So after last weeks column where I extolled the virtues of working in Harrogate in 1000 words or less (or perhaps more, I’m not counting), within 24 hours I’d managed to lose my Thursday night residency.
It’s not necessarily bad news for me, as when one door closes another opens, or in my case, 3, in the form of the following exciting opportunities : after getting canned I found 50p down the back of the sofa; on Friday I’ve got meetings with 3 places in town about Thursdays; finally, and I suspect more promisingly, I’ve just bought a scratch card and I’ve got a REALLY good feeling about it. Nevertheless I am inclined to not tempt fate by going on about how awesome it is to work in Harrogate for another week, as I really can’t afford to lose any of my remaining 3 nights (mainly cos I’ve had my eye on an X-Wing pilot’s helmet -full size, wearable- which costs as much as it would to feed myself for 6 months and something will have to give). So should you, this December, see someone begging in the street looking totally awesomely cool in an X-Wing helmet, remember that charity is next to godlyness or something.
Speaking of charity, if, unlike me, you are not feeling the pinch (worth pointing out, whilst “feeling the pinch” I can still pinch much more than an inch, I guess my body is secretly building up a hoard of nutrients to sustain me through the tricky January to April period) and want to get out there and party, there’s a really cool looking charity night on this Saturday:
I alluded to this night in last week’s column and since, hilariously, my phone has just gone off cancelling my (admittedly outrageously charging) Saturday booking for this week, I suspect I’ll be going to “Burlesque without Borders” at The Manhattan Club, this very Saturday the 16th. It’s raising money for Medecins Sans Frontieres and the Alzheimer’s Society, making it a nice way to feel like you are doing some good whilst being bad. Tickets are £7 and all indications are that it will sell out, so I suppose I should make up my mind as to whether I’m going to this to watch some 12 performers ply their saucy trade, or whether it’s another night sat at the end of my bed gently rocking back and forth whilst I imagine all the excellent requests I’d be getting for Rihanna if I was working anymore. www.wegottickets.com has, one would imagine, “got” any tickets that are left for the burlesque night. If however you’d rather I popped round your house to present an intimate “rocking back and forth” show I can do that, for… Lets say a tenner? That won’t be going to charity however, that will be going straight to my dealer who says he’s gonna take my thumbs.
There are occasions at this time of year where I sort of wish I was a bear and could just go into hibernation until easter, but let’s face it, Rihanna isn’t going to play her self is she, so why not come to my Sunday night at Rehab? Increasingly I feel that after listing one of my Dj gigs I should put “While stocks last” or “for a limited time only”… But aside from work I’ve had a lovely couple of weeks celebrating my birthday, and want to publicly thank all of my friends and fam who managed to come out round Knaresborough the other day. It was really good fun and somewhat dampened the crushing emotional pain that fills the rest of my waking hours. Seriously I had a great birthday and thanks for all the messages and cards and that, though I reckon at this rate next year rather than buying me a £2.75 card it might be better for me if you just bought £2.75‘s worth of tinned foods and left it in a bag somewhere I’m likely to find.
Actually, whilst out for my birthday I chanced upon Zoso’s open deck night that I’ve not been to for a few months, and was reminded what a good night it is. Anyone can play if they turn up and register and I heard some great sets, most notably a dubstep set from a guy who’s name I didn’t catch as I was too busy watching 3 fit girls dance, and then Hardcore Dave played some (would you believe) Hardcore Rave, and it was excellent. It’s every Tuesday at Zoso on Union Street and is free to get in and shows that the next generation of djs, at least, are sounding really good!
During a brief period of not feeling sorry for myself, I also went to Retro Bar on Commercial Street recently and very nice it was too. They have their monthly Geek pub quiz there this Friday, and it has a bonus Dr Who round. I lost touch with Dr. Who about the same time as I lost touch with being any good at Djing, but I suspect this is something to do with it’s 40th (or something) anniversary. The Geek pub quiz is one of retro’s strongest nights and since they have done the venue up quite a bit recently would be a good excuse for you to go down and check it out.
Also a place to have a look at is Grape and Graze on Parliament Street. The lovely Danni, who runs it, got in touch with some of their offers. They do 2 for 1 cocktails all week till 7pm, 3 grazing dishes for £12 and any 4 beers for £10. On a Wednesdays they have 2 dine for £20, 4 premium grazing dishes and 2 glasses of wine. It’s nice there, they’ve some ace beers on so if you’ve not had a look yet and are in the area now is a good time. It’s a much needed improvement to a big town center venue that should do well.
Back to charitably goings on, another venue running some manner of charitable shenanigans this week are Viper Rooms, who’s regular Thursday urban clubnight “Y.O.L.O.” is doing some things for the Movember Campaign. For those that don’t know Movember is a thing where in November chaps don’t shave their top lip and grow a mustache, getting their mates to sponsor them and raise money for Testicular Cancer, Prostate Cancer and Mental Health Charities. It’s also meant to promote awareness about the same, which it clearly does, as here we are talking about it. The only downside to this is, as someone who has a mustache generally, realizing that growing one is something normal people would only do ironically for charity. And everyone knows I don’t really like irony, as it always tends to come back and bite me in the ass. As for raising money for charity by looking stupid, all I need to become recognized as the most charitable man on the planet, is for December to be called “Mullet power Menopause relief month” January can become “Stonewash for the Starving month” and February can be “national get fired and live in a box month”. However, in an attempt to curry favor with the gods of irony, I feel certain that March next year will be “give Trev 50 quid cos reading about how bad his life is makes me feel better about my own month”. We could look at bringing that forward if you like.
