Out and about at London’s coolest queer club

Arti­cle tak­en from The Face Vol­ume 4 Issue 003. Order your copy here.

Tottenham: Spurs, Skepta and a stop on the Stansted Express. You might once have only come through this corner of north London on your way to buying a Billy bookcase (IKEA), a Dyson hoover (Dixons) or some Super Top Twist (Carpetright), but for the past couple of years there’s been a better reason to head there – London’s coolest queer night, Adonis. Shay Malt’s party started off as an occasional rave but has turned into a monthly essential for everyone from the LGBTQ+ community – big bears, trans kids, nu-jocks, scene royalty (Princess Julia), famous (shall remain nameless) fashion designers, XXL-evictees, curious tourists and a smattering of straight allies. In a rare club migration twist, Berliners who normally stick to Berghain, are even heading over to London for a mad one. Adonis does day parties and night parties and always encourages an after-party (it’s also responsible for countless cancelled Sunday brunches and sudden Monday sickies). To celebrate London’s most exciting night, we got the doorman, DJs and dancers of the spirit-rousing club down for some lovely pictures.

What’s so special about Adonis?

It’s like a world unto itself, with its own laws and factions, its own language. It’s wonderful.

What do you love about clubbing?

It’s incredibly pleasant chaos, absolute madness. Escapism. I’m such a fantasist and I feel like a club landscape is the ultimate fantasy. You can do anything and be anyone, do anyone.

What’s your drink of choice?

Cosmopolitan.

What do you do?

I’m a DJ and producer. I’m also a classical soprano and composer.

What’s your clubbing curfew?

I can’t do three days in a row, so I tend to go home before everybody else.

What’s so special about Adonis?

It’s really inclusive, which I love. Shay has me DJ, which I love. I always know I can turn up by myself and there’ll be 50 people that I want to see – some of whom I haven’t seen for six months. It’s always this amazing communal experience.

What do you do?

I’m a fashion designer at the Royal College. I’m doing my MA.

What’s your clubbing curfew?

I’ve stopped going to after parties now. It’s not worth it for me.

What’s your drink of choice?

Tequila. It’s the only one that keeps you awake. The salt, the lime – it’s a game.

What do you love about clubbing?

Clubbing saved me, to be honest. Going out has been a really recent addition to my life. I didn’t start going out until I was about 27 – I could never find a place which suited the way I felt. Now I feel like I can be free.

What’s your drink of choice?

Straight whiskey, on the rocks.

What’s your Adonis anthem?

Anything by Donna Summer.

What do you do?

I just graduated from an art course. I want to make films and sculptures, so I have random jobs that allow me to do that.

What’s your clubbing curfew?

I probably should have one, but I don’t.

What’s your drink of choice?

Probably a negroni. I’m bitter.

What do you love about clubbing?

It’s a great form of escapism, it’s calorie burning (kidding), it’s just silliness. It’s a play area for adults.

What’s your clubbing curfew?

Three days. I don’t like to go past that. I start to lose my energy by then. I like the comfort of doing the door. I get to see everybody as they come in, have a quick chat, check out the people that I fancy. I’ll have some drinks, but I’ll only drink as much as a nice chilled night at the pub.

What’s your drink of choice?

I’ll tell you what I don’t like: I don’t like drinking whiskey, and absolutely no G. Everything else, fine. I’m a sensible person.

What do you love about clubbing?

I DJ at Adonis. I’ve only been DJing for 45 years. I used to love disco lighting. I’d take acid and lie on the floor and watch them. The best clubs have a group of passionate people that go there and get off their nut and dance. I’ve always found the dynamic fascinating. However oddly malfunctioning the mix is, the better.

What’s your clubbing curfew?

I never go home.

What’s your drink of choice?

I’ve worked my way through the whole bar and back again, probably about five times. I’m trying to do a healthy watered down vodka thing with a squeeze of lemon. You always end up back on vodka.

What do you love about clubbing?

Queer clubbing is a space where you can do whatever. Before, I was a pre-op trans person and I’d always have to cover up and hide myself. So clubbing was a chance to let loose. There’s no judgement, everyone’s just having fun.

What’s your clubbing curfew?

It really varies. I’ve just shown my face for a couple hours, or I’ve done until close and then the after party. Usually it depends on the drug situation and how awake I am.

What’s so special about Adonis?

I’ve never been to another club like it in London. Club nights are either quite looks-based, where everyone is pulling a look and peacocking around, or they’re super masc4masc. I think Adonis is a happy medium. You get people who are dressed to impress, but everyone’s sweaty, dancing, having fun, hooking up, whatever. It’s almost democratic. There isn’t a hierarchy.

What do you do?

I’m a filmmaker.

What do you love about clubbing?

The opportunity to dance and meet new people.

What’s so special about Adonis?

I started going to Adonis when certain other nights I’d go to were no longer on, PDA being the main one. So I think the people who went to that gravitated towards Adonis. What makes a space is the people who attend it.

