It’s that time of year again. With more festivals than you can shake a glow stick at kicking off across the UK, and enough nights to satisfy the most die hard out there August’s final hurrah of the summer can be a confusing beast to tackle.
As with most things in the capital the situation is amplified. So we’ve pieced together a few choice parties from the next couple of days. And for those of you who know the difference between being ‘nawty’ and just plain naughty, we’ve started from tonight. Just don’t tell your boss.
Tonight
Border Community Presents… Luke Abbott Live @ Ginglik
1 Shepherds Bush Green, London W12
What better way to kick off a long, perhaps unofficial four-day binge than by getting down to some Prog of the organic, bouncy kind? Not even the additions of James Holden and Nathan Fake to the lineup are enough to overshadow the Community’s new protégé Abbott’s debut LP, which is the reason for this pre-weekend session.
Tomorrow
Evil Nine @ The Old Queen’s Head
44 Essex Road, Islington, London N1
It’s Friday, and while the biggest beats and breaks night in town is going on round the corner at Fabric, we think getting down to some of Marine Parade’s finest in a pub is more worthy of your punt. After taking time out to finish their second album, They Live, the breakbeat duo of Tom Beaufoy and Pat Pardy are back and ready for a tear up.
Saturday
SW4 Weekend – Day 1; 12-9pm
Clapham Common, London, SW4
No real surprises here then. Day One at this year’s South of the River ho-down sees Armin Van Buuren take to the booth for his only appearance in the capital this year, alongside ‘the man like’ Sasha, Radio 1 stalwart Pete Tong and US veteran Erick Morillo on the main stage.
Elsewhere the likes of techno don Christian Smith, Bedrock boss John Digweed and new-school hero Joris Voorn will be hammering it out. Those looking for something a little lighter will find Judge Jules and Paul Oakenfold also peddling their wares
Saturday Night
Carl Craig & Sebo K @ Fabric
77a Charterhouse St, Clerkenwell, EC1
It’s highly unlikely sleep will prevail even if you have spent 9 hours with your head in a Clapham Common (bass) bin. So make the trip across the city to Farringdon for Detroit legend Carl Craig in the main room alongside the one and only Sebo K, while king of the roost Craig Richards supports. Room Two offers up Ben ‘the human Ableton’ Sims and minimalist production heavyweight Ben Klock.
Sunday
SW4 Weekend – Day 2; 12-9pm
Clapham Common, London, SW4
OK, so it’s exactly what you expected us to say but if they will put on a festival that still allows time for a club and party afterwards then we’ll damn well list it. Day Two’s main stage takes things a little easier, with Fatboy Slim and Salt-n-Peppa headlining proceedings.
The real money is across the grass at DJ Magazine’s arena though, where homegrown hero Carl Cox, Deep Dish’s Dubfire and Drumcode chief Adam Beyer roll it out. Elsewhere Layo & Bushwacka!, M.A.N.D.Y. and Erol Alkan will also perform alongside more names than we have room to mention here.
Sunday Night
Kinky Malinki SW4 Weekend After Party @ The White House
65 Clapham Park Road, London, SW4
We like to make it easy for you, so this is nothing but a short wander from the SW4 site. Inside you can expect the usual fetishised soundtrack of beats and grooves with a Bank Holiday flavour that can only be delivered by a decade spanning team. Featuring Kinky DJs, Grant Richards, our very own Tom Chubb and Blush. Get on it.