1993 and a party in Brockley put on by Vox Populi sound system to raise funds to replace their rig which had been stolen from the Deptford Urban Free Festival in Fordham Park shortly before ('local people built the rig for free parties and festivals'). Venue was a furniture warehouse on Mantle Road.
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| flyer from 56a Info Shop archive |
Krumpo on twitter recalls going to another party at the warehouse, possibly put on by people from Spiral Tribe after most of them had moved to the continent. SE London based Vox Populi also roamed Europe in 1994 helping to spread the free party vibe in France and at early Teknivals in the Czech Republic. They also apparently did a party on a boat at Deptford Creek.
Didn't go to any of these Brockley parties, though I went to plenty of free parties elsewhere in town round then and also to the Fordham Park festival itself.
Any memories of these events or other South London free party/sound system tales? I known Hekate sound system were based at a squat in Brockley's Foxberry Road in the 1990s.
Update:
Have been sent confirmation that Bridge House was the Mantle Road furniture warehouse (as it was in the 1990s) and it was on the site of what is currently the Costcutter store behind Brockley Station. Compare Google pics from 2008 and now (2024). There's more at the planning application from 2007. So next time you are walking the aisles of that shop you may hear the ghosts of free parties past.
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| Mantle Road 2008, furniture warehouse on left, vacant site from demolished Maypole pub on right. |
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