'01, Bar Latino, Po Na Na, The Level,
Hubba Hubba @ Dojo, Bristol Academy
‘01
Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood is certainly no stranger to club Creation as this popular, packed-out event proved! The hip-hop dj attracted huge crowds outside, with queuing time well over an hour for some poor individuals!
This is one of many occasions that Westwood has appeared at Creation, mixing the latest hip-hop, RnB and raggae sounds. Gracing the decks for a good 2-3 hours, Westwood had the crowds partying till 4 in the morning!
Westwood’s appearance at Creation (which is part of his UK def jam tour), follows the release of his latest album ‘Westwood volume 3’. Playing some of the hottest urban tracks off his compilation, including crowd pleasers such as N.O.R.E, Cam’ron and Busta Rhymes, the dance floor was kept busy all night!
A cool night out for hip-hop and RnB fans, with a blend of both commercial, (Britney included-what’s that all about?!) and underground flavas.
With a buzzing atmosphere and just £5 to get in, the entry fee didn’t break the bank too much either. Previously, Westwood events have charged a higher entry fee, similar to Trevor Nelson events such as Rhythm Nation.
Well if the turn-out is as impressive as this each time Westwood comes to town, then the £5 entry is definitely a good idea- just expect a long queuing time, both outside and at the bar!
Other RnB Nights
BAR LATINO
Every other wednesday at Bar Latino presents ‘Explicit’, with DJs Squire, Lekan, Mac 3 and Tru Playa. Music is RnB, Hip-Hop and UK Garage, 9pm- 3am.
It’s good news for ladies as it’s free before 11, otherwise a £4 entrance fee and £1 off with a flyer. This ‘student friendly venue’ as the flyer suggests is usually home to some of the best drum ‘n’ base and funky house nights in Bristol. It’s a cool club, with a funky cave interior and outdoor terrace. (Perfect in summer!)
‘Explicit’ has just recently been launched at Bar Latino, so we invite all urban music fans to come show their support! Next scheduled event is wednesday 6th November, a GARAGE SPECIAL with Djs Lekan and Harry!
Bar Latino is located on St Stephens Street, off Corn Street, near the centre.
PO NA NA!
Providing tough competition for Bar Latino is club Po Na- Na, which also hosts its very own RnB and Hip Hop night each and every wednesday.
The venue is tres cool, with a good atmosphere and vibe. Being located underground, with a small dance floor and bar area, the club has an intimate feel to it, especially with the classy chill-out section, complete with soft-lighting, candles and comfy seating!
Alcohol is reasonably priced, but their are often special offers to take advantage of on certain bottled drinks!
Music is provided by some of Bristol’s finest Dj’s such as Mix Master M. Door entry is £4. Po Na Na is situated on Queens Road near the Clifton Triangle.
THE LEVEL
Saturday night at the level equals RnB and Hip Hop, ranging from old skool to new skool. The club consists of two levels, with the dance floor downstairs and the more relaxed bar and seating area upstairs. However you’ll be very lucky to grab a seat on one of the leather sofas, as it does get busy!
Not being one of the larger clubs in Bristol, the dance floor does tend to get very crowded, so expect to have gyrating bodies nudging at your side constantly, and the odd elbow meeting your face!
Well they say that size doesn’t always matter, and although the Level is smaller than clubs such as Creation and the Bristol Academy, its reputation as being a classier venue means higher prices for booze. Much more costly than your average student night out!
Doors open at 10 and the night ends at a disappointing 2. Admission is £7. The Level is located on Park Row, near the top of Park Street.
- Alice Barnard
Hubba Hubba @ Dojo
Blink and you’d miss this club. However, size isn’t everything! If you do find the door, you’re in for a treat. As you walk down the steps into this dark red atrium the chilled atmosphere immediately hits you. The music is fantastic; laid-back beats which fall into the categories of hip hop, disco, funk and old skool. The layout consists of one room split into three sections - bar, dance floor and seating area. This means if you are sitting down you have to fight your way across the dance floor to get a drink, but it is a great way of making new ‘friends’. The place is stylishly furnished with red walls, red leather seating, lighted by red candle lamps (erm... it’s very red) and oh... golden buddhas too! Get there early to take full advantage of the drinks promotion, which includes pints for £1.50 (‘til 12) and Tequila shots for£1.00 (all night).
Once the pubs have closed and the students have arrived, the tempo speeds up. The break dancers clear the floor and wow the crowd with their body-popping, head-spinning manoeuvres. The DJ scratches to perfection and is accompanied by free styling MCs.
Good points: The padded walls protect you when you have had too many tequilas.
Bad points: Getting up for your lecture the next morning!
What do I wear? Whatever you want.
Can I afford to get in? Yep, it’s only £3 with NUS.
What time will I get home? After 2am.
- Kelly Ellis
A New Term at Bristol Academy
Thought your school days were over? Wish you could return and go back to the best days of your life? Well, now you can at the Academy every month when they hold their ‘Please Sir’ Back to School Disco. Emma Phillips went along to see if it really is anything like those school gym-room dances...
After the long summer break the masses are returning to Bristol, and bringing a host of new blood with them. So, for all you Freshers out there, and so that us oldies have an excuse to get back into the swing of things, we've been out to sample one of Bristol's most famous nights, the 'Please Sir!' back to school disco at Bristol Academy.
As it happened we were lucky to get in last Saturday night. As we approached the Academy, trekking up that hill (short as it is, it always proves un-negotiable, especially when coming down it after a few too many), we encountered a whole year group coming the other way. Evidently, 1900 of the £8-a-piece tickets had been sold for the event and people were being turned away at the door. This proved to be in our favour though, by practically eliminating the usual 45-minute queue outside. Unfortunately, it did nothing for the queue at the bar. Drinks can be expensive, as you might expect for a Saturday night in town. Bottles cost about £3.10, although they do have a couple of offers each night, and we appreciated the delights of vodka & shark (a Red Bull equivalent) for £2, along with a couple of selected shots for £1.
Heading to the dance floor, and all you can see is a white-crested wave of school shirts, bobbing away to a mix of 80's cheese, including hits such as Tiffany's "I think we're alone now" and Wham's "Wake me up", interspersed with more modern tracks like S Club's "Don't stop moving". As you might predict from the recently high sales of school disco compilation albums, the music proved popular amongst all, with Karoline, 19, UWE student claiming "the mix of tunes keep you on the dance floor all night". For Mike, 18, UWE student, "the entertainment on stage provided atmosphere, bringing the crowd together." That'll be the group of dancing girls picked from the audience then! Or maybe the scantily clad school nurse! There are a variety of favourite characters working the crowd from the stage: the cheeky schoolboy Tommy Tucker behind the decks, the moody adolescent Zammo skulking across the stage, fag in hand and of course the dishy headmaster, complete with cane for all those naughty boys and girls!
Putting everyone back in school uniform creates a great party atmosphere with the thrill of dressing up and the embarrassment of making your way into town in your short skirts and painted on freckles, with the bus driver joking about what sort of fair to charge you. Of course, the dress code also fuels a lot of fantasies, and as men are nostalgically reminded of their pre-pubescent days it is as though they have to overcompensate for their lack of knowledge during their childhood by grabbing every opportunity (i.e. woman) they see. Boys grow up? You must be having a giraffe!
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