Get Your Freak On

Going back to the beginning of house music conjures up images of Studio 54, Paradise Garage, The Tunnel and other New York-based, alternative club spaces. In these venues you'd witness all manner of outrageous behaviour and outlandish characters. The 'freaks' were a colourful assortment of divas, transsexuals, homosexuals and party people with an open-mind and an uninhibited desire to let loose. But it wasn't just those who operated on the fringes of society's norms; you'd have a broad mix of classes and ethnic groups, there out of curiosity or love for the music. Famous faces would rub shoulders with ordinary folk, and no-one would bat an eyelid. House music rose up from within this melting pot.

Hit the fast-forward button, stop in 2015 and house is a different culture entirely. In fact, mainstream dance music in general is about as far removed from those formative years as can be imagined. It's largely homogenised, and often lacks the diversity that it was born out of.

At Glastonbury this year, Mixmag spent a wanton night (and morning) at the excellent 'NYC Downlow', the "UK's only traveling homo disco", as the slogan states. Located within the Block9 area, it's a club that models itself on those wild days of yore; the façade is an old New York motel complete with a yellow cab smashed into the side of it. A troupe of transvestites provide the entertainment, with several writhing sensually in the motel windows or appearing on part of the roof above the 'Porn Kiosk' – where you purchase a moustache to gain entry – attempting to lure you in. Inside the club there is a T-shaped stage, with a catwalk that goes out into the crowd, where the transvestites all vie for the attention of the crowd, prancing up and down with dazzling vigour. Some are fierce (Miss Disgrace Jones needs a special mention here), some play innocent, but all of them keep the audience buoyant and encourage a loose, carefree atmosphere. All the while, some of the best DJs in the world spin music that gets you grooving until the twilight hours. It was a definite highlight for us, and for many of our friends who also ventured into the outrageous club.

Sadly, events like this are pretty rare in the UK's better-known clubs, unless you're involved in the so-called 'alternative scene'. But why does genuine difference, diversity and alternative spirit seem to be so lacking across a lot of clubland in 2015? Perhaps its because house music and clubbing, traditionally the field of people who live alternative lifestyles, has become more corporate, a profitable mass leisure activity. As anyone who's ever heard of McDonald's knows, mass scale inevitably leads to homogenisation – and a basic, easily replicated formula. The result, unless we are careful, is nights that are the same: the same music, the same crowd, the same DJs and even the same fashions. The only way to stop this process is to embrace those DJs, clubs and even individual clubbers who are trying to push the boundaries and do something different.

Today, there are still lots of alternative nights happening, often with a large gay following: new London party Brute at the Steelworks in London's Cannon Street, the legendary Horse Meat Disco, Gloria's at XOYO, Dalston Superstore and their Chapter 10 warehouse parties, People Like Us in Bristol, the Sink The Pink parties in Margate later this month, cosplay parties, where people dress up as their favourite anime characters… there are some really 'out there' places where you can indulge. Jesse Charlesboi started a night called Gaybash, held at Dalston Superstore, after he was beaten up in the gay-friendly pub he ran in Norwich. The night aims to turn hate back on itself by promoting a non- conformist atmosphere, with recent themes including a parody of the despicable Westboro Baptist Church. There are pockets of quality alternative parties, but it's not enough: we need more. Berghain is a case in point; not only one of the world's best club spaces, it's also built around a permissive, inclusive spirit and still holds true to that, which is the reason for its popularity. Perhaps that model could be replicated by other clubs around the world, even just once a month, so we can all enjoy the enriching atmosphere it offers.

We reckon it would be a big step forward for the world's clubbing industry if more of our favourite clubs dedicated some of their calendar to nights inspired by the diverse, uninhibited parties that laid the foundations of our music. As the saying goes, sometimes you have to go backwards to go forward.

[Illustrations: Keuj]