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Libida began as a club for
women only, lately tho male friends
are invited along tho the atmosphere states that this is still a girl
dominated club.
Reviews
Review 1 by Dave - Feb 2001
Well, I had heard about it, but I
had never gone, so last Saturday I decided to give it a go. Trekking
across the Liffey and into Smithfield, I eventually found the entrance
to Chief O'Neills. But my first reaction upon arriving was that I had
gone into the wrong hotel, because filling the lobby in front of me
was a live traditional Irish band. After convincing one of the girls I
had brought with me to ask if we had arrived on the correct date, we
were informed that Libida was downstairs another level.
We were greeted at the bottom of
the stage by two lovely ladies, one of whom turned out to be the DJ
spinning that night. £6 in, and we were each offered a shot of
tequila. It was a bit of a search to find the lemons and salt, but the
effort was worth it. Getting in at half ten when the club started
meant that there the place was next to empty and we could snag one of
the fairly limited table areas, and take advantage of the free candy
put out by the club as well.
The club space itself is
brilliant. A quite large chill out area with tables, completely
music-free, with a perfectly sized dance floor in a separate room next
door. I found that the music played during the first hour was very
blase, on the verge of lame, but that at around quarter til twelve it
really picked up. DJ Sweet put out some great tunes, ranging from
Santana (a song from *before* he sold out) and the Sugar Hill Gang to
excellent tracks like Red Alert by Basement Jaxx. (Post-show I chatted
up the DJ, Emma, who defended her opening spinning with the claim that
it helped people settle down and didn't exclude anyone's taste ...
that's a paraphrase.
Perhaps she's right, but if
she'd played the brilliant songs she put out later a bit earlier I
would have gotten out of my seat much faster). Oh yeah, did I mention
that despite the fact that the flyers advertise the night as
"queer girls & boys," no one had informed me that there
weren't any *men*? Perhaps I'm the fool here -- it *is* called
"libid-a", after all. It doesn't really matter -- I had a
great time *without* the dirty old men. The advertised "half hour
smooch" doesn't really exist to my mind.
All of a sudden the volume went
very low, and everyone just left. I had been looking forward to some
real slow groove sounds, but everyone was too busy getting out of
there. My final decision was that I would try and attend every night
of the club, because I really enjoyed myself. It runs the last
saturday of every month, but apparently there may be a problem with
the club's lease, so keep an ear out for any word of closing, so you
won't trek the whole way down to Smithfield on my account to find it
closed and shuttered.
dave
Review 2 by Shoegirl - Sept 1999
"Libida" Venue: Castle Inn, Lord
Edward St (opposite Christchurch) Time: Club from 9:30pm-1:30pm, they
also show a film beforehand at 7:30pm Days and Frequency: Alternate
Fridays (next is 16th Sept) Admission: £5-7, depending on whether or
not you are concessionable and if you want to go to the film too.
Apparently the film-only ticket is £1. Door Policy: "For charming
chicks, odd girls & their friends of all persuasions and
gender" A club which seems to place great value on the word
"diversity."
At the moment this is the only club which admits
men. The last night I was there there were about 100 present, though
there are usually around 150. Plenty of seating room, though it is
common on busy nights to fill the entire area. Like "Girl
Crazy" (in the same venue) the music can be heard from downstairs
(the management seem to have a strange policy of having a DJ downstairs
while anything else is on on the top floor.) Quite different from most
women's clubs in that the women who go here seem to make a much greater
effort to "look good." True enough, there were lots of
beautiful women around on the last night, a good mix of "girl next
door" figures, "stone butches" and "beauteous
femmes." A very lively dancefloor, helped by probably the best
Dj-ing I have heard in Dublin in a long time. The music is a heady mix
of up-to-date dance music, quick-moving chart favourites, Latin, and
slightly jazzy numbers. Boppers beware: you won't be off the floor for
the entire night! I also notice that the DJ here (the "gorgetastic
DJ Sweet") is not afraid of vinyl, with great continuity.
Some very
nice touches to this club: the most original flyers I have seen, lucky
bags, sweets, lollipops, and even bubbles are strewn on the tables! This
club also has a friendlier than usual clientele, girls (and boys!) seem
to mingle with ease, and after-hours parties have been known to happen.
Considerably cruiser (for those who are into that sort of thing!) than
any of the other women's clubs. All in all, a very nice club, though
ideally could use a better venue. Also finishes a little early for some
peoples liking and is not in a very safe part of the city. The little
touches make this club probably the best women's club around at present
and has the added attraction of the chance to bring along your male
friends for the night.
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