Vicky Valentine and the Trannny Crew head to Club DV8, Birmingham

Vicky's Vault - The Vestry

Go West: Midlands (27 March 2004)
Let's begin on Wednesday and Becky phones and says 'what are you doing this weekend'. So I say 'nothing much'. Then I have a brainwave, the kind that you only seem to have when listening to UB40 and as someone's just eaten your last bar of Bournville. 'I know', I add, 'Let's go to Birmingham at the weekend'. So that's how it all began and after a peaceful 2 hour car journey I arrive in the West Midlands and meet up with Becky in the hotel. Of course, photos are in order before we ruin our make-up by hitting the cold night air and the gin. Me first (isn't it always?) a choice of a narrow corridor shot, or a windowledge shot. No radiators though, much to Becky's disappointment. Now hotel rooms have beds (otherwise they'd be called cupboards and not bedrooms I suspect - though what passes for a cupboard these days) and Becky, always a head for a photo jumped on the bed (at least I assume that was what that action was meant to signify).

So not to be out done I decided that it was only right for me to jump on the bed, and, understanding what had now become the internationally understood tranny gesture for such things, Becky took my picture too (see below left)… But Lo! Becky and I weren't the only two t*girls out that night. We were adjoined by Jessica (in the stripy pink dress) and Sophie (in the 'love' t-shirt). Obviously they had been listening to UB40 and had run out of Bournville chocolate as well. And so our evening began. Our plan was to visit Hurst Street, Birmingham's 'Gay Quarter' (and thus friendly to transvestite folk) though it's only one road so why it's called a quarter I don't know. First stop was the 'Missing Bar' which was packed, hot, sticky (and not just the floors) and lively.
Rather fun this one - as us girlies do, we all popped to the ladies room en masse and there was this lovely place where you could balance the camera and then run around and have your picture taken. Never one to miss such an opportunity Becky, Sophie and I did just that. And finally, we paid a visit to Birmingham's bestestest gay venue, Club DV8, avoiding the queues for Nightingales (Birmingham's other gay club). With low priced drinks on hand, it soon turned into mayhem of biblical proportions (that is if you count 'the Bible' as the bookstore on Upper Longside Road where they specialise in back-copies of the Beano Annual as opposed to the epic saga that unfolds in churches). Needless to say there were a few sore heads the next morning but a good night was had by all. Thankfully, no-one broke any of their heels, which was a relief.