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The Londoner's Guide to London
23 November 2008
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SIN

Venue Image
Venue Image
144 Charing Cross Road,
London,
WC2H 0LB

0871 971 3845 Calls to 0871 numbers will be charged at a fixed rate of 10p per minute (from a landline or a mobile) no matter where you are within the UK. This number is unique to viewlondon.co.uk.

The ViewLondon Review

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Review byKate Glover11/08/2008
There’s no disputing there is some truth in SIN's namesake. There is something innately shabby but endearingly chic about Centre Points' neighbourly discotheque, which never fails to have a queue of eager punters spiralling back as far as the bus tunnel at Tottenham Court Road.

The Venue
SIN is split into five separate rooms that, after one too many vodkas, become harder to find thanks to the extremely windy staircase. The style of the club is very much based on a burlesque theatre, with red plush walls, leather seating, draping and mirrors. Upon entering, you are immediately transported away from the hubbub of Charing Cross road as you walk into the first of the rooms – the ground floor bar with its own DJ decks and bar. The club has essentially been designed so each room is hireable, and every so often you will see it pop up on the likes of BBC Three as a WAG wannabe hosts her birthday party there. This first room – The Lounge – has red walls, gold drapes and plush white sofas, and leads to the main attraction – The Ballroom.

The Ballroom has the feel of a dishevelled theatre, the walls covered in gilded mirrors and a long wooden bar spanning the length of the room. Huge crystal chandeliers hang from the domed ceiling and at the far end a stage provides the possibility for music and performances. A smaller, more intimate Champagne bar of similar decor leads off the ballroom. Heading down another back staircase to the basement is a more minimalist bar also with a stage and bar, but is different in style from the rest of the club with some unusual painting choices on the walls. The piece de resistance, however, is the VIP room situated at the top of the club, which is worth a peek - if you can get in. The intimate leather booths and moody lighting provide a shield to any sordid shenanigans. Finally there is a smoking area - not outside the front of the club, but in the back alley with the skips.

The Atmosphere
Due to its positioning in Central London, the clientele at Sin is highly variable, but the introduction of infamous gay night Popstarz cements it as a regular Friday haunt for the flamboyant and fancy free. DJs including Wayne, Mikey For, and DJ Rokk keep the decks busy between 10pm–4am every Friday for a fun and totally unpretentious night out – just remember to glam up.

Saturday evenings are an altogether different affair, however, with a rotation of three regular nights – all a pick and mix of diversity. First up is Decadence and Disorder, which is a rock and metal fest. Expect to see the leather clad and neon dreadlocked as in the Disorder Room DJs Riyad and Dead Boy play likes of My Chemical Romance, Metallica and Queens of the Stoneage. In the Decadence room, DJs Belle, Shuff and Whole Lotta Tony hark to days gone by with Aerosmith, Motley Crew and ACDC.

If Rock isn’t your thing and you’re after something a little tamer on the eardrums, pop down for Saturday’s Eat It. Indie and electro are the order of the day coming from DannyBoy (Frog) and Little Chris whose mixture of the Long Blondes to The Clash gets plenty of toe tapping. Finally, and every second Saturday of the month is Skin at Sin – London’s premier erotica party. They do have a strict entry policy, which certainly makes for an interesting night – couples and attractive women only, aimed at straight and bi-curious revellers.

The Music
As the variations on club nights are aplenty, so comes the music. Pretty much every genre is covered during the course of the week – the problem comes when you get the wrong night. Worry not, however, generally speaking there will be something that everyone will at least know some of the words to, because each of the rooms provide a different theme and DJ. And if you do get it wrong, the next evening there will be something totally different for you to stick your metaphorical toe into.

The Drink
Central London club equals Central London prices, although there is always a drink offer available at the bar – generally along the lines of two beers for £4 or tins of Red Stripe for £2.50. They also offer spirits and wine and a couple of varieties of Champagne for more flashy punters.

The Last Word
Sin is a great venue if you haven’t got a plan for an evening and are willing to chance your luck, and Popstarz and its Saturday rotating regulars offer fun nights out that won’t break the bank.
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