Fri 20 Jan: Burning Down The House

'And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife,And you may ask yourself: Well… how did I get here?' – David Byrne, 1980

…and you may find yourself in a dark and sweaty basement, covered in glitter, dancing to the best disco, new wave and glam tunes ever recorded. And you may ask yourself: why can't every Friday night be this good?

We're back for a new year of BDTH ♥

Get ready for more…

'80s / NEW WAVE / DISCO / GLAM / SYNTHPOP GLITTER / SWEETS / IN-HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHER

Expect to hear: BLONDIE / KATE BUSH / CHIC / MADONNA / DAVID BOWIE / THE SMITHS / TALKING HEADS / FLEETWOOD MAC / SALT N PEPA / PULP / THE SPECIALS / EURYTHMICS / THE SLITS / DIANA ROSS / SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES / THE CURE / PATTI SMITH / THE HUMAN LEAGUE / INXS / EARTH, WIND AND FIRE / BUZZCOCKS / IGGY POP / PRINCE / PIXIES / TOM TOM CLUB / BANANARAMA / DEPECHE MODE / NEW ORDER / JOY DIVISION / KC & THE SUNSHINE BAND / MADNESS / VISAGE / GRACE JONES & MORE!

WHAT ♥ BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE

WHEN ♥ 10PM-3AM Friday 20th January

WHERE ♥ VFD, 66 Stoke Newington Road

HOW MUCH ♥ £5 – advance ticket link https://billetto.co.uk/en/events/burning-down-the-house-201

POST YOUR REQUESTS ON THE WALL!

Wed 18 Jan: Spoken Word London

Spoken Word London is an open-mic poetry and performance night for anyone to come and join in, whether to speak or listen. Everyone who wants to speak gets five minutes, but no one gets more than five minutes. Speak in whichever format you want, sharing your own or others' work. Doors open 7.30pm, sign up for a slot 7.30-8pm, readings begin at 8pm.

Free entry, but please buy a drink (or more) at the bar.

Tue 17 Jan: An evening with Mister Wallace

AN EVENING WITH MISTER WALLACE Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, MISTER WALLACE is a multi-disciplinary artist and advocate. The self-proclaimed post-gender artist considers themselves to be a 'Multimedia Cunt', using mediums such as performance, sculpture, and soundscaping to engage audiences in “Werk” that speaks loudly to the social discourse necessary for improving quality of life for marginalized people.

Join us for an exclusive evening of conversation and performance with one of our favourite American queer peers.

Check out the video for FAGGOT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEnmporrBuo

Check our the FAGGOT EP in full https://misterwallace.bandcamp.com/album/faggot

Doors: 7pm (free entry, £3 donation)

Sat 7 Jan: New Order | Joy Division party

A night of New Order, Joy Division and other Factory Records bands Last year's party was CRAZY!! So many of you came and sadly we couldn't get everyone in, but thank god it's a new year and here we go again! We've also listened to your requests and this time we going to have MORE NEW ORDER THAN LAST TIME EVEN MORE JOY DIVISION THAN LAST TIME and in between (as much as we can squeeze) we'll play great Factory Records & Manchester tunes! Expect: Stone Roses, Happy Monday, James, Inspiral Carpets, A Certain Ratio, The Fall, A Guy Called Gerald, 808 State etc.

We party again in VFD, an underground alternative basement that's concrete with minimalist vibes 66 Stoke Newington Road Saturday the 7th of January 2017 - Start the year with a good party! Doors open at 10pm

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Early Bird Ticket - SOLD OUT

Wed 4 Jan: Spoken Word London

Spoken Word London is an open-mic poetry and performance night for anyone to come and join in, whether to speak or listen. Everyone who wants to speak gets five minutes, but no one gets more than five minutes. Speak in whichever format you want, sharing your own or others' work. Doors open 7.30pm, sign up for a slot 7.30-8pm, readings begin at 8pm.

Free entry, but please buy a drink (or more) at the bar.

New for 2017: weekly classes Dreaming, Divination, Magick and Ritual with Tree Carr

TREE CARR is a London-based Filmmaker, Musician, Mystic, Lucid Dreamer and Death Doula. Tree is an avid Lucid Dreamer and looks to her dreams for creative inspiration, self exploration, healing and the personal expansion of greater consciousness. She’s been journaling her lucid dreams, sleep paralysis and OBE's for over 20 years and contributes her ideas at SpiritMAMA and Seymour Magazine.  As an artist, she incorporates her dream practice into her creative work. She has recently started to hold Lucid Dreaming Workshops in London, Paris and Margate.

