The Roxy Club

Covent Garden / Soho, London –

Not to be confused with the famous nightclub that played a central role in Britain’s punk movement, The Roxy on Rathbone Place is much more – though not entirely – about glam pop and rowdy college revelry.

The most student-oriented nights are earlier in the week, especially during Wednesday’s official student night, which sees the club swimming with young partiers from the nearby University College London – at least during term time – as they forget about higher education for a bit and DJs crank up the retro and contemporary pop.

The longstanding subterranean joint is not large, so while ivory chandeliers, chamois barstools, and sleek leather loungers in the back add a touch of class to the joint, it’s difficult to even see the ruby red walls let alone the furnishings once the evening gets going and the crowd swells shoulder-to-shoulder.

Showing up early, however, usually affords a relaxed vibe, with a sparse collection of cool older locals sampling innovative cocktails at the long wooden bar as budget conscious visitors enjoy half-priced wine and beer during a Happy Hour that runs Monday through Friday.

Things get a little pricier as the weekend sets in, with DJs segueing into chart and pop-based hits for a fun-loving crowd of unpretentious patrons who just want to dance the night away and don’t mind a little claustrophobia.

And if the local hipsters are put off by the weekend’s Top 40, they can always come back to The Roxy on Mondays and Tuesdays, when the music is devoutly indie and “popular hits” is a downright dirty term.