Southampton Nightlife: Top Five Venues

Nightlife on the South Coast has always been popular, but with Brighton and Bournemouth grabbing what seems like all the headlines these days, why not check out Southampton? This student-filled city plays host to an extremely diverse range of clubs and bars. Here are five of the best places to check out:

Junk Club
Situated in the buzzing Polygon area of the city, Junk is a trendy, funky club which manages to retain a student friendly feel, in spite of its lush interiors. With two floors featuring different styles of music on different nights, you really can lap it up in your own way at Junk. Be it the cheap drink heaven of ‘Vodka City’ on Sundays or the indie filled ‘Shakedown’ on Tuesdays; they really know how to throw a party. The deep, comfortable sofas, intimate, rectangle dance floors and the stylish up-to-date décor, makes this club one of the best nights out in Southampton.

Kaos
The ultimate student night - Kaos is the place to be if you are looking for pure, unadulterated fun. With insanely cheap drinks and a strange, yet unique atmosphere, Kaos is a haven for the city’s students. Kaos is Southampton’s only student-only club (except for Thursdays) and has an extremely friendly and casual feel to it. Add this to the ecliptic music, 90p vodka mixers and the chance to meet a whole host of random people, the club certainly creates an outstanding, chaotic night out. Kaos does exactly what it says on the box.

Ocean and Collins
Ocean and Collins, affectionately known as ‘The OC’ by its partygoers is located slap- bang in the heart of the city. It is a smaller but no less entertaining venue, with a great vibe. With just the one dance floor, there is a cosy, intimate feel to the venue. Not to worry if you don’t feel like dancing right away though - there are two large bar areas, complemented with a row of extremely comfortable sofas and a quiet, luxurious VIP area. The OC plays host to the popular ‘Big Cheese’ - where you’ll get cheap drinks and the finest in cheese music.

Rhino
From the outside, Rhino appears dark and mysterious - this is not the case inside. Another smaller venue but this club features two floors, with each offering different types of musical taste to suit your needs. Tuesdays sees Rhino play host to the fabulous ‘Lets Kill Disco’, which serves up the finest in electronica alongside some seriously cheap drink deals. Rhino also offers up a chilled out vibe, but the small dance floors ensure that an energetic dance filled night is possible. A flagship venue for Southampton clubbing, without a doubt, and an essential night if your looking for the best the city has to offer.

Oceana
Southampton’s newest club and one of the biggest venues in the UK, Oceana really does have it all. With five bars, two clubs and VIP suites, it is difficult to be unsatisfied by this multi-room extravaganza. The different bars are all based on world locations, from the mesmerising white interiors of the Reykjavik Icehouse to the art deco style of the Monte Carlo bar. Oceana provides a truly unmatchable experience, be it by sheer size and complexion or the groundbreaking designs. Having opened very recently, you can be sure Oceana will soon be the premium venue for nightlife in Southampton.

Mark Tilley, MyVillage, 27th August

(article for myvillage.com/southampton)