UK Edition
Royal Albert Hall to hold seated rave to banish 'intimidating' image
It is perhaps best known as the majestic home of the Proms, host to soaring performances by the Royal Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestras.
The Royal Albert Hall has rarely been considered a rave venue but in a bid to banish its "intimidating and off-putting" image it will next month play host to a club night featuring leading house and techno DJs.
One slight snag on the image front is that it will finish at midnight and be a seated event.
No matter, ground-breaking electronic dance music label Innervisions is to bring leading German DJs to the historic venue and promises live sets from various special guests.
Lucy Noble, artistic director at the Hall, said: "One of our aims ahead of our 150th (birthday in March 2021) is to open up the Hall to new audiences, and show that it's a place for everyone.
“Because of our royal connection, and some heavyweight classical performances, people might find it intimidating or off-putting, so it's about knocking down those barriers.”
Innervisions was founded in 2005 by Steffen Berkhahn, known as Dixon, with the group Âme.
The artists, who will also put on visual light displays, have created new material for the show, with Croatian visual artist Nina Kurtela also performing a 48-minute live routine.
Kristian Beyer, a Berlin-based producer and one half of Âme, told the Evening Standard: "I have probably played every club in London by now, but this will be very different. To say I am playing the Royal Albert Hall seems almost silly to me.
"It is hard to explain what to expect, but we want it to be personal and intimate, despite there being 5,000 people. Each of the acts will make new material and it will be a celebration of its (Royal Albert Hall's) history, with lots of references to classical music."
Noble added: "With our shows in the smaller spaces, and shows like Hacienda Classical and Wizkid, we've been able to attract a younger, more diverse audience. That's critical to the Hall's future — not just in terms of simple economics, but in enabling us to stay relevant.
"The Hall has been at the heart of social and cultural life in Britain since 1871, and that has involved being adaptable: open to new genres, new trends, and new ways of experiencing music."
Sigma, the drum and bass duo, are among the most recent dance music performers to headline at the Albert Hall but the Innervisions gig, on September 21, will be the biggest event of its kind at the venue.