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After 18 months in hibernation, London’s mammoth dance music venue Printworks is back. It’s just revealed a hot new programme of 35 shows for its reopening season, with some genuinely varied line-ups of DJs and live acts. It runs from September 17 to January 1 2022, so there should hopefully be enough there to sort your weekends out for a bit.
If you’ve never heard of Printworks, try to imagine a colossal printing plant: super industrial, super spacious. Now fill it with some top-quality audio-visual production, hyped-up crowds and some seriously sought-after artists. Sounds-wise, it really depends on the night: they typically revolve around dance music genres, but this announcement features everything from techno and drum ’n’ bass to classical and contemporary music.
Our top picks from the autumn-winter season? Haçienda Classical is staging a full orchestra performance of club classics on October 15, while Todd Terje and Artwork are heading up La Discotheque with some groove-promising DJ sets on November 5. Aurora Orchestra, known for their chamber orchestra shows at BBC Proms, are playing a show on November 11, before dance icons The Chemical Brothers fill the venue a day later for Bugged Out! along with upcoming heavyweight Jossy Mitsu. Finally, closer to Christmas on December 18, there are sets from hard-hitting techno heads Richie Hawtin, ANNA, DJ Stingray 313 and Robert Hood. Phew!
To add to all that fun, Printworks is opening a new room called Inkwells. It’s a low-ceilinged space under the main room that screams sweat and smoke and questionable dance moves in the early hours. You’ll be able to see it for the first time at Printworks’ chain of reopening gigs on September 17, 18 and 19. These shows follow a new concept called Redacted – basically, the venue will only announce the line-ups on the day of the event (aka after everyone has bought their tickets). Fingers crossed they’re a bit better than that bedroom DJ you declared your love to last Saturday.
Surrey Quays Rd, SE16 7PJ. Sep17-Jan 1 2022. Pre-sale tickets available on Aug 11, general sale from Aug 12. Visit the website to scoop them up.