NIGHT Life Guide
FEELING KOOKY
#CloneGate
So many times she has reopened and so many times she’s closed. Yet she finally has a new awakening under the banner of ‘Kooky’, an impressive night club chain that fuses alternative cabaret entertainment with club night-life.
How Diamond Live Lounge almost broke the internet with #CloneGate and why it is looking forwards to 2016 despite rumours it might close.
Having worked in Trilogy back in its glory days (depending on your vintage you may also know her as Top Rank, Rotter’s, Ritzy or Electric Avenue) I was curious to see what the team of 100 strong staff would bring to the Donny night-life.
When a fellow Doncopolitan contributor asked if the real Stone Roses are playing at Diamond Live Lounge, my first thought was probably not. I’d heard on the grape vine - or should I say rose-vine - that the Clone Roses were back in Donny forming part of the line-up for Independent Venue Week in January.
The outside of the venue has been given a new sign which boasts prominence outshining many of the other bars and clubs near by. The door supervisors were polite and professional. The entrance and staircase was well lit, clean and inviting.
Initially, (sorry if you’re reading this head honcho Dominic Gibbs) I thought it was a dumb-ass idea to try and parody the marketing strategy of the real Stone Roses. Across Manchester and Sheffield fans were causing a stir online as the iconic lemon posters popped-up across the city.
Upon entering the main club the decor took on a darker, more steampunk feel, evoking the Kooky motto “Leave reality at home.” The double doors of the “Evolution Room” opened into a large well decorated room featuring podiums for “Kooky Entertainers”, a 3D digital wall and lasers. The DJs were pride of place, reminding me of Ministry of Sound.
So when lemons start popping up in across la Donx - in diverse venues like Papacassis Kitchen, Tourist Information and Notorious Aardvark some of us gotta “Fooled” into thinking a secret gig Stone Roses would be happening in Donny. We’re home to plenty of their fans here, which is why #Clonegate almost broke the internet Kim Kardashian style.
The smoking area in Kooky’s, was surreal. It made you feel as if the ban was never implemented. Suspended outside the building overlooking the car-park behind Lazarus Walk (not the greatest view but you can’t have it all) with a bar which actually creates a decent chill-out area away from the madness taking place inside.
Within a 24hour period this gorilla marketing tactic saw Diamond featured in the regional and national news, including the likes of NME, the Independent and the Guardian online. If you googled “Stone Rose” on the day #CloneGate took place you got Diamond Live Lounge and Donny. It was certainly an unexpected marketing triumph for the venue which is striving hard to bring up and coming as well as established acts to Donny.
It was well decorated with some decent unique spray paint murals - the owners clearly values what good decor can bring to a night-out. The staff really stood out to me as really having a great time, particularly photographer Photo Kandi who travels the world as an official club photographer. Ibiza, Global Gathering, Creamfields she’s done the lot. As a long-standing member of the pub trade it was the young lady selling shots who made it for me. She danced her way through the crowds, always smiling. Thinking back to how Trilogy once was, Kooky took me by surprise: the club reminds me of some of my old haunts in London and Leeds and looks like its bringing a revolution to the night-life of Doncaster. I think we’re ready for it? Tristan Envy Kooky located on Silver Street and is open Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays nights 10.30pm -6.00am.
There’s been comments across social media that the venue has been going through a rough patch, so we wanted to include a statement here from the venue about its future and 2016. “There have been a couple of rumours regarding Diamond Live Lounge and it’s future; 1) The venue is closed. This rumour is not true. 2) The venue will close after Christmas. This rumour is also not true. Diamond Live Lounge is open and planning for a big 2016. We are on the back of an amazing Nationally recognised marketing campaign. Our #Clonegate hit the local news and then NME and onto National news, including The Independent. The venue has just appointed an in house booker. We have some big objectives to meet. We have not hidden the fact that the venue has had tough times and tough decisions to make and it did look bleak for a while. However I am determined to turn the situation around and provide Doncaster with an amazing venue that it can be proud of.”
Rachel Horne
32
Want to write for The Guide? Email your reviews to doncopolitan@gmail.com