Lower Ground Floor, Tea Building,
56 Shoreditch High Street,
London,
E1 6JJ
(020) 7729 1888
The ViewLondon Review
Located in the basement of the runaway success story that is Pizza East, Concrete, part of the Soho House empire, is stepping up its game with the introduction of tried and tested club nights. And with its killer location in the depths of the building formerly known as T Bar and the kudos of its association with its parent company, this venue will definitely please those looking for a memorable night out in Shoreditch.
The Venue
Sat on Shoreditch High Street, in the basement of Pizza East, this venue has a great location and is undoubtedly easy to find. Once inside – and down the bare, concrete stairs – you’ll soon realise where the name has come from. In keeping with a lot of other venues in the area, the bar has a raw, unfinished warehouse-look that makes you feel as if you’re almost in an art gallery – there’s a rough tiled floor, the ceilings are very low and covered in exposed pipework (watch your head if you’re tall), the tiled walls are painted white and the DJ booth, bar, tables and toilet doors are all made from the same pale wood. It has the make-shift feel of a warehouse party with the permanent fixtures of a club or a bar and it is somehow small enough to feel quite cosy, too.
The Atmosphere
Concrete plays host to a huge selection of nights and the atmosphere can vary dramatically depending on what’s on. Generally, earlier on in the night, especially during the week, it has more of a canteen-like feel, where people sit down to eat on the large wooden tables rather than dance. If you enter post-midnight, at weekends, it will feel more like a busy club space. The type of people this venue attracts varies considerably, too. It’s very close to Liverpool Street Station, so expect to see a few non-Londoners dancing around their handbags on a big night out, while it’s also very much one for the scenesters, so you’ll definitely witness the standard array of skinny-jean-wearing hipsters. Whatever your scene, this isn’t as pretentious as some of the other venues in the neighbourhood and you’re unlikely to be judged on what you’re wearing. Staff at the venue add to this unpretentious feel – they’re friendly and polite at the bar and the doormen are chatty.
The Music
Past and present club nights at Concrete include The Record Player and Sounds Familiar music quiz, as well as the ever-popular Instant Replay, Smash and Grab, Hot Breath Karaoke and Guilty Pleasures. The music at all these nights can vary considerably, so expect to hear anything from sing-along indie, electro, house and old-school classics to funk, post-punk and experimental tunes. While the music spans a lot of music genres, if you're after commercial chart music, this probably isn't the place for you.
The Food
With Pizza East upstairs you can easily have a feast before descending into the basement, but Concrete offers its own party menu as well. This includes a selection of light bites, starting at £3, such as garlic bread, lamb meatballs, tomato bruschetta, calamari and a larger sharing platter of meats, vegetables and olives for £12. They do have a couple of offers, where you can choose four dishes for £12 or the whole lot for £20. If you’re looking to stay in the basement and fancy a larger meal, the venue does offer a more formal menu. This includes pizza, pasta and desserts.
The Drink
There are five whites, five reds and a reasonable selection of Champagne on offer and, like the restaurant upstairs, you’ll pay around £20 for a decent bottle of wine (or a around a fiver for a glass that comes in a small tumbler). There are cocktails on offer at £7-£8.50, but the selection is fairly sparse. There are no beers on tap but bottles include Budvar, Peroni and Stella Artois, priced from £3.50 a bottle. You’re looking at about a fiver for a single spirit and mixer, too. The bar can get quite packed at the weekend, so expect to wait a while for your drink.
The Last Word
Fans of the T Bar might not recognise the space that’s been transformed into Pizza East and Concrete. But, this isn’t a bad thing as the venue’s now got a lot more to offer people who are interested in an evening of dinner, drinks and dancing than those who are hell-bent on getting munted.
Concrete has been reviewed by 3 users