From 1987 to 2010, Cockring held court on Amsterdam’s Warmoesstraat as one of Europe’s most infamous gay discos—throbbing house music, packed weekends, and a dance floor that blurred the line between club and cruise. In the middle of the city’s leather district, it became a pilgrimage spot for locals and travelers who wanted their nightlife loud, late, and a little lawless. gayvillage.amsterdam+1
Named in just the sort of unapologetic way the era demanded, Cockring helped define Amsterdam’s reputation as a queer capital: darkrooms, after-hours chaos, and a sense of freedom that felt almost scandalous. Shut down around 2010 after a drugs crackdown and later rebranded under new names, the original club is gone—but its legend still circulates like a whispered recommendation.
