A hidden nightclub venue near Bristol Temple Meads is celebrating its tenth anniversary next month. Loco Klub, which is described as Bristol’s ‘decadent temple of underground mischief and artistry’, will be unveiling its newly revamped arches as part of the celebration on Friday February 7.
Loco Klub is somewhat of a ‘labyrinth playground’, with five tunnels deep beneath the city’s surface. The birthday ‘extravaganza’ is set to boast dazzling drag queens, electrifying DJs, boundary-breaking circus performers, spoken word artists and a host of surprises.
The ‘Dekade’ event is free to attend up until 10pm, with those wishing to arrive after this time able to purchase a £10 venue contribution ticket, here.
Born in 2015 from the ashes of a forgotten railway workers’ social club, Loco Klub has “evolved into Bristol’s heartbeat for the bold and the beautiful, a sanctuary for queer expression and avant-garde artistry”. With its Victorian tunnels soaked in history and lit with the glow of new installations, the venue stands as “both a time capsule and a vision of the future”.
According to organisers, the line-up for the Dekade celebrations will see headliners in the form of “anarchic legends Slamboree, whose intoxicating blend of live music, DJ mastery, and theatrical circus chaos is sure to set the stage ablaze. Adding to the spectacle is Frekshow, where circus meets cabaret meets burlesque, inviting everyone to unleash their inner wildness and revel in the bizarrely beautiful.
“Contraband Circuswill be performing, with live music, a DJ set and a circus performance to delight party-goers. Bringing a taste of drag will be Fabutt and Femmegeddon, who will be bringing drag hosts for the evening to delight crowds.
“For those craving spoken word artistry, Satellite of Love will deliver poignant, thought-provoking poetry, while Riot Act turns up the laughs with an irreverent, cabaret-style comedy open mic. To close out the evening, resident DJs from Queerky, the LGBTQAI+ community rave that have become pillars of the Loco Klub for the last three years, will be playing with their unique collective atmosphere and cutting edge techno events.
“They are going toe-to-toe with the underground LGBTQAI+ party collective Earthworks, illuminated by their distinctive immersive lighting installations. The evening wouldn’t be complete without immersive performances from the renowned Invisible Circus, the Bristol-based troupe whose blend of theatre and circus artistry helped birth Loco Klub.”
Co-founder and artistic director, Doug Francisco, reflects on the ten-year milestone, and says: “Deꓘade gives us the freedom to showcase what a decade of relentless creativity, hard work, and resilience has achieved. These ten years have been a wild ride, and we’re deeply grateful to have thrived in a challenging climate for independent artists and venues. This celebration is about honouring the unstoppable power of artistic expression and being unapologetically bold.”