Alex Proud, the man behind London club organization the Proud Group announced this week that he’s taking over the superclub venue formerly known as Matter, opening officially in March.
The Millennium Dome superclub space was previously run by the management team behind Fabric and closed last May following numerous problems related to both the UK’s financial crisis and the frequent closure of the Jubilee Line subway train at weekends for engineering works.
Proud instead are promising to provide regular Routemaster double decker buses from Central London to the Greenwich venue and a music program significantly different from the popular though relatively underground DJs Fabric booked.
"I am thrilled to extend the Proud brand to a venue that offers clubbers something completely different,” said Alex Proud in a press statement.
“Proud2 will bring Vegas-style clubbing to London with a combination of theatrical shows, live music and big name DJs in a club that not only aims to serve but take care of our customers. There won't be any experience like this in the city,” he promised.
His emphasis on ‘big name’ DJs came despite an article published by the Guardian following Matter’s closure which asked specifically whether ‘a reliance on big-name DJs?’ was responsible for the club’s closure.
Guardian writer Ben Child interviewed Pete Jordan of Spectrum, who staged various parties at Matter before its closure, who singled out avaricious agents for damaging Britain’s club scene.
"People are going out less, so agencies realise that acts which guarantee sales will be of a premium – hence raising their fees," he said.
“Greed is the key here; agents get paranoid if they think somebody other than them is making money.” (Guardian: http://bit.ly/g4GSjn )
The Proud Group’s promise to bring ‘Vegas-style’ clubbing to London could also prove costly if they hope to attract the likes of celebrity Vegas party hosts such as Puff Daddy who was outed buy the News of the World this week as being one of ‘a growing number of celebs’ charging appearance fees to attend clubs.
“Puff Daddy is offered around £15,000 just to turn up,” the News of the World revealed.
Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff
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