As the taxi driver asks where we’re going, I immediately cringe;
“Filthy’s Gypsy Lounge” I reply, meekly. Chuckling to himself, his reply is sarcastic:
“Sounds nice”.
A bit anxious that I had never visited the venue before, its name was hardly reassuring. Nevertheless, I remained open-minded for the launch night of ‘Room 101’ at ‘Filthy’s’ on Thursday.
Open from 10:30PM until 4AM, there is no restriction on entry time – with or without tickets -allowing lengthy pre-drinks for arrival at 11:30. It was while queueing that I became increasingly aware of how conspicuous we looked, largely due to our age. Indeed, it wasn’t your average ‘Uni of’ night as we were surrounded by a combination of older locals and Nottingham Trent students. However, it was the launch night and promotion had been fairly minimal. It would therefore be unjust to write it off as a Trent night already.
The Gypsy Lounge’s décor is notably vintage. Complete with black, velvet drapes and plush sofas, it is reminiscent of the late ‘Pandora’s Box’ and certainly classier than popular student venues such as Stealth and Ocean. The dance floor is relatively small, which makes it all the more difficult to escape from that overenthusiastic couple or that creepy guy. Having said this, the venue’s intimacy is rather refreshing and ensures losing your friends is virtually impossible.
In terms of music, I struggled to clarify the genre of ‘Room 101’. While this could be due to the copious amounts of vodka in my system, I think it was more likely because the music was slightly confused. The official event details several genres played by the DJs; “house…old school hip hop…90s bangers to your current songs of choice”. That is in addition to the live bongo drums. Ultimately, ‘Room 101’ attempts to cater to all tastes instead of focusing upon a niche audience.
At £5, entry to ‘Room 101’ is fairly standard for a Nottingham club. And was it worth it? I’m not so sure. The décor was impressive and the drinks reasonably priced (starting from £2.50, £3.50 doubles), but it’s worth bearing in mind that Filthy’s Gypsy Lounge is a venue more appropriate for casual drinks than a night of intense clubbing. Regardless, with the right group of friends, a bottle of tequila and an open mind, ‘Room 101’ could be a night to remember.
Room 101 is on every Thursday, doors open at 10pm. Visit their Facebook page for more info!
Photo Sources
https://www.facebook.com/theroomonezeroone
Edited by Sam Carey