Passing Clouds

Yeh, they've had a theft problem but got a new CCTV system and put extra security on the door. Not sure security guards are legally allowed to search ppl without the police there. Seems to me that they've got right on it. Punters need to take responsibility for their stuff too. Also, I SO can't imagine staff not caring - they're the loveliest lot of staff I've seen in a London bar. Viva Passing Clouds x

It's Hackney mate. Get used to it. Passing Clouds gets way less thefts than any other venues around.

Great place, but they are going through a thievery epidemic currently and not taking it seriously, bar a few signs in the toilets. My phone was nicked last night from a closed bag with my coat tied around it, as were two other girls within a meter of where I was standing. I am sure many more ppl had it happen to them too, that I wasn't aware of. The staff frankly did nothing about it, even though whoever was doing it was slashing bags with a knife. They refused to check people as they left which is all we asked. Poor management and dismissive staff ruined the place for me yesterday. I was offered free entry anytime I want to go in in apology, but frankly how could I suggest to my friends going there now knowing how bad things are and how little anyone running the place cares?

I went to passing clouds about a year ago and loved it, so much im arranging to go there as a birthday night out soon. Can anyone advise of a good pub/bar to start off in before and a good meeting spot?

tHANKS!!

Had an amazing time at Passing Clouds on NYE. Molotov Jukebox and United Vibrations were incredible. The best start to 2012 we could have wished for. Thank you Passing Clouds XXXXXXXXXX

Nice 1 Passing Cloudz crew. NYE was F A T. Bless up all u good people. Keep up the hard work. Nuff luv.

Was at the reggae bash last Friday night and danced with a super cute + intelligent SOAS anthropology student, alas lost her in the crowd before dragged into a taxi by my mates. OW!!!! If you are out there, come find me - mostly at PC on Sundays for the film and jam session. Need to finish that conversation!

Yes people! Looking for a ride from Manchester to Passing Clouds this Sat to catch the 2012 NYE Party - anyone driving? Can swap for good stories and good music. Last year was off the hook.

Yeah. Totally cool. Love it.

I finally made it down to Passing Clouds last weekend after being recommended by tons of people. It just blew me away. People, music, decor, atmosphere... all just buzzing. Incredible, totally diverse, up for it crowd - Africans, rastas, young, old, local people, international people, activist types, museos. Music passed through reggae, rocksteady, afrobeat, jazz, soukous - literally danced the night away. Don't know who runs the place, but totally take my hat off to them. There's no where else in town like it. Triple A rated.

****WE LOVE PASSING CLOUDS***PASSING CLOUDS 4 EVA****!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dear Mike!

In response to your message below, we are sorry you only got to stay a short time at Passing Clouds that night. We had advertised the night as closing at 2am. Unfortunately we had a visit from licensing at 12.30 to say that we had to shut at 1am that night, despite it being a bank holiday Sunday.

We made considerable efforts to offer people refunds or free entries to any other weekend nights, but there were hundreds of people there on the night and it looks like we may have missed speaking to you.

However, the offer still stands, so please get in touch and we will be more than happy to reimburse your £5.

For future reference, we are open until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays and 1am the rest of the week apart from bank holiday Sundays when we are sometimes open later.

If you need to get in touch with us, it is very easy to do so by emailing we@passingclouds.org or calling 0795 98 98 97 / 020 7241 4889 as detailed on our website. Alternatively, just drop round. We are here most of the time!

We hope to see you again soon.

Blessings and love. Passing Clouds Crew

I went with a group of friends to a live music night on Sunday 28th August. We arrived sometime after midnight, joined the queue to enter, and all paid £5 entry. Once inside we went to buy a drink and were told that the bar was closed since they were only licensed until midnight. 10 minutes later the night ended and security began asking everyone to leave. So for our £5 we were allowed to stay for 10 minutes and could not buy any drinks. I don't recall anyone being told the night was about to end when they readily accepted our cash.

When we left my girlfriend was adamant that she would get her money back, however she was far from the only person attempting to do so. It became apparent that they had taken money from a significant number of people under the auspices that the night was going to continue, when they had every intention of closing the venue.

The guy on the door refused refunds to everyone affected and stated we would have to take it up with 'management' (whoever they are - isn't it run by a group of artists?), because he was not 'authorised'. In other words the usual deferring to a higher authority BS.

The reason Passing Clouds attracts people is because it is seen to be different from the usual corporate venues. I was disappointed to learn that Passing Clouds do not live up to the radical ideals they claim to be proponents of.

anyone knows of any club/bar similar to passingclouds? i enjoyed it very much, very different... hard to find something like that in london.

