Electric Brixton

As an avid gig goer, there are few London venues that are new to me, but this was my first time at Electric Brixton. It’s not a bad little venue, the sound was pretty tight (Bring Me The Horizon Brits weeks show) and there are plenty of elevated sections so short people like myself can get a good view. Parking near the venue is easy and free in the evenings.

I love Electric. I’ve only been to drum and bass parties there so I haven’t experienced any other vibe, but I like it. Roof smoking area. Two rooms. Bars. Toilets… all really nice.

What a waste of time …
When I learnt about a photographic exhibition at the Electric I jumped at the chance to visit the private view. I expected a glitzy event attended by regular of what used to be the Fridge, for many years the coolest place in town (excuse the pun). Instead of a queue there were a couple of people guarding an unassuming door, one of whom walked me up several flights of stairs. A bit like entering the cinema through the back door after the movie has started.
All in all this was a rather sad affair, no more than a dozen people milling about in the balcony bar. I would have been happier if they had left the lights on to have a look at the surroundings which seem stunning, even without fridges dangling off the ceiling.
The exhibition was not worth the trip, a mixture of stock shots of recent gigs at the newly refurbished Electric and a few old pictures thrown in. It actually felt more like the sort of exhibition town planners put on before redeveloping a histroric site. Unframed A4 photos were stuck onto display walls — they didn’t even have enough to fill the space and two were just covered in logos.
Judging from the other reviews, this seems to have been turned into a decent venue. I don’t think I’ll be back to find out … RIP Brixton Fridge!

Great clubbing night. Similar size to some of the big club but tickets are often cheaper. Great location and venue with the upstairs balcony. Great place for a big, all nighter! And right next to a 24h McDonald’s. Doesn’t get much better than that.

Back in the day I ventured into The Fridge in a hazy stupor, and don’t recall much. I do remember it was a big old space though. And yes, it still is! But this time round I was there for a grown-​up, relaxing folk gig. And it’s great for that — the acoustics are decent, as is often the way with old theatres that are used for music venues. Yeah, I hadn’t noticed the stage and ornate ceiling on my previous visit. You can get a decent view from most spots, and you can even stand by the bar and watch. Very ‘The OC’. It’s 5 minutes walk from the station, so rather convenient.

I can’t believe I’m the first to review this place. Anywho, I came here two weeks ago to see Rudimental live and I was taken to drum n’ bass heaven!
The venue is located up the road from Brixton Station, so it’s really easy to find. The main space has a very large standing area with a bar and DJ booth. Perhaps this is only true of the day that I was there, but the décor on the main floor was supremely plain. There is also a balcony, but I’m not sure if it has seating or not. It looked like standing only. The colorful balcony, on the other hand, was covered in gilded crown molding.
According to the website, the capacity is 1700 people. If I was an artist, I would be nervous to perform in a space this size. It’s not small enough for an intimate show, but it’s too small to convey the power of a stadium show. Lucky for me, Rudimental’s crazy live show energized the entire space. For future reference, I probably wouldn’t see an R&B or old school singer here.

More amazing Brixton crack I love a night out down here. You’ll need plenty of energy and a lot of dancing soul if you want to last the night. On the other hand there’s tons of places to check out if this one doesn’t fit the bill.

Having formerly been The Fridge, I recently visited this venue on two separate occasions for some after party action overflowing from Brixton Academy. Seeing two big names in the electro, house and dance seen (Skrillex and Carl Cox) this venue instantly shoved its way into my top live venues in London shoving more established venues out the way. The sound system, copious amounts of bars and!!! toilets that don’t have any queues!!! all add to the draw of this venue before even starting on the set up and look of the place. Set over two floors with a sweeping balcony overlooking the main floor, you wouldn’t be far off comparing it to a mini Brixton Academy, but it has a personality in it’s own right. The venue is more intimate but packs a mega punch when the crowd get going. Strongly recommend seeing any band or DJ here. Randomly, they have a no chewing gum policy so leave those minty packs at home!