Nightlife in Glasgow Guide

So you’re cutting about Glasgow, fuelled on a bakers dozen of tinnies, when you decide you’re ready to embrace the locally celebrated concept of ‘huvvin a wee dance’. Well, it’ll come as a surprise to nobody at all that Glasgow is one of the best places in Scotland to fire on your glad-rags and throw some shapes in the dark. We at Licklist Towers have thrown together a wee guide to ensure you get the most out of your visit and you don’t find yourself standing outside Bamboo wondering why you even bothered.

Sauchiehall has it all

Now , you’ve clambered out your taxi with some similarly enthusiastic pals and you realise you’ve no idea  where you are going to lead this merry band. Calm yourself, happens all the time. Fortunately for you, there’s Sauchiehall Street; Glasgow’s own Vegas Strip. If you are really unsure about what direction you want your night to take, Sauchiehall street is honestly the best place to start. Boasting a wealth of nightclubs, including prolific options like the 02 ABC and The Garage, alongside a dizzying mix of bars, taverns, watering holes and - most importantly - chippies, Sauchiehall street is where you’ll find most revellers milling in their hordes from venue to venue as they exhaust their welcome in one and move onto the next. In particular, be sure to check in at Nice’N’Sleazy& rsqu o;s to grab yourself a couple of budget White Russians and take in one of their notorious DJ sets at one of Glasgow’s most beloved institutions.

Choose your tunes

If you’ve had your fill of nights brimming with chart mainstays and your ears are craving something a bit off the beaten, Glasgow has you covered. If rock, punk and metal is your poison, head down to the Cathouse in Union Street where you’ll find Glasgow’s enduring ‘rock’ club with all it’s pierced and tatted characters. The venue spans three floors, each blasting a different genre, whilst also boasting its very own ’smoking cage’. Atmosphere and and an ‘all are welcome’ attitude make this place the beloved venue that it is. Similarly, if you are fancying a bit of vintage funk with a bona fide disco ball, Bath Lane’s Buff Club will see you right. This place touts booze at a very affordable price whilst offering the very best in soul, hip hop and funk on weekends and weekdays alike. Both these historic venues carry a lot of clout in Glasgow’s alternative music circles, however there’s one contender that stands head and shoulders above the rest. 

SubClub

Listed in multiple publications as one of the world’s best nightclubs, Glasgow’s SubClub is the nirvana of dance venues. It is currently the longest running underground nightclub in the world, opening in April 1987 and has been offering atmosphere, class and critically acclaimed music ever since. Go and sink your teeth into hours of house, techno, electro and disco ( all the o’s) before necking a few waters and having a natter out in the smoking area with similarly grinning and sweaty dance heads. You’ll never find a happier and more welcoming crowd than the ones outside legendary SubClub, though we’ll leave what makes them so friendly up to your imagination.

Round out the evening

On a night out in Scotland, you can’t really finish your night without sampling some deep fried oddity and, if you are so inclined, you’ll be hard pressed beating the Blue Lagoon on Sauchiehall street. This veteran chippie services the drunken hoards of Sauchiehall week in week out and with good reason. This place will actually deep fry your pizza for you upon request, as well as offering the usual litany of pies, sausages, burgers and even the coveted Scottish haggis. If you are looking for something a bit more upmarket in your chippie, Pommes Frites is just up the road from Blue Lagoon. This wee gem sells cardboard cones of gluten free, twice fried, 100 % potato Belgian fries . They’ll even let you sample one of their 30 exotic gourmet sauces before you commit, as well as their equally impressive array of seasonings. If we could leave you with one final suggestion; try the War Sauce. We’ve no idea what’s in it but it’s mint. 

 

 

By Kyle Cairns