Venue spotlight: The Pink Toothbrush

I am so drawn to the name of this place… The Pink Toothbrush… it conjures images of popsicles and baby pink glitter tutus in my mind. Whilst you wouldn’t be out of place if you did decide to go down to Rayleigh’s premier nightclub in a pink glitter tutu, there’s a lot more going on at The Pink Toothbrush in Rayleigh, Essex than the name immediately suggests.

The Pink Toothbrush holds the crown for being the UK’s longest-running alternative nightclub. Specialising in indie/alternative music, The Brush has seen shows from some of the greatest music acts over the years. Blur, Radiohead, de La Soul, Angie Bowie, Culture Club, the Buzzcocks, The Inbetweeners… you name it, they’ve graced the stage at The Pink Toothbrush.

The Pink Toothbrush is somewhere you can go where you won’t be judged – it’s for everybody. Since it’s conception in the late 70s (as Crocs – named as such because the club was home to two live crocodiles that were on display), and it’s been a home from home for arty, rocker types ever since. Never straying from their alternative roots, The Pink Toothbrush is still one of the few places in Essex where you won’t hear the monotonous D’n’B we’re so used to hearing in clubs… in The Pink Toothbrush, you’ll hear indie, punk, rock, ska, a bit of funk… all the underground stuff mainstream radios are sleeping on.

On Fridays, The Pink Toothbrush hosts their weekly Anthems night, playing all the classic indie tunes we’ve all grown up with. On Saturdays, it’s Indie Alternative Current Future Retro (bit of a mouthful…) night! This means it’s DJ Russ and Darren’s turn on the decks, playing the best tunes well into the wee hours of Sunday morning. The drinks are incredibly cheap - £2 all night on Friday! And you can even try the notorious Rodney’s cocktail… it’s equal parts cider, lager, blackcurrant, and VK. I’ll be surprised if you remember how you even got home after a couple of Rodney’s…

 The Pink Toothbrush Radio also has a DIY station hosted by the team at The Pink Toothbrush Nightclub, so you can get involved even when the club is closed. You can expect great alternative music from the past and the present, and some chat from those that love the music and occasional guests too.That is available to listen to for free here.

Check them out here.

 

Credit: Karen Clifford

 

Words by Rebecca Clayton