Sinzine

From the ‘Night of the Vampires’ to the Day of the Dead, Club AntiChrist’s last two outings have been a couple spooky affairs.  SinZine cornered some of the characters haunting the Colosseum in September and October for a photo opp, and the chance to find out why they feel you should join them at AntiChrist in December - when the ‘Not New Year’s Eve’ party sends off 2011 in style!

Co-Writers : Alison B, Dan Parkington; Photographers : David Briggs (Rock ‘n’ Roll Voodoo, Oct 28th), Nikki Q (Night of the Vampires, Sept 2nd)

The AntiChrist himself?
(Rock ‘n’ Roll Voodoo - Oct 28th)

So are you an AC regular, or this your first time?
First time here.  Your regular kind of industrial / goth club, I’ve been there and done it, but this is a really good new slant on it - the rockabilly, the voodoo stuff, that’s what got me to come tonight. I’ve just come from going to see Alice Cooper do a thing at the BFI, so I got to wear all this there.  I got up on stage with him, got some fucking excellent photos!  Coming here is the cherry on the cake!
Where will you be spending most of the night - the dungeon, the dancefloor, watching the acts?
Definitely watching the bands! I’ve seen Vince Ray a couple of times, and we’re a bit late getting here, but I know he’s got second set to come.  I’ll probably be in The Hellfire Room - that’s kind of my thing.
The obvious question - want to tell us about your outfit?
Well, I’ve started getting into putting prosthetics on and doing make-up and I’m getting a little bit better at it.  The first piece of the outfit is a prosthetic face piece which I painted up myself and glued on.  It gets a little bit tiring after a while but it is effective.  Then I put the red ‘n’ yellow contact lenses in, the obligatory horns sticking through the bandanna, three-quarter length leather coat that I bought chopped down to fit the pair of four and a half foot rubber demon wings and plastic spine.  Then there’s the motocross shin guards that I stuck a load of skulls on.  The rest of it is kinda what I’d wear anyway.  
I’ve left the belt with the whips and severed bits and pieces on tonight, it’s too much to try and sit down on with everything else.  Unfortunately I left my battle axe at home, but that’s not the girlfriend, that’s an actual axe.  And the severed head, which would have been a good prop for tonight, but it’s too hard to try and keep hold of.
Well, it’s a bit much for the bus home.
Oh, you shoulda seen what I went to Alice Cooper with last year! I had a goat’s skull that I did up as Alice Cooper and stuck on my horns, I waving it round at the gig, lost my grip on it and it hit some guy in the back of the head! But the cool thing, I got to meet Alice last year as well and I forgot to bring anything for him to sign, so he signed my goat skull, so I got a goat skull signed by Alice.  Pretty cool - Halloween, best time of the year!  It’s my Christmas!!

Jodie, fiance Rob & Jodie’s Parents
(Night of the Vampires, Sept 2nd)

For all the colourful characters you can meet at AntiChrist, I think you guys are our first family!  Do you go to a lot of fetish events together?
Dad: Yeah, we’ve been to a few - we’ve taken her to Club Rub.  This is the first time we’ve brought her here though.  It’s probably the best fetish club there is at the moment. We were Torture Garden veterans but it’s just too far up it’s own arse now.
That’s the veterans view, then - what are our two newcomers first impressions of AC?
Rob: We’ve only just got here, literally only just got here - I’ll tell you later on!!
Jodie: Well, we’ve been to Club Rub with them, and we knew we’d end up coming to this one because they’ve been raving about it ever since the last one. Ever since the last one they’ve been saying ‘you’ve got to come’, and they’ve got good taste in music, so we came!
And lastly, what would each of you say to convince an AC virgin to come down and give it a go?
Dad: Try it, you’ll really like it.
Mum: It’s all about the people, there’s a real diverse mix of people her so everyone can fit in.  It’s not all designer - at TG it’s all people in designer gear, all ‘who’s got the best rubber outfit?’ snobbery, it’s very…
Dad: …up it’s own arse?
Mum: Yeah, those are the words I‘m looking for!

