Billed simply as a ‘Lesbian turnup in an East London basement’, Vibrate parties have been causing a commotion in subterranean spaces in East London, and they are now preparing for their first ever VFD takeover! VIBRATE @ VFD launches Fri March 31st. We caught up with Team Vibrate to find out more…
Q: Can you tell us how Vibrate came into being?
A: Creating a party like Vibrate is an idea we have had in our minds for some time now. All of us in Team Vibrate feel no shame in saying we love to party, and our house parties over the past few years have been a highlight of our time in London. Our house parties were all about women, crazy fun, diversity, being yourself and hearing the kind of music we love but rarely get to hear at most lesbian parties. My landlord wasn’t having it anymore so we decided to bring that vibe to the club.
Q: The lesbian scene’s thriving with loads of amazing nights happening, especially in London. Can you tell us which nights / DJs / producers inspire(d) you?
A: Our team members come from Washington, DC, Birmingham, and Auckland where the scenes are very different from London. We found the London lesbian scene to be a sort of paradise with a variety of consistent parties to choose from and several dedicated lesbian venues. We are fans of a lot of the lesbian nights happening right now, and I would say Holla and Clam Jam stand out as two of our favorite nights because they always have a great, inclusive vibe and the parties are hype. Vibrate is inspired by them with more of an underground twist.
Q: For the uninitiated, what is Vibrate’s music policy? Can you give us a few tracks you might hear at one of your parties?
A: Our music policy is an aspect of Vibrate that we think really sets us apart from the average lesbian party. We love hip hop, RnB and grime club hits and classics, but we also have a distinct taste for emerging club sounds like jersey club, future beats, trap and vogue. We found that we had to go to straight parties in order to hear a mix of these kinds of music and felt that there needed to be a party that caters to women where they could feel comfortable and hear great and unique music at the same time. You can expect to hear some Vibrate exclusives in addition to tracks like these at the next party:
https://soundcloud.com/destiny-frasqueri/3-kitana-prod-atrak-lex-luger
https://soundcloud.com/remixed-by-jael/destinys-child-lose-my-breath-jael-edition-promo
https://soundcloud.com/kehlanimusic/crzy
https://soundcloud.com/more-releases/mz-bratt-selecta-morenight-flip
You can also check out our Soundcloud page (https://soundcloud.com/vibrateworldwide) to hear Vibrate playlists and edits.
Q: There’s been a fair amount of controversy in clubland of late around the idea of strictly women only parties, what’s your door policy and stance on this debate?
A: First and foremost, Vibrate is a party for women. Still, we maintain an all-inclusive door policy for those who will be respectful and contribute positively to the overall party experience, welcoming all races, sexualities and genders. We’ve got love for men and they are welcome, but the ratio of women to men will strongly reflect our aim to create a fun and comfortable space for women first. The men we welcome into our parties are friends and family of ours and our fans.
Our door policy reflects our stance on the debate about strictly women only parties. While we respect and understand why some events choose to enforce women only parties, we believe inclusion is central to creating the fun and carefree vibe at Vibrate. We know how it feels to be turned away from gay male parties and we want to capitalize on all that every individual has to offer while keeping the ladies happy and comfortable. Vibrate 1 had an incredible vibe unlike any other lesbian party we have experienced, and we think to continue to achieve and enhance that is well worth the challenge.
Q: What can we expect from your takeover at VFD?
A: You can expect a madddd turnup with tons of girls and sick music. It will be a night to remember... even if vaguely, depending on alcohol intake. We’re bringing the house party to the club once again and it is not to be missed.