G-A-Y is the guilty pleasure everyone loves to hate – but we’ve all been there, all drunk far too many of the cheap drinks, and all danced into the early hours to the camptastic tunes, so they’re getting something right!

The Venue
London landmark The Astoria plays host to G-A-Y, which is easy to find on the Charing Cross Road, located a couple of minutes walk from Tottenham Court Road underground station or the capital’s gay epicentre, Old Compton Street.

Spot the queues outside at the weekend and you’ll know you’re in the right place! Inside, the venue itself is pretty dull, a large cavernous space with a vast dancefloor centred around a large stage area for the regular public appearances from top music acts. By the end of the night, it’s a sticky, sweaty mess, but that’s just the price you pay for choosing the busiest gay night in town.

The Atmosphere
G-A-Y couldn’t be more camp if it tried. Promoter extraordinaire Jeremy Joseph and owners Mean Fiddler have come up with a brand that has needed to change little since its conception in 1976 – pack in the young, camp gay men and their “fag hags”, play some cheesy disco tunes and stack the drinks high and sell ‘em cheap. It’s a winning formula – for all the mockery, the queues stretch down Charing Cross Road every Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and you can’t fail to enjoy yourself. Everyone is up for it, chatty, sociable and (shortly after arriving) drunk.

The staff are a friendly bunch too, drawn very much from the crowd it attracts – young, good looking twinks in tight T-shirts and low cut jeans. The queues at the bar can get annoying, so you’ll be grateful for the eye candy, and there’s always a welcome break in the night on a Saturday with the legendary musical guest appearances, which over the years have included Kylie, Amy Winehouse, the Scissor Sisters and the Spice Girls.

The Music
With a string of CD releases, G-A-Y has turned its music policy into a brand all of its own, playing a heady mix of current chart hits, cheesy pop and 70s and 80s disco tunes – expect Kylie and S Club 7 to be spun alongside Human League or Donna Summer. It might not be exactly what you play on your iPod, but you won’t be able to help yourself from joining the masses on the dancefloor. On top of this, there’s also the weekly Saturday appearances from top pop acts of the day, plus on Fridays there’s a half hour session dedicated to a single theme – so it might be thirty minutes of Steps hits or Christmas numbers ones.

The Drink
G-A-Y knows its crowd is mainly late teens and early twenties, and can’t afford pricey cocktails or fine Champagnes (and probably wouldn’t choose them if they could!). There are always drinks deals, even at the weekend, with bottles of alcopop sometimes as low as £1 (Mondays), and house doubles from £3 throughout the week. Watch out for nightly promotions based on their weekly guest star – for instance, if Danni Minogue is playing that Saturday, certain drinks will be cheaper when her videos or songs are playing.

The Last Word
Something of a throwback to a time when being gay meant disco tunes and sparkly outfits, G-A-Y retains a loyal audience because it gives you a top night out even if you don’t expect it to. Where else can you see an act at the top of the charts while buying drinks from £1?

venue information venue map view london review user reviews (11) what's on