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Up close and personal - Drumsheds, North London's largest arts and cultural space.
London's underground clubbing scene has long been a vibrant hub for music enthusiasts and raver communities. With the forthcoming opening of Drumsheds, a new cultural space in North London, the city's club culture scene is about to rekindle with an unprecedented energy.
Drumsheds, operated by Broadwick Live, is set to open its doors this weekend, marking the reinvention of the legendary Printworks club. Located in a former IKEA warehouse, this 15,000-capacity venue promises to offer a cultural space that combines music, art, and innovative design. It's a revival of the area's long-standing history as a hotspot for raving and music events.
To truly appreciate the significance of Drumsheds, take a journey back to the early 90s, not far from the new Drumsheds at the Lea Valley Trading Estate when London's rave scene was thriving. Small venues like Bassbox and Roller Express were the go-to places for seasoned ravers eager to experience the emerging sound of Hardcore that gave birth to a whole generation of today's legendary deejays such as Carl Cox, Fabio and Grooverider and Jumping Jack Frost. The venues, like Bassbox, along with larger ones like Roller Express, hosted nights like Elevation, Life and Utopia, Telepathy and The Pirate Club and became the epicentre of the city's rave culture and gave me my 1st taste of what underground clubbing culture was like.
Now, with the opening of the new 15,000-capacity cultural space, the area's long-standing history is again being rejuvenated, reuniting the long-standing relationship the area has with underground dance culture. Before its opening, we had the chance to look around the venue, testing the lights, sound systems and smoking area, to see the transformation of Drumsheds since the Broadwick team took over the former Ikea Warehouse.
Drumsheds, as we know it today, took its first steps two years ago when it occupied three large unused warehouses. This initial venture set the stage for the evolution of the venue. Now, as Drumsheds 2.0 prepares to open its doors, it has transformed into a cutting-edge space with state-of-the-art lights, sound systems and cultural space that is about to put North London firmly back on the clubbing map.
What sets Drumsheds apart from other venues is its adaptability and dedication to delivering exceptional experiences. The venue features multiple industrial rooms that can be continuously reconfigured to create new and innovative environments. Retained elements from the building's past, such as old lift shafts, loading bays, and machinery, add a distinctive character reminiscent of the renowned Printworks. Taking a walk around the main room you quickly realise the vastness of the space and how much work it took it must have taken for this transformation. Visual art collective, United Visual Artists, joined forces with Broadwick Live and delivered the creative and production concept for the new Drumsheds. They explored how the existing properties of the existing architecture collided with panoramic screens, and immaterial walls of light ready to captivate audiences across the three expansive rooms - Room X, Room Y and Room Z. Each room gave me a different vibe, from the vastness and production quality of the main room to the low ceiling of Room Z, giving me that Printworks Inkwells feels, to the caged ruggedness of the smaller Room Z, reminded me a little of "The Cause" which recently closed in the area.
Situated in the Meridian Water area, just minutes from Tottenham Hale in north London, Drumsheds aims to become a vibrant cultural centre of gravity. With its impressive 56,000 square meters of floor space, it has the potential to host a wide range of live music, cultural, and arts events. From daytime shows to night-time extravaganzas, Drumsheds is set to inspire, connect, and make a lasting impact on London's club culture scene.
Taking inspiration from the success of Printworks, Drumsheds plans to introduce a fresh concept that emphasizes daytime shows. This approach ensures a safer and more accessible event experience for attendees. By hosting events during the day, the venue opens up possibilities for a broader audience and allows music lovers to enjoy their favourite artists in a unique setting.
Drumsheds isn't just a venue; it's a community. With its rich history and promising future, it has the potential to bring together music enthusiasts, ravers, and artists from all walks of life. As Drumsheds prepares to open its doors, make sure to stay connected through its website and social media channels to be part of the latest updates, announcements, and exclusive experiences.
London's club culture scene is about to witness a new era with the opening of Drumsheds. This former IKEA warehouse, transformed into a cutting-edge cultural space, promises to ignite the city's clubbing scene like never before. With its adaptability, dedication to exceptional experiences, and vibrant line-up, Drumsheds is set to become a beacon for music lovers and raver communities alike. Join the excitement, be part of the Drumsheds community, and get ready to experience the magic of London's club culture scene in a whole new way. Click here for more infomation and tickets.
