For fabric’s 18th birthday, we trace their shaping influence on the dance landscape through 18 images

Last year they faced near-permanent closure, but now the revered London club is set to hit the landmark age of 18. As can be expected, they’ll be celebrating their coming-of-age with a weekend blowout featuring the OGs who’ve been with the venue since their inception or developed their sounds under its reign, including Craig Richards, Terry Francis, and former Crack cover stars Ricardo Villalobos and Ben UFO amongst others.

Over the course of 18 years, fabric has expanded to become not just a space, but also a record label with a prolific output of exclusive mixes and a nightlife brand respected and celebrated across the globe. The influential space has hosted mind-bending sets from groundbreaking pioneers of the electronic scene, and filled the space with bone-shaking sonics complemented by visually striking light shows. Along the way, fabric’s resident photographers have captured the action on the ‘floor as it happened.

Below, four photographers describe what lensing the history of a much-loved venue in the UK’s cultural capital is like.

  • Nina Kraviz, fabric © Anna Wallington
  • Nicole Moudaber, fabric © Anna Wallington
  • Wiley, fabric © Anna Wallington
  • Ben Klock, fabric © Anna Wallington
  • Nina Kraviz © Anna Wallington

  • Nicole Moudaber © Anna Wallington

  • Wiley © Anna Wallington

  • Ben Klock © Anna Wallington

Anna Wallington

“I feel extremely proud to be a resident photographer at fabric. Devastating events of last year’s closure showed us how electronic music community can come together to fight for what they love the most: music and a venue providing best quality electronic music for 19 years. I always get to meet a lot of interesting, creative and likeminded people at the club. I feel really touched when clubbers come over to me and other members of fabric family to say thank you for what we do. But really it’s not only us it’s the clubbers as well who made fabric what it is today.”

@from.night.to.light

  • © Danny Seaton

  • © Danny Seaton

  • © Danny Seaton

  • © Danny Seaton

Danny Seaton

“When you come to fabric. You come to listen to the best DJs play banging sets. For me though, it wouldn’t be the same without the incredible visuals that make it such a strong synergy. Those lighting guys are so in tune with the vibe. They put on their own show every night!”

@danny_seaton

  • fabric © Sarah Ginn
  • fabric © Sarah Ginn
  • Pearson Sound, fabric © Sarah Ginn
  • fabric © Sarah Ginn
  • fabric © Sarah Ginn
  • © Sarah Ginn

  • © Sarah Ginn

  • Pearson Sound © Sarah Ginn

  • © Sarah Ginn

  • © Sarah Ginn

Sarah Ginn

“I was employed for ten years at fabric and I can’t really put into words how much it means to me. It feels like home. My life would have been very different if I hadn’t worked there, it definitely changed it for the better.”

@sarahginnphoto

  • Phuture, fabric © Nick Ensing
  • Seth Troxler, Ricardo Villalobos and Craig Richards, fabric © Nick Ensing
  • Mathew Jonson, fabric © Nick Ensing
  • Apollonia and Jovonn, fabric © Nick Ensing
  • Martinez Bros, fabric © Nick Ensing
  • Phuture © Nick Ensing

  • Seth Troxler, Ricardo Villalobos and Craig Richards © Nick Ensing

  • Mathew Jonson © Nick Ensing

  • Apollonia and Jovonn © Nick Ensing

  • Martinez Bros © Nick Ensing

Nick Ensing

“The picture here of Ricardo Villalobos, Craig Richards and Seth Troxler all together is from the fabric birthday 2014 – and shows how anything can happen in the room one booth by Sunday and then Monday. The birthday event is like nothing anybody else does in the UK let alone London and shows the singular importance and creative vision of the club.”

@nickensingphoto

The fabric 18th Birthday runs from 23:00 on 21 October to 05:00 on 23 October. Find tickets here.

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