Jason (right) & friend
(Rock ‘n’ Roll Voodoo - Oct 28th)

So do you come here often?
Jason: Uh, yeah - I work here.
I can’t ask you then, you’re biased! Okay, what about you, what keeps bringing you back to AntiChrist?
[points to Jason] Him!  Er, no that’s a tough one…. people dress really well here, I really like the live shows and stuff - there’s always good shows.  And it’s a big crowd and I like big crowd.  
It’s early on, but what do you think of the whole rock ‘n’ roll theme so far?
It’s really good! I’m really into Deathrock, so I really appreciate like goth rock, psychobilly, all of that.  I like the whole Dia de los Muertos thing as well, it’s a nice theme change.  I like how they theme it every time, although I always dress the same anyway….
What would you say if you were trying to sell this place to someone?
Well the whole thing about AntiChrist, what makes it so good is that it’s different for everyone.  If you’re into fetish, you’ve got the dungeon room, if you like sex in public, there’s the er, sex room, if you’re into live music….
Jason: I like how you just focused on the sex rooms!!
See what I mean, there’s something for everyone! So I’d just see what kind of a person they were and appeal to their particular things, make sense?

Alex & Matt
(Rock ‘n’ Roll Voodoo - Oct 28th)

Are you AntiChrist regulars, or is this your first time at the club?
Both:  Second.
Matt: Second time down here, but going to be regulars from now on, I think!
What brought you back a second time?
Matt: Well, it’s Halloween, it was a great party last time…
Alex: It’s a good excuse to dress up!
Matt: …and that too.
What would you say to an AntiChrist virgin to persuade them to get out of the house and check it out?
Matt: It’s a place where you can come, you can be yourself and nobody is going to judge you. You’re going to be comfortable the moment you walk in the door and you’re going to have an absolutely great night.  You’re going to go home and want to come back!

Indy
(Night of the Vampires, Sept 2nd)

Where have you come from tonight?
Manchester, it’s my first time here!
That’s a long way to come - special occasion?
It’s my 30th.  I’ve always wanted to come, but it’s just not been viable and then I thought, ‘sod it, it’s my 30th‘ - well, it’s 9 days before my 30th now - and I’m going to come down, get a couple of friends down and have a laugh.
What are your first impressions now you’re finally here?
Great so far - I’m loving it!
What are you loving?
I’m into the whole fetish thing anyway, and I know this is predominantly an industrial club with a
fetish side to it, but I love the whole industrial scene as well - I go out a lot on it, go to a lot of gigs, so this for me was the epitome of a perfect club!   I went to the Torture Garden birthday bash in 2008 and I felt underdressed and out of it because everyone is just so fashion conscious there.  It’s all about bigger, better, faster more, rather than just being yourself.  This much more ‘me’.  
On the topic of fashion, talk us through your outfit.
Well before I even knew it was a vampire theme I’d already planned my outfit and I’m a big fan of fetish porn and I was flicking through a site called Divine Goddesses and saw this girl, all dressed up, domme-style, with the hat and everything else and I was like ‘I need to do that!!!’  I must have spent like £250 on outfit, hair, make-up and everything,
Now that you’ve actually been here yourself, what would you tell an AC virgin to convince them to give it a go?
Bearing in mind in I brought one first-timer with me, like a complete industrial, fetish, novice, and she’s already saying ‘I want to do more‘, it’s a case of saying ‘give it a shot‘!  If you’ve got any interest in the fun side of life you’ll get a lot out it.  

Cerys & Kyle
(Rock ‘n’ Roll Voodoo - Oct 28th)

So are your AC regulars or this your first time?
Both: Fourth time.
What’s kept you coming back each time?
Cerys: The music
Kyle: Everything, it’s fun
Are you liking the rock ‘n’ roll based theme for tonight, or do you prefer the more industrial acts?
Cerys: I don’t mind really, either way.
And for people who have not been down here before, what do you say to get them out of the house?
Cerys: We don’t really know that many people that are into this, everyone we know that’s here just comes
And where are you going to be spending most of your night?
Kyle: PureFuckingIndustrial
Cerys: Yeah, same

The Blood Doll & The Doll Keeper
(Night of the Vampires, Sept 2nd)

So what brings you to AntiChrist tonight?
Blood Doll: This is my first time here! I don’t usually go to these kind of things but recently I’ve been quite interested so I thought this would be a good place to kind of explore that sort of side.  I’m really enjoying myself!
Talk us through the outfits quickly - did you go with vampire theme of the evening?
BD: Yeah, I’m here as a Blood Doll tonight.
And where are we going to find you as the night progresses?  Is it the dungeon or the dance floor for you?
BD: Well, that depends, because [looking to her ’keeper’] wherever she goes, I go.
Where will you mostly be playing with your dolly then?
Blood Doll’s Keeper: Well she’s been everywhere, we’ve been everywhere.  Because it’s all so new and exciting we keep moving around.

