clubs: studio time
Cool, welcoming and consistent in its musical output, there are few better London clubs than Corsica Studios, says Chris Peacock
This intimate venue offers an illegal rave vibe in a stripped-back warehouse-style space. Only with friendly, reliable promoters and close proximity to the city centre.
Previously the Corsica Arts Club, when it opened in 2005, the medium-sized, two-roomed venue is an independent, not-for-profit arts complex focused on all things creative, from fine art and music to film and digital media. But it’s as a clubbing haven that Corsica Studios has made a name for itself, rooted in house, techno, electro and disco but often incorporating drum ’n’ bass and dubstep into its rotating cast of promoters and labels every Friday and Saturday.
As it’s tucked-away inside two railway arches behind the Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre, there’s virtually no passing trade (although first-time visitors can struggle to find it). So if you want a club night where everyone’s there for the music, then this is the place to go. And with two Funktion-One sound systems, you can be sure of a solid party atmosphere.
Top nights include the genre-smashing Trouble Vision, where few styles of dance music are left out, and Corsica’s longest running and most successful event, LowLife, curated by disco king Bill Brewster. www.corsicastudios.com
WtL choice: Small clubs
1. Plastic people
Intimate and intense, this Shoreditch club is as atmospheric as it gets. www.plasticpeople.co.uk
2. Notting Hill Arts Club
A cosy West London venue with a famously eclectic line-up. www.nottinghillartsclub.com
3. Madame Jojo’sThis legendary Soho club runs regular weekly themed nights, including Saturday’s Kitsch Cabaret — a blend of old-school music hall and Las Vegas floorshow. www.madamejojos.com
John Logie Baird first demonstrated how his new invention, the television, would work, in his laboratory in Frith Street, Soho, back in 1926. The laboratory was above what is now Bar Italia.
