Low Profile Studios
Nightclub
83-107 Vale Rd, Harringay Warehouse District, N4 1TD
£10-15 for last release ticket
Low Profile Studios is a multi-functional warehouse based in Harringay, North London. True to its name, it’s kept pretty under-wraps, and is far away from your typical nightclub that you might find in more central locations. In fact, it’s actually located in the middle of a pretty residential area (conveniently only a 15 minute walk from home for me), meaning that if you haven’t been explicitly told about its existence, you’d be hard pressed to find it. It’s an ‘if you know you know’ sort of place, with none of the snobbery or exclusivity that usually comes with the age old saying.
We went along to Low Profile Studios one Saturday night to check out a Jungle night with the likes of Sully, Pete Cannon and Mixtress playing. We almost missed it, as there was no queue and we couldn’t hear anything coming from inside. We were even stopped on the way by a guy who had driven down from Milton Keynes and was driving up and down the road trying to pinpoint the entrance. On arriving, the door staff were super friendly and relaxed – we had a quick bag search, ticket check and the rest of it, before being guided inside and upstairs.
The space itself is large and divided into three main sections: there’s the main bar when you come in, complete with a couple of comfy armchairs, bar tables and stools and a very reasonably priced selection of drinks (spirit mixer £5, beer £4.5, water £1.5). The dancefloor is small but for the amount of people there served us great all night: there was plenty of space, and even when people did occasionally bang into you there was an immediate apology – for a jungle night, the crowd were a lot politer and warm than I was expecting. A proper mix of old junglists and lashings of the younger side of Gen Z (lots of questionable 90s fashion, vape clouds and braces). I imagine the venue knowledge had been passed down by an older brother and made its way through the family.
Past the dancefloor was a backstage room that you could sneak a peek into through the windows, some toilets (3 for girls, 2 and urinals for boys) and some stairs down to a pretty dingy but did-the-job smoking area. A couple of lights and maybe the odd chair here and there would have honestly done wonders for the outdoor space but given that this venue is on a hire basis and not solely owned by one club/event/genre, it lacks a little of the nourishment and character other London warehouse venues might have. The music inside wasn’t explicitly jungle at all – in fact, it had a real range and mix which I was secretly pleased about. It remained upbeat and energetic throughout the night, with the volume increasing considerably as the night went on (at the start it was a little weak and lacking the bass of more established venues). The night wrapped just after 4am to Pete Cannon’s MC encouraging us all to “hug your best friend” (probably why half of us now have covid). It opened its doors at 10 which meant it did a decent stint, and the slightly earlier than average close time is to be expected from a more residential setting.
Overall, Low Profile Studios felt like a safe, welcoming, and really fun place to go out. As mentioned, it is a hire venue rather than a permanent establishment meaning that the nights and crowds will vary, but I imagine it has the same staff throughout – who were all great. Keep your eyes peeled for something that might suit and come through to check it out. See you there!
OVERALL RATING: ****
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