Pigeons & Peacocks

Noughtie Nightlife, an exhibition curated by LCF’s own lecturer Antony Price who moonlights as a club photographer and DJ, is set in the galleries of the Rich Mix Arts Centre – slap bang in the hub of East London where the ghosts of Clubland can still be found lurking, if you look hard enough. The East London club scene spanned the tail end of the Noughties, a pre-recession time when the members of this exclusive gang pioneered the Nu Rave movement, all the while modelling themselves on the 90s New York Blitz Kids. It was an era when D-I-Y costumes ruled over high fashion, and the name of the game was simply to wear a ridiculous outfit, drink and dance all night with your super-extended group of friends and, of course, get papped by the array of club photographers who, thankfully, always worked in airbrush mode. There were two reasons behind the importance of these happy snaps – the first was predominantly narcissistic, a way of showing those that weren’t on the list that you were part of the ultimate cool club. The second was to immortalise these fabulous nights, because, let’s face it, people needed reminders once the morning after rolled by.

As a former club kid, visiting the exhibition is like revisiting a glamorous family photo album, displayed for all the world to see in just the attention-seeking style that we prided ourselves on. The colourful images feature cult nights such as Antisocial, Kash Point, Boombox and Nuke Them All, captured by infamous club photographers including Matthew Brindle of megamegamega.com and Christopher James of weknowwhatyoudidlastnight.com.

Noughtie Nightlife serves as a welcome reminder that this time really did exist, and wasn’t a mere figment of our over-active imaginations. The clear creativity blown up and displayed on the white walls of the Rich Mix space is surely an LCF student’s dream come true – the far-out fashions, individualism and inventiveness of the young and fresh faces in the exhibition are traits that fashion students, just like club kids, crave to be known for. LCF students are constantly looking for the next underground thing and for a long while, this was it. It was a period when every member of the gang believed they could do anything. Many made music (electro pop or synth, naturally) and certainly everyone could customise, fuelling the fashion and music crossover in a way London nightlife had never before seen.

The club scene died a slow and painful death and today, everything is business over pleasure. No longer can you go out to a different club every night of the week alone and know the majority of its party-goers. Its offspring still exists, though now they are moving on; their job description not confined to door whore, DJ, or club promoter. Nu Rave was not what the press told you – it was less about neon and more about gathering with friends and creating something amazing. Something which may now live solely in the hearts of ex-club kids and fortunately, albeit temporarily, on the walls of the Rich Mix gallery.

Iona studies BA (Hons) Fashion Journalism, 3rd year.