Get Your Groove On

The Beat. Probably Brisbane's oldest and most famous night club, these days classified as a gay club but has a generous proportion of straight clientele too. And if you go on the right night you get a funky"cabaret" performance on the dance floor (think Priscilla, Queen of the Desert).
As with other clubs in the Valley, there is a 3am "lockdown" which means that after 3am there's no entry or re-entry. If you're already in, you can stay and party until 5am. It kind of reminds me of that mad panic you get in musical chairs when the music stops and you have to find a place to sit.... and then all is suddenly calm. Those few remaining wanderers on the street comprise the ones that peaked "early" and those whose need for a burger or a soirée on someone's balcony outstrips the need for another noisy drink among all those hot sweaty bodies. 

This post is dedicated to a young Parisian, Anne-Laure, who, when she was here, felt the heat of the Beat from her head to her feet! Bonjour Anne-Laure!

Cloudland

Here we are at Cloudland on Ann Street in Fortitude Valley.

I just can't do this place justice with my camera skills. It's a 24 hour venue that goes from being a cafe and bistro during the day to a full-on nightclub at night. It has grass on the stairs, a waterfall, plants growing everywhere, a retractable glass roof, seating pods suspended from chains 3 stories up, fancy themed booths individually decked out - including one with a double bed and a mountain of cushions and another with a peacock theme. Even the toilets are worth a visit - all space age and mirrored so much you bump into yourself. The designer is Nick Brunner from Melbourne who also designed the Press Club and Family - other venues in The Valley. You can visit the Cloudland Website for more.

Cloudland has a long and meaningful history with long-term Brisbane residents - everyone remembers it and you can read more about that in tff's excellent blog here.