The NYC Downlow: It really should not work. One of the best clubs in the world is in the middle of a field on a farm in Somerset. The NYC Downlow instantly became a Glastonbury icon when it opened its doors in 2007.
Since then, along with The Underground Piano Bar, The Rabbit Hole and Arcadia, the NYC downlow is one of the main nighttime attractions at Glastonbury Festival. This multi-room venue attracts the LGBTQ community and anyone else up for a party. The founder of Glastonbury, Michael Eavis popped in once. We know he likes to party!
NYC Downlow, Block 9
The structure of The NYC Downlow is a life-size, film-set replica of a seedy New York bathhouse-cum-meatpacking warehouse circa 1982. For this year’s festival expect nightly themed performances including an Elton-fuelled Rocket Glam Night, a Leather Night, and a homage to the late, great Lily Savage.
Glastonbury is where you leave all your inhibitions behind and the NYC Downlow is the perfect place to let go. Anything goes in this club and I mean anything and I haven’t even mentioned The Meat Rack!
The Meat Rack, Glastonbury
The Meat Rack is the club within the NYC Downlow. That is right, a club within a club. This is Glastonbury remember where 100 stages are just not enough! If you think the NYC downlow is full-on, wait to you enter The Meat Rack! As it says on the official Glasto site ” Hot, dark and sweaty, The Meat Rack features the ultimate sleazy homo-centric line-up.”
The clientele’s outfits here put the rest of us festival-goers to shame. They really dress up and make an effort which isn’t easy in the middle of nowhere! Mind you after a few hours in there everybody is dripping with sweat, even the walls! So the crowd look like regular Glasto goers at sunrise!
The NYC Downlow is now so popular that LGBTQ people come to Glastonbury specifically for it. Most of them stay here or in Block 9 (where the club is located). This happens a lot at Glastonbury.
People stay in their favourite spots. For example, the people who love The Healing Fields mostly stay there. The people who want a bit of old Glastonbury stay in the Field of Avalon and Acoustic Stage. Glastonbury is 100 festivals all at the same time. I like to sample some of them to get a real flavour.
Like all areas of Glastonbury, The NYC Downlow always have a few secret sets. Last year Roisin Murphy turned up to play. One thing is for sure. As the sun rises on Monday morning after 5 days of madness there will be one crowd still partying and that is the NYC Downlow crowd.
See you on the farm!
Other Glasto Posts:
The Ultimate Guide to Glastonbury Stages and Areas
30 Things To Do At Glastonbury Festival
The Best Bars At Glastonbury Festival
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