as is usual with supper clubs, communal dining. Once the feasting is over, there’s dancing till dawn over two floors. You can go for the meal, for canapes, or just for the dancing.
http://www.disappearingdiningclub.co.uk/newyearseve/
5. Catch
£8-10 pounds; 9pm – 4am
If you just want a fun night out that won’t break the bank, then you could do a lot worse than Catch. They’ve got two floors playing a wide range of music so there’s something for everyone – House, Hip hop, Disco, Reggae… you get the idea. And best of all, tickets are only 8 pounds in advance or 10 on the door (if they haven’t sold out)
https://www.facebook.com/events/130166173807260/
6. The Book Club
£15-20 pounds; 8pm – 4am
The Book Club have established themselves as a go-to place for a fun night out but with a twist. This year they’re putting on what sounds like a right laugh with a bit of an East End theme (pie and mash stall, cockney rhyming slang competition, appropriate dress-up is encouraged – Pearly Kings & Queens, the Krays…). They’ve got a massive line up covering swing and jazz, hip-hop and dancehall, not to mention kazoos and a few numbers on the club’s piano! This will be popular and earlybird tickets have already sold out.
https://www.facebook.com/events/173093206164120/
7. Evans and Peel Office Party
£ 85 From 5 pm till… past midnight at least!
Another one for the foodie-minded, Evans and Peel are hosting an ‘office party’ for their Detective Agency and you’re invited! Entry is by appointment only and includes some bubbly and an amuse bouche before a three course dinner and a bit of live music to see you into the New Year. WE’re sure the cocktails will be flowing as well.
8. Animal Party
£35; 9pm – 4 am
What could be better than a party on a boat… dressed like an animal? Well, nothing of course! This is being held on the MS Stubnitz and is brought to you by the people behind The Last Tuesday Society who have a reputation for putting on decadent and hedonistic balls. This one is animal themed, normally to raise money and awareness for animal charities, though this one is helping to restore the ship on which it takes place. Expect live music, cabaret type acts, DJs knocking out banging tunes and some silly stuff like vegetable animal making.
http://theanimalparty.com/index.html
And what about if you’re not into New Year’s Eve but still like a party? Then why not go out on New Year’s Eve Eve or earlier?
9. Buttoned Down Disco
Free before 10 pm; 9pm – 3:30am
Buttoned Down Disco do a F*ck New Year’s Eve part every year. All of their parties are invite only, which simply means that you have to go to their website and sign up. They play a mix of indie and pop though they might throw in some dubstep or whatever else is hot at the moment. You can expect more of the same with a few balloons and whatnot to make it feel more festive. More details here:
http://www.buttoneddowndisco.com/events/fnye.htm
10. Antichrist
From £23; 8pm – 6am
And for the really adventurous among you, Antichrist are also hosting a Not New Year’s Eve Party on the 28th. This fetish night kind of lives up to your expectations of fetishy people by playing rock and goth music, but they also play Industrial music, and have a room with 80s and electro music and you can expect some eye-popping live acts (Grindshow Massacre and Satan’s Strip show!). There’s also a couple of kinkier areas for those that fancy experimenting, but it’s discreet and you can avoid them completely if you just want to go for the music. Dress code is enforced but it’s not that strict. As long as you make a bit of an effort to look a little out of the ordinary – wearing black is a safe option – then you’ll probably be allowed in. But where’s the fun in that?
http://clubantichrist.com/ac/index.php/events/next-event
Written by Jamina Ward ginglelistseverything.blogspot.com