Passing clouds
What can I say I freaking love it
Proper people proper music proper beer nuff said

we grooved and danced and listened and chilled and had fun got drunk went home. was brill. how refreshing to pay to get in a club and actually GET SOMETHING for your dosh! not some shite two-bit DJ - live music! live band! 7 piece horn section! was truely fantastic. will recommend to anyone.

and if anyone looked at me 'arseways', I was having too much damn fun to notice, or care.

I have never been here, but it sounds nice so I might try it soon, thanks guys!!!!!!!!!!

I couldn't agree more. What a wonderfully open and unassuming place. A place where the carefree barwoman says "YOU CAN GET OUT OF MY WAY" when you ask if she needs a hand. A place where everyone in the room turns to look contemptuously at the unfamiliar face when you walk in the door. A place where most people stand looking lost and out of place, clinging to conversations with their friends. Where the guy behind the bar looks at you arseways when you ask for a beer, as if you just stepped into a strangers kitchen.
What a beautiful, unconventional and cool vibe.
not like anywhere else.

I couldn't agree less with jbee. What obnoxious comments!
This place is one of the greatest, varied and most accepting places in Dalston. Every time i go I meet such a diverse and interesting group of people.
I cannot recommend it highly enough!!

To each his own, but its a great sincere venue with great music and - depending on teh night- a wonderful vibe

there are few comments above which in my experience is completely obnoxious. I been to this place once, and i still have the experience of it. The place was nice and cosy, sort of like a house party, laid back chill people and everyone had a bright smile in there faces. I will definitely go back again.

Lovely spot. can't help thinking, when people talk about places as cosy and welcoming as Passing Clouds being pretentious, that its what people say when they feel like they don't fit in. I think that happens when you show up some place and don't join in. There's this idea about pretense too, like people are faking. The long life of Passing Clouds should be proof that its all for real. I would suggest that anyone who didn't enjoy themselves go back for another go. Tell the people on the door that you came back to find out if its as pretentious as it sounds and see if they laugh or apologise. I'm sure they won't take offence.

I think they meant Floreat Etona is obviously a moron. Luigi Polo might be a moron as well, but not obviously. I am obviously a moron. Anyway, going there tonight so we should finally get to find out who's a moron and who isn't...

It's not like that. It's different and the guys who have made comments about the place being pretentious are most probably uptight criticas who enjoy the All Bar One type clinical chains of this world. If you want to have a chilled out and fun time, and generally be in a place where people don't care of what walk of life you have come from then go here.

Just went there on chance tonight with a group of friends. Good, friendly atmosphere and great live music. Don't agree with previous comment about pretentiousness or cliquey nonesense. Does that mean that anywhere that has a good vibe is to be sneered at? Sounds like inverted son of a bishment to me. There's no need to bash those that are trying to make a go of something with a bit of character. I, for one, would go there again, especially as I live up the road. This is one venue that adds to the quality of my area.

Hi y'all.

I can see there's no consensus about this live music venue.
In my opinion, it is a place that gives incentive to roots music, completely different from 98% of the canned music you hear around. That in itself deserves a massive deal of respect. Plus, I heard from musicians and promoters that work with them that they are very generous when it comes to sharing the door money with the artist, which is the sort of decency you do not see around at all.

I don't know in which nights some of you guys have been there, but I have always had great fun there and found the environment very friendly.

I suggest you try coming back there, cos I believe it must have been a isolated case....

Basically, I couldn't agree more with jbee. I mean, really, i went passing clouds and it was like a horrible vision of some old etonian's gap year played out in a suitable pastiche of 'authentic' cultural surrounds including the usual reggae and tie-dye. don't take my word for it, visit their myspace where they describe themselves as just that. awful trustafarians who should be in notting hill. like david cameron's student bedroom...

Hi Jbee! Greetingz from the Passing Clouds vaults! Wow, glad to hear that we all have family trust funds and luxury cars awaiting us. Do you know something we don't? Come visit us and fill us in! Bless, Passing Clouds xxx

Contrary to last comment, I know that Dalston is full of the people described, but I have found Passing Clouds to be a bit of a gem amongst all that. Friendly bar staff, lots of benefit night-type shows, great world music jam on a sunday, they even make their own coke... well worth checking out

I found the people at passing clouds very pretentious & uptight; typical cliquey trust fund art school kids slumming it in dingy surrounds, pretending at being bohemien and eco, knowing they can go home later to the manor house later in daddies luxury car.

We went on a Saturday night and had a great time, friendly staff, good music, all round fun evening.