There’s always a point, as I’m sure I’ve said before, where I wonder at all the work that goes into this. Not for me, I’ve done clubnights, they’re a not a consensual pain, and pretty thankless. But here I’m thinking, they”ve got the clubnight of their dreams, do these people that put it on get time to enjoy it too? I hope so. I bet clubbers assume they do. But everytime I see one of the TG crew they whoosh past or are sorting something out. Working their latex-clad arses off. And this is why they still at the top of their game after 20 years, and I hope they continue for as long as they want.

This review of Saturday’s Torture Garden Ball will be fleshed out and posted in full on the Skin Two website with a full gallery by Daffyd Owen, the magician who did the marvellous pic featuring the magnetic Mam’zelle Maz in a Kaori’s Latex Dreams outfit, above. While you’re there do check out my blog, which I promise to pay more attention too, so please don’t crop me. Oh go on then, just a quick one. Not you, her. And I charge.

This weekend marks the 20th Birthday of Torture Garden, arguably the world’s most successful fetish club night . Allen, David and Charlotte we wish you all the best for a fantastic three days in London.

The Torture Garden 20th Birthday Weekend kicks off  on Friday 5th May with a Launch Party at Mass in Brixton. DJs will be Allen TG himself with Jimmy Mofo and Scottee. There will also be performances by Suka Off, Roxy Velvet and Fancy Chance.

Saturday 6th May is the Birthday Ball itself held at the Coronet Theatre in Elephant and Castle. There will be lots of lovely latex fashion shows here with TG Clothing,  Kaori’s Latex Dreams, Jane Doe, Lady Lucie Latex, Lacing Lillith and Am Statik Latex showing off their latest. As well as many other wonderfully warped goings on like pole dancers and Japanese Bondage and medical installations, the Amazing Ari and The Fuel Girls will giving a fantastic Aerial and Fire Performance.

Finally on Sunday night, 7th May, will be the Boudoir on the Thames aboard the HMS President. With live music from Joe Black and Mr Pustra it promises to be a memorable and befittingly glamorous finale. Tickets can still be bought (just about I think) separately or for all three nights. Hopefully see you there!

“Please be aware of buying emailed/mobile bar coded tickets off ebay and via other places especially if they are being sold above market price. We are monitoring ebay and gum tree etc and will cancel any tickets we can.”

The alert, also posted on its own website is a doubly emotive one for Torture Garden as the Valentine Ball will be one of the last TG events at Debut. The cavernous London club has already announced it will be closing in September 2011 as it is being sold back to Railtrack. Allen continues: “Be aware it is also very easy to duplicate bar coded tickets and these tickets may not get you in. Each bar code is individual and will be scanned upon entry. Please note that all tickets bought from TG are not exchangable, transferable or refundable.”

The atmosphere was certainly more relaxed and less latex intensive. I’m from Brighton where lesbian nights are ten-a-Penelope. Some nights are little butch and in your face, scoping with full broadband wirelez. Turn a street in Kemp Town and some cliques really hate or blame all men for, perhaps justly, all crimes against the world. Most times it’s chilled, but you can’t ignore the hardcore, I have enough gay friends complaining about it for sure.

What I look for, and what I found at Pussy Control, is a place where no one cares about all that. I never assume with prejudgement and yearn to be where people can be people, with all their difference and contradiction – basically, their humanity. And so it is with Pussy Control. Admittedly we were in the L-word (very) pretty-world side of females wanting females. The place was heaving with gorgeous women and a few well-turned out guys (with their girlfriend, domme or chaperone), seasoned with a sprinkle of transvestites, representing the traditional fetish-scene.

I have to give this a thumbs up for women who want their fetish nights secure and softer and prefer to avoid the in-your-face monkeys that are men and the on-your-case crusaders of ‘Queer!’ that can so often be cartoonish. And single guys,  it’s literally not worth it unless you’re with a lesbian friend, girlfriend or subbing for your mistress, because you will probably feel  too awkward. But that’s to miss the subtle point that weekend cheese-merchants of all persuasions and pursuits are redundant here. Everyone’s having too much of an L for lovely time. My thanks go to John Wilson for the top-drawer photography. Full gallery and review to follow on the Skin Two website soon!

