Torture Garden/London - Friday 29th March

15:50 / 04.02.02

... that means next month, people.

No more vacillating. Last Saturday, I do believe Madame Lovelaces, La Carnival, my spooky darling and I all committed to the next one. I am not wrong.

Anyone who wants to join us - get your head out of your arse (or stick it further up there, if that's part of your 'thing' - we're all equal opportunity perverts here) and strut your stuff with us. The last thread on this got so watered down with prevarication and nerves by those who've never attended such a thing that nothing ever got decided.

Ganesh - you around? I think it's the first weekend of March... if so, bring the boyf...

[ 07-02-2002: Message edited by: Jack The Bodiless ]

[ 06-03-2002: Message edited by: Jack The Bodiless ]

16:01 / 04.02.02

Really glad you posted this: I only found out the date the other day but forgot to mention it here. Like you, I wanted to set a firm date, to cut out the prevaricating, oscillating, shilly-shallying and general molly-flogging.

Absolutely, I am sooo up for this...

Shit or get off the pot, people!

16:05 / 04.02.02

quote:Originally posted by Ganesh v4.2:
cut out the <snip> general molly-flogging.

But General Molly so loves a good flogging...

16:09 / 04.02.02

<thinks: if I join a gym now and do 1000 stomach-crunches and bicep curls every day for the next month, then I'll look faaab in latex...>

16:09 / 04.02.02

Magic.

So we've definitely got Ganesh, Mordant C@arnival, myself, Lyra Lovelaces, miss spooky and Ma'at... with a possible side order of ZoCher, and ephemerat, and possible even the Pixie and her boyf.

As we want to get this sorted - if you're in any way nervous or worried, private message me or MC, and we'll let you know the drill, etc. If you have concerns about the dress code, likewise. Please only post here for arrangements or definite commitments, or the thread will balloon into a shuffling mass of body-neuroses again...

Which we shall nickname 'The Cthonic', and construct a dance around very similar to 'the Batusi'.

[ 04-02-2002: Message edited by: Jack The Bodiless ]

16:11 / 04.02.02

<waves pair of leather chaps enticingly in Flyboy's direction>

You kno-o-o-o-ow you want to...

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

16:11 / 04.02.02

I fear he has The Fear...

[ 04-02-2002: Message edited by: Jack The Bodiless ]

06:57 / 05.02.02

What date is it? I'd be up for it (again, if I'm not working blah blah blah)
Ain't been to TG for about five years now, and would love to check it out again (if I can find my rubber gear).

16:42 / 07.02.02

Looks like the next Torture Garden isn't announced yet, but may be the end of March. Alternatively, Club Flesh seems more frequent... but I think TG would be a better bet.

The Knowledge +1

17:16 / 07.02.02

Explain the torture garden to me, in layman's terms please.

17:30 / 07.02.02

It's a night club where people try to get in by wearing as much fetish gear as possible and pray that a couple of fat leatherbound bouncers will be kind enough to let them in.

In side you will find a rough mixture of try hards, wannabees, statement makers, pretensious wankers and some people who actually get off on fetish activity. Oh, and the truly warped.

Expect to see people wearing various levels of stuff from PVC, latex and piercings for the less hardcore to leather, inspikes, bloodlines (IV tubes designed to carry blood from one vien to another in another part of the body and essentially bypassing the heart), catheters and cling film for the next set of levels. At the top level you will find suffocaters, flesh-braiders, impalers and other proper bodily harm types.

That's my tough description. If you want to really find out, there is a book out on the more extreme stuff that has displayed there.

The Knowledge +1

17:36 / 07.02.02

Ha ha ha.

So this is a place where I can actually break some bones and spill some blood and get rewarded for it?

Sounds like my kinda dive.

I'm up for it. (Unless there's another meet in March - I wanna meet you freaks).

The Knowledge +1

17:40 / 07.02.02

Can you get in if you've got one of your eyebrows pierced?

20:45 / 07.02.02

WoI: Just one question- are you and me thinking of the same club?

RU going, BTW?

For those who are genuienly interested in going, here's the TG's website. Do please pay attention to the dresscode, because the bouncers will turn you away if you're not properly attired and you won't get your ticket refunded. Also, the club has fairly strict (but strictly fair) guidelines on good behaviour; break them, and you'll get the bum's rush- and not in a good way.

Oh, one last thing- This is the Easter Special @ Mass (29th of March) we're talking about, yes? I wouldn't want anyone to end up buying tickets for the wrong night.

21:45 / 07.02.02

MC: that's what I was thinking of, yeah. Sounds appropriate... and I think WoI may have a peculiarly warped view of the fetish scene... it's not all Giger and body mod, you know. Sometimes Pervs Just Wanna Have Fun.

By the way - anyone noticed that most of the people who decry pretention in others do so in the most pretentious manner possible, while most of the people they describe don't take themselves at all seriously? Anyone else here subscribe to the view that 'the pretentious' doesn't actually exist except in the mind of those claiming to perceive it?

I'm beginning to think Wisdom Of Idiots came up with his fictionsuit name while travelling through Selfawaria on his way to Ignoreland...

Haus about we all give each other a big lovely huggle?

10:43 / 08.02.02

OK, people, the desription was supposed to be taken with a pinch of salt and a modicum of humour.

I apologise, being used to laughing at myself I forget that not everyone is willing to do the same. Guess I'm idiotnormative.

The post was a slight rehash of a Maxim style report that I read once with some observations thrown in from other places and some experiences with people from visits to other lower-profile clubs.

