Blood And Velvet Fliers - April 2008 onwards

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Location

Getting there and back by public transport ...

Frequent direct trains to Streatham station, opposite the Bedford Park, run on the Thameslink line from Bedford and Luton via, amongst others, West Hampstead, Kentish Town, King's Cross and London Bridge. Starting from London Bridge, there are other direct trains (West Croydon, for example) and it's just 20 minutes to the Bedford Park. If you're passing near Victoria station, you might want to try going to Streatham Hill station from there as it's a much shorter journey (15-20 min) but it's a longer walk from the station to the Bedford Park (turn right out of the station, cross the road, past the cinema, 5-10 mins). Tooting Bec Northern Line tube station is a slightly longer walk again (or take the 249 bus).

Bands will generally finish in time to catch a train or the tube back to other parts of London if you wish to get home early or go on somewhere else. Going back to Victoria or London Bridge stations and beyond later, the latest trains are just before midnight but other stations nearby run all through the night to Victoria, Waterloo or London Bridge.

Also, there are the usual buses (50, 109, 118, 133, 159, 201, 249, 255, 319, 333, G1, P13), night buses (N133, N137, N159) and 24 hour buses (57, 250).

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About Blood And Velvet

IMPORTANT NEWS for 2009: The DJs at Blood and Velvet have decided that, until further notice and unless there is a band playing for us, for those people who are suitably dressed for the occasion and either have a flier or a membership card of an affiliated group, the entrance will be FREE! The doorman's decision is final.

Blood and Velvet is a club night run on a non-profit basis by Psychozombie and Alcuin, Psychozombie's partner, where none of the organisational team gain any profit from organising the club. We run the club to give people somewhere to listen to music they like, sometimes see bands they like, dance, drink and socialise in an attractive venue with excellent transport links to other areas of London. The non-profit basis of the club means DJs who work on the night will be paid based on the night's takings, door security staff will be paid, bands will be paid, promotion printing costs and materials will be paid and any remaining takings will be saved to allow Blood and Velvet to hire bigger bands for future nights or put towards further promotions of Blood and Velvet. Any losses on a particular night will be paid for by Alcuin and/or Psychozombie, and those losses recorded and then returned to them from later nights.

Alcuin has handed over a lot of the planning of Blood And Velvet to Psychozombie, who has more time to devote to planning events and liaising with DJs and bands. Some of the actual implementation, once plans are agreed, may still be done by Alcuin. However bands and DJs wishing to play at Blood And Velvet should contact Psychozombie in the first instance because she is currently organising and planning the future calendar. Psychozombie will then liaise with Alcuin and the existing Blood and Velvet team of DJs and other people affiliated to the club, as required.

Psychozombie can be contacted at psychozombie@hotmail.co.uk and Alcuin can be contacted at bloodandvelvet@ntlworld.com, if necessary. Please do not be overly surprised if you send an e-mail to Alcuin then get a reply from Psychozombie.

To join the mailing list for news of Blood and Velvet and special events, simply send a blank e-mail to psychozombie@hotmail.co.uk.

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September 1st 2008

A triple celebration at B&V in September. It's DJ Hawkmoon's birthday, it's Jack Daniels' birthday and the local constabulary (bless 'em) have permanently closed down the rowdy R'n'B nightclub next door to the Bedford Park! (When one leaves the Bedford Park in the early hours nowadays, it's so quiet by comparison.)

Additional entry price discount for LGMG members. Also, because it's his birthday, DJ Hawkmoon is supplying a case of red wine for this Blood and Velvet - first come, first served.

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May 8th 2008

May's B&V takes place once again at our new venue, The Bedford Park in Streatham. With friendly staff, quick and easy transport to central and northern London from Streatham rail station, Tooting Bec tube (Northern Line) or via numerous buses, a self-contained venue with its own bar and separate toilets and no more being forced to close early! We know some people who live near the Old King's Head may be put off by the fact that we have now joined many other clubs "south of the river" and they have to travel to get there but we hope they will still make the effort of the 30 minute train journey from King's Cross or Kentish Town stations. By the way, there are trains running all through the night from near Streatham northwards to King's Cross St Pancras and beyond.

