On 21st of September this year the trans community in London achieved another of its “firsts” – we’ve had the first London Trans+ Pride, we’ve had Harpies, Europe’s first trans strip club, and now we have the first lesbian night run by a trans woman. It’s worth saying I would love to be wrong about this, and if you know of one that predates Plastyk, then please let me know. And I know that there are other trans-run lesbian nights, operated by non-binary people and trans mascs, in fact there are many, which is what makes this so exciting. The lesbian community has long embraced the presence of trans women, and while there is a possibility that there is another trans woman quietly, less visibly running a lesbian night in this city, to the best of my knowledge, this is the first time we (yes, hi) have stepped into an organising role in London’s lesbian community.
Speaking to Karlie on the deflated sofas of Venue MOT’s heavily tagged and precariously elevated green room, she tells me that Plastyk is about clarifying our position in the lesbian culture: “If one of the biggest lesbian nights in London is run by a trans woman, then it’s kind of indisputable that we are part of this community.” And with the venue full, smoking area unnavigable and people spilling out the front door for air all by midnight, Plastyk looks set to become a stalwart of our community. There were even 20 people in at doors, a rare phenomenon in queer circles (but then lesbians are terrifyingly punctual).
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Aside from being trans-run, Plastyk is a valuable addition to the lesbian nightlife calendar – while there are club nights and bars specifically for the lesbian community, there has been an absence of raves of late. This is something promoter-DJ Karlie Marx, with her high-tempo genre-clashing style is more than able to remedy. Lesbian rave Big Dyke Energy filled this role for a time, but has since taken a hiatus – with one party-goer even mentioning that “it’s good to have lesbianism back at Venue MOT”, referencing BDE’s much beloved tenure at the venue.
Venue MOT is by no means an easy place to get to for your average east London lesbian, and the evening of September 21st was a less than pleasant one on which to drag us all south of the river. But our mass migration is a testament to the faith we have in Ms Karlie Marx, the DJ and promoter responsible for Plastyk. Walking from New Cross Gate overground station in the rain was perhaps the only time I’ve ever been jealous of people who live south of the river. You win this one, New Cross lesbians…
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Inside there are enough blonde buzz cuts and tank tops for a Slim Shady lookalike convention, several entire cows’ worth of Doc Martens (though I have to assume some were vegan), and a satisfying absence of AliExpress harnesses. Instead Courtney Love-style negligees, fishnets, jorts and Guy Fieri flame print stood out – a palette-cleansingly chaotic scene in the immediate wake of fashion week.
“It’s quite moving actually,” says one party goer about the numbers of trans people, specifically trans women, at the party. “It kind of highlights an issue in the wider lesbian scene.” While the London lesbian community is broadly very open and accepting, and generally welcomes trans women (think: eclectic club nights like Female Trouble, Wet, Femme Fraiche, Big Dyke Energy etc), what was noticeable was that, given a space where they are specifically welcomed and supported, sapphic trans women will arrive in droves. London has a rich history of trans-run and centred clubbing, from early Transmissions parties at Vogue Fabrics Dalston, to Transvision Wednesdays at Dalston Superstore (now Bodyswap), early iterations of Unfold, Arize, even the classic, Bombshell “for TV/TS and admirers”. But none of these spaces is specifically lesbian. And with the recent renaissance of lesbian culture in the capital (openings like La Camionera and Goldie Saloon, the soaring popularity of the Lionesses and the WSL and London’s first Dyke March), Plastyk feels like an explicit coming together, a formalisation if that’s not too strong a word, of two communities that have existed hand in hand in London for years and who are both going from strength to strength.
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Queer scene icon and star of campaigns and promo posters everywhere, DJ Reenie performed opening duties as the corrugated tunnel filled up from the front, shaking off any dampness from the weather with a bone-rattling remix of “Hollaback Girl” amongst other heavy techno edits of pop songs. Karlie’s set lived up to her reputation, mixing Skepta and Swedish House Mafia in the first five minutes and quickly rattling through SOPHIE, The Prodigy and, of course, Le Tigre, because some things never change. She’s flanked behind the decks by her Bodyswap co-conspirator Harietta and drag performer and actor Danielle “The Doll” James – it’s dolls supporting dolls, promoters enjoying the spoils of their labour and friends partying together, the vibes are immaculate. Sister Zo, visiting talent from NYC, followed Karlie and was locked in, focussed and flawless. She took control of the room with dub infused techno, snares that cut through the room and high intensity techno, the crowd were in the palm of her hand. An outrageous booking for Plastyk’s first event.
By 1am, the darkened back of the dancefloor is largely populated by couples new and old, and unsurprisingly, as the time edged past 2am, those couples were headed for the exit. Because some things never change. I must confess I was part of this exodus (not to hook up but to split an extortionate four-drop-off cab back to east). Plastyk, however, continued long into the night, until 4am, with Bumpah co-founder and Popola resident Cheza Lucina on closing duties (I’m told, of course, she slayed).
The second iteration of Plastyk is this weekend – Friday 6 December at Venue MOT. Lineup highlights include WET founder and resident Rabz, and FOLD resident Lockhart – see you dykes there.