Boxing Day Events: The Great Escape

Boxing Day: The Great Escape

If there’s one thing more likely than “The Great Escape” being on Boxing Day telly, it’s the fact that after all that turkey, trimmings and tat you’ve’ had for Christmas, you’ll be keen to escape granny’s kisses and dad’s poor jokes to get out of the house and dance off all that grub. At Skiddle, we’ve rounded up the best events we have to offer around the country just for you to do just that!

Outer South

London’s one of the best places to be this boxing day, with a great line up at the Den + Centro featuring Orange Reunion, Grooverider and Kenny Ken. The Palais in Wandsworth is hosting a special “Back to 95” night, mixing oldskool house and garage classics for those who can remember much of the 90’s. The Fire Club features Boy George among others on the decks in their special Tabloid: Boxing Clever Night. Or you can dance off the pounds at Matter in Dartford at their Perverted Audio & Gloss Night featuring Tocadisco, and take in Groovers Korner at Freddy’s in Harrow for a night of mature soul and funk in one of the capital’s friendliest clubs.

Elsewhere, check out Suju in Swindon, hosting a Cassette Player Special mixing indie, pop and electro with DJs Rob T and Phil Dirt. The Junk Club in Southampton welcomes the most stylish name in house music, Hed Kandhi for a one off Disco special. Meanwhile, the Empire Club’s “So Soulful” night in Bournemouth will put some soul into your festive clubbing with three rooms of quality house and the Fez Club’s “American Pie Boxing Day Special” in Cambridge promises a night of house music carols – sounds interesting.

If you prefer to sing rather than boogie, then head down to the Blue Lagoon Bar in Hove for a night of croaky-oke Karaoke, or mingle with the party people at the Digital’s 24 hour night in nearby Brighton.

Northern Soul

If you’re blessed with the North’s great nightlife, then make sure you don’t let it go to waste. Start in Manchester at Tiger Tiger with 5 floors or great music in this quality venue, or head to the Retro at The Warehouse Project featuring Paul Taylor and his retro team, promising a right proper Christmas knees up!

For the starry-eyed, Sankeys is the place to be, to see Roger Sanchez in a boxing day special.

The north’s clubbing capital, Liverpool, hosts Cream’s well-known Cream Boxing Day extravaganza at Nation featuring Calvin Harris and Sander Van Doorn. For the more adventurous, head to Zoo Bar to see top quality DJs at their “Playboy Mansion” special. It might sound like granny will be following you to the Leaf Tea but she’ll probably leave when the alternative Boxing Night Throwdown kicks in, full of disco, funk and techno.

Leeds will no doubt party hard and Mint is hosting it’s first Boxing Day special featuring Switch in one of only a handful of UK gigs and Lee Mortimer. At The Space you can enjoy a “Purrfect All Nighter” or head to Rios for their “Old’s Cool” special – the only 100% old skool rave night in the city.

Take the High Road

North of the border, check out Glagow’s The Ferry, hosting their legendary “Twisted & Brainfire” Boxing Day Bash with Ophidian, Scott Brown and many more. Or to prepare to new year, head to Edinburgh and the Bongo Club for a “Headspin Blowout”, or dance away the end of the day at the Playhouse with a night of music courtesy of Giuliano’s.

Whatever you do save up some energy by tucking in to the left over turkey when you get in at 4am, ready for another “Great Escape” on New Year’s Eve!

Words by Dan Clay