Heralded the worst nightclub in reality Klute is arguably the best and certainly the messiest. Two or three hours of your week will inevitably take place within its sticky, cramped, sweat-stained interior. Sound nasty? It is, but that’s just part of its intricate beauty. Drenched in S Club, 90s boybands (Gareth Gates on a good night) and much more, the fondest memories of your time at the University will ipso facto be forged here.
Watch out for the dangerously inviting orange and cranberry “Quaddie” and its habitual, iconic closer “That’s Amore”, courtesy of Dean Martin. If you’re looking for love, Klute’s a decent shout but don’t expect to remember much.
The name is suggestive. Airless, deceptively spacious and generally appreciated, but nothing to get overexcited about.Having said this, its signature night ‘346 Mondays’ (shamelessly mainstream, it doesn’t matter) is an incredibly efficient way to start the week irresponsibly. With 346, i.e. 3 trebles for £6, it’s pretty hard to go wrong. You’re likely to stumble around to Shakira, have a boogie to Beyoncé you get the alliterative point; it’s easy to have fun and marginally classier than Klute.
If you fancy yourself as a bit of a hipster, edgier than a Further Maths student’s set square, so to speak, then get down to NOVA. Hosted in Loft every two or three weeks, NOVA is Durham’s House night, attracting decent DJs and beanies in abundance. For the cool kids and often a big three room event. Sickk.
Formerly known by the (slightly better) name of The Market Vaults, WiffWaff is a 600-capacity bar and club venue hidden directly below (you guessed it) the indoor market in Durham’s central square. Spread over two floors, WiffWaff boasts a minimalistic aesthetic and a genuinely stylish décor; with attractive, wrought-iron furnishings and a good few couches.
For most days of the week the bar sticks to its primary purpose: the general enjoyment of people who like, err, table tennis, with a drink in hand. This is particularly true on Sundays, when it’s free to play and pints are 2 for 1. This term, the venue will be playing host to a few new concept-club nights run by Signal, who have built up a reputation doing terrace parties in the city, as well as a new event, Paradise Disco, run by Fever.
Exhausted these? Didn’t take you very long, did it? Fear not! When you’ve hit the Durham Nightlife wall, you’ve got a few options available.
Let’s face it, music was better in the old days With that in mind, Itchy Feet, the nation’s favourite 50s and 60s night, rolls into Loft every term, bringing the Fab Four, Elvis and the Davies brothers in tow. Get your tickets early and you’re in for a treat. Lloyd’s, the bastardised second cousin of nearby Loveshack, is a more than ample substitute when your Student Loan is running low.
Osbourne’s has been known to put on whisper it “live music” events (I know, we’ve never heard of them either), where local and student bands get the chance to do their thing.
And of course, you always have the ever-respectable college bars! Open-mic nights abound give you the perfect opportunity to showcase the fruits of that summer you spent locked in your room learning the opening chords to ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ on the ukulele.
“Loveshack, baby, loveshack!” we hear you cry? In reality, Lloyds’ noisy neighbour bears little resemblance to The B52’s 1989 classic. The hollowed-out VW campervan might have you frolicking around in the back seat with its playful promise of the open highway, but Loveshack is about as middle-of-the-road as they come.
Durham’s ‘clubby club’, if you will, you can expect Radio 1’s latest chart love affairs to be wheeled out on a regular basis. It’s safe, it’s comforting, you know what you’re going to get. If Klute is Falafel Alhana, then Loveshack is definitely Urban Oven. Particularly recommended on a Wednesday night, when the Sport socials are out. Especially if you have a fetish for chinos.
We know what you’re thinking. “I’ve come to leafy, laidback Durham to get away from the hubbub, the incessant clamour, and commotion of the big city, why would I dream of heading out on the Toon?” The reality is that, while Durham has its perks, Newcastle trounces all over it when it comes to good music.
The Metro Arena is your best bet for the heavyweights, Glastonbury-slaying Kasabian being the pick of those who will be present and correct this December. The O2 Academy, a two-minute walk from the station, offers you a more intimate evening’s entertainment: Johnny Marr will be bringing new album ‘Playland’ to the party in autumn, while Jamie T also makes a welcome return.
The newly refurbished Riverside venue is well worth checking out too. Royal Blood will be out to further assert their meteoric rise as the best new band in Britain, while Riverside also sees sets from the likes of Temples, Band of Skulls and DZ Deathrays. All in all, not a bad bunch!