In a statement shared on social media, MOTH Club criticised the fragmented development plans, arguing that splitting the proposed building into two has allowed the developers to bypass the obligation to include social housing. While supporting the need for more affordable housing, the venue expressed concerns about the adverse impact of these specific plans on the area’s cultural fabric. “Building multi-storey blocks towering over an independent venue like MOTH would have devastating consequences for its future,” they said.

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The latest threat involves two separate applications for residential blocks on Morning Lane, one of which includes balconies overlooking MOTH Club’s smoking area and backing onto its stage wall. The venue’s management warns that these developments could lead to conflicts, including noise complaints from residents, which could endanger the club’s ability to operate.

The venue, renowned for its eclectic programming of live music, comedy nights, and film screenings, has hosted performances from acts such as Lady Gaga, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, IDLES, and Jarvis Cocker. It has also played a significant role in supporting emerging artists and maintaining Hackney’s cultural vibrancy.

This marks the second time in recent months that the MOTH Club has called for public support. Earlier this year, the venue opposed a similar application for flats on Morning Lane, referencing potential threats to its long-term viability. The Music Venue Trust (MVT), a national charity that supports grassroots music spaces, previously described the situation as indicative of broader pressures facing independent venues across the UK.

The MVT recently flagged that 350 grassroots venues are at risk of imminent closure due to rising operational costs, declining revenue, and conflicts stemming from urban development. The trust’s initiatives, including the #OwnOurVenues campaign and The Artist Pledge, aim to secure the future of such spaces.

MOTH Club’s management has urged fans and local residents to oppose the latest applications by signing a petition and contacting Hackney Council, which can be signed here. “We’re calling on everyone to stand with MOTH Club and oppose these plans,” they wrote. At the time of writing, over 1,200 people have signed the petition in support.

The challenges faced by MOTH Club echo similar threats to other venues, such as Studio 338 in Greenwich, which opposed a residential development nearby at the same time as MOTH Club’s original appeal in September. The problem shows no sign as abating as urban redevelopment continues across London, which pits the need for preserving cultural institutions against the ongoing push to meet housing demands.

The band kicked off their set with a series of crowd-pleasers, exploding into the set with the raucous ‘Losing My Edge’. The band served up its joyous hit ‘I can Change’ early on, with the song’s distinctive whirling introduction being met with thunderous cheers.

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The night took an emotional turn when Murphy addressed the crowd before performing ‘Someone Great’. “Yesterday, we lost a very dear friend of ours, Justin Chearno. We’re all fucking destroyed. We’re trying our best. We love him and miss him. This sucks. Thank you for being here and being a part of it,” Murphy said. Chearno, a co-founding partner with Murphy of the Michelin-starred restaurant and wine bar ‘The Four Horsemen’ in Brooklyn, New York, passed away this week, and the band’s grief shone through the performance and provided a poignant subtext to the many of Murphy’s songs that deal with issues of loss.

Later in the set Murphy embraced keyboardist Nancy Whang during the closing of ‘Dance Yrself Clean’, before dedicating a heartfelt rendition of ‘New York, I Love You but You’re Bringing Me Down’ to Chearno, which met a rapturous reception from the crowd.

Credit: vanrok on YouTube

Since their founding in Brooklyn in 2002 by Murphy, LCD Soundsystem have become a leading influence in the garage, indie, and electronic genres.  Their debut single, “Losing My Edge,” released in 2002, became an underground hit, setting the stage for their critically acclaimed self-titled debut album in 2005. This album earned them a Grammy nomination and solidified their place in the music industry. Their follow-up albums, Sound of Silver (2007) and This Is Happening (2010), further cemented their status, with the latter becoming their first top-ten album in the U.S. Despite a brief disbandment in 2011, LCD Soundsystem reunited in 2015 and released “American Dream” in 2017, which debuted at number one on the US charts.

Against the backdrop of grief, the band’s penchant for capturing the wistful and the bittersweet in their songs came into sharp focus. Finishing the set with the fan-favourite, eternally-escalating ‘All My Friends’, the tender and vulnerable notes of Murphy’s lyricism had perhaps never been more fitting. Despite the underlying sorrow, though, LCD Soundsystem proved they have lost none of their sonic might, as the performance proved a showcase of the band’s enduring appeal and their ability to connect with fans with a combination of visceral dance floor energy and emotional incisiveness that few artists have managed.

The crush occurred after a large group of fans outside the venue attempted to force their way into the Academy, with the show going on to be cancelled.

A total of eight people were removed from the scene by ambulance with crush-related injuries, with two others being treated at the scene.

Police were called to the venue at around 9:30pm on the night of the 16th, after reports that large numbers of people were gathered outside the venue, which normally has a capacity of around 5,000 people, and were attempting to force entry into the show.  Scenes outside the venue were heated, with some witnesses estimating that up to 1,000 people had gathered without tickets outside the doors, clashing with security and  police, adn even trying to force their way through locked doors.

