London Club Scene Offers Best Sounds in Town

The summer of 1991 was the first in years that the British music press didn’t swoon over as “a new summer of love.”

In the 1980s, the Acid House craze sparked a new British music scene, one led by deejays and accompanied by mass dancing till dawn--in suburban fields, warehouses and other unlicensed venues. Many new groups subsequently vaulted to fame in the summer spotlights. Two years ago, for instance, a couple of bands (The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays) crossed the line that separates cult and mass appeal and helped bring Manchester some of the celebrity that the Beatles provided Liverpool in the ‘60s.

But now that over-heated musical climate has decidedly cooled. As in the ‘70s, after the last extended summer of love, young Londoners in search of exotic night life and loud music once again are flocking to the more traditional rock concerts, festivals . . . and clubs.

Fact is, if you want live music yet find little appeal in being packed into a concert hall or joining the throngs at an outdoor music festival, London probably remains the best place for club music in Europe, despite archaic pub licensing laws that require pubs to close by 11 p.m. (10:30 on Sundays), and nightclubs to shut down between 2 and 3 a.m.

In North London, try the Underworld (174 Camden High St.; Camden tube stop) for the latest and, usually, hippest rock during the week and on Saturdays, with jazz on Sunday evenings. As with many London clubs, you’ll find an audience with decidedly mixed sartorial tastes, though most of the regulars seem more intent on the music (and their beverages) than in the fashion statements of other patrons. Doors open at 8; average entrance fee is 5 (about $9).

At the Mean Fiddler, a spit-and-sawdust saloon in Harlesden, the atmosphere is friendly, sweaty and relaxed. The Mean Fiddler (24-28 High St., Harlesden; Willesden Junction, British Rail line or tube) has two rooms, with established groups playing anything from rock to world music, which mixes mainly African with Indian and South American sounds in the main room. The smaller Acoustic Room features folk, comedy and blues artists.

The Fiddler provides an ideal introduction to the London music scene, though it’s probably wise to arrange for a mini-cab or taxi home to avoid being stranded when London underground trains stop running soon after midnight. Late-night bus service is irregular at best. Opens at 8; average entrance fee is about $9.

The best rock music in West London can be found at Subterrania (12 Acklam Road, Ladbroke Grove; Ladbroke Grove tube). Operating as a rock ‘n’ roll band venue for four days, it’s transformed on Thursday, Friday and Saturday into a packed nightclub with dancing and New Age surroundings. The atmosphere is trendy and friendly, but be prepared for a hefty queue on the weekends. Opens at 8; average entrance fee is about $10. Note: If the males in your party heavily outnumber the females, don’t bother trying to get past the door staff.

Central London has a huge variety of clubs catering to nearly every musical taste. A good place to start is The Astoria (157 Charing Cross Road; Piccadilly Circus tube), which doubles as a nightclub as well as a live music venue. Prices and times vary. On Fridays, The Astoria (whose name changes to the Lift on that day) is especially recommended, with DJs playing the coolest dance tracks around on two vast floors. It’s distinct not only because of its fruit juice, food and guarana, a caffeine-extract drink, but because the club stays open until 6 a.m., a once-weekly concession by the city licensing authorities, although alcohol taps are shut off at 2.

The most eclectic club in the area is Gossips (69 Dean St.; Piccadilly Circus tube). It holds a reggae night on Saturdays, a retro-psychedelic night on Mondays, and anything from ska (a form of reggae) to rockabilly in between. Doors open at 9:30; entrance fee is about $10.

Daily live music with a definite metal-glam-thrash edge is served at The Marquee (105 Charing Cross Road; Leicester Square tube). Opens at 8; entrance fee is about $10.

Two of the most fashionable nightclubs in central London are The Milk Bar (12 Sutton Row; Tottenham Court Road tube) and The Brain (11 Wardour St.; Leicester Square tube), both with an entry fee of about $10. The Milk Bar (don’t let the name fool you; the club serves beverages quite a bit more potent than its namesake) has a fairly restrictive door policy, but if your looks satisfy the gatekeepers, you’ll be treated to some of Europe’s most sought-after house and techno records, selected by the hippest DJs. Opens at 9:30.

The Brain, which opens at 10:30, has a slightly more relaxed door policy, though crowds are treated to an equally selective range of recorded sounds. The Brain’s walls are covered with ultraviolet African graffiti motifs on its two small floors. One floor features live bands, the other DJs.

Visitors from the United States may be surprised to find that entry to clubs such as The Brain and The Milk Bar is made easier by wearing such trendy sports paraphernalia as L.A. Raiders jackets, Chicago Bulls caps and Air Jordan sneakers.

One caveat for clubbers: Don’t go clubbing and also expect to eat well. Most clubs offer pricey and mostly mundane snacks at best, though they all serve beer and a variety of generally overpriced drinks. Better to dine first and feed the soul later.

Before setting off to sample London’s music scene, it’s best to pick up a copy of Time Out, a comprehensive weekly guide available at any major newsstand that lists schedules and cancellations.