SESH

The Queen Mary nightclub is part of the historic RMS Queen Mary, a retired British ocean liner that now serves as a floating hotel, museum, and entertainment venue permanently docked in Long Beach, California, United States. The ship was originally launched in 1934 and served as a luxury ocean liner before playing a role as a troopship during World War II, then returning to passenger service after the war until its retirement in 1967. After crossing the Atlantic thousands of times, the Queen Mary was permanently moored in Long Beach, where it began its second life as a multi-purpose destination.

One of its most culturally significant features has been its transformation into a vibrant nightlife destination, especially noted for its various bars, lounges, and unique entertainment spaces, including nightclubs located within the ship's original Art Deco ballrooms and other atmospheric rooms. Over the decades, The Queen Mary has developed a reputation as a unique nightlife icon due to its blend of historical ambiance, nautical glamour, and the supernatural—being widely rumored to be haunted has only added to its mystique. The club spaces within the Queen Mary have been renovated several times to keep up with changing trends, yet they retain much of the ship’s original 1930s Art Deco architecture and décor, providing an evocative backdrop for a wide array of cultural events, themed parties, and late-night revelry.

While the structure itself never changed location, segments of the ship have undergone restoration and repurposing to support modern hospitality and entertainment functions, making it an enduring landmark in Southern California’s social and music scene. Over the years, The Queen Mary’s club venues have hosted a diverse range of events, from swing and jazz nights to EDM parties, LGBTQ+ balls, and Halloween festivals, cementing the ship's role as a crossroads for pop culture, history, and spectacle. Notable artists who have performed at The Queen Mary nightclub and its affiliated entertainment spaces include international acts such as Snoop Dogg, who headlined the iconic “Wet Carnival” summer music festival on board; Tiësto, who participated in select dance events; and DJ Zedd, featured during electronic music nights.

Local talent from the Los Angeles and Long Beach areas has also been regularly featured, with performances from groups like The Aquabats and The Growlers—whose curated Beach Goth festival turned the ship into a multi-stage, multi-genre party. The Queen Mary has also welcomed gay nightlife icons such as DJ Paulo for Long Beach Pride afterparties, and hosted appearances and performances by RuPaul’s Drag Race stars like Alaska Thunderf*ck and Detox. In all, the nightclub spaces of The Queen Mary have provided a stage for a vibrant intersection of music, history, and subculture, continually drawing both international headliners and up-and-coming local artists to its storied decks.