Inside Ironworks, the new industrial dance music fortress overlooking London
Since opening its doors last month, the riverside warehouse space has welcomed global stars including Charlotte de Witte, Jamie Jones and Eric Prydz. Here’s what went down at the first run of shows Continue reading...
Last month, East London venue Ironworks prised open the doors to its industrial warehouse space for the very first time, allowing the first few thousand visitors to peek into the new, imposing dance music fortress. Inside, the 7,000-capacity space is transformed from a raw, hollowed-out factory into a high-production venue boasting what it describes as "quality sound, lighting and visuals" that allow the distinct architecture to breathe underneath it all.
On October 3, the riverside venue, which overlooks the Thames in the Royal Docks, launched with a one-night-only show named Voyager, with Jamie Jones at the helm. He traced his musical journey with a 2010s house set before friend and long-time collaborator Seth Troxler arrived on stage, alongside a specially curated line-up of guest vocalists.
Progressive house star Eric Prydz then took to the stage on October 10 with his first London show in over six years. Warm-up sets from the likes of Azzecca, Kotiēr, Aaron Hibell and Sanaz set the pace ahead of Prydz’d headline performance, which he topped off with a rare outing of his 2004 hit ‘Call On Me’.
On October 24, Liverpool’s CamelPhat brought their signature sound to Ironworks with a day-to-night event kicking off in the afternoon and running until late, with a marathon four-hour set from the duo, and special guests including Avangart Tabldot, Hardt Antoine, and KT.
Next up, respected London promoters Appetite joined the Ironworks bill on October 31 for a Halloween takeover, promising their biggest event to date with a line-up featuring Groove Armada, Egyptian Lover, Sidney Charles and Appetite founders Elliot Schooling and Liam Palmer.
To close out the opening season, techno mainstay Charlotte de Witte stepped up for a two-hour set on November 1, bringing with her a stacked line-up including SHDW, FUMI, SAMOH and KESSIE to round off a spectacle of shows in the new space.
