Fabric regulars eagerly await the opening of 'matter' at the O2 Arena (© Dave Swindells)
What happens when a legendary club builds its own dream venue? Time Out gets an exclusive preview of Fabric's new Docklands venture: Matter
Fabric regulars eagerly await the opening of 'matter' at the O2 Arena (© Dave Swindells)
It’s high time London had a new venue to get excited about. All the recent news has been about the closures of clubs and live arenas, from the Hammersmith Palais and The Spitz to the finale parties of The Cross, The Key and Canvas on New Year’s Eve. At Easter Turnmills shut its doors for the last time, and now we have the impending demise of the Astoria.
But Matter, the 2,600-capacity venue being built under the dome of the O2 Arena by the team which runs Fabric, promises to be the best of its size in the world. It’s due to open on September 18, but Time Out has an exclusive sneak view and exploration of why the Fabric team is launching a new location further east.
‘It’s an amazing building. It’s iconic,’ Fabric managing director, Cameron Leslie, said as he showed me around Matter. Controversially, he was talking about the dome itself, whose reputation he sees as having been tainted by the Millennium Exhibition . He’s a champion of the venue, although initially the Fabric team declined the advances of AEG, the US sports and leisure conglomerate which owns the 02. ‘All we knew about the Dome at that point was the failed casino bid.’
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When Leslie and Fabric’s founder Keith Reilly subsequently visited the site in 2006, what really enticed them was the chance to design and purpose build a venue which would have none of the problems associated with converting an existing location. Unlike their Clerkenwell club, which was created in arches previously used as a three-floor Victorian cold-store for the adjacent meat market, Matter will not require a massive renovation project before it is adapted for use. Leslie emphasises that none of the myriad expansion proposals which have been offered to Fabric since it opened nine years ago have presented them with an opportunity as good as this.
He also emphasises tha tMatter will not be ‘Son of Fabric’. Whereas Fabric is a 1,500-capacity nightclub which occasionally hosts different events, ‘matter’ has been designed by architect William Russell of Pentagram to operate as a live venue, a club, a performing arts space or a VIP club, with its own separate entrance – possibly fulfilling all of those functions within the same night. Its principal appeal is likely to be its 2,000-capacity auditorium with unique audio and visual features. There are two balconies overlooking the huge stage in addition to a dancefloor which should ensure very good sightlines – and also that no one in the main auditorium is more than 15m from the stage. If you’re already familiar with Fabric’s ‘bodysonic’ dancefloor – which is designed to vibrate to the frequencies of the bass speakers built in directly below it – then wait till you feel the ‘bodykinetic’ dancefloor at Matter. And plans for the 3D mapped visuals and interlocking screens a tMatter sound like something from a sci-fi novel. ‘This is exactly the same question that you would have asked us in 1999,’ laughs Leslie, as we discuss the location. ‘ “What’s going to make people go to somewhere like Smithfield and Farringdon; it’s not even on the map, is it?” ' Fabric soon proved naysayers wrong in EC1, where it maintains a reputation as one of the world’s finest underground music venues. Leslie is sure that they’ll repeat the feat at ‘matter’. So there’s a precedent for making a success of going east.
‘We’re piggybacking all the hard work they’ve done,’ says Leslie of the O2 Arena, which celebrates its first birthday this month. ‘I wouldn’t say that we have to educate people about this site, because by the time we open there will probably be 4.5 million people that will have gone to the Arena who know that it’s in Zone 2, it’s on the best tube line and it’s a lot easier to get to than Wembley.’
The phenomenal success of the O2 Arena can’t mask the fact that its interior feels like a shopping mall. Visitors to Matter, though, will use a separate entrance to a venue where the attention to detail and customer care promises to be as good as the music – there’ll be 2,000 secure parking spaces and women will have access to 60 toilet cubicles for example. Talk of toilets may seem superfluous at this point, but try telling that to girls who miss their favourite band or DJ because they spend half the night in queues.
Matter will be served by the Thames Clipper boat services which are due to operate every half hour throughout the night. The prospect of taking an Oyster card-compatible half-hour express catamaran ride back to Waterloo Pier (it’s 15 minutes to Tower Bridge) may attract some people to Matter just for the fun of the ride home.
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28 comments
This Is Not London
Sat 18th October
This week legendary indie label Moshi Moshi Records celebrate their 10th birthday with an incredible line up.
Room 1 - Moshi Moshi Records Label Party
Hot Chip (Live)
Secret Special Guest
Florence and The Machine Live
Tilly And The Wall Live
James Yuill Live
Greco-Roman Soundsystem
+ Live guests
Room 2
Secret Special Guest
Slow Club Live
The Wave Pictures Live
Moshi DJs
10pm - 7am
£17.50
This Is Not London
Sat 18th October
This week legendary indie label Moshi Moshi Records celebrate their 10th birthday with an incredible line up.
