Goths in Denim (I only dress like a Goth!) (2/5) By Jason Ince

(1/5), (2/5), (3/5), (4/5), (5/5).

'Peri, get in here!' commands my mam. I slink into the living room, some crappy Saturday night TV show is lighting the room. 'Yes, mother?' 'What have I told you about those stairs?' 'If you die falling down them, you'll force my ghost to clean it?' 'Damn right! Got your keys?' 'Yes.' I say patting my pocket, more to confirm the location to me then her. 'Wallet's on the table Peri.' 'Thanks mam, and don't call me Peri.' The wallet in my back pocket and I'm out of the house.

The taxi ride, the worst part about going anywhere dressed like this. I grit my teeth and bare them in a grin the old man behind the wheel. I'm lucky it's once a week. 'Where to?' he asks. 'Spiders, please,' I reply, slipping the seat belt on. I can see him rolling his eyes in the rear view mirror and I focus on the puddles outside. We drive in silence, except for the occasional nonsense over the radio. He takes the handset a couple of times but I don't pay attention to what he says. He finally breaks the silence with the same question as every other Taxi driver has asked me: 'I hear that Spiders has cheap drinks, right?'

'Yeah, but it's mainly cocktails,' I grin back at him. 'Kinda girlie aint it?' 'Nothing girlie about getting legless on ten quid.' He genuinely laughs and we carry on driving in silence, the tension a little easier to bear.

We turn to Spiders and it's the most amazing sight ever. No queue! May not sound like a lot, but when peak queuing length is more then a mile, this sight here...is amazing. I hide my joy and pay the taxi driver his money, allowing him the change from the fiver. Always gets me a hearty smile. The bouncers at Spiders are a confusing sight. Instead of the normal long coat, with those false shoulders, they wear rugby shirts and are, on a whole, good people.

I fumble around with my wallet and fetch my N.U.S. card, the pail green one from my first year at college. That awful picture, sixteen and full of spots, I've come along way, I think...I hope. 'Member,' I say to the bouncer with a nod. He puts a hand in front asks for my card. The worst part of the evening, I reluctantly hand it to him and he takes a good minute looking at the card, then me, then back to the card and then me. I'm sure he does it just taunt me, what was I saying about them being good people. He finally allows me in and the heat hits me like a wall of fire, the thumping from music straight into my ears.

Even though there is a large number of lights in Spiders, it's still quite a dark place all round, I lie...it's actually quite bright in the outside area, but they haven't opened that place yet and won't for a few hours. I guess it suits the generally dark clothing of the many guests. The queue I expected outside is actually on the inside. A large group of teenagers are lining up for the cloakroom. 'Cloak' being an appropriate term as I pass by a couple of vampire wannabees. Fake fangs and white makeup. Makes you wonder how much these people actually know about vampires. But that's a thought for another time...for now I must locate my friends, after I finally get served.

Continued... Next Page (3/5)

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