Billed as the ultimate alternative gay destination in gay London, what really makes PopStarz the bell of London’s Friday night gay scene is the diversity of the cliental, the music, the decor, and the entertainment. One fabulous Friday night we ventured out to take in possibly their most intriguing one-off party yet: the PopStarz Bondage party. PopStarz’s gay scene is mostly 20-25 year olds and they tend to comply with the skinny jeans, t-shirt, and funky glasses motif. This isn’t a typically hard-core bondage crowd.

We arrived at our gay destination before 10pm to ensure our free entry and headed upstairs to the semi-VIP bar level that offers sweeping views of the indi-pop dance floor below. To our brilliant surprise, all double cocktails were just $4.50 before 11pm, which I may have taken advantage of. At first, the gay scene at PopStarz seemed like any other Friday night with the added bonus of some blow-up dolls and a single “bondage couple” that had ventured out to find some new recruits. Fortunately, this gay destination was just getting started

By 11pm the entire place was hopping and we jumped in the line to visit the special “Bondage Mistress.” As it turns out the my gay scene is perfectly fine bondage free. The Mistress moved toward me to write something on my face – my one and only pet peeve – and I pushed her hand away. She attempted to explain “who was in charge,” I explained that that no one – no one – was writing on face. She seemed a bit shocked, but there was nothing she was going to do or say that would make me let her write on my face. Thus I was anointed with a pig mask instead. After one friend was made to hump an inflatable sheep and another had to lick something rod-shaped object we exited “the dungeon” and went to join the dance floor crowd.

The rest of PopStarz was apparently diving into the “naughty” element of tonight’s gay scene with a fair amount of abandon. Cocktails were probably helping things along. While people weren’t whipping each other in head-to-toe leather, the level of testosterone-fueled mayhem was elevated. Three boys kissing were kissing to my right, some slightly aggressive grinding was to my left, and nobody seemed to have a shirt. It was our watered down version of “bondage” for the night at this gay destination

Save for a somewhat frightening 2am show that included a bag full of broken glass to be walked on and buckets of fake blood (what the hell was going on I have no idea), the night pretty much remained at that level of craziness in all three of PopStarz exceptionally DJ’d rooms. From Indi-pop to mainstream pop to 90s classics, there was no better gay destination to explore one’s “wild side” then PopStarz on Bondage Night.

Venue Information: PopStarz at SIN, Andrew Borde Street, London, WC1