A student’s guide to Warwick’s nightlife part one

Unlike Neon or Kelsey’s Eliminator, Warwick’s nightlife reputation remains far from glowing. However, it’s possible the naysayers have got it wrong.

With students best placed to judge, The Boar has invited several writers to share their thoughts on 13 of Warwick’s most popular student nights out, reassessing the traditional narrative and, at the very least, documenting them before they’re inevitably closed and replaced with student housing.

Altoria: A nicher night out by Maya de Souza

At Altoria, you find the home of the night outs for the various European societies. Also here, you find the home of Leamington’s small but thriving electronic music scene. Altoria has homed Mayhem (for Techno lovers), Toolbox (for those who love UK Garage) and more recently, Diskotheca (for those who enjoy House). It offers a venue for nascent projects from upcoming and established DJs.

Altoria has three floors and a tiny cloakroom. When you walk in, you will probably see a vacant and dark bar area – this, however, is not the main event. On a busy night, you will see a stream of people wandering up the stairs and disappearing into the various rooms and corners where the toilets are hidden. On nights where the event planners have gotten a tad overzealous with the tickets, you will see a heaving mass of people outside the club, unable to form into a single file. Although you don’t deal with the sweaty walls of upstairs Neon, there are other demons to face. My personal hell is the serpentine staircase on a busy night, which at best feels sweaty and at worst claustrophobic.

The jewel of Altoria, however, is its smoking area. It’s big, it’s spacious, there’s ample room to sit down, and sometimes the bar is open

The fun of Altoria is that there are multiple floors to explore, all conveniently stacked on top of each other. Sometimes events only open one room, but my personal favourites are those where multiple are open, and you’re free to wander between rooms housing diverging genres. The jewel of Altoria, however, is its smoking area. It’s big, it’s spacious, there’s ample room to sit down, and sometimes the bar is open. During the winter, you can sit beneath the eaves, and you won’t get wet, a welcome reprieve given the sad state of the dank corridor that Neon calls its smoking area. It shines, as much as a club venue in Leamington can shine, in the summer, when events are put on the roof by the student body to enjoy the lengthening days, bask in the sun, and capitalise on being able to smoke while listening to upbeat house.

The predictability of Leamington’s nightlife is appealing in its own way, however, it is easy to get bored by the same offerings over and over. Altoria provides a break from the monotony of the Leam club and a place to experience the more experimental side of Leam’s nightlife. What makes Altoria special, and what keeps me coming back, is not so much the architecture of the club itself but what it represents. It represents choice and a reprieve from standard club music, but even more than that, a venue for new and interesting events to spring up, as varied and eclectic as the students at Warwick. It’s a cornerstone of the creative nightlife scene at this university. Warwick gets a bad rep for its nightlife. Altoria shows that it’s not all as doom and gloom as it seems.

All aboard the Birmingham Party Bus by Maximus Leighton

In Freshers’ Week of my first year, I was privileged enough to board the Birmingham Party Bus to Pryzm. Outside of Freshers’ Week, this would mean a singular vehicle travelling to any club in Birmingham, however, the aggressive marketing of the party bus to unknowing freshers meant there were probably a dozen coaches evacuating unsuspecting Warwick students off to Birmingham.

Immediately after boarding, we were assigned a group leader who began to make a WhatsApp group for our entire coach. Here, instead of a Spotify jam, people would text song requests in the hope they wouldn’t fall on deaf ears for roughly an hour of pres, where, if you were like me and forgot drinks, you’d have whatever the person next to you happened to bring along. It could be a chance to make a new friend, except if you were one of the unlucky ones sitting next to a stranger who decided upon boarding to immediately isolate themselves with noise-cancelling headphones, as if they thought we were headed to Zeeman on a U1 instead of Pryzm on a party bus.

All in all, I’m glad I went. But I wouldn’t recommend it, and it wasn’t great

We arrived around a 10-minute walk away from Pryzm, which would make sense if we weren’t on a bus for the sole purpose of going to Pryzm. Once we made it in, it became clear why the party bus came with free tickets. Given a capacity of 2,500 and a TripAdvisor rating of 2, it must come as no surprise that it felt empty. Still, within a few hours, I was blackout enough that I didn’t really care. The club was massive, and on the bright side, there were enough rooms that there was decent music for everyone. Pretty soon, though, it was time to catch one of the return coaches, where everyone, slightly less energetic than on the way there, slept until we got back to campus.

