QX Magazine

07/07/12: As LGBT London overcame a mire of controversy whilst ‘rediscovering its roots’ (no, not the ‘get-thee-to-a-hairdresser’ kind dears) for a ‘back to basics’ Pride event, QX Club News did what we do best and hit the tiles for a monumental XXL WorldPride bash on Saturday night.

Featuring a rainbow-flag-waving line-up of dazzling party action, a near-capacity crowd of beefed-up blokes got grizzly under the disco lights, demonstrating that, whatever the machinations behind the Pride debacle, when it comes to world-class clubbing, the capital still can’t be beaten.

With a mass of outsize hunks, burly bears, cute cubs and the odd tasty twink flocking to Pulse for four arches of furry thrills, it was pec-to-hairy-pec in the main room amidst a rampaging rush of commercial dance sounds from DJ Christian M, with even more to come from special guest Phil Marriott.

Next door, and retro master, Joe Egg, unleashed a run down of gay anthems stretching back to the day when a rabble-rousing parade of queer pioneers first marched from Trafalgar Square to Hyde Park.

Things have come a long way since then and, whilst having the freedom to get your tits out for Kylie and Rihanna on the dancefloor may not have been the first thing on activists’ minds forty years ago, it’s a freedom for which we’re certainly grateful! XXL is back at Pulse this Saturday with a steamy ‘XXL Leather’ bash – get those chaps out boys!

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Pulse, 1 Invicta Plaza, South Bank, SE1 9UF 
Words by Chris John
Photos by Joel-ryder.com