Music

In: yeah! That's more like it!

It’s rough and ready, and has the feel of an early ’90s squat. It’s no coincidence. ‘We want to push the entire concept of a warehouse party to the extreme, but take out all the shit parts of nights like that – moody gangsters, dodgy doorstaff and dangerous premises – without losing the rawness and edge that you get at the best warehouse parties,’ says Smith.

The diversity of entertainment on offer at the Wherehouse reflects Smith’s promoterly values. Each night will feature seven up-and-coming bands, as well as an assortment of cabaret, burlesque and comedy acts. To facilitate this, Smith has built a live stage with a quality soundsystem, and even installed soundproof vaulted doors between the two rooms, so cabaret artists can twirl their tassels in one room, undisturbed by the new musical talent next door. ‘Seven bands and a load of mad cabaret for a tenner. You can’t get that in the West End – or even Shoreditch now,’ says Smith.
Feature continues

Changes in licensing regulations have made it easier to get temporary entertainment licenses required to put on nights, and seem to be sparking a wave of punk entrepreneurialism more reminiscent of East Berlin than stick-in-the-mud corporate London. ‘We’re licensed with a temporary events notice, so although we don’t need fire regulation approval we’ve worked to those standards of safety,’ says Smith, with all the animation you might expect from a man who has spent £20,000 on refurbishments opening a new venue in the outskirts of the city.

There’s a mood of DIY idealism in the air as venues like the Wherehouse and the Corsica Studios in Elephant & Castle kick off new scenes that can at times skirt the fringes of legality. DJ and author Bill Brewster says a recent softening in police attitudes to semi-legal venues and parties has invigorated London’s nightlife in the last five years. Brewster’s own infamous Lowlife parties take place in Corsica Studios, which has also seen performances by bands like Hot Chip in recent months.

‘The police have made a decision to keep things under control rather than using the law to kick 400 people out of a semi-legal venue at 4am. It’s one of the reasons that London’s nightlife has been so much better than New York’s in recent years – over there they’ll shut down a venue if people dance and it’s unlicensed,’ he says.

Brewster agrees that the end of the superclub era has sparked a new wave of active, creative souls who want to party on their own terms, rather than pandering to a major brewery. ‘It’s not rocket science, is it? You just get a place, bring your mates and decks and soundsystem and lights, or bands and music, and put a good night on.’

So, are a new wave of punters about to taste the forbidden pleasures of illicit, creative nightlife, or will they stick with three-quid cans of lager slopped in to plastic cups by bored Kiwis? Time will tell.

In Tottenham, Smith chokes on his fag: ‘If I ever sell a pint for four quid or put a band on I don’t like, you can call me a wanker.’ He means it, too.

The Wherehouse is open on a free-and-easy basis from now until whenever. You can even book it for your own party, if you’ve got 500 friends. See www.myspace.com/thewherehouselondon for details.