Abode at Printworks, London: Darius Syrossian, Idris Elba, Richy Ahmed

Woah, what a night it was! Hanging out with the boys in the DJ booth was huge fun, particularly when it’s Darius Syrossian, Idris Elba and Richy Ahmed spinning the decks!

London was desperate for dance events to reopen at Printwoks, a much-loved venue in an old print factory in the East End, and when it was announced that dance events could keep going, we were all ecstatic to go raving again…gagging for it by then, to be honest! 

So, when party crew Abode announced it would take over Printworks, tickets sold like hotcakes. Sold out completely, 5000 ravers turned up for a music event that started at midday with Banksie, followed by Ellie Cocks, Jamie Roy and JW Harrison. When night fell, Darius took over, followed by a sick set by Idris and Richy Ahmed finished off the night, playing until 22.30h – a neat Sunday indeed!

Printoworks continues with an incredible programme, welcoming top-dog DJs for their up and coming gigs, including Richy Hawtin, Gorgon City, Carl Cox, Paco Osuna, Roman Flügel, Marco Carola, The Martinez Brothers, Joris Voorn, Charlotte Withe & many, many more with hosts such as Glitterbox, Ants, AA London, K NT XT, Defected and  Sound Crash, etc. – so look them up and plan your next London gig, ravenation (printworkslondon.co.uk)

Printworks London

Wicked venue and cultural destination for all sorts of events, held in an old print factory in the East End of London! Their raves and dance parties are legendary, and we just love their Sunday day raves. With a capacity of 5000 people, the place has an incredible atmosphere with a light show to match! Brilliant for photo shoots too, it also hosts drinks exhibitions and other shows. As a venue, they have a huge following, so there’s much love out there for concept, giving an old place the chance for new stories.

Having opened in 2017, Printworks used to be one of the largest print factories in Western Europe, housing gigantic printing machines and presses, which have been preserved to give the place this unique industrial feel. Staging award-winning dance events there, it’s not difficult to see how a place like this is on par with other international venues in New York, Detroit, Los Angeles, Tokyo & Berlin and other rave capitals. Their musical showcases offer the best in live and electronic music, pushing new talent passionately, to great global acclaim.

Printworks as a venue was originally founded in 2000 by Sir Alex Ferguson and superstar Lionel Richie! It is now owned by Broadwick Live, the London-based events company, which is proud for this venue to be part of their extending portfolio, identifying with music as their heritage. DJ institution Annie Mac says, the she is ‘proud’ for London to have such a music venue and American techno duo Octave One were bowled over by the place, stating that ‘playing at Printworks is a completely unique experience. London already has amazing night life, but the atmosphere and vibe of the venue bring everything together on a new, unforgettable level.

ABODE

More than just a party crew, these guys throw music events for dance floor aficionados all over the place! Their Printworks gigs are always a sell-out, describing themselves a an empire of ’tight-knit crew of resident DJs’, which was bleeding’ obvious at their last gig there. Apart from featuring huge international headlining acts, Abode is big on pushing their residents just as much – these include Artikal Ellie Cocks, Will Taylor and JW Harrison. Other party brands include Abode In The Park and Abode On The Rock, a festival held in Gozo in Malta.

What we really find visional and endearing is their Abode Project: a non-profit charity organisation, which aims to increase the quality of life for an entire community in Uganda’s Kabale region. By creating increasing longevity and opportunities for generations of children in one of the most deprived parts of Eastern Africa, Abode not only offers a home for passionate edm lovers, but also a totally different community, that can thrive with their help and support.

Best of 2021 – watch our flashback of exciting adventures & gripping experiences

Despite renewed travel restrictions, we managed to have some proper fun in 2021! Culture tripping all over Europe, we were living it large at club nights and dance events, picked up some great looks and fashion style tips on the way, attended some seriously exclusive sport tournaments and checked out the most brilliant lifestyle events, where it was possible, including a classic car show and modern art blockbuster exhibitions. We sampled an immersive game-like heist experience in London and the best Christmas Markets in Vienna. Nothing was going to stop us – so, fully vaccinated and careful to be safe, we were out chasing memory-making adventures and thrill-seeking experiences.

An easy ride it was not, since many countries had a variety of restrictions kick in at different times. And on many occasions, it was quite a puzzle to get the film teams to their destined locations, but we were determined to bring you the best we could! So, here’s your chance to catch up on what’s been going on in Europe in 2021, and hopefully, it will inspire you to make plans for the future – enjoy!