Nightlife
7 London parties pushing Sunday clubbing forward
Let the weekend roll on with this pick of the capital's best spots for a Sunday session.
Heading to the club on a Sunday is a special kind of ritual. Reserved for only the most dedicated dancers, the vibe is somehow more unified and more freeing; there’s a synergy on the dance floor that, for whatever reason, isn’t so palpable on a Friday or Saturday night.
Recent additions to London clubland like FOLD and Werkhaus have given Sunday clubbing a new lease of life in the capital, with long-established go-tos like Jaded and fabric still going strong. So as you consider the benefits of a day of dance over a day of rest, here are seven of London’s best Sunday parties…
1. Jaded, Corsica Studios
Corsica Studios, 4, 5 Elephant Road, SE17 1LB | MAP
Easily London’s most esteemed and established after hours party, Jaded runs every Sunday from 5am through to 3pm at Corsica Studios in Elephant and Castle. After stints at Egg, The End and AKA Bar and Cable, Jaded planted its roots in Corsica in June 2013 and it has remained there ever since, inviting London’s most committed techno heads to spend their Sundays deep in the dark, deliberating between rooms and resurfacing with new discoveries.
2. Sundays at fabric
Reaching for the lasers in fabric's Room One
© Only By Nght
fabric, 77A Charterhouse St, EC1M 6HJ | MAP
After a decade of Jacob Husley and Peter Pixzel of WetYourSelf! holding down the fort at fabric on a Sunday, 2018 saw the weekly WYS! parties make way for Sundays at fabric, a new series which invites different labels, collectives and artist takeovers every Sunday from 11pm through until 4am. It's not for the faint of heart (or if you’ve got to be at your desk at 9am on a Monday). Sundays at fabric deliver a palette of groove-led house and stripped-back minimal; looking ahead into 2020 the Farringdon club will welcome takeovers from the likes of London crew Alter Ego and mobile record shop-turned-DJ duo The Ghost.
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3. unFOLD, FOLD
FOLD are running a regular series of Sunday parties, UNFOLD
© James Newmarch
FOLD, Gillian House, Stephenson Street, E16 4SA | MAP
FOLD has made an indelible impact upon London’s club scene since their first dance back in August 2018. With a 24-hour licence and shutters that let sunlight come streaming onto the dance floor à la Panorama Bar, FOLD comes into its own in the golden hours of their Sunday series – UnFOLD. With the booth moved into the centre of the room for a truly collective clubbing experience, UnFOLD is a liberating celebration of deep, driving techno that they say feels "closer to a tribal ceremonial gathering than a rave". It runs from 10am through until 8pm on selected Sundays, and there’s a focus on booking local, upcoming talent. Recent special guests have included the likes of Karenn, Anastasia Kristensen and IMOGEN.
4. Toi. Toi. at The Lion & Lamb
The Lion & Lamb is home to a variety of Sunday parties
© Sputnick
The Lion & Lamb, Fanshaw Street, N1 6LG | MAP
There’s only been a handful of Toi. Toi. parties at The Lion & Lamb thus far, but this monthly fixture has quickly become a staple of the capital's Sunday scene. Founded by Isis Salvaterra, Toi. Toi. have been hosting events all over east London and beyond since 2010. The Lion & Lamb – with its carefully curated space designed by a cohort of like-minded DJs, producers and promoters – makes a perfect home for Toi. Toi’s underground parties that uphold a strong community feel. The lineup will often feature secret guests and artists from the Toi. Toi. roster – the likes of Tokyo’s Junki Inoue and Unanim co-founder Herodot to name but a few.
5. Sundays at Phonox
Sundays at Phonox
© Jake Davis
Phonox, 418 Brixton Road, SW9 7AY | MAP
Sundays at Phonox are a little more elusive than a weekly shakedown; in 2019 the Brixton club hosted just 10 Sunday parties. Doors open at 4pm and the party runs through until 10pm, with one artist invited to soundtrack the duration each time. This year will mark Phonox’s fifth birthday, and if almost half a decade of Phonox has taught us anything, it’s that they know the value of an extended set. 2020 Sundays look set to be no different, with confirmed dates including Midland, Sven Väth and Âme.
6. Loose Trax @ Venue MOT Unit 18
Venue MOT Unit 18, Orion Business Centre, Surrey Canal Road, SE14 5RT | MAP
Another venue that’s a fairly new addition to London’s late night landscape, Venue MOT Unit 18 is tucked away in an industrial estate in South Bermondsey. Late 2019 saw the introduction of a new Sunday project: Loose Trax, a party on the first Sunday of the month which aims to connect new DJs and producers of a club and sound system palette with committed Sunday ears and bodies.
The crew behind the party want budding DJs and producers to have the chance to play on a club sound system and test out new demos, with an aim to open doors a few hours earlier to allow for, so to speak, some practice hours. They’re only a few parties in, but already Loose Trax have welcomed affiliates of Whities, Hemlock, The Trilogy Tapes and Grade 10 to play. £5 is the suggested donation on the door, but you won’t be turned away if you don’t have the funds.
7. Minimal Force, Werkhaus
Every week, Minimal Force take over Werkhaus free Sunday techno session
© Larry J
Werkhaus, 85 Brick Lane, E1 6QL | MAP
In late September, the upstairs room at Cafe 1001 became Werkhaus, a new high-spec, industrial 300-cap venue for east London, part of the Truman Brewery complex on Brick Lane. London-based label Minimal Force were among the first to announce their involvement in the programming, having been putting on parties in the former Cafe 1001 space since 2013. The formula is simple but effective: “balls to the wall techno”, and the free party runs every Sunday from 4pm to 10.30pm. Minimal Force friends and family complete the bill most weeks, with standout guests including Setaoc Mass, Keith Carnal, Jeroen Search, Saytek plus many more.
Discover more of the London's best bars, parties and food spots at Keys To Your City London.
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