When talking about the LGBTQIA+ scene in specific locations in London, one thing needs to be remembered: they all have their own very specific vibes – e.g. Soho is touristy, so that the bars, even the leather bar, are quite “safe”; and Vauxhall offers to be an alternative to Soho, but has venues that are hardly ever regularly open.
And then there’s Dalston that offers a more raw, thus gritty feel… best exemplified by Dalston Superstore.
Una, this place is easy to find, as it’s located along the main road (Kingsland Ave.), and not too far from the Overground station, Dalston Junction (basically: train station).
Ikalawa, the actual place isn’t THAT big, but is more than enough to accommodate a lot of partygoers. There are two floors: the ground floor, where the music is more mainstream, even plastic pop at times (so that people can dance); and the basement, which has less space so that people are more intimate and are closer to each other while swaying to grungier music.
Ikatlo, particularly on the ground/main floor, there are dancers. And, this has to be stressed, they’re atypical – i.e. not stereotypically good looking as you’d see on the ledges in Soho, which adds to Dalston’s queer vibe. But this is the overall feel of the place, so that there’s this sense of countering the mainstream, which is always pleasant considering enforced uniformity in the LGBTQIA+ community. Even their door bitch isn’t bitchy, LOL.
Ika-apat, the pricing is typical sa London. Expect to pay from around £5 per glass or pint of beer. Again, presyong London lang.
And ika-lima, and this is the bummer: this is really only a good or even great place to go to on weekends (or if they have special events, of course), but it could be a bore or even empty on weekdays… though this is typical of non-Soho LGBTQIA+ venues in London.
So… should you drop by? Oo naman! Particularly if you want to see the scene outside of Soho, or partying na hindi very mainstream. Malay mo, magustuhan mo…
Kami, off we go for more LGBTQIA+ rampa…
Dalston Superstore is located at 117 Kingsland High Street, London, E8 2PB, United Kingdom.
