Saved from closure in 2010, Plastic People re-opened with a re-vamp that included a fleet of fluorescent clad door staff, a lick of paint in the toilets and the removal of the sacred curtain (that once separated the dance floor from the bar). This intimate basement venue boasts one of the best sound systems in London, and since its relocation to the East End in 1999, it has been at forefront of some of the city’s most vibrant and forward-thinking underground music scenes.

The Venue
You will find the entrance to this 200-capacity club on Curtain Road, in a doorway nestled snugly between a furniture shop and a Vietnamese restaurant. It’s pretty much opposite Bar Music Hall. Music revellers congregate on the pavement outside before opening hours, all desperate to experience the revered skeleton-shattering Funktion One sound system. The underground layout is cosy and intimate with a small seating area at the bar but it is the illusive pitch-black dance floor that lures music lovers to skank anonymously.

The Atmosphere
This basement venue is the epitome of intimate with its dim lighting, stylish maple interior and friendly vibe. Plastic People has been a meeting place for the dubstep community since early 2000, with the weekly club night FWD being East London’s best-kept secret. The club was also home to broken beat collective Co-Op who made their weekly pilgrimage to chat, appreciate and share new tunes on the dance floor. At full capacity the dance floor is sticky, sweaty and alive with ravers banging on the ceiling to the sound of quality selectors reloading records.

The Music
Plastic People is a huge part of dubstep history, providing a weekly space for the scene to spread its wings outside of Croydon; revellers come to praise the bass and home-grown talent with DJs like Skream, Benga, Kode 9, Plastician, Mala, Youngsta and more holding a residency at the underground venue. The night is also responsible for bringing international members of the dubstep community - a la Martyn, Starkey and TRG - to play to the London crowds.

As well as dubstep and broken beats, Plastic People also has a healthy scattering of hip-hop, d’n’b, disco, techno, Afrobeat and electronica. With monthly event promoters Warm inviting guests like Carl Craig, Nicolas Jaar, Move D and Horsemeat Disco to rinse out the subs, the club has notoriety amongst some of the world’s best and legendary DJs and MCs. Four Tet, Madlib, Andrew Weatherall, Theo Parrish and Derek May are just a few of the people who speak highly of the venue.

The Drink
The bar sells bottled beers and a standard selection of spirits, which cost in the region of £3-£5.

The Last Word
This is the club that defines the London Sound. Get there early and be prepared to get sweaty.

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