Life After Dark

The story of nightclubs in Britain is a story of glamour, escape, and good times; late nights, lost weekends, and music revolutions; and dressing-up, illicit drugs and dodgy doormen. And it's a story with a rich and revealing social history. Dave Haslam takes us from vice-ridden Victorian dance halls to psychedelic light shows; through the jazz decades to the mods and beat groups; from high street discos to reggae sound systems; from flapper fashions to white stilettos; from gay pubs and private members clubs to legendary gigs and warehouse raves; from the Flamingo to Fabric. Taking us to Newcastle, Liverpool, Soho and Sheffield, Glasgow, Birmingham, Bristol, and nationwide, he explores the sleaziness, the moral panics and the commercialisation of nightclubbing - and celebrates the social and emotional significance of clubs and venues for people and communities. He interviews clubbers and club owners, as well as DJs and musicians (including Jarvis Cocker, Daddy G from Massive Attack, Noddy Holder and members of the Chemical Brothers, Duran Duran, and the Slits). He meets one of the gangsters who nearly destroyed Manchester's nightlife and discusses Goth clubs in Leeds with David Peace. A definitive history packed with unforgettable stories of significant venues and great nights out.