Much as I would like to go to the TG there are a few limiting factors.

1) I have no fetish wear and I'm not about to buy any because it has no real relevance to me.
2) I live in Toronto and it's a bit further than I'm willing to go for a night out.

The reason that I would want to go there is because I'm a photographer and can see the potential for some great imagery. However, I don't think they would consider a bag full of Nikons suitable attire for the night.

Again apologies for the jokes, no offence was intended.

11:02 / 08.02.02

Yeah. What's wrong with you faggots? What are you, black or something?

Jeeeee-zuz! Fuckin' perverts have no sense of humour....

11:04 / 08.02.02

Standard response machine is on then is it Haus?

And what's with the faggots reference, it's not like these clubs are gay exclusive.

Frankly I think that's something of an insulting sweeping generalisation.

[ 08-02-2002: Message edited by: Wisdom of idiots ]

11:29 / 08.02.02

No offence wuz took, WoI. Actually, I thought your post was funny. Sorry if I came across as high-handed; my comments weren't directed at you, they were just a sort of general cavaet. And I guess Toronto is a bit of a way from Brixton.

(As an aside: The TG generally take a dim view of photographers, but having said that I know of at least one non-fetish-scene snapper who's attended to take photos for a magazine. I think it's okay as long as photography is arranged in advance with the organizers- and keep that zoom lens off the dungeon floor!

)

[ 08-02-2002: Message edited by: Mordant C@rnival ]

Haus about we all give each other a big lovely huggle?

12:02 / 08.02.02

Yeah, I'm aware of the soft conflict between photographers and the fetish scene. As I understand it you an usually get in if you're backed by a publication or something big but independants like me are unlikely to get anywhere.

Sadly it's people like me, with no aggenda to fill, that could probably get the best shots (in an artistic/creative/interpretive sense) but being non-fetish we get seen as ruining the game as such.

I understand both sides of the arguments and am just not the kind of person that's willing to push the issue enough to get inside. That's not the way that I do things.

12:10 / 08.02.02

quote:Originally posted by Wisdom of idiots:
Standard response machine is on then is it Haus?

And what's with the faggots reference, it's not like these clubs are gay exclusive.

Frankly I think that's something of an insulting sweeping generalisation.

You know, if you were brighter I'd assume that was self-parody.

It was a joke, Wisdom. I was only joking.

NO I WASN'T!

I'VE GOT A PLANK!

EXCEPT I HAVEN'T!

Haus about we all give each other a big lovely huggle?

12:13 / 08.02.02

Haus, relax, I thought we were in a friendly planking conversation.

Thought I would have been letting you down if I didn't throw that back at you.

If my humour is too subtle for you, just let me know, I'll obvious it up for you.

Self-parody, that's only one of the levels.

12:32 / 08.02.02

He. used. an. adjective. as. a. verb.

Too painful for me. I'll stick to C&BT and bloodplay, cheers.

The Knowledge +1

12:53 / 08.02.02

So will I get in with the plank?

Haus about we all give each other a big lovely huggle?

13:00 / 08.02.02

If it's shoved up your cock, yes.

The Knowledge +1

13:06 / 08.02.02

Don't you mean my arse?

13:09 / 08.02.02

Not going to work, fetish in the terms of the TG is widely considered an abstraction from the normal.

Edited to add that the use of the word normal was simply used as an shot at Soop and not in anyway a commentary regarding normalness.

Good grief, if you couldn't see that one then sorry but I can't be held responsible for your perceptions of what I say.

Apologies for the thread rot.

[ 08-02-2002: Message edited by: Wisdom of idiots ]

14:46 / 08.02.02

Christ... let's not get into 'normal' and abstractions thereof - WoI, you can usually get in by wearing a pair of PVC trousers if you've a mind, or particular uniforms, or... whatever.

I asked people not to rot the fucking thread by posting about TG or the dress code, or whatever - again, PM La Carnival or myself if you have questions. This is THE GATHERING. Can we have arrangements and declarations of intent only, please. Wisdom of Idiots, as you live in Canada, this excludes you, unfortunately - unless you were planning a trip down to England, in which case, rock n' roll, etc...

Naked Flame

15:27 / 08.02.02

I'll come if someone can lend me some clothes suitable for a 65kg 6'1" male. That or tell me where I can get a suitable outfit without spending my entire month's disposable income (i.e. about £40...) The kinkiest thing I have in my wardrobe at the mo is a hot-pink stretch lycra T-shirt with a 'BIG MUFF' logo on it, and that's not gonna cut it.

15:35 / 08.02.02

You'll fit into my PVC trousers... I have to roll the legs up a little anyway. Then all you need is the above mentioned T-shirt and some nondescript boots/shoes...

Regrettable Juvenilia

06:06 / 09.02.02

I'll come if I can find clothes, somebody else's metabolism, and da noive...

01:14 / 11.02.02

Right- sartorial notes and queries over in the Conversation, peeps.
http://www.barbelith.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=001189

We're The Great Old Ones Now

10:08 / 11.02.02

This thread has given me the impetus to buy New Beautiful Clothes! Much yay!

I cna therefore lend you my current placky trousers for the night, Flame. I'm not sure my other trousers will fit you fly, as they're a little more tailored, which means the leg length is already Ok on me (and you're a bit taller than me)... however, Ganesh is likely to be able to help you out, and he certainly seems willing...

As for da noive... dutch courage being out of the question, I recommend DRUGS or motivational speeches.

10:18 / 11.02.02

I'm a big fan of Tiger Balm, myself.