Her work as a Death Doula sees her helping people spiritually, emotionally and existentially at the end of their lives, assisting with healing, and peaceful and conscious passings.

As a mystic, Tree has explored the realms of spirituality and consciousness since she was a child. She is self taught in divination and astrology and facilitates readings, rituals and consultations.

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

Commencing in January 2017, The Order of Cauda Pavonis, will be a coven of 13 individuals led by Tree, meeting weekly to learn about the practices of dreaming, divination, magick and ritual. These sessions will help facilitate creative work, personal growth, transmutation, self-exploration, healing, empowerment and the personal expansion of greater consciousness.

The 4 month course covers:

★ Dream Magick:  Dream herbs, lucid dreaming, dream analysis and interpretation ★ Magick & Ritual ★ Divination Tools ★ Tarot ★ Runes & The Elder Futhark ★ Scrying ★ The Shadow Self ★ Sex Magick ★ Alchemy ★ Astrology ★ Aninism  ★ Pagan Sabbats ★ Creative Visualisation ★ Meditation & Grounding Techniques

Bookings: Block book one month: £80 (each month) Block book 4 month course (25% discounted rate) : £250

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

★ JANUARY:  DREAM MAGICK ★

*Includes Dream Kit

JAN 05:  Introduction to Lucid Dreaming and Dream Journalling JAN 12:  Precognitive Dreams, ADV Dreams, Compensatory Dreams JAN 19:  Dream Herbs JAN 26:  OBE's and the Astral Plane

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★ FEBRUARY:  DIVINATION TOOLS ★

*includes Divination Kit

FEB 02:  Introduction to Divination FEB 09:  Learning the Tarot FEB 16:  Learning Runes & The Elder Futhark FEB 23:  Learning The Scrying Mirror

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

★ MARCH:  MAGICK & RITUAL ★

MAR 02:  Introduction to Magick & Ritual MAR 09:  Creating an Altar MAR 16:  Herbs & Magick MAR 23:  Creating a Magick Circle

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

★ APRIL:  SEX MAGICK ★

*Includes Sex Magick Kit 

APR 06:  Introduction to Sex Magick APR 13:  Mysticism & Sexuality APR 20:  The High Priestess & Sacred Prostitution APR 27:  Universal Life Force

★ MAY 01:  End the course with a Beltane Ceremony (Monday night in a nature spot) * FREE

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

★ THE ORDER OF CAUDA PAVONIS ★

The Cauda Pavonis (Peacock's Tail) phase of alchemical process describes a subjective, perceptual change in which the wayfarer, or experiencer, becomes aware of the dreamlike nature of existence. With half of the eyes opened and half of the eyes closed as if in a sleep state, the experiencer now relates to their existence as a waking dream, where conditions and encounters are revelatory.

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

Book now: for bookings and enquiries email info@vfdalston.com

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Sun 1 Jan: Sunday Funday - New Year's REBOOT!

Everyone is fretting over what to do for the dreaded NYE. London once again becomes expensive, exclusive and exhausting. Plans fall through, traffic, don't even start! But how are you spending New Year's Day? How about you start the year as you mean to go on: celebrating queerness, expression and FUN?! Your faithful FUN~meisters at VFD are here to blow the lid off 2017 and throw a 2016 survivors party!

With our usual buffet of pop, rock, r&b, oldies and newies, and an extra special late~night~drag~show that'll have you throwing away your New Years resolutions faster than Teresa May's Brexit plans, this is THE party to get 2017 kicked off!

And yes, we're still just £5 on the door all night 

All are welcome, invite your friends and bring your Granny if she's in town!!!

Sat 31 Dec: Straight Nasty NYE

Brexit. Trump. Jane not winning Bake Off. Come say SOD OFF to the prick of a year that was 2016 at Straight Nasty's NYE BASH ♥♥♥ #slutdropforHarambe

Unapologetic Pop / Camp Classics / Nostalgic No.1s

...and don’t piss yourself worrying about paying stupid NYE entry fees – IT’S A FIVER ALL NIGHT LONG BABY (ur welcome) xxx

