Where to get Funked in South London
South London Soul Train claims its mission is to ‘funk up your mind and body’ and, boy, do you get funked. A relentless onslaught of music taking in disco, soul, dance, ska and of course funk should have even the most uptight suddenly find themselves getting a little James Brown. Make no mistake: this is proper, ‘get your groove on’ stuff that aims to make the crowd dance rather than simply pogo on the spot. If you want a change from the standard chart-heavy club playlists, yet find rave and house a little too strong, then Soul Train is a gift from the Music Gods.
Over the last couple of years, the Bussey Building in Peckham has become a mainstay of the South London nightlife scene and the South London Soul Train is the centrepiece of the Bussey Building calendar. Running on the first and third Saturday of every month, the queue for this one stretches far down Peckham High Street, so book in advance or arrive very early.
The next night is Saturday 20th September. Bussey Building co-founder Jazzheadchronic (aka Mickey Smith) is playing his regular seven hour long set on the first floor. The first floor is the largest and loudest, with beats you can feel reverberating through your body and vast speakers that fill the brain and damage the ears. This is the place for those who party loud and hard, plus anyone who has taken something they legally shouldn’t. Quick heads up: as this is invariably the busiest floor, it is also the busiest bar. The staff are great but they aren’t magicians and getting served can be a battle. If you fancy a refresher best make the short journey upstairs or down to the basement, where the bars are smaller but generally much quieter. Also, be careful with your order: the prices aren’t cheap.
The top floor is generally more chilled, although that doesn’t mean it is quiet. The upcoming night sees DJs Snowboy and Dean Rudland dipping into their vinyl collection to play some vintage funk and groove. The smaller crowd upstairs offers more room to boogie and those looking to bust some shapes will not be disappointed. There is also a well hidden comfort room (plenty of chairs and sofas) through a doorway to the left of the stage.
The basement is a new addition to Bussey Building. Personally I slightly resent it as the bigger capacity means the smoking area is more crowded. However there is little more exhilarating than partying to loud music in a basement so I guess the smokers will cope. Resident Soul Train DJs Nik Weston and Si Cheeba (described as a “walking encyclopedia of black music”) will be laying down the tracks. Oh, and there’s another bar down here too.
Finally, a word on the smoking area. It’s vast and well stocked with places to sit and relax. Anyone who has experienced the horror of a ‘one in, one out’ smoking area will appreciate the importance of a decent place to puff. As mentioned the extra capacity as increased the squeeze slightly but the friendly atmosphere ensures there is never any trouble. South London Soul Train is a night worth booking in the calendar. I suggest you get on-board. For tickets, check out the venue website here.
Max Williams
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