- If there was ever a party that was going to lure Londoners out on the first weekend of January, it was fabric's reopening. The club's untimely closure in August galvanized the dance music community in a way that felt historic, inspiring a campaign that raised more than £330,000 and sent the story global. Without this effort, it's probable Islington council and the Metropolitan police will have never tabled the idea to let the club reopen. But for all the sense of triumph and relief that came with news of the club's return, there were worries, too. Would the new restrictions—ID scans, tighter security, brighter lighting—render an enjoyable night out impossible?
Judging by Saturday, which was the second reopening party of the weekend, the answer is no. Entry took a few minutes longer than usual and the search wasn't any more intrusive than before. (Full disclosure: I came in through a different door to the general public, but I stood and watched the procedure at the main entrance and it seemed of a similar standard. The only difference was the team of medical professionals registering people's medication and informing them of the new welfare tents.) The security presence was heavy across the venue, but then that's been the case for years. The lighting was noticeably brighter—especially in the smoking area and on the two dance floors (Room Three was a chill-out area with no music)—but it didn't diminish the vibe.
Then again, it would've taken a lot to dampen the mood on Saturday. Everyone seemed in high spirits, happy to be back bounding down those familiar stairs. Groups of mates wearing #saveourculture T-shirts danced in the queue for the bar, ordering lines of shots when their turn came. Other punters I spoke to said being back reminded of them of all the special nights they'd had there. Personally, my heart lifted a little when I walked into Room One for the first time. The atmosphere on both dance floors was immense, no doubt helped by the many industry folk and old fabric heads that had come down for the occasion. Whenever the kick drums left the mix, a swirl of bellows and whistles would zing around the room, crescendoing emphatically at the drop.
For once at fabric, the specifics of lineups and set times didn't feel like a primary concern, though sets from Ben Sims and a back-to-back from Seth Troxler and Craig Richards stood out. Sims sounded particularly great, the detail and personality in his bleepy, funky techno coming through powerfully and clearly on Room Two's new Pioneer Pro Audio system. Because of the tighter security at the door, the club took longer than usual to fill up, though Room One was packed by the time Troxler and Richards started easing in their first groovy, upbeat rollers. I was stood at the back at this point, being called upon intermittently to help people ascend or descend the stage. One girl I hoisted up bent down as if to say thank you. "Happy reopening!" she shouted in my ear.