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Dot in the Sky ([personal profile] dotinthesky) wrote2008-10-18 05:56 pm

Angels in Vauxhall


Planet Angels
Originally uploaded by Daisy Flame
When Kevin and I left the apartment yesterday evening, we thought we'd meet some friends in a downtown pub for a quiet night of beer, trays of nachos and chit chat. Never in our wildest dreams would we guess that by 5am we'd be wandering the empty streets of London, pupils so big they took up half of our faces, bodies still warm from dancing at Planet Angel.

We nearly didn't go, but [livejournal.com profile] rosamicula is very good at changing people's minds and making them see the light. So, after a few hours of mellow pub conversation with the [livejournal.com profile] patsy_social, we headed back to Rosamicula's - courtesy of [livejournal.com profile] sarcaustick and [livejournal.com profile] thirstypixel who were in town and willing to drive us - for some food, wine and outfit changes.

Planet Angel doesn't have a fixed address. Every month they throw a party in a different London location. Yesterday's was in Vauxhall, in a venue decorated like a 60s sci-fi film set smoked with hundreds of incense sticks. Bouncers and "carers" wandered around, through a mostly young crowd, smiling at everyone and making sure people were having a good time. Rooms played hard trance, drum and bass or happy house. The latter was my favourite, but it was played in a tiny room used as corridor for the other two main rooms, so one couldn't get lost in the music without someone pushing past on their way somewhere else.

The crowd was mostly young. Really young. As in, I saw groups of 14-year-olds and I wondered how the hell they'd got in. [livejournal.com profile] rosamicula seems to think many were freshers, and she's probably right. I think it's very precocious of 6th form freshers to party like this these days!

Once in a while, in the sea of smooth torsos, pouty emo boys (oh, how [livejournal.com profile] sushidog and [livejournal.com profile] naturalbornkaos would have loved there) and tiny girls in angel outfits, you'd glimpse someone in their 60s, clearly making time there until the outdoors festivals return. A giant poster on one wall, with paint on the floor, encouraged revellers to scribble messages or decorate their own faces. And if anyone felt like getting some rest, there were couches in chill out rooms, videogames, lego and toys to lose oneself in. They even sold food and tea, and occasionally bar staff wandered around with trays of strawberries and grapes.

But despite all this, Kevin and I didn't have enough energy to dive head-first into the night. We tried our best in each room, finding briefly some fun in New Order's "Blue Monday" on the happy house dancefloor, but the feeling never remained. Men kept approaching Kevin and asking him for drugs or lighters. Rosamicula disappeared because she wanted tea and a podium to pound the night away (plus, she seemed to know half the people in there). I was still wearing my work clothes and didn't feel 100% comfortable. So, at 4am, Kevin asked if we could leave.

Outside, London slept and the streets were deserted. We walked past a silent House of Parliament, and it suddenly struck me that I was peaking. I asked Kevin if he felt anything and he jabbered for about 10 minutes on how he wasn't high at all, and how he really could do with some chips, and how there were various places we could catch the night bus, and how he wanted to do some drawing on Saturday, and how he might come to Sushidog and watch X Factor and on and on and on. So cute.

Today, we have been completely useless. We watched Beautiful Thing and Horrible People, and we ate easy fare like oven chips and fish fingers. My lower back has gone to pieces and I keep forgetting what I want to do. I'm surprised I managed to write this post. It must have taken me about two hours, but I can't be sure. What I do know is that the X Factor and some hearty winter food from Sushidog's kitchen will be the perfect way to ease me into the night.

[identity profile] kevyn-kronycles.livejournal.com 2008-10-18 06:17 pm (UTC)(link)
What an interesting and fun night! It's been ages since I've had a night like that...can't recall being up that late for years now.

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2008-10-19 08:37 am (UTC)(link)
It was the same for me. I just don't do that kind of night anymore, unless it involves alcohol.

[identity profile] dilvsy.livejournal.com 2008-10-18 06:29 pm (UTC)(link)
did you take some drug, or did someone slip you something without your knowledge?

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2008-10-19 08:38 am (UTC)(link)
We were high on life. ;-)

[identity profile] muftak.livejournal.com 2008-10-18 07:25 pm (UTC)(link)
I should go to that some time, maybe they will hold it closer to civilization next time.

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2008-10-19 08:38 am (UTC)(link)
You'll love it. And I suspect you'll walk away with two or three pretty girls hanging off your arms. ;-)

[identity profile] desayuno-ingles.livejournal.com 2008-10-18 11:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Awesome! I haven't done anything like that in ages and I couldn't convince Aram to go with me were he here anyway.

[identity profile] desayuno-ingles.livejournal.com 2008-10-19 11:29 am (UTC)(link)
No way. I'm pretty much alone if I want to do the occasional drug. It's why I haven't done anything for over four years.

[identity profile] desayuno-ingles.livejournal.com 2008-10-19 11:40 am (UTC)(link)
Couple-a hits that I didn't enjoy. Or if I did, swiftly came some retribution such as downward shame spiral, passing out within two hours and/or waking up groggy the next day. Ridic.

[identity profile] iejw.livejournal.com 2008-10-20 02:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh my god!

Fucking hippes… Why can’t you just pay a fortune to go to some identikit club run by gangsters and end up in hospital off your face on GHB like most people!

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2008-10-20 05:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Cause I'm not most people!

[identity profile] rag-and-bone.livejournal.com 2008-10-20 06:28 pm (UTC)(link)
you party animal.

[identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com 2008-10-20 06:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Only very occasionally these days.

[identity profile] rag-and-bone.livejournal.com 2008-10-20 07:21 pm (UTC)(link)
it's funny, i like reading about it even though i have no idea what it's like.