Panel Discussions
During my time as an undergraduate in London, I sought solace in events which played the music that I enjoyed, around the people that were willing to forge lifelong friendships with me. The atmospheres, history and grassroots participation in these events led me to look at these temporal spaces through a critical, academic lens.
This interest snowballed into a community group called Dusk Till Dawn, which I co-founded with fellow musician, schoolmate and housemate Scott Bowley. When Dusk Till Dawn was founded, London’s nightlife economy was going through a major transformation, due to exhorbitant rental charges by landlords and vague land laws. Scott and I wanted to honour this culture’s legacy, perpetuate its understanding and finally, allowing the culture to influence the younger generation’s creative practices.
We held panel discussions with esteemed industry leaders, government representatives and creatives, aided with the funding of the Department of Media and Communications at Goldsmiths, University of London as well as non-profit policy organisation, the Night Time Industries Association.
Sound of the Underground
The Politics of Rave Culture
Event Link
The nuances of rave culture have been often speculated from an outsider’s perspective. In the past, rave culture has been tarred with negative connotations but today, there have been significant progressions in the perceptions of this scene by the media and the masses. What sparked this shift in opinion? How has this culture affected the generation that grew up with it and the ones that inherited that lifestyle? And have perception changes to rave culture gone far enough? Drawing on personal experiences from revered personalities of the rave scene in its early days and current period, these questions will be discussed.
HOST:
Derek Walmsley (The Wire)
PANELISTS:
Amy Alsop (Dance Café / Magick FM)
Andy Blake (World Unknown / Magick FM)
Raj Chaudhuri (Boiler Room)
Jane Fitz (Freerotation / Night Moves)
Ian McQuaid (Ransom Note / Don't Watch That)
Gavin Watson (Raving '89)
London By Night
Our Disappearing Club Spaces
Event Link
London is at the centre of a nationwide nightlife crisis. A huge number of clubs, bars and pubs have shut down in the last decade, with few new ones opening, and even revered institutions such as Plastic People have had to close their doors for good. With the recent announcement that Dance Tunnel would be following the same fate, it seems like nightlife and the city are increasingly disconnected.
But what does a decrease in club spaces actually mean? What does clubbing do for scenes and communities? Who is supported by the night time economy? Lastly, what kind of cultural capital would be lost if our cities shut at 11pm? We’ve invited figures from across the industry to explore the importance of nightlife spaces, and to discuss the possibilities for reclaiming our clubs.
Speakers:
Dan Beaumont (Dance Tunnel / Dalston Superstore)
David Tuitt - Team Leader – Licensing (Policy and Operations), Hackney Council
DEBONAIR (NTS Radio)
Simon Denby (Percolate)
Councillor Jack Hopkins (Labour, Oval Ward/Cabinet Member for Jobs & Growth)
Dr Helen Kim (University of East London)
Convener:
Sirin Kale (Broadly)