Jonny Bongo
2016 threw many unexpected things at us and one thing that no one saw coming was the resurgence of bingo. I, along with many others, thought the game was confined to the dingy bingo halls of Gala and Mecca frequented by grandmas. But Jonny Bongo had other ideas. Along with business partner Josh Burke, they’ve created Bongo’s Bingo, a bingo rave full of debauchery, dancing and … dildos. It’s revolutionising UK nightlife and has given a new lease of life to the game. The event is not even two years old, and already packs out venues across seven UK cities, and is soon to launch in London.
When I caught up with Jonny Bongo, co-founder, bingo caller and DJ of the event, he seemed genuinely surprised at how quickly the night had become so popular. “From when we started, to where we are now, it’s become a proper show, and we never expected it at all. It’s mental, tickets sell out in 5-10 minutes now. It’s very humbling.”
Jonny Bongo (Image: PKagency). The row centres around the fact that the pair initially launched the now-famous nights while the latter was an employee at Camp. Mr Burke left the firm in 2015 to take the event 'on the road', and it's now become a huge success at major venues across the UK – being played as far afield as Dubai and Australia. 31.3k Followers, 472 Following, 958 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Jonny Bongo (@jonnybongolacey). Johnny 'Dandy' Rodriguez demonstrates his style of riffing on bongos. He spent 37 years working with Tito Puente so he knows what he is talking about. Speaking at the High Court in Manchester, Jonny Bongo, real name Jonathan Lacey, gave evidence as court proceedings over who has the right to stage the famous event raged on.
The concept of the night was conceived back in Liverpool, where Josh ran a club night, and Jonny ran a pub quiz with a twist. The guys joined forces, and Bongo’s Bingo was born. “One of the big things is the prizes; even though you can win money we also give away mad stuff like Coco Pops, a 23-inch dildo and a Henry Hoover.” And this really gets at the heart of why the night is so popular; the guys aren’t out to make money or rip people off, they just want the audience to have a good time. “The one thing I care about is that people enjoy the event. It’s never been a money-grabbing event. The money from your ticket goes back in to prize money and prizes.”
If you’ve yet to experience the thrill of a night at Bongo’s Bingo, Jonny claims it’s an atmosphere that’s almost impossible to describe. “You kind of have to see it to believe it; I know that sounds really cheesy. People really do take it seriously, one minute everyone is up on the benches dancing to Vengaboys, and the next minute when the next number is coming out, you could literally hear a pin drop. We always give away a giant pink fluffy unicorn, and that is the most sought after prize. People sometimes concentrate more for a unicorn than £200-£300.”
It’s a mixture of serious bingo playing and absolutely bonkers entertainment; the night is interspersed with dance offs, a 20-minute full on rave with glowsticks, and the occasional special guest – David Hasselhoff and Fatman Scoop have previously featured. It’s an event where you have to expect the unexpected, and you absolutely have to get involved. There’s no sitting on the sidelines here.
Arguably, it’s the immersive and interactive element of the night which has led to its success. As Jonny explains, “If you go and play bingo in a traditional bingo hall it’s boring, and especially if you don’t win it feels like a bit of a waste of time. On the other end of the spectrum, if you go to a club night where it’s four hours, you can’t really talk to your mates, and it’s quite monotonous. So we come in the middle; it’s still a mad night out, you’re dancing up on the tables, but you’re also, again it sounds cheesy, but you’ve got an activity to do.” With claims that the younger generation are increasingly rejecting typical club nights in favour of special, one-off immersive events, Bongo’s Bingo taps in to the market well, and does it in a carefree, unpretentious style. The event may be held at Canal Mills, but there’s nothing edgy about the Vengaboys and Henry Hoovers. “I think club nights are in decline, and I think people don’t settle for average now.”
Jonny has become almost as famous as Bongo’s Bingo itself; his Northern Irish lilt and often ruthless audience interaction being an integral part of the night. “People get a lot of abuse if they don’t concentrate or make false calls, because it is serious bingo at the end of the day. So a lot of people get called dickheads.” And his favourite bingo call? “A meal for two with beautiful view – that’s 69.”
I’ve often wondered who you’re supposed to concentrate on playing bingo six pints in to the night, and it turns out that a lot of people don’t. “It’s a marathon not a sprint, and as the night progresses the prizes get better”. So basically, pace yourself and you could be in with a chance of winning the big bucks, but get too drunk and you’ll be bundled in to the back of a taxi with only a fluffy pink unicorn to keep you company.
