The shortest month of the year comes with a hectic schedule, with its 28 days struggling to contain the sheer volume of quality club nights. Avoid the chaos and confusion, and let it be made simple: here are Culture Callings Top 7 Events for February.
FABRICLIVE: Juan Atkins, LTJ Bukem, et al. - at fabric | Friday 3rd February
Fabric - 77a Charterhouse St, EC1M 6HJ | Friday 3rd January
Kicking off the month is a big night for zealots of electronic music history. LTJ Bukem, a founding father of drum and bass, accompanies Juan Atkins, the “original pioneer of techno”. Two originators, one from London, one from Detroit, come together for a historical evening of bashing drums, off-the-wall synths, and ravey indulgence. Joining them are a couple of rising talents, including the Metalheadz-signed Grey Code, whose prophetic new form of dnb will convince you that the genre isn’t dying or becoming stale. Expect a relatively heavy one.
Tickets and info available here.
J-Dilla Changed My Life - The Last Donut - at Jazz Cafe | Sunday 5th February
The Jazz Cafe - 5 Parkway, London NW1 7PG | Sunday 5th February
A tribute to one of hip-hops greatest legends, The Last Donut is the last of the UK’s official J Dilla tribute shows sanctioned by his family and estate. With an appearance from his mother, Ma Dukes, this evening at Camden’s Jazz Café will be a special evening of remembrance and celebration of the life and work of J Dilla. Member of Slum Village, producer for Common, A Tribe Called Quest, Elzhi, and The Pharcyde, in his short life J Dilla altered the fabric of hip-hop, and all producers since have been swimming in his wake. All profits go to the James Yancey Foundation & Lupus UK, tickets are under £20, and it’s unlikely an event like this will happen in London again.
Tickets and info available here.
NT's Loft: Awesome Tapes - at Night Tales Loft | Saturday 11th of February
Night Tales Loft - 207, 1 Westgate St, Hackney, E8 3RL | Saturday 11th of February
Now here’s something special. Awesome Tapes aka Brian Shimkovitz, famous for discovering and relaunching the careers of long-forgotten Ghanaian and other West African artists, is hosting an event at the scenic Night Tales Loft, with a balcony overlooking the East London skyline. Awesome Tapes has been attributed with helping start “World Music 2.0”, aided by cultural connections made through the internet combined with cassette culture in developing nations. Ata Kak and Hailu Mergia are the two biggest artists he’s broke, with both working normal jobs before their rediscovery. The evening will be packed with numerous genres from across West Africa, a chance for you to discover something new.
Tickets and info available here.
Funk, Soul, Disco Extravaganza with Norman Jay - at Brixton Jamm | Saturday 18th February
Brixton Jamm - 261 Brixton Road, SW9 6LH | Saturday 18th February
British disco legend Norman Jay MBE is hosting an all-night jamboree in Brixton, playing his usual mix of soul, disco, and funk. Starting with his Good Times soundsystem that was a feature of Notting Hill carnival for thirty years, he was a founding member for KISS FM, then a pirate radio station, and was one of the first DJs to bring soul and disco to a carnival set. Massively important to the UK scene and the development of dance music in the UK, the knighted Norman Jay always promises a banger of a night-out. With music split across two rooms, and an event running all night, make sure you got the right shoes on for an eve of rare groove.
Tickets and info available here.
Rhythm Section - at Colour Factory | Saturday 18th February
Colour Factory - 8 Queen's Yard, Hackney Wick, E9 5EN | Saturday 18th February
Another all-nighter on the same evening as Norman Jay, way on the other side of London, Rhythm Section host their monthly jam at Hackney Wick’s Colour Factory, an intimate night with the labels greatest. Always with a crowd that truly loves the music, as well as hosting the most innovative and forward-thinking producers and DJs in London, the minds behind Rhythm Section always come through with a good time. No doubt, their first event of the new year is a guaranteed hoot. Just make sure you have your Ubers booked in time.
Tickets and info available here.
HORIZON 1, Ambient/IDM Venue Launch - at Horizons | Friday 24th February
Horizons - Hackney Wick, Fish Island (more information to follow) | Friday 24th February
A new club is about to grace Hackney Wick. Horizons, a space for pioneering electronic artists to showcase new works on a massive soundsystem, catering to the kind of people who spend their weekends cratedigging for first-issue Squarepusher releases. Any announcement of a new venue opening in London is a rare treat, especially one with a focused ethos of creativity and beauty. Tickets aren’t widely available, as you have to book and reserve a place and then wait for an invite, making us assume its one of the more intimate of intimate venues. Additionally, a Google search won’t bring you much luck in finding more info on the venue. The lack of any info only has the habit of making people more interested.
See event info here and book here.
Myriad: Romare & Alex Rita - at EartH | Saturday 25th February
EartH - 13 Stoke Newington Rd, N16 8BH | Saturday 25th February
One of the most expensive names in dance music across the world, Romare has made his name for addictive grooves, effective cut-and-paste sampling, and riffs to last a lifetime. Gracing Stoke Newington’s famous EartH, Romare is joined by Alex Rita to provide a genre-blending night of jazz, disco, psychadelia, and house. You may recognise Romare’s ‘All Night’ from an advert or two, and despite the extent to which that song is known, few know how good this man can blend. He’s likely to play a lot from his most recent album Fantasy, alongside his other housey classics for a befittingly all-night affair.
Tickets and info available here.