Home to some of the best alternative music nights and crowds in London, the atmosphere is always great and the music is always loud.

The Venue
The glassless windows opposite the first floor bar reveal the surprisingly large dance floor that disappears out of sight beneath the balconies adding to the venue's slightly enigmatic feel.

With a raised central platform, the lower floor is just begging to be crammed full of people focused on the intimately sized stage, just an arm's reach from the crowd. The second bar has been soundproofed and provides different music to the main stage and an escape from the blisteringly loud soundsystem.

The Decor
Minimal lighting away from the dance floor covers up the lack of attention to detail throughout the venue, but then the clientele don’t tend to be concerned with designer sofas and marble bar tops.

Simple is key at Mean Fiddler with the punters' attention devoted to the music however, a nice touch is a frieze of mirrors used to accentuate the lighting in the main room. Although rarely used, there’s plenty of comfy seating and tables throughout and all are well located to give a good view of the night's entertainment.

The Atmosphere
A refreshing change from the norm, the only thing that matters at Mean Fiddler is the music. The crowd really makes the night their own, particularly considering the wide variety of events that are held ranging from hip hop through to rock. Away from the dance floor, expect the vibe to feel a bit like the prequel to a gig, but rest assured, once on the floor, you’ll be hard pressed to leave.

The Drink
The selection of drinks is uninspiring but it is everything you would expect from a gig based venue. Prices are just on the upper limit of reasonable, but the staff are relatively quick and friendly.

The Last Word
Mean Fiddler lends itself to the alternative and rock scene and the stage is perfect for smaller bands and intimate gigs. Pick your night carefully because they do range substantially, however all are ideally suited to the venue. Warm up DJs occasionally leave a little to be desired, but all in all this a solid venue for an alternative night out.

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