200 York Way,
Kings Cross,
London,
N7 9AP
(020) 7871 7111
The ViewLondon Review
Whilst London's big nightspots carry on closing, Egg proves the city's clubbing culture is still very much alive and kicking.
The Venue
Egg is located in a remote space that means the club can make as much noise as possible without disturbing anyone. It does claim to be right by King’s Cross, but it's worth pointing out it's quite a walk from the station and is pretty much an equal distance between Caledonian Road, King’s Cross and Pentonville Road. Still, if you get yourself to King’s Cross, you can get a free shuttle bus – The Egg Bus – from outside The American Car Wash on York Way to the club. It's great if you're unfamiliar with the area.
It's not the most attractive area in London but, once you're inside the rather-sophisticated entry system, expect to be searched as you would in an airport – you'll soon forget where you are. The venue is huge – there are three floors, which are both inside and outside and there's a 24-hour licence, so you're never stuck for time to explore what's around you. At the weekend, the party starts around 10pm on Friday and goes on until Sunday, only shutting for a few hours in-between. There's even an eatery inside the club, so you don’t have to leave the club even if you get hungry. Next door to the club, there’s The Apothecary, which is sometimes used as a VIP section, but more frequently branded as a separate bar, which can be accessed via a separate entrance on the street.
The decor in the venue isn't as sleek as some trendier nightclubs in town, but it’s perfectly suited for the needs of the ravers who attend. It ranges from floor to floor and there's all sorts of random seating dotted about the club if you're looking for somewhere to sit down.
Due to its location in a very remote, non-hectic part of the city, the venue makes good use of space and the garden is definitely what makes the place stand out from other nightclubs in London. It's a chilled out space with Ibiza-esque shades and outdoor seating. There's also a small bar serving a limited amount of drinks outside, too. The section can be hired out as a VIP space during certain times as well. And above the area (overlooking the garden) there's another VIP area that can be used as yet another private space.
It's sometimes free to get in before 11pm and, after that, it can cost anything up to around £15, depending on the night. Students can usually take advantage of discount entry.
The Atmosphere
Egg plays host to a lot of nights from outside promoters, so the clientele can range considerably from night to night. Generally, you will see a lot of students from the nearby King’s Cross halls, groups of people from towns just outside London visiting the capital on a big night out, old-skool hardcore ravers who have flocked to the venue because every other late-night club offering a 90s-style clubbing experience has shut and, of course, those who have ended up at the venue because they just couldn't find anywhere open. Staff are adaptable to whoever comes through the doors and, because of the relaxed dress code, there's an unpretentious environment – people are definitely here to dance, not to dress up in the coolest outfit and look their finest.
The Music
While the dance genre continues to expand into more and more strands, Egg primarily continues to satisfy those who really care about house music. The venue offers an eclectic mix of nights to suit all dance fans and over the three floors you can often hear a huge range of different sounds – from the minimal beats of the lower-level dancefloor to the more-relaxed atmosphere on the top level. There's even a resident DJ in the garden area. Fridays are a genre-busting mix of drum and bass, breaks, house and electro, whilst Saturdays generally opt for a house and techno soundtrack. Notable guests at the club include the absolutely awesome deep, spiritual house don Osunlade. It's definitely worth checking out the listings before you go to Egg – there could even be random performances and bands playing.
The Drink
As with a lot of huge nightclubs, the range of drinks on offer isn't great. Expect to pay around £4-£5 for an alcoholic beverage - popular drinks include bottles of Magners and cans of Red Stripe - and about £2.50 for a bottle of water. You might be lucky and get a more exciting cocktail to sip on the terrace if there's a themed night on, but generally the choice is limited and pricey – but you've got to pay for pleasure to drink around the clock.
The Last Word
Grubby, rave-tastic and particularly good for fans of house music, if you don't care for sleek environments but love dancing in a unique space, this club is definitely for you.