The Old Queen's Head Charity Fundraiser With The Plump DJs

The Old Queen's Head Charity Fundraiser With The Plump DJs

30 January, 2009
by: Lowri

Fair bloody play to the Old Queen's Head. Tonight's event is all for Macmillan Cancer Support. That's everything; both bar proceeds and door money, which - judging by the queue snaking round the block - will be an absolute fortune. The North London boozer is rapidly approaching its third birthday. It seems longer that it's been nestled into its Essex Road home; popular from the word go, star-studded line-ups nearly every night of the week, and a gaggle of trendy regulars – everyone knows the Old Queen's Head. Relaxed enough to turn up in scruff-bag attire, cool and banging enough for a Saturday night. It could be your local - but with decent tunes.

The pub was the first of a five venue family – which includes The Westbury and The Paradise – it's a winning formula the 'gastro shaker'. They all boast line-ups which would sit well in any big club thanks to the influential contacts of a certain former Fabric programmer. A-Skillz, The Freestylers and Scratch Pervert's all play regularly at the Old Queen's, they've got the lightening fingered Mr Thing and Joe Ransom as residents, and promotions like The Nextmen's SOS and Apocalypso throw their parties here  – with the enormous Bugged Out! choosing to make it their annual home for their New Years Day carnage. Their live music caveat is healthy too, Broccoli Music, Beatroot Rendez-vous, Dead or Alive, The Racket; the Old Queen's Head have got it down.

Tonight, forewarned repeatedly to arrive early, and the crowds are gathering for good reason. The line-up is simply huge. Topped by the universally adored Plump DJs, with secretsundaze protagonist Giles Smith, The Freestylers, Tayo, The Mystery Jets and Little Barrie completing the bill. With only a maximum of six hours DJ time, I have no idea how they're going to organise the scheduling.

If you've ever been to the venue, you'll be familiar with the ramshackle house party feel it has when it's busy, like you're crammed into a massive living room with a log fire and oversized sofas and excitable strangers all bubbling away. Upstairs is massive, and they've added a stage which makes a world of difference both to the DJ – who's suitably elevated – and to the club atmosphere of the room.

Little Barrie have a difficult slot first up; the room is filling, everyone is excitedly chatting to friends, it really does feel like the start to the weekend. From there it's a whirlwind tour through the record bags of some of dance music's elite players. The excellent Giles Smith pushes out some superior grooves  – which sound supreme after the initial shaky start and makes me re-appreciate how good he is. Tayo is excellent too, and by the time the Plump's take to the decks the crowd are well warmed, there's virtually a mosh on stage and the whole room is jumping. So many genres and styles sit side by side, from funk, soul and smatterings of indie, to the progressive house and sunshine techno of Giles Smith, the groovy breaks and deep, bassy dubstep of Tayo and on finally and gloriously to the techy, foot-to-the-floor, mercurial smashers thrown down by the Plump DJs.

By ten to one, the friends with jobs have started leaving, and I'm painfully aware that it's taxi time but I actually can't drag myself away. They keep dropping them, banger after banger, each more high octane than the last. SebastiAn's remix of The Kill's 'Cheap and Cheerful' is my highlight, with its perfect, late night dancefloor hook: 'It's ok, to be me.'  Yep, right now, it fucking is.

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All up-and-coming events at the Old Queen's Head can be viewed here.

Lowri