The world’s first ever goth club night returns to London this weekend – for one night only

Troye Sivan and Charli XCX may have gotten the masses partying like it’s 1999, but what about partying like it’s 1984? For one night only, Londoners will have the opportunity to take it back to the ’80s with the return of The Batcave, the legendary club night that defined a whole subculture of goth.

Founded in 1982 by Ollie Wisdom and Jon Klein, the original Dean Street Batcave was a goth’s paradise, fuelling a generation of eye-linered, black-clad misfits. The OG Batcave was a stomping ground for goth royalty like Robert Smith, Nick Cave and Siouxsie Sioux. Whilst we can’t guarantee you’ll be rubbing lapels with a member of The Cure anytime soon, this Saturday’s revival will see the return of all of The Batcave’s remaining original members from 1982-5. 

Providing the soundtrack will be NNHMN, a moody electronic music duo based in Berlin. Their sound is predictably gothic, combining eerie female vocals with haunting synths. The pair draw inspiration from dark electronic music like Depeche Mode alongside influences from Berlin’s world-famous techno scene. Sounds pretty goth to us. 

The new Batcave takes us, not to Soho, but to Camden, to the Camden Assembly on Chalk Farm Road. And if it’s anything like the original, expect a smoke-filled, velvet-draped night of decadence and theatricality. If that sounds like a bit of you, dust off your coffin necklaces and invest in some hairspray. Because tickets are available now – snap up remaining ones here.

Take a look at these pictures from a Museum of Youth Culture exhibition on The Batcave.

Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel.

Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.