From roller discos to basement raves to rooftop jazz bands, here are the hottest tickets in London's nightlife to get on right now!
Palms Trax & Joe Claussell - at EartH | Fri 8 Dec
21:00 - 03:30 | EartH 13 Stoke Newington Rd, Stoke Newington, N16 8BH | Tickets from £26
With Palms Trax hosting a night at one of our favourite London venues, it would be unconscionable for me to not inform you of it. Going back to back with Joe Claussell, the two dance stars will take you on a wild trip through their back catalogue. Keep your Shazam at the ready.
Tickets and info here
Pinty - at Ninety One Living Room | Sat 9 Dec
20:00 - 01:00 | Ninety One Living Room - 91 Brick Ln, E1 6QL | Tickets £12
The 20s answer to The Streets, Pinty's lowkey, white working class bars over house or garage beats has made him one to watch in UK's rap and dance scenes.
Another alum of Rhythm Section, Pinty's take over of Ninety One Living Room follows suit of the venue promoting the best in house, and indeed, the best of Rhythm Section, previously hosting Al Dobson Jr earlier this year. Expect a carefree rap performance that you can actually dance to.
Tickets and info here
HVYWGHT: Joy Orbison, Calibre, Jossy Mitsu + more - at Troxy | Sat 16 Dec
21:00 - 04:00 | Troxy - 490 Commercial Road, E1 0HX | Tickets from £26
An absolutely 'uge night at E1's Troxy here. A star-studded line-up of some of the best 140-170bpm marauders, with Calibre promising to play all the range from dub to jungle (he also hand-drew the art for the evening), and Jossy Mitsu diving headfirst into 140.
The main attraction, however, is the sound system; the largest, most powerful indoor soundsystem at any London venue, provided by Sinai, here to rock out a Grade II listed venue. Essentials: earplugs. Recommended: a spare pair of pants
Tickets and info here
Donavan's Yard: Very Special Guests - at KOKO | Fri 22 Dec
22:00 - 05:00 | KOKO - 1a Camden High Street, Camden Town, NW1 7JE | Tickets from £5
For the spontaneous, for those who love a surprise, Donavan's Yard at KOKO comes with no line-up, just the promise of very special guests.
And we at Culture Calling are inclined to believe them. Previous special guests include Megan Thee Stallion, Jorja Smith, Lil Baby, with the LA based collective Donavan's Yard previously hosting Juls, P-RALLEL, Keyrah and Jordss at KOKO earlier this year. They don't mess.
See tickets and info here
Soichi Terada (Live) - at Jazz Cafe | Sat 23 Dec
22:30 - 03:00 | The Jazz Cafe - 5 Parkway, Camden Town, NW1 7PG | Tickets from £15
Celebrate going into the holiday season the right way. Or, if that's not your thing, take the unconventional approach. Never mind the Christmas extravangza's, Japanese tech-house is what the doctor ordered.
Soichi Terada approached mainstream levels with his Sounds from the Far East record, making his way onto may a blend in the last eight years. An exciting approach to 80s dance music, Terada's pulses and stabs mirror the likes of Mr Fingers and Frankie Knuckles, bringing an appropriate amount of Eastern flair to the mix.
Here's a rare opportunity to see a live perfomance from one of the hottest names in dance internationally.
Tickets and info here
Danilo Plessow (MCDE) Christmas Party - at Phonox | Sat 23 Dec
21:30 - 04:00 | Phonox - 418 Brixton Road, Brixton, SW9 7AY | Tickets from £15
One of our favourite producers, who, in my opinion, also has the best DJ Kicks mix to their name, Danilo Plessow (formerly Motor City Drum Ensemble) is taking over Phonox for a festive bash of dance and left-field delights.
Moving from house to afrobeat to rare groove to funk to anything he likes, Plessow has become widely known for his eclectic and varied sets while still keeping the place moving. And on Phonox's face-melting sound system, this match will set the fire for the season.
Tickets and info here
Chaos In The CBD & Friends - at KOKO | Sat 30th Dec
22:00 - 05:00 | KOKO - 1a Camden High Street, Camden Town, NW1 7JE | Tickets from £11.25
We're verging on New Years territory now, and we'll save those events for another listing. But, on the 30th, if you wanted to begin your NYE with a headache, KOKO are hosting probably the most well-known name in UK house music, Chaos In The CBD.
That is why I stress that you need to book this now. Their shows always sell out well before doors, with resale prices in the eye-watering range. Joined by Tama Sumo, Lakuti, and Øyvind Morken (their actual friends in real life), this end-of-year blowout at KOKO bookends an extremely successful year of KOKOElectronic.
See tickets and info here
Gilles Peterson (All Night Long) - at the Jazz Cafe | Sat 30th Dec
22:30 - 03:00 | The Jazz Cafe - 5 Parkway, Camden Town, NW1 7PG | Tickets from £10
UK's leading cratedigger, populariser of obscure and undiscovered music from all over the world, Giles Peterson is taking over the Jazz Cafe for a special all-night set just before NYE. Well, by all night we mean until 3am; he's no longer a barefoot boy with cheek of tan afterall.
Expect a mix of everything; Afro-beat, Asian house, off-kilter remixes, Sudanese electronica, all bets are off. Good luck recognising a single tune that he plays.
See tickets and info here
Romare - at Phonox | Fri 5 Jan
21:30 - 04:00 | Phonox - 418 Brixton Road, Brixton, SW9 7AY | Tickets from £5
Samplist and producer extraordinaire Romare is taking over Phonox for a four-week residency, to the delight of just about anyyone who knows anything about dance.
His set at We Out Here 2023 was one of the highlights, playing a live DJ set scored with a jazz band, reworking his classics with seamless transitions. Whether he plays live or just a DJ set, Romare is the last to dissapoint.
And the best part about a residency? You miss one night, you can always catch the three up next. Hallelujah.
Tickets and info here
Greg Foat - at Ronnie Scott’s
Ronnie Scott's 12 Jan 2024
Unconventional London-based jazz pianist-composer brings his iconoclastic style to Ronnie Scott's.