The Black Cap is one of the most happening places to go in Camden, with new manager Jamie Henderson sprucing up the shop and drawing a new crowd into its eclectic range of club nights. We caught up with Mr Henderson himself and one of the undoubted stars of the show, the wonderful Meth, to find out more…
JAMIE HENDERSON
Black Cap Manager
Tell us a little about yourself.
I have worked in gay bars since 2009 if that helps and I now live in the Black Cap.
What were your first thoughts about the Black Cap when you started work there?
Oh, I loved it! The Cap is one remarkable building, one of the oldest gay bars in London and home to so many fond memories to so many people.
How did you go about making this Camden cabaret pub suddenly a ‘go to’ nightlife destination?
We aim to get a balance between new acts and original style talent. There can’t be many places that have a Bear night one day and Miss Jason on stage the next! The important thing for us all here is that we value and respect the history of The Cap and build upon its reputation as the best gay nightspot in North London. I love telling visitors about the history of the business and photographing people with Regina or Mrs Shufflewick. We work hard to make everyone feel welcome.
What’s it like working with Meth and the Family Fierce on a weekly basis?
Meth and The FF are amazing. Meth is the consummate professional, determined and focussed. I get to work with a team of people who are dedicated to bringing drag to a new audience and making it relevant to future generations of LGBT people.
Give us some of the highlights of the Black Cap to look forward to coming up.
Where do we start?! We have some amazing things planned for the next few months, more visits from great American Drag Superstars, our first ‘Rehab’ Eurovision night, the Cap is back in ‘The Camden crawl’ for the first time in three years and a great Pride weekend being planned (all very top secret!)
And finally, what can we get at the Black Cap that we can’t get at any other venue in town?
What you get here with us is probably the most eclectic mix of people you will ever find in a gay business. Every day is different and everyone is welcome. We are more than just a destination venue. To many of our regulars and new visitors we are a second home.
METH
For anyone who doesn’t know, who’s Meth?!
Meth is the extraordinary, Queer-Drag sensation, the Queen of the surreal and bizarre, the mistress of the Meth Lab, member of the Familyyy Fierce and star of Drag Queens of London. She’s aiming to make addicts of you all! Remember kids, drugs are bad. So don’t do drugs, do Meth.
And who is the Family Fierce?
The Familyyy Fierce are a group of queer performance artists and the best of friends. A combination ending up somewhere between an art collective and an American drag family. There’s 8 members at our core: Rubyyy Jones, Miss Cairo, Lolo Brow, Lilly Snatchdragon, Ruby Wednesday, Lady Tena, Bourgeoisie and myself (Meth).
Why does Meth Lab work so well at the Black Cap?
The Black Cap has a wonderful history of being at the forefront of drag performance. I think the Meth Lab works so well there because we are bringing a new generation of drag to London and furthering the cultural and historical legacy of the Cap.
Do you think your brand of cabaret being so popular indicates that people want something new from the traditional?
I think it’s more to do with there being a new audience out there. RuPaul’s Drag Race has brought a new style of drag to the British public which has captured a new and, dare I say, younger crowd’s attention. Drag is becoming a huge part of pop and celebrity culture so of course the young ones are gagging on it. I think my brand is pretty much the closest you can get to the American scene in London and I most certainly have no qualms about capitalising on that niche. That being said, traditional drag is here to stay too!
What’s next for Meth?
I want to go to America for a few months in 2015. After that? World domination.
• Meth’s bi-monthly club night Rehab is back on May 10th with a Eurovision Party special. The inaugural Meth Lab Ball is on May 29th with special guest judge Michelle Visage. And Drag Race Season 6 favourite Bianca Del Rio joins the Meth Lab gang at the Cap on July 10th. www.themethlab.co.uk
• The Black Cap, 171 Camden High Street, NW1 7JY.
