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As topics for an art exhibition go, an immersive exploration of Romford’s ’90s music scene might seem pretty niche. But the east London ’burb was an influential hub for the Big Smoke’s sound at the time. Record shop Boogie Times, labels including Suburban Base, pirate radio stations, promoters and producers all called Romford home during that decade, and helped shape a scene which made waves well beyond the RM postcode.
When it opens in October, Mega Mega: Romford’s Suburban Sound Revolution will explore just how big an influence the area had on electronic music and club culture in the capital, from hardcore and jungle to garage and drum and bass.
Running from October until December, it’ll be a deep dive combining audio elements with archive material and first-hand stories from people who lived through the era. Havering borough is even calling on locals to get involved ahead of the opening to share their personal tales and donate to the archive.
Once the exhibition comes to a close, the local authority will gather everything into a publicly accessible archive so you can dig into its musical history whenever you fancy.
Romford's wider cultural footprint shouldn't be overlooked. The town is also home to Lumiere Romford, a community-led cinema which has gained a cult following as the only picture house in the UK which pays its members. Cool, huh?
Did you see that the Natural History Museum is opening a room that has been closed to the public since World War II?
Plus: the Royal Opera House is launching exclusive night tours for the first time.
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