Introducing: EC1 Faces

Here in Farringdon we’ve always cherished bringing new talent to the club. Every weekend we invite a number of new faces to make their EC1 debuts, totalling around 150 appearances each year. It’s always been an inherent part of our ethos – to provide a platform for creativity and development. Given our interest in supporting artists through their careers, we wanted to put an extra spotlight on a bunch of individuals we especially believe in on the blog today. These are a select number of DJs that have been close to us for some time now, who we love for both for their killer selections and for being regulars at the club too. In short, you’ll be seeing more of Jay Clarke, Stephane Ghenacia and Voigtmann on our line ups this year and talking up their merits Andy Blackett and Judy Griffith from our bookings team had the following to say: “fabric has always supported new artists from the beginning of their careers and then tried to continue that support throughout the rest of their journey. We felt it was the right time to introduce a few more local artists into the fabric family that will be seen at the club regularly. “Club culture isn’t just about the headline DJs – a lot of the time it’s the emerging talent that’s moving our culture forward and we aim to give Jay, Stephane and Claus a platform to do just that. We think all three artists are going to go far in their respective musical niches and look forward to presenting their sound to a wider audience.” As we’ll be inviting them back to EC1 in 2017 and beyond, at the end of last year we caught up with these artists from the house and techno spectrum of our programming to hear more about their connection to the club, and what it means to them to play here again.

Voigtmann

By now Claus Voigtmann’s hardly an inconspicuous name in the bubbling undercurrent of London’s party scene, though that shouldn’t come as a surprise for someone who co-runs Toi Toi, the now prized London party, bookings agency and record label. Then there’s also his much sought after Subsequent label. Navigating in the realms of more abstract breaks and techno, Subsequent has quickly garnered interest from those in the know – specifically two of our own favourite artists: Ricardo Villalobos and Zip. As well as making many appearances behind the decks for us in both Rooms One and Three, he also hits up the club for a dance regularly when he’s not playing, making him a familiar face with a strong connection to all of us in EC1. “My history with fabric goes back plenty of years when I first arrived to London and found myself discovering the nightlife scene in London. The first time I experienced standing in the middle of Room One and just being overwhelmed by the sheer frequencies of the system. It was a Richie Hawtin night, back when he was still playing records and on Serato. Watching him handle the records made me decide that I want to learn how to move people's emotions like he did that night. Mind blown. This was the day I decided to become a DJ – so the club’s influence on me can’t be overstated. From then on I came to Room One to be educated... I saw Craig Richards play so many different exceptional sets in this booth. He really shaped my approach to music and how to play it – especially in there. "Many years later, I was invited to play in Room Three a few times. Then, on the night of fabric’s 13th birthday, Judy called me out of nowhere to replace the Room One warm-up DJ whose flight was delayed – WOW straight in… the dream came true. Of course I had zero time to prepare and so just threw some warm-up records into my bag and had to run. It was probably for the best as I would have died of nervousness. Ever since then I’ve played at the disco many times and always approach the gig with the extreme care, preparation and respect that this room deserves. Thank you fabric for changing my life!” You can catch Voigtmann next on 28th January. Tickets are available here.

Stephane Ghenacia

As one of the co-founders of the Colors label and party, Stephane Ghenacia is already a familiar name particularly in East London’s electronic music community. While the concept of his party first embraced disco, these days Ghenacia’s most commonly found spinning smooth house records. After causing a stir around Hackney Wick and beyond in the capital, he’s since been residing in Ibiza and showcasing his production palette via the Colors imprint. Having invited Craig Richards over to Colors many times over the years of its existence and stopped by EC1 for regular visits too, Ghenacia’s been a firm part of our family for some time whom we’re pleased to have playing for us in the future. “I first visited the club 10 years ago to see Ricardo play, and it’s been like a second home to me ever since. Once I moved to London in 2010 I was in the club practically every weekend, and I was inspired by watching Craig Richards play. For me, he's the best resident DJ of all time. Once Colors started, we were often throwing parties with no announced guests – Craig came to play a few times, and was always our favourite act to bring. Judy was also very supportive of what we were doing – as well as coming to the club, it’s really through Colors that I got to know the guys so well. "fabric is an institution for electronic music – I’m extremely honoured to come back and play more often.” Stephane Ghenacia next plays in Farringdon this Saturday. Tickets are sold out but he'll be announcing his next 2017 date with us soon.

Jay Clarke

As a young artist, it’s always a pretty significant thing to land your first big signing. When that signing happens to be Klockworks though, the techno label headed by Ben Klock, it gives a particularly positive indication of your artistic potential. Jay Clarke is a London-based DJ and the latest addition to Klock’s Berlin imprint, while he’s also found time to curate his own Blackaxon too. With a refined taste in techno and a bright future to match, Jay Clarke is a name we’re very excited about hosting in EC1. “I first walked through the doors of fabric in October 2004 and fell in love with the club straight away; I was drawn to the rawness, the vibe, and of course the intensity of Room Two. fabric has been instrumental in my electronic music education as a party goer, and has helped shape me into the artist that I have become today. "It's a great honour to be given the chance to stand behind the decks in Room Two more regularly and to give back something to the club that has inspired my creativity and love for techno.” Jay Clarke also plays our sold out reopening party this Saturday. Have no fear he'll be back soon. Photo credit: Katherine Bell (Voigtmann)