MENTHOL & DISFUNKTION

Monthly, 2nd Saturdays

Factory, Goding Street, Vauxhall, London SW8
Web: clubmenthol.net

It's not often that one of my best friends gets his own room in a new clubbing venture (in fact, at last count, it was zero), but when Menthol relocated from The Oak Bar in north London, to Fire in the centre of the Vauxhall triangle, that's exactly what happened with Steven Black!

I'd probably have gone to the relaunch of Menthol even without Steven's involvement, since I've been a sucker for trance following a fantastic few hours under Armin van Buuren, at Armada in Ibiza last summer. As it was, in an inspired move by Menthol promoter Taz, she took advantage of the larger venue to promote the second room as DisFunKtion, harder beats for the 21st century, under the musical direction of London's king of Tribal, Steven Black.

So, two new clubs for the price of one, with a line-up of DJs unlike any other club in London, excellent music in both rooms, and BOTH with a unique sound (not just to each other, but to the competition as well).

I was typically torn throughout the course of the night, bouncing from one room to the other, loosing myself in the music of one, only to get a tug of yearning to check out the music in the other, where I'd lose myself all over again. Fortunately, Steven's very understanding of my club whore ways, and with both rooms busy until the club's finish, everyone was happy.

Proof that clubs can succeed without drawing on the established roster of DJs from Action, Crash and DTPM.

And if you don't like trance or tribal, you probably haven't heard it played right, and since Menthol/DisFunKtion is probably the only place in London to hear both played under the same roof and so well...

After building up a strong following at Fire, Menthol and DisFunKtion have wisely relocated to the more intimate surroundings of Factory (following Fire's expansion to include a third arch).

Martin
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