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BEHIND THE SCENE: SWEAT BOX

The Qube — a basement venue at London Victoria — has arrived. DJ Mag explores...

With interest in house and techno higher than ever, the bug is spreading across the Big Smoke. Before it was mostly restricted to a small circle of clubs and covert pockets of the city, but The West End — previously a haven for glitzy VIP haunts — is now beginning to provide for people more interested in tunes dropping than Tequilas. The Qube, a new basement club connected to Pacha London but with its own door policy, is where you'll find it.

“West London has always lacked a quality venue that caters for the needs of the musically educated,” Chris Moon, the club's manager tells DJ Mag. “The Qube will fill the gap and bring together people from all walks of life to share a common passion for music in a setting that has previously been unexplored.”

Launched on Friday 21st February, the venue is a collaborative project between the people behind Troupe/Together Ibiza, Red Sky/Why So Serious and Young Warrior, focused on bringing a single headliner to play extended sets to a clued-up crowd rather than packing a night with a load of DJs for the sake of it. Nick Curly and Martin Buttrich have already played while Friendly Fires, Derrick Carter and Citizen are all on the agenda — but not without a touch of glamour and a no camera policy. “An attractive crowd, great headliners, this venue will fire on all cylinders,” adds Chris.

A quick look at The Qube Facebook page reveals a sexy, demure approach to promotion — black and white abstract images, a solitary shoe, a girl in her underwear with a cigarette and the slogan: 'You Are More Than Beautiful'. Rather than taking emphasis away from VIP culture, The Qube is bringing a new meaning to it. A single-roomed 900-capacity den of iniquity where class and accessibility meet in the middle, and good quality dance music can go hand-in-hand with aspirational clubbing values. Not out of place within London's dress-to-impress district, The Qube intends to contribute something a little different to the capital's club scene in a changing cultural landscape.

“There are a lack of london 'nightclubs' that please people generally and many promoters tend to focus on using flexible spaces and warehouses opposed to clubs,” concludes Chris. “I think it's healthy like this. However, considering London is arguably the world's hub of dance music, generally there could be more unique venues pushing to satisfy the changing needs of clubbers.”

Indeed, as mainstream culture continues to embrace styles emerging from the underground, this club is set up to serve as the perfect receptacle for them. The Qube is thinking outside the box.

Check out dates and more on the Qubes website here: The Qube Project