The event has been such as success that the team are in talks about taking the event to Dubai and Australia, and after Parklife and Creamfields last year, Bongo’s Bingo will be hitting Snowbombing in April.And with the event’s second birthday coming up in the next few months, Jonny and the team have a big extravaganza up their sleeves.
So if you haven’t already had a shot at winning that oh-so-coveted fluffy unicorn at a Bongos Bingo night yet, you’re missing out. Before you buy your ticket, here are Jonny’s words of advice for first-time bingo-players. “Keep your eye on your books at all times, and just don’t be a dickhead.”
Bongo’s Bingo comes to Canal Mills every Wednesday night. Further info here.
Jessica Murray
(Images: Tandem PR and Justin Gardner Photography)
Meet the man who puts the Bongo’s in Bingo, it’s our very own Jonny Bongo.
June 9, 2020
Meet the man who puts the Bongo’s in Bingo, it’s our very own Jonny Bongo. Here we sit down with the man himself, who along with his mate Joshua Burke, co-founded Bongo’s Bingo.
Vice have recently called you “the king of bingo” – how does this amazing accolade feel?
Haha – I am truly honoured to be the king of anything!
Describe the last 5 years of Bongo’s Bingo in 5 words?
The most amazing roller coaster.
On paper it sounds so simple – bingo, music, dancing and prizes. What really makes your concept so successful?
I think that part of it is that it appears to be so simple and not over complicated, or maybe more that we make it look so simple when in fact it’s a really thought out show. The hosts, the dancers, the techs, the visuals, the music, the prizes, the moments of madness… it all takes a lot of planning, and we are doing that at each and every show and we’re always refreshing it too.
What have been the biggest challenges – personally and for the company?
A number of things I think. The strain of performing multiple times a week for me - I don’t think people realise doing a lot of shows back to back is so full on for us all on stage, I am goosed by the end. There have also been copycats and legal battles too, but all worth it though and we are more united and stronger than ever.
You have hosted 100s of shows across the world, from the first ever show in Liverpool, to 4 thousand people at XL in Manchester, to Ibiza, Dubai, Amsterdam, Australia and more - what are your stand-out memories?
Honestly it all rolls into one; but I still get that intense nervous feeling before every show no matter where it is. The debuts always stick out for each location, as each one is new and unknown. The first times in Oz, Ibiza, at XL in Manchester etc – all brilliant shows and all a bit nerve-wracking too.
There’s real escapism and community at all Bongo’s Bingo’s show – why do you think that is, where does that feeling come from?
I think it’s because we don’t take ourselves too seriously. We are an incredibly diverse team but all have the same goal of putting on a really fun spectacle and that just feeds into the audience. When you see a thousand people going crazy you know we have got it right, it’s that feeling and connection everyone has together as we play bingo and dance like no one’s watching. For me that is the escapism - everyone is on the exact same level of madness.
How many bottles of Buckfast have you consumed in the last 5 years?
Jonny Bongo Married
I actually don’t really wanna think about it. 1000?!
Fave special guest?
I don’t think I could pick just one. Up there though The Vengaboys, Nadine, Kelis and S Club. The maddest bastard with a heart of gold is Basshunter.
What’s your all-time defining Bongo’s Bingo tune?
Johnny Bongos Productions Logo
Carnival de Paris is the one. Goosebumps for days.
For someone who has never been, what advice would you give them ahead of their first show?
Let loose, go with the flow and wear comfy shoes - you’ll be dancing plenty!
How have you kept busy during lockdown?
Every Friday and Saturday I’m usually on stage hosting our Liverpool shows. I’m missing the energy of our shows and our amazing customers but I’ve got plenty on to be keeping me busy for now. Most mornings I am up early with our little boy Alex and we go out on lots of adventures. My partner Louise is pregnant with our second child, so we are getting ready for that – baby number two arrives this summer! I have been getting into cooking and posting stories for what I have been making. We are eating well, ha! I have hosted some socially distanced bingo parties on my street too. They’ve been class and a bit surreal, with everyone dancing in their front gardens and patios to B*Witched. I found myself itching to do something during the lockdown, and getting the neighbours together to win a cut-out of Ainsley
And lastly, what is coming next for Bongo’s Bingo?
With the arrival of lock down we dabbled in some streaming from our Twitch.tv profile. We had amazing feedback on these shows and 25 million minutes were watched by viewers which is insane! Whilst we’re not running streams right now we do have a project that we’re working on, more news to follow soon! Once it’s safe to do so we’ll be throwing 6 mega parties for the NHS and Emergency Services workers across the UK as a thank you for their amazing work. From there, we’re going to keep doing what we do best with our parties but bring the madness to more and more countries with our international expansion. The future is incredibly exciting and we can’t wait to crack on with it!