The concert was called off within just ten minutes of it having started, with Asake telling the crowd, “They said outside is fucked up already, so we have to end the show. I don’t know why. It’s not me.”

A further announcement from the team on stage went on to tell the crowd that the situation outside had become severe, with an estimated 3, 000 people attempting to enter the building.   The announcement was followed by booing from the crowd.

After the crush, Asake took to his Instagram with this message: “My heart is with those who were injured last night and caused any form of discomfort. I pray you get well soonest. I am also in the process of reaching out to individuals. I still do not have the full brief from the venue management themselves as to what led to the disruption at the entrance of The Brixton Academy, but we are thankful that all was peaceful in the end. For my people who enjoyed the beginning of my performance, I am sorry that it was cut short. Thank you for your unbelievable love London. I love you too much! I’m looking forward to seeing you again in a bit!”

Solomon Smith, who was present at the show, took to twitter to share his feelings:

Not Asake’s fault at all, it was more people who didn’t have tickets turned up with fake tickets… #Asake #Brixton pic.twitter.com/dxDzfCEUY7

— Solomon Smith (@sollysworld) December 15, 2022

The tragic event comes after the release of the Lagos musician’s debut album, Mr Money with the Vibe, in early September this year.  Since the release, the album has climbed to become the highest charting debut Nigerian album of all time on the Billboard 200 list, making it to No. 66 in September.

Following the death of one of the victims of Thursday night’s crush, a 33-year-old east London woman who was taken to hospital following the show, Asake is said to be “devastated”, saying on his Instagram, “I am overwhelmed with grief and could never have imagined anything like this happening”.

Police and the venue management are currently working together on a debrief as to why the situation escalated with such tragic consequences.

The Motown signed artist has returned with a remix EP of her beloved project, blending genres such as reggae and jazz with her R&B sound. ‘At Sixes And Sevens Remixed’ provides a fresh take on five of the original tracks, with an array of features spanning the globe. The first track keeps us in London with up and coming singer JVCK JAMES, as does track two where Tiana recruits Haile, one half of the UK duo WSTRN. After these two songs we take a trip overseas to sunny Los Angeles, where tracks three and four offer remixes from Long Beach rapper Vince Staples and Inglewood R&B artist SiR. The final remix features Kingston born producer and singer BEAM, whose infectious vocals add flavour to the reggae infused track.

This remix EP follows her acoustic version of the project also, featuring stripped back versions of all the tracks. With a growing fanbase, both projects are set to help Tiana achieve new levels of fame for the eventual release of her highly anticipated debut album on Motown Records. With Collide going as far as to receive a nod from the Grammys in 2020, there is set to be a promising career ahead for the Newham raised artist. Fans are eager to hear what’s next in store, with the remix EP cleansing the palette for a while until the next chapter.

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Lovely stuff. New album #E3AF out October 30th pre order link in bio.

A post shared by Dizzee Rascal (@dizzeerascal) on Oct 10, 2020 at 11:25am PDT

Dizzee took to his Instagram to comment on the award, saying ‘Lovely stuff’, and to remind followers that his highly anticipated new album E3AF is due for release on October 30th. Dizzee Rascal is no stranger to awards. His sensational debut album, Boy in da Corner, made him the youngest person ever to receive a Mercury Prize at 19 years old.

His contribution to the UK grime scene is unquestionable. Though his main achievement is surely bringing grime to the mainstream with Boy in da Corner, he also started Dirtee Stank Records in 2003 with a view to promoting promising artists with ‘social problems’ that might make major labels reluctant to take them on. Dirtee Stank has released several successful artists like Klass A and Newham Generals.

When Dizzee self produced his first single, aged 16, it was clear that he was operating in a different league from his musical contemporaries. I Luv U, with its glitchy beat, rapid cymbals and furious flow, put Dizzee on the map. The tonality of his voice here sounds like an instrument in itself, and his lyrics – although pretty derogatory by todays standards – feel entirely authentic.

This talent was first spotted by a music teacher at Langdon Park school, who was thanked in in the credits on Boy in da Corner‘s album sleeve. Dizzee wrote: ‘Special thanx to Mr. Smith, da best music teacher Langdon Park ever let go (you fools). I’ll never forget da way you kept the faith in me, even when things looked grim.’

Since then, Dizzee Rascal has released six albums, each one more innovative than the last. His most recent, Raskit, saw him ‘reclaim his crown’. It definitely signified a departure from the cocky lyricism of his earlier work, with tracks like Wot U Gonna Do? sounding like the concerns of an artist worried about fading into obscurity: ‘What you gonna do when they won’t play your records// And you don’t get booked ’cause your buzz is all gone’.

But Dizzee doesn’t have to worry about that. October 2nd release Body Loose, that sampled its beat from 2000’s garage classic Body Groove, was a catchy and inventive party-track and the rest of E3AF will be sure to deliver too. His MBE award is a well deserved reminder that the East London rapper is still very much relevant.