Rachel Stevens ♥ Geri Haliwell ♥ Mis-Teeq ♥ Kelly Rowland ♥ Madonna ♥ Jennifer Lopez ♥ Kylie ♥ Holly Valance ♥ Cher Lloyd ♥ Sophie Ellis Bextor ♥ Cheryl Cole ♥ Eve ♥ Rihanna ♥ Cher ♥ Sugababes ♥ S Club 7 ♥ Aly & AJ ♥ Charlotte Church ♥ Carly Rae Jepsen ♥ Steps ♥ Diana Ross ♥ Backstreet Boys ♥ Britney ♥ Nicki Minaj ♥ Cascada ♥ Gaga ♥ Little Mix ♥ Girls Aloud ♥ Loreen ♥ Atomic Kitten ♥ Ariana Grande ♥ Mel C ♥ Mel B ♥ Victoria Beckham ♥ Emma Bunton ♥ Spice Girls ♥ Amerie ♥ Lolly ♥ Beyonce ♥ Althea and Donna ♥ Iggy Azalea ♥ Ciara ♥ Nicola Roberts ♥ Cheryl Lynn ♥ Alexandra Burke ♥ Billie Piper ♥ Mini Viva ♥ Janet Jackson ♥ Kelis ♥ Missy Elliott ♥ RuPaul ♥ The Corrs ♥ Katy Perry ♥ Shakira ♥ tATu ♥ Charli XCX ♥ Venga Boys ♥ Timbaland ♥ Scissor Sisters ♥ Lil’ Kim ♥ Lady Sovereign ♥ The First Wives Club Soundtrack ♥ Lily Allen ♥ Kevin Lyttle ♥ Selena Gomez ♥ B*Witched ♥ Khia ♥ Gloria Gaynor ♥ Christina Milian ♥ ♥ Olivia Newton John ♥ Gareth Gates B Sides (jokes) ♥ Alesha Dixon ♥ Aqua ♥ Fergie ♥ Gwen Stefani ♥ Christina Aguilera ♥ Destiny’s Child ♥ M.I.A ♥ Taylor Swift ♥ Shania Twain ♥ Dolly Parton + MORE FABULOUS FABULOUS MUSICAL MUSIC

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'The kweens of kitsch are giving you an unapologetic pop party ... set to revolutionise your weekend.' - QX Magazine

'Straight Nasty provides a safe space for you to workthrough that repressed Cat Deeley fantasy' - DIVA Magazine

'Straight Nasty is hand on heart the best night out I’ve had in my whole life EVER' - Pigeons and Peacocks

♥ THURS 31 DECEMBER VFD 10PM-3AM £5 ALL NIGHT

With resident DJs TR!NNY & $U$ANNAH (Debbie) JE M'APPELLE ROCHELLE & GG BEAR (Dalston Superstore) SHY CHARLES (Clit Rock)

For updates and event photos be sure to 'like' STRAIGHT NASTY here: facebook.com/straightnastyclub

xx

Mon 26 Dec: Sunday Funday's Monday Funday Boxing Day Leftovers Blowout

Uh oh, we're back! The highly anticipated return of last year's queerest dance party starters SUNDAY~FUNDAY is here to hijack another cultural vom~fest! After the critical acclaim and rave reviews from last year's un-festive bash we're bloody doing it again and throwing a naughty LEFTOVERS~BUFFET in the armpit of that overstretched capitalist orgasm that is London Christmas. And what's more we're not even doing it on a Sunday! For the first time, we are proud to bring you "MUNDAY~FUNDAY BOXING~DAY LEFTOVERS~BLOWOUT!!!" That's right, Santa will have only just clocked off and we'll be up to no good in the wrapping paper and pine needle-strewn basement of dreams, VFD. But fear not, this is NOT a Christmas party! We'll have had our fill of office tinsel, tacky toys and tragic adverts. This party is for the ones who don't care, the ones who say "Stuff the turkey" and "Sod the In-Laws!". At our leftovers party we will do what we always do. We will come together, whoever and whatever to have FUN! We shall dance and drink, there shall be games and shows, there shall be drag-queens*. For we don't need a public holiday, or a cookery show to bring us together!

The last FUNDAY of the year invites you all to come and party away the leftovers of not just Christmas, but this whole year. As we edge towards 2017, let's take this chance to piece together a queer view of tomorrow, from the leftovers of yesterday.

With music from Lewis G Burton and Maxi More, and party tricks and shows from an array of performers and artists this will be the dance party to undo the xmas rage.

Doors open at 8pm, £5 all night.

*the term "drag queen" applies loosely during leftovers party!

Wed 21 Dec: Spoken Word London

Come and join us for the last SWL of 2016! Spoken Word London is an open-mic poetry and performance night for anyone to come and join in, whether to speak or listen. Everyone who wants to speak gets five minutes, but no one gets more than five minutes. Speak in whichever format you want, sharing your own or others' work.