If this isn’t enough try the reviews of Club Pedestal and Brighton TG and a a £5 voucher from Excite books. Printed copies of LateXtra can also be obtained from all good fetish shops and also in the Baddie Bags handed out at various London fetish clubs by Handjobs Media. Alternatively if you are looking to get a printed copy by post just email sales@ukdltd.com, and send them postage. Would that be a rubber stamp? The joke is also free of course.

Spikeyo writes: ”Individuals were resplendent in their creative pompadour and plumage as far as the eye could see; especially the cute couples and cliques who dressed to match for added emphasis. Music pumped its way through every orifice and the delirious crowd grooved to a delectable mix of cool tunes both in the Club Arena and the Burlesque Ballroom.

”Upstairs the piece de resistance – the Boudoir Playroom – offered the perfect backdrop to the real-time canes and paddles making contact with flesh and the panoramic view of gyrating and writhing couples and threesomes. A truly impressive fetish party.”

My thanks go to Spikeyo. A more comprehensive review will be published – together with a selected and expanded gallery of pics by Dafydd Owen – available free from Skin Two either through its website or in issue 34 of LateXtra, details of which I will divulge as soon as they hit my inbox. Ooer.

Renowned for its high-quality design, photography and writing Skin Two has been the essential purchase for discerning fetishists who have followed our subculture since its inception. Indeed, many retailers and club hosts I have spoken to have been calling for its reinstatement to help act as a leading light during a dark financial period.

The new Skin Two contains a mix of popular fetishism: with a cover feature on Katy Perry, Cheryl Cole and Nicole Scherzinger; high fashion: with pieces on Atsuko Kudo’s New York extravaganza, amazing shoes from ainsley-T of Milan, fantasy by Patrice Cantanzaro of France and corsets by AMF of Germany; plus interviews with designer Kim West and film-maker Maria Beatty. In addition there are full-length club reviews of Pussy Control by Kitty von Yum Cha, and Club Rub and Antichrist by a certain nightlife journalist by the name of Jackson Rocco, eh-hum.

Without sounding too self-congratulatory and flicking through the new issue I can see why Skin Two has been missed and indeed relaunched: the images and exceptional layout raise the bar for genuine fetish glamour. The magazine has always been important for making  fetishism difficult to look down on: rather inspiring intelligence, class and creativity. Asked if it felt good to have the magazine out again, editor Tim Wordward said: ”It’s pretty exciting to have a new issue out. I have a copy on my desk now and it looks fab.”

London Club Rub host Kim and her partner JIM is now putting on Latex Workshops sponsored by Radical Rubber.  Reviewed as ‘incredibly useful’, ‘a fabulous time’ and ‘inspiring’ the next workshop will be on Saturday 27th November at Basing House, formerly On The Rocks, 24-25 Kingsland Road, Shoreditch/Hoxton, London E2 8AA.

There are two rates: £50 to learn  cutting and glueing and £1oo to learn how to assemble specific garments, both for four hour sessions. For full details click on this Latex Workshops link. Happy assembling and hey, don’t get too high on that glue eh?

“The Festival of Sins fashion show was a great success for us, said Karen and Andy of Rubber 55, afterwards.  “We used the event to showcase some classic Rubber 55 garments as well as some new designs, yet to be added to our catalogue.The models looked fantastic and we received a great reception.”

I asked the award-winning couple where they got their ideas from and they told me: “Inspiration can come from many sources, but it is mainly our own passion, interests etc that drive us to create great quality garments that have a blend of fashion & bondage at a price to suit most pockets.”

The event itself, Festival of Sins, has developed a strong reputation in the London fetish scene for its exuberant cocktail of dress-up glamour and lively goings on, not to mention its original optional ‘suggested dress code’, with the caveat that yes, you do get gawping straight-dressed tourists. Voted Time Out’s Critics’ Choice in Mainstream, Gay and Alternative Clubbing the event is a riotous throng of perversion and show-play on three levels. The theme of the night was ‘Wrath’ and at any one time there was always a fury of DJs, fashion shows, ‘Sin Booths’, cabaret skits or art installations to entertain – I especially liked the completely mental actor employed to interpret your peeves described on ‘request’ cards, she was a total star.

The next Festival of Sins will be on Saturday 11th December and will be entitled ‘Sloth’. My thanks for the fabulous pictures go to Sarah Kir. Check out her website for pics from the night.  You can also check out performance artist Synth‘s site by clicking on her image (right).