With the theme ‘A Roman Orgy' I just knew this Scarlet was going to be especially good...also holding new excitement for me, as a close friend of mine has recently become involved with the organisational team. And my boyfriend, and another close friend, were going to be on the team of DJs.

Am I biased then?

I suppose so, in a way, but not just because of above...
From the very first Scarlet night, held in September of last year, I have been one of a growing army of Scarlet fans, so I can only give my review of Scarlet as I find it personally... I love it, and have never been disappointed in the night out I've had there.

My crew and I arrived sometime around 10:30p.m, early for us lot...only half an hour after opening, yet already it felt very busy. The atmosphere, even so early in the night, was buzzing. This is one of the friendliest crowds I've ever seen at Scarlet...much mingling was going on in the foyer - chatting, laughing, people making new acquaintances... I couldn't wait to head on my naughty way for an obligatory first walk round the club to see what was going on in the other rooms. This is rare for me, as usually I like to spend a little time acclimatising, but on this occasion, there was really no need...and how I love that first walk round, checking everything out!

It doesn't matter how many times I've been to Scarlet, or even to Subway City (the venue itself)... every time is like a new experience. As you move from room to room, you never know what will be round the corner. There are projection screens and televisions to tantalise the senses, but for me, it's more a case of who will I see, what will they be wearing? It's so exciting...I am always on the look out for eye candy...hoping to see my favourite fetishes... an image of something, or someone, I can savour in my mind long after the event has ended!

One of the really great things about Scarlet, I think, is that it is pretty much like any normal night out in a club... only better!

This is not a play club. It has dungeon, yes... but the emphasis and ethos of the club is on it being a ‘fun fashion fetish night', where anyone is welcome, especially those from the fetish and BDSM community, whatever their persuasion or involvement in the scene. It's a wonderful introduction to public fetish for the nervous newcomer, as I know from personal experience. The first Scarlet ever, was the very first fetish event I'd ever been to, and straight away I knew I'd come home! If you want to meet like-minded people, make new friends, get together with old ones, don your fetish finest within a fun, warm, welcoming and accepting environment, then this is the place to come.

As I walked around, I was immediately struck by the amount of effort people had put into their outfits this time. I only saw maybe 2 or 3 people all night that had opted for near vanilla status...a big improvement on Scarlet's past. Those that had made an effort did the event proud. Scarlet's themes always capture the imagination, so much so that many of the costumes and outfits on show are home made by their wearers... with surprisingly high standards!

All the usual is there to be seen - rubber, PVC, cyber, leather, drag, fantasy etc, not forgetting clowns (he, he!) Many people in theme... togas a-plenty, goddesses, gods, vestal virgins, slaves and... Mmmmmm, my personal favourite...gladiators! This really added to the atmosphere...a very sexy vibe was going down, which always bodes well!

The Marketplace was, as always, set up in the back room. This is also the chill out area (there's a chill out café too at the venue, up the stairs leading from the foyer, serving tea, coffee and all the usual) where the music is unobtrusive, making it an ideal place to chat, unwind a bit and peruse the stores with all their wonderful wares.

I must confess, I didn't catch much in the way of performances...but they're never one of my favourite features anyway... that's in no way a reflection of the shows, by the way. It's just that I go for the dungeon, the people and a chance to dance my stockings off to my kind of music. I did catch Stallion's performance, and can verify that, unless that was fake (rumours rumours)... the flyer was very correct when it stated: 'Stallion - a warrior of titanic proportions!'
Oh...my...god!
My eyes had to do a double take!
The majority of the women in the room were thrilled... can't say male strippers really ‘do it' for me... men dancing around naked are more comical than sexy in my opinion, but it seemed to go down well with the audience, and at the end of the day that's really all that matters! I'm sure many of the men in the audience would disagree... most didn't look at all impressed... but maybe that was just because of the size of Stallion's anatomy, as it were. Hmmmm, jealously perhaps?

I also caught some of the Slave Sale...now this I did like!
Willing victims offered themselves up for sale to be bought by the highest bidder, the proceeds of which were donated to charity. It appeared to be very well organised...consent forms a plenty, which all parties had to sign...and with this the slave had the opportunity to list what they were willing to do and where their limits were. What with so many people in theme, and all those poor slaves being led ceremoniously onto the stage for bidding, I'd be forgiven for thinking I'd slipped back in time to ancient Rome... wicked stuff... highly entertaining and no doubt very satisfying for all those who took part.

The dungeon, which in Scarlet's past has always been popular, was this time much, much busier than I have ever seen it before. The equipment provided by the Desyre Foundation is wonderful (pictures of which can be found on Scarlet's web-site - www.scarletpromotions.co.uk) and the dungeon has an open policy so that you're free to come and go as you please... if you want to have a play, you can...no pressure!

There was, what I believe to be, too much inappropriate behaviour going on...and later on in the night I was a bit miffed that I couldn't get to the equipment I wanted to use because of that. Also, there were far too many people in there that didn't have the foggiest idea what dungeon etiquette is... my play scene was rudely interrupted time and time again by impolite voyeurs who had strolled in to do what voyeurs do, only to start the most bizarre, mundane conversations and crack jokes.

As I said before, this isn't a play club, but even still, manners are manners!

No doubt in time, with growing experience and maturity in the clubbers that choose to make the most of this area of the club, these niggles will be ironed out so that everyone's happy. As annoying as it is at the time, I still had a lot of fun in there... it didn't spoilt the night in anyway whatsoever... and for anyone that let it, well really, that's your problem. As with any night out... it's what you make it yourself!

The music is one of things I particularly love about Scarlet simply because of its diversity. At the start of the night, the main room plays goth/swing/punk/60/70/80/90s, which is moved upstairs into the performance room when it opens at 11 p.m. The main room is then taken over by House music.

Starting gently yet purposefully with a funky edge, it gets progressively harder throughout the night, finishing up with the best in Hard House, for which the venue is well known and loved.

The top performance room is always very busy...a lot of people from the Goth (I use that term loosely) scene frequent Scarlet. Nowadays I am a clubber of the dance scene, but my past was in Goth and it's nice to have a reminisce and dance to all those fabulous oldies I remember oh so well.

But it's the main room that gets the majority of my attention... and although in Scarlet's past, I've been disappointed by the lack of bodies on the dance floor (it's a big room to fill), this time, by the end of the night the dance floor was ‘storming,' for want of a better word. The DJs (not anyone I knew personally) at the time were legendary in my opinion...4 a.m. came all too soon, the house lights went on...and up went a big boo, which soon turned to rousing cheer, from a crowd who obviously never wanted the night to end.

With a heavy heart (the night, as always, went far too quickly) we made our way towards the entrance, admiring many a red bottom along the way, and got taxis homeward bound, or in our case to a friend's for an after-Scarlet chill out party...the perfect end to a near perfect night!

So in short, if being surrounded by...

Friendly, enthusiastic, like-minded, consensual, fetish people, of all ages...within a club that boasts 2 floors, 3 rooms, 3 bars, a café, a dungeon, truly outstanding performances (see the website for details of performances past and present) with music so diverse I can't believe it leaves anyone out

...Sounds like your thing, I fail to see how you'll have anything less than a very happy time at Scarlet...if you keep your eyes open, and let yourself go with the spirit of night, you'll also have some very fond memories to take home with you.

The next one is on the 13th of December...I can't wait!