Going out on the town is the most important part of university. Don’t trouble yourself with lectures, societies or that essay on hegemonic power structures in the first half of the twentieth century due in tomorrow. They are all a frivolous waste of time. No, the real reason you’re spewing away £9,000 a year is to guzzle down Co-op’s own brand vodka (or a bottle of Blossom Hill Rose for you sophisticated few), get sweaty, pour your heart out to that girl/guy you’ve never have the courage to talk to at 3 o’clock after the 2-4-1’s undone the writer’s block, and then resign yourself to the fact that the only thing touching your lips that evening will be a consoling burger on the stumble back to halls. And then wake up the following day feeling like a pig has shat in your head while you search for a definition of ‘hegemony’ on the internet. Or maybe that’s just me?
Regardless, Exeter boasts an eclectic and enjoyable nightlife that belies its reputation and small size. Sounded out below is an extensive menu of what some of Exeter’s finest establishments have to offer on Mondays and Tuesdays. Whether you love to mash along to those chart bangers or are edgier than a dodecahedron, Exeposé Music has you covered as we guide you through the options available to a go-getting night crawler.
MONDAY
Dirty Sexy People @ Arena
This wonderfully named night is the obvious choice for any students feeling dirty and, er, sexy. DJ Will B spins an sporadically enjoyable blend of crowd-pleasing chart with the odd dubstep-lite mash up. He also champions crowd participation through taking requests on Twitter (although he’s never dropped Usher’s ‘Climax’ in spite of my relentless pleading). Arena boasts a decent size arena that fills up after 11pm. Drinks are reasonably priced but queues can be sober-inducing.
Inside tip: get a stamp early and head to Monkey Suit for 2-4-1 cocktails and a good atmosphere.
Clique Mondays @ Timepiece
Although memories of what the heat of the sun feels like are fading quicker than our tans, Clique, a new student night held at Timepiece, is kicking off its weekly events with a beach party for the start of Freshers. Expect a lot of sand, cocktails and speedos. Clique is putting on a month of themed nights including a UV Rave, N.E.R.D. party (let’s hope Pharell actually turns up) and a ‘celebrity’ night. It may not be one for the music elite, but with cheap drinks deals, an incentive to dress up and a promotional pass available to students (£16 for a month), Clique could well be the new go-to event for students on Monday nights.
Inside tip: I use ‘celebrity’ in the loosest sense of the word.
4Play @ Mosaic
4Play (what is it with Mondays and crudely sexualised event names?) takes place across town in Mosaic. The night is cut from the same frilly lingerie cloth as Dirty Sexy People: expect big queues, very attractive drinks deals (2-4-1 cocktails, £1 shots, cheap mixers) and a heady mix of recognisable pseudo-dubstep, house, RnB and Hip Hop anthems. Queues can be a big problem, spanning three levels as students agonisingly wait to enter the top top floor (think that staircase at Hogwarts if the fire alarm went off). You’ll get more second and third years attending this night along with a healthy portion of the Exetah brigade in their Z-list ‘VIP’ booths.
Inside tip: buy a few drinks downstairs if there’s long queues.
TUESDAY
Image Credit: tatexeter.co.uk
Thick as Thieves @ The Cellar Door
The pioneering Thieves have been at the forefront of Exeter’s growing dance music scene since 2011. The bi-weekly night offers the best in underground music at a suitably dark and dingy underground cellar by the quay. Resident DJ’s spin a luscious blend of DnB, Garage, Jungle and, most prominently, Bass music. Big name acts draw heavy crowds, with the likes of Duke Dumont, Shadow Child and Fred V & Grafix performing last year. And this term you can expect even bigger artists, bigger bass and bigger boat parties. The prices are more dear and the wide eyed snap back wearing crowd sometimes a little too hip, but the Thieves consistently lay down quality nights for those seeking something else besides mainstream monotony.
Inside tip: don’t wear heels.
Cheesy Tuesdays @ Arena
Cheesy Tuesdays does what it says on the tin: it plays cheesy music every, um, Tuesday. Stacking more of the smelly stuff than Wallace’s fridge, the Arena DJ’s fart out a thick, rich mix of shameless pop for an eager audience that consistently laps up every last morsel. Although seasoned with occasional enjoyable classics (Eminem, Kate Nash etc), the night descends into an full-fat cheese fest, with Bob the Builder and Barbie Girl frequently polluting the airwaves. Stodgier than these cheese analogies, Cheesy Tuesdays is the number one night for those seeking to indulge in a cheap slice of gorganzola strength madness.
Inside tip: book tickets via the Arena site to avoid loooong queues.
Beats & Bass @ The Cellar Door
Beats & Bass have moved from The Cavern to alternate weeks with TaT at The Cellar Door. A strong dose of luscious House, boomtastic Bass, rolling Jungle and deep minimal Techno promises to reach new levels of darkness in the Cellar’s eerie doldrums. If you’re a proper basshead, be sure to join the B&B family by signing up to the society for cheap entry prices, brilliant DJ workshops and festival promotions. If you know your Boddika’s from your Bondax’s, then Tuesday nights will become your favourite of the week.
Feast Your Ears @ Mama Stones
Feast Your Ears is a brand spanking new night looking to bring students more live music. The night will be held every week at Mama Stones and promises to feature a range of local acts, buskers and critically acclaimed bands. Mama Stones will be the perfect venue for an event that looks to offer a more intimate and nuanced musical experience and, with impressive acts including The Deets and Sam Mayo and X Factor’s Luke Friend already confirmed, the night looks set to become a firm favourite for Exeter’s indie faithful.
WEDNESDAY
Legends @ Timepiece
‘Legends’ is for the ‘Lads’. All the lads that make up the sports teams don their finest chinos and shirts for a night of being lads with the lads ’cause they’re all lads! (For an accurate representation, have a look at this enjoyable video). Joking aside, you don’t have to be a sports team member to contribute to the carnage. The club is always packed out to ensure a frenetic and fun atmosphere. The big floor lays down generic mainstream beats, while upstairs showcases more enjoyable slick RnB grooves offset by club bangers. TP Wednesdays will become a permanent feature in the fixture list of sportsmen and women, but it might just be worth popping along to if you fancy a bit of mid week madness. Or to pull a fit rugby player. Plus the burgers ain’t bad either.
Inside tip: never admit your a fresher.
KINK @ The Cavern Club
KINK is another newborn student night looking to redress the balance regarding the live music in Exeter. The bi-weekly night will showcase some of the best new UK musical talent at one of Exeter’s most famous and finest underground venues, The Cavern. The intimate cave will form the perfect backdrop for the up-and-coming acts who promise to cover all genres and interests. With cheap prices and a genuinely exciting alternative to the TP sportsfest, we are very excited about getting up close and personal to a host of brilliant live acts like Mausi and Wolf Alice.
Previews for the rest of the week will follow shortly. Like our Facebook to keep up to date with everything musical in Exeter.
Ben Clarke, Online Music Editor
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