The Most Vital Venues In London Right Now

If 2015 headlines are anything to go by, London’s music venues are falling like dominoes. Just this week, the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, which represents venues in the UK, reported that the number of clubs in the country has halved in the last decade. This year in the capital, superclub Fabric was threatened with closure after a series of drug-related deaths at the venue (it hasn’t closed, but stricter security measures have been introduced). Meanwhile, cabaret club Madame Jojo’s had its license revoked, ostensibly for a violent incident involving bouncers; 24-hour Caribbean social club Peoples Club was closed by the council, apparently because of noise complaints from residents; and Whitechapel’s Rhythm Factory and Shoreditch’s Plastic People have both made the decision to permanently shut their doors.

While the reasons for the closure of these clubs differ, gentrification is a recurring theme: Rhythm Factory blamed pressure from local authorities, who had granted permission for apartments to be built around the club. Mark Harris, who once co-ran the club night White Heat at Madame Jojo’s, told the Guardian that he believes the council "clearly don’t want a late night drinking presence anywhere in Soho anymore. They want to make Soho about families." There’s also the matter of existing venues that are battling to stay open: east London pub and gig venue The George Tavern has for several years now lived under the threat of luxury property developers.

But among the detritus, there's life still. After all, people need somewhere to dance. To find out where the party's moving to, The FADER spoke to 10 artists, DJs and promoters to find out their most vital venues in the city.