Six months of COVID-19 protective measures are behind us. It is crazy to think that the world can be shut down culturally for this long. And I for my part am missing the parties, events, and togetherness of club culture. So, let me reminisce a little and explain why my favorite club is in danger.
To be honest, going to regular clubs is usually not my thing. They are too crowded, the entry fees are too high, the music normally does not meet my taste, and well, the drinks are too expensive. Therefore I stopped going to clubs years ago.
But there is one club in Hamburg that I definitely miss going to right now. The Catonium. Three years ago when my boyfriend and I started dating he wanted me to try it out. Catonium is considered a fetish club, that hosts sex and BDSM parties. Before my boyfriend, I have only been to Skirt Club and was hesitant to go to a mixed-sex party. For weeks I debated with myself if I wanted to go. I read all the party descriptions on their website and only one party seemed fitting to me at that time. All others were too much on the fetish side or didn’t have age restrictions making me anxious that we would find old people only. So I agreed to go to one of their Sin InSane parties, which are only open to people below 35.
My First Time At My Favorite Fetish Club
When we got there the doorman checked our outfits (black latex pants and a feather top with a good amount of sideboob for me, and a tuxedo for the boyfriend), our tickets and my ID (I look way younger than I am) were verified, the coatroom took our jackets, and then we were offered some glow stick bracelets. The guy handing them out explained that the colors show the availability to others. Red being not available to talk to anyone, green available to anyone, and I think blue was only available to the same sex. I was thankful to be able to shut everyone down without actually having to do it verbally and grabbed a red one. I was there to watch and take in the atmosphere.
The club is huge. Walking into it, you first see a large room with high ceilings, two galleries above the dance floor, a bar, a lounge area, and an outside area. We walked around, finding new corners everywhere. On the top and bottom floor were doors that were shut. Behind them, we found a large play area with different BDSM equipment and enclosed rooms that had doors (without locks obviously). We hung around a while watching what everyone was doing. The night continued with us switching between the dance floor and the play area, watching everyone, being happy to see so many young and attractive people.
I was intrigued. Seeing everyone be so open and unchained (well, or chained) made me feel welcome, comfortable, accepted. Everyone going about what they felt like doing without being scared, ashamed, or coy. The age restriction being a big plus as well. This is my kind of party.
I Don’t Want To Miss It Anymore
Since then, we have been to the party many times. In fact, it has become somewhat of a tradition to go with a large group of friends. Single friends, couples, our unicorns, even my sister are usually part of the group, and we have long fun nights with some of us actually going all in and others just enjoying the atmosphere like I did the first time.
Another four years await before I am too old to go to that specific party. If the club survives the COVID era that is.
We Will Lose Them If We Don’t Help
Do you have a favorite club that you miss? Is the Catonium your regular club? No matter where you usually go, they all need our help to survive in order for us to return once this madness is over. Please help your cultural venue through this difficult time by buying tickets that will be valid indefinite or vouchers. If they can’t pay their running expenses anymore, they will be gone once we want to come back.