All in all, I’m glad I went. But I wouldn’t recommend it, and it wasn’t great. 2/10.

Circling: POP!’s Purple Rain pres by Helen Trappelides

Circling truly is the most unique experience of Warwick nightlife; one may even go so far as to label it a rite of passage. But what really is it? In the simplest terms, you play a bunch of drinking games in a circle, dressed in funky costumes – unless you’re boring like some of the men’s sports societies who wear formal attire and club ties every single week…

The truth is, there’s no single answer to what circling is, and it is honestly very weird. I have discovered through my frequent circle attendance that societies, whether that be sports, academic, or hobby-related, have their own set of quirky games they never dare to reveal the rules of. Although I’d be surprised if someone didn’t know universal Warwick circle games such as ‘One Fat Frog’ or ‘20 + 1’. Ultimately, you can’t prepare for a circle – you show up, hope for the best, and pray you don’t leave with purple-stained clothes and even more student debt.

Why wouldn’t you and your friends enjoy dressing up as a tube station or Claudia Winkleman, while a social secretary, or two, shouts ‘spillage is lickage’ in your face?

One’s choice of circle drink can spark much debate, and with time, you figure out whether you are a cider black warrior or a purple enthusiast. Warwick’s most popular circling spot is the Copper Rooms, which usually resembles some sort of circus show on Wednesday nights, but other circling hotspots include Fusion, The Assembly, and the infamous Kelsey’s. Even Kelsey’s has their own unique circling tradition of drinking jugs of the neon green concoction that is Eliminator. Its name is self-explanatory.

I’d encourage all Warwick students to give circling a go, even if you don’t drink, because why wouldn’t you and your friends enjoy dressing up as a tube station or Claudia Winkleman, while a social secretary, or two, shouts ‘spillage is lickage’ in your face?

Not so loud but still proud: Euphoria by Hannah Guthrie

Warwick Pride’s LGBTQ+ club night ‘Euphoria’ is brimming with potential, but often falls short for anyone wanting a crazy night out. Not to be confused with this year’s dire instalment of the annual SU-run ‘Loud and Proud’, the termly society-run Euphoria’s best selling point is that the music is curated by the students, via a submission form distributed beforehand. So, if you’re in want of a welcoming atmosphere, with a soundtrack of popular queer music, Euphoria is for you. Second and third years are often quick to critique Euphoria’s abundance of first years, but, like most campus club nights, this is to be expected. The larger issue then, is the general lack of attendance beyond the first and last events of the academic year. You may think it’s hard to critique a club night for being too quiet, but think again. The atmosphere certainly leaves a lot to be desired. But the intimacy of Copper Rooms 2 and the strong welfare presence from Warwick Pride make it a decent introduction to clubbing for any nervous freshers.

Perhaps there is nothing for anyone to do to fix this, other than to turn up and to hope that everyone else will too

The first event of the year does still create a certain buzz within the queer community on campus, and can be a good way for freshers to meet new people. To me, the biggest issue with Euphoria isn’t any particular flaw in the concept or execution from Pride, but rather that it’s simply not well-known enough, not well-loved enough, and poorly attended nights in the past have put a significant portion of second and third years off attending. Perhaps there is nothing for anyone to do to fix this, other than to turn up and to hope that everyone else will too.

All roads lead to ‘Kazzy B’ by Sanjana Iyer

Now, Coventry doesn’t have much going for it, but its top two attractions have to be the cathedral from Nativity!, one of the best films of all time, and Kasbah, more affectionately known as Kazzy B.

If there were ever a reason to trek to the wasteland of the West Midlands, Kasbah is it. With three rooms, a variety of vibes, and the infamous rooftop garden, there is truly no reason not to make the pilgrimage from Leamington Spa. For those Canley residents among us, this might just be your one claim to fame, as you reside a mere ten-minute Uber ride away from the promised land.

When the night has barely begun, you’re already winning with £1 Jägerbombs before midnight, which, as my housemate Elicia opines, is “dangerous but brilliant”. Yet Kasbah’s accolades extend far beyond price competitiveness, as you step into the only room in the region that brings you Taylor Swift and techno in the same night.

Just as Japan sits at the height of technological advancement, so too does Kasbah with its six-foot-tall animatronic figure dancing the night away with you

The early bird certainly gets the worm, as you may even catch live music on the stage in the side room before the night really heats up. With five rooms to play with, no two evenings are guaranteed to be the same, especially given the myriad of themed nights on offer, from Shrek to Oktoberfest. If that’s not diversity, I don’t know what is.

