Some Kind of Hot Dub Time Machine
Kathryn Nielsen reviews Hot Dub, the steamiest event of the week.
I had never been to Hot Dub Time Machine before, but every time it came to town, it was a sell-out and people raved about it. So, after hearing about Hot Dub year after year and for various reasons never being able to go, I decided that this year would be my year.
I received one piece of advice in advance of entering Club 601 on this night: “It’s hot AF in there. Don’t wear clothes.” My friend proved to be right. My first impression of the event was just the overwhelming heat. I quickly got distracted, though, and noticed the heat less and less as the night carried on.
We planned on getting there a bit early to avoid queues and make sure we were there for the start, allegedly the best bit of the set. After a rousing count-down and some trippy, time-travelly videos, we were told we had gone back to the 50s and, therefore, the music began from there.
I love music from the 50s and 60s (hence my love for Itchy Feet) so being a bit keen and getting there before the start was well worth it. We listened to the most recognisable hits from each decade, each song playing just long enough to let you scream out a couple of choruses before you grew tired of it (or got to that part where no one knows any more of the words). Moving seamlessly from “Twist and Shout”, to the Spice Girl’s “Wannabe”, to “No Diggity”, there was something for everyone over the course of the night. And if any particular song wasn’t what you were into (although confirmed: they were all bangers), you could rest assured that the song would switch up in no time.
It seemed like only 30 boozy minutes had passed before people were ushered out of 601- I can’t remember the last time so many people stayed right up until the end of the night. It was beautiful, and I hope Hot Dub comes back again before I graduate.