Finally this week, also at the Viper Rooms, this Friday they have some bird off the X-Factor. Apparently Abi Alton was one of the more favored finalists. The same people who every year say “what a fix I can’t believe that (insert, this year: Abi Alton) got voted off, I’m not going to watch next year” have been saying just that on facebook. Personally, I can’t wait to see who is going to stop those people watching X-Factor next year, definitely, around about this time next year too. Should you wish to go to this mammoth cultural event, entry is £5 or for £8 you can meet her. She’s quite fit in a “girl next door” way, but I have absolutely no idea what her music sounds like as you cant hear that on a google image search, and I don’t like to watch programmes like X-Factor for fear of falling off my high horse.
On-wards, here are this week’s ACTUAL LISTINGS:
THURSDAY 14th November
Viper Rooms Nightclub, Y.O.L.O. R’n’B night for Movember Campaign.
Charlies Bar, live music from Liam Grey, free entry.
Rehab Nightclub, free entry, £2.50 drinks all night with Dj Tex.
Blues Bar, Live music with The Resonators, Free entry.
The Alexandra, Live music, free entry.
Christies Bar, Pub quiz with Sean McGrath.
FRIDAY 15th November
Viper Rooms, X-Factor Finalist Abi Alton. Entry £5 or £8 VIP meet & Greet.
Retro Bar, Geek pub quiz with bonus dr who round.
Rehab Nightclub, “Electro Circus” dance Night downstairs. Upstairs live music with Unity Reggae band + dj.
Grape & Graze, Acoustic Night with Aaron Bertenshaw, Biz Denton, Toby, James Hughes + more.
The Blues Bar, live music from The Early Mac Band. Free entry.
Moko Lounge nightclub, “Frat house Party”.
SATURDAY 16th November
The Manhattan Club, “Burlesque without Borders” charity night.
Grape & Graze, live music every Saturday, 8.30pm. Followed by Dj Paul Brez.
Charlies Bar, live music from Broken Empire. Free Entry.
The Blues Bar, live music with The Jed Thomas Blues Band, free entry.
Moko Lounge nightclub, “Risque”, house night. Robert Amllinder & Alex Simmons, main room, house and electro. Leon Hithchen, VIP Room, R’n’b.
Revolution Bar, front bar Dj Tex (Soul & R’n’B), main room Disco Dave (upfront dance and chart) free entry.
Rehab nightclub, Rock music upstairs from Your Dj Pieman, Downstairs, dance music with Dj Wayne & James. Free entry.
Vipers Rooms Nightclub, Chart & house music, Dj Jay Collins upstairs, downstairs Dj Angel Lee playing guilty pleasures and feel good music, free entry before 11pm.
Christies Pub, Sean McGrath’s Cheesy disco, free entry.
SUNDAY 17th November
The Alexandra Pub, Live music at the Sunday Soundcheck acoustic night. Free entry.
Rehab nightclub, Dj Trev (while stocks last), sort of request night, but only for polite people. Other people can just sit in the corner looking unhappy whilst checking their watches knowing it’s only a matter of time until Dj Trev is gone. Free entry.
Viper Room’s Nightclub, Peek-a-Boo Urban night.
Blues Bar, live music in the Afternoon from The Owterzeds. The Narcs in the evening. Free Entry.
Fat Badger , Cold Bath Road, Pub Quiz.
MONDAY 18th November
The Alexandra Pub Quiz, with Dj Pieman.
The Harlow Inn, Otley road, Pub Quiz.
Zoso Bar, Dj Max & Rum Chaser, house music.
Blues Bar, open mic session with Pete Oliver including Aaron Bertenshaw acoustic, free entry.
Moko Lounge nightclub, Karaoke..
TUESDAY 19th November
Zoso Bar, Union Street, Electro Jam, open decks sesh.
The Tap n’ Spile pub, folk night.
The Blues Bar, live music with The Keith James, free entry.
Moko Lounge Nightclub, “Skint” main room upfront dance and electro, VIP Room Rock Box Rock night Dj Jaye Selway.
Revolution Bar, “Back to Rev’s” House Night, Dj’s Tex & Sixus.
Coach and Horses Pie and Peas night with proceeds to Martin’s House Children’s Hospice.
WEDNESDAYS 20th November
Rehab nightclub, Dj Pieman playing party music.
The Blues Bar, live music from the Paul Middleton Angst band .
SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION
I do have some stuff up there on Mixcloud.com/djtrevuk, there’s been nothing new for a couple of months as I’ve really been far too busy not being very busy with work, but there are some nice enough efforts on there so you can have a bit listen if you like, alternately, or why not at the same time, you can read some more of my digital scribblings, at my blog facebook.com/djtrevuk and hey! an even MORE unlikely than that eventuality is that I might see you at one of my nights? …. No, thought not…
Thanks for reading, drink responsibly and don’t be loose with your affections.
Trev x x x