Doors open 7.30pm, sign up for a slot 7.30-8pm, readings begin at 8pm.

Free entry, but please buy a drink (or more) at the bar.

***

Watch a brilliant short documentary upon SWL and some of its regular readers, made by Amelia Hazlitt, here: http://vimeo.com/103176010 And a feature length film of our first anniversary of SWL 'Anti-Hate', made by Timothy Lock, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dk-TXhERNHo

You can also read an academic dissertation written on SWL here, by William Barns-Graham, on 'Lost in the Moment: Opening Up Utopian Performance With the Lost Generation at Spoken Word London':https://www.academia.edu/9916694/Lost_in_the_Moment_Opening_Up_Utopian_Performance_with_the_Lost_Generation_at_Spoken_Word_London

SWL host Patrick Cash talks about SWL and spoken word in London on Lunar Poetry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrwOqqiqeOk

SWL's second anniversary Anti-Hate is covered on Push Pony by Tracy Kawalik: http://pushpony.com/culture/word/

Sat 17 Dec: Donna Huanca Scar Cymbals official afterparty

10pm - 3am :: £5DONNA HUANCA Scar Cymbals - Official Afterparty Join us at the official afterparty marking the end of the artist Donna Huanca’s Scar Cymbals at the Zabludowicz Collection.

Donna will be with us to have some fun before she jets off to her next commission. Writer Reba Maybury will be joined on the decks by Emman Debattista, one of the Scar Cymbals performers.

10pm - 3am :: £5

Fri 16 Dec: AnalHouseMeltdown XXX Tinsel Party

AHMD XXX TINSEL PARTY WITH

DJs CHARLIE PORTER PREM DEEP GHL PLEASE

VFD :: 10pm - 3am FULL DETAILS TBA ;)))

Sun 11 Dec: NakedKidKillsParents

CSM MA Fashion Kuohao Chung (Azure) presents his major project Melancholia in a 360 virtual reality video to let people talk, think and increase awareness about mental health. Nude Kid Kills Parents (NKKP) addresses depression, fashion and gay community.

Nobody cares who you are or what you do, dress how you what, be who you wanna be, but be yourself.

There is going to be a small space for virtual reality machines and photography book viewing.

9pm - 1am

Sat 10 Dec: Gal Pals

✧♡✧Gal Pals✧♡✧ GAL PALS are here to make your queer dreams come true ♡♡♡

It's the last Gal Pals party of the year! So say bi bi bi to your queer blues, throw some glitter on and come dancing! The Gal Pals crew promise to put you in the festive mood.

♡ Saturday 10th December ♡ ♡ VFD ♡ ♡ £3 b4 11pm/ £5 after ♡ ♡ 10pm til late ♡

Gal Pals is a girl-run girls night playing the best in female fronted pop, rock, hip hop, R&B and bangers!

A queer dance party for LGBTQ+ folks and their friends. All babes, all night, bring your gal pals!

Expect to hear: Beyonce, Grimes, TLC, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Le Tigre, Sleater Kinney, Janelle Monae, Christina Aguilera, The Distillers, Destiny’s Child, Missy Elliott, Robyn, Rihanna, Kelela, Hole, Cassie, Blondie, Jennifer Lopez, Whitney Houston, Kate Bush and many more!

PLEASE NOTE: VFD operate a cash only bar and are a strictly 18+ venue so don't forget your ID!

Girls to the front! ♡♡♡♡♡

Fri 9 Dec: Aftertouch

afterTouch reborn @ VFD DJs LINNÉA (SISTER, Berlin) https://m.soundcloud.com/linnea-palmest-l

DJ Woman As Phallic Symbol (LDN) https://soundcloud.com/dismagazine/baepecestre

Ni-ku (afterTouch, LDN) http://soundcloud.com/nikuu

Live performances presented by J.Aria

More info to follow...

Thu 8 Dec: The Fedz VFD takeover

London's hottest musical collective, The Fedz, are taking over VFD this Thursday for a very special evening.

This will be The Fedz first ever legal event (!), following up their Street Takeovers earlier in the year. The Fedz are bringing their own brand of irrepressible fun indoors this winter to VFD for a series of takeovers.

(Check out the video for The Fedz' latest single Best I Ever Had, currently enjoying heavy rotation on 1 Extra and BBC Asian Network).

Free entry - strictly list only - you must email to ensure entry!

RSVP to: info@thefedzmusic.com

You'll receive confirmation via email that you've been added.

DJ sets from The Fedz DJs (Q, Agent X and genius innovator of dub, Dennis Bovell) plus a few surprises on the night.

