211 Stockwell Road, London SW9 9SL
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An unusual review to write, this one. After all music venues are expected to be grungy and “rock’n'roll” so if the toilets were pristine and fragrant I suspect one would feel slightly disappointed. NO fear of that at the Ladies in the Brixton Academy.
These toilets are a poky, school-changingroom styled affair, no hooks, no frills and far too much toilet paper strewn about the place to be genuine. One suspects that special attendants actually drape the stuff artistically about before the indie sindies and hoxton heroes arrive in order to add the gritty glamour of the venue.
Basically they are clean. Bascially is a good word to use since that’s exactly what they are, “basic”, and so is the venue – which is why we love it. It might be nice to have a bit of the rococco charm of the Romeo and Juliet auditorium reflected back in the bogs, but then again they would only get covered up with bits of sick, plastic beer cups and the ubiquitous toilet paper, so the decorative condom machines will have to do.
After all you are probably too high on the music (or other dubious substance – kids nowadays!) and dressed in your best gig-going gear (crappy trainers not Jimmy Choos) to care what the state of the floor is like. And I don’t know of a better place in London to have an interesting, random conversation than the cue for the Ladies at Brixton Academy.
5/10
