3. Standouts would have to be Logical Progression and Gallery at Turnmills, Buzzin Fly, Ram and Underwater @ The End and Type and the mighty Peace Division @ The Cross happy, happy times. I played at the cross several times .. 4 me one of best uk clubs where i played great memories , I have the Cross book. It was in King's Cross's golden triangle of night clubs which all shut down in the face of the area's redevelopment. Want the best food, film, music, arts and culture news in London sent straight to your inbox? So many wonderful memories, so many great pills. Last minute gifts? We forgive all this because nightclubs in our fair city also provide some of the most euphorically happy moments of collective felicity and joy that well experience in the course of our lives. There are new plans to take the building into the future - but we really miss how it used to be. Wednesday 10 June 2015. Even Prince Charles has been to the Limelight club - he was snapped getting out of the royal car as he arrived to attend a reception for the Prince's Trust at the venue in December 1997. As of 2021, MoS now also has its own record label, gym, cruise ship franchise and full size members only shared workspace on Borough Road incorporating private offices, a cinema, meeting rooms for hire and a full service restaurant. it probably was ha ! The demise of so many iconic spaces, proper clubs, remains a tragedy for a city that still considers itself a capital of European partying. It was where world-famous artists like Adele and The XX cut their teeth, and was a gem of the North London nightlife scene. The plan was to go up there, see someone and come back. But the magic was gone weve since seen the end for the Den, too. The clientele these days is more likely to include the sons and daughters of sheiks and potentates quaffing Cristal and dancing to mainstream RnB but the restaurant area (yes, this is one of those kinds of nightclubs) still sees the odd A-lister float by when theyre in town. Weve picked our Top 5 such venues, all of which were in stumble-home-from distance for Kentishtowners (thats why theres no Club UK for example, if youre wondering). We list 18 things you might not know about the Limelight club, the building it was in and its links to the US. Matter, Greenwich2008-2010It was perhaps always a slightly over-optimistic proposition opening a nightclub in Greenwich, let alone one inside the Millennium Dome, but if anyone was going to have a good stab at it, then it would be the pair behind Fabric: Cameron Leslie and Keith Reilly. Thanks for the article, brought back awesome memories! The music was smooth and progressive, which moved into a feeling of just less than trance. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. The End on a Friday and Turnmill on a Saturday were more my thing. Its loyal following of drum and bass fans would flock there every Wednesday for Swerve, the legendary midweek session. The small room was great. A string of London's best-loved night clubs have closed since 2000. Were you a Crank? 8. As I looked up from the urinal, there was this dude, about 6foot 6, clad in all leather, not too dissimilar to that of the guys in the Blue Oyster bar in the Police Academy films, peaked cap, studded peak, leather trousers, jacket. Oasis performed their debut London show at The . Sign up to our weekly email. Herbal, Shoreditch2000-2009It was small (and sweaty) but Herbal consistently pounded out some of the best drum and bass in the capital, filling out every Sunday for Grooveriders seminal night, Grace, as well as regularly hosting the likes of Goldie and the Metalheadz crew. People queuing to get into The Cross mid 1990s, Madame Jojo's in London's Soho closed after losing its licence in 2014, The O2 Arena was once a massive nightclub, The Good Ship supported emerging artists and comedians and was a gem of the London gig scene. It set the tone for mixed gay clubbing and for techno music especially to become more mainstream. London's night-time economy is estimated to contribute 17-26.bn in . The brand name is constantly evolving and the club continues to survive despite numerous threats of closure. And there are also some intriguing facts about the nightclub's sister venues across the pond. It later became the Cat's Whiskers club, the Ritzy then Caesars Nightclub. Electric Daisy Carnival in Vegas this year was truly magical and a top clubbing moment, but some periods of your life can never truly be repeated. The likes of Oasis and Nirvana played there and it hosted regular LGBT club nights. Since June 15, non-essential shops have been able to reopen and now leisure attractions are starting to open as well. The West End establishment started out as a burlesque club but later became a staple for Central London's "fringe-culture" community. Believe it or not King's Cross was once the party hub of London. club uk was awesome, so