Part of the striking St Matthew’s Church complex, a Brixton landmark which stands at the foot of Brixton Hill and also includes the Babalou bar/restaurant, Mass has played host to many of the finest DJs, from old skool US heroes Afrika Bambaataa to homegrown talent like Grooverider, Skream and Benga.

The Venue
It’s as remarkable inside as out; a warren-like network of different-sized rooms. Enter at basement level then walk for what seems like forever up flights of circular stone stairs until the thundering sound of loud music tells you you’ve reached the club itself. The main room has an ingenious design, set on two levels with the DJ booth high above a dancefloor effectively sunk into the floor. The other rooms are more functional - dark and dominated by large amounts of dancing space with only a few areas to rest your weary legs, and stages for live performance.

The Atmosphere
It’s fair to say that the music is pretty universally loud, the lights dazzling and the mode very much set to party. There are also a few areas away from the music where you can sit and chat to friends or potential conquests, something that can be hard in the main rooms.

The Music
Depends very much on which event is in residence, as the venue stages everything from drum and bass nights such as MC DVS’s Rollercoaster, with its crowd of young and local ravers, to house music events and live gigs that attract an older, more sophisticated crowd.

The Drink
Only Grolsh and Carling are served on tap, and at £4 a pint they‘re not cheap but certainly reasonable by club standards. Otherwise it’s bottles of Sol, Heineken, Magners or Guinness (all £4), or a much larger array of spirits including Smirnoff, Johnny Walker, Jameson, Bacardi and Cockspurs, each £4 for a single or £6 for a double including mixer.

The Last Word
It’s not the most glamorous club in the capital, but the Mass does have grimy character in heaps, and is definitely set up with the needs of the hardcore clubber very much in mind.

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