The Boogaloo

02-01-2009
Greg Cristal  0 

A small poky music hall apparently pulling odd bands for secret gigs and a few drinkers. The place is basically divided between this tight indoor affair and a larger, well fashioned garden-style bar area. The indoor bar is a small affair at the back of the main room, with a woody exterior and offering a small selection of drinks at what feels like the counter of an over-sized - but badly lit ice cream van counter. Expect unfriendly rocker tude with a topping of highgate prudity. That being said it would be a fitting venue for a secret gig and the courtyard bar has a fairy-tale musical feel to it.

Overall the outside offsets the heavy interior within but given that British weather never welcomely extends out to the any kind of outdoor partying staying inside will not fulfill the dreams of the rocker wannabe scrawled on the faces of the growing crowds.

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14-03-2006
Tessa Batacharia

The Booglaoo has found a league of its own, who could have known that a run down old pub on Archway Road could be a rock 'n roll celeb haunt? Gerry O'Boyle did; that's who.After the success of London's legendary Filthy McNatsty's London's only Britpop hang out, Gerry moved a few miles up the road to set up home on Archway Road in the old Shepheard's pub. Gerry claims that it's the people that used to collect glasses or try out for Filthy's singer song writer nights that have followed him to The Boogaloo; only this time to ask him to their after show parties, people like The Libertines's Pete Doherty.Gerry doesn't think that it's his star studied punters that bring in the crowds; he seems to think that it's his very special jukebox. The jukebox at The Boogaloo is the only one in England that's programmed by rock stars. Every six weeks a famous rock star gives Gerry a list of their top ten all-time greatest albums and Gerry whacks them on the jukebox, he's got everything from the Clash to Coldplay. Unlike most other music venues, The Boogaloo is party night most nights of the week, and you'd be lucky to find a night that isn't popular. Punters travel all across London to go to Gerry and partner John Keane's acclaimed club. If you haven't been down to The Boogaloo yet, you have to check it out once, and it'll soon become your local, even if you're not from local.The Boogaloo is a big hit with our MyHampstead readers, and your vote in our Mini-Oscar's saw that Gerry and his motley crew won the Best Club in Hampstead award.