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[title]Kingsland Road is where I grew up, as a raver and as a DJ. Back in 2016, I’d stay with my friend, who lived above Beyond Retro, for pretty much the whole weekend. I come from south-east London, so going there was a big thing. You could go into any number of clubs and there would be something amazing happening – places like The Nest, Dalston Superstore, The Alibi and Visions.
Birthdays was the first club that I started regularly DJing at and where I hosted my own club nights. It was a 200-odd capacity basement venue and was like another world. The crowd was just full of curious music lovers. Because it was so intimate, by the end of a night you’d know almost everyone in there. I think I’ve been chasing that environment ever since.
One night, I put on a party at Birthdays and only sold seven tickets. I was gutted for the DJs I’d booked. But by an hour in, the party was at capacity. It was really nice how the night turned around and I remember having a full sweaty one. Now the road is very different but it’s still a great place for food. Recently, I went to eat at Mangal 2 – it was like raving but at a dinner table.
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Read more from this series:
Moses Boyd on discovering a creative community on Belvedere Road.
Joy Crookes reflects on her musical education on Old Kent Road.