Wolstenholme Square,
Merseyside,
L1 4BX
The ViewLiverpool Review
Go at the right time and this club, and its people, generates a buzz and an enjoyment rivalled by very few in the country.
The Venue
A minute or so from Concert Square lies a humble red-brick building. Nation is only distinguishable by a prominent sign that sticks out in the urban sprawl of barbed-wire and concrete walls. Opposite an obsolete roundabout that's covered in twisted sculptures of coloured lights, Nation's exterior only hints at the richness of this club’s experiences.
It's spread over three rooms, each of varying shape and size. Colours go from light blues in the entrance corridors to deep purples across the club walls. It has a capacity of 3,400 with the main room taking 1,000, the courtyard 1,300 and the annexe 700. Its decor looks dated but the club doesn’t need to rely on fancy wallpaper or pleasant toilets to keep its punters happy.
The main room has an unusually elevated central area created by the concreting over of a World War fuel container that's under the building. This elevates a large section of the main room, and provides an interesting negotiation for space to dance in front of some of the world’s best DJs.
Nation's classic visuals and lighting system are second to none. Flashes of intense light illuminate the crowd, casting them in deep shades of blue, green or red. Cream's famous logo often spins and slides across the dark walls, creating a fantastic laser pattern, and strobe lighting flickers in time with the beat to reveal the brightly dressed clubbers below.
Two screens either side of the DJ show a continuous loop of bright, enticing visuals with swirls and symbols. Steps at the back give a complete view of the dancefloor, and this blend of people, colour and music create a unique clubbing experience.
The courtyard is large and less intense, with further step-platforms and a central booth. Having hosted a legacy of popular nights this room is by no means second-best to the main. With a brightly lit stage and a high ceiling, attention is drawn to the DJ. Huge speakers stand at different intervals around the room, and their large, dark form is revealed by their pounding, solid bassline. The courtyard's corners are dark, giving a less dazzling experience away from the relentless strobes.
The unassuming annexe completes the trio. The DJ is closer to the crowd and the roof is lower roof so it has a more intimate vibe. Two large bass bins stand at the back of the room, and the bare brickwall gives it a more makeshift feel. Although more grimy than the other rooms, the annexe makes up for it with a closer stage.
The People
Queues are the first thing you'll encounter. Oddly, prepaid ticket holders are left outside far longer than those who pay on the door, and this is primarily down to fraught checklists on busy nights. Fortunately, once the queues start moving everyone gets in relatively easily, and the bouncers are up for a chat during the wait. On a night as popular as the quarterly Cream events (Easter, May, October and Boxing Day) the venue is guaranteed to be at full capacity.
The queue ‘mood’ is excitable and eager. Classic club-heads, in all their fluorescent glory, come dressed in bright-coloured clothes, with equally bright body paint and even sprayed hair. Vibrantly dressed students stand alongside veterans wearing classic T-shirts emblazoned with logos and signs of nights gone by. Alongside these, are gorgeously dressed girls in deep colours. Compared to certain local rival cities, Liverpool appears to have far less of a “pretty-boy” image, and the shorter, sharper haircuts and darker T-shirts reflect this.
Staff are well-presented in simple, plain uniform. It’s hit and miss for a smile from the bar staff, and getting served at any speed is a different story altogether. Bouncers are unintrusive and respectful. Big name nights generate huge levels of anticipation and the better the set, the bigger the cheer. Trouble doesn’t seem to be an issue and the bouncers are quick to resolve any problems.
The Music
Cream is integral to Nation’s history, along with many other famous nights. Cream's regular visits back to Nation generate the same excitement as all those years ago. Famous DJs held residencies at this venue in the prime of the Cream era, and they’ve never forgotten their roots. From the old school big names of Paul Bleasdale, Nick Warren, Jon Carter, Paul Oakenfold, Sasha, Seb Fontaine through to Armin Van Buuren, Felix Da Housecat, Fatboy Slim, Carl Cox Tiefschwarz, Claude Von Stroke and many more new faces.
For the mid-week student eager to study hard, play hard there's Medication on Wednesdays. It's a hugely popular student night where prices come down and memories are made. A blend of Liverpool’s student population attends, and university rivalries stop at the door. Everyone wears a mish-mash of fashion, and style's not relevant. Fancy-dress groups traipse through the club, from soldiers in dark green camouflage through to brightly lit luminous 70’s disco kids, no one week is the same.
The Drink
The number and size of the bars is impressive, however, the number of bar staff is not. On popular nights certain areas get backlogged, and this is most obvious at the bars. Wiley punters often walk away with as many drinks as they can hold to avoid repeating the miraculous feat of getting served. Partygoers tell tales of getting served within 10 minutes while stood in the tedious queues. This can be at times four or five deep and 30 abreast.
There's a selection of bottled beers, lagers and alcopops as well as the usual premium spirits. Prices depend on the night and can go from as little as £1.50 for a bottle of Carlsberg through to £4 for a bottle of the exact same Carlsberg on a larger night such as Cream.
The Last Word
Preserved in historical legend as the club that housed Cream for a remarkable decade, Nation remains a jewel in the Liverpool club crown, even in the wake of its truly golden age.
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