THE WINNERS & RUNNER-UPS

The Best Clubs of 2010

Seen Queen Club Poll XTRA: Focus on ALEX ERFAN & ALL THINGS ORANGE

The global clubbing scene has not really had its best year perhaps affected by the global recession, internet cruising and the changing gay scene over the years from a social based to profit based business. The increase of gay acceptance in the West also sees many homo-discoers choosing other clubs and activities over the ‘gay scene’ where the need to ‘herd’ for safety and acceptance decreases each year. Saying that, London still stands heads and shoulders above the rest for variety and clubbing from Monday to Sunday. Winning an award on SeenQueen.com not only means that club is the best in London, but also the globe.

2010 has seen mixed fortunes for one of the scene biggest suppliers of club brands…the All Things Orange Group who own clubs at two venues Fire and Area. The changing club environment may have seen cut back across the gay scene, but Fire injected an untold amount of money into redeveloping the main room creating a space worthy of global attention and injecting a new energy into the venue. This renovation alone saw the clubs fortunes change (the Soho club LoProfile also injected money into a new lighting and laser array which impacted on that clubs attendance too. Maybe the way out of a recession is to spend not cut!) The ALL THINGS ORANGE GROUP itself, including independent promoters that utilise their venues, has 6 brands in the top 10 alone. Impressive. And it shows how appreciative the clubbers are of these efforts.

Another change in the groups policy is reinventing their club brands by bringing in different promoters and expanding their club brands…but instead of having everything at Fire, they have started to utilise other venues too. This creates variety with each space able to suite the club that it was intended for and with each new promoter able to inject thier own personality into the club.

Perhaps the single most important person in keeping the club scene fresh, pumping and introducing new brands is Alex Erfan. His name is attached to three of those top 10′s: LoveChild (his own brand, that also won Best Monthly Club), As One (a co-promotion that came runner up in the EVENT category) and WE, the Spanish phenomena that took London by storm in November 2010 and scooped not only the BEST EVENT of 2010 but also the BEST NEW BRAND. You can already see the influence and impact this promoter has had with these three fabulous clubbing brands. Add to that BACK 2 BEYOND (another co-promotion that used the original home of Beyond to create a Saturday night version of this famous afterhours…and the RunnerUp for Best New Brand), THE WEEK (a club he bought over from Brazil to Fire with it’s next event being at the Coronet on 29.1), PERVERT (Italy’s famous club that Alex introduced to London in January 2010), HustlaBall London (the London version of the infamous circuit event) and London Global Dance Festival (the first of it’s kind in London bringing international club brands and DJs to play under all the arches at FIRE)…the impact and influence this man has had is obvious and if it wasn’t for him what would 2010 have been like?

2011 also promises to be an interesting year for Alex. He has introduced Amsterdam bear club Bear Necessity to London, bringing back the Week at the end of January, celebrating LoveChild’s 2nd Birthday at Fire in February and already making plans for HustlaBall London 2010 and London Global Dance Festival 2011.

2011…bring it on!

THE CHARTS

TOP 10 OVERALL:

1. BEYOND AFTER HOURS

Beyond remained the clear favourite from the start of the poll leading most, if not all, of the way. It’s margin continually increased over time and it lead by a clear 60 votes claiming 6% of the entire poll. This is the second year in a row Beyond at AREA has won the not only the Best Weekly Club but Best Club overall it truly remaining London;s biggest and (now literally) the best club.

2. BARCODE SOHO

For a small BAR, Barcode Soho certainly packs a big punch when competing for top spot in the Seen Queen club poll. It came second overall for the second year in a row also scooping the BEST BAR award. It’s down to earth nature perhaps lend greatly to most people nominating it as it’s best bar. It does not fit into the trendy category, or fashionable. It’s to up market to be though of a sleazy or ‘down tempo’, but it’s not up market enough to be considered posh or pretentiousness. A cocktail is as comfortable as a beer, and with some of London’s biggest name DJs, new breed DJs and a small club downstairs that is a favourite with the early evening brigade or pre club posse, Barcode Soho fit’s comfortable with most gay men…which is reflected in it’s winner status.

3. LOVECHILD

LoveChild is a club promoted by Alex Erfan, the man we can salute for being one of the gay scenes most influential promoters, who helped transform and influence London’s gay clubbing 2010 the most. LoveChild was born nearly two years ago at Pacha, but moved to Fire just over a year ago. A monthly club, it helped Fire return to the hearts & minds of clubbers by it’s monthly injection of glamour, attracting a mixed but gAyLIST orientated crowd and used DJs that were outside the main Fire staple bringing a different sound to the club. LoveChild very quickly grew and moved onto Europe too exporting this popular brand to the continent. LoveChild won BEST MONTHLY CLUB award of 2010

4 AM AFTERHOURS

A:M was handed over to Oliver Mohn who was given a free hand at redeveloping the brand. New artwork, a bigger rotation of DJs and a strict door policy saw this clubbing brand transform nearly overnight. The result…AM became ‘gay again’ attracting a hot and hunky, yet still very clubby crowd. This was quickly drawn to our attention, and it was re-listed on SeenQueen.com. This weekly clubbed came RUNNER UP WEEKLY CLUB OF 2010…a magnificent feat considering it has only been about 6 months since it was relisted.

