Hello London,

We’ve been blessed with sunshine again this week, which can only mean one thing: finding any excuse to leave work early, grab a drink, and bask in it. Naturally, that usually leads to a midweek outing… and somehow ends on a dancefloor. Or at the very least, an open decks night. Also, I’ve also put together a short but useful list of funding opportunities for artists and grassroots promoters, so if you’ve been sitting on an idea, now’s the time to act.

Now, the plan:
If you’re heading out on Wednesday, AUTOEROTICA at M.O.T. is hosting an art exhibition meets rave, with work from local queer artists alongside high-energy club sounds. On Thursday, Awesome Tapes From Africa lands at Jazu in Deptford, bringing cassette-driven selections from across the diaspora. Rare one.

Friday gets a bit chaotic in the best way. CounterCxlture at Hoxton Cabin is hosting a FLINTA+ bass music night with a life drawing session, featuring queer models who are also the DJs. Upstairs, open decks run all night. Nearby, the team behind Back2Back DJ Battles returns with a Face2Face edition - Afterlife at Basing House, expect everything from Afro house to jungle and footwork.

Saturday offers: LP Rhythm at Unlocked leans into 90s house, while Toy Tonics takes over Village Underground with their signature and raw deep house sounds. If you want something faster, Night Tales has Amaliah, Bambounou and Kilig bringing the pressure. To close the weekend, head to Star Lane Pizza Bar for Extended London’s spring opener, or SlapFunk at 93 Feet East.

Always putting the fun in funding,
Afaan

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

  1. Arts Council England- Supporting Grassroots Music (up to £40,000)
    Designed to help secure the sustainability of the grassroots music sector - including rehearsal and recording studios, venues, festivals, and promoters.
    Upcoming Deadlines: 29 March 2026, 26 April 2026, 31 May 2026

  2. PRS Foundation - Early Career Promoter Fund (up to £3,500)
    recognises the vital role independent promoters play in supporting the talent pipeline across England, and offers grant funding and capacity building support, with the aim of bolstering the local, regional and national ecosystems.
    Upcoming Deadline: TBC

  3. PRS Foundation - Woman Make Music (up to £5,000)
    The fund can support projects by women, trans and non binary songwriters, composers, artists, bands and performers who are writing their own music.
    Upcoming deadline: TBC

  4. UK Artists Touring Fund (up to £7000)
    UKAT is open to artists from all backgrounds, all parts of the UK, all genres and all career stages. UKAT seeks to ensure artists can present their artistic work and vision in the manner in which audiences are intended to experience it.
    Upcoming Deadline: 20th March 2026


    Other resources to keep an eye on
    - I : Help Musician
    - True Music Fund x She Said So
    - Youth Music

Basing House, Shoreditch

London Raves This Week

Wednesday & Thursday

  1. AUTOEROTICA: Art Exhibition + Rave
    @ M.O.T (Club, Techno, New Wave)

  2. Open Decks
    @ Planet Wax (Breakbeat, D&B)

  3. Alexander Nut
    @ Ballroom at Palais (UKG, Brokenbeat)

  4. Transgression presents: CYBERIA
    @ The Greyhound (Techno, Industrial)

  5. Awesome Tapes From Africa x Jazu
    @ Jazu (African music played on cassette decks)

  6. Hours London: sEmoa
    @ All My Friends (Minimal, Ambient)

  7. London Open Decks
    @ Carbobar (Multi-Genre)

Friday

  1. CounterCxlture: Bass Music, Life Drawing Session + Open Decks
    @ Hoxton Cabin (UK Bass, Garage, Jungle)

  2. Afterlife Vol 001 - Back2Back & Face2Face DJ EVENT (+Open Decks)
    @ Basing House (Multi-Genre)

  3. Pumping Velvet with Lady Prowl, Vicenta & Nick Kagame
    @ Spanners (House, Bass)

  4. Ploy & Finn - All Night Long
    @ The Carpet Shop (House)

  5. Ital Power Sound System meets Shere Khan Sound System
    @ Distillery N17 (Dub, Dub Dub Techno)

  6. depth charge inc. o1 - Commodo / Pariah / Drime + More
    @ Ormside Projects (Dubstep)

  7. SHIFT_Mixer
    @ Crown & Sceptre - Kensington (House)

Saturday

  1. LP Rhythm
    @ Unlocked (90’s House)

  2. Toy Tonics in London
    @ Village Underground (Deep House)

  3. Amaliah, Bambounou & Kilig
    @ Night Yales (High-Energy House, Electro, Techno)

  4. Len Faki (Day Party)
    @ FOLD (Techno)

  5. Pherotone 3.0
    @ Four Quarters (Booty Bass, Hot Heavy House, Trippy Techno)

  6. Jungle Jazz w/ Doc Scott Wu-Lu b2b Chinese Daughter + More
    @Hootananny Brixton (Jungle + Live Jazz)

  7. Voices Radio x Colour Factory: A Club Friendly Free Party
    @ Colour Factory (Jungle, Grime, Bass)

  8. Orbital Sounds with Lazy H & Samb
    @ The Waiting Room (Acid, House)

Sunday

  1. Extended London: Spring Opening Party
    @ Starlane Pizza Bar (Techno, Electro)

  2. SlapFunk London
    @ 93 Feet East (Deep House)

  3. Timber Loft presents Batty Bass
    @Timber Loft (Bass, House Acid, Electro)


    Starlane Pizza Bar

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