Top 10 Dance Clubs and Disco in London
Fabric
Built on the site of a Victorian meat cellar, Fabric continues to boast some of the most sensational line-ups in the capital. Its global reputation is founded on diversity and willingness to showcase new talent alongside its brilliant residents, planning its nights around great music, rather than flying in superstar DJs. Feel the bass bleed through the speakers buried in the floor and recline in style on the famous bed seats at one of their top regular nights. FabricLive on Fridays is regularly rammed and draws some of the biggest names in breakbeat, drum’n’ bass, indie and electro. Saturday nights showcase underground talent, internationally respected masters of electronic music and established live acts, while Sunday nights (and Monday mornings) give partygoers a chance to indulge in some serious dancefloor hedonism with the Wetyourself crew. Because it’s such a famous brand, Fabric gets horribly crowded sometimes, but the best acts usually don’t come on until 3am, when the tourists have gone and the hardcore clubbers have space to party.
KOKO
KoKo offers a great mixture of live bands and club nights that have put it at the heart of the Camden nightlife. The huge stage, broad balconies and plush upstairs bars are a reminder of its former role as the Camden Theatre (which originally opened its doors in 1900), and the deep red colour scheme, chandeliers and gilt molding give it a decadent air that matches the rock stars who grace the stage. It has an illustrious rock ‘n’ roll history, having hosted The Clash and the Sex Pistols in the 1970s, and The Eurythmics, Madness and Madonna in the 1980s. It became a much-loved scuzzy rock club in the 1990s, before being restored and reopened in 2004.
The Underworld Camden
Egg London
The fabulous Egg nightclub was well prepared for the smoking ban, with a fantastic garden and terrace which make it one of London’s finest summer clubbing spots. Egg is spread out over three floors and each one has its own distinct look and feel. The ground floor has an industrial look while the loftbar area is much sleeker. Well-programmed nights of house, electro and dirty beats (plus the ever-tempting draw of a 24 license) attract a wild polysexual crowd. It’s at its most hedonistic for the Sunday morning after-party Breakfast at Egg, when North London’s wildest clubbers converge to watch the sun rise and keep the rave alive.
Pacha
Pacha is the shamelessly glamorous antidote to London’s gritty clubbing scene. Their stated intention has always been to recreate the Ibiza experience in London, a policy which extends from their line-ups of top European DJs to the stinging prices on the door. Located in a historic 1920s building behind the very unglamorous Victoria Station, Pacha is dripping with glitterballs and chandeliers, and the building has original oak panelling and an elegant stunning stained glass ceiling. There’s a gallery overlooking the main dance floor, and a second dance area with its own sound system, plus a terrace in the summer. The crowd is stylish and beautiful, and you will definitely need to dress to impress here.
Roller Disco
This place has everything right with it- the venue is always buzzing! There are instructors at hand to help beginners and marshalls to lift you up when you fall. I was totally useless on wheels but managed to enjoy myself nonetheless- well worth a visit!
Proud2
In the sad shell of the Millennium Dome, a superclub was born, going by the name of Proud2. Sporting one of the world’s most powerful audio sound systems, heaps of high tech art lighting and a Body Sonic dance floor (meaning that the floor moves with the music). This ambitious project was the brainchild of the nightlife masters who brought us Proud Camden; they took over the 2,600 capacity Matter club space, drenched it in decadent gilded glam, smothered it in chandeliers, soaked the walls in art deco and flung open their doors to throngs of eager partygoers. Proud2 is more akin with the type of clubs you might find in the Balearic Islands and, in hopeful anticipation of steamy summer weather, it is also the proud owner of London’s largest smoking area, which comes complete with its own bars, food vans, heated beds and state of the art parasols. Proud2 comes with all the superclub trimmings; a sterling lineup of world class music and wallet-draining prices to match.
In the sad shell of the Millennium Dome, a superclub was born, going by the name of Proud2. Sporting one of the world’s most powerful audio sound systems, heaps of high tech art lighting and a Body Sonic dance floor (meaning that the floor moves with the music). This ambitious project was the brainchild of the nightlife masters who brought us Proud Camden; they took over the 2,600 capacity Matter club space, drenched it in decadent gilded glam, smothered it in chandeliers, soaked the walls in art deco and flung open their doors to throngs of eager partygoers. Proud2 is more akin with the type of clubs you might find in the Balearic Islands and, in hopeful anticipation of steamy summer weather, it is also the proud owner of London’s largest smoking area, which comes complete with its own bars, food vans, heated beds and state of the art parasols. Proud2 comes with all the superclub trimmings; a sterling lineup of world class music and wallet-draining prices to match.
Cable
Since the closure of clubland stalwarts The Cross, The Key, Canvas, Turnmills and The End, pessimists began to see London’s glass as well and truly half empty. But the recent influx of clubs popping up south of the river – and in particular, like Cable, underneath the arches near London Bridge – shows that the glass is clearly more than half full, as a new generation of nightspots rises from the ashes. Located in the Bermondsey Street tunnel nearby London Bridge tube, the 1000-capacity Cable is spread over three archways (each with its own bar) and two dance floors (with a bespoke soundsystem by European sound specialists Nova). Just short of a full 24-hour licence, the club opens until 6am on Fridays and Saturdays and has grown both in popularity and size since opening its doors back in 2009. 2012 saw the unveiling of the mysterious third room – a sister club named Relay – which comes complete with its own independent line-up of live music, comedy and clubnights.
Concorde 2
I first discovered this amazing venue in the mid-90s when it was home to Fatboy Slim’s Big Beat Boutique. I spent many nights watching Norman Cook destroy the place with his block-rocking beats, taking the crowd on a genre-bashing musical journey and giving me the inspiration and drive I was looking for as a DJ. Now, I love playing this venue. It has its own intimate vibe. For me there isn’t another venue in the UK like it, it reminds me of some concert venues in the USA: it doesn’t feel like a nightclub but still has the intensity and rawness of a packed club. Every week you can expect to find the best in everything from drum’n’bass to glitch-hop, with acts from Julio Bashmore to The Selector. This venue has it all: cool sound system, great stage, perfect location.