was the complex, leisure lounge, the cross, turnmills, home in leciester square, camden palace, ku club in leicester square.. All gone I was there though so the memories stay ! Great article. A perfectly acceptable thing to do at the time. A far cry from the likes of the Nest or Birthdays, the Aces filled an old Victorian theatre on Dalston Lane where it pioneered black music in the UK before becoming a permanent venue for rave promoters Labyrinth in the late 80s. but it went wrong after the terrible stabbing on a bank holiday sunday night. Remind trade on sat nite dj smokin joe the paradise at angel station the lazerodrome in peckam carl cox at m.o.sound crazy nite misss you. Here are some of the South London clubs and bars that are sadly no more. 4. Or many others, would not stop writing and remembering about them. The Soul City nights in Covent Garden were also really good. Never crossed my mind that even the buildings would be gone. Thats brought back some memories. Fantastic times. Ive loved reading ur write up about the old clubs and the memories came flooding back with the pics!! It didnt last long though. Heads of whistling into the sunset. Clip ref DW0126681990s Ministry of Soun. They also gave these out at the closing party in a goodie bag with a poster and a sleeping mask! We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. So while we salute the nightspots that have weathered the Covid storm, lets now recall the clubs that have fallen, not just during the pandemic but way, way before that, all of whom, in their day, contributed to the aching limbs, sore feet and empty wallets of hedonistic Londoners of yore. For more info on what we write about and why, see our About section. George Michael often arrived at the nightclub accompanied by a woman before he came out as gay. migrated from the Milk Bar around the corner, Danny Rampling ruled wednesday night, and Jon Pleased took over the tradition.Shoom, Pure, Glam, Pleased the weekends fun used to begin on a wednesday,,,,OMG !! But in London most places turf revellers out well before 4am and there's a severe lack of "after hour" options. Turnmills, Clerkenwell1990-2008Another one of Londons fossilised superclubs, Turnmills was the first venue in the UK to get a 24-hour dance licence. MoS is an institution, still respected by much of the dance music cognoscenti but derided in many quarters for having long since become the Bluewater of nightclubs; mostly now populated by coach parties from Essex. Read more: Has Covid-19 ended Sohos indie spirit for good? The single was written and produced by Ralf Ren Mau, and its cover artwork features . I love this article! The End just had to be #1 And while theres nothing worse than the club bore going on about how the music and the parties were so much better back in the day, we should give these classic institutions more reverence. It was around the corner from Angel station. Its sad though, as these were truly iconic clubs I am not from UK, but had a chance to party in Turnmills and The Fridge at their best times I felt everyone is equal kind of things there. I (just about) have wonderful memories of all 5 of those venues. The place declined to the point that, by the 1980s, it was a strip club but was bought out and re-styled as a members only A-list speakeasy in 2012, now attracting Noel Gallagher, Mark Ronson, Harry Styles et al. It was the image I had in my head before we got there of what Heaven might be like and then this guy walked in. Great article, had some great and messy nights at most of them. How weve missed it all: the overly zealous bouncers in high vis jackets by the entrance, the larcenously overpriced plastic bottles of water, the sweaty bloke in the gents toilets who rents the watered down cologne and Chupa Chups lollies concession and the DJ whose pretence of being a serious artist is such that he spends his six hour set peering down at his decks in the manner of an A Level geography student cramming for the final exam. The club on the corner of Mount Pleasant and Brownlow Hill was one of the city's most famous venues in the 90s. Wow. In 1979 it was from this Covent Garden spot that the New Romantic movement came forth to rescue England from a music scene of lumpen post-punk mediocrity. The energy and the hedonism of the club gave a new life to the scene and other clubs sprung up trying to emulate Trade, giving more choice to clubbers. The very social cafe upstairs, the dense dry-ice on the main floor with the mesmerising lasers, hottest guys, new bizarre sounds, the knowledge that the rest of England was sleeping and had no idea that such hedonism was taking place on a Sunday morning and night (you missed out Warriors) all fuelled after an initial polite and orderly wait in line to see Nick (is he out yet?) A bare room with the most rudimentary of bars at one end (cans of Red Stripe or nothing) in a Hoxton