Next Friday, a new club night is launching at Club 43 in Brixton – Local is intended to inject new life into the Brixton dancing scene and it’s run by…locals. Here we interview Hannah T-W, one of the organisers, who grew up in Brixton
Why have you started this night?
I guess we started it because we were frustrated at the lack of local dancing options and bored about hearing Peckham hype. There aren’t enough nights of this nature in Brixton – with the notable exception of ‘World Unknown’ in Loughborough Junction there are no nights that me or my friends go to. We tend to go East for better lineups – it didn’t used to be like that though.
What is the Local night going to be like? Why should we come along?
Local is where we will bring amazing music to an intimate venue in Brixton with houseparty vibes – not super serious! Also, there’s no nightbus mission home and its only £3!
Who will be DJing for the March edition?
Josey Rebelle who holds the flagship show on Rinse FM, playing everything from classic house, jungle and R&B. Supremo DJ Tic Zogson, whose eclectic musical taste ranges from Ethiopian funk to Detroit techno, Tim & Barry, curators of Just Jam the online rave experience (check it out here) and Ph0t0machine aka Dean Bryce, techno producer from Brixton and head honcho of new label Technicolour. Dean runs the night with me alongside Raine Allen-Miller and Zezi Ifore – all local friends.
What do you think of the music scene currently in Brixton?
Musically, Brixton is great in terms of big events, we have the Academy and the Electric, but when it comes to quality small nights it’s pretty embarrassing. It’s either bland DJs who are more suited to the Clapham scene or has-been heroes playing hits at Jamm. Obviously there are exceptions but not as many as there should be! Some of my friends are in local bands that I love seeing – Severed Limb and Zulu often play at places like the Queens Head and Upstairs at the Ritzy
You grew up in Brixton- were any of the venues here especially formative in your youth?
Yikes, it’s easy to get nostalgic… I had my 18th birthday party at 3rd Base in Mass – that was a formative venue for sure. Me and Zezi used to go to little shebeen nights on Landor Road under a chicken shop that Raf Daddy and Toddla T ran back in the day. You had to say a password to be let in. That was definitely in the myspace era! That place got shut down years ago. Also watching smaller local bands at the Windmill and the Grosvenor and big bands at The Academy. Not forgetting Thursday nights at The Effra.
Tell me what Brixton is to you – what do you love / hate about it and why?
I love Brixton. It has a community which you don’t really get in places like Shoreditch for instance. I love bumping into people that I went to primary school with and also friends of my mum and dad. It feels like theres lots of change in the air but I just hope that it doesn’t change the community that we know and love. More medium sized club venues would be great also…
Local at Club 43, 43 Tulse Hill, Friday March 15, 10pm-4am, £3
This young lady is an inspiration to us all