Hot new Dalston night Handsome comes to join courtesy of promoters Martyn Fitzgerald and Toby Grimditch, combining quality uplifting, deep, vocal house with a crowd that befits the name. Cliff Joannou chats to the Handsome head honchos…
Handsome. Give us a snapshot of what the concept of the club is all about…
Martyn: As it always is for Handsome: US house from its origins up until now. Deep, uplifting vocals, the sounds that were coming out of Chicago and New York in the 80s & 90s, and music today that has grown out of that.
Toby: Simply, it’s the best US house music you will hear in London. Handsome is about going back to the glory days of the gay party… celebration of men, music and good times.
Martyn: Without sounding like a fossil, it’s the kind of house I don’t hear enough of in gay clubs these days: positive, happy, with a focus on the music. Dancing your tits off and having a hoot with like-minded people.
“Dancing your tits off and having a hoot with like-minded people.”
Visions is a relatively new venue on the gay scene… describe it to those unknowing gays who’ve yet to experience it.
Martyn: It’s bang in the middle of Dalston and has been there since before most of us were out partying – Toby excepted, of course. It’s great. It was there in the 80s and has that decade’s feel still. The guy who runs it, Eddy, is still there twenty odd years later. It’s a big, dark basement that suits being filled with hot and Handsome boys.
Toby: Visions says what it does on the tin… It is not pretentious, and the perfect place for a party… small enough to be intimate and big enough to get you very excited.
We’re already wetting our knickers. Describe your ultimate Handsome man…
Martyn: John Waters’ mind, Joe Dellesandro’s torso, Jon Kortajarena’s hair, James Franco’s face, Usain Bolt’s pins and Chad Hunt’s schlong. That actually might look like one weird motherfucker!
Toby: In no particular order or piece… I would like a stir-fry of Paul Newman, George Clooney, Chris Isaak, Jon Erik Hexum and Jean Marc barr. All sewn together in any order they want.
• Handsome is at Visions Video Bar (588 Kingsland Road, E8 4AH) on Saturday 23rd February, 10pm-5am.
