good topic, and some nice looking venues. Im a sucker for low ceilings, dark basements sorta thing. The dirtier the better.
some of my favourites:
Club 69, Paisley, Scotland
absolute beast and probably one of my all time favourites. Dark, dingy and with buses running from the centre of town, you couldnae beat this shit. absolute belter.
highlights:
Alden Tyrell
Shawn Rudiman
Plastic People, London, England
Low ceilings and amaznig sound, no light shows here, just pitch black dancefloor filled with 300 sound cunts. Favourite club in London
highlights:
Kenny Dixon Jr
Alexander Robotnick (doin a full italo set)
The Sugar Club, Dublin, Ireland
Tiered seating, candlit tables and table cocktail service. No better place to experience this shit!!
highlight:
only seen Dopplereffekt in here, but so good.
Corsica Studios, London, England
Won small venue of the year last year and deserve it completely. Some of the soundest staff (including bouncers you will find in the Capital) Funktion 1 throughout and two decent sized rooms. Ive had the pleasure of playing on both sides, and its something else altogether. Amazing for live gigs as well. Probably my most visited venue.
highlights:
Magic Waves fest
Legowelt
I-F
Patrice Scott
I-G
Sunn O
Omar S
this list goes on and on for this one.
MACBA, Barcelona, Spain
Every Sonar Ive went to, even though I might not have wanted to see all that much, there is no better feeling that chillin out in the MACBA with the sun on you, drinking Sangria and soakin in the atmosphere and all round good music.
highlights:
Pan Sonic
Sunn O
Skweee Showcase
Listening to two djs (don't know theyre names) play 4 hours of amazing dub and deep techno early on a saturday afternoon when I was feelin really shit.
The Key, London, England.
So so so so sad that this place has been torn down. It was my favourite venue in London. Amazing underlit dancefloor and three rooms, sound people, bit expensive but fuck it was well worth it. Fuckin brilliant.
highlights:
I-F (5 hour set)
Nicky Siano (6 hour set)
Star and Shadow, Newcastle, England
nothing quite like a DIY venue. Decorate yourself, run it yourself, staff it yourself, and party fuckin hard.
highlights:
Playing! and seeing a bit of Andy Blake
World Unknown Railway Arch, Brixton, England
Underneath a railway arch, amazing sound and totally grimy. Plus the world unknown night playing some amazing shit. Everytime I go here I have an amazing time.
highlights:
dr alex patterson
and joe and andy, every time.
worst venue
Fabric, London, England
This is one of those places that if you are in London and not into any music, but like going 'clubbing', getting 'off your face' and generally being 'a fucking wanker', you go. Don't get me wron, the sound in here is incredible and they occasionally get smoe really good artists, but Ive boycotted this place for a few years now and cannot bring myself to go back... absolutely horrible.