Love Jones – New singles night in London! From a man’s perspective…

Love Jones is a new event aimed at the working professional, aged between 26 and 38, of African and/or Caribbean heritage.  It’s not your run-of-the-mill singles night where you’re expected buy a drink and mingle at your own peril, we’re told.  This one consists of games, ice-breakers, challenges and competitions.  Naturally we sent a couple of our Lurve Spies to find out more…

Like a virgin, like for the very first time…  Okay perhaps my experience of attending my first ever singles night was not really in the same vein or nearly as provocative, however in journeying to the event I hadn’t really realised that I hadn’t actually been feeling nervous or any apprehension until I got closer and closer the venue.  It was only as the proximity shortened that it dawned on me – the simple idea that everybody in that place would be coming for exactly the same reason – the aim of finding a mate.

So I entered the privately rented downstairs bar alone.  I was the first person there (typical of me I get everywhere early) but not too long in waiting more people started to arrive.  I say ‘people’, but it was mostly men making the early appearances.  When I saw the first woman I said “Hallelujah!” in my mind.  It was funny and interesting to see people checking each other out before the games had started and I wondered how many people already knew whose numbers they were going to be taking home with them before they had even spoken.  I saw some familiar faces, greeted them then wondered if we would be put in a situation where you had to engage them on that level.  What if your friend was all along your partner to be?!   Anyway after the hosts gave a few rules for the night – the first game was introduced.

Now for the sake of preserving the ideas of the Love Jones brand, I am not going to tell you in detail about the specifics of the games we played.  I will however say that the first 2 games were designed to get you to work the room and talk to people, and because there was a very specific element to the games, you unconsciously found yourself not concentrating on what to say in a nervous manner when you approached someone.  The last game was designed to get you to declare what you wanted in a partner, but disguised a little too well, some people missed the point, which was quite all right because it was amusing and funny as hell.

All in all the experience was an enjoyable one, and yes I got numbers, and yes I would attend another event of this sort.  I appreciate that the organisers cleverly controlled ticket sales so that there would be an equal amount of men to women.  Some organisers of singles nights don’t do this, and since for men nights like this have a weird ‘I don’t need this event’ stigma to them, you end up with 90% of a room being female, but I have to admit – I NEED TO FIND THOSE EVENTS TOO!

Lurve Spy:  That Dude D’Lambert

Now for the female perspective…