Trade nightclub

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Trade
Location(s) Turnmills, London
and other venues worldwide.
Type Nightclub
Years active 1990 — present
Genre(s) Hard House / Techno
Capacity 1200 approx at Turnmills
(is more when additional rooms are opened).
Owner Laurence Malice
Website http://www.tradeuk.net


Trade is a highly successful gay nightclub started in 1990 by Laurence Malice. Trade was unlike any other club at the time as it opened from 4am Sunday morning until 1pm on Sunday afternoon at Turnmills, Clerkenwell Road, London. The club was touted as "the original all night bender". The door policy was firm but fair: "You don't have to be gay or a member to get in, but your attitude and look will count".[1]

Contents

[edit] Early Years 1990 - 1995

Trade quickly grew in popularity as other clubs at the time such as Heaven, G-A-Y and The Fridge closed at around 2 - 3am Sunday mornings, an hour or so before Trade opened at 4am. Therefore clubbers were able to go straight on to the club.[1][2] At the time many guys went cruising in the parks after leaving other clubs. The name 'Trade' and the opening hours was to encourage guys to go to the club as a safer alternative.[3]

Turnmills was decorated with banners and wall hangings mainly from the artist Trademark who became closely associated with the club. The themes changed regularly usually on the special events parties held at Easter and on the Trade birthday party each October.

Small video clips of the Trade dance floor appeared in the 1993 video 'Trance Vision Dance Volume 1' to accompany the 11th track on the video 'Let's Rock' by E. Trax.

Turnmills - Trade's London home.
Turnmills - Trade's London home.

[edit] 1995 - 2002

From about 1995 onwards Trade started to export their brand of music and clubbing experience and over the next few years, held events throughout the UK and worldwide, in addition to releasing a number of CDs.

Trade were unable to hold their (by now legendary) New Years Eve party at Turnmills in 1995. This was because New Years Eve 1995 fell on a Sunday and the usual Turnmills Sunday night club - FF - held their NYE night at Turnmills. Trade held a successful New Years Day party at the Leisure Lounge in Holborn, London instead.

Trade suffered a setback on 2 July 1998 when popular DJ Tony De Vit died.

Due to the global success of Trade, UK Channel 4 television commissioned an hour long documentary Trade the all-night bender which was broadcast on 9 August 1998 as part of the Queer Street series of programmes.[4].

On 27 May 1999 Turnmills ended Trade's residency due to security problems at the previous weeks event. Trade negotiated a 4 week run at LA2 in the London Astoria. During this time the management of Trade and Turnmills resolved the issues. Trade returned to Turnmills on 3 July 1999 for the post Mardi Gras (the renamed London Gay Pride) party. The following month on 7 August 1999 Trade had a dance tent at Summer Rites in Brockwell Park, the first time they had a tent at the festival.

Towards the end of the 1990's, as Turmills opened up and fit out more space in the venue, Trade was able to open up a second room named the 'Trade lite lounge' playing a lighter funkier style of house music which quickly gained a big following.

[edit] DJs

Many DJs made their name at Trade most notably the late Tony De Vit, but also Daz Saund, Trevor Rockliffe, Smokin Jo, Tall Paul, Alan Thompson, Malcolm Duffy, Steve Thomas, Pete Wardman, Ian M and Fergie. Other DJs who have graced the decks include EJ Doubell, Lisa German, Rosco, Gonzalo, The Sharp Boys, Peter Ward, Steve Haswell, Fat Tony, Guy Willimas, Ziad, Jon Dennis and Tom MacMillan.

[edit] 2002 onwards

Trade ended its weekly London Sunday slot on 27 October 2002 on the 12th Birthday party but still tours the world and regularly returns to Turnmills in London, for occasional one off events. (Trade celebrated its 17th birthday in October 2007).

Turnmills suspended future events on 24 April 2004 following a number of overdoses of GHB at the Easter Party the previous week. The use of GHB in clubs was causing problems for a number of clubs and venues at that time.[5] The next Trade event held at Turnmills after this was the 14th Birthday party in October 2004.

[edit] Last event at Turnmills

On the 18th January 2008 a Trade press release announced that the final trade event at Turnmills would be held on the 22/23 March 2008.[6] This is due to the expected closure of Turnmills as a clubbing venue. [7]

This was subsequently confirmed on 24 January 2008 when Turnmills officially announced the closure.[8]

A further press release on 30 January 2008 announced that the final date was being brought forward by one week to Sunday morning 16 March 2008. This was due to "so many 'sell out' events at Turnmills over Easter it would not be practical to run Trade After-Hours over this weekend".[9]

Within a few weeks of the tickets going on sale, the event sold out. Many of the original Trade DJs returned for the final event, including Steve Thomas, Ian M, Daz Saund, Malcolm Duffy and Pete Wardman. The club opened its doors at 0500 and went on until the final record, Schoneberg by Marmion, was played, finishing at 1745.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Trade History. Original Trade website (1996). Retrieved on 2008-01-19.
  2. ^ IgoUgo Heaven review. IgoUgo (2001-09-01). Retrieved on 2008-01-23.
  3. ^ An Interview with Laurence Malice. Circuit Chat. Retrieved on 2008-01-26.
  4. ^ Queer Street. British Film Institute (1998-08-01). Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  5. ^ Trade Events @ Turnmills on Hold. HarderFaster (2004-04-24). Retrieved on 2008-01-24.
  6. ^ press release on Trade Myspace page. Trade (2008-01-18). Retrieved on 2008-01-19.
  7. ^ Turnmills to become an office block. Evening Standard (2007-12-28). Retrieved on 2008-01-19.
  8. ^ London Club Turnmills To Close Down. Gigwise (2008-01-24). Retrieved on 2008-01-25.
  9. ^ press release on Trade Myspace page. Trade (2008-01-30). Retrieved on 2008-01-30.

[edit] External links