The Hook Up

The Hook Up

01 December, 2010
by: Trol23

Clubbing Editor Tom Olesen heads down to Stokey's newest little DJ bar and is very pleasantly surprised.

I look to my right at my mate Doug just as he looks to his left to look at me, we both make "what the f***" faces and laugh our arses off before we dance them off too. Why? Because I'm under an Italian restaurant in Stoke Newington, I'm stuffed full of high quality pizza, there's a small but perfectly formed party going off and Spragga Benz, yes THE Spragga Benz, is spitting fire on the mic. This is my first jaunt to the brand-spankers Stokey Records Bar and it's regular hip hop and reggae party – The Hook Up.

You know you're in for a treat when to get in to a venue you have to walk in the innocuous looking door of a Sicilian trattoria on Stoke Newington Church Street, through the dining room full of people happily munching away, past the kitchen and bemused looking staff, round the corner, and down some stairs. Where you end up is a cosy little L-shaped room with a light up bar, records stuck to the wall, and a decent sound system. I was down fairly early and managed to take advantage of their pizza and a beer for £6 deal which is great value and the pizza is, as you'd expect from a Sicilian trattoria, authentic and tasty. I stuffed myself to bursting whilst the place filled up with friendly, if often slightly confused-looking, faces.

The music is exactly up my street and a slick mix of reggae and hip hop classics mingles with new favourites as the beers slip down. It's a warm and inviting space with specially commissioned marker pen-style graffiti characters dotted around the room. If this was in Shoreditch on a Friday it'd be full of people seasoned barflies like myself would probably rather avoid. But it's not, it's in Stokey so it's full of discerning music lovers.

I'd heard a rumour that Spragga was turning up, to be honest it's part of the reason I chose this episode of The Hook Up to check out Stokey Records Bar for the first time. So when the man himself rocks up and grabs the mic it's not a surprise, but it is. Here is one of Jamaica's biggest stars in a venue that would feel lively with 20 people in it. It is moments like this that London clubbing is all about and everyone in the room recognises it. It's duly party time and as Spragga toasts over new tracks from his forthcoming album the cheers are heartfelt.

I can't say enough good things about the night and the venue. MC Wildeye and co. have a great thing going on that has cult appeal written all over it. The lovely proprietor, Luigi, has done the place up a treat and his pizzas have to be tasted to be believed. Perhaps the best thing about it is that its got that mad edge that Shoreditch venues used to have, at one point an off duty Elvis impersonator even comes and hangs out with us. I left thinking something that jaded old hacks like me don't normally think as we walk away from a venue – I had a blinding night out and I can't wait to go back.

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Trol23