Memories from the Dance Floor

Memories from the Dance Floor is a docu-series celebrating LGBTQ+ venues and unravelling the forgotten history behind queer nightlife across the UK, as host, Damian Kerlin, dives into 20th century queer culture and the opening of iconic super clubs.

Damian is joined by founders, artists, promoters and patrons to unpack the expressions of queer identity after dark, colourfully told by the community that lived it.

Interviewees include Jeremy Norman, founder of Heaven, Ian Levine, Hi-NRG music producer and DJ, Amy Lame, London Night Czar and BBC 6 broadcaster and Jeremy Atherton Lin, author of Gay Bar: Why We Went Out as well as many more.

You can find Memories from the Dance Floor from wherever you listen to your podcasts. So, what are you waiting for? See you on the dance floor.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episodes

But, gays just wanna have fun

Welcome to the final episode of Season 2 of Memories from the Dance Floor, where we've left the bright lights of London and headed straight up the M4 to Wales. Over the series, we have celebrated LGBTQ+ venues, shone a light on their history and met the revellers taking us through the velvet curtain and into the queer chaos and joy within.   In this final episode, I'm taking us up to the present day. We'll see how the value of our venues has changed, ask how the land of song - Wales that is...

Jun 26, 2024•20 min•Season 2Ep. 4

Pride has its definitions

In the last episode we talked all things super clubs, exploring the legendary Tunnel Club in Cardiff, and finished with the broadcaster and drummer Owain Wyn Evans, but don't think that's all he had to say.   In this episode, we discuss how Pride Cymru established itself and its ongoing challenges to represent our community and from Rahim El Abashi, a refugee who shares his story of how he came to settle in South Wales.   It's going to be a good one, but first back to Owain.   Ori...

Jun 19, 2024•24 min•Season 2Ep. 3

From Cardiff to Swansea and back again

In the first of our four-part series, we heard what it was literally like growing up as the only gay in the village. We also heard how the lesbian and gay community supported mining families in South Wales and how queer discos and dances were springing up in towns and cities across the country.   Back in Cardiff though, something seismic was about to happen in the life of one young twink, finding his feet on the scene.   Want to find out more? I’ve popped a link in my stories, but you ...

Jun 12, 2024•16 min•Season 2Ep. 2

Growing up gay in Wales

I promised you Season 2...and it’s HERE!   Please like and share as Memories from the Dance Floor Season 2 is now live! A new episode will drop every Wednesday throughout June for Pride, so get it in your diaries. I can’t quite believe it.   We are still exploring LGBTQ+ nightlife, but we've left the mega clubs and punk bars of England behind, and we're headed straight to Wales for Series 2.   London, you've been a blast, but the reality is, you're not the Emerald City at the end ...

Jun 05, 2024•20 min•Season 2Ep. 1

The Black Cap

Back in London Damian turns his attention to The Black Cap. A Camden landmark for over 250 years and one of London’s biggest and most famous LGBTQ+ spaces for more than 50, which closed abruptly in April 2015, due to the ambitions of the owners to redevelop the building into luxury flats. But what they didn't account for was our community’s resistance. #WeAreTheBlackCap has been campaigning since to save the Black Cap given its place as one of the few remaining landmarks of historical, cultural,...

Feb 15, 2023•20 min•Season 1Ep. 3

The Nightingale Club

Leaving the bright lights of London, Damian travels to Birmingham to The Nightingale Club. From humble beginnings the Nightingale has grown into one of the UK's most successful queer superclubs - well known in the city and nationally. Not only has the club far outlived the typical lifespan of a nightclub, but it has transformed itself from a members only club, to a club which can hold 1,500+ people. With Birmingham one of the first 'super diverse' cities in the UK where citizens from ethnic mino...

Feb 08, 2023•19 min•Season 1Ep. 2

Heaven

When London's Heaven opened in the winter of 1979, it changed what we knew to be gay clubbing forever. Europe's first super-club, Heaven has played a central role and had a major influence in the development of London's LGBTQ+ scene for the last 44 years. Damian speaks to founder Jeremy Norman on the inspiration behind Heaven as well as Amy Lame, London's Night Czar, to understand the problem facing our venues today and  that  Urban Laboratory report. All this and more as Damian uncove...

Feb 01, 2023•21 min•Season 1Ep. 1

Memories from the Dance Floor

Memories from the Dance Floor trailer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 31, 2022•1 min

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