What do you love about clubbing?

It feels quite animalistic. You transcend normal life, responsibilities and stresses, the mundane rigamarole of tradition. You can all be on this level playing field. Sometimes I say that being on a night out feels like a whole other world with its own currency, language, energy and customs. Everyone’s equal and it’s a place based on love and expressing yourself, which I think is a really raw, human need, to dance and be together.

What’s your drink of choice?

At Berghain they have a juice bar with Acai smoothies. I don’t think there’s anything better to keep you going when you’re clubbing than an Acai smoothie.

What’s so special about Adonis?

It came about at a time where nightlife in London was really changing. I remember in my early twenties, being gay and going out, there was cool stuff going on but nothing in the same vein as Adonis. You can go wearing whatever you want – you could wear a pair of slippers and your dressing gown and no one would bat an eyelid. If anything, they’d welcome you even more. It’s for everyone: non-binary, gender queer, femme, all colours. They have this really iconic New Year’s Day party which I went to. It was really fun, and I entered the new decade as I mean to go on: dancing in a white thong. There are more nights like that which have started since 2016. You have Adonis, Chapter 10, Hot Box, Papa Loko, Corner at Fold. It feels like a whole new way of clubbing is happening around London.

What do you do?

I work in an art gallery.

What’s your drink of choice?

I try to stick to vodka.

What do you do?

I project manage construction

What’s your clubbing curfew?

I don’t have one. I’m pretty free and easygoing.

What’s your drink of choice?

I’m an ambassador for Red Stripe.

What do you do?

I’ve recently given up teaching to become a full time DJ again. I’ve had a renaissance.

What’s your clubbing curfew?

1 pm.

What’s your Adonis anthem?

No Way Back by Adonis.

What’s your drink of choice?

Either vodka, apple, elderflower, or rum and ginger.

What’s so special about Adonis?

The first time I went to Adonis was NYD two years ago. There were so many different people from different backgrounds representing the queer umbrella, and there was no judgment, no drama, no issues. It was incredible, the vibe was wild. When we got in there up until we left – even though we didn’t want to leave – it was non-stop. There wasn’t one point where I was bored, and I get bored incredibly easily. The influx of people all brought such a different energy that was always positive.

What’s your Adonis anthem?

Deep Inside by Hardrive.

Guillem Matallanas Riba

What do you do?

I’m a graphic designer and architect.

What do you love about clubbing?

It gives me the opportunity to catch up with a massive number of people that it would be impossible to gather at a dinner party or something. You get to catch up with 50 people. I like the social aspect and obviously the dancing, the sweating. It’s like a ritual — in the beginning it’s more chatty, then at the end it’s this massive body sweating and dancing to the same music. I find this happens in a really magical way, especially at Adonis.

What’s your clubbing curfew?

I’m quite bad at sneaking out before it ends.

Manuel Ramos

What do you love about clubbing?

I like the fact you can escape and go for it, forget the 9 – 5 but also find yourself through it.

What’s your clubbing curfew?

I stopped doing after-parties three years ago, but I’ll usually be there until the end.

What’s so special about Adonis?

It’s not pretentious and everyone can find their corner.

What do you love about clubbing?

Adonis is bringing Berlin to London. For gay clubbing, ten years ago, it got very dull. I started going to Berlin a lot. Shay’s brought a taste of Berlin to Tottenham.

What’s your drink of choice?

Tequila and soda.

What’s your Adonis anthem?

Forever More by Moloko.

What do you love about clubbing?

I love new people, having fun with my friends, and I love techno music.

What’s your clubbing curfew?

I’ll make it to the afters.

What’s your drink of choice?

Vodka Red Bull.

What’s your Adonis anthem?

Work It by Marie Davidson.

What do you love about clubbing?

Adonis in particular — I started going two years ago. I met so many different people that are my best friends now. I wouldn’t have been exposed to that when I first moved to London. It was almost like a gateway into this niche world.

What’s your clubbing curfew?

6am is the limit.

What’s so special about Adonis?

The people that you meet, but there’s also this ritual before you go out: getting ready, you plan your look a week ahead. When you go in there and see what everyone’s wearing. Because it’s every month, you don’t see people for a while and it’s a big event. That adds to the intensity of it.

What do you do?

I’m a DJ. I always like to drop a bit of acid house.

What do you love about clubbing?

What don’t I love about clubbing? It’s somewhere to be able to escape. I love music. Especially in the queer community, it’s a space to be surrounded by like-minded people.

What’s your clubbing curfew?

I’m entirely nocturnal, so there isn’t a curfew.

Drink/​drug of choice?

Mushrooms and a decent margarita.

What’s so special about Adonis?

For me it’s encouraging to see a range of generations and identities thriving in today’s London, sadly that seems too much to ask for these days!

What’s your Adonis anthem?

It’s gotta be that Short Dick Man track by 20 Fingers