Transmission is a London Transgender Club night held monthly in the
Extra Time Bar in the Barbican. It claims to be London's hottest reception.
It just so transpired that my glamorous friend, the lovely Ms
Joanne Starr was
arranging a
girls night
out
and asked
if I'd come along. Not being one for being couped up indoors on my own
I agreed!
Joanne and I chatted on MSN beforehand; although a lot of my other girlfriends
would be there, Jo wanted me to surprise them! So we kept Mum about my
arrival.
The day of the club arrived and all manner of personal grief had descended...
my Nan was in hospital seriously ill, my house sale had fallen through,
Angel was away in Canada and I just felt all over the place. Time for
break!
I dressed and started out the journey; I'd never been to Transmission
before so it was a venture into the unknown made a little sweeter by
the prospect of many warm faces I knew being there. I got delayed by
almost an hour due to a car crash (not me!) on en route and arrived close
to 12.30am. Fortunately there was parking outside, so even though it
took me a good ten minutes to parallel park (leave it out, I am a girl
after all!) I was able to step right up to the door passing only a few
people on the street without notice.
I stepped in and the place was packed with TGirls, many of whom where
stunningly dressed. I was beginning to regret my usual Tomboy look, feeling
decidedly drab compared to the array of party frocks, short skirts and
glamour wear I was seeing. I only had a designer denim skirt, my "Thank
God I'm a VIP" ribbed top and body warmer... with trainers! I felt like
a lesbian at a fashion show! But everyone smiled and greeted me warmly,
so I started to look for my friends.
Went to one end - no sign. Went
to the other - no sign. I was starting to feel as confused as a baby
in a topless bar! Was this all a wind up! Finally I found my dear old
adopted auntie, the lovely Janie
Saxton downstairs at the pool table
with hot chick Jayne from Cheshire.
Phew! Janie took me to see the others who were all upstairs on the
dance floor. There were two real party girls, JoYo and Anna, who'd
come literally hundreds of miles to be there. Sarah
Jayne and Briony were
with them as was Zenny and Sandra. Sadly the only person who couldn't
make it was Joanne Starr. But we all got gabbing and in no time we
were getting on like a house on fire! Next time Jo...
The girls at the end of the night - why do I always blink
just when the camera goes?! The two at the front are Briony and Anna
(in the red). Behind them is Jayne, me and Sarah Jayne (in white).
And at the back row is Janie and JoYo.
Transmission itself takes place on three floors:
The main floor is kinda like a pub. You've got a long bar and plenty
of tables with music playing.
Downstairs is the cloakroom as well as the pool table
Upstairs has a dance floor and DJ with a bar. The music is pretty
easy going, a mix of hard house and trans-favourite pop tunes like
Kylie.
Overall I have to say that the place is real easy going, if it had of
been a wind up and none of the others turned up, or if I had just gone
there alone, I think it would've been easy to make friends. There were
a few guys, with few being the operative word, as well as several genetic
women, some who were partners of TGirls there, some lesbians and not
forgetting Sammy, who does make overs there. You soon realise that people
don't stare at you, if you should catch each others eyes normally you
get a smile and a wave and that's all. No awkwardness.
My overall rating for the club out of ten would be eight or nine. It's
very welcoming and has everything you need for a good night out. It caters
for all ages and styles, has TG friendly hotels all around as well as
a small queue of taxi drivers waiting at the end of the night if all
that dancing in heels has made your ankles to sore to walk! I personally
like it when there are more guys there as I like to drool over the cute
ones and I like banging dance music on a huge floor, but then I am young
and bi and most people find that quite intense for a night out, so it's
no detraction from what Transmission are doing. I had a wicked time even
though I was only on lemonade and I'll definitely go again. Transmission
costs £7 entry.
Oddly enough something bizarre happened on the way home.
I stopped in North London for petrol and got roped into going to an illegal
warehouse
party by two young fly girls who never realised I was a ladyboy! Major
ego boost, not to mention the most risky thing I've ever done in my life
dressed! There were over a thousand people raving in a warehouse off
Abbey Road industrial estate and the whole place was a police no-go area,
total anarchy! Love it! If things had of turned nasty I dread to thing
what would've happened... that'll teach me to drive round playing my
little sister Nicola's drum n bass mixes!
Transmission Review:
Type: Once Monthly Transgender Club Night
Location: Extra Time Bar, Long Lane, Barbican,
London
Entry: £7
Facilities: Dance floor, food, drinks, pool table
Plus Points: Very friendly and well attended with
over 200 TGirls on average, TG Friendly Hotels nearby, a great
place to start with
Minus Points: Very little chance of getting pulled
except by other TVs, although that may be a plus point depending
on how you see things!
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