basement, the place came to prominence in the Nineties and Noughties as an incubator for dubstep and for possessing one of the greatest sound systems ever owned by a nightclub. Pretty sure the very last ones got dished out at the end of that rather special final bash, Xmas 07. I lived in London back in the late 90s early 00s and went to all of these clubs. hope youre well? The huge venue, which filled six arches, brought a Balearic party vibe to a run-down corner of London, with club nights including Glitterati and Cheeky People. The duo ran the popular basement club in Holborn for years. According to its owners, the time felt right to move on. Whats in the new July issue of Kentishtowner? Nice article Tom, brought back some memories. Darling, Fantastic article how about expanding the idea to the rest of the country. Great article and very sad reading. Would have kept going there for anniversary, shame its closed but glad weve done it all at the best times, Im an Aussie that worked the doors at imperial garden, car wash gigs, sunny side up, cafe de Paris (wanky but fun). The Blow Up Metro Club, Soho2001-2009Crossrail dealt the West End club scene another blow, taking the scalp of the Metro with the same swoop of the sword that ended the Astoria. 2. Cue acid house, bucket hats, baggy T-shirts and lots of sweat. A great venue All this created the friendliest and most fun crowd on the clubbing scene. Boy George was a regular at this New Romantics haunt which hosted some of the capital's biggest gay nights. And good to see you the other night (I was in the ridiculous blue jacket). Nice article Tom, brought back some great memories. Sign up to our weekly email. Anyway, as the corridor joined Soundshaft to Heaven (and Heaven being pretty legendry), I decided to go to the loo. Seems quite a few people would like to get their hands on The Cross book dont suppose youve got a lockup full of a last, forgotten batch? Jon Cook. London's lost nightclubs in pictures A new book by DJ and writer Dave Haslam offers a fascinating glimpse into London's clubbing history. Plus I think Friction was there for a bit to. You had, in all probability, just left Turnmills, the first club in the UK to receive a 24 hour license. Reliving my 20s again still with a younger GF (cliche alert) and the new wave of EDM. Central to the Black jazz scene at the time, and closely linked with African. Glad you like it Phil. Still, this wasnt the reason the venues got turfed; the bailiffs were eventually called in as a result of long overdue rent and bills. He then says, whilst his tash does this little dance/shuffle thing, in the deepest booming, bass-like voice Awighht, Lads, you havin yerselves a good night, then? Me and my brother just cracked up. Even more so for you, of course! Lashana Lynch: Its inspiring to see a young black woman on screen not be perfect, The biggest films coming out in 2023 and when theyll be released, Bulgari to open Serpenti exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery. thanks for the article, spent many crazy nights/days in all of these places, Velvet Underground aside. But I will never forget the fabulous nights and camaraderie that I shared with friends and total strangers whilst waving my hands in the air like I just didnt care x, I met my husband at The Cross in 2004, now happily married with kids. Ironically, the development never happened and the club was eventually reopened as the Den and Centro. Im amazed u didnt mention that John Newman was the father of both Danny and Paul Newman. There is no place for this kind of establishment in Hackney. New venues although arguably more suitable in some considerations like Matter just dont possess the necessary special ingredient like the late great Turnmills anymore. It hosted huge weekend parties that were at hit with House music fans. Reminded me of my mis-spent but highly pleasurable youth on the dance floors of a London. Velvet Rooms, Soho1993-2003Ibiza party man Nicky Holloway kickstarted this central London club originally named Velvet Underground after his previous project, Milk Bar, lost its lease. Before the Millenium Dome became the O2 Arena we know today it was home to a couple of nightclub's. From sweaty rave spots to Soho institutions, these are the iconic nightlife haunts we most miss. During the 1990s, photographer Steve Eichner documented the rowdy, over-the-top debauchery that was New York City's club scene and nightlife. circa 1990. I Did the lighting and laser systems at turnmills for many different promoters. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. how about PLEASED on a wednesday at the Velvet underground !!! It was around 2000 and I remember those times as probably the best of my life. Same here. It closed after an issue with underage drinking was reported in 2009, before re-opening as Electric Brixton. 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