Room 1 - Moshi Moshi Records Label Party
Hot Chip (Live)
Secret Special Guest
Florence and The Machine Live
Tilly And The Wall Live
James Yuill Live
Greco-Roman Soundsystem
+ Live guests
Room 2
Secret Special Guest
Slow Club Live
The Wave Pictures Live
Moshi DJs
10pm - 7am
£17.50
This Is Not London
This week legendary indie label Moshi Moshi Records celebrate their 10th birthday with an incredible line up.
Room 1 - Moshi Moshi Records Label Party
Hot Chip (Live)
Secret Special Guest
Florence and The Machine Live
Tilly And The Wall Live
James Yuill Live
Greco-Roman Soundsystem
+ Live guests
Room 2
Kate Nash (Acoustic)
Slow Club Live
The Wave Pictures Live
Moshi DJs
10pm - 7am
£17.50
What can I say...amazin! Went to the body rockin SMD t'his is not london' night on Fri 3rd and loved it. SMD were fantastic but credit goes out to the people who designed this place. The club is so well organised, there was room to breathe whilst struttin those dance moves, always had a great view of the stage and the balcony seatin areas were a good resting space. One thing I detest is quein and to my delight I never did much of it this night...never waited at the bar, for the toilet or even for my coat, its a first! My mate got to go through to the VIP area (lucky bugger) which is apparently a great laugh with a bridge across the dance floor. The only downside to this place is the walk round to the entrance, you begin to realise how big the O2 really is. I'd defo recommend this place...see you on the dance floor!
Went to matter to see SMD on Friday, they rocked it! I think it is SO much easier to get to matter, it's right next to north greenwich station. There are a few buses, but taxis are available (although you should book as there were queues). The other plus is that you've got loads of options for dinner/drinking in the same complex, so meeting up with your mates is much better. On a normal Friday nite in East London you'd never get a nice chilled out bar, it's manic. So yes well done to Fabric peeps, good work.
The club is amazing i went there on the saturday 2days after the opening, the drinks might be abit expencive but its all worth it, the music shocks threw your body and the saroundings are quality all round i rate the club 10/10 it is most deffanate the best club most people will ever go to matter is the club for everyone. i thought the club was outstanding.
In Matter bottle of beer costs 3.90 and a spirit and mixer costs 4/4.50, glass of wine, 4.00.
A bottle of wine 15.
Not too cheap but not expensive either.
They don't sell pints.
Hope thats cleared up peoples assumptions on the drinks prices.
They sell cocktails only in VIP. Which makes sense as who wants a cocktail in a venue like this?
x
I have lots of respect for the Fabric people. At Fabric,they've created a wonderful environment to enjoy the sort of music that few others would have even risked putting on in such a venue. One of the key factors has been the low key security and general lack of officiousness that has characterised far too many clubs (eg Bagleys where we had to take our shoes off in the mud). Yes, being able to relax and feel comfortable in a venue is so important, especially at 3am :)
let's also hope they've realised how vital it is to keep those people who do smoke (and their friends who go outside with them) connected to the music and dancefloor atmosphere now we have this smoking ban, . The atmosphere in clubs has become less intense as a result of people getting cold, being away from the music and most times you can't just switch the vibe on and off-it takes time to get back into it. I'm sure they've thought of quiet space too but let's hope the detachment issue has been addressed.
Hope it goes well for all concerned, just as long as Fabric goes on to celebrate many more birthdays too!
It'll be like El Devino's won't it?
When's Tiesto on?
Oi OI !!!!!
Interesting comments by everyone, but 'Matter' is NOT as cool inside as it could have been. I worked on the design of the club when I was at Pentagram. The place is huge I must say that, and having 3 floors overlooking the main dancfloor is pretty cool, but lots was cut down by cost. So, dont expect anything 'mind blowing', except of course the price of anything you buy in there or the entry fee. I know the internals almost inside out, I even re-designed the VIP lounge and the main dance-floor seating, and worked on the body-sonic dancefloor. There is a 'suspension' bridge on the top floor going right over the main dancefloor - alas, only for VIP's.
sounds fantastic, but if i'm stiffed for £20 to get in and ripped off for drinks and bottled water at £3 a pop i will have to think twice.
I cant wait to try out Matter!!
I care about one thing only!! New and better sound systems!!
I travel around the world hittin the best clubs, sometimes very small places but its the sound system that makes the night!
So i guess we are in good hands knowing the owners :)
Dennis mate, all I wanna know is: will it do dnb?
im currently workin on "matter" and its nearly completed, only a week or so away. and i can honestly say its fuckin awesome. ive been to ibiza and have seen some of the best clubs in the world and i think this place is just as good. the visuals and sound system should blow ur mind. not to mention carl cox for openig wknd and justice, john digweed and simian moobile disco soon after. cant wait to hit those bodykinetic dancefloors!!!!
This is good - London needs as many good venues as it can possibly get - right now London is WAY behind any of the top-end clubbing destinations (think Berlin for example).
Now the End has gone, Matter should be welcomed with open arms - loving the wonky boat ride home too.
Either way it will have top notch sound a lighting which is excellent - there not nearly enough good venues in this city.