London venues closing down

Music
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Been a pretty shitty month as two of my favourite venues in London announce possible or probable closure

Firstly Iklectik is almost certainly done. The best place for experimental music in London imo, more electronic focused than Oto which appeals more to my tastes and moreover a lovely space. Being fucked over by that tale as old as time - property developers being greedy cunts.

And then last week Matchstick Piehouse in Deptford announced the landlord wants to evict them due to rent arrears accrued during COVID. Matchstick is such a beautiful place for local, emerging, DIY music and performance art of all kinds, and it hosts Steamdown every Wednesday which is straight up the most fun gig experience possible.

Anyway just making this thread cos there’s a fundraiser for Matchstick - if you have a bit of money pls consider donating, if for nothing else than to keep me happy. I’ll be bereft without both Iklectik and Matchstick, genuinely

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Iklectik was great and filled a bit of a hole for leftfield/interesting music that wouldn’t fit into Cafe Oto’s fairly tightly curated programming. It’s a real shame, fingers crossed another venue comes across and fills that gap but I really doubt it’s going to have such an incredible zone 1 location that did - always felt it was on borrowed time a bit.

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not much to add other than something like 125 UK venues have closed down this year and MVT are doing the lord’s work so well worth a follow

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Nottingham’s only central independent venue (The Chameeon) is closing down soon which is gutting

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ah really that sucks, a lot of mates speak very highly of playing there

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Yeah, they got some funding over covid but think it’s been a struggle since reopening

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Closing down, closing down
London venues closing down
My fair lady

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Donate