Crazed cabaret ball, Salon La Rue
Spread across 15 rooms in a private house in Soho, this NYE party promises everything from burlesque and cabaret dancers to complimentary drinks all night and a BBQ. There’s also retro arcade games, DJs spinning tunes ‘til late, fireworks and a karaoke room for when you’re feeling brave enough. Metparties members get tickets at half price. And it’s black tie, so dress smart.
NYE from 9pm, £80
40 Gerrard St, W1
salonlarue.com
Tube: Leicester Square
Hollywood stars, The Peacock Bar
Pull out all the stops and dress as your favourite Hollywood actor for the night. The vibrant venue will be suitably themed with Marilyn Monroe movies flickering on the walls, red carpet, Oscars – and glamorous hosts pouring complimentary sambucca and tequila. Options include dinner or just the entertainment, which features burlesque dancers, cocktail lessons, speed dating and karaoke.
NYE 7pm-6am, £15
148 Falcon Rd, Battersea, SW11 2LW
the-peacock-bar.co.uk
Train/Overground: Clapham Junction
Ano Novo Brasil, Hello 2012!, Guanabara
Add an authentic Brazilian twist to the start of 2012 with this 11-hour party. With an impressive line-up of music, DJs and performers, Guanabara is promising a flamboyant night of singers, samba and culinary delights. There will also be live feeds from Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro and from the fireworks on the Thames.
NYE 5pm-4am, £20
Parker Street, Covent Garden, WC2B 5PW
guanabara.co.uk
Tube: Covent Garden
Pirates of the Adriatic, The Larrik Inn
Pull together pirate-themed togs for this treasure-filled event which kicks of with a free glass of bubbly. Enjoy live music, DJs, drinking games, and the best dressed will win Sail Croatia prizes. What better way to see in 2012 than with other TNT readers?
NYE 7pm-3am, £10
425 New Kings Road, SW6 4RN
tntmagazine.com/nye
Tube: Putney Bridge
Around the world in 8 New Year’s Eves, Adventure Bar
How much do you love NYE? Lots? Then celebrate it eight times in one night, with a count-down every hour. Whether you’ll feel as though you’ve aged eight years in one night remains to be seen.
NYE from 6.30pm, £25
Various locations
adventurebar.co.uk
We, like you New Year’s Eve party, Bloomsbury
See in the New Year with a strike at this cosy retro Fifties bowling lane, with Craig Charles and other top-class DJs on the decks and a performance from masters of swing, The Correspondents. You’ll be greeted by fire-breathers, so lay off the shots ‘til later.
NYE 7pm-4am, £10
46-55 Tavistock Hotel, WC1H 9EU
bloomsburybowling.com
Tube: Russell Square
Dinner & dance, Disappearing Dining Club
This pop-up experience will be holding its NYE party in a used factory in east London. You’ll enjoy top-class food and drinks, then the venue will transform into a club with upbeat DJs.
NYE from 7pm, £10
Secret location
disappearingdiningclub.co.uk
Keep Calm & Party On, Ice Bar
Chill out, literally, this NYE in freezing temperatures at Belowzero ice bar. Celebrating the best of British, each room will be themed accordingly, and guests are expected to don suitable fancy dress. There are prizes for the most creative outfits, as well as three different-priced tickets, starting from £39 and including champagne, live entertainment and breakfast – so expect to party like it’s 2011 ‘til the small hours.
NYE, from 8.30pm, £39
31-22 Heddon St, W1B 4BN
belowzerolondon.com
Tube: Oxford Circus
London Rocks!, The Gherkin
This venue promises spectacular views over the Thames for NYE. It’s also an over-25 event, so you won’t need to contend with youngsters getting too drunk and spoiling the party. The Lovesoul DJs will be mixing everything from hip-hop and funk to pop
and Bollywood. They’ll be supported by So:Fresh spinning upbeat old-school classics. Boom.
