London Goes Stateside – How to Watch the US Presidential Election Live
Ahead of Judgement Day on November 8, St John Street News editor Tom Buxton reveals how to catch all of the action without booking the next flight to the USA…
It has all come down to this. 112 days after the Republican Party nominated Donald Trump as their official candidate for the US presidential election, and 105 days after the Democrats named Hillary Clinton as his opponent, on November 8 the future of the United States of America will be decided as voters flock to poll booths across the nation and as the long-awaited results are finally revealed.
What with the UK and United States’ disparate time-zones, anyone in Islington, Shoreditch or Hackney preparing to watch the night’s action play out in full is undoubtedly in for a long haul, even more so than was the case with last year’s General Election or this year’s historic EU referendum.
All the same, a host of venues in the area are hosting dedicated events throughout the night of November 8-9 for those resilient enough to sacrifice the considerable luxury of sleep this week.
Feeling up to the challenge, and want to meet some like-minded residents of your borough who are just as keen to witness the electoral race’s denouement? If so, read on below for St John Street News’s full guide to the local venues which, come the day of reckoning, will act as stalwart vessels, channeling events in Washington D.C., Ohio and beyond across the Atlantic Ocean and onto a TV near you…
Presidential Election Party All Night Long at The Lexington, Islington
Situated just down the road from Angel tube station, The Lexington (pictured left) will broadcast all of the election’s major developments on an array of big screens spread across its two floors from 12pm on November 8 through to as early as 6am the next morning.
Add to this the Islington-based lounge bar’s promise of bourbon aplenty and “the best APAs [American Pale Ales] in town” at their latest event, and the stage is seemingly set for an entertaining evening – both in terms of what’s being broadcast on-screen and the bar’s own action – indeed.
Election Night at Every Cloud, Hackney
Over in Hackney, cocktail bar Every Cloud will be showcasing Clinton and Trump’s much-anticipated final brawl from a slightly different perspecrtive to The Lexington, with its owners instead opting to broadcast the key news coverage via a – presumably sizable – projector screen.
So as to compensate for the lack of its competitor’s big-screen ensemble, though, the venue will complement this with “Americana on the speakers and novelty cocktails”, hoping in their own words to “lighten up the last night of the most horrible election race in living memory”…
Popb*tch Presidential Party at Shoreditch Yard, Shoreditch
Nothing says election night more than a fully-fledged party and to this end, Dinerama in Shoreditch Yard, Shoreditch has those eager to see out the conclusion of Barack Obama’s tenure as US President in style covered.
Boasting snacks and beverages aplenty alongside sure-to-be hilarious party games like Pin the toupee on Trump and a dedicated Popb*tch quiz, this one should make for a night to remember, although tickets need to be purchased here imminently given the event’s present popularity.
US Election Night at The Blues Kitchen, Shoreditch
Anywhere that offers an exclusive ‘Trump Tower’ burger on its dining menu already places itself in great stead for attracting visitors on November 8, but to its credit, The Blues Kitchen isn’t stopping there in its efforts to commemorate a landmark night in America’s – admittedly fairly brief – history as a nation.
Based in Shoreditch as part of a nationwide chain with a taste for the ever-divisive musical genre of the Blues, the Kitchen will additionally bring its very own Trump voodoo doll out to play throughout the evening, purportedly giving its customers a “bourbon-soaked good time” alk the while, ahead of the revelation of whether November 9 spells “victory or doomsday” for the US.
US Election Giggle at Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club, Bethnal Green
But if it’s a true opportunity to revel in the arguable sheer Hillar-ity of #USElections2016 which you’re looking for, especially after Newzoids and Saturday Night Live dedicated a hefty amount of air-time to parodying the electoral race, then Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club is presenting Londoners such as yourself with a different option entirely.
They’re bringing together comics such as Thom Tuck, Josie Long, Leigh Alexander and more to critique and ridicule all of the evening’s proceedings, with the promise being that attendees can expect “live coverage of the results, games and jokes through the night until 6am”. What more could a comedy fan in Hackney want, we ask you?
Be sure to let us know whether you attend any of these local events live-streaming the US presidential elections this week, as well as your overall thoughts on the results, via the comments section below, on Facebook or on Twitter!