Wed 7 Dec: Spoken Word London

Spoken Word London is an open-mic poetry and performance night for anyone to come and join in, whether to speak or listen. Everyone who wants to speak gets five minutes, but no one gets more than five minutes. Speak in whichever format you want, sharing your own or others' work. Doors open 7.30pm, sign up for a slot 7.30-8pm, readings begin at 8pm.

Free entry, but please buy a drink (or more) at the bar.

***

Watch a brilliant short documentary upon SWL and some of its regular readers, made by Amelia Hazlitt, here: http://vimeo.com/103176010

And a feature length film of our first anniversary of SWL 'Anti-Hate', made by Timothy Lock, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dk-TXhERNHo You can also read an academic dissertation written on SWL here, by William Barns-Graham, on 'Lost in the Moment: Opening Up Utopian Performance With the Lost Generation at Spoken Word London':https://www.academia.edu/9916694/Lost_in_the_Moment_Opening_Up_Utopian_Performance_with_the_Lost_Generation_at_Spoken_Word_London

SWL host Patrick Cash talks about SWL and spoken word in London on Lunar Poetry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrwOqqiqeOk

SWL's second anniversary Anti-Hate is covered on Push Pony by Tracy Kawalik: http://pushpony.com/culture/word

Fri 2 & Sat 3 Dec: VFD's Christmas Crackers

Welcome to our Christmas Cracker parties on Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd of December. Who can be bothered to throw a christmas party, why not come along and join in ours?!

Expect bubbles, presents, immersive decor and performances from London's best, and, of course, VFD's usual hot, sweaty, dance floor fun.

With Christmas-themed performances at midnight from:

Fabulous Russella

Virgin Xtravaganzah A Man To Pet

and new to the block, the operatic sensation SANI (Siliga Sani Muliaumasealii).

In the quite frankly alarming times we are living in we wanted to make this not only a fun event but positive one as well.

We will be supporting Church St Paul’s and looking to donate to their out reach programme working with women who live and work on the streets of Hackney with their ‘Open Doors' sexual health clinic.

We are offering fantastic prizes for auction on both nights, with all monies raised going to the charity (full list of prizes to be published soon).

Having all the fun and making a difference to the world at the same time can’t be wrong!!

Decor sponsored by Habitat, Paper Chase and DZD, and installed by Alun Davies Production.

.......................................................................................................................

Tickets include: bubbles on arrival, a present and the show.

Early bird: £8.03 (including booking fee)

Tickets on the door: £10.00

BOOK YOUR EARLY BIRD TICKETS NOW!

Fri 2nd December

Sat 3rd December

Tues 29 Nov: Do not prevent the fertility of the mind

We are proud to present 4 exclusive works by Arahmaiani from the 1990s. Although these works date back over 20 years they share relevance with our position today, especially with artists of colour in post-Brexit London. Born into two different religions and ideologies (her father being a strict muslim and her mother coming from Hindu and Buddhist origins) Arahmaiani’s work is a balance of both worlds, though often seen as a critique of Islam by the Indonesian religious police. She has become a political activist, infamous for getting arrested for her performances and even having to flee countries in South East Asia for questioning the monolithic image of Islam. In the 1980s and 1990s she was one of the first to explore the field of performance art in South East Asia, a natural process for her as she was trained in traditional Indonesian dance, something which appears again and again in her work. Her performances question the paradoxes of neoliberalism: how the traditional, the indigenous and the natural have to suffer and become second to consumer culture in order for it to thrive. Over the years she has worked with marginalised communities to protest against political corruption, injustice, violence and woman’s position within society. Since the 1980s her work has been included in over 100 solo and group shows globally, including numerous Bienalles making her mark as one of Indonesia's leading contemporary artists.

Four Faces, 1993 Offerings from A-Z, 1996 Do not prevent the fertility of the mind, 1996 Handle without care, 1997

In light of current events, we have invited four artists to respond to her work. In an age where the divide between different cultures is expanding we need to unite, represent and have a voice for our communities. This event is a night to spark conversation about exoticism, neo-colonialism and how a non-white identity has become disparaged in the western world.

Performances by:

Raju Rage (http://www.rajurage.com/)

Daniel Brathwaite-Shirley (https://www.facebook.com/LADYDexplaination/)

Georgia Lucas Going (https://vimeo.com/georgialucasgoing)

ALSO: 8pm - FOOD FOR THOUGHT PT. 2 Vegetarian Malay curry served as a platform for conversation

so come down early to eat some curry and spread some love ♥