As usual, DJs start at 8pm and there's £1 off with a flier until 11:30pm. Closing time is, as usual, about an hour or so after everyone stops buying lots of drinks at the bar (generally anytime between 4am and 6am).

We had a good first night at April's B&V, the first at the Bedford Park where DJ Hawkmoon made his B&V debut. Our thanks to all who came and made it a great night, particularly those who took the trouble to travel from North London and even Essex and Hertfordshire.

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March 24th 2008

April's B&V takes place at our new venue, The Bedford Park in Streatham. Why? Friendly staff, quick and easy transport to central and northern London from Streatham rail station, Tooting Bec tube (Northern Line) or via numerous buses, a self-contained venue with its own bar and separate toilets and no more being forced to close early! We know some people who live near the Old King's Head may be put off by the fact that we have now joined many other clubs "south of the river" and they have to travel to get there for a change but we hope they will still make the effort of the 30 minute train journey from King's Cross.

As usual, DJs start at 8pm and there's £1 off with a flier until 11:30pm. Closing time is, as usual, about an hour or so after everyone stops buying lots of drinks at the bar (generally anytime between 4am and 6am).

We had an excellent final night at the Old King's Head last friday with the three DJs playing great sets. Numerous extra visitors came along, some new and some who haven't been seen there for months, to say goodbye to the old venue. Our thanks to all who came and made it a great night, particularly our guest DJ from Betty Ford Clinic, Psyche.

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March 8th 2008

March's B&V includes Psyche from Betty Ford Clinic. There are no bands on so the dance floor will be enlarged and the stage will be a seating area.

DJs start at 8pm and there's £1 off with a flier until 11:30pm. Closing time is, as usual, about an hour or so after everyone stops buying lots of drinks at the bar (generally anytime between 2am and 6am). Due to a change of management (not the same scenario as the Dev so don't take it out on the new management please, it's not their fault), there is no food at present and discount cards are no longer valid. However, all drinks prices dropped by around 10 per cent anyway!

This will be the last Blood and Velvet at The Old King's Head. We will be moving south of the river to the Bedford Park in Streatham from April 2008 onwards.

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February 10th 2008

February's B&V includes Doctor Dave from Dr Fells. There are no bands on so the dance floor will be enlarged again and the stage will be a seating area once more.

DJs start at 8pm and there's £1 off with a flier until 11:30pm. Closing time is, as usual, about an hour or so after everyone stops buying lots of drinks at the bar (generally anytime between 4am and 6am). Due to a change of management (not the same scenario as the Dev so don't take it out on the new management please, it's not their fault), there is no food at present and discount cards are no longer valid. However, all drinks prices dropped by around 10 per cent anyway!

January's B&V was one of the best ever attended and gave a bit of a shock to the new managers who had heard of goth nights but were unsure what they had let themselves in for. As usual, we all danced and drank our way through the night to Patricia's and Robert's excellent sets mixed in with our residents, Psychozombie and Jussard. Because we're all such a wonderful group of polite, well-behaved and beautiful people, the manager wasted no time in inviting us back for February. See you there.

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January 4th 2008

January's B&V includes veteran Devonshire Arms DJs Robert and Patricia. There are no bands on so the dance floor will be enlarged again and the stage will be a seating area once more.

DJs start at 8pm, a good menu of cooked food (including vegetarian options) is available at the bar until 9pm and there's £1 off with a flier until 11:30pm. Closing time is, as usual, about an hour or so after everyone stops buying lots of drinks at the bar (generally anytime between 4am and 6am). Don't forget to ask for an OKH food and drink discount card at the bar (please note, this discount card does not apply to entry to Blood and Velvet).

December's B&V was an excellent pre-holiday event. Sinbad, Paul Sticks and Penfold's Nemesis all played great sets, for which we thank them, and were supported as ever by our residents, Psychozombie and Jussard.