Yet Germany is not the only country Kasbah transports you to, as it’s not a stretch to liken the cherry blossom rooftop garden to a Japanese haven (though being many drinks in does help to create this impression). Moreover, just as Japan sits at the height of technological advancement, so too does Kasbah with its six-foot-tall animatronic figure dancing the night away with you.

Robots aren’t the only cosmopolitan characters you’ll encounter, as Kasbah boasts a supreme celebrity lineup. Kasbah even counts as an educational experience as you can try and beat The Beast, ITV’s Chaser Mark Labbett, in his annual visit.

While you’ll never want to leave, as 4am rolls around and the lights turn on, there’s naturally nothing you want more than a slice of toast. Kasbah, as they have since the very start of the night, have got your back right to the end, as they send you off in your Uber, riding a rye high. Elicia summarises it best, as she says, “Kasbah is honestly just good vibes”.

The Kelsey’s Question by Luke Evans

“Kelsey’s, anyone?” A question that, when sober, should call to mind haunting images of flooded toilets, neon green pitchers, and one-way trips down stairwells. When leaving what should have been the last pub of the crawl, not quite ready to go home, however, nothing sounds better.

Sitting at the end of Spencer Street, Kelsey’s finished off most of my Leamington nights out in my second year. Just up from Vialli’s and the Parish Church U1 stop, its location, at least, is ideal. As for the rest of the bar, it’s a little more complicated.

My relationship with Kelsey’s can be tough. Now, writing this piece, I’m hesitant to recommend it to anyone: I’d hate to be responsible for someone experiencing the low-point nights there that I’ve had. However, after midnight, when the rose-tinted glasses of inebriation descend, there’s nowhere in Leamington I’d rather be.

Can I recommend Kelsey’s to the uninitiated student? If you don’t mind higher prices, broken plumbing, or staff meaner than Fifteen’s… it might just be the place for you

Part of the allure for many is their signature cocktail, Eliminator. What that is, I couldn’t tell you: all I know is that it looks and tastes entirely radioactive, which is exactly what I’m looking for in a drink. It’s also what serves as purple when circling there, which may be another reason I can’t seem to keep away. I ran my first circle in the dingy confines of Kelsey’s basement, armed with two pitchers of Eliminator and a dream, and I’ve had a fondness for the place ever since.

Since then, I’ve been to birthdays, bar crawls, and more circles in the place, and I’ve seen all they have to offer. I’ve had staff ask me if I’m illiterate, I’ve lost my bank card, and even been in a shouting match with a bouncer. I promise you, it was justified, but it’s still not my proudest moment. There are definitely some issues with the place, but some of my best memories were made there, at the pool tables, on the terrace, or in the beer garden.

Can I recommend Kelsey’s to the uninitiated student? If you don’t mind higher prices, broken plumbing, or staff meaner than Fifteen’s, who don’t care if you live or die, it might just be the place for you. If not, Old Lib isn’t far – you might be better off there.

Too good to be Moo by Abbie Fox

Although they often remain an undiscovered gem until second year, Saturday nights at Moo are nothing if not consistent. Just like the topsy-turvy furniture glued upside down to the ceiling, clubbing here is certainly a unique experience.

Moo will never be able to take the top place in my heart, since that will always be reserved for Smack downstairs. However, I do appreciate the DJ’s commitment to playing Pony every Saturday without fail (trust me, I once went three weeks in a row). With a playlist that never disappoints (mainly since it never changes), he sticks to the bangers, ranging from songs by Amy Winehouse and Bruno Mars to Kanye and Eminem. The DJ is also kind enough to look after your coat behind the booth if you ask nicely. This is much needed, because I don’t trust the unstaffed, free-for-all room at the back, and my friend once had a jacket stolen from the side…

With space on the tables to stand up and dance, alongside outrageously-priced Jägerbombs, what more can one really ask for? (A cloakroom would be nice.)

Granted, the average age there tends to double on some weekends, when the ratio of Leam locals to Warwick students leans heavily in favour of the former. It can also get a bit too packed towards the end of the night, since the club itself is so small, which unfortunately often leads to the bouncer blocking off the little area up the step.

That being said, with space on the tables to stand up and dance, alongside outrageously-priced Jägerbombs, what more can one really ask for? (A cloakroom would be nice.)