Fabric owners unveil Matter club at The O2 Arena

Fabric owners unveil Matter club at The O2 Arena

11 July, 2008 | 6.55AM

• Written by: Terry Church
• Filed under: Music News:

The owners behind London’s Fabric have revealed that their new superclub at The O2 arena (formerly known as the Millennium Dome) will be called ‘Matter’.

The three-floored giant is scheduled to open in September and at 32,737 square feet it will be capable of hosting up to 2,600 patrons.

And much like Fabric, Matter will encorporate state-of-the-art technology to create a futuristic dancing space.

When Fabric opened nine years ago the club touted its Body Sonic dancefloor, which sent shockwaves up clubbers’ bodies thanks to its sub woofers beneath the dancefloor.

Matter will use similar technology for its dancefloor which is being built by Djenerate “to create a Body Kinetic experience never before felt in any venue the world over.”

Around 80 super powerful ‘transducers on steroids’ will sit beneath the dancefloor, reacting to bass frequencies and pumping the sound through every dancer’s body.

It’s the next generation of Fabric’s Body Sonic technology apparently.

Visuals too, will play an important part in Matter.

World class VJs Inside-Us-All and software specialists Pixel Addicts have been roped in to create a bespoke projection system that will effectively map the architecture of the building.

The system they’re building will map every flat surface so that moving images can be projected in harmony with the building’s angles. Wow.

The next gen nightclub aims to create a totally ‘immersive sculptured visual environment”.

And, as predicted by Beatportal back in November 2007, Matter will be running river shuttles down the Thames to boat punters to and from the venue (Greenwich is pretty difficult to get to from central London) - they’ve teamed up with boating company Thames Clippers.

What about Matter’s line-ups?

Matter’s owners are keen to stress that Matter isn’t ‘Fabric 2’, so don’t expect Fabric’s cutting-edge underground electronic music DJs and artists to play at the venue.

Considering its gargantuan size Matter will only play host to big live acts from electronic music like Booka Shade, Simian Mobile Disco and The Chemical Brothers, although no line-ups have been revealed yet.

Inside Matter: Coming Soon

Beatportal feels that Matter has the potential (at least on paper) to change the face of London’s club scene.

With Turnmills, The Cross, Canvas, T Bar and The Key having recently closed, London is severely lacking in electronic music dancing spaces, and Matter might be the venue to give the city’s nightlife a boost.

Next week, we’ll be visiting the building site of Matter and meeting with some of the people behind it for the inside scoop so stay tuned on Beatportal for an exclusive sneak peak.

Matter: Press Release

Here’s the press blurb for Matter.

it’s a matter of fact…

..that in September 2008, London nightlife will be experiencing a change.

A three floor, 32,737 sq.ft, 2,600 capacity regeneration to be exact, in the shape of a ground breaking and unique new venue.

Named matter, it’s a purpose built space designed to offer an advanced new proposition for both live music and club nights in London. Created specifically to encompass new and bespoke levels of technology and comfort, matter will be an as yet unparalleled platform for any artist performing in our capital city and every music lover there for the show.

The commitment has been made to create a venue that can encompass user-friendly, state of the art-technology, with a meticulous and considered attention to every detail, no matter how minor. From the matchless soundproofing techniques - all the better to showcase matter’s next level sound and visual components - to the sophisticated electronic retrieval system operating in the cloakroom, it is a commitment that even extends beyond the venue, as matter provides visitors with Safetrip, an in-house transport service that offers secure travel from venue to home, no matter what the time may be.

With this attention to innovation and dedication to pushing the boundaries of existing technology, it should come as no surprise that matter has been conceived by the creative trust responsible for fabric, the much-revered institution which for years has represented the apotheosis of all that is new and exciting in London’s vibrant live music and club scene. Joining forces with some of the most exciting and progressive creative and technical experts in the UK, they are once again set to make history when matter is unveiled in its home at the O2, boasting its own separate external entrance and amenable transport links, placed a mere hop from the jetty on the Thames, and with full use of the 2,200 parking spaces, rail and road services on offer.

Along with the core team, AEG have been instrumental in making this exciting new venture possible, becoming far more than just a landlord, and in time matter look forward to developing this excellent existing relationship into an interesting creative collaboration.

The scale and scope of ambition is something that can only be grasped upon entry. The huge stage on the ground floor can be seen on all sides from any of the three floors of the venue, including from the skyscraping Sky Bridge that spans the open space on the top floor. This is the first live venue project for renowned architects Pentagram and they have created a build that is as imaginative in its design as it is architecturally sympathetic to its surroundings. 2,000 people at a time will be able to view artists on stage from pretty much anywhere in the venue’s main area and still feel a sense of intimacy because of the triple height space opened up right through the centre of the main room.

Far below the soaring ceiling sits the huge and completely unique interactive dance floor - the heart of matter, built by Djenerate, using cutting edge technology to create a Body Kinetic experience never before felt in any venue the world over. 80 super powerful ‘transducers on steroids’ sit beneath the dance floor, reacting to bass frequencies and pumping the sound literally through every dancer’s body. It’s the next generation or perhaps several generations beyond the beloved Body Sonic dance floor developed for fabric nine years ago, embracing every advancement in sound technology that has since come to play.

And that’s just the beginning. Radiating out from the dance floor is a projection system on a grand scale - world class VJs Inside-Us-All and software specialists Pixel Addicts have developed a bespoke projection system which will effectively ‘map’ the architecture of the building, reading every flat surface to conjure images in harmony with the angles of the building, creating a totally immersive sculptured visual environment. Included within this development is a unique horizontal projection screen system spanning the opening either side of the sky bridge.

Walls, floors, DJ booths, bars and tables are all concrete, albeit many different shades and finishes. The atmosphere and look of the venue is further enhanced via clever deployment of complementary materials and the latest LCD and lighting technology, allowing for both breathtaking aesthetics and maximum flexibility. This holistic approach to design is carried all the way through to every detail of the space, even to the toilet facilities, both inside and out. Dividing the main area from the second room is a double height washroom installation, featuring 67 cubicles towering on two levels within the second floor. In addition, the ceramic tile clad exterior is peppered with both ever-changing LED lighting tiles and LCD screens, morphing from the appearance of an ordinary tiled surface to encompass any myriad of possible moving images or films.

For a more relaxing experience away from the dance floor, special guests can enjoy themselves on the third floor, which can even operate as a separate space with its own entrance. Here, there is still an uncompromised view of the stage from the balcony, access to the Sky Bridge and a cocoon of bespoke booths operating an innovative form of inclusive seating, personal sound manipulation and hospitality service provision, all with new world comfort at heart.

Furthermore, to make the experience complete, Thames Clippers are also on board, providing a fleet of boats scheduled for the convenience of matter patrons, whenever the venue is open. This dependable service allows guests to board at various points along the Thames, listen to matter styled soundtracks and have a few drinks as they make their way to or from this groundbreaking venue.

Lastly but certainly not least, the very large smoking area will offer guests comfort in wet weather, so that patrons can enjoy the splendor of a river view while enjoying a cigarette or just a breath of fresh air. That’s matter, leaving no stone unturned in their quest to create the seminal venue to host the most diverse and exciting musical palate in London.

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