NYE 9pm-4am, £30
The Sterling, 30 St Mary Axe, EC3A 8EP
chillitickets.co.uk
Tube: Liverpool St
Burlesque Ball, Volupte
It’s all vampy vintage at this sexy supperclub for NYE. Expect a hedonistic evening of glitz and glamour. Dressed in clothes from the Twenties and Forties, you’ll kick off the evening with a three-course meal followed by a special show. Think live music, comedy and burlesque. And that’s just for starters. Come 9pm, the vibe turns into a sultry speakeasy with a retro soundtrack courtesy of The Black Cotton Club. Choose to either go to the whole event or just to the club night.
NYE from 6pm, £15
9 Norwich Street, EC4A 1EJ
volupte-lounge.com
Tube: Chancery Lane
Masked ball, The Last Tuesday Society
Nowhere does masked balls quite like The Last Tuesday Society – don’t attempt to make your own mask, as it’s a serious affair … although clothes are optional. Held in a former church, there’s a torture chamber where you’ll be fed live oysters. Upstairs is the Banquet Of Jezebel where you can gorge on cheeses, cakes and ‘drown in the chocolate fountain of gluttony’. Dressed in divine decadence fancy dress, you’ll then dance the night away to delightful DJs including The Delinquent Dandy.
Dec 30, from 10pm ‘til 4am, £20
St Matthews Church, Brixton Hill, SW2 1JF
thelasttuesdaysociety.org
Tube: Brixton
Comedy Carnival, The Grand
Has 2011 been a pretty dismal year? Then laugh it out the door at this comedy fest. Boasting star of Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow Imran Yusuf, magician Pete Firman and impressionist Stefano Paolini, the night is bound to put a smile on your face. And the venue turns into a club afterwards with top DJs. Bonus.
NYE 7pm-10pm (club ‘til 3am), £25
21-25 St John’s Hill, Clapham Junction, SW11 1TT
comedycarnival.co.uk
Tube: Clapham South
Doctor’s Orders, Big Chill House
If you’re all about the tunes, this DJ showdown will be banging music to your ears. Mr Thing will be going head-to-head with Harry Love, Chris P Cuts and Kidkanevil. Expect hip-hop, soul and grime with Iron Braydz on mic duties at this two-floor venue.
NYE 9pm-5am, £15
257-259 Pentonville Road, N1
bigchill.net
Tibe: King’s Cross
Fabric NYE, Clerkenwell
You’ll need to crack open a couple of Red Bulls at least at this 12-hour dance epic. Resident DJs Craig Richards and Terry Francis will be setting the pace at this flagship underground venue.
NYE 9pm-9am, £10
67-77A Charterhouse St, EC1M 6HJ
fabriclondon.com
Tube: Farringdon
Old Queen’s Head, Islington
You can always rely on this venue for a good laugh, and NYE will have it in spades. Dress up as your favourite retro toys and cartoons, then have a proper old-fashioned knees-up as you rock 2012 in with DJs playing indie and pop at this traditional boozer.
NYE 8pm-4am, £20
44 Essex Road, Islington, N1 8LN
theoldqueenshead.com
Tube: Upney
Tarantino Allstars, Half Moon Putney
Know how you’ve always wanted to dress up as Mr Brown from Reservoir Dogs? Well now you can. Just expect clowns to the left of you, jokers to the right … no different to most nights out then.
NYE 7pm-3am, £20
93 Lower Richmond Road, SW15 1EU
halfmoon.co.uk
Tube: Putney Bridge
Fireworks, Embankment
Last year, some 250,000 people turned out for the London Mayor’s firework spectacular. Bag yourself a top spot at one of the vantage points between Waterloo and Lambeth bridges on both the north and south side of the river. The fireworks will be launched off the 135-metre-high London Eye. Oooh.
NYE fireworks at midnight, Free
london.gov.uk/nye
Tube: Embankment
Feeling gloomy & Club de Fromage, 02 Islington
Not everyone welcomes a new year with open arms, so here’s a club night catering for misery as well as merriment. Feeling Gloomy will be wallowing in tunes from The Smiths, Depeche Mode and Joy Division, while a second room, Club De Fromage, will host fancy dress with sounds from Kylie, Abba and Bon Jovi.
Be careful which you choose.
NYE 9pm-4am, £18
16 Parkfield St, Islington, N1
clubdefromage.com / feelinggloomy.com
Tube: Angel
