Flashback
The clubs that changed dance music forever…
Marc Vedo’s h
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omecoming
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SPACE
BAR RUMBA, LONDON
1995 – 2002
DJS: Kenny Hawkes &
Luke Solomon
ention the words ‘Space’, Grained with the eclectic tastes of Luke
M
‘Bar Rumba’ and and Kenny, their early guests included
‘Wednesday night’ to any NYC’s Kenny Carpenter, 2020’s Ralph
serious connoisseur of Lawson, François K and Chicago names
quality house and you like Ron Trent, Chez Damier and, of
can guarantee their eyes will light up course, Derrick Carter, who became a
instantly, no doubt fi lled with countless, rolling resident in all but name and went
hazy memories of a golden age. on to set up Classic Records with Solomon.
The laboured love of two London DJs —
unsung hero Kenny Hawkes and Luke ‘The But while Space became synonymous with
Freaks’ Solomon — Space gave London’s the deepest underground house and the
true school house community a weekly smooth-to-touch Chicago vibes of labels
base when it needed one most. At a time like Prescription Records, its musical remit
when you couldn’t get down to a decent was a vast, boundless galaxy. Live shows
underground groove most weekends and from A Man Called Adam brought Authentic, honest and unpretentious, For seven great years though, Space truly
clubs were fi lled with commercial, languorous, Balearic grooves, the Space became that rare, magical thing — a was the place.
glam-house pish, Space fi lled the gaping occasions when Luke took warm-up duties club that touched and inspired just about
hole. saw him draw from the most left of everyone that passed through its doors.
“We felt a little isolated before Space,” musical fi elds, while hypnotic Detroit Tom Middleton named his ‘Summer In TIMELESS MOMENT:
remembers Luke Solomon. “Me and Kenny sounds like Jeff Mills’ ‘Protection’ were Space’ track after the club, while fabric Derrick Carter getting on the
played this music on pirate radios, but also classic Space records. boss Keith Reilly has said that fabric was mic while DJ Heather tried not to
there wasn’t anywhere else for us to play Even techno DJs like Carl Cox, Dave Angel, set up to replicate the musical authenticity get distracted by laughter, Carl
it in London. It had lost its way. We used Derrick May and Andrew Weatherall would and family vibe of Space… just for 2000 Cox playing for fi ve hours or the
to do these parties called Jelly parties, so come down and fl ex different DJ muscles people at the weekend rather than 200 on night one of the most famous
we knew there was a group who were into for hours at a stretch. a weekday. voices in house, Joe Smooth,
what we were doing. There just wasn’t “We just booked the people that inspired In that respect, Space’s work was done by and tribal legend Oscar G both
anywhere to go dance it off every week.” us and played the music we liked,” 2002. played unannounced.
remembers Luke. “That whole concept of “It had kind of run its course,” admits
After a steady start, Space soon became DJing whatever you want is so dispersed Luke. “It was diluted because there was so DEFINITIVE TRACKS:
just that place. Like a naughty secret, the that it doesn’t really exist anymore. There much that came off the back of it. Old * Shaun Escoffery ‘Space Rider’
hedonistic basement of Soho’s Bar Rumba were times when we played disco or soul, Street started to become the new centre * DJ Sneak ‘You Can’t Hide From
would be fi lled with like-minded musos, others when we played techno.” of town, Soho got too expensive and Your Bud’
DJs, clubbers and producers each “Just don’t play the same sound for two or wasn’t a particularly nice place to go out. * Smoke City ‘Mr Gorgeous
Wednesday — all hungry for their fi x of three hours, and don’t play commercial There were now other options, we weren’t (Mood 2 Swing Mix)’
deep grooves. shit,” surmises Kenny on their policy. the only one.”
DRIVING FORCES
The promoters behind the dancefl oors
Disco Electronica is one of the most they’re magical. Musically, they’re Hardest thing you have to deal with?
established tech-house and techno exactly what we aspire to. “Uncertainty. Even if you’re
parties in Manchester right now, but consistently strong, it’s still quite
how did you guys start out? Most effective way to promote? nerve-wracking month by month. You
“Me and my DJ partner in OD Muzique, “We have a few rooms at Sankeys so a stand to lose a lot of money and you’re
Sean McCleary, were always down at key thing is inviting up-and-coming only as good as your last event.”
Sankeys and were kind of the faces of promoters to host other rooms. They
Manchester. We started putting on bring their crowd, help out with the What have you got planned for 2010?
smaller parties, then Sankeys asked us promotion and build up a network.” We’ve got DJ Sneak, Marco Carola,
to host the bar and soon after we had Reboot, Joris Voorn live, Nic Fanciulli
the main room.” Sum up your music policy... and Mark Broom. And that’s just the
“Right now, it’s tech-house and techno, fi rst six months.
What promotions have infl uenced you with deep house in the bar. But it’s just
the most? all about decent electronic music, really. Disco Electronica is monthly at Sankeys,
MIKE HAYNES (OD MUZIQUE) “I’m going to say the obvious ones like We think we’ve nailed things musically, in Manchester, on the third Saturday of
DISCO ELECTRONICA
DC10 for Circo Loco, and Cocoon at now, and we’ve got a great regular the month.
Amnesia. When those two go right, crowd.”
054
www.djmag.com
DJ481.AAA_3.indd 54 7/12/09 11:01:58
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