2 minute read
AISHA SHAIBU Dancing with tiers in our eyes? Alex Klineberg dips into the best of queer London
Aisha Shaibu is a queer activist, club night organiser and founder of Moonlight Experiences, which is dedicated to uncovering London’s huge LGBTQ+ scene, focusing on the more bohemian side of things. Aisha leads tours of some of London’s best gay nights and performance spaces.
Joining a Moonlight Experiences tour is a great way to see the best queer London has to offer. The success of the venture inspired Aisha to expand Moonlight Experiences to other cities, including Paris, Lisbon, Barcelona, and Amsterdam.
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Aisha’s favourite bars in London are VFD in Dalston, Royal Vauxhall Tavern and Dalston Superstore. They organise the club night HER Jack – which will be returning in 2021. Aisha credits Lisbon with having the best emerging gay scene.
2020 has been a very tough year with many bars and clubs forced to shut for all or most of the year. Although they should be able to bounce back strongly in 2021, they’ll never make up all the lost revenue.
We caught up with Aisha to discuss what the future holds for London nightlife: “I’m optimistic that we’ll be able to have some more events and experiences in 2021. We’re planning some exclusive bespoke events all year long and through Pride season that will further connect the travel community and locals together. There are new authentic friendships and a network of global queers waiting to meet you in 2021. All our events are focused on creating an inclusive space where everyone can feel like they belong. Get ready to celebrate like never before whilst we elevate marginalised voices at the same time.”
Moonlight Experiences hosts tours with no more than 10 people. We’ll be looking forward to joining Aisha to discover the best live shows, club nights and underground parties in London in 2021. When the scene can come back properly it will do so in a big way.
As we’ve all discovered over a year of lockdowns and tiers, going out and having fun is hardwired into human nature. When it’s taken away it feels as if something fundamental is missing. As Liza memorably sang, “What good is sitting all alone in your room? Come hear the music play.”