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November 30th 2007

November's B&V was beset by sound dificulties for Trash Monroe as the venue PA had blown earlier in the week. But they persevered with us and, even without being able to hear herself over the rest of the band, Melany sang an excellent set including Alcuin's personal favourite, Happy Halloween. The sound balance halfway back from the stage was absolutely excellent and the band actually sounded a million times better than they thought they did. Our thanks go out to the whole of Trash Monroe for not pulling out when everyone would have understood if they did.

Guest DJs Gummi Bear and Cinders played ecclectic and original sets that had people dancing to songs they haven't heard for a while. These were worked around the thoroughly enjoyable mix of goth, trad goth and 80s in the sets of Psychozombie and Jussard, who between them kept people on the floor until the early hours.

Decmeber's B&V falls just before the Winter Solstice, which begins at about 6am on the 22nd, just around the time B&V closes. There are no bands on at all - no late bookings either this time. Instead we have three guest DJs: Sinbad, Paul Sticks and Penfold's Nemesis. The dance floor will be enlarged and the stage will return to being a seating area once again. See you there.

DJs start at 8pm, as usual, a good menu of cooked food is available, including vegetarian options, at the bar until 9pm and there's £1 off with a flier until 11:30pm. Closing time is, as usual, about an hour or so after everyone stops buying lots of drinks at the bar (generally anytime between 4am and 6am).

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November 10th 2007

October's B&V was another good night and we really enjoyed the FIRST EVER gig from the National Socialites. DJ Madderz played excellent sets as a newcomer to B&V and DJ Gummi Bear played his usual ecclectic mix of old, new and "good but obscure" goth and more. DJs Psychozombie and Jussard then threw together over two solid hours of non-stop trad goth and electronic 80s that kept people coming back onto the dance floor. DJ Jussard was still too sober by the time we all went home!

Since then, both Psychozombie and particularly Alcuin were semi-incapacitated for the next fortnight by the delightful and persistent cold/flu virus that their friends and workmates so generously donated to them.

November's B&V (16th November) features the absolutely brilliant Trash Monroe onstage at about 10pm. DJs start at 8pm, a good menu of cooked food is available at the bar until 9pm and there's £1 off with a flier until 11:30pm. Closing time is, as usual, about an hour or so after everyone stops buying lots of drinks at the bar (generally anytime between 4am and 6am).

We would also like to encourage all and sundry to come early and "say hello, wave goodbye" (Hmmm ... must remember to request that one!) to DJ Psyche from The Betty Ford Clinic as she is flying out (presumably for a well-earned holiday) fairly early on Saturday but says she'll pop along to Blood And Velvet for a while first. For those who don't know yet, The Betty Ford Clinic re-opens in January 2008 on the 4th friday of each month.

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October 19th 2007

A late addition to the billing for tonight's B&V is a short set by the National Socialites, containing ex-members of Leisure Hive. Due onstage at about 10pm.

September 23rd 2007

September's B&V was a much busier and louder affair than August. Guest DJ Paul Sticks of Dr Fells played excellent sets for which we thank him greatly. New Project played loud and fast and were introduced by our extra guest DJ Gummi-Bear, who regularly DJs with Psychozombie and Alcuin at Poison at the Old King's Head on the first friday of every month. Read an independent review of the night here.

No bands are scheduled to play at October's B&V (19th October) so we'll just be dancing and drinking the night away with DJs Psychozombie and Jussard plus guest DJs Madderz and Gummi-Bear. It will be DJ Jussard's birthday so we're expecting to get him very drunk by the time we all go home!

DJs start at 8pm, a good menu of cooked food is available at the bar until 9pm and there's £1 off with a flier until 11:30pm. Closing time is, as usual, about an hour or so after everyone stops buying lots of drinks at the bar (generally anytime between 4am and 6am).

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September 13th 2007

August's B&V was quieter than usual, as with most clubs that weekend, as a lot of people went to M'era Luna the week before and were either 'clubbed out', broke or both. And some were just on holiday. But a good time was had by all as we played goth and trad goth till the early hours.

However, we're back in force with September's B&V (21st September). Guest DJ is Paul Sticks of Dr Fells and live music will be provided by the excellent New Project, who are due onstage at 10:30pm.

DJs start at 8pm as usual and there's £1 off with a flier until 11:30pm.

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