For our Head of Reviews, Ellenor’s first article, she delves into the most popular nightclubs for students in Nottingham, signifying the importance of staying aware when you are out, whilst also highlighting some of the best things about our city’s nightlife.
In light of the recent spikings around the country, I’d encourage anyone going on a night out to remain vigilant, look out for others, and seek medical advice where necessary.
Nightlife has become a huge part of university-culture, to the extent of it being a factor of consideration on where to attend for some. So what does Nottingham have to offer? Whether you’re new to the city or simply looking to explore venues after lockdown, here’s a brief overview of the nightlife you can find in Nottingham.
Rock City
Marketed as ‘The UK’s Best Live Venue and Nightclub’, Rock City is one of the main nightlife venues in Nottingham. Better known to uni students for its’ infamous Crisis nights every Wednesday, the venue has become home to society and sports club socials all year round. Plus the fancy dress efforts are worth a Crisis experience in its own right!
And if you’re not part of a society/sports team? Fear not, you can queue for any Rock City event (including Crisis) via the neighbouring club Stealth.
With three rooms and multiple club nights a week, Rock City has music to suit everyone – whether it’s pop, rock, RnB, throwbacks, or DnB. There are also various club events throughout the year to mix up the schedule, including Caramello and Cirque Du Soul!
All in all Rock City is one of the most popular clubs in the city for good reason. It’s varied music genres, large capacity, and different events make it a popular choice for both uni students and locals alike. As a gig venue it also has an added live music appeal! Worth a visit for sure.
Ocean
I can’t talk about Nottingham nightlife without mentioning Ocean aka The Big O. As an exclusively student-based club, Ocean is typically open two nights a week: Wednesday for Trent students and Friday for Uni of Notts. If you’re a fan of cheesy throwbacks and top radio hits, this might be the club for you. With ABBA medleys, T-Swift bangers, and the occasional Celine Dion belter, you’re bound to be singing your heart out on the Ocean dancefloor! Not to mention the local celeb that is the owner Andy Hoe – did you really go to Ocean if you didn’t get a photo with Andy?
Ocean is almost a rite of passage in terms of Nottingham nightlife, so I’d definitely recommend. You can usually queue but it’s been ticket-only recently so best to buy online if you’re planning to go. Oh and it’s worth noting you might want to watch out for shirts swinging to the Baywatch theme tune and flying VK bottles…no further explanation needed!
Pryzm
Another of Nottingham’s main club venues is Pryzm. With locations all over the country you tend to know what you’re going to get with Pryzm. Lemonade Mondays are the usual Uni of Nottingham nights, kicking the week off with a bang. In terms of music it has a mix of current top hits and crowd favourites as well as DnB tracks on the main floor. If that’s not your cup of tea however, the bottom floor Vinyl has a vibe similar to that of Ocean with its cheesy hits. I’ve even seen the DJ dressed up as a piece of cheese before, that’s how cheesy it gets!
By catering to different music tastes, Pryzm is a firm favourite in the eyes of many. Personally I’m not a huge fan as I’ve tended to have better nights elsewhere, but that being said it’s definitely worth a visit if you’re a regular clubber.
I’ve only touched the surface of Nottingham’s nightlife here but Rock City, Ocean and Pryzm tend to be the most popular amongst uni students. Other well-known venues in the city include NG1, Unit 13 (previously Pom Pom), Stealth, Rescue Rooms, Brickworks, The Bodega, Popworld amongst a range of other clubs and bars.
It’s safe to say that if you’re looking for a good night out, Nottingham will be sure to have something up your street.