In 1920s London, those who could afford to indulged in a craze for wild parties - pyjama parties, sailor parties, pool parties - the wilder the better, with American jazzers such as the Blackbirds Revue providing the stomping music. Resplendent in glittering finery at the heart of this social whirl was a new generation who rejected the dark tragedy of World War I in favour of sheer hedonism.
Now London is re-embracing those long ago days. Over the last year there's been a growing fascination with the uproarious partying of the last century's third decade. Clubbers who like to dress up have been attending events where the established trend for burlesque has been combined with DJs and bands playing the music of the Twenties, Thirties and Forties. The visual flavour is broadly retro but the mood is that of Jazz Age cheekiness, cobbled together glamour and fun, perhaps a defiant reaction to the media's gleeful and typically British predictions of austerity and belt-tightening.
Nights such as The Book Club, Last Days of Decadence and White Mink: Black Cotton take great care with their presentation, part American prohibition-era speakeasy, part English costumed ball, and artists such as Waldeck and The Correspondents have been providing music that combines swing-era pizzazz with modern electronic club tics, alongside DJs such as Nick Hollywood who mix and match the old and the new. If this scene finds a tail-wind, 2011 should see it break cover but in the meantime, those who are interested should check out Steamboat Bordello who epitomise what's going on and have a party aboard the Dixie Queen paddle steamer on the Thames this Sunday (31 October) featuring The Correspondents and Texan Western swing trio Hot Club of Cow Town.
Watch the video for The Correspondents' "Washington Square":
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