Why, Whyyy Whhhhhhyy, It’s Delilah!
 

I’m going to start with a massive Happy Birthday to Glitterbomb Canterbury as it celebrates it’s 8th year of going strong, and it wouldn’t be as much fun as it is without you, our dedicated crowd of LGBTQA+ and the odd hen do that decides to pop in. So from me to you, I say thank you!

Sit back and pour yourself a prosecco as I look back at 8 years of Glitterbomb!

Back on Tuesday the 27th March 2012 ‘Chill night club’ opened it’s doors for the first time to a ramble of party go-ers to attend an event that offered something different. From ‘Naughty in Neon’ to an actual shower installed on the dancefloor, people didn’t know what to expect.

My favorite event within the first few months of opening had to be when we had the very talented ‘Drag With No Name’ performing a number of hilarious parody routines & impressions of dead celebrities, that mixed in with £2 double vodka and coke made for a night of end of the pier cabaret and very cheap but lethal drinks. You’ll have to remember at this point I was a paying customer and wanted to get tipsy as well as entertained. 

As we headed into celebrating the first year of opening Glitterbomb was an ever-growing crowd of regulars that would show up if it was gale force winds or 3 foot of snow on the floor. I was approached by the head promoter DJ Stephen Sullivan, I received a phone call late one Saturday afternoon asking for a host. The conversation when something along the lines of “so, we need someone who is confident, outgoing and can host on a microphone” I reply “okay” very hesitantly, “Yeah we also was thinking if you’d do it in drag, ya know makeup, wig, dress”. Now, this being the time before RuPaul had really hit the scene my only inspiration was Lilly Savage and Dame Edna Everage however as you’d imagine I JUMPED at the chance!

2014 saw an array of random themes to pull the customers in, with me on the team a night dedicated to Hairspray the Musical was obviously on the list along with booking the drag troupe ‘Sink The Pink’ which are now running fabulous club nights in London. My favorite night was My Big Fat Gay Wedding where it saw me Delilah Tickles tieing the knot to one of our Bombshells. Sadly to say the marriage didn’t last long as he since moved onto bigger and well probably not so better things! However, it was the wedding of the century you’ll have to take my word for it! The following year this is where Drag Queens really started to make a statement on the club night as we hired my OG sisters Cynthia Seaward, Amanda Bang from handing out free shots of sugary green alcohol and dressing up in Army camo my favorite night has to be myself and Amanda Bang performing Alaska 5000 ‘Your make-up is terrible’ to 300 as we stood in a clear cubicle and green gunge was poured over our heads!

2016 we relaunched Glitterbomb with a brand new venue/rebrand into Steinbeck and Shaw. think industrial, corrugated metal sheets and red leather seating however a very nice venue. Rupaul’s Drag Race was just gaining momentum in the UK and with it came some great Glitterbomb guest appearances. Willam, Kimchi and Bob The Drag Queen. A funny story on Bob The Drag Queen actually. I arrive at the club as usual around 9 pm as we’re opening earlier due to the crowds outside to see her and hopefully me. I get a call from the team to say Bob’s just called and needs me to run a parcel down to her’ so picture me, Delilah half-dressed face full of makeup turning up to the reception of the hotel she was staying at to deliver a UK charger plug. I knock on the door as Bob The Drag Queen cautiously opens the door and I see he stare at me in shock as I hand her a charger. No idea who she was expecting but I don’t think it was me. 

As times change and so must our staff and we have a change of cast for Drag queens and Glitterbombshells. However, still putting on the same camp show we always have done and we welcomed Lana Evoli to the team. I can’t mention her name without mentioning yes she really is the Diva of Glitterbomb Canterbury but we love her all the same! Whilst flicking through the event photos for that year to refresh my memory I spot the 1st of hopefully many iconic Delilah performances ‘That Titanic Boat Act’. Imagine Celine Dion – My Heart Will Go On, followed by sound bites of key moments in the film leading to the finale of popping up in a huge blue and white inflatable boat! I’m sure you will get the chance to relive this with me again.

I’m almost certain this was the year that our superstar Cheryl Hole joined the Canterbury team and brought her fierce dance moves and of course the iconic back breaking death drops to the club night. I’m super proud of Cheryl and of course, all of our Drag Queens regardless of how far they have got so far in their career. However, we did invite the biggest diva that ever did live to come and party with us, Gemma Collin. We hit capacity at around 11 pm probably when she was still making her way over the Dartford bridge to come and party with us and we were not prepared for what she would bring. She stood and hosted a killer customer lip-sync competition and wow what a show it was! I’m still feeling the hangover from it and I don’t usually drink when on the job! 

Angel and Demons always seems to be a recurring theme that pops up once and a while and always proves to be a crowd-pleaser. These nights are always worth a visit as you can always expect cheap devil horns and feathery wings being given away. However, the one thing I look forward to is when Luna Lestrange is on the bill for these nights. She is the queen of Kent when it comes to all things spooky drag and Halloween and in 2019 when we finally got used to performing on a stage! YES! A STAGE! This opened up for some iconic performances from Luna and revealing her stunning rhinestone bodysuits!

As we approach our 8th year of Glitterbomb Canterbury I want to say a HUGE thank you to all the bombshells, DJ’s and Drag performers that have turned the party and showed Canterbury how to have a camp ol’ time. A special mention to all our drag performers for everything they do!

But also a HUGE shout out to every single customer that makes the effort, puts on a bit of glitter and sparkle and makes our night so special each and every time.