5. WE

What happens when two co- promoters break up…one of them starts his own party with his ‘bigger and better’ ideas and WE was born. This Spanish brand grew quickly and came to London only last November 2010. The opening party was held in the ‘other’ partners former venue ‘The Coronet’. Learning from the mistakes including on how to organise a coatcheck, WE was launched with a big advertising campaign and it attracted the cream of the London scene. WE had something to prove, that they were better than the ‘other brand’…and since this was WE’s only event in 2010, it scooped the BEST EVENT award of 2010, beating overall it’s ‘nearest competitior’

6. SUPERMARTXE

Launched by Logan Presents over two years ago… based on the original Spanish brand… SuperMartXe became an overnight success. With it’s lavish stage shows and big production values it was a gAylisters favourite destination. However, despite the big crowds it has logistical problems which affected the clubs reputation. SuperMartXe came RUNNER UP MONTHLY club…but 6th overall….we believe it’s overall position is reflecting the big problems it had by moving the club to a new venue for it’s 2nd Anniversary…with even longer queues for entry and coatcheck affecting it’s loyal fanbase who loved SuperMartXe but was disappointed by another logistical nightmare and failed on mass to come out and support them in this club poll.

7. AS ONE

The idea was simple….on a bank holiday get together 5 or 6 club brands, make sure they select their best DJS and then come together AS ONE. Queue Alex Erfan (London promoter) and Craig Elder (Fire owner)….and London’s famous Fire club. AS ONE was born on New Years Day 2010 forcing open all of Fires arches to accommodate the thronging party crowd.  This club brand was perfect to reflect the variety of gay tribes that love to club, and placing them under one roof. All the AS ONE parties were brilliant, putting club politics aside and celebrating the diversity the London gay scene has to offer. We feel this is reflected in it becoming RUNNER-UP MONTHLY CLUB, RUNNER-UP NEW BRAND* and 7th overall.

*Please note- the award Runner-Up New Brand was mistakenly given to 'Back 2 Beyond' which actually came in THIRD in the 'New Brand' category. We have now corrected this. AS ONE fell into two categories in 2010 those being 'Event' and 'New' although the 'New' label was mistakenly left off the voting form. Thank you to Disco Matt for pointing out AS ONE was a New Year Day party in 2010 and not a New Years Eve event which makes it eligible for the Best New Brand category. If you feel it is not right to transfer the award to it's rightful owner and labelling As One as 'New' in the voting form would have altered your vote then please get in contact with us.What would the SeenQueen.com club poll be without a little controversy!

8. HARD ON

SeenQueen.com includes several ‘fetish’ type clubs in our listing and HARD ON is a consistent top 10 ten overall club. Hard ON recently labelled itself ‘YOUR DIRTY DANCE CLUB’ further integrating clubbing and fetish into a unique environment that encouraged you to explore your sexuality while at the same time offering  a modern version of ‘fetish clubbing’. Hard ON has a loyal following and this is reflected in it’s overall 8th position.

9. ORANGE.

Orange is one of Fire’s longest running club brands and it consistently does well in the club poll. Held on a Sunday it has its work cut out for it, but under the guiding hand of the Sharp Boys Orange continues to impress with it’s uplifting main floor, it ground breaking RAW room and FatTonnic lounge. It’s been running for years for a reason….and it came 9th overall in our club poll.

10. PROFILE

Profile was an instant hit with trendy Soho drinkers who also wanted a hip-diner styled dining experience. With DJs on Friday & Saturday, being located above it’s big brother club ‘LoProfile’, Profile was always going to be a favourite pre-club destination. Its popularity has grown over the years and coming in 10th overall shows you it’s success as a bar. The crowd and staff are usually well dressed, nice looking and mixed…perfect for the coctail hour or a beer.

TOP 3 WEEKLY CLUBS:

1. BEYOND 2. AM 3. ORANGE

TOP 3 MONTHLY CLUBS:

1. LOVECHILD 2. SUPERMARTXE 3. HARDON

TOP 3 BARS:

1. BARCODE SOHO 2. PROFILE 3. RUPERT STREET

TOP 3 EVENTS:

1. WE 2. AS ONE 3.TRADE

TOP 3 NEW BRANDS:

1. WE 2. AS ONE 3. BACK 2 BEYOND

TOP 3 INTERNATIONAL EVENTS:

1. CIRCUIT FESTIVAL (BCN)  2. LA DAMENCE (BRUSSELS) 3 .RAPIDO (AMSTERDAM)

To view the FULL RESULT…>>CLICK HERE