(Note: Gallery in background is Bonnie Baker's 'Hoodie' project, exclusively unveiled at AC)

Erin & Simone (aka Gothinisity)
(Rock ‘n’ Roll Voodoo - Oct 28th)

Do you come here often then, ladies?
Erin: This is my third time here.
Simone: I’ve been coming here for about a year and a half now.  Love it, absolutely love it!
What keeps you coming back?
Erin: It’s actually the people
Simone: The atmosphere, everyone is really friendly.
Obviously tonight‘s rock ‘n‘ roll theme hasn‘t kept you away.  Would you welcome more diverse bills, besides the usual goth and industrial, at AC in future?
Erin: To be honest with you, I’m into a lot of different music styles, anything goes.  It’s a really good night to come down to no matter what the music is. I enjoy each different zone.
What would you say to an AC virgin to convince them to check it out for the first time?
Simone: Give it a go! I came down here one time, when my friend was like ‘come to AntiChrist‘, and now I come here every time.  It’s absolutely amazing, you’ll meet amazing people.
Erin: Everyone is really friendly, you’ll have fun no matter what.  Just mingle and talk to people and it’s great!

(The Legend That Is) Brian
(Night of the Vampires, Sept 2nd)

What appeals to you about AntiChrist then, Brian?
The sleazy, trashy…. nicety of it.  The trashy sleaze is my thing!
Talk us through your outfit tonight.
Motorbike boots at the bottom the jeans are just drainpipes, the bullet belt is a homage to Motorhead, and the t-shirt…. [which reads ’Okay Nazi Dicks - I Play Hard’] The t-shirt is my design - especially for all these idiots who see the cap and actually think I am a Nazi or a racist dick or prick.  I got it made just to make sure people understood, but some of these skinheads with no brain cells to rub together still get confused….
It works brilliantly with the cap tonight, but I can see it’s going to screw with empty heads…
Oh yeah - baby I’m a head fuck!
So what would you say to sell AntiChrist to someone who has never been before?
If you really want to have fun in a totally safe, secure environment, where no-one will hit if you don‘t want them to, come here!  Even if you come on your own, there’s always people that will talk to you and it‘s always a friendly atmosphere!

Melody, Shane & Matt
(Rock ‘n’ Roll Voodoo - Oct 28th)

So are you all regulars at AntiChrist?
Melody: This is my second time here
Shane: Last Halloween was the last time I was here.
Melody: And this is Matt’s first time here
Ah, a virgin to break in!  A bit of a mix then.  What brought you two back a second time?
Melody: AntiChrist is full of good people and good music.  And you get to dress how you want and have a good time.
Matt, how did they convince you to come then?
Matt: Oh, I just heard about it on the website, The Alterium, they were going anyway - I had no reason not to!
Tell us about what you’re wearing tonight
Melody: Well, I’m a Succubus - so I’ve got the wings, I’ve got the horns, and I’ve got the whips!
Shane: I’m gonna go topless in a while and show off my tattoos.
Matt: And I’ve gone cyber-industrialist.  

Alice & James
(Rock ‘n’ Roll Voodoo - Oct 28th)

How long have you been coming to AntiChrist then?
Alice: This is actually my first time here.  I live in Cornwall - quite far away!
Wow - so what convinced you to travel so far for it?
Alice: Well there’s a lot of things available that you can’t really get anywhere else,.  The playroom is quite cool. I mean, even if you don’t use it, it just looks cool as well, doesn’t it?  There’s just more options here for people who want to dress up - it’s nice!
How did you hear about it?
Alice: James used to be a member, and he told me about it.
Are you from Cornwall as well?
James: No, Nottingham - not quite as far
Can you talk us through your outfits?
Alice: This wasn‘t my original outfit, I changed it at the last minute, and basically as it’s ended up I’m just a mutated bit of candyfloss!
James: And I’m a vicar….
Alice: … I was going to be his little girl.  But I was kind of worried I might offend people.  I kinda like the mutated candyfloss, anyway.