The music industry reacts to fabric's closure
Despite a show of solidarity online and a petition with over 150,000 signatures, it has been sadly announced that one of London's longest standing nightclubs will close.
Since opening its doors on Farringdon's Charterhouse Street in 1999, the club has been synonymous with the city's rich and diverse electronic music scene – whether it was the bass inspired FabricLive of Fridays, house and techno on Saturdays, the seven year strong Wetyourself parties taking place every Sunday, or even their esteemed mix series which gave the fabric name global recognition.
Regularly welcoming promoters such as Bugged Out! and artists ranging from the likes of Goldie to Villalobos, it's hard to put fabric into words – maybe late night hedonistic haunt, or cultural institution fit the bill. Just one look at Eats Everything's 10 best fabric memories shows the sheer legacy this small space held, and really makes this blow to nightlife rain down a little harder.
Most of the people reading this have probably been to fabric, and a good proportion of those people have probably done drugs in a club. The link between drugs and dance music is an unavoidable one, and unfortunately, a pitfall that fabric has experienced due to unfortunate deaths in its premises. The fabric review showed us the need for drug education over club closures, but with sheer demand for space in a city that's constantly growing and changing, priorities are not always ordered correctly. Spaces to meet and socialise (that aren't pedalling a "bangin' brunch" or £20 cocktails) are compromised, and culture is at a loss.
fabric released the following statement to The Independent:
“fabric is extremely disappointed with Islington Council’s decision to revoke our license. This is an especially sad day for those who have supported us, particularly the 250 staff who will now lose their jobs. Closing fabric is not the answer to the drug-related problems clubs like ours are working to prevent, and sets a troubling precedent for the future of London’s night time economy.”
Pure sadness about Fabric. London is being ruined right now.
— Four Tet (@FourTet) September 7, 2016
Thank you, fabric
Thank you, fabric
Thank you, fabric
Thank you, fabric
Thank you, fabric
Thank you, fabric
Thank you, fabric— Daniel Avery (@danielmarkavery) September 7, 2016
Thoughts go out to all the family at @fabriclondon this morning..Closure of Fabric adds to 2016 being one of the worst years I can remember
— Oliver Jones (@I_Skream) September 7, 2016
We were robbed @fabriclondon #fabricreview
— carl craig (@carlcraignet) September 7, 2016
So I'm guessing they want us to go back to dancing in fields off the M25 then … ? #FabricReview
— Doc Scott (@docscott31) September 7, 2016
To sum up why police are hypocrites #FabricReview pic.twitter.com/XSlujZARlo
— Spooky Bizzle (@SpartanSpooky) September 6, 2016
Thank you @fabriclondon for doing all you have done for London's culture. You guys can be proud of yourselves.
— Plastician (@djplastician) September 7, 2016
For somebody who grew up looking at fabric line-ups, the closure also feels like a dismantling of the career path underground DJs take. As pointed out in the tweets below, getting a fabric gig was the jackpot, and climbing the ranks to room one was really a pivotal moment.
If u dnt kno hw @fabriclondon used 2werk wen shaun ws dere. It ws kinda like a YTS scheme 4 upcumin djs and new labels. s/o @davegamble_321
— Scratcha DVA (@ScratchaDVA) September 7, 2016
U startd at r3 and if u ws gd/lucky enuff u playd r2 then r1. And ur fees went up aswell. Doin a fabric mix cd ws the highest lvl promotion
— Scratcha DVA (@ScratchaDVA) September 7, 2016
Also thinking of all the young ravers who will miss out on epiphanies in that adventure playground of a club. A gateway into the culture.
— Seb Wheeler (@seb_wheeler_) September 7, 2016
The anger has also given way to nostalgia and sharing memories, although with the alarming rate of club closures for the use of "luxury property" and jumped up restaurants in both London and the rest of the country, it is increasingly leaving the next generation of club-goers at a loose end. Where will they experience the super-club, the insane line-ups across three rooms, the mix CDs in vending machines? All the things that made fabric a little bit different to the next.
can't wait for Fabric to be turned into an artisanal nachos and champagne bar with 9 different organic varieties of tortilla chip
— amelia (@perrrrin) September 7, 2016
Is Fabric going to be made into a pret?
— Prayer (@___PRAYER) September 7, 2016
Remember Turnmills? Look what the restaurant on its former site have put up. "Bangin brunch". JOKES
#SaveFabric https://t.co/vYkjjW2vya— LD (@LDLDN) September 7, 2016
Keep up to date with further announcements on Twitter.