Abbey Road Studios has a rich and storied history, but one thing it has never been in all that time is a venue for a rave. Until now.
Later this month Studio One, where Shirley Bassey cut Goldfinger, The Beatles laid down All You Need Is Love and countless movie soundtracks have been recorded, will host an evening curated by Soulwax under their 2manydjs alter ego.
Abbey Road is billing it as a ‘rave’ but it sounds a bit less chaotic than that phrase suggests. It finishes at 1am for starters.
The event, on February 21 will see Soulwax/2manydjs debut their new DEEWEE soundsystem, a speaker system modelled on the one used at New York’s famed Paradise Garage club.
The duo will also be playing new Soulwax music that they will have recorded in Studio Two the day before. According to Abbey Road, they'll be using the space as a “creative lab, experimenting with the studio’s vintage gear, tech and spaces. They’ll then cut new music directly to vinyl, which will be played out in Studio One on the Saturday night.”
There will also be special guests, which will be announced in due course and – oh yes – the whole thing will be filmed to be broadcast on Youtube on March 5.
In a statement, Soulwax’s David and Stephen Dewaele said: “It’s hard to say whether we have a perverse or healthy attraction to crazy ideas, that’s for other people to decide, really.
"So to be approached with a crazy idea is one thing, but to be approached with a crazy idea by the most iconic recording studio in music history is even more attractive. We embrace and accept this challenge and also sincerely hope this won’t be the last rave at Abbey Road.”
Abbey Road’s Director of Marketing & Creative, Mark Robertson, added in a statement: “Abbey Road After Hours is part of our mission to devise unexpected moments and creative collisions in our house.
"I’ve talked about hosting a rave for years, so it’s a genuine thrill for Soulwax to accept the invitation to curate the first night – which will include new music that they’ll record here the day before. Studio One has been home to countless era-defining firsts - from Elgar to John Williams - and opening the room to bold new forms of creativity feels both true to our heritage and audacious.”
It all sounds a lot of fun. Inevitably, entrance will be restricted, to just 300. Tickets then, are being distributed in a public ballot, which in a wonderful old skool touch is being conducted via phone (yeah, that old thing). So if you’re interested call the Soulwax rave hotline on 07886 072699 to enter. It’s open now.
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