Shake Shake Launch at Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes

Shake Shake Launch at Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes

28 October, 2008
by: Lowri

Occasionally, vintage nights can take themselves a bit too seriously. 

London is awash with nights such as these. If your threads aren't 'genuine pre-50's dah-ling' and your look is less authentic, more cobbled together, collage-of-the-decades-charity-shop-chic, then you attract a certain disdain from your well-heeled, ruffle-necked, plum-lipped compadres.  

Shake Shake is your breath of fresh air. It's basically a massive, hectic, throw-yourself-around-being-silly kind of night with a 50's theme. No pretensions. No attitude. Amazing tunes. A veritable playground to dance to them in. The setting is the simply divine Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes. Bowling is retro in itself and when you open up the lanes to an entire club full of kids wearing polka-dots and a smile then you're bound to invite jubilation. 

Shake Shake is organized by a mix of promoters; Man Make Music, We Like You and Production London Presents (which is run by the folks at Bang Records). Tonight is their launch and they've employed the immense talents of live breaks outfit the Freefall Collective to play, plus bang Records funk-hip hop aficionado Mr Doris. 

Both are adept at keeping the dancefloor at a hysterical level - which is exactly what they do. The Big Lebowski is playing on the massive screens behind the lanes (obviously), 50's pin-ups in red lippie are bowling badly, teddy boys are twisting and shouting, glamour pusses are sprawled on the leather sofas necking cocktails. Shake Shake is a raging success. 

The whole atmosphere tonight is excited and hysterical; the crowd are pretty young but that's a good thing. No too-cool-for-school techno snobs on K. Everyone dances like there's no tomorrow and swans around in bowling shoes. And that's what clubbing's about – not posing, or looking good – but getting sweaty and laughing with your mates all night. They are also doing a New Year Eve Party here which is very, very tempting. If you book this month it's only twenty quid. Shake it like it's Tropicana people… Did I mention there's a hot tub?

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Lowri