Getting Plastered at the Twelve Step
The Londoners in search of free booze and canapes
Illustration by @jackysheridan
I recently spent time with ‘liggers’, also known as ‘eventers’ — a loose coalition of Londoners who make a hobby out of attending gallery openings and book launches.
One man I spoke to is Steve Barbe, a musician from Peckham and a ‘freegan’ who brings takeaway containers to many events, hoping to pick up leftovers. Asked if he ever found romance while gatecrashing, Barbe responded: “I have so far not found romance at these events, unless you include intimate encounters with glass doors.” To explain, he offered the following entry from his Facebook diary.
“Attended the well-populated opening of ‘Twelve’ at Peckham Platform, screening life stories of addiction and recovery. (The ‘twelve’ refers to the ‘Twelve Step’ recovery program.) The interiors are blacked out to give the videos maximum effect. The low lighting allowed visitors the opportunity to blunder into each other and get closely acquainted. Just outside in Peckham Square attendees chatted and drank at a safer distance, I tried a tasty gin-and-coffee cocktail (courtesy of Mouse Tail). This is an interesting and potentially dangerous combination of flavours and mind-altering substances, as I found out to my cost. After a couple of these, I ventured inside again, where the caffeine propelled me headlong at speed; so fast in fact that my eyes didn’t have time to adapt to the dark before I reached the far end. This was where the alcohol prevented me from seeing the glass door. In fact you could say I took one step too many and now I’m in recovery.”
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