The Small Club Excellence That Is Venue MOT
A masterclass in local eventing
When you think about London clubbing, what venues usually come to mind?
I can tell you what I typically think of:
The large: Drumsheds and The Cause
The legends: Fabric and Ministry of Sound
The popular: Phonox and XOYO
And the intimate: Night Tales and Corsica Studios
(If any of you even dare mention Infernos I’m blocking you)
All the above names are pretty well known if you like to go out in the city. It’s one thing that London does well, is provide a plethora of options for a good night out.
Whilst it is true that London’s nightlife economy is coming under fire in recent years with the city’s “Night Czar” Amy Lamé being criticised for not doing enough to save it, it still offers world renowned clubs for revellers to visit after hours.
And so, with great pleasure, I want to tell you about a new favourite club of mine.
Venue MOT Unit 18
Its full name is admittedly a bit of a mouthful. With a solid 9 syllables in it, I more often hear it referred to as “Venue MOT” or simply “MOT”. Located in the southern reaches of Bermondsey, it’s not a place I would usually associate with a clubbing venue. Nor is it well serviced by public transport routes.
The most “easily accessible” station to get to the club would probably be Surrey Quays which is still a 15 minute walk away and an interesting walk at that, passing under several train tracks, a waste power plant, and the Millwall Football Club stadium.
The club itself is nestled in a small industrial park, surrounded by warehouses and businesses offering a variety of services including property maintenance, signage, and steel manufacture. Aside from that, the area has very little else to offer lacking even an off licence or a supermarket.
One thing that area does boast though is the Avalon Cafe which is a must visit en route to Venue MOT. It sits across the road from the club and is a last standing bastion against the neverending stampede of gentrification in this ever more expensive city. It’s a community cafe, bar, and venue that hosts a wildly varying series of events. On my last visit there, a Palestinian aid fundraiser was taking place with a selection of artists playing in its back room space. It has a late licence (sometimes ending at 4am) and one of the cheapest pints in the city. What’s not to love?
But that’s really about it for the area. And I love it because those who make the journey there are those who genuinely want to be there.
A long standing theory of mine is that the less accessible a venue is transport wise, the better the crowd is going to be. As those who are willing to make the journey there are those who will appreciate the music most. And Venue MOT’s crowd is second to none. Having talked to many in the smoking area, there’s a cult like love for the club and anything it puts on.
It consists of two rooms of more-or-less equal size. Both come armed with bars at the front and with dance floors no larger than a typical garage. The tall ceilings of the industrial estate does give the impression a car had to be wheeled out to accommodate the space. DJs in both rooms are at the back, with the main room (left hand side facing the club) having them behind bars. The main smoking area is situated out front and doubles up as the access between the clubs and a second smoking area is nestled out back of the main room.
Intimacy is what this place excels at. Having had the fortune of visiting twice now, I can clearly remember both times standing in the middle of the dance floor and just marvelling at how cosy the club was. It really does feel like someone is using their garage to throw a party. The MDF bouncer cabin out front and the sheer lack of branding on the bars give this place a more original, homegrown feel that I have become addicted to.
Of course, talking about clubs, I need to mention the temperature and sadly, Venue MOT does not perform well here. It is baking hot inside. The kind of temperature where your in-breath is hotter than your out-breath. On my last visit there to see Mischluft and Ollie Lishman, I had to take to the dance floor in 15 minute shifts, followed by 10 minutes outside where I could wring out my t-shirt. The fast paced music and the mass of writhing, sweaty bodies on the tiny dance floor cooked me inside and out. Fortunately, the proximity of the smoking areas made a quick getaway from getting totally sautéed and resulted in a more bearable temperature.
I can only marvel at the stamina of those who can last longer inside.
Another thing that the club does well are the parties it throws. Its lineups feature many of the scene’s up and coming artists and even boasted an impressive ten day back to back spread of Jamie xx and his many guests which I had the privilege of attending on the last night (it was even hotter then). Some events even see the venue partner with neighbours Avalon Cafe and ORMSIDE to throw multi venue ragers that go on all night.
As for the sound, I’d say it’s one of London’s best. For a room that could barely fit a van in, it has 4 foot high speakers arranged all around the room blasting crystal clear sound to the avid listeners. It is loud though, so I would recommend bringing some form of ear protection.
So if you’re out of options on the next weekend you fancy a sesh and don’t mind a bit of a journey, then I wholeheartedly recommend London’s latest clubbing excellence: Venue MOT Unit 18. It has the crowd, the sound, and the energy that any small club should be jealous of.